I jerked forward, straining against the seatbelt as the steady thrum of Sawyer's running BMW came to an abrupt stop.

As usual, Sawyer got out of the car without any words and closed the door with a thud.

I pressed my lips tight and unbuckled myself, rethinking my decision of coming with the infamous Sales King.

The thought of getting ditched mid-road just like the last time sent a chilling shiver down my body.

What if there was a repeat of the past?

Dread coiled in my stomach as I stepped out of the car.

The moment I noticed where we came to, my jaw literally slacked off.

We were standing on a round, wide, red brick path beside a humongous, modern, split-level mansion made of clear blue-tinted glass, polished white walls, and black slope roofs.

There was a square-shaped white-tiled fountain standing before the house. The statue of black Atlas holding the golden world over his shoulders caught my eyes.

His earth had several holes in it and sprinkles of water were leaking out through them.

I smirked at the unique concept at play there.

A dazzling, asymmetrical turquoise swimming pool was on the right. Rosebush, cherry blossoms, and green grass on my left.

Oh, and a lonely, double-seater, white swing was there too!

Heaven...

"My heaven, Doll."

I flinched at the familiar raspy voice close to my ears.

Sawyer's smirking face and twinkling eyes came into my view, making me take a step back.

How did he always know what I think?

"You're frowning again," Sawyer clicked his tongue. "Come inside. There's a lot more to admire. Me included."

Sawyer turned around and walked toward the cream stairs leading to the wide porch.

I glared red at his retreating broad shoulders while following him.

Pricky asshole!

One thing he said was true, though. The inside was even more stunning than the outside.

The moment we crossed the polished white foyer, my mouth hung agape at the sheer size of the living room.

Light gray high walls. Shiny dark brown wooden floor. A big floor-to-ceiling glass window on the far right corner was adjacent to a black staircase with a glass railing. An open kitchen — with a cream, marble counter table, and black cabinets — was even peeking from behind the elevated steps.

There was a wide corridor in the middle front of the room, besides another floor-to-ceiling window on the left. A modern white marble fireplace with electric blue flames was adorning the wall adjacent to that window.

The moonlit backyard view looked quite ethereal from here.

I smiled while taking a glance at those black, low three-seater sofa set surrounded by an even lower, rectangular glass table.

Those plush velvety dark seats with fluffy red cushions were facing the white fireplace — toward that humongous black flat screen above the fireplace, precisely.

The gray walls were adorned with various paintings of green forests, blue rivers, and frosty mountains.

Must have been an attempt to breathe life in this metallic decor of the house.

"Done ogling?"

My head snapped back to a smirking Sawyer with crossed arms beside me.

I pressed my lips tight and looked ahead.

"It's nice. Fitting for a former CEO, though, I'm not sure about a sales manager with your current pay grade."

Sawyer offered me a lopsided grin at this.

"Wanna know a secret, Doll?"

I frowned hard and leaned back just as he hovered over my face.

"This mansion of mine..." I flinched as my ears tingled at his low, raspy voice. "Belongs to me since long before you could even spell the word mansion."

My breath hitched.

More by the weird effect of his proximity than his words, much to my surprise.

I gulped while stepping back and cleared my throat.

"I think I should leave now. The discussion could wait for another-"

"Couple minutes, right?" Sawyer snapped his fingers, grinning like an idiot. "Take a seat, Hayes. Drink or coffee?"

"Nothing." I deadpanned. "Sorry, Sir. It's getting late. Yuvan must be waiting for me."

"Yuvan?"

A cold note in his otherwise cheery deep voice made me raise my brows.

"My brother. Why?"

"Oh, nothing. Come, Doll." He waved his hands and walked toward the nearest low sofa.

Was it me or did his tensed shoulders loosen a little?

My brows creased as I followed him.

Sawyer plopped down on the black sofa the moment I sat near the left hand of the lengthy three-seater — farthest from his overbearing presence.

My fingers fiddled with the stray thread of my rose-gold, white floral-printed, knee-length sundress.

"So, are you gonna tell me what made you run off that day?"

Straight to the point as always.

I sighed and looked up at the luminous dancing blue flames.

Warm and pretty.

Rich folks...

"What do you want to hear, Sir?"

"Everything." Sawyer crossed his arms and leaned back.

I was about to ask him why when I noticed it.

Glimpsed how his lean biceps bulged, straining that fold-sleeved black shirt.

Flashes of Devon in black suits with charming smiles struck my mind at that moment.

I closed my eyes shut, gulping down a hard lump.

With a shaky breath and a searing burn in my heart, I told Sawyer Everything. All the happenings of that fateful day.

He remained silent all this time, allowing me to gently tear open my suppressed wounds.

Silent tears slid down my cheeks. But my voice never faltered once.

Monotonous.

Emotionless.

Robotic.

I remained pin-straight in my posture as I finished telling the tale of a broken heart.

"After that, I left and you know the rest."

A shuddering breath escaped my lips as I finally lowered my eyes.

Thick silence engulfed us as the soft crackling of blue fire tried to fill the void. Soft beeps of the air-conditioner tried to chorus with the sizzling flames.

Did I mention my drumming heartbeats joining the silent song of chaos too?

Guess, I did now.

I licked my dry lips and breathed out.

It was time to leave.

I wiped my eyes, looked up, and opened my mouth.

And, stopped midway seeing an unfamiliar intense emotion swirl in those blazing golden eyes.

I pressed my parted lips tight and looked away from that unbearable, hot gaze.

"Why didn't you leave, Hayes?"

I froze.

That cold raspy, voice grappled my senses like a vicious snake.

My throat dried. Heart threatened to break out of my ribcage.

I looked around as a thin line of warm sweat trickled down the sides of my ears.

"W-What do you, mean?" I tried to breathe slowly in an attempt to calm my fast-heaving chest.

"Simple," Sawyer tossed away his ID badge, stretching forward his legs clad in dark-blue jeans. "I want to know why a woman with such snooty nose– dignified personality, now stop glaring– would still work at this place? You should've resigned the very next day."

A tired breath escaped my lips.

My shoulders slumped against the sofa as I looked up at the ceiling.

That was a nice silver chandelier. Big, square, and glittery.

"I wanted to..." my voice rasped with emotion, "So. So. Bad. But I couldn't."

"Why?" Sawyer spoke in a calm tone, spinning a red cushion on his lap.

I looked at him with a blank face.

"Professor Jones Harlington. I promised him to work at Trexon Empire as De-Mr. Harlington's PA."

"Well, now you're demoted."

"I still can't leave."

"Bullshit. Bullshit. Bullshit..." Sawyer drawled on, singing out the word with an irritating grin.

I huffed.

"You don't understand, Sir!"

"Then make me!" I flinched back and pressed against the soft sofa hand as Sawyer abruptly leaned toward me. "Or, help me with the revenge."

Something cold crawled down my spine at his eery smirk.

I gulped hard, leaning back further.

"L-Look, Sir. S-Stay away."

Sawyer stopped moving closer. But he never went back.

Smirk dropped. Twinkling honey-gold eyes turned cold.

"Say it, Hayes. Say it and I'll move."

Hot sweat drenched the hairs on the back of my neck.

"W-What?"

I bit my lower lip hard to stop the tremble in my body.

"You know it, Doll." His lips twitched up into a smirk.

I didn't know.

He couldn't know.

Nothing. There was nothing!

He was bluffing.

Forcing myself to take a long, deep breath, I tried to calm down my frantic heart.

I direly needed water right now!

"Look..." I breathed out, licking my already moist lips and trying to sit straight. "There's nothing, okay? I'm just keeping my word out of obligations and respect for Mr. Jones. He was my professor at Yale. Not to mention Devon's uncle. I can't leave, you see. I value my promises seriously."

"Uh-huh, you're Ms. Goodie-Two-Shoes. I get it." Sawyer nodded his head. "You'll keep your so-called promise and keep being Harlington royalty's paid lap dog."

"Sawyer!" I gasped as the sheer burn of his harsh words sizzled my core.

"Nope. No, Doll. You don't call me Sawyer. Stick to your promise."

Something inside me prickled at his sharp emphasis on that last word.

Tears froze in the corner of my eyes as I stared at those gold golden eyes.

Sawyer smirked. "What, Doll? Your baby feelings got hurt?"

I looked away just as tears began to trickle down my cheeks.

He cooed at my face. "Look at that! She cries! Why are you crying, Doll? Can't hear a simple truth?"

"It's not the truth!" I snapped, facing him with fire in my gray eyes.

"Then what, Hayes!

It was suddenly growing hotter here.

"Why don't you want to punish those who did you wrong?"

The cool breeze of the air-conditioner prickled my skin.

"Why are you serving those selfish fuckers!"

My breathing was turning ragged.

"What are you so fucking afraid of, Woman!"

A long rhythm of some eery beep buzzed in my ears.

"Speak up, dammit!" Sawyer began to shake me, making my head roll back.

Visions started to blur as I barely noticed warm fingers on my shoulders stiffen.

"Hayes? Hey..."

Sawyer's deep voice sounded distant, echoing in my mind.

A sudden pull and my body leaned forward, making a couple of red strands fall over the front of my face.

"Breathe, Hayes..." Soft fingers gently grazed my forehead, moving away those hairs. "Listen to my voice..."

My flickering senses tried to stay afloat as a calloused, warm palm patted my damp left cheek.

"Don't close your eyes... I'm here..."

"Fo-Forg-Forgiveness..." Lungs burned for air.

"Hello... Hey..."

"G-Good..." Nostrils flared.

"Yes... She's here..."

"Re-Rev-venge..." Pounding headache.

"Sending the address..."

"Ha-Hate..." Heart drummed fast.

"Yeah... Alright..."

"No... No. No!" A shrill scream.

"Mirasol..."

My world began to tilt forward.

"I'm sorry..."

And, darkness finally engulfed me in a cold and dry embrace.

Or maybe, it was soft and warm...

❤️ Uh-Oh! Mirasol has finally fainted. What do you think triggered her so much? Who did Sawyer call?

Let's find out in the next chapter. Till then, don't forget to comment down your thoughts and theories here.

Take care of your mind, body, and soul fieries. Will see you the next Friday.

Love you,

Sabrina ❤️