There was an eerie silence in the room after Layla slapped me.The tension was obvious.If anyone were to drop a pin,everyone else could hear it.

No one said a word.Clayton didn't say a word–not that I was expecting him to–but at least make the effort.I was backed up against the wall.

"I…I'm sorry..."I began,but Layla bursted into tears.

What the hell was she crying about?I was the one getting hit and embarrassed in front of stakeholders and executives,but she was the one who got to shed tears?

Wow.

"I'm so sorry,Sage.I lost control for a minute.You know this project is crucial to the company,and the team has worked tirelessly for three months to make this work.I simply..."

My face still stung from her slap,and my teeth felt loose,yet she was playing the victim card?

I glanced at Clayton,seated at the head of the table,his expression cold and unyielding.He didn't speak up for me.

I knew he was furious about the recent project loss to a competitor and had ordered an investigation.Did he think that I was so stupid to do such a thing as this?

My heart sank,but I guess it had gotten to this point.

"How could I be so stupid as to sabotage myself and this company?"I asked Layla,my tone icy.I wasn't going to let her walk all over me.Just because she got hitched to Clayton didn't mean eshe had the right.

Her face reddened.She was either flushed or angry that I was calling her out.

"You think I'm stupid?"she shouted,attempting to slap me again but I sidestepped,avoiding her blow,causing her to stumble a bit.

"I didn't say that.You're the one putting words in my mouth and not giving me a chance to explain,"I said,a lopsided smile gracing my face.It was there but almost invincible to detect unless anyone was close to my face.

A male secretary intervened.

"You dare to defy me?Wait,are you calling me a liar?"Layla shouted,obviously forgetting that she was just a secretary and that she didn't have the right.

"Enough!Both of you!"Clayton ordered.His voice commanding attention,as he stood up.

I kept quiet out of respect for the others in the room but Layla just wouldn't shut up.She just kept coming at me as though her mouth was some loaded gun.

"As the project leaders,the only people who had access to those plans were you,me and Kyle Maxwell.The Brooks family is an investor,and our families wouldn't leak such informations.It must have been you!It has to be."

After she said that,everyone suddenly started looking at me like I really did leak the information.Okay,this was coming too much.

I turned to Clayton,"Do you really think that I had a hand in this?"

What I wasn't expecting was his response to my question.

"As of now,there's no evidence to prove that you did it,but it also doesn't prove that you didn't leak the information either.What you're to do is hand over your pending tasks and cooperate with the investigation.If you're indeed foujd guilty,I won't be so kind."As he spoke,his words cut deep.They felt like punishment for a crime that I committed.

"You don't trust me at all,do you?"I asked,feeling betrayed.

His soulless eyes confirmed my fears."I don't answer to you,Sage."

The pain in my heart kept spreading like wildfire throughout my body.I couldn't explain it.

But as he made to leave the conference with the others,I held his wrist.

"You'll pay for this humiliation,Clayton."I whispered.

He shook me off,cocking his eyebrows at me.I slammed my ID card onto his chest.

"Consider this my resignation!"

Layla sneered at me."Sage Riley,you have no right to say that to him.You're the one who stirred the hornet's nest.Now leave!"

Without a second thought,I slapped her,catching her off guard.

"That's for earlier,"I said.

Her shocked expression satisfied me.If I could smack her again,I would.Probably not now,but soon.

"This isn't over.I'll find the evidence that I'm innocent and prove to you all that I'm being setup.And whoever is responsible prays to whatever god they serve that I don't find out."

I noticed Clayton watch me leave,his eyes held amusement in them.

To hell with him.I was going to make him regret it.

——

I was in the elevator when Julian Storm stepped in as well.Julian was once Clayton's childhood acquaintance,but now,they were business rivals.

His stunning looks and defined features didn't impress me.He looked like an Adonis,no doubt,but I wasn't going to fall for that.I mean,once beaten twice shy,right?

What brought him here today though?

These past few hours had shown me Clayton's truel colors.And if he thought that he was a Charmeleon,I was more than willing to show him that I was a painter who knew her colors.

I wasn't going to be at the losing side.

Julian stood before me,his eyes fixed on me and the box in my arms,a hint of provocation in his tone.

"Sage,did you get fired?"He asked,his interest piqued.

"Who wants to know?You?"H asked,cheesily,as if playing with him.

Years ago,Julian had shown interest in me,but I rejected him for Clayton.Thinking about it now,I felt angry for even devoting an ounce of my time to Clayton.He clearly didn't deserve it.

I was done playing the pauper game.

After leaving Clayton's company,I made haste to get back to my 500-square-meter apartment.

I decided to return to New York City to see my father once I found the real culprit who leaked the project.

The Goldberg Corporation,New York City's largest bank,had branches abroad.Five years ago,my father wanted me to take over,but I hid my identity due to my crazy love for Clayton.

Now,I knew better and didn't want to conceal it anymore.

I dialed a number.The person on other end picked up after the third ring.

"Hey,"I said.

"Yeah?What's up?"

"Find out who leaked the project plans,no matter what."

A sly laugh echoed from the other end.

"Miss Riley,are you done playing the pauper game?I didn't know that it would take you five torturous years to come to your senses."

I rolled my eyes.

"Look,the money has been transferred.You have just two days to get the job done."

I hung up.

My best friend,Piper Parker,called,inviting me to party.

"Hey girl!!"Her voice boomed through the phone.

I chuckled at her crazy antics."Well,you sound chipper.What's the secret?"

"You know me too well.I'm inviting you to a party,"she said.

"Piper,what party are you talking about?"

"Don't worry about it.It's going to be fun.I'll text you the deets later.Bye!!"

"Yeah,sure."I uttered.

If anything,Piper was a constant in my life,and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Suddenly,I remembered mine and Clayton's hideout,Moonlight Villa.I guess it was about damn time I collected my belongings from there.

Five years of playing house with Clayton;I'd had enough.

When I arrived at the Moonlight Villa,the windows were dark.As expected,Clayton hadn't changed.

I quickly got hold of whatever memories we had together and began burning them.I burned our photos,couple's sleepwear,and memory album.

After packing up,I shared a glance with the mover.

"You should've told me you were burning things,then we wouldn't need two trucks..."

I gazed at the last two suitcases.Surprisingly,I owned very little.

"Yikes…I'm sorry.I actually thought I owned a sizeable amount of clothings that required the movers,turns out i barely had anything here to begin with."

"Nah,it's alright.You'll just have to tip us more,ma'am,"one of the movers said.

I chuckled."Sure thing."

I took my phone from my pocket and dialed my best friend's number.I waited for a while before she picked up.

"Hey,what's up?I see someone is eager about that party!"She said.

"I'm not eager about any party.I just need you to come pick me up."I looked around and there really wasn't much left.

"Pick you up where?"

"Moonlight Villa?"

"Girl,I swear,you're stuck on Clayton like glue to a surface.You and I both know that he treats you like trash."

"I'm not!Just come pick me up and don't make me beg."

A while later,Piper arrived with two young men that I didn't know about.I was going to ask her about it later on.

On the drive back home,I remembered my father's icy warning when I left home because of Clayton.The sudden thought of my father made me sad.I missed him and I couldn't believe that I made him sad because of a man.

Five years without returning home.Right from when I was a kid,it was only my dad and I.He worried I'd object to another woman entering our lives,so he never remarried.

But I was the lovestruck fool who abandoned him for a scumbag.My phone beeped,bringing me out of my thoughts.

It was an anonymous email.

A familiar voice played from the audio attachment.It belonged to Layla!!

Layla Brooks:"Get rid of that Sage Riley,that shameless homewrecker!She's bothering Clayton Spencer."

A man's voice soon followed after.

"What if Clayton finds out?What if we get caught?"

Layla Brooks:"Don't worry;I'll care of everything."

The recording stopped.It was Layla who framed me.I knew it!

When Piper arrived at my apartment,I played the recording for her to listen to as well.

"Did you send this to me?"I asked her,curious.

Piper shook her head."I didn't.Why would I go poking in that crazy bitch business?Besides,you didn't tell me to hey involved."

I wondered who sent this to me.Was it a trap or genuine help?

"Come on!I'll take you to a bar to relax.Luckily,I hadn't started drinking yet.We'll definitely have a blast!"

Piper's words didn't register as my mind was still racing.I had called Collins earlier,and he denied being the one who sent me the recording.

Then who was it?It obviously wasn't Clayton either.He'd rather go to prison than help me.So,who was this anonymous helper?

Ahh!!This was driving me crazy!

Piper interrupted my thoughts.

"Hey!!No more thinking!Let's go!"

She dragged me to the bar,where two male models were waiting and pushed them towards me.

"Isn't he handsome?Take one on each arm and let's rile Clayton!"

I rolled my eyes."You can't be serious.I don't need to rile him up.I'm done with him."

We both laughed,getting into the mood of the bar.

Just then,Layla's shrill voice pierced the air.I looked in the direction of the voice and saw then waltzing towards us—Clayton and Layla.

Layla sneered,her nose flaring up,."Miss Riley,enjoying yourself after losing your job?I can see that you're not afraid of Spencer Corporation,right?You sellout!"

I smiled nonchalantly,ignoring Clayton's intense stare.

"I didn't do anything,so why should I worry?"My gaze locked onto Layla's."Those who should be afraid will be afraid when the time comes."

She clung to Clayton's arm.I could smell her trick from a mile away.She was trying to make me jealous.

"Sage Riley,you're shameless!"

"Likewise,"I murmured.

Clayton's stares could bore a hole through my skull if they could,"Apologize to Layla."

I raised an eyebrow."What?"

"Apologize to Layla now!"

His words infuriated me.Clayton was taking Layla's side against me?What did I expect?

"Screw you,Clayton."

Silence ensued.

Clayton's expression darkened."Sage!!"

He was seething and trying so hard to control it but my stubbornness wasn't helping.

"Also,I forgot to tell you this but now that you're here,I should just get it over with.Since I quit,that means you and I are done,Clayton."

He squinted his eyes at me,"What do you mean?"

"Let's break up!"I took one last swig out of the bottle of alcohol on the table before turning to leave with the male models.

The look on Layla's face as I walked away gave me so much pleasure.

"Clayton...you and she...?"

Clayton's face contorted in anger."Don't even…"

Piper whispered,"Sage,are you sure Clayton will let you go?"

I snorted."Does he even have the right to?"

Piper cheered."That's right!!With your status as Goldberg International Bank's heiress,who dares to mess with you?"

I smiled.

"You know me too well.I've never been one to take abuse lying down."

"I'm not entirely…"my glare stopped Piper from talking anymore.

That night,I drank heavily with Piper.I wasn't entirely sure what happened after because the rest of the night was a blur.

The next morning,her frantic calls woke me.

"Sage!Check the hot searches!Layla has gone too far this time!The media's exposing you,and you're being roasted!"

I sat up,checking my phone.At once the sleep cleared from my eyes.What was this bitch up to now?

Layla had publicly accused me of stealing and leaking project data.The internet was ablaze with hate.

In one day,my reputation was almost in ruins.If I were just a small-town secretary,my life would have been over.I wasn't going to let her get to me.

So I took a deep breath,calming down.

My phone pinged and it was a text message from Piper.

"That bitch has gone too far!Do you want me to take care of her?"

I texted her back."No need.I'll handle it myself.Just help me contact some marketing accounts and parody accounts to stir up the hype even more."

Piper obeyed despite her initial confusion.

After arranging everything,I sat by the window,taking a hangover pill.Was Layla's plan for me to lose everything?

Fine!!If that was what she wanted,I was going to add dried logs to the flames.

This was tit-for-tat,and the game just got real.