Sharon woke with a stiff neck and the bluish glow of a home shopping network playing across her face. Disoriented, she pushed herself up from the sofa, the plush fabric imprinted on her cheek. The empty wine glass and snack wrappers on the coffee table told the story of her pathetic evening. She had slept in her clothes, on the couch, all night.
She checked her phone. 7:15 a.m. A missed call from Sasha at 11:30 p.m. No message. "It's Weird," she thought, a flicker of concern cutting through her grogginess. Sasha always left a dramatic voicemail.
Rushing through her morning routine, she felt a strange mix of dread and determination. She clearly remembered yesterday's system crisis and their quick, intense teamwork, and she braced herself for another day of navigating that painful, charged energy.
But when she arrived at the Hayashi Tech conference room, the atmosphere was different. Kenzo was already there, sipping coffee and reviewing documents. He looked up as she entered.
"Ms. Lee," he said, sounding flat and polite. "The updated stress test parameters are on the server. Let me know if you need anything."
It was the same line he'd used a dozen times before, but the emotion behind it was gone, The desperate longing, the silent pleas in his eyes, they had completely vanished. He was now calm, professional, and distant, the perfect, impersonal client.
A part of her, the part that loved having power over him, felt a strange pang of disappointment. "No," she quickly corrected herself. "This is exactly what you wanted. This is victory. Be happy."
"Thank you, Mr. Hayashi. I'll begin right away," she replied, her own voice matching his detached tone.
They worked in near silence for an hour, the only sounds being the click of keyboards and the occasional, formal question. It was exactly what her contract demanded, and yet, it felt like a loss.
That's when his assistant appeared at the door, her face tense. "Mr. Hayashi, sir. Leo Nakamura is on the secure line. He's… insistent. And he says he wants Ms. Lee on the call as well."
Kenzo's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. He gave a curt nod. "Put him through to the main screen."
The large monitor on the wall flickered to life, showing Leo Nakamura smiling arrogantly. "Hayashi! I heard your system crashed yesterday. Big problems," he sneered. Then he looked at Sharon. "And Ms. Lee. Still saving him, I see."
"State your business, Nakamura," Kenzo replied, his voice hard and cold.
"My business is the shaky foundation of our partnership. The rumors of instability at Hayashi Tech are getting louder. My board is nervous." He leaned forward, his gaze locking onto Sharon. "Which brings me to my point. Ms. Lee, this is your final warning. You're wasting your talent cleaning up this man's mess. Walk out of that building right now and come work for me. I'll not only match his fee, I'll double it. You can name your title. Don't sink with this ship."
The tension in the room was high. This was the ultimate test. Sharon could feel Kenzo frozen beside her. He was waiting, not with the expectation of her betrayal, but with a quiet, resigned acceptance, as if he already knew this was how it would end.
Every logical thought told her to accept. It meant more money, a clean start, and more power.
But when she saw Nakamura's smug face, she felt a strong, fierce surge of resistance. It wasn't for Kenzo, but for herself and her professional honor. She would not be bullied. She would not be bought by a man who saw her only as a weapon to wield against a rival.
She looked directly into the camera with cold contempt. "Mr. Nakamura," she began, her voice sharp and clear. "My professional integrity is not an auction item. Furthermore, your attempts to poach me during a confidential business meeting are, frankly pathetic and unprofessional."
She saw his smirk vanish. "The stability of Hayashi Tech's systems is my current priority, and I suggest you focus on the actual deal numbers, not on creating cheap drama to cover your own board's cold feet."
The room fell completely silent. On the screen, Nakamura's face looked furious. He had been publicly and thoroughly dismantled.
He quickly recovered and sneered, "You'll regret your loyalty, girl. Hayashi, consider our partnership on life support." The screen went black.
The room was left in a ringing silence. The IT leads stared at Sharon with a mixture of awe and fear. She had just destroyed a huge, multi-million dollar deal to save the company's reputation.
Kenzo was staring at her, his polite, professional mask completely gone. His eyes were wide and full of strong emotions: shock, amazement, and a deep gratitude that looked dangerously close to love.
He took a step toward her, his voice thick and raw with emotion. "Sharon… what you just did—"
She cut him off, her heart pounding. She couldn't take his thanks; it would crush her. She quickly put her walls back up, her voice turning cold and professional again, though it shook slightly. "I just did my job. I protected my client's company from an outside attack. That's all."
She turned and walked out, not waiting for a reply. This time, the energy in her wake was different. Her wall was still there, but he had seen her fight to defend the company, and the sight had left him completely defenseless.
During her lunch break, alone at a small café, she finally called Sasha.
"Hey! Sorry I missed your call last night," Sasha said, her voice breezy. "I was out."
"Out where? You never go out on a weeknight without telling me," Sharon asked, trying to keep her tone light.
"Oh, just… met up with an old friend from college. It was a last-minute thing. My phone died. What's up?"
The evasion was obvious, but Sharon was too tired to press. "Nothing. I bought some snacks to share, but you weren't there. You can grab them from my place later."
"Aw, you're the best! So, how's the lion's den today? Still trying to win you back with his sad puppy eyes?"
Sharon stirred her coffee. "Actually, no. Today he was different. Very polite and cooperative. It was like he just... gave up."
Sasha's voice brightened. "Yes! That's fantastic news, Sharon! I told you! You stood your ground, and he finally got the message. He knows his manipulation doesn't work on you anymore. I'm so proud of you!"
They laughed and made plans to talk later, but hanging up, Sharon felt uneasy. Sasha's congratulations felt hollow. Was it really a victory?
Her mind replayed Nakamura's offer. Double the fee. Name your title. It was a great, safe deal. But what if Nakamura's company was a dead end? What if the culture was toxic? Then came the most confusing thought: what if Kenzo, who seemed to have surrendered, actually did let her go when the project was finished?
She felt anchored by the sure knowledge that he was after her, despite the pain. The thought of that stopping made her feel completely directionless.
She was so deep in her thoughts, weighing safety against a future she couldn't define, that she didn't hear the approach of footsteps.
"Ms. Lee."
The voice snapped her attention back. It was Kenzo. He stood by her table, his face impossible to read, having locked away all the strong emotion from the morning.
She looked up, her heart doing a slow, heavy roll in her chest. "Mr. Hayashi?"
"The preliminary data from the stress test is ready for your review," he said, keeping his voice totally formal and neutral. "Whenever you have time."