my younger fake husband

chapter 3

I opened my eyes as the sun was rising.

I was exhausted, but I had to hurry and finish my work. I took a cold shower and quickly left the house, practically running all the way to the workshop.

As soon as I arrived, I started working.

Suddenly, I heard something moving behind me.

I turned around.

It was him.

He was sitting on a chair behind me, staring at me.

I shouted angrily,

“Enough with this intrusion into my life, boy! What do you want? Just tell me!”

He stood up, walked toward me, and placed his hand against my cheek.

“I work in delivery. I brought you breakfast.”

I quickly pushed his hand away, embarrassed.

“Who asked you for anything?”

“Your stomach did.”

I sighed.

Apparently, he wasn’t going to leave even if I asked him to, so I stopped arguing with him and left him where he was.

But he started following me around.

Eventually, I lost my patience and shouted,

“What do you want?”

He answered in a childish voice,

“You haven’t eaten yet.”

“If I eat, will you leave me alone?”

“Yes.”

He paused, then added with a mischievous smile,

“But I’ll stay and enjoy looking at your beautiful face.”

His perverted words made my heart flutter.

Oh, no… Have I become a pervert too?

I took the food from him and started eating while he simply watched me with a smile.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, sweetheart.”

What does this boy actually want?

I continued working as usual, but he kept watching me.

His gaze was eating me alive.

───

That Evening…

I was sitting and designing another dress.

He must have gotten bored again because, once more, he showed up.

I heard his voice and raised my head.

He was wearing black leather clothes—a pair of pants and a jacket. They actually suited him very well.

“You?”

“Yes, Auntie.”

“Why are you here?”

“To pick up my Auntie Layla.”

I stared at him in confusion.

“Cain, who are you?”

He looked at me.

For a moment, he said nothing.

Then he smiled.

“Just a man who gets bored easily.”

“What?”

“My life is boring.”

“And that justifies bothering me?”

“You’re not boring.”

“That’s not a compliment.”

“For me, it is.”

I stood up after finishing the dress.

Time had passed much faster than I realized.

He asked me,

“Do you have any other work to do?”

“No.”

He smiled happily.

“Great. Then let’s go.”

I closed the door behind me and asked,

“Where exactly are we going?”

He grabbed my hand and pointed toward his motorcycle.

“No. Forget it. You could be a thief, and you probably stole that thing from your father.”

He looked at me in disbelief.

“Do I really look like a child to you? I’m twenty-five, you know.”

I replied carelessly,

“Congratulations, handsome. You’ve grown up. Would you like me to say that too?”

Suddenly, he lifted me up.

Yes.

He actually threw me over his shoulder.

That i***t!

───

Cain

I was bored of sitting around and waiting all day.

But look at her now…

She was refusing my sweet invitation.

Suddenly, without even thinking, I acted recklessly and lifted her onto my shoulder.

I put the helmet on her head.

She screamed and cursed at me, but once we started moving, she became quiet.

She looked at the city and its lights peacefully.

She seemed fascinated by them.

───

Layla

We finally arrived at my home.

I got off the motorcycle angrily and shouted at him,

“I’ll bite you next time you do that!”

He joked,

“What? Are you a vampire?”

“Try me and find out.”

He started the motorcycle again and said,

“Oh, no. I don’t like vampires…”

Then he grinned.

“But I might enjoy kissing you.”

And he laughed.

I went inside my house and sighed tiredly.

Then I remembered the city.

It was so beautiful.

I had never imagined it could look like that.

Those lights had seemed so warm.

───

In the Following Days…

He started appearing everywhere.

At the café.

At the workshop.

Even once, I found him waiting for me outside the bus station.

“Cain!”

He smiled.

“Layla.”

“Are you following me?”

“No.”

“Then why are you here?”

“I was just passing by.”

“You’re standing in front of my house.”

He went silent.

Then he said,

“Coincidence.”

I shouted,

“That is NOT a coincidence!”

He laughed.

And for the first time in a very long time…

I laughed with him.

I didn’t notice it.

But Sarah did.

One night, she said to me,

“You like him.”

“Impossible.”

“You laugh whenever he’s around.”

“I’m laughing at how stupid he is.”

“And you look for him whenever he doesn’t show up.”

I fell silent.

I looked at her.

“Sarah.”

“Yes?”

“I don’t love him.”

She smiled.

“I know, darling.”

She was silent for a moment before continuing,

“But you’ve started to like having him around.”

I didn’t answer her.

Because a part of me really had started to enjoy his presence.

───

One night, I was working alone.

It was already past midnight.

I was trying to finish designing a new dress.

Suddenly…

I heard a voice behind me.

“You’re crazy.”

I screamed and turned around.

Cain.

“What are you doing here?!”

“Saving a woman who works herself to death.”

“How did you get in?”

“The door was open.”

“You’re terrifying.”

He came closer and looked at the dress I had designed.

“This is beautiful. You’re amazing at drawing.”

I looked at him.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

He picked up the drawing.

“Why don’t you start your own business? I mean, your own fashion brand, under your name.”

I laughed.

“Because I don’t have the money for that yet.”

“I can help you.”

I glared at him.

“No.”

“Why?”

“I don’t need charity.”

“I never said it was charity.”

“You don’t know me.”

He looked at me.

“I know you work three jobs.”

I froze.

“What?”

“And I know you draw at night.”

He stepped closer.

Then he started playing with a strand of my hair.

“And I know that whenever you’re sad, you rearrange the fabrics in front of you.”

I stared at him.

“How do you know all of that?”

This time, he didn’t smile.

He remained silent.

Then he said,

“Because maybe I like you.”

For a moment, I felt like my heart had stopped.

He moved closer.

He placed his hand around my waist and pulled me toward him.

Then he smiled.

“The way you look at me has changed.”

“How?”

“Like you’re starting to like me.”

I quickly pushed him away, shouting just to hide my embarrassment.

“Get out!”

He laughed.

“Okay.”

Then he left.

I stood there alone.

I didn’t know why his words stayed in my head.

My heart was beating so hard because of him.

Could I really fall in love with a boy who is younger than me?