Chapter 4

Teyara Moon

The irony of my current situation was staggering.

For starters, I had spent hours transforming myself into a masterpiece for a man who didn't even possess the decency to recall my face.

To make matters worse, he was actually trying to recruit me as a professional companion after everything he had pulled in college.

I kept a mask of mild confusion fixed on my face while he smirked at me.

Honestly, he had to be an absolute lunatic if he believed for a single second that I would willingly pretend to be his girlfriend.

Chloe cleared her throat loudly, obviously sensing the thick wall of tension radiating between us.

Calling it tension was an understatement.

She was completely oblivious to the real dynamic at play, under the impression that she was doing me a massive professional favor when, in reality, she had just walked me straight into an emotional landmine.

“Could I borrow you for a quick second?” I asked, forcing my jaw to relax so I wouldn't grind my teeth in sheer fury.

Chloe nodded, and we quickly navigated away from Jax, moving into a more secluded corridor of the venue.

“What is going on with you?” she hissed the moment we were out of earshot.

“First, you refuse to let me help you out financially. Now, I hand you a client who is willing to pay an astronomical fee—without you ever having to cross any physical lines—and you're freezing up!”

I swallowed hard, the sheer magnitude of the offer tempting me despite my rage.

But the thought of intentionally placing myself back into Jax's orbit was a terrifying gamble.

“I just have a terrible feeling about him,” I deflected, shrugging my shoulders.

Chloe glared at me, completely unimpressed.

“Teyara, that man back there is prepared to wire you a hundred thousand dollars every single week for as long as the arrangement benefits him. All you have to do is play a part. And why on earth did you give him a fake name?”

Her lips twitched as she tried to piece the puzzle together.

“Like I said, I don't trust the guy. I don't want someone like that having access to my real identity,” I replied smoothly.

She looked entirely skeptical.

“Teyara, we’ve known each other for a while now. First, you act completely bizarre the moment I mention his name, then you introduce yourself with an alias, and now you're pushing away a flawless contract.”

She threw her hands up, her voice rising with dramatic emphasis.

“Maybe that's the problem—no arrangement is ever that flawless. Who’s to say he won't expect something more behind closed doors?”

The counter-argument successfully derailed her train of thought.

Her expression softened, and she reached out to grasp my forearm gently.

“You know I would never put you in a position that threatened your safety. It’s either you accept this contract, or you finally let me write you a check.”

It was a direct ultimatum, and I let out a soft scoff as my mind raced through the options.

A dangerous realization began to take shape.

If I accepted this assignment, I would be granted direct access into his life—a perfect vantage point to systematically dismantle him for what he did to me.

I would be orchestrating my vengeance while simultaneously taking his money.

The risks were high, but if I managed the deception flawlessly, I could pull it off.

I just had to be incredibly calculating.

“Fine,” I capitulated.

Chloe’s face instantly lit up.

We marched back out to the main floor, finding Jax standing exactly where we had left him, looking entirely composed.

“So, what's the verdict?” he asked, his tone crisp and strictly professional.

“When do my duties officially begin?” I countered, keeping my voice clipped and cool.

“Drop by my corporate headquarters tomorrow afternoon so my legal team can finalize the paperwork,” he said, sliding a sleek business card from his jacket pocket.

As I took it, my breath hitched slightly.

The corporate address was located on the exact high-end commercial block where the property I wanted to purchase for my fashion line stood.

“I’ll be there,” I stated.

Jax extended his hand, and I took it, delivering a firm, unyielding grip.

I tried to pull away immediately, but his fingers lingered around mine for a fraction of a second longer than necessary before he finally released his hold.

“Well, ladies, enjoy the rest of the gala.”

He flashed a dazzling, practiced smile before turning to blend back into the elite crowd.

“He is absolutely breathtaking…” Chloe murmured dreamily, staring after him.

I practically had to fight down a wave of physical nausea.

“Oh, absolutely. Quite the catch,” I agreed, my voice dripping with heavy, undetected sarcasm.

“Come on, let's dance!” she giggled, pulling me toward the music.

While she was riding a wave of pure excitement, my thoughts were entirely consumed by the war I had just declared.

The Following Day

After a long, scalping shower, I secured a plush towel around my chest and stood before my closet to select my armor for the day.

I opted for an elegant, tailored black pencil skirt paired with a crisp white blouse, finishing the look with structured black heels.

Once fully styled, I glanced at the clock on my vanity.

It was precisely two o'clock in the afternoon, and I decided it was time to confront the devil in his domain and get the paperwork over with.

I hailed a taxi, keeping my handbag tucked tightly under my arm as we navigated through the heavy Los Angeles traffic toward his corporate empire.

Upon arrival, the security desk routed me directly to the executive suite, where his private assistant greeted me.

“I have an appointment with Jax Mitchell. He's expecting me,” I announced.

She offered a polite, standard corporate smile before tapping a few keys on her monitor.

“And your name is…?”

“Sandra Moon,” I supplied, swallowing down a brief surge of adrenaline as she verified the schedule.

“Ah, yes. Mr. Mitchell was actually expecting you earlier in the day,” the assistant noted, looking up from her screen.

“Since you hadn't arrived, he departed for his private penthouse suite to attend to some matters. However, he left instructions for a company driver to escort you directly to his residence.”

She gestured toward a middle-aged gentleman waiting near the glass doors.

I offered a strained, polite chuckle as the driver stepped forward to lead the way.

A sudden knot of apprehension tightened in my chest at the prospect of meeting him at his home rather than a boardroom, but I had already set this machine in motion.

There was no backing out now.

I slipped into the rear of the luxury vehicle, and the driver took his position behind the wheel, firing up the engine before pulling into the street.

Roughly thirty minutes later, the car glided to a halt in front of a towering, ultra-modern luxury high-rise.

“We have arrived, ma'am,” the driver announced, cutting the ignition.

I stepped out onto the pavement, expecting him to escort me inside.

“Take the private elevator straight up. It’s the first double doors on your left,” he instructed, his tone entirely clinical.

I let out a quiet sigh when I realized I would be facing this entry alone.

Steeling my nerves, I took a deep breath, walked into the lobby, and followed his directions explicitly.

Reaching the designated entrance on the penthouse floor, I reached out and turned the sleek handle, finding the heavy door unlocked.

My eyes widened in sheer shock as the door swung open.

Jax was right there, his cock completely inside a stunning brunette on the expansive living room sofa.

The scene looked like a sequence pulled straight from a high-end p**n film.

The woman let out a loud, breathless moan, her fingers digging into his shoulders as she begged him not to slow down.

A few moments later, the frantic movement stopped, and the two of them collapsed back against the cushions, panting heavily side by side.

The woman was the first to look up and register my intrusion.

I froze, a lump forming in my throat as she let out a piercing shriek of surprise.

The sudden noise caused Jax to snap his head in my direction, his gaze locking onto where I stood framed in the doorway.

I was entirely immobilized, my mind reeling in absolute horror.

What on earth had I just walked into?