Sarah Arcadia stepped into the elevator of Amazon Business Plaza, walking briskly, her heels clinking sharply against the polished white marble floor.
Then she froze.
Her shoulders stiffened. Her eyes widened.
"What the hell is he doing here?"
Standing inside the elevator was Sebastian Monday.
The one man she was supposed to hate with all her heart… yet somehow, every time she saw him, her heart betrayed her and fluttered uncontrollably.
"Hi, Sara," he said casually.
His dark, seductive eyes gleamed with mischief, the same dangerous charm that always managed to pull her in whenever she looked into them.
Sarah quickly braced herself and stepped into the elevator.
She had an important day ahead. She refused to let this arrogant man shake her composure not today of all days.
She stretched out her hand to press her destination floor.
But Sebastian's perfectly manicured fingers appeared from nowhere and pressed the button before she could.
Floor 20.
Sarah's eyes widened.
She turned to him sharply.
How did he know the exact floor she was going to?
"Surprised?" he asked lazily.
The corner of his lips lifted into a dangerous smile that instantly set off warning alarms in her stomach.
"Not really," Sarah replied coldly, turning away.
She stared stubbornly at the elevator floor.
The ride felt endless.
To distract herself, she bent over her phone, pretending to scroll through something important. Even then, she could still feel his burning gaze resting heavily on the back of her neck.
Finally, the elevator doors opened.
Sarah stepped out with practiced confidence.
Head high. Shoulders straight.
Her slim brown heels clicked rhythmically across the polished marble floor as she walked toward the conference wing.
She would not allow herself to falter in front of this overconfident Casanova especially when he was also her company's biggest rival.
---
When Sarah entered the oval conference room, the familiar sight of polished black furniture and red upholstery greeted her.
Her eyes scanned the room quickly before landing on Martin.
He sat at the long table, reviewing documents while two assistants hovered nervously around him.
Relief washed over her instantly.
Martin looked up the moment he saw her. His eyes twitched before a smile slowly spread across his face.
But something in his eyes felt… different.
"I've been working all night researching our competitor for the contract," Sarah said breathlessly as she approached him. "But information about them is strangely elusive."
Martin sighed.
"The private investigators I hired only confirmed that the CEO behind the rival company is extremely powerful and strategic. They couldn't find anything else."
One of the assistants spoke nervously.
"How are we supposed to win this contract if we don't know anything about our rivals?"
Sarah straightened the stack of files in her hands.
"Don't worry," she said firmly. "I prepared all night. We will definitely win this."
Martin smiled at her.
Sarah was always like this working tirelessly for him.
Seven years ago, Martin had saved her from a terrible fire that killed her parents. Afterward, he took her into his home, cared for her, and helped her recover from the trauma.
Three years later, he asked her to date him.
She agreed.
More out of gratitude than love.
From that moment on, Sarah became everything to him.
His secretary.
His assistant.
His cook.
His housekeeper.
Even his lover.
She did everything without complaint because she believed she owed him her life.
Martin, on the other hand, never failed to remind her of it.
You would have been dead.
Or homeless.
Or forgotten.
Each reminder filled Sarah with guilt.
And every time she felt that guilt, she tried even harder to please him.
---
Back in the present, Sarah moved quickly.
Like a detective racing against time, she spread the documents across the conference table, organizing them by priority.
The assistants helped her sort through the files while Martin sat back in his chair, barking occasional instructions.
Then suddenly
The temperature in the room seemed to drop.
A strange hush fell over the conference hall.
One by one, everyone's attention turned toward the entrance.
And then he appeared.
Sebastian Monday walked into the room like a tiger entering the den of its prey.
An icy aura of power, danger, and quiet authority surrounded him.
Martin instantly shrank back in his chair.
Sebastian might be his business rival, but everyone knew the truth.
Martin could boast about defeating him behind his back…
But whenever they met face-to-face, Martin melted like ice under the sun.
And that humiliation made him hate Sebastian even more.
Sarah's heart nearly jumped into her throat.
When she saw Sebastian in the elevator earlier, she hadn't thought much about it.
But now realization struck her like lightning.
Of course.
Why else would Sebastian Monday be in Amazon Business Plaza this morning?
He came for the same reason they did.
The Shincity contract.
And if Sebastian was here…
Then things had just become ten times more dangerous.
The representative from Shincity Estates cleared his throat nervously.
"Since Mr. Sebastian is already here," he announced, "we might as well begin the meeting."
Sarah felt her mind go blank.
All the rehearsals she had practiced the entire night suddenly scattered like dust in the wind.
And just as she struggled to gather her thoughts
Sebastian slowly turned his head.
His eyes locked onto hers across the conference room.
A faint, knowing smile appeared on his lips.
The kind of smile a predator gives…
Right before the hunt begins.
And in that moment, Sarah suddenly realized something terrifying.
Sebastian Monday had known all along that she would be here today.
And somehow…
he had already planned everything.