Love x betrayal

chapter 23 : off thoughts

Sadie’s eyes fluttered open to the pale morning light filtering through the curtains. For a brief moment, she felt the quiet of the morning wrap around her like a cocoon. But something felt off.

She blinked, her gaze shifting to the foot of her bed—and there he was.

Jake.

He lay beside her, his arm draped over her waist, his face only inches away. The sight of him in her bed, so close and so unaware, sent a sharp wave of panic crashing over her. Her breath caught in her throat.

*This isn't happening...*

Suddenly, instinct took over, and a scream ripped from her chest.

Jake jolted awake, his eyes widening in confusion before a smirk quickly settled on his face. "Good morning to you too," he said, his voice annoyingly calm for the situation.

Sadie scrambled backward, pulling the sheets up to her chest, her heart hammering in her chest. "What... what are you doing here?!" she gasped, trying to steady her voice, though the panic in her eyes betrayed her.

Jake stretched lazily, unbothered by her shock, and propped himself up on one elbow. "I thought it would be nice to keep you company." His tone was nonchalant, as if this was all completely normal.

Sadie’s mind raced, her fear quickly turning into anger. "Get out!" she yelled, her voice trembling as she pointed toward the door.

But Jake didn’t move. Instead, he sighed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, and said, "Remember, this is my house."

Sadie was clearly annoyed, but Jake didn’t care. He stood up and stretched, ignoring her frustration. “You’re following me to the office today,” he said firmly, his tone leaving no room for argument. “I’m not taking no for an answer.”

“Uhmm… can you give me some space to dress at least?” Sadie asked, her voice laced with irritation.

Jake just shrugged nonchalantly. “I’m not stopping you.”

That was the last straw. Anger bubbled inside Sadie as she shoved him, physically pushing him out of the room. Jake chuckled as he stepped back, but he didn’t resist. Sadie quickly dressed and made her way to the sitting room, where she ate a hurried breakfast before heading outside to find Jake already waiting by his car.

She slid into the passenger seat without a word.

When they arrived at Hampshire Tech Ltd, popularly known as Shire Techs, Sadie felt a wave of anxiety wash over her. Her hands tightened on her seatbelt, and she stared out of the window, unwilling to leave the car. Jake noticed her hesitation, and with an exasperated sigh, walked around to her side and opened the door.

Without waiting for her protest, Jake bent down and literally carried her out of the car, ignoring her quiet protests.

As they entered the building, Sadie could feel every pair of eyes on her. Whispers filled the air. Some people blushed and smiled, others watched with envy, and a few sneered, muttering insults under their breath—calling her a shameless woman. Sadie’s cheeks burned, but Jake appeared completely unaffected by the gossip surrounding them.

Finally, they reached Jake’s office. He sat down casually, taking a slow sip of his coffee while Sadie stood awkwardly by the door, still feeling the weight of the stares.

“Won’t you sit?” Jake asked, gesturing to a chair.

“I’m okay,” Sadie replied, standing stiffly.

Moments later, Jake’s secretary entered the room. “Sir, your business meeting is about to start.”

Jake nodded and stood, motioning for Sadie to follow him. Without waiting for a response, he led her to the conference room. The moment they stepped inside, the murmur of voices halted, and a man immediately pointed at Sadie. “Who’s that girl?”

Jake glanced back at Sadie "oh she's my woman" he said gesturing for her to come in. She hesitated for a moment, but then stepped forward, her nerves twisting inside her.

“Take a seat,” Jake said.

“But there are no seats,” Sadie muttered, looking around the room.

Jake smirked, then pointed to his lap. “Right here.”

Sadie’s face flushed red, her eyes widening in disbelief. “With all these people here?” she whispered, mortified.

Jake nodded, his expression unchanged. All eyes were now on her, waiting for her reaction. After a long, tense moment, Sadie took a deep breath and walked over to him, sitting awkwardly on his lap. The room remained silent, though some people exchanged amused or curious glances. Jake acted as if everything was completely normal, continuing the meeting without a care in the world.

As the meeting neared its end, a woman who had always harbored feelings for Jake—her jealousy barely concealed—spoke up. “If she’s really your Woman, then prove it. Kiss her.”

Murmurs filled the room as others voiced their agreement. Sadie felt her stomach drop. She wanted to disappear, to run away, but before she could act, Jake grabbed her hand and pulled her close. Without warning, he kissed her in front of everyone, his grip firm.

The room fell silent, shocked by his boldness. When he finally pulled away, Sadie’s face was flushed with embarrassment. She couldn’t take it anymore. She stood and quickly left the room, her heart racing. The stares, the whispers—everything was too much.

Jake, completely unfazed, followed after her.

The car ride home was quiet until Sadie finally spoke, her voice filled with frustration. “You can’t just go kissing me in public like that!” she snapped, still mortified.

Jake glanced over at her, smirking. “So, I can kiss you in private then?”

“No, it’s just…” Sadie trailed off, her words failing her as Jake chuckled at her flustered state.

When they arrived home, Jake, as usual, was exhausted and went straight to bed. Sadie did the same, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop thinking about the day’s events—the stares, the kiss, and the emotions she couldn’t quite place. They buzzed in her mind, refusing to let her sleep.