Page 170 of My Ruthless Neighbor

It felt as if I have entered a resort rather than someone’s house.

I am glad that I came. I am enjoying with my friends but I can’t help checking my phone.

It has been fifteen minutes since we arrived. Almost twenty minutes since I texted Archer about the change in plans. I kept the message short, not informing him about the party. I just told him that I will meet him tomorrow because something came up.

I thought he would ask questions. You know, like where I was going and something like that. But he didn’t. Not a single reply. Not even a simple “okay” text.

He left me on Read.

Still, I was checking my phone every so often in the hopes of reading his name. But all I could see were notifications of emails and messages from an advertising agency called Genesis Media.

They’ve been hounding me since a couple of weeks now. They want to sign me as their model. They expressed interest in representing me when it was public knowledge that I was signed with KIM Advertising.

At first, I thought they would stop contacting if I just ignored them. But they began calling on my personal number. When I finally caved and emailed them to stop contacting me, they tried to tempt me by offering me twice the sum KIM Advertising was paying me.

I might be a liar but I am not selfish. I will never leave my friends and the agency I’ve come to love so much for money. I am loyal at heart. Once I am attached, there’s no going back.

And KIM Advertising is not just an agency to me now. The creative team members are not just people who work with me. They are my family. Why would I leave them and go somewhere else?

Financially, the offer may be great, but I am not lacking in terms of money now. I am doing fine. There’s sufficient money in my bank account. And I have food on the table and a roof over my head and such great friends. I couldn’t have asked for more.

Moving their email address to spam, I put my phone in my purse. Time to have some fun. Even when I am not feeling it, I have to give it a try.

“Here you go, ladies.” The bartender slides the drinks over to us.

Hannah hands me one of the glasses with a grin. “Bottoms up.” She shouts over the booming music and we knock back the shots.

Raleigh who was snatched by a group of friends earlier returns and snags Hannah’s hand. “I’m here to steal my princess.”

The girls start to groan when he starts dragging her to the dance floor. “Sorry not sorry.” He throws the words over his shoulders, laughing.

When I catch the girls staring longingly at the dance floor, I realize that they are keeping me company instead of enjoying the night with their partners.

I practically push them away and threaten to leave if they don’t quit acting like my babysitters.

When they’re gone, I find myself reaching for my flap bag. Then stop. No. I will not check my phone again for the rest of the night.

To distract myself, I watch them dance. A smile lifts the corner of my lips. Shaking my head when Mia stumbles again and almost topples over Chris. He then runs into Raleigh’s side.

I am still laughing when someone slides right beside me. I turn my head to the side and find Freddie leaning toward me. His eyes slide down my body, taking in my shimmery pink sequin tube top and black mini skirt.

When he is done checking me out, I narrow my eyes at him. “Were you just checking me out?”

He flashes me an impish grin. “I guess I was.”

“You have no shame.” I roll my eyes.

“You are the most beautiful girl in this room. Can you blame me?”

I chuckle. He grins and then lowers his head to my ear. “I’m so glad you came.”

I shift to the side and give him a small smile. “Raleigh and Hannah literally forced me to tag along. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have known you were throwing a party.”

“You always turned down my invites if I’m not mistaken. And I sent you a text earlier this week about the party.”

“You did?”

“Mm-hmm.” He sips a drink he was nursing in his hand. “You didn’t even bother reading my text, did you?”

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