Jackie was annoyed. She was not having a good day. And now she had been summoned like a naughty girl to the principal's office. She huffed irritably as she walked out of the lift. Jackie stood outside her father's office, staring at the closed door like it might bite her. Her heart was still unsettled. From the accident. From him. From the way her entire life had unravelled in less than a day. She hated that his face kept flashing in her mind.
"Get it together," she muttered under her breath. This wasn't about him. This was about survival. Still, something about Sarah's expression when she arrived, the tight lips, the uneasy eyes had set her nerves on edge.
"Go on in, Jackie," Sarah said quietly.
Jackie raised an eyebrow. "That bad?"
Sarah didn't answer. That was answer enough. Jackie exhaled slowly, then pushed the door open.
"What?"
The word came out sharper than intended, but she didn't care.
Robert Sanders sat behind his desk, composed as ever, as if he hadn't just destroyed her life hours earlier.
"Can't you act like a normal daughter for once?" he asked without looking up. Jackie let out a humourless laugh as she stepped inside.
"I would," she shot back, "if I had a normal father."
Now he looked up. Their eyes met. And just like always, it felt like a battle.
"You summoned," she continued, crossing her arms. "So, what do you want?"
"I thought your… incident this morning might have improved your attitude."
Her stomach dropped.
"My acci-" she stopped herself. "How do you know about that?"
A slow, almost amused smile curved his lips.
"I have my ways."
Her felt her skin crawl.
"That is disturbing," she said. "Do you have me followed now?"
He chuckled.
"No, Jacqueline. This isn't a spy agency."
"Then how-"
"The internet."
Her breath caught. Of course. Her chest tightened as embarrassment flooded in. Someone had posted it and people had seen it. Her worst day on display.
"Can I see it?" she asked quietly.
"Unfortunately, it's already been taken down," he said, sliding his tablet across the desk toward her. "But I saw enough."
She picked it up. The title read: Highway Showdown. Fifty-three views. Video taken down. Her jaw tightened.
"So, someone uploaded it," she muttered.
"And someone worked very quickly to remove it," Robert added. She frowned.
"What do you mean?"
He leaned back slightly, watching her closely.
"The man you had your… altercation with is not insignificant."
Her stomach twisted.
"What are you talking about?"
Robert stood and walked around the desk. Jackie instinctively stiffened.
"That man," he said, stopping in front of her, "is Daniel Lombard."
Jackie blinked. She knew she would regret it, but she had to ask.
"And I'm supposed to care because…?"
Robert's eyes gleamed.
"Because he is the CEO of Lombard Industries."
Silence. Jackie crossed her arms.
"So, I argued with a rich man. Congratulations to me."
"It's more than that," Robert said calmly. "He is in the middle of a merger I intend to disrupt."
Her brows furrowed.
"And this has what to do with me, because...?"
He studied her. Robert didn't answer immediately. Instead, he stood and walked around his desk. Jackie instinctively took a step back.
"Everything sweet pea." Her eyes flashed with irritation at the name. But she decided to let it go. He was trying to get a rise out of her. Tired of his games she sighed, remembering she was here for a reason.
"You don't think I'd hurt you, do you?" he asked.
"I don't know anymore," she replied honestly.
Something flickered in his eyes again gone just as quickly.
"Sit," he said, gesturing toward the couch.
"I'm fine standing."
"Jacqueline."
The warning in his tone was clear. Reluctantly, she walked over and sat rigid, guarded. He sat beside her. Too close. "What I'm about to offer you," he said, "will change your circumstances."
She let out a small, bitter laugh.
"Somehow, I doubt that. Besides, you already changed my circumstances."
"Then consider this… a solution."
Her eyes narrowed. He met her gaze directly.
"Five million dollars."
Her breath caught. The number hit her like a physical force. She sat still. Frozen. Five million. Her mind raced. Wondering what she would have to do to get it. She didn't trust him. Not anymore.
"What's the catch?" she asked slowly.
He turned to face her fully.
"Seduce him."
The word hit like a slap. Jackie stared at him.
"You're joking right?"
"I am not."
Her stomach dropped.
"No."
The answer came instantly. Firm. Unshaken.
"I'm not done," he said calmly.
"I am," she shot back, standing abruptly. "Absolutely not."
"You haven't heard the full-"
"I don't need to!" she snapped. "You want me to use someone. Manipulate them. I'm not doing that."
Robert watched her carefully.
"You're already thinking about him."
Her breath hitched.
"I am not."
"I saw it." he pointed out. "You noticed him."
"That doesn't mean anything."
"It means enough."
She shook her head, backing away.
"This is insane."
"No," he said quietly. "This is opportunity."
"For what?" she demanded. "What do you even want from him?"
His expression hardened.
"Information."
The word hung in the air. Cold. Sharp. Dangerous. Jackie stared at him.
"You want me to spy on him?"
"I want you to get to know him. Learn from him," Robert corrected smoothly. "Gain his trust. Understand his operations. His weaknesses."
Her stomach twisted.
"That's disgusting."
"It's business."
"It's betrayal!"
"It's strategy."
"He's a person!" she snapped.
"And so are you," Robert said coolly. "One who is currently broke, unemployed, and about to lose everything."
The words hit their mark. Her chest tightened painfully.
"You've already taken everything," she whispered. "And I can give it all back," he replied. Silence fell. Heavy. Crushing.
Jackie's mind raced. Her empty accounts. Her flailing business. Her looming eviction. She felt trapped. Cornered. Like there was no way out.
"I won't do it," she said again but her voice lacked its earlier strength. Robert noticed. Of course he did.
"You don't have to decide right now," he said, standing. "But understand this-"
He walked back to his desk, picking up his tablet.
"Your payments have all been reversed. Your suppliers will be pulling out," he continued casually. "Your leases will be under review. Your inventory, frozen."
Her heart dropped.
"You're lying."
"I never lie about business."
Her hands began to shake.
"You're destroying me," she said.
"I'm refining you."
Tears burned her eyes.
"I hate you."
"I know."
That hurt more than anything. Because he didn't deny it. Didn't argue. Just accepted it. Like it didn't matter.
"Five million dollars," he said again. "For something you're more than capable of doing."
Jackie turned toward the door, her vision blurring.
"I'm not your weapon," she whispered.
"No," he said calmly. "You're my daughter."
That didn't make it better. It made it worse. She grabbed the door handle.
"You disgust me," she said.
As she got to the door, his voice followed her. Soft. Certain.
"You'll come back."