18
I thought I’d made myself perfectly clear.
But Chase still wouldn’t give up.
He deluded himself into thinking that because
I’d liked him once, he could make me like him
again.
He swore he would never let me down this
time.
I was speechless.
The man seemed incapable of understanding
plain English
<
I had no choice but to have security remove
him whenever he appeared.
If I saw him in a public space, I just ignored
him completely.
He was just another face in the crowd.
Today, Chase somehow managed to sneak
into our company’s underground parking
garage.
He was planning to corner me and confess
his undying love.
Instead, the first thing he saw was me,
pressed against a car by a tall, handsome
man, locked in a passionate kiss.
My arms were wrapped tightly around the
く
man’s neck.
His name was Killian Vance, the heir to the
country’s leading jewelry empire, and my
potential fiancé.
I had come back to the country to discuss our
engagement.
My dad had given me a list of potential
suitors, and I’d picked him instantly.
Not for any other reason than he was the
hottest one on the list, with the best body.
But Killian turned out to be a business robot,
formal and cold to the point of being
inhuman.
The first time we met, he told me he had no
intention of ever getting married and that I
shouldn’t waste my time.
He even timed our coffee meeting down to
the second.
I’d been flirting with him for a long time
before he finally lost control and kissed me.
“What are you two doing?”
At the sound of Chase’s voice, Killian pulled
away, breathing heavily. He shot me an
annoyed look.
Then he moved me behind him, his eyes
sharp as he faced Chase.
Chase recognized Killian. He finally seemed to
understand what I meant when I said, “There
く
are better men than you everywhere.”
It was like his throat was stuffed with cotton.
He couldn’t say a word.
He could only watch as we walked away.
19
A long–forgotten stream of comments
suddenly appeared:
[She was just getting into her girl–boss era,
and now there’s another guy? Can she not
live without a man?]
[Seriously, can’t she just be a strong,
independent woman? Why does there always have to be a man? This was a power fantasy, now it’s just another romance novel.]
[Author, stop being so obsessed with male
characters. She’s rich, she’s gorgeous, she
should be living her best life, not getting
tangled up with another guy.]
[Hold on, why can’t a girl–boss story have a
man in it? Guys in web novels get to have a
dozen girlfriends, but the second a female
character gets one, everyone loses their
minds? Isn’t that just another form of
misogyny?]
[And she was single for ten years, focusing
on her career. It’s totally normal for her to
date now. It’s not like she’s cheating on
anyone.]
[Why do women always have to put
themselves in boxes? Being a ‘girl–boss‘
means being able to do whatever you want. If
she wants to date, or be single, I support her
as long as she’s happy.]
[Being single is a choice, not a requirement.
She has the freedom to choose.]
In the car, Killian drove with one hand on the
wheel, not even looking at me.
He suddenly spoke. “Satisfied?”
I feigned confusion. “Satisfied with what?”
“I heard that man has been pursuing you. You
seduced me just to make him back off, didn’t
you?”
I laughed. I couldn’t believe how dramatic his
inner monologue was.
I seduced him because I wanted to. I wanted
to see what he looked like when he lost
control.
But I didn’t bother explaining. Instead, I shot
back:
“I’m surprised a busy man like you has time to
keep track of who’s chasing after me. What’s
the matter? Worried about me?”
Killian’s expression turned a little awkward.
He cleared his throat. “Don’t read too much
into it. I just think that, as my fiancée, I should
be aware of these things.”
“Oh. But I seem to remember you telling me
you never wanted to get married and that I
shouldn’t waste my time.”
Г
“What happened? A month goes by, and
suddenly I’m your fiancée?”
Screech. Killian pulled the car over to the side
of the road.
He leaned in close, his voice dangerous.
“Summer, don’t test my patience.”
I leaned in closer too, our noses touching.
“Oh? So, are you going to kiss me again, Mr.
Vance?”
Killian’s pupils dilated. He seemed baffled as
to how I always managed to steer the
conversation in this direction.
In the end, I don’t know who moved first, but
we were kissing again, right there in the car.
20
Chase finally gave up on pursuing me.
I heard he agreed to an arranged marriage
with a girl from a family of similar standing.
But during one of their dates, he was stabbed
by a crazy woman.
I only found out about it from the news. The
crazy woman was Bailey.
“I’m the female lead! How can you marry
someone else? You’re only allowed to love
me!”
“Chase, do you hear me? You can only love
me!”
く
As she screamed, Bailey lunged at the girl
next to Chase.
“Summer! It’s all your fault! You’re just a
vicious side character! Why did you have to
fight back? Why couldn’t you just let us trick
you?”
“I’ll never accept it! Why do you get
everything I’ve ever wanted without even
trying?”
“Every time you gave me one of your pity
gifts, I hated you a little more! I don’t need
your charity! I was supposed to climb over
you, to destroy everything you had!”
“I’m the female lead! All of this was supposed
to be mine! You’re all just side characters!
How dare you fight me?”
く
I don’t think her going to a mental institution
will be a good thing for her.
When something is truly over, it can haunt
you for the rest of your life.
The sound of the keypad lock on my door
brought me back to the present.
Killian walked in, his hair still damp from the
rain outside.
I hadn’t even noticed it was raining. He was
holding my favorite strawberry shortcake.
“You’re back early. I thought you had a
meeting that would run late?”
Killian’s ears turned slightly red. “You sent me
く
a text this afternoon. You said you missed
me.”
I smiled, teasing him. “Just for that?”
He pressed his lips together and looked at me
seriously. “Just for that.”
I was stunned for a second, then my smile
deepened.
I suddenly thought:
Sometimes, a melon you have to fight for…
tastes the sweetest.
