Chapter 2

I hesitated for a few seconds before messaging Jake back.

"The Food Safety Administration inspected a batch of products a few days ago. A few items failed, but we haven't received instructions on how to handle it yet."

I was actually telling the truth. The Food Safety Administration had conducted a spot check a few days prior, but it was just minor packaging defects that had caused some food spoilage.

A few minutes later, I saw Jake post a photo in the WhatsApp work group. It was quickly deleted.

But I'd already seen it: Jake, kissing Chloe's face.

Immediately after, Jake sent a voice message. I tapped it, and it was Chloe's voice.

"Oops, I accidentally slipped! Jake's so tired today, he's already asleep. I'm just helping him handle some work."

I instantly realized Chloe was deliberately trying to provoke me.

In the past, I might have torn my heart out, demanding to know why Jake betrayed me. But now, remembering my mom's agonizing death on the operating table because of the delayed surgery, I wished I could rip Jake to shreds.

She tagged Sarah, our accountant, asking her to transfer fifty million dollars to an account.

A faint smile touched my lips. It looked like Jake had taken the bait. If only he'd asked me a few more questions or called the factory, he wouldn't have believed it so easily.

Over the next few days, I didn't hear from Jake again.

As soon as I arrived at my desk, Sarah rushed toward me.

"Maya, can you reach Jake? A few days ago, Chloe told me to transfer fifty million dollars to an account, supposedly for the Food Safety Administration. But I have a bad feeling about this account, and it's overseas. I wanted to ask Jake for clarification, but I haven't been able to reach him."

I narrowed my eyes slightly and called Jake. An impatient voice sounded from behind me.

"Maya, are you calling me all day just to ruin my mood?"

I turned around to see Jake walking through the door, Chloe clinging to his arm, her eyes glinting with triumph as she looked at me.

"Jake, don't be so harsh, you might make Maya cry."

Jake looked at Chloe with doting affection.

"Chloe, Maya was so mean to you before, yet you're still looking out for her. If only she had an ounce of your kindness."

The other colleagues in the office looked at me strangely. Jake was my boyfriend, yet he was publicly putting me down for Chloe's sake, essentially slapping me in the face.

I suppressed the anger bubbling inside me and looked at Jake.

"Chloe told Sarah to transfer fifty million to an account. Do you know about this?"

Jake nodded. "Yes, I know."

I spoke, intentionally injecting a tone of reprimand.

"That account is overseas, and it's a high-risk account. It's most likely a scammer. What was she thinking, telling our accountant to send money to a fraudster?"

Chloe's eyes immediately welled up, and she began to cry, sounding terribly wronged.

"Maya, is this about Jake? Get over it. That account was an FSA bond-fifty million, fully refundable. They threatened to shut us down. I just secured a hundred-million-dollar project. Was I supposed to let it all go to waste?"

Hearing this, Jake's eyes turned cold, and he angrily rebuked me.

"Maya, Chloe secured a hundred-million-dollar deal for the company, that's why I took her on that trip. Can you stop being so petty and jealous, constantly targeting Chloe?"