Chained To My Bad Boy's Wild Love

It's Okay To Be A Little Smooth, Right?

It was time for Esther’s weekly grocery run. That was why, early in the morning, she had already taken out her beloved car for the trip. But on the way, she noticed the SUV’s odometer had gone over ten thousand kilometers. At the same time, she felt something off. The steering wheel had grown almost twice as heavy as usual. From experience, she knew what that meant: her cherished Land Rover was due for a service.

That was how she found herself here now, parking her Discovery 4 inside a repair shop before quickly stepping out to greet a mechanic who had long been her trusted acquaintance. The middle-aged man’s face instantly brightened at the sight of Esther.

“Good afternoon, Miss Esther,” he greeted, bowing politely in respect, which made Esther return a sheepish smile.

“I’ve told you, Uncle, you don’t need to bow like that. Just treat me like any ordinary customer,” Esther replied, bowing slightly herself, feeling awkward about the mechanic’s warm yet overly courteous gesture.

The man chuckled at her words. “Miss Esther is always so humble, as usual. So, what brings you in today?” he asked again, squinting his eyes at her car as if trying to spot any visible signs of damage on its body.

“I think it’s time for a wheel alignment. The steering feels heavy, and the mileage has already passed ten thousand,” Esther explained, recalling the issues with her car.

“Ah, I see. But…” The man turned to her, his expression carrying a hint of concern. “Unfortunately, I can’t do the alignment for your car today.”

“What? Why not?” Esther asked, surprised. She wasn’t used to hearing refusals from this mechanic. Ever since she had first become his customer, he had always been the one to handle her car. They knew each other well by now, and of course, he was also aware of her family background. “Are you too busy, Uncle?” she asked again, trying to understand the reason behind his refusal.

“Actually, I’ve just accepted a reservation from someone else. If you need your car serviced immediately, I can recommend another experienced mechanic to take care of it. That’s a very fine car you have, and I certainly wouldn’t let just anyone handle it,” he replied.

Truthfully, Esther didn’t care much whether the mechanic was experienced or not. What bothered her was that she wasn’t used to entrusting her car to anyone else but this man.

“Can’t you work on my car first, Uncle? I mean… the person who made an appointment with you hasn’t arrived yet. So I thought maybe…” Esther’s voice trailed off. She felt uneasy for suggesting such a thing, yet she desperately needed her car to go shopping for groceries right away.

“I’m sorry, Miss Esther. Even if I were given the choice…” The man lowered his voice until it was no more than a whisper, as if afraid someone else might overhear. “I would certainly choose to work on your car. But this person, he’s very demanding, and he simply won’t accept rejection.” His words ended just as his hand lifted into the air in a subtle greeting.

Catching the gesture, Esther instinctively turned her head to see who he was addressing. A sleek Range Rover Sport rolled to a stop right behind her car. The luxury of it was unmistakable sign of wealth. Yet what unsettled her more was the strange, gnawing familiarity that struck her at the sight of it.

“Very well, I suppose I have no choice. I’ll wait until you’ve finished with that person’s car,” Esther said at last, her tone firm, making it clear to her uncle that she refused to entrust her car to anyone else.

“Are you certain you want to wait, Miss? If you’re pressed for time, I can pass your car to another trusted mechanic. I assure you, his work is of the highest quality,” the man replied, guilt flickering in his expression. Still, beneath his concern, there was a hint of pride that she insisted on no one’s service but his.

“Yes, I—” Esther’s words faltered. Her breath caught in her throat the instant the Range Rover door opened and its driver stepped out. “—will.”

The man carried himself like he owned the world. He wore fitted denim jeans paired with a dark navy T-shirt that accentuated his broad frame, along with aviator sunglasses that could easily captivate anyone’s attention, even with just a passing glance. No wonder Esther found his car so familiar. Of course she knew who it belonged to.

Meeting him outside of campus made Esther instantly conscious of herself, almost shabby in comparison. She had only intended to run a quick errand for groceries, and thus hadn’t cared about her appearance. But now, standing here, she felt like a ragged Cinderella. Her plain long-sleeved shirt paired with a modest skirt that covered her legs, and old sandals that had seen better days. Her body stiffened the moment she realized the man was walking toward her.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Gaara. Always a pleasure to see you,” her uncle the mechanic greeted warmly. Gaara merely responded with a slight nod.

“What can I do for you today?”

“I want a full tune-up. Change the oil, and don’t forget to check the oil filter,” Gaara replied in his low voice. Though Esther stood at a distance, it felt strangely as though that space between them collapsed into nothing.

Still with her back to him, Esther prayed he wouldn’t notice her.

“And Miss Esther…”

Ah, it seemed she had to erase her hopes completely, thanks to him, Gaara would undoubtedly recognize her.

“Do you still wish to wait? Or shall I call another mechanic?” her uncle asked again.

“I’ll wait,” Esther answered firmly. Since it was already too late to run, she simply had to face the situation as calmly as she could. She had no other choice.

“Very well, then. Perhaps in an hour I can finish Mr. Gaara’s car. If you’ll excuse me, Miss Esther,” the mechanic said, quickly hurrying off to his work.

Esther gave a small nod. Now she was left alone with Gaara, still standing with her back to him.

“Esther?” A familiar voice called from behind her.

She instantly swallowed hard before slowly turning around, trying her best to appear composed when their eyes finally met.

“Hi,” she greeted softly.

“Car service as well?” Honestly, of all places, Gaara never expected to run into the girl at an auto repair shop. It would have made far more sense if they had met at a bookstore or a library. But then again, their encounters had never made much sense at all.

“Yes, I’m getting my car aligned,” she replied.

Gaara found her answer intriguing. “Really? Which one is yours?”

Esther tilted her head toward her Discovery. “The one parked next to yours.”

Gaara raised an eyebrow as his gaze landed on the only car sitting beside his own. “You don’t look like someone who could handle a Discovery.”

In an instant, Esther concluded that his words were meant as a jab. One of her brows arched as she shot back, “And do I look like someone incapable of driving my own car?”

“Your words are sharp,” Gaara replied, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

Realizing that it was just the two of them here, a sudden idea sparked in Esther’s mind. This was a rare moment, and she had a bet she needed to win. Gaara Maxwell was here now, without any of his friends—wasn’t this the perfect opportunity to make her move?

But how? Esther had just made a poor impression in the very first step.

“I think I’ll wait over there,” Gaara said, intending to pass by her and head toward the waiting area for car owners.

“Wait!” Without thinking, in a spontaneous reflex, Esther reached out and caught Gaara’s hand, stopping his steps immediately.

“Yes?”

Esther was utterly flustered. What should she do next?

Pushing aside her pride, which soared as high as the sky, Esther uttered words she might regret for the rest of her life. “Since we’re both waiting, how about we go for a walk?” She held her breath as she observed Gaara’s expression, which remained completely neutral.

This was the first time in her life that Esther had invited a man to accompany her. She never imagined that the first man she would socialize with would be Gaara Maxwell. Someone so utterly unsuitable for her.

Her anxiety began to fade when she noticed the corner of Gaara’s lips curl into that small, characteristic smile. “Are you asking me out on a date right now?”