CHAPTER EIGHT: THE SECOND INVITATION
1407 Words
Sarah spent the entire night staring at the photograph.
She had placed it on her bedside table.
Then moved it to the drawer.
Then taken it out again.
Nothing helped.
The image remained burned into her mind.
Michael and Daniel.
Young.
Happy.
Friends.
Brothers, almost.
It didn’t match the man Michael had described.
Unstable.
Dangerous.
Someone you should stay away from.
Sarah had begun to wonder which version of Daniel was the lie.
And worse—
which version of Michael was.
She turned the photograph face down.
Her phone buzzed.
She didn’t need to check the screen.
She already knew.
Daniel: You didn’t sleep.
Sarah stared at the message.
She typed:
How would you know?
The reply came almost instantly.
Because I didn’t either.
Her heart skipped.
She hated that it did.
She locked her phone.
Then unlocked it again.
You need to stop texting me.
Daniel replied:
You could block me.
Sarah stared at the words.
She could.
She should.
Instead, she typed:
You know I won’t.
Three dots appeared.
Then:
Exactly.
Sarah threw her phone onto the bed.
“Arrogant bastard.”
But she was smiling.
And that frightened her.
By lunchtime, Sarah had almost convinced herself that the previous night had been nothing.
A moment of weakness.
A strange fascination.
Something that would eventually disappear.
Then she walked into the firm’s private elevator.
The doors closed.
She exhaled.
Finally, peace.
The elevator stopped on the next floor.
The doors opened.
Daniel stepped inside.
Sarah’s stomach dropped.
Neither of them spoke.
He pressed the button.
The doors closed.
Silence.
Sarah stared straight ahead.
Daniel looked at her reflection in the mirrored wall.
“You’re avoiding me.”
“No.”
“You haven’t looked at me since you walked in.”
“I’m working.”
“So am I.”
She glanced at him.
“You’re enjoying this.”
“A little.”
Sarah rolled her eyes.
“Of course you are.”
Daniel smiled.
“You changed your perfume.”
She froze.
“What?”
“I noticed.”
Sarah turned toward him.
“You notice too much.”
“Only when it concerns you.”
The elevator continued upward.
Sarah crossed her arms.
“You need to stop.”
“Stop what?”
“Making everything sound like…”
She stopped.
“Like what?”
“Nothing.”
Daniel stepped closer.
Sarah immediately moved back.
He noticed.
But he didn’t touch her.
“I meant what I said yesterday.”
“Which part?”
“I won’t cross your boundaries.”
Sarah looked at him.
“Then why are you standing so close?”
Daniel glanced at the space between them.
“Because you haven’t asked me to move.”
Her lips parted.
She hated that answer.
The elevator doors opened.
Daniel stepped out.
Before walking away, he looked back.
“Dinner tonight.”
Sarah blinked.
“What?”
“Have dinner with me.”
“No.”
“Okay.”
He walked away.
Sarah stood there.
That was it?
No argument?
No persuasion?
She stepped out of the elevator.
“Daniel.”
He stopped.
She hated herself for calling him back.
“What?”
“Why?”
He turned.
“Why what?”
“Why do you want dinner?”
His eyes held hers.
“Because I want to talk to you.”
“About Michael?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
Daniel smiled.
“About you.”
Sarah’s heartbeat quickened.
“I can’t.”
“You can.”
“I’m married.”
“I know.”
“I shouldn’t be doing this.”
“I know.”
“Then why do you keep asking?”
Daniel’s expression changed.
For once, the teasing disappeared.
“Because every time you tell me no, you look like you’re trying to convince yourself.”
Sarah stared at him.
“That isn’t fair.”
“No.”
He took a step closer.
“But it’s true.”
She looked away.
Daniel’s voice softened.
“Dinner. One hour.”
Sarah shook her head.
“Daniel…”
“Public place. No hotel. No secrets.”
She looked at him.
“You’re asking me to trust you?”
“No.”
His eyes darkened.
“I’m asking you to satisfy your curiosity.”
Sarah swallowed.
That was exactly what she wanted.
Answers.
About Michael.
About Daniel.
About the past.
She nodded slowly.
“One hour.”
Daniel smiled.
“Seven.”
“Where?”
“I’ll send you the address.”
He walked away.
Sarah watched him disappear around the corner.
Then she whispered:
“What am I doing?”
At seven that evening, Sarah stood outside the restaurant.
She almost turned around.
Then Daniel appeared behind her.
“You came.”
Sarah looked at him.
“You sound surprised.”
“I wasn’t.”
He opened the door for her.
Inside, the restaurant was dimly lit and elegant.
Daniel had chosen a quiet table away from the crowd.
Sarah sat.
He took the seat opposite her.
A waiter approached.
They ordered.
For several minutes, neither spoke.
Then Sarah broke the silence.
“Tell me about Michael.”
Daniel’s expression immediately hardened.
“No.”
She frowned.
“You asked me to dinner.”
“I asked you to dinner because I wanted to talk to you.”
“Then talk.”
Daniel leaned back.
“Not about him.”
“Why?”
“Because every time his name comes up, you become someone else.”
Sarah stared at him.
“What does that mean?”
“It means I don’t want to spend an evening looking at Michael through you.”
Her heart skipped.
“You’re jealous.”
Daniel didn’t deny it.
“Yes.”
The honesty caught her off guard.
“You barely know me.”
“I know enough.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because it’s true.”
The waiter placed their drinks on the table.
Daniel waited until he left.
Then he looked at Sarah.
“What do you want?”
She frowned.
“From dinner?”
“From your life.”
Sarah didn’t answer immediately.
She looked down at her glass.
“I want to feel wanted.”
Daniel’s eyes stayed on her.
“I know.”
“I want someone to look at me and actually see me.”
“I do.”
Her throat tightened.
“I want…”
She stopped.
Daniel waited.
Sarah whispered:
“I want to feel alive again.”
Daniel’s gaze darkened.
“You do when you’re with me.”
She looked at him.
And hated how much she wanted to believe him.
The conversation continued.
They talked about her childhood.
Her career.
His travels.
His business.
Things that felt harmless.
Normal.
Until Sarah noticed something.
Daniel never answered questions about his family.
Never mentioned his parents.
Never talked about where he’d lived before returning.
Every time she came close to his past, he redirected the conversation.
“You’re hiding something.”
Daniel smiled.
“Everyone hides something.”
“What’s yours?”
He leaned closer.
“You.”
Sarah’s breath caught.
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“It will.”
She stared at him.
There was something unsettling about the certainty in his voice.
The waiter returned with the bill.
Daniel reached for it.
Sarah shook her head.
“I can pay for myself.”
“I know.”
He handed over his card.
Sarah looked at him.
“Why do you keep saying that?”
“Because you keep assuming I think you can’t.”
She smiled despite herself.
For a moment, she forgot everything.
The photograph.
Michael.
The lies.
The unanswered questions.
Then Daniel leaned closer.
“Come with me.”
Sarah’s smile disappeared.
“Where?”
“Somewhere quiet.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
Daniel nodded.
“Okay.”
Again.
No argument.
No pressure.
He stood.
Sarah watched him.
And suddenly she realized something terrifying.
She was disappointed.
She wanted him to insist.
She wanted him to make it difficult.
She wanted—
Sarah stood abruptly.
“Daniel.”
He looked at her.
She swallowed.
“Where were you thinking?”
His smile was slow.
Almost victorious.
But he didn’t say I knew you’d change your mind.
He simply answered:
“Somewhere you can stop pretending you don’t want me.”
Sarah’s pulse raced.
And despite every warning screaming inside her head…
she followed him.
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