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Chapter 4 Difficulties

Sadie and Brenda hurriedly dropped off the three kids at the new kindergarten. She needed a job fast to secure a better future for her children. She silently repeated to herself, 'This time, I must succeed.'

"Ms. Roth, don't worry, today's interview will go smoothly," Brenda reassured her, eyes full of encouragement.

"Thank you, Brenda. I'll do my best," Sadie smiled slightly but couldn't hide her nervousness. Over the past few days, Sadie had sent out thirty-five resumes and interviewed with seventeen companies, only to be either rejected on the spot or told to wait for further notice.

She had received only one successful call, and that was for today's interview at VIC Group.

As Sadie stepped into the building, anticipation mixed with anxiety. Why would a big company like VIC Group be interested in someone like her? Did she possess some extraordinary talent she wasn't aware of?

Her excitement quickly turned to dismay as she entered the HR department and saw Samuel Brown sitting there with a smirk on his face.

"Long time no see, Ms. Roth!" Samuel greeted her, his eyes raking over her with barely concealed contempt. "You haven't changed a bit over the years. Still as beautiful as ever!"

"Samuel, my dad kicked you out of the Roth Group years ago and banned you from ever stepping foot in Newark again. How dare you come back?" Sadie said icily. She remembered him well. Samuel was once the vice president of the Roth Group, but after making inappropriate advances toward her, Edmond expelled him. She had never expected to see him here four years later.

"The Roth family has long since fallen. Do you still think you're the Roth family's princess?" Samuel sneered, leaning back in his chair with an air of smug superiority. "You're nothing now. Even this job is a charity from me!"

A surge of anger rose within Sadie. Without another word, she turned to leave. She wouldn't dignify his vile remarks with a response.

"Sadie, this is your last chance. Walk out that door, and I guarantee you'll never find a job in Newark again unless you want to work as a sex worker!" Samuel warned.

His words hit her like a slap. Tears stung her eyes, but she blinked them back. She would never sell her dignity. With her head held high, she strode out of the HR department, her resolve only hardened.

Just as she reached the building's entrance, she heard a commotion. A crowd had gathered by the roadside, seemingly due to some incident. Curious, she approached and saw a man preparing to set himself on fire.

The middle-aged man was drenched in gasoline, holding a lighter, his expression both crazed and desperate. His voice echoed in the air, "I want to see Micah! He must answer for my father's death!"

People around him backed away while bodyguards tried to calm him down, "Stay calm! We can talk this out. You don't have to do this."

But the man's emotions only grew more intense, his eyes burning with hatred. He barked, "Calm? He ruined me overnight for a minor offense. How can I stay calm?"

Sadie's heart tightened, and Edmond's suicide flashed suddenly through her mind. Was her father's death truly a suicide, or was he coerced?

Just then, a sleek car pulled up, and the crowd instantly fell silent. Sadie strained to see, her curiosity piqued about the man in the car. She caught a glimpse of Micah—a dark, imposing figure with an expression as cold as ice.

Micah's gaze bore into the crazed man. He said nothing but signaled to his driver with a slight raise of his hand. The driver responded immediately, starting the car and driving straight toward the man.

The man was stunned by this, his face a mix of despair and anger, the lighter in his hand almost slipping. Realizing his impending fate, a flicker of fear crossed his eyes.

The crowd gasped, everyone frozen in place. Sadie's heart pounded, unable to comprehend the cruelty unfolding before her eyes.

"No!" Sadie cried out, her voice cutting through the tension. Without thinking, she dashed forward, grabbing the man's arm in an attempt to pull him away. "Get out of the way!"

"What are you doing?" the bodyguards shouted, trying to grab her.

Sadie ignored them, her mind focused on one thought: She couldn't let someone die like this, no matter what he had done. Edmond had already left due to some dark shadow, and she didn't want to see anyone else consumed by despair.

Micah looked over from inside the car, his deep gaze falling on Sadie's face, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

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