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.