GOLDEN GIRL

CHAPTER 12

Shay's POV

As usual, I woke up to the blaring sound of my alarm. 

It took me a moment to remember that I'd been fired yesterday. There was no reason to keep setting my alarm anymore—no job, no responsibilities, nothing to wake up for. Frustrated, I slammed the alarm off and flopped back onto the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

I couldn't believe that jerk. He didn't even bother to hear me out. Instead, he took his friend's side and fired me because I dared to put her in her place.

I stayed in bed for another five minutes, wallowing in my anger, before deciding to get up and make breakfast. No job now meant no schedule, no purpose—just me filling my time with whatever dull, pointless activities I could find.

I pulled my hair into a messy bun and reached for my necklace, pausing as a thought struck me like a lightning bolt. 

Jason's friend. She was the reason I got fired. And she was going to pay for it.

Fueled by a newfound determination, I grabbed my laptop, sat cross-legged on my bed, and typed her name into Google.

Jaliyah Keng.

Her profile popped up instantly. I skimmed through the search results and quickly realized she wasn't just anyone—she was a former model turned businesswoman, now helping her father manage their family empire of restaurants, hotels, and companies. 

There were also plenty of gossip articles about her, linking her to various men. My stomach churned as I spotted Jason Cartwright's name among them.

Frowning, I grabbed my phone and called Shawn. The line rang a few times before he picked up.

"Hey, Shay. What's up?"

"Where are you?" I asked without preamble.

"On my way to work. Why? What's going on?"

"Remember when you said you'd do anything for me?"

"Uh... yeah?" he replied cautiously.

"Good. Because I need you to do something for me. I'll email you all the information I have on this woman, and you'll handle the rest."

There was a pause. 

"What woman? And what exactly do you want me to do?"

I sighed impatiently, standing and pacing toward the window. 

"I got fired yesterday, Shawn. For the stupidest reason. And it's all because of her. She's the reason my life feels like a prison again. That job was the only thing keeping me sane, and now it's gone." My voice faltered for a moment, but I steeled myself. 

"Please, Shawn. Just this once. Do this for me."

His long sigh crackled through the line. After a pause, he muttered, "Fine. I'll take care of it."

Before I could say more, the call ended. A sly smile crept across my face as I set my phone down. With that sorted, I headed downstairs to enjoy a well-earned breakfast.

Now all I had to do was wait. It wouldn't be long before that Jaliyah bitch came crawling to me, begging for forgiveness.

OoO

Around noon, boredom got the best of me. Stuck in my room with nothing to do, I decided to hit the gym downstairs and restart my workout routine. I slipped on a pair of black tights, an orange tank top, and my running shoes.

For two hours, I kept myself busy. I started with the treadmill, letting the repetitive rhythm drown out my frustration. Then, I unleashed my pent-up stress on the punching bag, practiced plank holds for over a minute, and even challenged myself with some weightlifting.