005

NORMANI.

I was fuming.

No—“fuming” didn’t even cut it. I was absolutely livid as Shawn led me toward his car. My heart was pounding like a drum in my chest, and my palms were sweating from the aftermath of the encounter. The nerve Becky had to even open her mouth around me… and George? Oh, he had some guts showing up like that, standing beside her like they didn’t both betray me.

Shawn opened the passenger door, and I slid in with a huff, my jaw clenched so tightly it could have cracked. He got in beside me and then gave me a long side glance.

“You can’t keep reacting like that every time you see them,” he said coolly.

“You are going to keep running into them. Probably more than you want to.”

I turned to him slowly, heat flaring in my chest. “And what, exactly, do you want me to do? Smile and wave?”

He didn’t even blink.

“No. I want you to do better. If it is revenge you want, you can’t afford to lose control. They should be the ones losing control. Not you.”

I rolled my eyes.

“What do you know about any of this? Just because I asked for your help doesn’t mean you can read me like a book.”

“You are not hard to read,” he said, completely unfazed.

“You’re angry, hurt, and probably embarrassed. But the more you show that, the more power you give them.”

I folded my arms across my chest, staring out the window.

“Those two people mean nothing to me now,” I muttered.

“They are not worth my emotions anymore. They are enemies. Snags. That is it.”

“Exactly, and even if they mean anything to you…” he paused and turned to me.

“Ethan… if he still means even a fraction to you, I will fish every one of them until you have nothing. I will make you forget he ever existed.” our gaze locked and I swallowed so hard, my throat burned. What the hell? My heart skipped a bit staring at his stupid but gorgeous eyes.

“That is all they should ever be again. Nothing more. You are not permitted to see them as anything else.”

His hand reached over and gently cupped my cheek, turning my face toward him. My breath caught in my throat.

“You are only allowed to focus on what we are doing. On the revenge we are getting. Eyes on the goal, Normani. Always.”

And just like that… I found myself looking at his face, really looking. The sharp lines of his jaw, the fullness of his lips, the quiet intensity in his eyes. Damn it. He was really handsome, the social media did not exaggerate.

He noticed me staring and smirked.

“Do you hear me? Or are you just checking me out?”

I blinked, heat rushing to my cheeks.

“I should be asking you that. Is my face so distracting that you couldn’t pass the message without touching it?”

He leaned closer, lowering his voice to a teasing whisper.

“Yes. And now that you know what I want to do… maybe I should go ahead and do more than touching.”

His thumb brushed the corner of my lips before he pulled his hand away, but not before teasing his own lips with a quick swipe of his tongue.

I instantly regretted saying anything. What the hell was wrong with me? I shouldn't taunt this man, all I needed was his help, nothing more.

“Stop,” I snapped, pushing his shoulder lightly.

He leaned back, chuckling.

“I thought you didn’t mind. Since you know now.” He was truly a Casanova, bastard trying to taunt me.

I turned away quickly, my tone shifting.

“You asked me to meet you so we could talk about the company I want—not to flirt.”

“Flirt?” he repeated with a mischievous grin.

“Is this flirting? Wow. Then maybe I should actually flirt for real.”

He leaned forward again, a playful glint in his eyes.

“Nope.” I unbuckled my seatbelt.

“I am done here.” I wasn't sure if I would be able to control myself around him. There was a warmth his touch brought, one that reminded me of romance. The same thing that brought me to this hunger for revenge. Romance was out of my list, never to be seen again.

I opened the car door and stepped out before he could say another word. He didn’t chase me. Just grinned, leaned over, and said through the window,

“Don’t worry, you will be getting a call from the company soon.”

“Good night,” he added with a smile, and then he was gone, tires gliding down the street, leaving me staring after his car, annoyed and confused.

“What the hell is wrong with that guy?” I muttered.

“Not even a gentleman. Just a damn flirt.”

And why did he look so good flirting with me? God really gave the wrong people beauty.

By the time I got home, I was still irritated by my encounter with George and Becky. Estelle was waiting in the living room, legs crossed, snacking on chin chin like she had no care in the world.

“So?” she said, raising a brow.

“How did it go?” She jumped to her feet, coming to grab my bag.

“Terrible,” I groaned, dropping my bag in her waiting hands.

“I ran into those two jerks. Can you believe that? Becky and Goerge. At the same place.”

Estelle sat up straighter with an annoyed face.

“Are you kidding me? Did you say anything?”

“Oh, I did more than say something,” I said, removing my shoes.

“I slapped Becky.”

Estelle’s jaw dropped, then she burst into laughter.

“You what?! Normani! That’s what she deserves! Let her know you are not the same girl she used to push around.”

I nodded with a smug smile, feeling slightly better.

“She is going to think twice next time.”

“Okay but wait,” Estelle said, eyes twinkling.

“I am not talking about her. I am talking about the almighty Shawn.”

I gave her a warning look.

“Don’t you dare.”

“Oh, please,” she said, smirking. “Tell me you didn’t notice how fine he is.”

“I didn’t.”

“You liar. You are such a terrible liar. I know when you are lying.”

I sighed.

“Okay. Fine. He is a little … handsome.”

Estelle squealed like a child and grabbed a throw pillow to hug.

“So you do like him!”

“No,” I said quickly.

“I didn’t say that. Don’t twist my words.”

“You are blushing,” she pointed out.

I rolled my eyes, grabbed my bag again.

“He said the company will call us tomorrow. That’s what matters. Not his face.”

I ran off to my room before she could tease me more. Stepping into the shower, my mind couldn't help but flash back to Becky and George. They even wore matching necklaces. I wonder if he got it for her. I also noticed that he held her bag, how nice of him.

He used to hold my bag too and now he could easily do it for another woman. I wondered if he ever loved me. I could stop the burn that seeped through my chest. I sighed and ran my hand through my hair, while trying to pretend it didn't hurt.

⸻

The next day at the office, I was pacing back and forth while Estelle calmly sipped her smoothie. She ate a lot yet she was still a size six while I had to work hard to achieve my body.

“It is almost time for the company to announce the buyer,” I groaned.

“And they haven’t called us. That guy, Shawn, is a liar. He has no connection. I wasted my time with him.”

“You are so dramatic,” Estelle muttered, after gulping down a mouthful of vanilla smoothie.

I didn't know why I trusted some stranger to help me. There was no way he could place me on the top list except he had a crazy connection. Shawn was just a flirt, nothing more.

Just then, her phone rang. She answered casually, but within seconds she jumped up from her seat, screaming,

“Thank you so much!”

“What?!” I asked, rushing over.

She put the call on the speaker.

“They said congratulations. We have been selected as the new owners of the brand!”

My heart stopped.

“Wait… it’s not a prank? No hidden catch?”

“Nope. It is official,” she said, grinning.

“We are to come in this afternoon to sign the contract.”

I screamed. Literally screamed.

“We did it? Oh my God, Estelle! We actually did it!”

I grabbed my phone and started typing the brand’s name into G****e. There it was—our names flagged as the new buyers. It was real. It was happening.

Becky lost. And this… this was only the beginning. She would lose a lot more.

My phone buzzed, and I looked down.

SHAWN: Congratulations. I think I deserve dinner with you. 8 PM. I will send the address.

No question mark. No if you are free. Just a statement, as if he assumed I would say yes. It was more like a command, telling me to come to dinner with him.

I stared at the message and scoffed.

“He didn’t even ask. Just commanded me like I don’t have a life.”

Cocky Bastard!