Ch. 131..140

Chapter 130

I glanced at the time on my phone. It was already ten in the morning, and here I was, still lounging in bed. Being lazy was a luxury I wasn't ready to give up.

"I told you, I've quit. Whatever's happening isn't my problem anymore," I reminded him.

"Ms. Kay," Gavin's tone shifted to something almost desperate, "even if it's a personal favor, could you please come?"

I pressed my lips together. "I could, but why does it have to be at the amusement park?"

"Where would you prefer to meet?" Gavin asked.

He clearly had something urgent, but I decided to push back. "Just tell me over the phone."

Back when I was still with RiverwaveCorp, Gavin, as Jace's assistant, had often gone out of his way to help me because of my relationship with Jace. A lot of the gifts Jace gave me, and even the plans for every holiday, were handled by Gavin. In a weird way, Gavin had done more for me than Jace ever did.

"It really can't be discussed over the phone; it has to be in person," Gavin pleaded.

Even though he sounded desperate, I wasn't about to cave. "If you're not going to tell me, then forget it."

"Please," Gavin suddenly blurted out, "if you don't come, I might be out of a job by tomorrow."

I frowned, my suspicion growing. "Is Jacè trying to trick me into going?"

"... Yeah," Gavin admitted after a pause. "Mr. Johnston wants you to come to the amusement park because he's planning to... propose."

hapter 134 "In a few days, it'll be Matthew's birthday. You're coming, right?"

Lindey's words caught me off guard, reminding me that Matthew's birthday was indeed coming up.

Even if she hadn't brought it up, I wouldn't have forgotten. I had reminders set for everyone's birthdays in the Johnston family. Living with them, I always tried to make sure everything was perfect, just to keep everyone happy.

I wasn't exactly treated like an outsider, but I still walked on eggshells, always worried that one wrong move might make them think less of me or, worse, dislike me.

Lost in thought, I didn't answer right away, so Lindey added, "Rea, you know we've always thought of you as our daughter. Every year, we've appreciated your gifts and well wishes on our birthdays. If you don't come this year, Matthew will be really disappointed." I hadn't planned on going, but I'd already arranged for a gift to be delivered.

Now that she was asking directly, it was hard to say no, especially with Jace acting like a total maniac lately. I was worried that if I went to the Johnston house, he might pull something crazy, like drag me off to his bed.

But if I said I wasn't coming, Lindey would probably hit me with a million reasons why I should. So, I reassured her, "Lindey, of course I'll be there."

"That's good. I was really worried you wouldn't come. Matthew wouldn't enjoy his birthday if you didn't," Lindey said, her words piling on a bit of pressure.

I stayed quiet, and she continued, "We've already scolded Jace for the trouble he's caused. He hasn't bothered you again, has he?"

Hearing that, I almost laughed. It seemed like they had no idea about the stunts Jace had pulled recently. But were they really clueless, or just pretending not to know?

I didn't want to doubt them. They'd always treated me well, so I just said, "No, he hasn't."

Even if I told her about Jace's latest antics, Lindey would just scold him over the phone to make me feel better, maybe even promise to discipline him.

But Jace wasn't the kind of guy who'd back down just because someone told him off. Once he got an idea in his head, no one could stop him.

Even if Lindey reprimanded him, it wouldn't keep him from pulling his crazy stunts. The only way to really deal with Jace was if I handled it myself.

But with Hayden refusing to play the part of my boyfriend, dealing with this was going to be a lot harder. "Rea, if he ever bullies you or acts out, call me right away," Lindey assured me. "Alright," I agreed.

"So, you called me-did you need something?" Lindey, who was just fifty and still sharp as ever, had finished talking about her concerns and was now ready to hear mine.

Chapter 134 I glanced at the wilted flowers in my hand. "Lindey, did my parents like daisies?"

"Daisies?" Lindey echoed, then quickly added, "Are you planning to visit your parents? When are you going? You should let Matthew and me join you; we haven't been in a while, and it'd be nice to go together. Her words just confirmed what I already figured-the daisies weren't from them.

I clutched the flowers a little tighter. "Lindey, I'm already at the cemetery."

"Oh, you're there now?" Lindey's voice sounded kind of regretful. "Matthew and I were just talking about going with you whenever you had time." Yeah, how convenient.

But someone once said that "ninety-nine percent of coincidences aren't really coincidences."

Maybe Lindey was just saying that to keep the convo going.

"Lindey, do any of my parents' old friends still remember them or visit their graves?" I asked, getting straight to the point.

There was a pause before Lindey finally responded, "Did you run into someone you know? Why are you asking this out of the blue?"

"There's a bouquet of daisies in front of my parents' tombstone. I thought maybe someone had come to visit them," I said, being upfront.

Chapter 136 Later that evening, I was halfway through my second cup of coffee at a café when my blind date, Pete Bundy, finally showed up.

Pete wasn't overweight or balding. His light blue shirt was clean, and he looked pretty much like his profile had described.

I wasn't catfished, but Pete's tardiness definitely knocked down my first impression of him. Luckily, I wasn't actually interested in dating him. I'd only hired him to deal with Jace. "Sorry I'm late," Pete apologized.

"No problem. I'm not really here for a date anyway. I'm looking to hire a guy to pretend to be my boyfriend, "I said bluntly.

Pete froze. "Hire a boyfriend?"

"Yes. I'm not interested in a real relationship, but I urgently need a boyfriend for my current situation," I explained, laying it all out for him.

Pete remained silent, and I thought he might be upset. So I added, "I'll pay you."

"Seems like you have money," Pete said, squinting slightly as he looked into my eyes.

That reaction, the kind that showed excitement about money, made me a bit uncomfortable. But his interest was actually perfect for making this deal work.

Ignoring his comment, I laid out my proposal. "You can be paid by the day or by the month. How much do you think is reasonable?"

"So how much are you willing to pay? And does this rental include just appearances, or the whole package?" As soon as he said this, I understood-Pete was an old hand at this. He'd done it before. And it seems I was not the first person to play this game.

"Just appearances." If he wanted the whole package, I wasn't agreeing to it.

"What about intimate or physical contact?" Pete asked with a professional tone.

I smirked. "I can tell you've done this before. What kind of terms did you usually work with? Give me a reference."

"Actually, I was genuinely interested in this date. I'm seriously looking for the right girl to start a relationship with," Pete suddenly changed his tune.

Is he just trying to jack up the price?!

"You can find the right girl after we wrap up this deal. Shouldn't be a problem," I said, keeping my cool.

"I'm pretty happy with you. But are you sure you don't wanna get to know me better? Maybe start off as real friends? You could solve your problem and end up with a top-tier boyfriend," Pete shot back, totally confident. And that was exactly what Hayden had wanted.

The got my own plans. If you're not interested, that's cool-I'll just find someone else," I replied, not budging an inch.

Pete quickly backed down and laid out his terms. "If you wanna hire me, it's $100 a day for up to seven days, no physical contact. If it's more than a week, $2,800 for the month, even if it's just eight days."

I almost laughed at the weirdly specific pricing.

Physical contact is extra. Holding hands? $30 a day, unlimited. Hugs? $60 a day, also unlimited. A kiss is $200, and a French kiss? That's double."

As he finished, I realized for the first time just how much money you could make with this kind of setup.

At that moment, my marketing brain kicked in, and I couldn't help but ask, "And what if we sleep together?" Pete's lips tightened. "Sleeping together is $2,000 a pop."

"If you do a few of these gigs a year, you could rake in some serious cash," I said, half-mocking, half- serious.

I even started wondering if Pete had been late to our date because he was busy haggling with someone else first.

Chapter 137 "Not many times. My main goal with these dates is to find a like-minded partner," Pete said, and I almost rolled my eyes.

Like-minded?

Pete's idea of a "like-minded partner" probably meant someone who was also into making money off this, so they could hustle together.

People said it was tough to find a job these days, but if you were clever, there were plenty of ways to make easy money, sometimes without spending a dime upfront.

"So, are you sure you wanna hire me as your boyfriend, or do you wanna try dating me for real?" Pete asked again.

I pressed my lips together, staying silent. He took a sip of his coffee, all smooth and graceful. "Usually, a smart girl would go for dating. That way, you don't have to pay anything. And if it doesn't work out, you can always break up later." "If everyone did that, wouldn't you be losing out?" I stirred my coffee.

"Not everyone gets the option. If someone has certain requirements, I'll weigh their situation before deciding," Pete explained.

I got what he was hinting at-he was into me and offering a chance to try things out without charging. "So, is there some VIP discount or a special deal on the services you mentioned?" I asked, honestly a little freaked out by the prices he'd quoted. Holding hands for $30? And if I hired him to go to the Johnston's, I'd definitely need to do that in front of Jace.

"Nope," Pete said flatly. "No negotiations."

I nodded. "Got it. I'll need some time to think it over. You can wait for my response, but feel free to take on other clients in the meantime. If something better comes along, you're free to say no."

As I said that, it hit me-this wasn't a date; it felt more like a business meeting.

Pete looked at me seriously. "I'm really interested in working with you."

"Yeah, I get it, but I'd like to see some other options first. You know, pick the best fit," I said, trying to sound all businesslike.

"Alright, I'll be waiting for your good news," Pete said, raising his hand to call over the server.

"Check, please. I'll cover hers too," Pete offered smoothly.

I shook my head. "No need, let's just split it."

Pete didn't insist. He scanned the payment code with his phone, gave a quick nod, and left with a smile. stayed in the café for a bit longer, just thinking things over before heading out. Since Lena was working late, I couldn't crash at her place, so I grabbed some food at a nearby spot. After Chapter 137 that, I wandered through the night market, picking up a few random trinkets. By the time I got home, it was already pushing eleven.

The night felt weirdly heavy, like it was about to rain or something. As soon as I got out of the car, a cold shiver ran down my spine. I instinctively pulled my collar up, and that's when I got this creepy feeling that someone was watching me. I spun around, but there was no one there.

I brushed it off as my imagination, but the unease didn't go away. My gut told me to move faster, so I hurried up to my building and raced upstairs.

But just as I hit the second floor, I got this overwhelming sense that someone was right behind me. To make things worse, the hallway lights were out tonight.

Panic hit me hard, and I quickened my pace, nearly breaking into a run. Of course, I was in heels, so running was pretty much impossible.

The footsteps behind me grew louder, like whoever it was, was closing in.

I tightened my grip on my bag and pulled out my car key, clutching it like a weapon. If someone was about to jump me, I'd be ready to stab them in the eye if I had to. Suddenly, I decided not to keep going up. If I led this person to my door, it'd just make things worse later.

I stopped dead in my tracks, and the footsteps behind me stopped too.

After taking a deep breath, I called out in a shaky voice, "Who's there?"

Chapter 138 No answer. A chill crept down my spine.

But now wasn't the time to chicken out. I forced myself to sound braver than I felt. "Who the hell are you?"

""It's me, Pete!"

Footsteps followed, and then he added, "Your date from the café earlier."

Wait, what?

Of all people, Pete? After just one coffee date, he was out here creeping on me? That made this whole thing even creepier.

The hallway was pitch black because the lights were out. I could barely see a thing, just some vague shapes barely lit by the moonlight sneaking in through the window.

He wasn't close enough for me to see his face yet.

I gripped my key tight, ready to defend myself if I had to. "Why are you following me?"

"Don't freak out, okay? I'm not here to hurt you. I just wanted to make sure you got home safe. It's late, and it's not exactly safe for a girl to walk alone at this hour," he said as he finally stepped into view. I almost laughed at that.

Like, seriously? Stalking me in the dark was supposed to make me feel safe?

We barely knew each other, and I hadn't agreed to anything with him. Now he was acting like my personal bodyguard? Yeah, not buying it.

But since he'd already followed me home, pissing him off wasn't going to help. So, I swallowed my frustration and tried to stay calm. "Thanks for the concern, but I'm home now. You can go."

As I spoke, Pete stepped out from behind the stairwell. I'm a bit thirsty. How about you give me some water?"

His lame excuse made his intentions crystal clear. I tightened my grip on the key and shut him down immediately. "It's too late. Not happening."

He moved a step closer. "Come on, you're thinking about dating me, so what's the big deal about a glass of water?"

My fear shot through the roof as he edged nearer. "Don't come any closer."

"It's just water. What's the harm?" His smile twisted into something sleazy and dark.

My hands started shaking, but I was ready. If he took one more step, I'd drive that key right into his eye.

As Pete reached my floor, I lunged with the key. But before I could strike, a blast of icy air whipped past my face. With a thunderous crash, Pete was hurled backward, like he'd been hit by some invisible force straight out of a Marvel flick. He slammed into the wall, bounced off, and then tumbled down the stairs, landing with a painful thud.

T Chapter 138 The whole thing happened so fast-crash, bounce, splat-it looked brutal even from where I stood.

Just as I was about to catch my breath, a voice, all too familiar, whispered in my ear, "You went on a date?

It was Hayden.

I didn't even have time to react before Hayden coldly addressed Pete, who was still lying there like a heap on the stairs. "Get lost. If you're still here in a minute, I'm calling the cops for harassment and trespassing."

Pete twitched at Hayden's words, clearly trying to move, but he was too messed up to do more than flop around. After a few painful seconds, he finally managed to push himself to his feet.

His face was covered in blood, and I couldn't even tell where the injury was. He glanced at me, his eyes pleading.

But before I could process anything, Hayden's hand shot up, blocking my view as he glared at Pete. "You want to lose your eyes?"

Pete, terrified, scrambled away as fast as his shaky legs could carry him. Suddenly, the hallway was dead quiet, just me and Hayden left standing there. His hand was still shielding my face, and before I knew it, I found myself leaning into his chest. Neither of us said a word, the silence pressing down like a weight on my lungs.

The tension was suffocating. I gently moved Hayden's hand away, just about to say something when he beat me to it. "You went on a date with someone like that?"

His voice wasn't harsh, but the words cut deep.

I hadn't expected the date to turn into something straight out of a horror movie.

Looking up at Hayden's handsome yet stern face, the memory of him rejecting me not too long ago stung I couldn't help but snap back. "You're the one who wouldn't agree!"

Hayden went quiet. I wasn't done, though. "Why are you here?"

"Looking for you," he answered.

Chapter 139 Hayden had been popping up in my life a lot lately, but this was the first time he'd actually shown up at my doorstep. "What do you want this time?"

"I agreed," he said, throwing me off for a second.

Agreed to what?

"To pretend to be your boyfriend. To be your temporary boyfriend," Hayden clarified.

I was taken aback, especially since he'd turned me down before. "Why did you change your mind?"

"If I didn't, you'd just keep going on ridiculous dates and end up being stalked again like today, wouldn't you?" Hayden's tone started off resigned, but by the end, there was a sharp edge to it.

I couldn't help but notice the mix of frustration and concern on his face, barely visible in the dim light. It was almost... amusing.

"Aren't you going to be miserable, doing something you don't even want to do?"

He caught the teasing in my voice and took a step closer. Instinctively, I stepped back, only to bump into the railing behind me-no escape.

He leaned in, his arm trapping me between the railing and his chest. My breath hitched. "Hayden..." "How could you be so reckless, going on a blind date like that?" His voice was right next to my ear. I felt a tingle in my ear, and my heart started racing like crazy.

He was totally scolding me, but there was something almost... caring in his tone.

I stayed quiet, frozen in place.

The silence between us stretched, but it felt different this time. I was practically melting into his chest, and I could hear his heartbeat, steady and strong.

After what felt like forever, he finally let me go. "Coming home alone this late? Don't do it again."

"Okay," I murmured, way too obedient.

A thought hit me, and I hesitated. "Thanks."

Thanks for showing up and saving me today. And thanks for agreeing to be my fake boyfriend, so I could deal with the whole Johnston family mess-and Jace.

He didn't say anything, which left me kinda unsure about what he was thinking. I pointed toward the stairs. "I'm heading home."

But as soon as I took a step, his voice stopped me. "That guy already followed you here once. What if he comes back?" Yeah, what if he comes back?

"I'm not leaving tonight," Hayden said, then reached out his hand to me.

"For what?" I asked, completely confused, "Your keys," he replied.

My eyes went wide. "Wait, you're staying at my place?"

"What else? You want me to camp out in the hallway?" Hayden's question left me speechless.

He had a point. And then he added, "It's not like we haven't shared a room before."

Toe. We'd already spent a night in the same room, and it had been totally chill.

I handed him the keys, and we headed upstairs together. He unlocked the door and stepped inside.

As the door clicked shut, he said, "I'll crash on the couch."

I glanced at my couch-an ancient thing that was barely five feet long. No way Hayden, with his tall frame, would fit on that thing Actually, there was another room in the apartment, but it was my parents' room. I couldn't let him stay "You should take my room. I'll sleep in my parents' room," I said, dropping my bag and rummaging through the closet for an old pair of my dad's slippers, It had been ten years since anyone touched those slippers. Who knows if they were still any good? Especially after the pipes burst back then.

Hayden didn't argue. He took the slippers from me, and I headed to my bedroom to grab my pajamas. I double checked the room to make sure there wasn't anything embarrassing lying around before stepping out to let him have the room, Bytes was doout to slip into my parents' room, Hayden called out, "Hold up a second."

Chapter 140 I turned to look at Hayden, and he was staring right back at me. With just the two of us alone in that quiet room, the air felt thick.

It was crazy, though. We'd stayed in the same hotel room before without any issues.

But now, in this two-bedroom apartment, it was like the walls were closing in, and the space between us was shrinking, making it hard to even breathe.

After a few moments of this intense staring contest, Hayden finally broke the silence. "Maybe I should just crash on the couch."

I blinked, completely thrown.

"Only your real boyfriend should be sleeping in your room. I... the couch is fine," Hayden added, sounding like he was trying to convince himself as much as me. His words hit me, making me feel like I was somehow being unfair to him.

I knew what he was up to-he was laying on the pressure, subtly hinting that he wanted to be more than just a friend.

Guess it's true what they say: honest guys can be the most cunning.

But I wasn't going to fall for it. I just shrugged and said, "Suit yourself," before hurrying into my parents' room.

Even after I crawled into bed, sleep didn't come easy. The tension from earlier in the hallway still had me on edge.

If Hayden hadn't shown up when he did, even though I was ready to defend myself, who knows how things might've turned out. It could've been bad-really bad.

Honestly, it was pure luck that Hayden came looking for me when he did.

Thinking about him, I couldn't help but glance at the door. But it was closed, so I couldn't see a thing. Was he really going to sleep on the couch instead of my room?

I heard his footsteps outside-probably washing up or something-but I knew he wasn't asleep yet.

The sound of his footsteps took me back to when I was little, lying in bed and listening to my parents moving around outside. I'd always drift off to that sound, feeling safe and secure, I never thought much of it before, but now I realized how comforting it was to hear someone else in the apartment.

I kept listening, planning to wait until Hayden fell asleep before sneaking out to check on him. But as I listened, my eyelids got heavier and heavier.

I woke up in the middle of the night, needing to use the bathroom. As I opened the door, I remembered I'd crashed in my parents' room.

Then I remembered Hayden was still in the apartment, so on my way out, I glanced There he was, stretched out on the tiny thing, his legs hanging Chapter 140 He wasn't dumb, though-he'd pulled up a chair to prop his feet on. But what really made me stop in my tracks was the sight of him covered with my pink blanket. Seriously, double standards much?

He refused to sleep in my room because he was not my real boyfriend, yet there he was, all snug with my pink blanket?

But looking at him like that, knowing he was dealing with this uncomfortable setup just to make sure I was safe, I felt this weird, warm feeling in my chest.

Honestly, for the past few nights that I'd been staying here, I'd wake up after using the bathroom and find it impossible to fall back asleep. The emptiness of the apartment was suffocating, and the loneliness felt almost pathetic.

It was like the world had just abandoned me-like no one cared, no one loved me. Even if I cried myself to sleep, there'd be no one to comfort me.

But now, with Hayden in the apartment, here for me, ready to protect me if anything happened, I slept better than I had in a long time. When I finally woke up, it was already past nine.

Lying in my parents' bed, I thought about Hayden and listened for any sounds outside.

It was completely quiet-nothing at all.

No need to ask; he must have left already. He was still deep into the amusement park project, and I realized I'd totally forgotten to ask him last night how it was going, or if there were any issues.

I opened the door and stepped out, only to find the couch empty, everything neatly tidied up, like Hayden hadn't even been there.

I stared at the empty space for a moment before heading to the bathroom. Out of habit, I glanced at the mirror and froze when I saw a note stuck to it.

[Breakfast is on the table. The lighting setup is going smoothly. We'll finish on time or maybe even two days early.] Suddenly, my eyes welled up with tears.