"Are you asking me out, Sir?" Sarah asked, disbelief flickering in her eyes.
Jayden held back his smile, letting only a slight smirk form at the corner of his lips. "Dinner," he clarified calmly. "To be precise."
Is he asking me on a date? Sarah screamed silently.
As if Jayden could read her thoughts, he added, "It's not a date. I need a companion for a family reunion tonight."
The word "family" hit her harder than she expected. This wasn't just a casual favor. It meant stepping into Jayden Lin's private world, a place she had no business being in. And yet, the calm certainty in his voice made it sound like she had already agreed.
Sarah gulped nervously and forced a strange smile. Jayden had voiced her concern before she even had the chance to ask.
"We just met, Sir. I don't think we're close enough for me to attend your family reunion," Sarah said, trying to sound reasonable.
Jayden let out a subtle chuckle. Sarah blinked in surprise and smiled reflexively. His cold expression softened for only a brief second before returning to its usual composure.
"I'll release forty percent of the payment now. The rest will follow after dinner, along with your contract," Jayden said, his tone turning cold and authoritative again. "I just fired my personal assistant. I need someone at my side tonight."
Sarah held back her response. She felt cornered, forced to make a decision that could very well be a trap. She couldn't justify saying yes, but she couldn't afford to say no.
Jayden watched her in silence. His patience was thinning. "Don't waste my time, Ms McKaley," he warned huskily.
"Okay," Sarah exhaled before nodding.
Jayden instructed his secretary to prepare the contract and the payment. Everything unfolded like a dream before Sarah's eyes. She never imagined that her day would turn out like this. Her mind swirled with questions, yet she remained silent, afraid of ruining the golden opportunity to become part of SJ Corp, though a lingering unease refused to fade.
Jayden personally observed her signing the contract. Each stroke of her signature felt heavier than the last. This wasn't just a contract. It felt like stepping across a line she couldn't step back from.
Once the papers were finalized, his secretary emailed her the proof of payment. Sarah smiled politely at Jayden before standing and extending her hand.
"Welcome to SJ Corp, Ms McKaley."
"Thank you."
Sarah walked out of the office with a conflicted smile, her thoughts tangled in curiosity and doubt. She told herself everything would be fine.
After she left, Jayden turned to his secretary. "This stays between us. It's confidential."
"Yes, Sir."
Outside the SJ Corp lobby, Sarah released a long breath. Excitement fluttered in her chest, accompanied by a trace of fear. It seemed Keith hadn't discovered anything yet. After a moment's thought, she hailed a cab and headed back to her apartment. She needed to prepare for tonight.
As she stepped out of the cab, her phone rang. Sarah stopped near the elevator and checked the screen. Her eyebrows lifted as she gasped softly.
For a brief second, she considered letting the call ring. Keith's name on her screen no longer brought comfort. It felt like a bruise she had finally stopped pretending didn't hurt — a reminder of everything she had tolerated in silence.
She walked farther away before answering, her mind racing.
"Uh… hey, Keith," she said, holding her breath. It felt strange addressing him so directly.
"Hey, baby. Where are you? I've been calling you since this morning."
His voice sounded normal. Sarah felt anger surge, but she forced herself to stay calm. Revenge required patience. And for the first time, she had it.
"I turned off my phone earlier. I had to take care of something important."
"What kind of thing?"
Sarah rolled her eyes, her heart pounding. She needed an excuse—quickly.
"Nothing major. Why are you calling?" she deflected.
"Babe, I can't find the master file for your design. Have you finalized it? I want to review it."
Sarah's eyes widened. She had already handed the master file to SJ Corp. Keith couldn't find out, not yet.
"I have. Don't worry, you don't need to check it. Just trust me. I'll send it before the deadline. Just tell me the company's name and email," Sarah said casually, baiting him.
"Uh… darling, I'm the team leader. I should be the one sending it, right?"
Sarah almost laughed. It finally became clear that Keith had always planned to claim her work as his own. All this time, she had been blinded by love. She had given everything ─ her ideas, her effort, even her silence. What he called a partnership was nothing more than control. Now, Sarah could not find love in it anymore.
"Baby? Are you still there?" Keith pressed.
"Yes," Sarah replied flatly.
"Can you send me the master file? I can't find it in our system."
"I can't do that now, Keith."
She stepped into the elevator, her patience thinning.
"Why not?"
She clenched her jaw, resisting the urge to expose everything.
"I'm not done with it yet."
"You said it was finalized!" Keith snapped.
Sarah stayed calm. The old Sarah would have backed down, but not anymore.
"Not yet," she replied firmly. "I'll let you know when it's finished."
Keith fell silent, clearly thinking. Sarah seized the moment before he could ask more questions.
"Don't worry. I'll send the report soon. Good afternoon, Keith."
She ended the call and redirected his number to voicemail—no more interruptions from him.
Inside her apartment, Sarah locked the door and collapsed onto the couch. Her mind raced as she planned her next move.
Now that she held an executive position at SJ Corp, taking revenge on Keith would be easier than she had ever imagined. This time, she wouldn't be the woman standing behind him anymore. She would be the one watching him fall—slowly, deliberately, and without mercy.