Chapter 2

Chloe Sanders stared back at Sarah, a smirk playing on her lips. "You can't tell me what to do."

Sarah' s composure didn't crack. "I can, and I am."

She moved with a swiftness that surprised everyone, including herself.

Sarah gripped Chloe's arm, her fingers digging in just enough to convey her seriousness.

"You will apologize to Mr. Peterson, or I will remove you from this restaurant myself."

Chloe' s eyes widened, the smirk faltering. She tried to pull away, but Sarah's hold was like iron.

The entire restaurant seemed to hold its breath.

Mike mumbled something incoherent, swaying slightly.

"Apologize," Sarah repeated, her voice a quiet command that cut through the tension.

Chloe, seeing the absolute resolve in Sarah' s eyes, finally mumbled a grudging, "Sorry," towards Mr. Peterson, her gaze fixed on the floor.

Sarah released her. "Now leave."

Chloe shot a venomous glare at Sarah before practically fleeing the steakhouse.

Mr. Peterson watched the exchange, a thoughtful expression on his face.

He turned to Sarah. "Ms. Miller, your decisiveness is... remarkable. My offer to discuss the partnership still stands. Perhaps under more favorable circumstances."

He handed her his card. "Call me when you've sorted this out."

Sarah nodded, a small, grateful smile touching her lips. "Thank you, Mr. Peterson. I will."

After Mr. Peterson left, Sarah faced Mike. He looked pathetic, his drunken bravado gone, replaced by a dawning fear.

"Sarah, baby, I can explain," he started.

"Don't," Sarah cut him off. "You think this is about jealousy, Mike? You think I'm upset because you were with Chloe?"

She let out a short, humorless laugh. "That's the least of it."

Her voice dropped, becoming cold and sharp. "You humiliated me. You jeopardized my company. Our company. But mostly, my company."

"I didn't mean..."

"You're a liability, Mike," Sarah stated, her words precise. "You're like a cheap, malfunctioning component in a high-performance system. It' s time to remove it before it causes a total system crash."

She picked up her purse. "I meant what I said. I want a divorce."

Mike stared at her, his mouth agape, the implications finally sinking through the alcoholic haze. "Sarah, no, please..."

She walked away, leaving him standing alone in the now quiet, judgmental space of The Bull & Bear.