BRUTAL MINDS (A DARK ROMANCE)

CHAPTER 28- HER NEW ERA

               THREE YEARS LATER

HAMILTON MANOR.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.
7:00AM

"Rise And Fucking Shine!"

            That was the sound of Allison's voice spreading open the curtains to Karl's bedroom. The heiress to Hamilton Jewels was dressed in a matching black designer suit and trousers that morning. With her long red hair tied behind her and a few expensive jewels adoring her ears, neck and waist in form of a silver belt. Miss  Hamilton was not one to be caught under dressed, no matter how casual the occasion was.

"Will you let me sleep?"
He groaned, shielding his eyes from the sunlight.
"You can sleep all you want when you're dead."
Allison said casually as she walked towards the bed, the sound of her heels clanking on the floors.
"But for now get your ass in gear Karl." She added, frowning.
"Ouch!"
Karl let out a lazy smile as He sat up, holding the mattress to his abdomen.
"Why aren't you getting up from b....?" Her voice trailed off in a gasp. "Are you undressed?"
Karl chuckled. "Allison..."
"You didn't let someone else in here did you?" She asked again, looking around, suspiciously.
"No I didn't and I'm not undressed. You're getting delusional."
"That's a relief. It would be a pleasure kicking you out of the game."
"Loosen up Ally, you might get wrinkles at such a young age."
"What did you say?" She asked, arms crossed and upset. "Was that an insult?"
"Don't mind me. I see you're all dressed up." He said, taking notice of her outfit.
"Yes my aunt wants us downstairs in ten minutes."
Karl sighed. "After all we did yesterday."
"You should be grateful she let you use our guest room. She never mixes business with family affairs." Allison said.
"Trust you to always defend her."
"I always will."
"After this ordeal, whatever it is, I just hope I get to have a year long vacation."
"I'll consider telling her that."
"Thank you."
"Just get ready to be presented your very last salary before you go."
"Screw it! I knew there was no way you'd be that generous."
"Downstairs. Ten minutes Karl, ten minutes." She said, turning around and walking out of the room.
Karl let out a tired cuss as He watched the strict slender figure disappear from sight.

Karl arrived downstairs, a few minutes later. He was a gunman for the company. At times, business might get dirty and therefore, the need for defenses may arise and He was also hired as a sort of bodyguard for Allison in the office although, he kept his duty very low key that people didn't know. He was met with a somber expression from her aunt, Vera.

"Good morning, Allison, Karl. I'm afraid we have a serious situation on our hands." She said. Allison's instincts immediately kicked in.
"What is it, Aunt Vera?" She asked, worried.
"Come with me."
Allison's instincts immediately kicked in. She could sense the gravity of the situation and felt a surge of adrenaline coursing through her veins. "What is it, Aunt Vera? What's going on?"

           Vera led them to the conference room, where a stack of papers and financial reports lay on the table. The room was dimly lit, the only sound the soft hum of the air conditioning. Allison's eyes scanned the documents, her mind racing with possibilities. The usually poised and confident Vera looked troubled, her eyes lined with worry and her shoulders slumped in defeat.

"We've suffered a significant loss in the last quarter," Vera explained, her voice steady but laced with emotion. "Our profits are down by nearly 20%, and our market share is dwindling. We're losing clients, and our reputation is taking a hit."

Karl's eyes narrowed, his brow furrowed in concentration. "What's causing this? Is it just market fluctuations or something more sinister?"

            Vera's expression turned grim, her eyes flashing with determination. "It's our main competitor, Valor Jewels. They've been aggressively undercutting us, poaching our clients, and sabotaging our reputation. They're playing dirty, and we need to take action, and fast."