"What's going on here?"
Jayden's voice suddenly interrupted Sarah and Keith's argument. Sarah gasped and turned to the left, seeing Jayden walk closer. His eyes shifted to Keith, who immediately tensed. Keith had been cooperative before, softening to Sarah's reasoning. Now, he looked at Jayden like a threat.
"Mr. Lin—"
"There's nothing for you to hear here, Jay," Keith cut in. He didn't even mind using his first name.
Jayden's lips curled slightly, then his eyes moved to Sarah. It was like an invisible chain forcing her neck to face him. His presence commanded everything without a single word.
"Let's call it a night. I'll take you home, Ms. McKaley."
Sarah frowned slightly, then glanced at Keith. His jaw tightened as he clenched his teeth, fury burning in his eyes. He stared sharply at Jayden but said nothing.
"Come on," Jayden reminded her.
Sarah turned her head to Keith once before stepping toward Jayden. She wanted to say something, but the words wouldn't come. So she left, following Jayden without looking back.
Keith just stood there, saying and doing nothing to stop it. He let her go.
When they reached the lobby, Jayden's bodyguard opened the car door for her. Sarah glanced at Jayden, who gave a small nod. She got in, and Jayden entered from the other side. They sat together in the back seat.
For the first minute, neither of them spoke. Jayden stared expressionlessly out the window. Meanwhile, Sarah fidgeted with her fingers on her lap, eyes down, biting her upper lip. Her mind was crowded, but she couldn't let the words out. The silence was suffocating, and she didn't want to prolong the ride home. Every passing minute only made her more uneasy. She couldn't jump out of the car, yet she couldn't say no either.
Ten minutes passed, and neither of them spoke. Then Jayden exhaled sharply, releasing a breath of annoyance.
"Are you his girlfriend?"
Jayden finally broke the silence. Sarah gasped and held her breath. Nothing could save her now. She turned to him and blinked twice, quickly.
"Uh—yes," she admitted after a small pause.
"Why did you lie?" Jayden turned to face her.
"I didn't lie. You didn't ask."
Sarah immediately regretted the words. She lowered her head, not daring to meet his eyes. Jayden scoffed.
"I asked what your relationship with Mr. Vanderbilt was, and you said it was personal," he reminded her, referring to their earlier interview.
Sarah didn't deny it. She took a long, steady breath, then turned back to him, ready to face the consequences.
"I admit it. Keith was my boyfriend." Her voice rose slightly. Her fingers clutched the fabric of her dress. A bad feeling crept into her mind. Now that Jayden knew about her past with Keith, he probably wouldn't continue the contract.
"Was?" Jayden repeated, demanding the truth.
She nodded. "Yes. Until yesterday, when I found him in bed with my best friend."
Sarah sighed and looked out the window, unable to face him.
"That's why you signed the design to my company."
Sarah quickly turned back and shook her head. "No. That is my design. I made it. I hold the copyright, you checked!"
Jayden remained composed, his posture rigid. His cold gaze stayed fixed on her. Slowly, he leaned forward, intimidating.
"I knew you lied to me…"
"How about you?" Sarah snapped. "How could you be Keith's father? You don't even look alike!"
"Because he's not my son. I married his mother."
Sarah fell silent, leaning back with her eyes fixed on him. Jayden lifted his chin, holding her gaze as if waiting for her to process it.
"He tried to infiltrate my company and destroy my reputation," he added.
"He never told me anything about you. I thought his parents—"
"Divorced? Yes. Then I married Veronica Vanderbilt, Keith's mother. That made things… complicated."
His tone softened as he leaned back against the seat. Now he had Sarah's full attention. As Jayden spoke about his personal life, his voice grew warmer, almost friendly.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know," Sarah replied softly.
Jayden relaxed slightly and gave a small nod, falling silent again. Meanwhile, Sarah's thoughts spiralled. Was it wise to involve herself in this family drama? Her life already had enough chaos—she didn't want more.
"About the contract…" Sarah began slowly, swallowing her nerves.
Jayden turned to her without interrupting.
"I think…" She hesitated again.
"If you're planning to terminate it, I'll have to sue you."
Sarah's eyes widened as she stared at him. Trouble had arrived. The car kept moving, but she didn't tell the driver to stop.
"But Keith…" she tried.
"I'll handle him. Let's make tomorrow your first day at my company. How does that sound?"
Sarah had no choice. She was officially trapped, and somehow, the worst part wasn't fear. It was the feeling that she had walked into this cage herself. A wave of frustration rose inside her. She should have let her anger consume her earlier. Now she had lost control.
"We'll talk about Keith tomorrow."
The car suddenly stopped. Sarah glanced outside and gasped. How did Jayden know where she lived? She had never told him.
"How do you know where I live?" she asked, stunned.
"My secretary can find you anywhere, Ms. McKaley. So you'd better not upset me by doing something stupid tomorrow."
Jayden's control wrapped tightly around her now. It terrified her, yet she didn't feel entirely threatened. She couldn't explain the feeling, but she knew she didn't want to play this game with him.
"Have a good night, Ms. McKaley. See you tomorrow."
Sarah held her breath as the bodyguard opened her door and she stepped out.
The door shut, and the bodyguard returned to the driver's seat. Jayden didn't roll down the window, but his eyes remained on her. Sarah breathed heavily, confusion washing over her.
Sarah's chest tightened as the taillights disappeared. A chill ran down her spine. For the first time that night, she understood one thing clearly—Jayden Lin was not someone you could walk away from.