Chapter 14 - The Counterattack
The lawsuit worked.
Not because Grant was right.
Because litigation was expensive, public, and frightening.
Glasswater terminated Sofia.
Ben delivered the news with tears in his eyes.
“I fought them.”
“I know.”
“The corporate owner threatened to cancel the restaurant’s lease.”
“I know.”
“I’m sorry.”
Sofia cleaned out her locker.
For years, she had survived by keeping her head down.
Work hard.
Pay rent.
Avoid rich people’s wars.
Now a billionaire family had placed her name in court filings.
Her bank account held less than eight thousand dollars.
Grant’s lawyers claimed damages exceeding her lifetime earnings.
Michael offered to cover everything.
She refused.
Then her attorney called and explained what defending complex commercial litigation could cost.
Sofia called Michael back.
“I need help.”
He did not sound triumphant.
“Okay.”
“I hate this.”
“I know.”
“I’m not agreeing because you own me.”
“I know.”
“I’ll repay what I can.”
“No.”
“Michael.”
“We’ll structure it as a litigation advance through a legal-defense trust with written terms. Eleanor can make sure I have no control over you.”
That answer surprised her.
“You listened.”
“I’m trying.”
The temporary injunction hearing went badly.
Grant’s attorneys presented Michael’s punch.
His unauthorized attempt to access corporate records.
His public accusation of his brother.
And Sofia’s presence during internal meetings.
The judge restricted Michael from entering Hayes Meridian offices or contacting certain employees outside counsel.
After court, Michael lashed out.
“We’re losing because everyone is afraid.”
Sofia stopped on the courthouse steps.
“No. We’re losing because you keep giving Grant ammunition.”
He turned on her.
“And you think you’ve done everything perfectly?”
“No.”
“You held information about Laura.”
“I didn’t know it mattered.”
“You went into your apartment after someone broke in before police cleared it.”
“I panicked.”
“You spoke to reporters last week.”
“Because they were calling me a murderer!”
“And now Grant’s attorneys are using your words.”
She stared at him.
“Fine.”
“Sofia—”
“No. You wanted to win that argument. Congratulations.”
She walked away.
Michael did not follow.
That night Sofia agreed to meet a former Glasswater bartender named Marcus Reed who claimed he had seen Grant using the service corridor.
He insisted on meeting alone.
That should have warned her.
Instead, pride made her ignore it.
She wanted evidence without Michael.
She wanted proof she was not merely the waitress being financed by the powerful man she had saved from himself.
Marcus never arrived.
Two private investigators working for Grant’s legal team did.
They photographed Sofia entering a restricted storage area behind Glasswater after following instructions in Marcus’s message.
Security appeared.
Police were called.
Sofia was arrested for criminal trespass.
Sitting in the back of the squad car, she understood immediately.
Grant had baited her.
Worse, she had walked willingly into it.
Michael arrived at the station.
She could barely look at him.
He sat beside her after her release.
Neither spoke for several minutes.
Finally Sofia said, “You can say it.”
“Say what?”
“That I gave him ammunition.”
Michael looked at her.
“No.”
“I did.”
“Yes.”
She gave him a furious look.
“You said you didn’t want me to say it.”
“I said you could say it.”
A laugh escaped her despite everything.
Then Michael became serious.
“We both keep trying to prove we don’t need anyone.”
Sofia looked down.
“And people get hurt.”
“Yes.”
Her phone buzzed.
A message from Ben.
CALL ME. I FOUND WHO ORDERED THE CAMERA SHUTDOWN.
Sofia dialed immediately.
Ben answered in a whisper.
“It wasn’t Grant’s login.”
“Whose was it?”
May you like
Silence.
Then Ben said, “Michael’s.”
