I Married My Ex Dad

Chapter 2. A Tempting Offer

Sarah held her breath for a moment when she heard his name. Her mind went blank, unable to think of anything to say.

“Why?” she finally murmured. Her eyes could not look away from his attractive jawline, faintly lined with stubble.

His eyebrows furrowed, his expression cold and flat. “What do you mean?”

“What did I do wrong?” Sarah struggled to find her words. She barely spoke clearly, just like she always did.

Jayden took a moment before sharply staring at her, then leaned forward. Both of his muscular arms rested on the table. He was getting upset with her.

“Ms. McKaley, I never expected you to give me such an attitude. I thought you were serious about your design. Or was I wrong?”

“No, I don’t mean to offend you. I owe you an apology, Sir. I just thought that your manager would be interviewing me…” Sarah answered quickly, her heart almost jumping out of her chest.

“There will be no interview, Ms. McKaley. I took this design very seriously because I found similarities to Mr. Anderson’s work. Stealing is strictly prohibited in my business.”

Sarah’s eyes widened in shock. She suddenly remembered that Keith had sent the first model to the competition held by SJ Corp a year earlier. Now, SJ had selected only a few design agencies, and Keith’s was one of them. Very few people knew that none of the designs had ever come from Keith; they were all Sarah’s ideas.

“I need to explain. I’m not stealing anything. It was my idea, and I submitted the final design myself.”

Jayden’s brows furrowed deeper. He picked up the printed design and held it out to her, his dominant gaze never leaving her.

“Isn’t this Mr. Anderson’s signature?” He pointed at the paper.

Sarah glanced at it, then looked back at him. His sharp eyes had sent shivers down her spine since the beginning. She had never seen anyone like Jayden before. His last name clearly suggested Asian heritage, yet his sharp nose and striking eyes revealed a remarkable mixed background.

“Yes… But I can explain.” She took a deep breath.

“You’d better,” he said firmly, “or I will sue your company for committing fraud.”

Sarah nodded, forcing herself to calm down. Her feet felt cold as worry clouded her thoughts, but she had to speak and defend herself. She could not let this opportunity slip away and returned to Keith’s company empty-handed.

“The design came from my vision,” Sarah explained. “When SJ advertised the competition, Mr. Anderson asked me to join his team. Unfortunately, he never told me that the design had won and moved on to the next stage. Later, he asked me to finalize the design for the new tower project. I agreed, but circumstances changed, and I decided to submit it under my own name.”

Jayden rolled his eyes and turned slightly to the side, thinking. When he looked back at her, his gaze carried the same sense of dominance.

“Why did you decide that?” he asked. “Do you have a problem with him?”

Sarah gave a thin smile but did not answer immediately.

“I don’t think my personal issues are your concern, Sir.”

Jayden narrowed his eyes slightly before lifting his chin, arrogance clear in his posture. “They aren’t,” he replied huskily.

“But I make sure every business deal in my company is clean. I hope you understand that I don’t tolerate plagiarism.”

Sarah met his gaze. She did not look afraid, but she was determined to prove she could present her vision without being overshadowed by Keith.

“I can guarantee my copyright. I have all the files—you can review every detail and phase.”

Jayden looked challenged, then nodded. “I need access to your cloud.”

“Yes, Sir.”

Sarah took out her laptop, connected it, and granted him access. She showed him the main working files she had used throughout the design process.

After five minutes, Jayden leaned back. “You own the copyright.”

Relief washed over her, but she was cautious, restrained. Sarah had learned not to celebrate too early. Men like Jayden Lin did not shift their stance without reason, and the way he continued to watch her—calm, assessing, unreadable, yet made her uneasy.

The room felt quieter than before, the tension no longer sharp but lingering, like a storm that had passed without entirely leaving. She could sense that this conversation was far from over. Acceptance did not mean safety. Not with a man who held this much power so effortlessly.

“I will recognize the design under your name, and we are prepared to cooperate,” he said. “We will purchase it with full payment made directly to you. However, I will ensure that Mr. Anderson does not interfere. My company does not tolerate copyright disputes.”

Sarah took a deep breath. There was no turning back now. Once she signed the papers, the money would be hers.

“I will take full responsibility,” she said firmly. “It’s my design.”

Jayden pressed his lips together, then paused, his eyes fixed on her. The silence made Sarah uneasy, as if he wanted to say something but expected her to read his mind. After a moment, she lowered her gaze. His stare felt overwhelming, as though it reached straight into her soul. She had never felt anything like it, not even with Keith.

“I can’t offer you full payment yet,” Jayden finally said. “I know Mr. Anderson, and this could cause complications.”

Silence stretched between them.

Sarah searched his face, trying to read what he was not saying. His expression remained controlled, but there was something else beneath it, like a calculation, perhaps.

This was no longer about money. She could feel it. The way his gaze lingered, the pause before his words, the deliberate restraint, all suggested a decision forming behind his eyes. Whatever he was about to say next would change the direction of this meeting entirely.

Sarah frowned. What did he mean?

“Sir…”

Her fingers curled slightly at her side as she waited, unsure whether she was bracing herself for an offer or a trap.

“I have another proposal,” Jayden continued. “If you agree to come with me tonight, I will release the full payment, along with a long-term contract as an executive design manager at my company. You won’t work temporarily or sell your work under someone else’s name anymore. You’ll have your own position.”

Sarah gasped, her eyes widening. It nearly overwhelmed her that Jayden Lin was offering her an executive position at SJ Corp.

“I beg your pardon?” she asked, disbelief evident in her voice.

“You heard me, Ms. McKaley,” Jayden said calmly. “I need someone to accompany me tonight. If you agree, I’ll give you everything you’re aiming for.”