Chapter 145 A Fresh Start
Eleanor’s heavy footsteps slowly faded down the grand corridor, the sharp clack of her heels against the marble floor growing quieter until the sound vanished altogether.
Veyra stood perfectly still for a few long seconds, listening to the silence that settled over the empty hallway. She took a slow, deep breath to steady herself, noticing that her hands were completely still and her heart wasn’t racing at all. She hadn’t flinched, and she certainly hadn’t backed down.
She turned on her heel and began walking down the main corridor. Leon Wei immediately fell into step right beside her, his sharp eyes scanning the corners.
"Are you alright?" Leon asked, his voice low and serious.
"I’m fine," Veyra replied, not breaking her stride.
"She threatened you right to your face."
"She is always threatening me, Leon. It is really nothing new at this point."
Leon’s jaw tightened in frustration. "If she tries to pull something like that again—"
"She won’t," Veyra cut him off gently. "At least not right away. She is furious, but she is still smart enough to wait until she thinks the coast is clear."
Leon nodded slowly, though the deep crease between his brows proved he wasn’t entirely convinced.
Veyra offered him a slight smile. "Don’t worry so much. I can handle someone like her."
Before heading out for the afternoon, she made her way down to the training room. She needed to burn off the residual tension from the confrontation, and the physical workout Leon put her through was brutally intense. He didn’t hold back, pushing her through rounds of squats, deep lunges, push-ups, and long planks.
Veyra didn’t complain once, nor did she ask for an extra break. By the time they called it quits, her muscles were burning, her shirt was soaked through with sweat, and her legs felt like jelly under her weight. Yet, despite the exhaustion, a deep sense of strength grounded her.
She headed upstairs, took a quick, hot shower, and changed into a casual set of clean clothes. She grabbed her leather bag off the chair, ready to hit the town.
Out on the street, the air was warm and lively. Veyra paused on the sidewalk just across from Clara Clark’s pizza shop, taking in the scene. The small storefront looked completely transformed. A bright red awning stretched over the entrance, the wooden sign above the door had been painted with fresh white lettering, and the front windows practically sparkled in the sunlight.
A handwritten chalkboard stood proudly near the front door, announcing their grand reopening alongside a special discount for the day. Customers were constantly streaming in and out, pushing through the door, and the mouth-watering scent of baked dough, melting cheese, and rich tomato sauce drifted right out onto the street.
Veyra couldn’t help but smile at the sight. She crossed the pavement and stepped inside.
The shop was packed to the brim. Every small booth was occupied with hungry families, the front counter had a long line of people waiting to order, and the desk phone was ringing off the hook with pickup requests.
Right behind the counter, Clara was working like a well-oiled machine. She wore a clean white apron tied tightly over her waist, her hair pulled back into a neat knot. Her cheeks were flushed red from the heat of the pizza ovens, but she had a massive, radiant smile on her face as she tossed a round disc of dough high into the air.
Veyra squeezed her way through the crowd toward the register.
When Clara looked up and spotted her, her entire face lit up. "Veyra!"
Clara quickly wiped her flour-dusted hands on her apron, rushed around the edge of the counter, and pulled Veyra into a tight, warm hug.
Veyra laughed, hugging her back. "It looks like you are swamped today, Clara."
"I am completely overwhelmed, but that just means business is good," Clara said with a bright laugh, pulling back to take a look at her. "You look absolutely wonderful."
"You look great too. The shop looks amazing."
Just then, a young woman stepped out from the kitchen area behind Clara. She looked to be in her early twenties, with dark hair tied back in a low pony, soft dark eyes, and a slightly shy smile.
"Mom?" the girl asked softly, glancing between them. "Is this her?"
Clara beamed with pride, gesturing toward Veyra. "Yes, sweetie! This is Veyra. The amazing woman I was telling you about."
The young woman took a step forward, her eyes practically shining with genuine gratitude. "I am Megan," she said, her voice full of warmth. "I honestly don’t even know where to begin to thank you for everything you did for my mother."
Veyra shook her head slightly, feeling a bit bashful under the praise. "Please, I really didn’t do that much."
"You did everything," Megan insisted, her tone deeply earnest. "Xander Hale was making our lives an absolute nightmare. We felt completely trapped, with nowhere to run and nobody willing to step up and help us out. And then you showed up out of nowhere."
Veyra gave her a gentle smile. "Your mother saved a little girl’s life when nobody else would step in. I was just making sure she got the help she deserved in return."
Megan’s eyes welled up with light tears, and she wiped them away quickly with her sleeve. "You are such a good person."
Veyra felt a tight knot form in her throat, catching her off guard. She blinked a few times to clear her eyes. "I just try my best."
Clara placed a loving hand on her daughter’s shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "We have a dozen orders stacking up back there, sweetie, but I really wanted you two to meet properly."
Megan nodded at her mother before looking back at Veyra. "Thank you again. Truly. For everything."
"You are very welcome," Veyra said kindly. "And please, just call me Veyra."
They chatted for a few more minutes about how the shop’s opening morning had gone, until the growing line at the counter demanded Clara’s attention again. Megan gave a final wave and hurried back to the hot kitchen line.
Before leaving, Veyra ordered two large fresh pies—a classic pepperoni and a fresh margherita loaded with basil.
Once the piping hot boxes were handed over, she paid her bill, thanked the staff, and stepped back out into the fresh afternoon air. Holding the warm boxes carefully in her arms, she made her way down the block toward Didi Cafe, eager to catch up with Mia.