Halfway through his chase, Jamie came back in a hurry to confirm the agreement with Zephyr. “Sorry, doctor. She’s usually not like that. We’ll talk later. Here’s my card. I’ll call.”
Once Zephyr took the card, Jamie finally ran at full speed after Narissa. He had to run to the street before he finally caught up to her, and then he held her hand. “What’s wrong, honey?”
“Nothing!” she snapped, not looking at him. “That doctor is a no-good b*stard. Stay away from him.”
“No way. He’s a very prestigious doctor. He’s skilled and kind, and he even volunteered in Africa before. This must be a misunderstanding.” Jamie had nothing but praise for the doctor.
Zephyr’s skills were top-notch. He could’ve made a ton of money with his skills alone, and yet he often treated the poor for free, bringing hope to otherwise hopeless families. Jamie believed that the true virtue of a man was not decided by the height of his achievements, but by his attitude toward those in a less fortunate position than him. He respected Zephyr for his skills and boundless kindness toward the less privileged of the world.
“So, you think I’m throwing a tantrum for no reason?” Narissa got angrier.
“No. I’m on your side. So, tell me what he did. I’ll make sure he regrets making you angry.” I have to calm her down. Don’t want my fiancée to kill me.
“He-” She couldn’t say it. She couldn’t possibly say that b*stard teased her, so Narissa waved her hand and turned away. “He’s a b*stard, that’s all.”
“I see. Then when he’s done with Alicia’s treatment, I’ll break his leg for you,” Jamie lied. as naturally as he breathed.
Amused, Narissa laughed. “You’re already trying to break his leg even before he did you the favor? Oh, how ungrateful.”
“Well, he got on your bad side, honey. Nobody gets on my wife’s bad side and gets away with it.” Jamie spoke with more gusto, seeing that it cheered Narissa up.
“Hey, I’m not your wife. We’re not even married yet,” answered Narissa proudly. “I’m not going to marry anyone else, though.” Jamie leaned forward and took the shopping bag off her hand. “You must be tired. Let me hold this for you. Oh, let’s see what you got.”
“No!” But it was too late. Narissa could only watch helplessly as Jamie took the black camisole out. He didn’t realize it was a camisole until he held the straps up, and then it almost made his nose bleed. Well, this is a surprise. He gulped and stuffed it back into the shopping bag, then he picked Narissa up and ran to his car.
“Slow down!” An embarrassed Narissa found herself resigned to her position.
“Sorry, honey. I can’t.” He couldn’t wait to see how she would look in that black camisole. Ariel had just left the company when she saw Maverick holding an oversized rose bouquet, waiting for her beside his car.
When she passed him by, Maverick approached her. “For you. It’s White Day today. Let’s have dinner. Impatiently, Ariel snapped, “I told you, no. Now can you stop hounding me?”
“Things are different now.” Thanks to Rylantha, he now knew Danny had fallen into a trap and was framed as a cheater. Now I have a chance. “Give me a chance, Arie. I won’t betray you as some people did.”
“Really? You say that when you’re the first to betray me?” She could never forget how he sold her out just for his own profit. She’d never take any gift from him, but then she saw Danny’s car turning the corner, and Ariel changed her attitude. She took the bouquet and sniffed it, feigning delight. “Smells good.”
Her sudden acceptance came as a pleasant surprise, though he wondered why. “As long as you like it.” Then he opened the door. “Please, my love.”
Ariel hesitated for a moment. She looked at Danny’s car, thinking he would come out and stop this, but her hopes were dashed. She could see him in the car, and yet he refused to stop another man’s advances. Irritated, she got in Maverick’s car.
Maverick closed the door and went around his car. When he saw Danny’s car, he got the answer to his earlier question. The man gloated at Danny for a few moments before he drove away.
Danny watched helplessly as they left, clenching his steering wheel with force enough to break it. Beset by rage, he drove to the nearest bar and got drunk. It’s empty? Frustrated, he knocked on the counter. “Where’s my booze? Make it faster, dammit.”
Someone handed him a glass of whiskey, and Danny gulped it down in one go, seemingly failing to learn the lesson from his previous mistake. The newcomer was none other than Owen. He patted Danny’s back and took the seat beside him. Then he asked for another glass of drink.
“What’s up, man? You’ve been drinking all night long. Did something happen?” Owen pretended to be a caring stranger.
Danny had been keeping his anger and regret repressed, never being able to vent them to those close to him. But he could tell a stranger about his troubles, and so he did. He told him how he cheated on Ariel. “It’s my fault. I’m ashamed even to see her. I bet she’s going back to her first love.” He took another swig, finishing his booze. “Another glass!”
Owen patted his shoulder. “Oh, it happens. Sad, but that’s the truth. Don’t feel too guilty about it.”
Danny might be drunk, but even then, his mind was telling him this stranger was trying to bullsh*t things. He tried to say something, but a loud burp escaped his mouth, making him forget what he wanted to say.
Owen kept giving him ideas. “I bet she’s just angry at you. There’s no way she’d accept someone else that quickly anyway. Just ignore her for a while. Once she cheats on you too, you can step in and say you forgive her. Problem solved. You’re even.”
Danny let out another burp, and he looked at this stranger in a new light, seemingly thinking his idea was sound. The next second, he blacked out and fell on the counter.
Owen looked at him coldly, not even trying to haul Danny back home or ask someone else to. He calmly took a swig of his booze. That concerned stranger act was just that-an act. He thought he could use Danny, seeing as he was Alexander’s brother and he had business relations with Smith Co. When he was done with his wine, Owen left in silence as if he had never appeared.
Two days later, Clara entered a particular expensive salon and approached the VIP room to see Rylantha. The door was ajar, so Clara entered it right away, and she overheard Rylantha’s call.
“If you want her to fall for you, you have to conquer her body first. Ariel and Danny are fighting now. It’s your best chance to make a move on her. Ditch the romance route and go straight to sex. Going slow won’t help you.”
