Page 17 of His Infatuated Wife

I turn around to walk away.

He can take away my scholarship if he wants.

I don't care anymore.

But before I can take a single step, he's already spinning me around to face him.

"I'm not joking."

"Of course, you are," I cry out, "and it's not---"

"I can have you speak to my lawyer if you're unwilling to take my word for it."

"Yes, go ahead," I challenge him. "Call your lawyer---"

He lets go of me to take his phone out, and I don't know whether to laugh or scream at him.

Why is he taking things this far?

"I need you to tell my future wife about my great-grandfather's will," I hear him say.

Can't he just---

"Go ahead, Greg. You're on loudspeaker now. She's listening."

I hear someone clearing his throat from the other end of the line. "Uh, good afternoon, Miss---"

"Riri." And now it's my turn to clear my throat, which has gone dry all of a sudden. "R-Riri Padilla."

"Good afternoon, Ms. Padilla. May I ask if you are currently enrolled in Carpentier University?"

"Y-Yes."

Is this really happening?

"Riri Padilla..."

I hear him typing furiously in the background, followed by a sigh of relief.

"Found you."

Why does he have to find me when he's already talking to me?

"A second-year candidate for graduating with a bachelor's degree in music, correct?"

That Jacques' lawyer would know this is weird enough, but even weirder is what he tells me afterward, and all I can do is stare at Jacques when Greg cheerfully bids me goodbye before hanging up.

"Am I being pranked?"

"Would that have been more preferable?"

"No."

His jaw clenches as soon as he hears my answer, and I realize that he hadn't expected me to be honest.

"You're still acting like a fool."

"And you're still trying to push me away."

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