Everything stopped.
Every whisper.
Every movement.
Gone.
“You’re bluffing,” Ethan said quickly.
Alicia tapped the screen.
The sound of his own voice filled the room.
Clear.
Undeniable.
“Get on your knees. Crawl. Bark.”
A few guests immediately stepped away from him.
Like distance could protect them.
Someone muttered, “Delete that.”
Another voice, panicked: “This is bad. This is really bad.”
Ethan’s face drained of color.
“Turn that off,” he snapped.
Alicia didn’t move.
“If you take one more step toward me,” she said calmly, “this goes to my lawyer. The labor board. And every media outlet that loves stories like this.”
Silence pressed down on the room.
Heavy.
Unforgiving.
For the first time in his life…
Ethan Carter had no control.
His eyes flicked around.
No one was smiling now.
No one was laughing.
The same people who had been eager for entertainment were now avoiding his gaze.
Because suddenly…
He wasn’t powerful.
He was exposed.
Alicia lowered her phone slightly—but didn’t turn it off.
“I came here to work,” she said. “To earn money honestly. Not to be humiliated so you can feel important.”
Ethan opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
She stepped back.