Chapter 23


    The fake and the real


    Aren poured me another ss of wine while I started to tell him the story of my first love. Normally, I


    would find it ufortable and embarrassing, but there was something in Aren‘s gaze that soothed me


    and made me trust him. Was I making a mistake in telling him? I had never cared about rich people, and


    I had never researched Can and his family, but what if Aren knew him? I observed


    Aren as I mentioned my ex–boyfriend‘s name, but I couldn‘t read anything from his expression. Perhaps


    he had never heard of him, or it simply didn‘t matter to him. After all, it was merely something that had


    happened in his contract fiancée‘s past, one of the examples of a fairytale gone bad.


    “I didn‘t care about who he was, although I heard rumors that he was from some wealthy family. I didn‘t


    like him at first. He was seriously handsome, but he was also this arrogant type who thought that


    everyone else was beneath him just because he had money. I stood up against him once and called him


    a douchebag. The next day, he asked me out on a date. I thought that he had made a bet with


    someone.” Iughed.


    Aren kept his eyes on me while I told my story. I was surprised that he actually listened. It was weird to


    discuss your previous rtionship with someone you are currently dating... Then again, it wasn‘t a real


    date, and our contracted rtionship was far from a romantic one…


    “Was I an idiot to think that Can could be my one and only?” I asked with a bitter smile. “I have never


    met anyone from his family. I have never cared about his money, and I would love him just the same if


    he was penniless. I knew that he liked to spend money and use the money to make other people fight for


    his attention. I sometimes wonder if our rtionship was a game for him... Maybe he waited for a


    moment when I would finally break and ask him for money, proving that I was no different from those


    whom he called beggars.”


    I finished another ss of wine, and Aren refilled mine and his, then ordered another bottle.


    He drank his wine and his eyes darkened before he squeezed out, “Was he... your first?”


    “First... in everything,” I responded, tasting the sourness of my own words.


    “Do you still love him?” Aren’s eyes roamed restlessly, trying to read my face.


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    “No,” I said confidently, “but he is just a thorn that is stuck in my heart. I just don‘t know how to take it


    out... yet.” Iughed humorlessly.


    I stoppedughing when I met his eyes. They were burning. I could see anger in his eyes, but it wasn‘t


    aimed at me. Was he angry for me? There was also pain in those eyes of his, the one I couldn‘t


    comprehend. As he leaned closer, his hand reached out to me and brushed my cheek. He startled me,


    and I almost flinched.


    “Stay still,” he said softly. “There is an eysh on your cheek.” I felt as if my cheeks started to burn when


    he cupped my face in both hands, positioning me. I thought that he was going to brush off thesh with


    his thumb, but as he got up from his seat, I realized that he had another n...


    He brought his face an inch away from mine and delicately blew the streak of air on my cheek, his lips


    nearly touching my skin. Shivers ran down my spine. His touch, his scent, his closeness, all of it turned


    me on in an instant. I didn‘t know how it was possible, but every single thing about Aren Lan was making


    me lose my mind. I swear I saw a sh, like a freaking imaginary fireworks disy, the moment he got


    close to me... Was I a lost cause already?


    Our intimate moment didn‘t stop with that. As I stayed bemused, one of his hands slid from my cheek


    down my neck. The brush of his fingers, running smoothly through my skin, sent another wave of


    shudders through my body. “Your skin is so smooth...” he said softly as if in oblivion. Iughed nervously


    and grabbed his hand on my neck, stopping his fingers from exploring my other sensitive spots.


    “Please... don‘t tease me like that,” I said, taking his hand off of my neck.


    He smirked and sat down. “I can‘t help it. I have the most beautiful partner around here. I merely want to


    appreciate her more.” He made me blush again... and speechless. Howe he could get away with all


    those cheap flirt lines, leaving me without a way to talk back? Was it because I hadn‘t been on a date


    since Can? Or was it because my dumb hormones whimpered within me, begging me to let him do


    whatever he wanted? It scared me that I was slowly losing myself to my physical cravings. The warmth in


    his eyes irresistibly mixed with lust, and it took all the strength within me to pretend that I didn‘t see it.


    “I can help you heal if you let me.” His seductive tone left no room for misinterpretation.


    I stated boldly, “It is my heart that needs healing, and I don‘t think you are a good remedy for it.”


    “You‘ll never know unless you try.” He smirked.


    “I‘d rather not use experimental therapies,” I insisted.


    Heughed. “I‘ll wait patiently until you change your mind.”


    It was hard to breathe. The air around us was saturated with desire, and I sighed in relief only after we


    left. Nheless, that night changed something between us. I felt morefortable around Aren. I didn‘t


    feel the need to push his hand away when he held mine, gently brushing my palm side. Was I being


    tamed? Was it strange that I didn‘t feel anything wrong with that?


    ***


    The next morning, I woke up to find Aren had already gone to work. I was partially d he was gone. It


    gave me a chance to focus on that day‘s task. I need to resign from my work at Café Dorado. I had


    already given a heads–up to the management, and I sent messages to Monique and Marco. All I needed


    to do was to bring the official form with my signature on it. I knew that I would be asked questions


    concerning my sudden resignation, and I had to prepare a rational reason for leaving. I figured that I


    would tell everyone that I had got a new, well–paid job… That lie wasn‘t that far from the truth. After all, I


    was currently working in the position of a contractual fiancée


    it caleand the real


    As I thought about it, the images from yesterday‘s date shed in my mind i flushed, recalling the way


    Aren looked at me and all the tension between us. Was i naive to think that it might have been something


    more than a desire? I missed being appreciated as a woman, and what Aren did certainly made me feel


    attractive and appreciated.


    I got dressed, put on light makeup, and called Benjamin to take me to Café Dorado I walked out of the


    building, holding a resignation form in my hand, and suddenly felt good about ending that period of my


    life. I surely wasn‘t born to be the wife of a rich man, but I was positive that I wouldn‘t miss angry


    crowds yelling, “Where is my coffee?!”


    Benjamin parked a block away from the café like I‘d wanted him to. I didn‘t want to repeat the mistake I


    made with Liam. On my way there, I kept repeating my perfectly prepared speech


    about the alleged new job. I entered the café and walked towards the counter with a big grin on my face,


    which widened when I saw Monique. I took a deep breath and was about to greet her when she


    screamed, gathering the attention of all of the few customers at the café. “You are dating Aren Lan!”


    I froze. I felt as if all the blood had left my face, making it paler than ever. “W–what are you talking


    about?” Iughed nervously, gesturing to calm her down. Fortunately, customers‘ focus was solely on the


    coffee and cakes they‘d ordered. I rushed to Monique, who stood behind the counter while cing a


    finger on my mouth and frowning Monique giggled, pulling out her phone and showing me a recent


    article on the gossip site. “That‘s you, right? The one in the silky green dress?” she asked, lowering her


    voice this time


    I gulped. There was a whole article about Aren Lan‘s mysterious girlfriend, filled with spections about


    my identity. None of those photos fully showed my face, but it was enough for Monique to recognize me.


    “Is that why you are quitting the job?” She teasingly prodded my elbow.


    There was no sense in denying that it wasn‘t me in those pictures with Aren. “I‘ve got a job, and that‘s


    the reason I‘m quitting,” I insisted. “But... yes, I‘m dating Aren Lan,”


    I said it. I had never thought that voicing those words would bring me such relief. Monique mped her


    hand to her mouth, suppressing her high–pitched snicker. I started to think that it was fortunate that


    Marco was on his break at the time; otherwise, I wouldn‘t have been able to handle the two of them at


    once.


    “It looks like it‘s getting serious between you two. Those photos are so romantic,” she sang.


    I smiled nervously, processing her words, but then I took her phone and started going through the


    pictures in the article. My heart pounded more and more as I slowly realized the situation behind each


    shot... There was a picture of Aren kissing my hand, a picture of me looking at him with a blush, and


    there was also a moment when Aren leaned over me to blow the eysh off my cheek… Thest picture


    looked exactly as if we had linked our lips in a passionate kiss. I felt as if something had crushed my


    chest from the inside. Aren must have known. He must have nned his every move, knowing what kind


    of shots the paparazzi could get from it... “Son of a bitch...”