Jane's POV
Robert’s breath was hot against my skin, and I suppressed a shiver. There was something dark in his eyes, something that made my blood run cold.
But I pushed it aside. I had no time to dwell on his threats. This was my moment.
I turned to Mr. Berardi, who was still waiting, his hands clasped behind his back.
He was looking at me expectantly. I could feel the weight of his gaze and I knew that I had to impress him. Not just for Robert, but for myself.
"Mr. Berardi," I said, trying to sound confident. "I know you’re looking for something fresh in tech. I have an idea that could change the way people connect online."
He raised an eyebrow, clearly interested. "Go on."
"Picture this," I continued, "a platform where companies and startups can share ideas and work together in real-time, without all the usual delays. It's a place where anyone can post projects, and the right people with the right skills can join and collaborate instantly."
He raised an eyebrow again. "So, like a marketplace for ideas?"
"Exactly," I nodded. "But it’s more than that. It’s a place where people can create, share, and even patent new tech products on the spot—no red tape, no waiting."
Mr. Berardi smiled, his eyes twinkling with approval. "You have my attention, Miss Jane. I would like to explore this further. Here," he handed me his business card, "contact me. I think we could do something extraordinary together."
I took the card, my heart racing. This was it. This could be my big break—the opportunity I had been waiting for.
I didn't want to take chances, so I quickly punched his contact information into my phone.
I could schedule a meeting with Mr Berardi, call in sick on the day of the meeting without informing Robert and travel with Mr Berardi to Italy and start a new life there.
But then, my eyes wandered across the room, and I saw them.
Kelvin and Daphne.
Standing together, laughing, sharing a private joke. The sight of them made my blood boil, but it was the way they were looking at each other that sent a chill down my spine.
I turned quickly, almost running into a waiter carrying a glass of champagne. I mumbled an apology, my heart pounding in my chest as I couldn't bear to see them together.
I fled to the bathroom, locking myself inside a stall. My body trembled with sobs as I retched into the toilet, vomiting everything I had eaten earlier.
The bile rose in my throat as the memories came flooding back—Kelvin’s betrayal, Daphne’s lies, the way they had ruined my life.
I wiped my tears away, took a deep breath, and stared at my reflection in the mirror. This was it.
This was my moment to reclaim everything I had lost. It starts now.
I took a few more steadying breaths before I reached into my purse and pulled out my phone. My hands shook slightly as I unlocked the screen.
I blinked in shock when I saw the notifications. Over thirty missed calls from Mr Robert.
And then, I saw the room number he had sent to me followed by a short message.
[ We are spending the night here, I'm too drunk to leave, and It's past midnight! Get here now!]
But just as I was about to gather myself, ready to leave and face Robert, I heard a commotion outside the bathroom.
A woman's face echoed through the hallway frantically. “Mr Berardi! Someone call for help! He's collapsed— he can't breathe”
I froze, my heart skipping a bit, what the hell was going on?
I pushed open the bathroom door and a nurse rushed past me. “He's suffering from severe food poisoning and allergic reactions. We need to get him to the ICU immediately”
Mr Berardi was my only chance at getting revenge on Kelvin and Daphne, but now with his condition, it's over for me, there was no way out of this and I know very well that I didn't want to go back and continue being Robert's floor mat.
Well, I guess I'll have to move on to plan B.
