Sabrina's first instinct was to avoid. She set her phone down like nothing happened and moved on.

But clearly, the other party wasn't going to let it go that easy. The next day, right on time, without even waiting for her reply-or caring if she sent one-a message popped up like she had agreed.

[Hi Miss Lionhart, I've arrived. The traffic must be a nightmare, no worries if you're running late.]

Sabrina was speechless. She seriously thought the people at Pama had skin thicker than armor. She didn't bother to respond.

About twenty minutes later, another text arrived.

[Not sure how much longer you'll be, so I've gone ahead and ordered. Wouldn't want to waste your time.]

At this point, she was practically choking on her disbelief.

Twenty more minutes, and ding-another one.

This time, there was a photo attached too.

The table was covered with nine different dishes-meat, fish, veggies, shrimp, even a fancy little soup pot. Alongside the image, a new caption:

[You must still be stuck in traffic. I covered the dishes so they don't get cold. I also ordered white truffle consommé for you-it's super dry here this fall, and I figured it must be tough to adjust.]

Sabrina was so annoyed she almost texted back something sarcastic. Like, was this supposed to be a comedy show?

But after her fingers tapped the screen a few times, she stopped herself.

She knew whoever was behind all this was likely just following orders from the company. No point throwing a fit at the messenger.

So she tossed her phone aside and swore not to look at it again.

By 11 p.m., Monica came back from her shift, grabbed Sabrina's phone to kill some time, and saw the whole message thread.

After scrolling through every single text, she gave a thumbs-up with a face full of sarcasm. "Damn, Pama folks... talk about persistence."

She was the only one who knew what really went down during Sabrina's kidnapping, so her words carried weight.

Sabrina sighed. Looking back now, part of her did feel a little bad.

Monica eyed her. "Listen, don't let guilt trip you. Sure, don't lash out at the guy, but anyone working for a company that thinks kidnapping is cool? Clearly messed up. And come on, you never planned to work with them anyway. Why stress?"

She tossed Sabrina's phone on the couch, leaned back hard, and stretched like a cat.

"But I do feel like..."

"Shhh," Monica cut her off without hesitation. "No buts. Go sleep, be good."

Sabrina pouted but quietly headed to bed.

The next day? Yep, another message.

Only thing that changed? The menu. Still nine plates, white truffle consommé still front and center.

It made her feel like someone jabbed a fork into her heart.

She told Monica again, who just gave her the same advice-ignore it.

So another day, Sabrina just powered through feeling torn.

Day three...

Same thing all over again.

She finally had enough.

Wearing casual clothes, Sabrina headed straight to the restaurant. She was there to shut this nonsense down.

Yep, nonsense.

Because the waste made her sick. From the texts, it was obvious-she'd been a no-show every time, but instead of packing up the food, they just let the servers toss it out.

If it kept up, she was convinced the food gods would punish her for letting all that go to waste.

She told Monica her plan and let her know she was already on the way. Monica just replied with a string of ellipses-guess she was speechless.

Sabrina tucked her phone away and rubbed her cheeks, prepping herself to keep a straight face and stay serious later.

But honestly, she felt like a sheep heading into a wolf's den. How could she possibly hold her ground against Pama, who clearly knew how to play social games?

As soon as she arrived, the two smooth-talking, good-looking guys jumped in-she didn't even have time to get a word in.

They were ridiculously tall, like straight out of a model catalog. Sabrina started to suspect Pama had hired professional models just for this.

They poured her drinks, served her food, practically spoon-fed her. It was painfully obvious what tactic Pama was using-flirt their way into forgiveness.

"Miss Lionhart, hope the dishes are to your taste?" the guy with the half-Western features blinked at her, trying the whole puppy vibe.

"If not, we'll order something else for you right away," the man with the more traditional Sinoa vibe added quickly, sounding mature and polished.

Compared to Cedric, though, these two felt like kids putting on a show.

"Okay, hold on. You guys really don't-" Sabrina tried to interrupt them.

But the traditional-looking guy jumped right in, "Miss Lionhart, we're sincerely sorry about what happened. The man who kidnapped you has already turned himself in and faces legal punishment. He worked in sales, and honestly, the recent online rumors have really hurt Pama's image... We're victims too."

"Yeah, Pama truly wants to make amends," the half-Western guy cut in, reaching for his phone. "If you'd like, I can call the top exec to come apologize personally."

"No thanks," Sabrina blurted out before she could stop herself.

Her head was already spinning from these two buzzing like bees-she couldn't deal with a third.

"So... does that mean you understand where we're coming from?" The half-Western guy looked at her with hopeful eyes.

Understand.

Now that was tricky wording.

If he'd said "forgive," she'd have said no, hands down. But "understand"? That was... complicated. She did get it. Everyone has their struggles. When flagship products start tanking, sales gets the axe first.

She did understand.

But if she admitted to that, they'd twist it into her saying she forgave them.

Sabrina felt torn. She'd always been the energetic type-so why the heck had she chosen a career in R&D? Days and nights in the lab didn't suit her.

But standing here now, she got it: compared to the chaos of real life, she'd rather be back in the lab with her beakers and vials. At least those wouldn't stab her in the back.

"I've got stuff to do. Let's just end it here for tonight. Don't ask me out again. This kind of thing just makes me more uncomfortable," she said, grabbing her bag and getting up.

They didn't insist. They stood and followed her out.

Once at the restaurant entrance, the half-Western guy offered to call a car and stepped outside, leaving her waiting inside. The other guy-Sinoa-style-pulled a car key from his pocket.

Sabrina's gaze instantly locked onto the logo: Bentley.

Her expression tensed, wariness flashing in her eyes.

Sure enough, the next second the man spoke, "Miss Lionhart, Pama sincerely regrets what happened. We also owe you an apology. We heard you just returned to Sinoa and haven't gotten a car yet. Please accept this gift."

"I can't drive," Sabrina shot back without hesitation.

"Miss Lionhart, that's not quite true," the man replied smoothly. "Two days ago near Center Road, there was a minor accident. A car drove into a flowerbed. If our intel's right, you were the one behind the wheel."

Sabrina felt her soul leave her body.

She really wished he hadn't brought that up. Just hearing it again made her want to cry.

That car wasn't even hers-it was Monica's. She'd borrowed it on a whim to go shopping, and bam, crash.

She hadn't sold her Twinkle yet and now owed Monica a pretty penny.

"Whatever the case, I'm not accepting it. Take it back. Does Pama always force things onto people like this?" Sabrina's eyes darkened now, her whole vibe screaming annoyance.

A Bentley, seriously? And given how eager Pama was to make peace, it clearly wasn't a cheap model.

"Miss Lionhart, please-this is just a gesture. Pama only wants to make amends," the man insisted, stepping forward, trying to press the keys into her hands.

Sabrina just stepped back again and again.

Honestly, if she were to accept it, no one could say she didn't deserve it. Being kidnapped isn't exactly a walk in the park-she was owed some mental compensation, at least.

But she just couldn't bring herself to do it.

She was one of those types: once she took something from you, she'd feel obligated, like you had a rope around her neck.

Just like back then-everything changed after she accepted a cup of milk tea from Cedric.

Back, back, back-until her heel stepped on someone.

She whipped around. "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to-"

Then she saw those polished shoes. Perfectly pressed slacks. That all-too-familiar aura looming behind her.

It's weird how sometimes, just a tiny detail is enough to recognize someone instantly.

She froze for a beat, then slowly looked up.

Of course-it was the one person she hadn't spoken to since their awkward falling-out at Auburn Dining.

Cedric stood there, expression as blank as ever. Black and white suit, sharp edges and all-he looked less like a guy and more like a high-level boss in a spy drama. His features were knife-sharp, thick brows, and narrow eyes. Just standing there silently was enough to give people chills.

Especially now, with his eyes zeroed in on the guy with the old-school suit, radiating pure impatience. The kind that made him seem like he walked straight out of a martial arts drama.

Safe bet he'd seen the whole thing.

After all, if there's one thing Cedric can't stand, it's people beating around the bush.

Now that she ran into someone she actually knew, Sabrina figured he wouldn't just stand by and let this mess happen without doing anything. So she quickly stepped around him, parking herself right behind him like he was her personal bodyguard.

"Who are you?" asked the man with the traditional look.

It should've sounded aggressive. But one glance at Cedric's face turned it into just a regular question.

Sabrina could only sigh. These so-called "elite negotiators" weren't exactly doing their homework. You work for Pama and don't even recognize one of their biggest competitors?

Anyway, there was no way Cedric would lower himself to answer such a dumb question. That cool façade was hiding a mountain of pride.

It reminded her of back in college when Cedric had just started. Some new students, mostly girls, would keep whispering about him-"Who is he? He's so good-looking."

When someone finally said his name-"That's Cedric"-someone still asked, "So who's that?"

She'd shared the story with Cedric once, thinking it would amuse him, maybe even flatter him.

He'd just scoffed and said, deadpan, "If they don't even know who I am, I'm more interested in knowing what backwater place they crawled out of."

Looking back now, Sabrina had to admit-that wasn't pride. That was some A-grade dramatic nerd energy.

Just as Sabrina expected, Cedric didn't say a word-he simply grabbed her by the arm, over her coat, and started walking her out of the restaurant.

He didn't even really hold her hand. It was distant. Cold.

The traditional-looking man, seeing Cedric walk away with her like that, reached out in a panic and caught Sabrina by the palm instead. "Sabrina!"

It clearly slipped out of him out of urgency. Calling her "Miss Lionhart" felt too formal-using her name might have softened her stance a bit. Maybe if he played it right, she wouldn't take the keys back.

After all, he was just following orders.

Cedric came to a halt. So did Sabrina, who was also trying to yank her hand back from the man's grip.

Ugh, what a mess. If she'd known dealing with people would be this exhausting, she would've just let her lab team keep selling the patents for her.

Cedric turned around, eyes landing right on the hand intertwined with hers. That grip looked tight-almost like they were holding hands on purpose. His expression darkened with irritation.

He reached out, grabbed the man's wrist, and flatly demanded, "Who the hell are you?"

That line hit harder than it should have. Sabrina blinked up at Cedric, stunned like she just misheard him.

Was this seriously the same man who was always being asked who he was-not the one doing the asking?

Cedric's hold didn't look forceful on the surface, but the traditional guy was already breaking into a sweat. The pain must've kicked in early. "This has nothing to do with you-it's between me and Sabrina!"

Sabrina glanced between the two, raising an eyebrow. Wait, was there... something weird about what he just said? A little too personal, wasn't it? Where was the 'I'm just the messenger' vibe she expected?

"That so?" Cedric fired back.

Sabrina could practically hear the teeth-grinding underneath those words.

"Okay, okay, dude, ease up!" the man winced loudly. Dignity all gone, he surrendered immediately.

Cedric's voice dropped low, every word soaked in warning: "Take your damn keys and disappear. If I see you messing with her again, you won't walk away next time."

"Got it. Loud and clear." The man was already calculating whether this counted as a workplace injury and if Pama would give him a danger bonus.

Cedric finally let go.

The guy took off like a shot, dragging along the mixed-race man bumped into on his way out-they fled together, like they'd rehearsed it.

Cedric arched an eyebrow slightly.

Wow. Modern dating really had leveled up. What was it now-show up two at a time to increase your chances?

He casually dusted his hands off and glanced down, catching Sabrina still staring toward the door. He misread it as fear. "Next time someone pulls this crap, just report them for sexual harassment."

Sexual what, now?

Okay, yeah, it was uncomfortable, but... sexual?

Sabrina scrambled to recall... oh, maybe the hand-holding?

So, wait-Cedric considered that that serious?

Looked like he actually cared. Quite a bit.

Realizing this, she pressed her lips together, holding back a smile.

"And what about you?" she asked, switching gears. "What were you doing here?"

"Dinner." Cedric rubbed his temple, looking drained.

Business dinners-he was over them. Just people drinking, telling gross jokes, and dragging in escorts to "liven up" the vibe. Draining as hell.

"Oh. So, you're done?" she asked again. Otherwise there's no way he could've shown up just in time.

"Yeah." Cedric nodded and casually started walking toward the restaurant's exit.

Sabrina was scared he'd leave her behind, so she quickly sped up to catch up and said deliberately, "I wonder if they've gone yet."

Cedric obviously saw through her words, but still played along even though he knew it was a trap. "I'll take you home."

He was worried those two guys might still be around.

"Okay!" Sabrina nodded, a smile sneaking its way into her big, bright eyes.

Just those three words "I'll take you" were enough to wipe out all the earlier awkwardness.

His sweetness could really fix anything.

No matter how miserable she'd felt before, hearing one line from him could light her back up.

Following behind him out of the restaurant, she heard him telling someone to get her a cab. That's when she realized-there was someone else with them.

A stunning woman, probably his assistant.

She glanced her way, just in time to catch the woman looking at her too. Sabrina quickly shifted her gaze, then saw the assistant cross the street to hail a taxi.

The clicking of her heels against the pavement echoed a rhythm, her slim waist cinched tight by a professional pencil skirt-basically the textbook definition of a knockout. And she was being sent off by herself? That didn't sit right.

"Your assistant's gorgeous," Sabrina commented, laced with something more.

Of course, men are all the same. Always drawn to pretty faces. Ugh. Thinking about how busy Cedric usually was, didn't that mean he probably spent, like, sixteen hours a day with this bombshell?

How could something not happen under circumstances like that?

Sabrina felt a wave of unease.

Cedric shot her a sideways glance without saying a word.

Who said that woman was his assistant?

Actually, his male assistant was down with food poisoning tonight, so he pulled someone from sales who could hold her liquor to fill in. That's it.

But for some reason, seeing Sabrina misunderstanding the situation didn't make him want to clear it up.

The dry autumn breeze drifted between them. They stood there, each tangled in their own thoughts.

After a few quiet days, Cedric had calmed down.

He'd thought a lot about it-Sabrina was probably pretending nothing happened because she felt too guilty over what happened with his grandma.

When people face tough stuff, it's human nature to avoid it-like a snail tucking itself into its shell.

Especially someone like Sabrina. She might seem bubbly, but deep down she was as softhearted as they come.

If pretending to forget was her way of coping, then so be it. But what happened with his grandma? That wasn't something he could just brush off.

Instead of lashing out at her, maybe it was better to...

Just keep things normal.

No more avoiding, no more being affected every time she reached out.

While they waited, one of the restaurant staff pulled up with Cedric's car. The driver got out, respectfully inviting them in. Sabrina climbed into the passenger seat and buckled up.

The car hummed to life and cruised smoothly along a quiet road, pulling away from the restaurant.

Streetlights streaked past one by one, and a big neon sign slipped by above the car. Noticing they were headed the route toward her place, Sabrina had a sudden realization. "Wait, how do you know where I live?"

She hadn't told him since coming back.

Cedric, hands steady on the wheel, didn't even glance her way. The light cutting through the window danced across his face as he stated simply, "I've been to your place plenty of times."

Sabrina wanted to chew her own tongue.

Right. He really had. Many times, actually.

She used to come here when Lynne was around, but came way more often when she wasn't.

Thinking back to all the reckless things she'd done during those years, Sabrina's fingers unconsciously curled into a fist on the door handle.

Man, those years really hit her like a thunderbolt-wiping out all the sweetness from before, only leaving behind this cold awkwardness now.

Realizing they were getting close to her place, and not wanting this rare opportunity to end just yet, she opened her mouth: "I'm hungry. Can we stop to get something?"

Cedric glanced at how close they were to her apartment, originally planning to tell her to eat after going home. But then remembering how fragile her body was-basically made of glass-he figured maybe she really couldn't hold out much longer. So instead, he said, "Yeah."

He switched lanes, exited the overpass, and slowly cruised down the service road until parking near the side.

There was only a bubble tea shop and a 24-hour convenience store around.

"Parking here's kinda tricky, just grab something simple for now and eat properly when you're home," Cedric said, unbuckling his seatbelt and stepping out with her.

"Alright," Sabrina followed along.

First, he led her to the bubble tea place and got her a hot pearl milk tea, then headed to the convenience store. He pointed at the cooked food section and ordered a bowl of udon with fish balls for her. Every move was so natural-like muscle memory-without even asking, like she was still that girl who loved pairing udon with milk tea.

Seeing the staff dropping thick white noodles into the pot, Sabrina swallowed hard, but just didn't feel like eating at all.

Anything but udon.

Cedric must've noticed her reluctance, his brows slightly furrowing, "Weren't you into this stuff before?"

She used to eat this instead of proper meals. Maybe that's exactly why her body was wrecked now.

"...Yeah." Sabrina didn't want to brush off his kind gesture. It was touching that he still remembered what she liked.

But honestly, back in the lab, it was all about convenience. Udon was pretty much their daily meal. In the beginning, it was because they were broke and had no choice-the lab was in the middle of nowhere, and below it sat a lonely convenience store. So udon became their default.

They even tried to spice it up: salty, spicy, sour, sweet-every version possible.

Eventually, when they had more funding and moved to a better location, they all collectively agreed to never touch udon again.

While she was zoning out, the noodles had finished cooking. She took the bowl and sauce packet from the staff, placed them on the counter, opened the sauce, mixed it in, grabbed a pair of fork-just about to dig in...

And the bowl was swiped from under her.

She caught nothing with her fork.

Cedric took it.

"What's going on?" she asked, confused.

He stared at her-couldn't read even a flicker of joy on her face. It wasn't like before, when she'd be jumping with excitement just at the sight of udon.

Yep. People change. He realized he'd totally misjudged-assuming she'd still love the same things.

"There's a bug in it," Cedric said casually, lying without flinching.

"Really? Where?" Sabrina leaned in, trying to see.

"Let's head home first," he said, pressing a hand on her head and gently redirecting her toward the door.

Milk tea had enough sugar to fill her up for a while anyway.

Sabrina gripped her hot bubble tea with both hands, not putting up a fight. She really didn't want to eat udon anymore.

Still, she noticed something-that Cedric seemed... kinda off?

Was he upset because there was a bug in the food? Like, did he feel bad about it or what?

Very soon, Sabrina's focus shifted far away from a mere bowl of udon noodles.

She and Cedric left the convenience store together-him in front, her following closely behind-her steps landing right in the shadow he cast on the ground, just like ages ago, that same mix of admiration and silent obsession filling her.

There had been something burning on her mind for a while now, but it wasn't until Cedric gave her a lift back to her apartment complex and she stepped out of the car that she finally found the nerve to speak up.

The second she noticed him about to drive off, she quickly called out, "Hold on a sec!"

She darted around the front of the car and stopped by the driver's window.

Cedric rolled it down slowly and just looked at her quietly.

"You seriously don't want Twinkle?" she asked, standing by the car door, staring down at her toes, her tone uncertain.

Before he could even answer, she rushed on, "If you don't want it, I'll probably have to take it to Pama instead... I mean, I can't just give up. I still have a whole lab to support..."

Cedric rested his left arm casually on the edge of the window, fingers tapping lightly. His tone stayed flat and unreadable as usual. "From any perspective, Pama's offer is pretty attractive. So why not just work with them?"

"Because they kidnapped me, okay?" Sabrina looked up at him, blurting out the excuse she'd rehearsed a thousand times in her head.

So yeah, why would she work with them after that?

"Sabrina," Cedric met her eyes, his tone cool but direct, "you can't throw that out as an excuse."

His stare hit like being caught red-handed at school-and she caved instantly. "Because..."

He didn't rush her, just let the silence hang, waiting for her to say it.

"Because I want to help you..." Her voice dropped even lower. "I know Gracewell's been hitting a rough patch, grand..."

She suddenly remembered what Lynne had said about Cedric's grandmother being seriously ill, and how his family didn't like bringing that up. So she shifted gears. "Gracewell hasn't had a major hit in years. I've gone through all your past product launches but..."

"To be honest, none of them compare to Luméra." Talking business made her more confident. Her earlier hesitation faded, replaced by a steadier tone.

Cedric said nothing.

He might not be an expert on skincare formulas, but he knew numbers, and Luméra, the anti-aging line under Gracewell's premium category, had been a bestseller from the get-go.

It had been five years since Luméra's launch.

Sure, Pama needed Twinkle to fix up their image, but didn't Gracewell also need something powerful to push their next big hit?

"You know better than anyone how competitive the skincare world is now. Tons of brands, endless product lines, and consumers are all over the place. It's not like the old days-ads don't win people over anymore. Even loyal Gracewell users might jump ship if their fave celeb promotes another label. These days, if your product doesn't speak for itself, you're toast, right?"

Sabrina's hands were sweating by the end.

She wasn't some high-level exec. Just a nerdy R&D girl who spent her days buried in test tubes and formulas.

But the idea of him rejecting her again, that thought scared her more than anything. So she forced herself to spit out something that, at least on the surface, kind of made sense-though the more she thought about it, the more flaws she could hear.

Now that she'd finished tearing Gracewell down, it was time to start lifting them up again.

Sabrina cleared her throat lightly and went on, "Sure, Gracewell and Pama are both stuck in a rut right now, but let's be real-Gracewell's still ahead. It's just been too long since you had a fresh hit. Pama? They're losing people's trust. Their base formulas were weak, all hype and celeb endorsements. Now that stuff's getting exposed, and if someone really wants to dig, it'll just spiral."

"Not that I think you keep up with the skincare news, but Twinkle? Pama would fork over shares to get it. But I'm offering it to Gracewell. So, Cedric, what's there to still think about?"

She sat up straighter, trying to look like a serious dealmaker. Honestly though, with the R&D team behind her all banking on this, she had to hold herself together.

Cedric, who'd been silent the whole time she talked-well, rambled, if he were being honest-finally opened his mouth. "So, let's hear it-what do you want for it?"

He knew her logic had holes, but the core truth? He knew that part better than she did. When he'd seen her in the private room, it wasn't about business-he'd just lost it.

"Not much," Sabrina replied casually, holding up five fingers.

Cedric frowned, clearly unimpressed. "Five million?"

Honestly, if it came down to real negotiations, even five million could turn a profit...

Sabrina's lips twitched. God, talking to rich people seriously hurt your pride. "Fifty."

Now it was Cedric's turn to be speechless again.

"Well?" She pulled her hand back and raised an eyebrow at him.

"Why?" he asked, voice low.

Sabrina looked down with a soft giggle, and just like that, she didn't feel like a grown-up anymore. She looked seventeen again-hands behind her back, toe circling on the ground.

"Because I want to get back together with you. So, fifty bucks is more like a little sign, not the real price."

Her voice was light and playful, each word like a little flicker in this quiet, starless night.

*****

Half an hour later.

Sabrina was in her bedroom attacking a pillow. She clutched it in both arms like she was trying to strangle the life out of it.

Stupid Cedric. Really, just-ugh. She'd laid it all out, and what did he do? Rolled the window up without a word! Never mind that her hand was resting right there-he almost squished her fingers. Then he just started the car and took off, leaving her standing in exhaust fumes.

When she heard the knock on her door, she snapped, "Come in."

It was Lynne.

Lynne walked in with a small pot of soup. Just one look at her daughter and she knew Sabrina was fuming. Without saying anything, Lynne set it down, opened the lid, and started stirring slowly, as if nothing was wrong. "Who ticked you off? That kids from the lab again?"

She called them "kids" because most of them were Sabrina's age-wild and impulsive. Older and more reasonable staff could never last working with Sabrina.

Sabrina had talent, sure. But she let her feelings drive her decisions too often. If not, she'd already be working with Pama, not throwing herself at her ex with a miracle formula and begging for another shot.

She even offered it for fifty bucks-cheaper than dirt-and Cedric still acted like it meant nothing.

Yes, Lynne had caught the whole interaction. She'd been taking out the trash and just happened to see the two of them downstairs.

But what really worried her wasn't how the formula "Twinkle" was being undervalued-it was Sabrina's emotional rollercoaster, and how that might mess with her health.

"Hah, as if they'd dare mess with me," Sabrina huffed, waving that off. She tossed the pillow aside and crawled over to the table, sniffing around dramatically like a puppy.

"God, just a few days without your soups and my skin's already giving up on me."Lynne could tell Sabrina wasn't being fully honest, but she didn't push it. "As long as you know. From now on, don't go making decisions on your own. Talk to me first."

"Got it," Sabrina replied, picking up the stew her mom made. The pot was packed with all kinds of fancy herbs and tonics. She took a spoonful and couldn't help making a few appreciative noises. "Mom, pretty sure the grocery budget's all going into my stomach."

"Glad you're aware. Now hurry and get that formula sold-we're still waiting on your share for the household." Lynne crossed one leg over the other, settling on the edge of the bed. Even dressed in PJs, she carried herself with the elegance of someone who could walk into a pageant and win without trying.

Some people just had class in their bones.

Sabrina gave her mom a secret admiring look. She really did look up to her-respected her, even wanted to be like her one day. But on the outside, all she gave was a lazy, "Yeah, yeah, sure."

Seeing she still wouldn't open up, Lynne sighed quietly. She stood up, unable to sit still anymore. "Eat your food and go to sleep afterward."

"Mm-hmm, night!" Sabrina answered in a burst-she already had plans to mentally roast Cedric again as soon as she finished her bowl.

*****

Just when Sabrina thought the whole thing had tanked, she got a call from Gracewell. They'd already drawn up a contract draft and wanted her and her lawyer to come discuss the details. Said if anything didn't sit right with her, they'd fix it.

Sabrina was over the moon. She told them to print the final version right away and even offered to set the time and place for a meetup.

Her enthusiasm caught them off guard-they triple-checked with her. She got tired of the back-and-forth and just picked a time and restaurant on the spot, ending with, "See you there."

She picked a spot for three days later, just a regular little restaurant. Once the call was done, she rang up her apprentice, telling him to hop on a flight and bring her seal stamp.

The second Simon Morris heard Twinkle got sold, he booked the ticket right away, thrilled out of his mind.

Three days flew by.

Sabrina met up with Simon right outside the restaurant. The moment she saw him, she marched over and tried to grab his ear. "You! Where have you been hiding these past few days? We could've finished this earlier, but no-you had to delay it till now!"

The 5'9''-tall guy easily dodged her without breaking a sweat. At the same time, he smoothly grabbed her hand for just a second, gently enough that she didn't even notice it wasn't an accident-but quick to let go so it didn't get awkward.

His mature-looking suit was a little too formal for his playful vibe, but his build pulled it off, making it look intentional rather than overdone. He shot her a bright grin, showing off a perfect row of teeth-it was the kind of smile that felt like summer breeze. "I'll tell you where I've been after we sign."

"Ugh, fine!" Sabrina rolled her eyes, pulling her hand back and waving it in front of him. "You brought the stamp, right?"

"Relax, I brought it. Even packed your lucky pen," Simon said, patting his black work bag.

"Legend! You're definitely getting an extra drumstick at dinner," Sabrina gave him a thumbs-up and let out a deep breath.

Jeez, even though it was just a fifty-buck contract, she was still super nervous.

Cedric has to show up, right? Wonder what he's wearing today.

She puffed her cheeks out unconsciously and glanced around the restaurant, looking like a prairie dog on alert.