Page 148 of My Ruthless Opponent

“Is that from Raleigh?” He asks as he cracks the lid open, the can making a satisfying hissing sound.

He takes a swig and wags his brows, motioning to the note I am hugging to my chest.

“Oh. Yeah. It is. I’ll be right back.” I go to my bedroom, open the closet, and stash the note in my small carry bag where his other note is also tucked inside.

I step outside and take a seat across from Archer.

I shoot Raleigh a quick text about having dinner with Archer. I also add one more, demanding him to eat on time. He often skips meals when working. Then we begin the meal with pajeon (Green onion pancake).

I missed this. Missed having my best friend share meals with me. He has been distant since we came here.

I want to tell him everything. I want to apologize for the subterfuge.

Archer covers my hand with his. “I am sorry.” He breaks the silence.

My eyes snap up to him. “Why are you apologizing?”

“I wasn’t a good friend to you.”

A lump forms in my throat. Shame makes me lower my eyes. I just stare at our hands on the table.

Archer is apologizing. I had a hunch that Archer came along with us because he doubted us.

But now that hunch is proven right.

I set my jaw, trying hard to keep the storm of emotions inside me at bay. “Don’t say that,” I whisper.

“I should’ve been happy for you. But I tagged along to prove that my best friend is faking her relationship.”

He decided to come here to find out the truth. The fact that he wanted to investigate the truth rather than cutting ties with me proves how much he cares for me and our friendship.

Archer has kicked people out of his life and office for lying. And here he was, abandoning his work just to see for himself whether I was pretending to be with Raleigh or not.

But I was faking it, Archer. I was. It changed, though. I’ve changed.

In just a matter of days, Raleigh managed to bring back the old Hannah from the dead.

I began feeling things. I began smiling more. I began living instead of just existing.

Archer, how do I explain this journey to you when I can’t seem to understand it myself. I wish it were simple.

“You had every right to doubt us. We were always at each other’s throat, no one in their right minds would’ve believed us.”

Taking his hand off mine, he twines his fingers on the table.

“I wasn’t like this at first. But then something happened…” His jaw tightens and he swallows thickly. “You don’t know what one lie can cost you. I am a living example of it.” A shadow passes over his features, dark and full of penitence.

In a blink, his face is wiped out of emotions.

He takes a deep breath and meets my eyes.

“When I saw you giggling with your team members, that was the first time I began doubting my suspicions.”

A small smile plays at his lips. “You looked happy, Hannah. Happier than I’ve seen you in the past year.”

Raleigh made me forget about my worries. He is crazy. He is full of life.

He used to piss me off but with time, I began craving his craziness.

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