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Stuart nodded again and pulled out his phone. “I’ll arrange it.”
“No.” I placed a hand on his shoulder. “This is something I have to do myself.”
***
The silence of my penthouse suffocated me as I paced back and forth, the soft thud of my footsteps the only sound echoing off the walls. The city council vote was a ticking time bomb, set to detonate with the potential to shatter everything Mila fought for, everything I had come to cherish.
I reached for my phone, its screen cold and unyielding against my fingertips. With each contact I dialed, my resolve hardened. I needed a way to delay the vote—a reprieve from the impending doom. My contacts, seasoned in the dance of politics and power, understood the stakes when I laid them out.
“It’s not just about land or money,” I insisted over the line to a councilman I knew had a soft spot for grassroots movements. “It’s about the community.”
The councilman hummed on the other end, a noncommittal sound that sparked frustration within me. “I understand your concerns, Cassius, but these things follow a procedure—”
“Then let’s work within that procedure,” I countered swiftly. “There has to be something we can do.”
I could hear him shuffling papers, a sign that I had his attention. “Well,” he started slowly, “there might be a provision for postponing if there’s significant public interest at stake or new information to consider.”
That was it—the leverage point I needed.
I seized on it like a lifeline. “Then consider this new information: The community center is undergoing renovations, they are investing in the building and services, so…”
I let my words trail off, hoping he’d realize what would happen if the public learns that the picture of an old derelict building they have been shown is not quite true.
The councilman sighed deeply. “I’ll see what I can do, Cassius. But you know this isn’t just about pulling strings.”
“Of course,” I agreed, more calm than I felt. “But every moment you can give counts.”
We said our goodbyes and I hung up, knowing one call wasn’t enough. Leverage required more than a single point of pressure—it needed a network of forces pushing in unison.
So I called upon old business partners with sway in city affairs, philanthropists whose charity work granted them an audience with decision-makers, and community leaders whose voices carried weight. Each call was deliberate, each word chosen with precision.
“You have influence where it matters,” I reminded an old college friend who now lobbied for educational reforms.
“Cassius,” he chided lightly, though his tone held an edge of respect, “you’re asking me to stick my neck out.”
“For a good cause,” I urged him.
He was silent for a beat before responding. “Alright, but you owe me one.”
“You’ll have it.”
With each successful call, momentum built—a cascade of dominoes teetering on the brink of falling my way. The intricacies of local government and business were complex webs that often ensnared those without knowledge or resources. But tonight, they served as conduits for change.
Hours passed as night deepened around me. The city skyline blurred into streaks of light as exhaustion set in—but so did a sense of accomplishment.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity tethered to my phone, the confirmation came through: the vote would be postponed due to public interest and new considerations.
I slumped into my chair as relief washed over me in an almost tangible wave. It was done—at least for now. The community center had been granted a reprieve from the guillotine’s blade.
But as welcome as this victory was, it wasn’t enough to mend what had fractured between Mila and me. With the fight for time won, another battle loomed ahead—the battle for trust and understanding.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Mila
The fluorescent lights hummed overhead as I sat in the community center’s cramped meeting room, surrounded by the board members. Our faces, weary from the battle to save our sanctuary, reflected both determination and dread. I fiddled with a pen, my thoughts on Cass and the argument that still echoed in my mind.
“Alright, let’s get started,” Mrs. Perkins, the head of the board, called the meeting to order. “We’ve got some unexpected news about the city council vote.”
