Sarah walked out of the Liu residence and made her way towards the estate gates located at the other side. Thankfully, before she left, Derek had offered her a black hoodie to conceal her small frame and face, then he ordered an Uber to wait outside the estate since not just anyone could get in.
Sarah moved slowly and carefully towards the gates. The guards stared intently at her as she walked past them, a certain look flashing in their eyes as she slipped into the cab waiting for her.
Just as the car hit the highway, Sarah let out a sigh, her hands rubbing together just to create some warmth for her shivering figure.
The driver still couldn't see her face, but he saw she was shaking visibly, so he figured the AC might have been too much for her.
He turned it off and kept his eyes back on the road.
Just then, Sarah's phone buzzed with an incoming call. She hurriedly pulled out the phone, desperately wishing it was Antonio calling to tell her that everything had been resolved and she could finally come out to the public. Anything was better than all the hideous accusations.
Truly, it was Antonio calling.
"Hello, Antonio?" Her voice was small when she spoke, her lips trembling as she forced herself to hold back her tears.
"Sarah, come to the main mansion. Your father asked to see you." Antonio's voice was calm, too calm. Her brow creased in confusion as to why he would ask her to come there of all places. Just remembering what happened the previous night at that house had her wishing she could set the place on fire.
With another sigh, she informed the driver to take her there.
By the time the car pulled into the Chen family's Manor, the sky had already darkened. But the sky wasn't the only thing that darkened, Sarah's tear streaked face also went a shade darker. It was because right at the entrance of the mansion, reporters stood at each sides, each one holding out their cameras and microphones, ready to ask questions that could ruin lives and relationships.
Sarah gulped, refusing to move. Why did Antonio call her despite knowing that reporters were camped at the entrance of the mansion? And on a closer look, there seemed to be a party going on.
She called Antonio and he answered on the second ring. "What's the meaning of this, why did you call me back here when you knew that reporters would be standing outside the door?!" She snapped, fidgeting with her dress.
Antonio's voice remained calm as he spoke. "Your father asked you to come. He's willing to help. You can come in through the back door." He ended the call almost as he finished.
Sarah gritted her teeth, but she knew she couldn't hide In here forever.
She asked the driver to drive around the mansion and stop at the back entrance. When he stopped just where no one could see her except the guards, she got down and slipped into the house as fast as she could.
The head maid seemed to have been waiting for her when she walked in. She bowed and flashed Sarah a pitiful smile.
"Sarah dear, your father awaits you In his study." She spoke softly and reached out to pat Sarah's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.
Sarah returned the kind gesture with a nervous smile before she made her way towards her father's study.
Each step she took towards that room felt heavier than the last. Her heart pounded in her chest at the possibility of her father helping her out of this mess. Yes, he could help her, but at what cost?
She knew her father better than anyone else. He never does favors.
He only did things that would benefit him in a way.
When she arrived at the entrance, she inhaled again and exhaled before pushing the door open. When she walked in, her steps faltered at the sight before her.
Her father, her step-mother, Hannah and Antonio were present in the room.
Each one of their faces said different things, one that she could read so easily.
Her step-mother, Amelia Chen, had a look of resentment in her eyes, one that was directed at Sarah.
"You finally came," She uttered, her smug smile turning into a full blown one that didn't reach her eyes.
Sarah's gaze trailed from Amelia's then to Hannah, and finally to Antonio. "What's going on here?" She asked, confused.
"What does it look like, dear sister? We want to help your useless image of course." Hannah scoffed, folding her hands across her chest.
Okay, they wanted to help her, but why did Antonio look like he'd never met Sarah in his life before?
"Antonio?" She called, a brow coming up in a questionable way. He looked….detached.
"Sarah, your father here wants to help you fix things. That is if you're willing to corporate." He explained further, as if she didn't hear him the first time.
Sarah turned to her father, hope shining in her eyes. She could give anything just to fix this mess she found herself in.
"I'm willing to corporate, father. Please, what do I do?" She asked, swallowing her pride and the lump in her throat.
Mr. Chen's face was impassive, as if he didn't hear what she said. But after a while of aggravating silence, he finally spoke in a cold detached tone. "Sarah, the only way to fix this is to give up your career. As you can see, it didn't get you anywhere. It only brought shame and disgrace to this family." He paused, then continued. "Antonio will help you make a public statement, admitting that you indeed cheated to get to where you are, and that you're willing to retire. After that is done, I will help you clear your name from all this, and also find a space for you at the company. You can start all over again as if nothing happened."
Sarah's face fell as each word sank into her mind. Admit that she did what? Give up what? Work where?
She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
A cold humorless laugh escaped her lips as she stared at her supposed family. This was the plan? They wanted to ruin her completely?
Didn't they know that if she dared admit that she cheated, she might even be jailed? Her life would be over and there was no rebuilding it. How could they?
She turned to Antonio, anger shimmering in her eyes. "Don't tell me you want to pull through with this crap, Antonio. You know better than anyone else that this is a death trap. Not a way out." She said, But Antonio sighed and shook his head.
"Sarah, you don't understand. It's over. I've tried." He paused, then ran a hand through his burnish brown hair. "I'm sorry but if you refuse to do this, I'll have to drop you."
"What? You….you're giving up? Already?"
"Yes, and I'm sorry."
Sarah felt the weight of everything pressing down on her in a second. She felt like she would die at any moment. Her heart even stopped beating for a minute. Everything was over for her. Ruined beyond repair.
She smiled bitterly and shook her head. Even her supposed family turned their backs on her. Life was so unfair.
Tears fell relentlessly from her eyes as she took a step back. "I can't…." She shook her head.
"Sarah, don't be unreasonable! It's the least we could do to support you as a family!" Amelia hissed, glaring at her.
"This is all for the family, right? No one cares about me or my life. Everything is just for the family." She muttered, her gaze lowered.
Before anyone could say anything more, Sarah turned and bolted out of the room.
She ran straight downstairs, momentarily forgetting that a party was ongoing and reporters were outside the mansion. Everything was over. No one stood for her. This wasn't like other rumors she'd faced before. This one was worse than all of them.
At the sight of Sarah running out of the mansion, the reporters went into an uproar. Each one of them rushed forward to shove their microphones in her face, asking so many questions at once that made Sarah's head pound.
She felt dizziness hit her and she began to shiver.
Tears kept falling from her eyes.
"Please ... .get away, get away from me…" she begged, her hands reaching to cover her ears as she tried to push past the sea of reporters.
But, just when she thought they might end up killing her right there, just when she thought everyone had turned their backs on her, a black van pulled into the premises and huge bodyguards rushed out one after the other, each one of them built like mountains.
They rushed over to Sarah and began to push the reporters away, effortlessly.
They paved the way for a certain someone who's face always remained unreadable and cold.
Mason stepped out of the black sedan, his eyes trained on the trembling woman in the midst of the chaos.
Without a second thought, he strolled over to her and reached out to take her hands, the ones covering her ears protectively.
Sarah breathed in the familiar scent of the man, and slowly, she opened her eyes to look at him.
When their gaze met, her jaw almost dropped.
Mason?
Mason smirked, then lowered his head to whisper into her ear, "I've got you. Let's go."