The romantic piano music continued to drift through the restaurant. Every table seemed to exude an air of harmony. Except for Sarah's.
Though polite smiles graced both their faces, an undercurrent of tension crackled in the air.
Their gazes met, holding the weight of a negotiation. Sarah's eyes held a chilling calm. Cedric, suppressing a flicker of something deeper in his own, broke the silence.
"Ms. Shaw, I believe that before we negotiate, you should set aside your biases against me. The facts will prove I'm an excellent partner."
"Even in a formal partnership, I absolutely will not help you steal confidential information. That's foolish." Sarah simply wanted to forge an alliance, to win against Hugo through legitimate means.
She had no desire to resort to such underhanded tactics.
