10x Cashback: Your Wealth Is Mine

Amelia Ward sat in the corner booth of the upscale Manhattan cafe, her fingers lightly tracing the rim of her coffee cup.

Even though this was her first time here, she already knew the cafe by reputation. It is apparently a known haunt for some powerful financiers and business elites. And not the good kinds, either. The kinds she distanced herself from to not be linked to them and their brand.

And yet, here she was sitting among them as they made deals that would affect the livelihood of people over their lattes and croissants. But Amelia wasn't here to make a deal like them. She was here for a meeting she hadn't wanted.

When Jasmine Voss had called her a few days ago, she had to admit that she'd considered ignoring the request entirely. The last thing she wanted was to get involved directly in the current battle between the Voss sisters. She was quite happy where she was, feeding Jenny everything she needed, hidden and out of the line of fire.

But Jasmine had threathened her in the one place she was vulnerable. Her dream to positively impact the world.

She had to admit that the partnership with Apex was one of, if not the biggest deal she'd closed and with the growth potential, it would probably be the biggest way she left a positive impact. And Jasmine had the power to put a stop to that.

With the implied price she'd have to pay if she refused, Amelia had reluctantly agreed. That was why she was here today. Because Jasmine Voss was Jasmine Voss.

She'd been connected long enough to know that while Jenny might look like the one most likely to stab you, she was practically an angel compared to the rest of her family.

The door chimed, and Amelia glanced up to see Jasmine stride in, wearing a black pantsuit with her hair pulled into a ponytail.

As she spotted Amelia and began walking towards the table, Amelia couldn't help but wonder what she'd just gotten herself into. The woman walking towards her looked every inch the corporate predator she was known to be.

No, this wasn't a meeting. It was a battle between predator and prey.

"Amelia." Jasmine greeted as she slid into the booth across from her, a smile on her lips. But what was unnerving was how easy it was to see that the smile didn't reach her eyes. And she could tell it was deliberate. Jasmine knew exactly what she was doing.

"Jasmine." Amelia replied as she set her coffee cup down, not allowing the thoughts going through her mind to show on her face. "Let's not waste time." She said. "Why am I here?"

"Straight to the point." Jasmine chuckled. "I like that. Now, I know why I liked you right from the moment I saw you having that private moment with your boyfriend yesterday."

The moment she heard those words, a chill ran down Amelia's spine. She'd always kept her personal life and relationships private that even the press didn't know she had a boyfriend.

And Jasmine had been able to get information on all that and their secret rendezvous yesterday? What else did she know?

Jasmine leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table as her smile widened. There still was no sense of warmth in her eyes. "I have to say, you've become quite close to my sister lately. Some would say too close."

Amelia calmed her racing heart as she answered, her expression neutral. "Jenny and I are business partners. Just that. Our partnership benefits Apex, which, as I recall, is what all this is supposed to be about." She gestured vaguely.

"Spare me the sanctimonious speech." Jasmine cut in harshly. "You're not just a business partner and you know it. You're a weapon Jenny is wielding against me, and I don't appreciate being attacked on multiple fronts."

Amelia leaned forward, a hard expression on her face. "If you're here to accuse me of something, I'd suggest you take it up with your sister. I'm simply fulfilling my end of the partnership."

"Heh." Jasmine chuckled at Amelia's attempt at intimidation. "Cute."

Then Jasmine smiled, like a predator baring its teeth. "But what you just said is exactly why I'm here. You see, Amelia, I'm offering you a way out of this mess before it… consumes you."

Amelia raised an eyebrow, feigning nonchalance as she tried to come up with a way out of this. "I'm listening." Her mouth moved. Read new adventures at My Virtual Library Empire

"Take a vacation." Jasmine said. "A long one. Take your boyfriend, go somewhere warm with a beach or two, and don't come back until after the chairman of Apex is announced."

Amelia's stomach dropped, but she was able to keep up her composed expression. "And if I refuse?"

Jasmine's gaze hardened and Amelia knew her next words were not a joke. "Then Ward Impact Ventures becomes the next… casualty in this war."

"You know how this game is played, Amelia. A few whispers in the right ears, and disaster strikes. Your reputation crumbles. Contracts disappear. Investors lose confidence. And before you know it, your company is in ruins."

Amelia's hands clenched under the table. "You're threatening me."

Jasmine's smile returned, this time, genuinely smug and unbothered. "I prefer to think of it as offering you an opportunity to protect what you've built." She waved dismissively. "Jenny is a sinking ship, and if you don't cut ties now, she'll drag you down with her."

Amelia stared at Jasmine, her mind working like there was no tomorrow. Her Ward Impact Ventures was like an ant standing next to a giant. And with Jasmine currently holding the reins of Apex, she was a woman holding great power in her hands.

Whatever was happening, she knew Jasmine wasn't bluffing. The power of the Voss family wasn't anywhere near absolute in New York but to small fries like her, it might as well be.

But on the other hand, abandoning Jenny now would be a betrayal. Not just to her dreams and her business partner but to her own principles. But what choice did she have? There would be no dream, business partner or principles to uphold if her company ceases to exist.

"And what happens if I agree?" She asked Jasmine whose smile widened.

"You get to keep your company." Jasmine said, leaning back. "You go on your little vacation, enjoy the sun, and when you come back, we pretend this conversation never happened. Simple."

Amelia looked down at her coffee, her mind somehow returning to a state of calm. Jasmine had backed her into a corner, and as much as she hated it, she couldn't afford to risk everything.

Her company wasn't just her livelihood. It was her legacy.

As she looked up, she realized that she'd never hated the word legacy more than she did at that moment.

"Alright." She said, the words tasting like ash in her mouth. "I'll leave."

Jasmine smiled like a cat that got the canary. "Good job."