Chapter 2 Wrong Guy
1264 Words
Before Rosa went to see her ex-husband, she made a stop at Neon Mirage.
She knew the rules—if she wanted to keep that man around, she couldn’t bypass their manager. She had to clear it with the club.
But something felt off.
Sitting in the VIP lounge, arms crossed tightly, she frowned at the tall, skinny boy in front of her.
He looked barely twenty, dressed in a white shirt and jeans, the quintessential image of a well-behaved student. He kept his eyes locked on his sneakers, clearly avoiding her gaze.
A headache began to throb at Rosa's temples.
"So, you're Samuel?" Rosa asked, her eyes narrowing with skepticism.
"Yes," Samuel answered, glancing up momentarily before quickly lowering his head again.
Rosa's frustration grew.
This was all wrong.
She'd been so drunk the previous night that she hadn't paid much attention to the man's appearance. This morning's hasty departure had left her with only a blurry memory of his face.
Samuel might have had a similar hair color and profile, but his build and demeanor were entirely different.
The man she recalled was a commanding presence - more lion than a kitten.
"You're not him," Rosa said decisively.
Both Samuel and her assistant were taken aback.
The assistant's face went pale, his anxiety palpable. "Ms. Everly, he's the only Samuel listed in Neon Mirage."
Surprisingly, the timid Samuel found a sudden surge of courage. He grabbed her hand. "Please, I really need this money. My dad's in the hospital with lung cancer, and I'm still in school, drowning in student loans..."
Rosa turned her head, studying the boy's unexpected outburst.
Samuel hesitated, like a gun with a jammed barrel, but then pressed on with growing desperation. "Please, don't send me away! I'll be whoever you need me to be. I'll give it my all. I just need the money..."
Rosa sighed, her heart twitching with sympathy for the boy's plight.
She remembered her own struggles after losing her father, watching her mother fall ill, and feeling utterly powerless.
At least the boy's father was still alive.
Rosa pulled out her checkbook and lifted the boy’s chin with her finger, making him look at her.
His eyes were wide and innocent, like a helpless deer.
Rosa scratched his chin playfully, like she was teasing a kitten. “Please me, and I’ll help treat your father.”
Gratitude filled the boy’s eyes as he kissed the back of her hand.
Rosa was tempted to tease him a little longer, but her ex-husband was already pushing her to meet up.
With some regret, she left Neon Mirage. As she pulled out of the parking lot, a sleek black SUV passed by her car.
The man in the backseat looked out the window calmly, his hawk-like eyes observing the scene outside.
“Sorry, boss, I was driving too slow,” the driver said, feeling a chill run down his spine but still doing his duty. “Should we follow Ms. Everly and tell her that you’re the one she’s spending the night with?”
“No need,” the man waved it off.
Last night, he had told her a fake name for personal reasons to get into Neon Mirage, and unexpectedly met an interesting woman.
They had a wonderful night together, and today he had planned to keep playing the part.
Unfortunately, he was late, and this pleasant misunderstanding couldn’t continue.
But they would have another chance to meet.
He unlocked his phone and looked at an auction catalog, where one of the items up for bid was an estate bearing the name Everly.
His voice took on a dangerous edge. "I may have missed my chance this time, but Ms. Everly will be the one begging to see me soon."
In the wealthy district of Phenara City, a red sports car pulled up in front of a beautiful villa.
Rosa stepped out, looking at her former home with disgust.
She hated Elijah’s pretense.
When they were still married, no matter how much she cried or yelled, Elijah never came home, always busy playing around outside.
Now, after the divorce, Elijah wanted to meet at the house!?
“What do you want?” Rosa walked through the door, and asked Elijah bluntly, who was waiting in the living room.
To her surprise, the moment he saw her, Elijah suddenly lost it.
He jumped up from the couch and shouted, “Rosa, where were you last night? Why didn’t you come home?”
Rosa was stunned by her ex-husband’s shamelessness.
They were divorced! The house was hers! Not only had he failed to move out on time, but now he dared to accuse her, trying to shift the blame once again!?
Furious, Rosa let out a cold laugh. “If you’ve got something to say, just say it already. Just stop this pathetic game.”
Elijah was taken aback.
He had expected her to explain herself, to apologize, so he could move on to his real request.
But there was no going back now, so Elijah forced down his discomfort and explained his reason for calling her. “There’s an issue with the Kayla’s project. I need you to take care of it. You know it’s a very important deal for both our families…”
“Me? Take care of it? Have you lost your mind, Elijah?” Rosa was so furious at his audacity that she couldn't help but laugh. “Your girlfriend is the one in charge of the project—I’m just your ex-wife!”
“Have you gone crazy?” Rosa pointed a finger at Elijah’s face, shouting. “You stole the project from me and handed it to your sweetheart like a gift!”
Elijah frowned, wanting to say something, but before he could, several people in business attire walked through the door, followed by an unfamiliar couple.
Shocked by the sudden intrusion, Elijah shifted focus. “Who are you people?”
Rosa sneered, brushing her hair back, regaining her composure and elegance.
She stood across from Elijah, her tone cool with disgust. “They’re the realtor and buyers here to check out the house. The court awarded me this property, and I’m free to sell it.”
“Rosa, you’re selling our lovely home?” Elijah’s disbelief was clear.
“What did you expect? We’re divorced. What am I supposed to do, keep it around just to disgust myself?” Rosa raised an eyebrow, pointing to the door. “Now, get out of my house!”
Her final warning was sharp. “Now.”
Elijah’s face flushed with anger and humiliation, but he had no choice. He handed over the keys and left in a hurry.
After dealing with Elijah and wrapping up the sale of the house, Rosa finally felt a bit of relief.
But no sooner had she relaxed when her personal cellphone buzzed.
The number wasn’t one she recognized.
A message popped up from the unfamiliar digits: “How did you enjoy last night?”
Rosa couldn’t help but smile, thinking about the fun she had and the mix-up that followed today.
“Interesting,” she replied.
But in the next moment, she froze. She would never have given a hookup her personal number!
That phone number was for family and close friends only.
And she was sure this person wasn’t from either group.
So who was he, and how had he gotten her private number?
A chill crept up Rosa’s spine as she realized this man’s background might be far more complicated than she had thought.
- Writer
