Sadie’s heart skipped a beat, and she almost blurted out, “No, this one will do.”
She wanted nothing more to do with Wall Group.
“Alright, Miss Hudson, I’ll prepare the contract,” the agent said, noticing her reluctance to explore further options.
Sadie took the documents for the chosen office space and went with the agent to the agency to sign the contract. Sitting in the waiting area, she reviewed the contract terms, trying to push aside the unease in her heart.
“What a coincidence, Sadie.”
Kyla’s piercing voice shattered the silence. Sadie looked up to see Kyla striding in on high heels.
“What brings you here, Miss Wade?” The agent quickly stood up, his face breaking into a polite smile.
Kyla glanced at Sadie disdainfully, her lips curling into a mocking smile. “Noah said he’d buy me a place and let me choose.”
Sadie’s fingers tightened slightly around the contract, but she kept her face impassive.
“Oh? Tired of living at Myrtlewood Estate?” Sadie asked.
Kyla’s demeanor stiffened, her gaze sharpening. “Sadie, stop with the sarcasm! What right do you have to be so arrogant now?”
Sadie let out a soft, cold laugh, locking eyes with her. “I’m just curious, Miss Wade. It’s been three years, and you still haven’t moved into Myrtlewood Estate?”
The air grew heavy with tension, both women poised on the brink of a confrontation.
The real estate agent shifted uncomfortably, his eyes darting nervously between Kyla and Sadie as perspiration dotted his brow. “Uh… you’re both my clients. Let’s talk this over calmly-“
Kyla cut him off, her chin tilting defiantly, a hint of imperiousness in her posture. “I’ve made up my mind-I want this office space, your price. I’ll pay double.”
Her eyes flicked towards the contract clutched in Sadie’s hand, a wave of vindictive triumph washing over her.
Sadie’s gaze held a spark of sarcasm as she gently placed the contract on the table, her hands elegantly folded in her lap. “Do you understand the cost of renting office space in the prime downtown area, Miss Wade? Can you truly afford to pay double?”
Kyla was momentarily at a loss for words, her face flushing a deep shade of red. She hastily grabbed the contract to scan the figures, and when she saw the numbers, her expression turned to stone.
She had blurted out her offer to demean Sadie, not expecting to be cornered by her own brash statement.
Sadie rose, her presence imposing as she looked down at Kyla and said with a serene yet foreboding tone, “A piece of advice, Miss Wade. Think twice before putting on a tough act-know what you can handle first.”
Kyla’s eyes flickered with surprise as she met Sadie’s unwavering gaze, but she quickly composed herself, her voice sharpening. “What… what are you renting this place for, anyway?”
Sadie took the contract back, throwing Kyla a cool, disinterested look. “What concern is that of yours?” she asked, her tone flat and dismissive.
Tired of the bickering, she was eager only to ink the deal and escape the stifling atmosphere of contention.
She turned to the real estate agent with a resolute expression. “Let’s get on with the signing. If that’s not possible right now, I need to leave.” Her voice carried a finality that brooked no argument, and she pivoted on her heel, poised to depart. The real estate agent, catching the urgency in her movement, was seized by a sudden panic.
This was a coveted piece of prime office space in the city’s pulsing heart, where leases commanded top dollar. Losing this transaction meant waving goodbye to a hefty commission.
“Miss Hudson, don’t worry about it. I’ll get it done right away.”
Smiling warmly, the real estate agent steered Sadie toward a lounge. “Take a seat and relax for a moment. I’ll have the contract and paperwork ready soon.”
Sadie settled into a plush sofa with a sigh of relief. Without Kyla’s prickling presence, the world seemed instantly more serene.
Shortly, the landlord bustled in, documents in hand and a welcoming grin plastered across his face. The signing unfolded without a hitch, and Sadie soon clutched her copy of the contract, ready to make her exit.
But as she stepped out into the fresh air, her eyes landed on Kyla, who was lurking under a nearby tree. Kyla leaned casually against the trunk, arms folded, her lips curling into a sly, knowing smile as Sadie emerged.
Finding the scene rather amusing, Sadie paused, shooting Kyla a look laced with sarcasm. “Well, well, a ‘big-shot’ lawyer like you lounging around here? You must be really worried about me staying in Jazmah, huh?”
“Worried? About you?” Kyla’s laugh was sharp and dismissive. “You’re making a big deal out of nothing-I was simply passing by.”
Sadie arched an eyebrow, her tone brimming with irony. “There aren’t any law firms for miles, Kyla. Your ‘simply passing by’ doesn’t make any sense.”
A flicker of annoyance shadowed Kyla’s features, but she masked it quickly with a cool smirk. “Don’t get ahead of yourself, Sadie.”
Uninterested in prolonging the confrontation, Sadie turned to leave, her steps firm.
“Stop!” In a swift motion, Kyla lunged forward, her fingers clamping around the contract in Sadie’s hand.
That was the last straw. Sadie’s patience snapped. She seized Kyla’s wrist, pushing it away sharply.
Surprised, Kyla lost her balance, tumbling backward onto the soft earth with a heavy thud.
“I’m warning you-stop meddling in my affairs!” Sadie’s voice sliced through the air, icy and stern.
Stooping down, she picked up the contract, dusted it off with a flick of her hand, and strode away without a second glance.
Kyla’s gaze lingered on Sadie’s retreating silhouette, her eyes shadowed with a dark, brooding intensity. Rising smoothly, she brushed the stubborn dust from her clothes. A sly, knowing smile slowly curled the edges of her lips as she muttered under her breath, “Oh, Sadie, do you really think you’ve won?”
Taking out her phone, she dialed a number with a determined tap. “I need intel on Sadie’s plans for that office space-every last detail,” she commanded, her voice a mix of ice and steel.
As the shadows of evening stretched across the city, Sadie trudged back to her grandma’s apartment, her energy sapped. Her heart skipped a beat when she spotted a familiar black car parked by the curb-it was unmistakably Noah’s.
A knot of dread tightened in her stomach, urging her to evade him. With a hopeful breath, she attempted a stealthy detour around the building, only to collide with a figure at the entrance.
Noah was there, casually leaning against the doorframe, hands buried in his pockets, his expression unreadable yet undeniably expectant. Sadie’s brow furrowed, her grip on the folder tightening, her knuckles blanching with the strain.
“What are you doing here again?” she demanded, her voice strained with frustration and weariness.
Noah’s eyes flickered briefly to the folder clutched in her hand. “What? Have you taken up running errands for Alex now?”
Taking a measured breath, Sadie fought to keep her composure. “This has nothing to do with you, Noah,” she asserted firmly. Desperate to get away from him, she shifted to the side, longing to reach home.
However, Noah grabbed her wrist with sudden intensity. “Three years, Sadie. Three whole years. You owe me an explanation-why did you disappear? Was the idea of being my wife so repulsive to you?”
With a forceful tug, Sadie freed her hand and let out a mocking laugh, chilly and sharp. “Yes, exactly! I couldn’t care less about being your wife! Ha! Do you honestly think that’s…”
“Isn’t that something everyone dreams of?” Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, a fiery defiance burning within them despite her efforts to remain composed.
She shot back, her voice steady yet icy, “We’ve been apart for three years, Noah. In the eyes of the law, we’re divorced. There’s nothing left between us. Stop pestering me!”
“You’ve changed, Sadie. Who’s behind this newfound boldness? Alex?” Noah’s eyes narrowed into slits, a menacing glint emerging as he scrutinized her.
Sadie’s eyes flashed with open loathing, unwavering and intense. Noah was taken aback, never having encountered such a piercing stare from her before.
Just then, their tense standoff was momentarily interrupted by a passerby-a woman with a shopping basket-who greeted Sadie with a warm smile. “Hi Sadie, just finished work?”
Instantly, the hardness in Sadie’s expression melted into a warm, radiant smile. “Yeah, were you out shopping again?” Her tone lightened, filled with genuine cheer.
Noah lingered in the background, his sharp gaze locked on her, irritation simmering beneath the surface.
With a derisive snort, he remarked, “Well done. You’re getting faster at putting on a new face.”
Saying nothing more, he turned sharply and walked away.
Meanwhile, Sadie’s face, once a mask of shifting emotions, settled into a blank slate as she watched his retreating figure. She understood Noah too well-he wouldn’t stop here.
He was just feeling things out. What would happen when he returned next time, or the time after that?
The possibility of Noah discovering Averi’s existence loomed large in her mind, threatening the fragile peace she had pieced together. A chill raced down her spine, anxiety flooding her senses like a cold tide.
She hastened into the apartment building, her fingers trembling as she fumbled for her phone and dialed Alex.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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