Page 15 of The Fake Dating Plan

“You’ve no idea what you’ve started, boy!”

“I think you have no idea what is already at play.”

He bent to address me again. “Why did you do it?”

“You were the one threatening us with a buyout. We did what we had to.”

“You’ll fucking regret it, bitch. That man,” he pointed his finger at Ax, “will chew you up and spit you out. Don’t come back to daddy when he does so.” He seemed to calm down after he had said his piece. He straightened his jacket and fixed his tie. When the restaurant staff tried to hold him, he flapped them away and marched off.

“Are you okay?” Ax said, leaning down.

“Fine. It’s my clothes that are ruined.” A moment later, a server came with a cloth and warm water, which I used to brush off the food. I had to go to the bathroom to finish cleaning it off. As I was drying myself, I thought, what have I gotten myself into.

5

“Will you be fine?” I glanced at the wide-open door to my bedroom. Laura filled the entrance, her arms crossed as she watched me pack my suitcase.

“Of course I’ll be fine,” I said to her. “He’s a man, not a vampire.”

“I don’t know about that; he’s been referred to as a bloodsucker from time to time.”

I rolled my eyes. Ever since we signed the deal with KMVH, Laura has been passively aggressively sharing old news articles about Ax and KMVH. The senior management group chat was filled with articles about Ax and his exploits, most of which I dared not read. I recalled the latest one she shared.KMVH sucks Lyndell company dry,was the headline. Most probably what she was referring to. I thought of telling her that Caiden was the CEO and he was the C.O.O, but even I knew that distinction was mute. Everyone knew they both ran the company almost as joined CEOs.

“He’s not suckingmyblood if that’s what you’re worried about.”

She came into the room, threw herself onto the bed, and ruined my neatly laid clothes.

“Laura!”

“You know he must have some ulterior motive for changing it, right? There’s something we’re missing here.”

“It’s been five months and things are going well. If it was a bad deal, it would have been apparent by now. So far, all I see is Steel Cute benefiting.”

She crossed her arms. “So far.”

A note of irritation rose. “Do you want us to still be under Heron’s grubby thumb?”

She scratched her head and said nothing else. Glad that I had silenced her, I continued with my packing. I was already feeling restless at the idea of being with Ax in a foreign country for three days. I didn’t need Laura’s skepticism to add to the pile of nervous energy, anxious anticipation, and dread.

“I guess you and him will be at the same place at the same time for most of the trip.”

“And why are we stating the obvious again?”

“I’m wondering if you’d be able to… you know, handle it since he’s your ex and all.”

Oh. That. As if I hadn’t been fretting about it when I realized Ax will be coming to the store opening. As if I hadn’t been sweating whenever I thought about it. “We dated ions ago. I’m over him.”

She cocked a brow.

“Yes. I am. Plus, he’s probably with someone else? Why would he bother with me, anyway?”

“He’s not. He’s single. It’s the longest time he’s been single according to reports.”

“You mean the tabloids.”

“There’s a running tally, to see who his next girlfriend is.”

“Maybe he wants to keep it quiet this time around.”

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