*** By the time Shayne hit the airport, Leyla's flight was already gone. He stared at the giant board flashing "Departed," hands clenched so tight his knuckles looked like chalk. "Sir, are you okay?" some staffer asked. He didn't even blink. Just spun around and bolted to the ticket desk. "Next flight to Selvora. Fastest one. Book it." The agent clicked around. "Sorry, last one's full. You could try tomorrow morni-" "I'll pay more." He slapped down his black card. "First class, cargo hold-I don't care. Just get me on." They winced. "There's seriously nothing left..." Shayne's fist hit the counter, loud enough to turn heads. Vanessa came clacking over in heels, eyes puffy, clutching a bunch of photos like they were proof of something. "Shayne, stop! Your assistant said you bolted here like a lunatic-I was worried!" She latched onto his arm, all breathy and teary. "Leyla's been over you forever. She's not worth this. Look!" She shoved the pics at him. 1/3 Leyla, cracking up over dinner with some rando. Leyla, slipping into a hotel with his arm wrapped around her waist. Leyla, clinging to him at the airport like she didn't wanna let go... Shayne's chest tightened. Pupils blown. Breathing? Optional. Over on Leyla's end, the Chat Feed went nuts: [Fake! Total AI. You can see the janky Photoshop job-stalker cam energy.] [That V-bitch! She PLANNED this meltdown for max chaos.] [I swear, if Shay buys this crap- WAKE UP, SHAY-SHAY!] Vanessa draped herself over his shoulder, fake crying. "She's not worth it..." Shayne shoved her off. Photos flew everywhere. His glare could've frozen lava. "You followed her?" She blinked, panicking. "I-I just thought she might be getting scammed-" "Get lost." He walked off, all shaky like some broken-down hero. Vanessa didn't move. Just stood there, fists clenched, eyes flashing with something ugly. *** JU Bonus Three months later, Selvora. I'd tripled the branch's numbers, and the board basically catapulted me to CEO. Sixteen-hour days. Meetings stacked like Jenga. Negotiations, flights, even my so-called coffee breaks got eaten alive by paperwork. People at work started calling me 'Iron Woman.' I just snorted. "Better than wasting time on drama." The Chat Feed couldn't shut up: [Queen Ley's career arc is unstoppable!] [Girlboss script unlocked!] [Meanwhile Shay's face-planting in liquor. Karma's on point!] Then some finance channel invited me for an interview. 2/3 Chopter G I showed up in a razor-sharp suit, cool as ice, not a single crack of heartbreak left. The host leaned in all smiles. "Ms. Landon, how'd you pull off a business miracle this fast?" I tilted a smile. "Maybe heartbreak's the best fuel."