Sections e pov.
The door closed.
And just like that—Jay was gone.
For a moment, no one spoke.
The music outside the room kept playing, loud and careless, but inside Section E, the air felt heavy. Too quiet. Too still.
Cin was the first to move.
"She's back," he said slowly, as if saying it out loud would make it real. "Jay is actually back."
Felix was still staring at the door, jaw tight. "And she didn't even stay."
Eman scoffed, running a hand through his hair. "She walked in, said hi, and left like it meant nothing."
Rakki crossed her arms. "It didn't look like nothing."
Cin snapped his head toward her. "Then what did it look like?"
"Like she wanted to disappear," Rakki replied. "Like she wasn't ready to see us."
Cin laughed sharply. "Not ready?" His voice rose. "We waited. We worried. And she couldn't even give us five minutes?"
Mica hesitated before speaking. "Cin… you were intense."
"I was shocked!" Cin shot back. "Anyone would be. She vanished, and suddenly she's standing right there like nothing happened."
Felix exhaled slowly. "It didn't look like nothing to her."
That quieted him—just for a second.
Then Cin's gaze shifted.
Keifer was still there.
Leaning against the wall. Silent. Watching the door Jay had disappeared through like it might open again.
Cin frowned. "You."
Keifer didn't respond.
"You knew," Cin said, realization hitting hard. "Didn't you?"
Keifer's jaw tightened. "I knew she was back."
Eman's eyes widened. "And you didn't tell us?"
"She didn't want anyone to know," Keifer replied coolly. "That was her choice."
Cin laughed again, bitter this time. "So she trusted you enough to hide behind you, but not enough to talk to us?"
Keifer's eyes darkened. "Watch how you talk."
Rakki stepped in quickly. "Enough. Fighting won't change anything."
Felix nodded. "She came back… and still walked away."
That sentence settled over them like a weight.
Mica murmured, "That hurts more than if she never returned."
No one disagreed.
Because it was true.
Jay was back.
And somehow, she felt farther away than ever.
I froze. My fingers hovered over the folder, unsure if I should snatch it away or stay perfectly still.
The man didn't move. He leaned casually against the table, eyes sharp, almost amused. "You look… surprised," he said. "That's good. Shows me you're still paying attention."
I forced my voice steady, but every muscle in me screamed caution. "Why do you have this?"
He smiled faintly, sliding the folder toward me. "Let's just say… someone wanted to make sure I was aware of your little chaos. Missing files. Angry clients. Confused employees. A perfect storm."
My pulse jumped. The words burned through me. Someone is deliberately sabotaging me.
I stood up, fists tight at my sides. "Who?"
He shrugged, as if it were trivial. "That's the fun part, isn't it? Not knowing. You'd think the person causing trouble would be obvious. But no… they've been clever."
My mind raced. I scanned my team. Everyone avoided my eyes. No one spoke. My instincts screamed that someone inside my company had betrayed me.
"Enough games," I said, stepping closer. "I am in charge here. You or anyone else has no right to—"
He cut me off, voice soft but firm. "I'm not here to take your authority, Jay. Not yet. I'm here to show you the fire you're standing in. The lines being crossed. And the fact that someone thinks they can undermine you."
I swallowed. Calm. Focus. This wasn't personal. I was Jay. I could handle this.
I opened the folder carefully. Every file was intact, but clearly someone had touched them, rearranged them, left little notes—traps and mistakes meant to make me look incompetent.
My jaw tightened. Whoever did this… underestimated me.
"I will fix this," I said quietly, but every word carried authority. "And when I do, the person responsible will answer to me."
He nodded slowly, eyes lingering on mine. "Good. Because you don't just survive chaos—you thrive in it. But right now… you're being tested. And that test isn't over yet."
Before I could respond, my phone buzzed. Another urgent email from the client. Another missed deadline flagged. Another employee panicking.
The man straightened, sliding the folder back slightly toward me. "I suggest you start with the first file. Then we'll see how you handle the next."
I clenched my teeth. Calm. Focus. Control. I would not let him see fear.
And yet, deep in my chest, I felt the pressure. The knowledge that this wasn't just an accident. Someone wanted me to crack.
The man smiled faintly one last time, almost as if he knew exactly what he was doing. Then he turned to leave.
But just as he reached the door… he stopped.
"By the way," he said, voice casual but deliberate, "someone's watching. And they're not pleased you're here."
Then the door clicked shut behind him.
I stood frozen for a long moment, staring at the empty doorway. My hands shook slightly—not from weakness, but from the sheer tension of the situation.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew: this was just the beginning.
The files on the table were just the first spark.
The chaos waiting outside was a wildfire.
And I had to be ready.
Because whoever thought they could corner Jay… they were about to find out how dangerous she could be.