Jason sat in the corner of the staff restaurant, his juice untouched as he watched the entrance with anxious eyes. His bodyguard, nico, had been hovering outside all morning, making him feel trapped. Hiding here was the only way he could breathe without feeling constantly shadowed. He ran a hand through his hair, wishing for just one normal moment, one slice of peace away from the billionaire chaos that had overtaken his life.
"You're hiding from your bodyguard, hun?" a soft, melodic voice asked. Jason flinched slightly and turned to see a girl smiling at him, poised, confident, and with eyes that seemed to sparkle with curiosity.
Jason's lips twitched into a smirk. "Looks like the whole world knows I have a guard now," he replied, trying to sound casual.
"Mind if I sit?" she asked, motioning to the empty chair beside him.
Jason hesitated for a moment before moving his juice aside. "Sure," he said, though something about her presence already made him relax, as if he could forget the constant shadows of his brother and his overprotective bodyguard.
"I'm Vivian," she introduced herself with a polite smile. "I'm a master's student in business administration. My dad owns a company in the state, but he's not around right now." She let the sentence linger, deliberately vague, giving nothing away.
Jason raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Trying to be secretive like me, huh? My brother also owns a company with a big name, but I don't enjoy the attention. Honestly, I want to be a low-life musician."
Vivian laughed, the sound light and teasing. "Singers don't get low-life. They always turn out to be celebrities if they're good."
Jason chuckled, shaking his head. "Maybe you're right," he admitted.
Hours slipped by as they shared stories, from favorite childhood memories to music tastes, favorite books, and dreams for the future. Jason felt something he hadn't felt in a long time: the ease of talking to someone who didn't care about his family name or his wealth, someone who didn't immediately treat him like a walking business portfolio.
Before leaving, Vivian leaned closer. "I think I should have your Instagram handle so we could maybe text?"
Jason smiled softly. "Yes, I should be the one asking that."
"I guess I was faster," she said, stretching her phone toward him. That simple act sparked the beginning of a friendship — late-night calls, business talks, small outings, and gradually, a love neither of them expected. Jason trusted her, revealing minor secrets, even about Damian's company. He never suspected that Vivian had her own agenda.
Weeks later, Vivian brought up a business deal one evening, sitting casually across from Jason in his apartment. "Jason, it's a huge gain for both of us, but I need your help," she said, her voice deceptively soft.
Jason frowned, wary. "What kind of help?"
"I need your brother's office stamp," she admitted, keeping her gaze steady. "My father isn't in town, and I can't get it verified myself."
Jason froze, conflicted. Love urged him to say yes, but caution screamed at him to refuse. Days passed as he thought it over, weighing his feelings against the potential danger. Eventually, he agreed. They crafted a plan: Jason would introduce her to Damian, she would engage him in conversation, and Jason would discreetly stamp the documents and return everything unnoticed.
The day of the plan arrived. Vivian dressed meticulously, every detail intentional, exuding calm confidence.
Her phone then beeped, it was a text from an unknown number
"is the plan going well" it says
"Trust me papa" she replied as she put off her phone to continue dressing.
Hours later, Jason offered to pick her up, but she insisted, "I will just come over to your place babe"
With Jason's bodyguard, Nico, accompanying them, they entered the headquarters. Jason calmly announced, "She's my guest," bypassing any questions. The elevators whisked them to the top floor, each floor passing slowly, tension building. At the final landing, Vivian whispered, "Are you sure we can do this without getting caught?"
Jason smiled nervously. "Trust me."
When they got the Damian's office, the plan seemed easier than they planned.
Damian was in another office, busy with lawyers, and the stamp sat unguarded on his table. They were left with Jason's bodyguard and the fear of a CCTV camera watching them.
Jason immediately sent Nico to get him coffe and added "also get one for my guest with a lot of cream"
Immediately Nico left, Jason moved closer to the stamp.
Jason's heart raced as he reached for it. Vivian passed him the file carefully, and together they stamped it swiftly. Every second felt stretched, as though time itself was holding its breath. The faint click of Nico's approaching footsteps made them freeze, hearts pounding.
Jason slid the stamped papers into Vivian's bag while their hands brushed, sending a jolt through him he barely had time to process. "I'm so happy, Jason. My dad will be proud," she whispered. He kissed her hand softly, feeling invincible for the briefest moment.
But just as they were about to leave, the edge of a guard's foot caught Jason's eye. He froze, nearly dropping the bag, and his pulse thundered in his ears. "Almost caught," he muttered under his breath. Vivian's hand tightened on his arm, steadying him.
Thirty minutes later, Damian entered his office. "Jason, what brings you here?" he asked, brisk and composed.
"I want to introduce my girlfriend," Jason said, pride lacing his tone. "Vivian, meet my brother."
Damian's gaze swept over her, polite but unreadable. "Good to see you, Vivian. You have great taste in men," he remarked.
Jason's smile faltered when Damian's attention shifted. Vivian leaned slightly toward him as he whispered, " Send my greetings to your father, also, tell your father, Victor Kane, that the stamp you worked so hard for is as useless as his company."
Jason froze. "Vivian is Victor's daughter?" His voice broke with disbelief.
"Well! You should do more findings before giving your heart out," Damian said sharply. "Please leave my office. I have a meeting."
Jason spun to Vivian, shock and betrayal cutting through him like a knife. The late-night calls, the laughter, the intimate moments , all of it had been a lie. She smiled softly, unbothered. "We'll talk later, Jason. Don't take it personally," she said, her tone icy yet calm.
They walked out of the building, Jason's chest tight with heartbreak. Every step felt heavier than the last. His mind replayed the months of connection, trust, and affection, now tainted by deceit. Vivian's secret had been revealed, and the weight of betrayal pressed down on him with suffocating force.
For the first time, Jason realized how fragile trust could be, how quickly love could be twisted into manipulation. He wanted to scream, to cry, to throw his hands up in anger but all he could do was watch as the woman he had loved so deeply faded from his life.
Finally, he stopped and whispered to himself, voice barely audible over the city noise:
"The first person I ever loved… was the one who betrayed me the hardest."
Vivian on the other hand left to her fathers mansion after sending a message saying her mission failed.
"You mean you spent months with that boy and you could not do a simple task? I only needed that stamp to render him bankrupt so I can take this deal without having to go through him and you wasted all the time I have on late night calls…" Mr.Victor said this as a welcome speech for Vivian. All what is going on in his mind was how to win the contract without having to involve Damian and nothing else came to his thoughts than death.