False Love

False Love

1

I spent a full year serving Chase hand and foot.

If his shirt got dirty, I scrubbed it. If his shoes got scuffed, I polished them.

If his stomach was empty, I brought him food. If his mouth was dry, I fetched him water.

If he drank himself into a stupor, I hauled him home.

If he took a girl to a hotel, I stood watch outside.

Everyone knew how much I groveled.

But Chase still treated me with cold indifference. When he was happy, he toyed with me. When he was angry, he took it out on me.

His friends all thought I had a screw loose. They couldn't understand why I willingly wagged my tail for a man who treated me like a workhorse.

I never told a soul that this loyal servant of mine was actually hired by Chase's older brother, Kael, for three hundred thousand a month.

Chase thought I was a groveling dog. I saw him as my meal ticket.

2

Chase had a falling out with his new flame, Vera. In a fit of rage, the girlfriend yanked the necklace from her throat and tossed it into the swimming pool.

That necklace was a gift from Chase, and it hadn't come cheap.

Chase was never one for sweet talk. He was used to everyone else kowtowing to him. Getting him to lower himself was harder than scaling the heavens.

Chase kicked over a wicker chair and roared, "If you don't want to play, then get the hell out!"

Vera's shoulders shook with sobs. With so many people watching, being berated like this by Chase was humiliating. She covered her face and ran off.

Chase's face was so dark he looked ready to kill.

This was the perfect opportunity for this servant to make some money.

I promptly texted Kael.

Within minutes, my Alipay pinged with a notification: fifty thousand yuan received.

Without hesitation, I stripped off my coat and dove into the pool.

The moment I hit the water, a commotion erupted on the shore.

"Jumping in on a day this cold?"

"If Jolene claims she's second in being a doormat, no one dares claim first!"

"She's practically killing herself just to get Chase to look at her!"

...

The water was bone-chillingly cold. By the time I finally found the necklace and climbed out, my hands and feet were numb and I was shivering all over.

Chase stood by the pool, arms crossed, watching me with an air of leisurely amusement.

I held up the chain and shook it. "Chase, look! I found your necklace!"

He sneered. "Did I ask you to get it?"

Ha...

No matter how foul his temper, he was still my golden goose.

I crawled out of the pool, putting on a show. "Chase, everything I do is just to make you happy. Don't be angry, okay? When you frown, it breaks my heart. If you don't like it, I'll just throw the chain back in."

The people around me looked disgusted, as if they'd seen a ghost.

Honestly, I was about to throw up myself.

But Chase's expression slowly softened.

He liked hearing that.

He said flatly, "No need for all that trouble. That chain is useless anyway. Since you fished it out, it's yours."

I beamed with excitement. That chain was worth at least seventy or eighty thousand.

Chase gave me a contemptuous glance. "Jolene, do you really like me that much?"

I nodded vigorously!

Three hundred and sixty thousand a year base salary, plus Kael's frequent bonuses, not to mention the "trash" Chase regularly tossed my way. Only a fool would dislike that, you know?

Chase shoved his hands in his pockets and looked down at me. "But I'll never like a woman with such bad taste as you. Stop dreaming!"

I held back the urge to roll my eyes and continued, "It's okay if you don't love me. Just let me love you."

Chase nodded with great satisfaction and turned to leave, his pride intact.

People pointed and whispered, but I didn't care.

Making money is nothing to be ashamed of.

The Oscars owe me a trophy!

3

When I was seven, my father kicked my mother and me out of the house.

Within two months, he'd moved his mistress and her daughter, Sienna, into the family home.

Sienna was only a year younger than me, which meant my father had been cheating on my mother not long after they got married.

My mother had little education and supported my schooling by selling vegetables.

A year ago, she had a cerebral hemorrhage and was hospitalized.

I went to my father for money, but he and his new wife threw me out.

My stepmother stood with her hands on her hips, cursing me. "Your mother can't afford medical treatment? That's her bad luck. You want to leech off our family's money? Dream on!"

Just when I was at my wit's end, Kael found me.

He offered me a high salary to be Chase's doormat, all because my eyes resembled those of his first love, Yvonne.

Yvonne had been with Chase for three years, and they were practically engaged when she cheated on him.

She dumped Chase and went abroad with her new boyfriend.

The blow triggered Chase's bipolar disorder.

He couldn't control his emotions and often did outrageous things.

As a doormat who bore a slight resemblance to Yvonne, my purpose was to let Chase vent his resentment and frustration towards her through my groveling.

In other words, I was Chase's medicine!

4

I'd just sold the chain Chase had tossed to me when I got a call from his housekeeper.

She said Chase had crashed his race car into a barrier and was in the hospital.

As a loyal doormat, I rushed to the hospital.

The moment I entered the room, I flung myself onto Chase's hospital bed and sobbed my heart out.

Chase crossed his arms and stared at me coldly. "I'm not dead yet. Who are you crying for?"

Fine, I overdid it.

I wiped the tears from my eyes and started peeling an apple for him.

"Jolene, what do you like about me?"

My hand jerked, and the apple peel broke. If I said I liked his money, would he kill me?

I cleared my throat. "I like your eyes, your nose, your mouth, your collarbone, your pecs, your abs—"

His scoff cut me off. "Are all women this shallow?"

Of course not. If women only cared about looks, Yvonne wouldn't have dumped him!

I let out a sheepish chuckle. "What can I say? You're just too handsome."

Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around my waist. I was still holding the fruit knife, and it scared the hell out of me.

He stared at my lips and said in a seductive tone, "Since you like me so much, I'll give you a chance. Be my girlfriend. What do you say?"

No way!

You bastard, trying to cut off my income?

5

What had gotten into Chase that he'd set his sights on his own doormat?

If I refused, wouldn't my doormat persona crumble?

But if I gave in, who would compensate me for my thirty-thousand-a-month salary?

I was torn, unsure how to answer.

My silence gave Chase the wrong idea.

He said, "Jolene, are you so happy you've gone stupid?"

I forced a laugh.

But then Chase suddenly let go of me and lay back on the bed, bored. "I was just messing with you. Did you really think I'd fall for you?"

I think he wasn't bipolar; he was a drama queen with an overactive imagination.

I steadied myself, cut the apple into small pieces, and smiled as I held the plate out to him.

"You're in the hospital now. You need to eat more fruit to get your strength back."

He rested his hands behind his head and stared at me for a few seconds, lost in thought.

After a moment of silence, he said, "Feed me."

My hand trembled, and I nearly dropped the plate.

He smirked. "I'm just giving you a chance to feed me. No need to get so excited."

I was speechless. Sure, you're handsome, but your confidence bordering on narcissism is truly baffling.

I gave an awkward laugh, speared a piece of apple with a toothpick, and held it to his lips. "Here."

It took him half an hour to finish that apple. My arm was about to fall off.

I mentally calculated how to ask Kael for some injury compensation.

"What are you thinking about?" Chase's slightly annoyed voice broke in. "You're spacing out while you're with me?"

Please. Only cold, hard cash can hold my full attention, you know?

He pinched my chin and turned my face toward him, studying me with interest. "Jolene, I just realized. It's not just your eyes that are pretty. Your lips are nice too."

What did that mean?

I froze, not daring to move.

6

His face suddenly leaned in, his lips approaching mine. Just as he was about to kiss me, my hand was ready to fly up and slap him.

"What are you two doing—"

Vera's shrill voice cut through the air.

To be honest, Vera was the most dramatic of all Chase's girlfriends.

But at that moment, I felt like she was a godsend.

I jumped back. "Vera, don't get the wrong idea. He just slapped me!"

Vera looked at me suspiciously. "Really?"

Chase scoffed and spoke before I could. "No. I was about to kiss her."

God, I was earning this money on a knife's edge. Was it too much to ask?

He had to rub it in. "I gave her the necklace you threw away, too."

Vera's tears started flowing. "Chase, what are you trying to say?"

Chase said lazily, "I'm saying I don't want to play with you anymore. You're dumped."

And there it was. Vera ran off crying again.

If you're going to break up, fine. But why drag me into it?

Vera came looking for trouble the next day.

I owned a bubble tea shop. I'd hired two college students part-time, and I'd occasionally drop by to check on things.

Vera came to my shop and ordered thirty cups of brown sugar boba milk, insisting that I make them.

I was the boss! I didn't know how to make bubble tea!

Vera got upset and accused me of being a shady business owner. How could I run a bubble tea shop if I didn't know how to make it?

Then she started crying, saying I'd stolen her boyfriend.

A crowd gathered. The moment they heard about a love triangle, everyone got excited.

I tried to pull Vera away, but she slapped me. I dodged, but her acrylic nails scratched my face.

It hurt like hell. Had she scarred me?

7

Sure, I put up with Chase's crap, but at least I got paid for it.

Why should I have to take it from his ex-girlfriend?

I wanted to slap her back, but I forced myself to hold back. I lowered my hand and covered my cheek instead.

Because I saw Kael.

I couldn't ruin my fragile little flower image.

Kael was wearing a perfectly tailored Italian suit, his impossibly long legs almost reaching my waist.

"Miss Vera, as far as I know, my brother has already broken up with you. Since he's single, it's his right to date whoever he wants."

Kael's presence was overwhelming. Vera's bravado instantly evaporated, and she shrank back like a scared quail.

"Don't let me see you bothering Jolene again."

Kael's voice was so sharp that Vera trembled with fear and fled with her tail between her legs.

She was so good at running away that I almost felt sorry for her.

With that talent, she should join a track team.

Since Kael had cleared things up for me, the crowd dispersed.

I immediately pulled out my phone and opened the camera.

Her cheap nails had left a faint red scratch on my left jawline.

Luckily, it wasn't deep. Probably wouldn't scar.

"Does it hurt?" Kael raised his hand as if to touch my wound, but his fingers paused for a few seconds before he withdrew.

It didn't hurt that much, but I still put on a whiny voice and squeezed out a couple of tears. "It hurts... Mr. Kael, this counts as a work injury, right?"

He looked at me with a hint of amusement. "Then I'll take you to the hospital to get it checked out."

That's not really necessary...

I cleared my throat awkwardly. "Mr. Kael, you're a busy man. I wouldn't dare trouble you with such a minor injury. I can go to the hospital myself, but the medical bills..."

Kael chuckled. "Jolene, you can be a little more direct."

Over the past year, most of my communication with Kael had been through WeChat.

Behind a screen, I could talk about money without a care.

But face to face, it was genuinely embarrassing.

Maybe it was because his presence was too strong, or maybe because he was too handsome.

I couldn't even look him in the eye.

He pulled out his phone and transferred me a sizable amount via WeChat, labeled "Work Injury Compensation."

I happily accepted it. "Thank you, Mr. Kael!"

"I have a meeting to get to. Feel free to message me if anything comes up."

He turned and left.

He and Chase were brothers, but they were worlds apart!

I went back into my shop and grabbed a bandage. Just as I was about to stick it on my face, Kael came back.

He handed me a plastic bag containing a bottle of iodine, a pack of cotton swabs, and a box of bandages.

I was stunned. He said flatly, "You should disinfect it first. Do you need help?"

Him putting medicine on me?

I couldn't even imagine that.

I shook my head and refused firmly. "No, I can do it myself."

He didn't say anything else and left again.

He was like a gust of wind...

8

Chase asked me to go stargazing with him on a mountaintop.

On a night this cold. Thanks, but no thanks.

I was bundled up in my coat, shivering. Chase sat beside me, drinking beer bottle after bottle.

He got drunk, leaned his head on my shoulder, and his alcoholic breath made me a little dizzy.

"Jolene, the stars are so bright tonight."

I gave a noncommittal "Mm-hmm."

Did he really think coming to a mountaintop in the dead of winter was romantic?

I was just cold. I couldn't help but sneeze.

Half-drunk, he squinted at me for a few seconds, then a smile curved on his lips. "You're cold? Let me warm you up."

Then he pulled me into his arms and even rubbed his chin against my forehead.

He had stubble, and it scratched my forehead a little.

"Jolene, do you like me?"

Lying through my teeth, I said, "Yeah."

"How much?"

Was he having another emotional breakdown and wanted to hear me confess again?

I took a deep breath and repeated the lines I'd said so many times before. "A lot. Especially a lot. So much that I've lost myself. You're always first in my heart."

He was very satisfied and let out a soft laugh.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

Chase might have a terrible temper, but if you knew how to handle him, he was easy enough to appease.

It was a long way back to the city, and since Chase had been drinking, we stayed at his family's villa in the suburbs.

I helped him into the bedroom. He lay down, and just as I was about to leave, he called out, "Aren't you going to take off my shoes? How am I supposed to sleep?"

...

I clenched my fist. I really wanted to punch him.

I held back and took off his shoes, socks, and jacket.

His eyes were hazy as he stared straight at me, making me nervous.

"What's wrong?"

He didn't say anything. Instead, he suddenly reached out, pulled me into his arms, and rolled over, pinning me to the bed.

?

What did he think he was doing?

9

Chase rubbed my cheek with his right hand. It tickled, so I turned my head slightly.

Even that small movement displeased him.

He pinched my chin and turned my face back, frowning. "Are you rejecting me?"

I was starting to wonder if he'd been drinking fake alcohol.

He was pressing down on me with his full weight, and I was starting to have trouble breathing.

I tried to reason with him. "It's late. You should get some rest."

Chase smirked. "Yeah, it is late. So don't go. Stay with me."

?

I might love money, but I hadn't considered sacrificing my virtue for it.

His hand slid to my waist, and he lowered his head, his lips getting closer.

I gritted my teeth, jerked my head up, and slammed my forehead into his chin.

He gasped in pain. "Jolene, have you lost your mind?"

You're the one who's lost it! Your whole family has lost it!

I took the chance to push him off and ran out of the house in a panic.

Given Chase's recent behavior, the Ashford family's money was no longer worth the trouble.

The villa was halfway up the mountain, and it was pitch black outside. I started walking down the path, but after a few minutes, my mind filled with images from horror movies, and I got scared and ran back.

I didn't dare go back inside, so I sat on the steps at the entrance and waited for dawn.

After some thought, I sent Kael a message. "Mr. Kael, thank you for your support over the past year. I'd like to resign."

It was almost eleven at night, and I thought Kael would be asleep.

But within two minutes, he called me.

"Can you tell me why?"

How was I supposed to say it? That Chase wanted to sleep with me and I wasn't interested?

I thought for a moment and said, very tactfully, "Your brother is a nice person, but I don't like him."

The person on the other end of the line was silent, and my heart was pounding with anxiety.

Then Kael suddenly let out a soft laugh. "I know my brother's personality better than you do. You've been through a lot this past year."

This guy was strange. He paid me such a high salary and still thought I was being wronged. How was he so different from other capitalists?

"What happened just now?"

I bit my lip. "Chase was drunk. He might have mistaken me for Yvonne."

His smile faded. "Where are you now?"

"At the entrance of your villa on Autumn Mountain."

"Okay, wait for me. I'll come get you."

"Mr. Kael, you don't have to go to the trouble!"

"It's the middle of the night. It's not safe for a girl to be out alone."

10

As soon as I hung up, a light rain began to fall.

By the time Kael arrived, my hair and clothes were half-soaked.

He held an umbrella over my head. "Why didn't you go inside to wait out the rain?"

I didn't say anything.

He understood. His voice was heavy with apology. "I'm sorry. I was late."

He must have just finished showering. His fine bangs hung over his forehead, giving him a rare, gentle air.

I'd gotten wet, and Kael was worried I'd catch a cold, so he took me to another villa the Ashford family owned on the mountainside and told me to take a hot shower first.

I was stunned. Did rich people buy villas in bulk?

Then Kael said casually, "This whole development was built by my family."

Okay, I was just too ignorant.

This house was his private residence.

He handed me a white shirt to wear as pajamas. "Sorry, I don't have any women's clothes here. This shirt is new. You'll have to make do."

For some reason, my cheeks felt hot.

When I reached out to take the shirt, my fingertips accidentally brushed against his. I pulled my hand back as if I'd been shocked.

He withdrew his hand too, and the shirt fell to the floor.

I explained in a panic, "Sorry, I think there was static electricity!"

We both bent down to pick it up at the same time. Our movements were too close, and his hand landed on top of mine.

I could barely breathe. I tried to pull away in a panic, but when I looked up, I bumped into his chin.

God, in one night, I'd managed to injure both brothers' chins.

Could I be any more clumsy?

I grabbed the shirt, rushed into the bathroom, and locked the door.

I looked at myself in the mirror. My face was as red as a tomato.

So embarrassing...

After my shower, I stayed in the bathroom, too embarrassed to come out. A full hour later, Kael must have been worried I'd passed out, because he came and knocked on the door. "Jolene, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I steeled myself and opened the door.

Kael had changed out of his suit and was wearing dark blue pajamas.

He handed me a carton of milk. "I just heated it up. It'll help you sleep better."

"Thanks."

The light was dim, but I thought I saw his ears were red. I couldn't help but ask, "Mr. Kael, are you having an allergic reaction?"

Kael noticed my gaze, touched his ear, and cleared his throat. "Yeah. I'm going to bed. You should get some sleep too."

He turned and walked away, his back looking a bit like Vera's when she ran off. It was... hurried.

11

I lay down on the bed and pulled out my phone. There were a few unread WeChat messages.

One was from my half-sister. "Sis, I'm back in the country. Let's have dinner this weekend."

One was from Duncan, a guy my sister had had a crush on since childhood. "Jolene, I'm back. Want to grab a meal sometime?"

To be honest, Sienna and I had never gotten along.

Even though her mother was the mistress, she insisted on acting superior, claiming my mother was the one who'd broken up their family.

After Duncan confessed his feelings for me, Sienna's attitude toward me got even worse.

She thought I was trying to get back at her by seducing Duncan.

I thought she was crazy. Duncan was a boring nerd who only cared about classical literature and math and physics. Unless I went insane, I'd never date a fossil!

Duncan found me at my shop before Sienna did.

His confession was just as cheesy as it had been years ago. I waved my hand dismissively. "You're not my type. Give it up!"

He stammered, "What type do you like? I can learn."

I snorted. "I like rich guys. Can you learn that?"

He pressed his lips together, said nothing, and left.

Lately, all I'd been doing was watching people's backs!

Unbelievable.

What was even more unbelievable was that Duncan showed up again the next day, this time with a bank card for me.

I was dumbfounded.

He said shyly, "This is all the allowance I've saved since I was a kid. It's over two million. Take it. I'll start working in a few days, and I'll hand over all my future salary to you."

?

Dude, are you an idiot?

I reached out and touched his forehead to see if he had a fever.

But he suddenly grabbed my hand and wouldn't let go.

"Jolene, are you cheating on me?"

A chill ran down my spine. Why did this disaster, Chase, have to show up again?

Chase grabbed my left hand and tried to pull me behind him, but Duncan was still holding my right hand tightly.

"Jolene, who is he?"

They spoke in unison, and my temples throbbed. What kind of hellish standoff was this?

"What are you three doing?"

It was Kael!

Great, four people. Might as well play mahjong.

12

The situation was too chaotic. I didn't know how to handle it.

Chase and Duncan were each holding one of my hands, refusing to let go. The three of us looked ridiculous.

Luckily, Kael came to my rescue. He said in a deep voice, "Both of you, let her go. Can't you see her wrists are red?"

Kael's presence was overwhelming, carrying an authority that couldn't be denied.

As soon as he spoke, Chase and Duncan let go of me almost simultaneously.

Duncan looked like an idiot. "Jolene, who's this grumpy guy?"

Chase was arrogant. "Who am I? I'm the man Jolene loves!"

I was speechless. I turned my head and met Kael's gaze. His eyes were dark, staring straight at me.

For some reason, a strange, indescribable feeling stirred in my heart.

Duncan stood there dumbly for a few seconds, then turned to me and asked, "Jolene, is he rich?"

My mouth twitched. This idiot was trying to get me killed!

I lunged at him, covered his mouth with my hand, and whispered, "Shut up."

He nodded obediently.

Maybe the gesture was too intimate, because Chase exploded again. "Jolene, do you think I'm dead?"

He wasn't dead, but he was driving me crazy.

He rolled up his sleeves, ready to throw a punch, but Kael stopped him.

Kael frowned slightly. "Chase, when are you going to learn to be mature?"

Chase actually sounded aggrieved. "Bro, it's Jolene... she's fooling around behind my back!"

...

I was afraid Chase would cause a scene, so I had to persuade Duncan to leave first.

This idiot had spent two years abroad getting a master's degree and had learned to bargain. "Promise to have lunch with me this weekend, and I'll listen to you."

I had no choice but to agree.

Duncan grinned like a fool. "I'll pick you up on the weekend."

After he left, I hurried back inside.

The brothers were still at a standoff.

"She chased after me for a whole year. How could she do that with someone else!"

His tone was so pitiful, as if I were a fickle woman and he was the one who'd been pining after me.

Kael's expression shifted slightly. "Whether Jolene likes you or not, you have no right to interfere with her normal interactions with friends. I don't think her behavior just now was out of line. The real question is, when are you going to stop making me worry?"

Chase might be willful and spoiled, but he listened to Kael. His emotions gradually calmed down. "But I feel terrible."

Kael patted him on the shoulder. "Go home first. I need to talk to Jolene."

Chase shot me a resentful glare. My heart skipped a beat, and I guiltily looked away.

13

After Chase left, I finally breathed a sigh of relief.

I wiped the cold sweat from my forehead. "Mr. Kael, thank you for getting me out of that."

Instead of acknowledging my thanks, he asked, "Your wrists are still red. Do you want to buy some medicine to put on them?"

His focus seemed a bit off?

I glanced at my reddened wrists. "It's fine. It's just because my skin is fair. Any little bump or scrape looks really red. It's been like that since I was a kid."

He nodded, then changed the subject. "Just bear with it for a couple more days. I found Yvonne. She'll be back next week. You'll be free soon. You won't have to put up with my brother's bad temper anymore."

"Yvonne? Didn't she cheat on him?" I was confused.

"No. My father didn't approve of the Ashford family. He used some methods to force her to break up with Chase."

I fell silent. This was too melodramatic. I felt like I was in a soap opera.

With Chase's true love returning, I, the doormat stand-in, could finally exit stage left.

Too bad about that thirty-thousand-a-month salary. It was painful to think about.

I let out a long sigh.

Kael frowned slightly, looking displeased. "Yvonne is coming back. Aren't you happy?"

I didn't react in time. "A little."

That was a lot of money!

Kael's voice dropped eight degrees. "Jolene, didn't you say you didn't like my brother?"

It was the first time he'd used my full name.

When we first met, he'd politely called me Miss Jolene.

Lately, he'd been calling me Jolene.

I could hear a hint of gritted teeth in his tone, so I quickly explained. "I just have this feeling of losing my job."

Kael's expression softened slightly, and a faint smile touched his lips. "Don't you still have this bubble tea shop? Or if you want to try something else, just tell me. I can help you invest."

Was there a better boss in the world than Kael?

He was firing me and helping me find a new job!

I was a little excited. "I've been thinking about opening a coffee shop, but the investment is too big, and I don't have enough capital. A flower shop would be nice too. And..."

I rattled off a whole list, and Kael sat next to me, listening patiently.

"Have some water." He poured me a glass of warm water.

"Thanks." I gave an embarrassed smile. "Do you think I talk too much?"

"No." He looked straight at me, a hint of laughter in his eyes.

I couldn't help but think, what woman would be lucky enough to end up with a man like this?

14

A few days later, Yvonne returned.

For the next week, I didn't hear a word from Chase.

Until I saw a post on social media from one of Chase's friends, showing a photo of Chase and Yvonne at a bar.

In the dim light, Yvonne's features really did bear a five-out-of-ten resemblance to mine. No wonder Kael had sought me out.

Since Chase and Yvonne were rekindling their old flame, I could bow out gracefully.

I decisively deleted Chase from my WeChat contacts and blocked his phone number.

I thought that would be the end of it.

But then Chase showed up drunk at my doorstep, asking in a pitiful voice, "Why did you block me?"

I was confused.

Wasn't Yvonne back?

Why was he coming to me?

And to make things even more confusing, Chase started accusing me. "Jolene, you faithless woman!

"You said you'd never marry anyone but me, that you loved me to death, that no matter what happened, you'd always be by my side.

"You're a liar! You dared to fool around with that idiot behind my back!

"For the past two weeks, I've been waiting for you to explain yourself, but you heartless woman, you blocked me!

"What gives you the right to waltz in and out of my world whenever you feel like it?"

I was stunned.

What the hell was he talking about?

I pulled out my phone. "What's Yvonne's number? I'll call her to come get you."

Chase snatched my phone out of my hand and smashed it on the ground. "Ha... so you are tired of me. 'Forever,' 'always'—you're nothing but a liar!"

With a temper like his, if it weren't for the money, I wouldn't want to spend a single second with him, let alone a lifetime!

"You broke my phone!" It was a brand new Mate 40 Pro I'd just bought for seven thousand yuan. I was going to lose my mind.

Chase grabbed me by the waist. "It's just a stupid phone. I'll give you myself instead, Jolene. You're getting the better end of the deal!"

And then he leaned in to kiss me.

I was about to lose my mind.

15

I had no idea why Chase had suddenly lost it, but he was trying to take advantage of me!

Enough was enough!

He was holding me too tightly. I couldn't push him away.

In a panic, I grabbed a book from the corner table and hit him over the head with it.

I swear, I just wanted him to let go. I never expected to knock him out.

Oh, crap. That book had a hard cover.

I panicked and checked his breathing. Luckily, he was still breathing.

But I was afraid I'd given him a concussion. After a moment's thought, I decided to take him to the hospital to get checked out.

I hailed a taxi and gave the driver a little extra to help me carry Chase inside.

I was anxious. "Driver, can you hurry?"

"You got it."

The moment the driver said that, the car shot forward.

I was scared out of my wits, clutching my seatbelt and leaning back as hard as I could.

When we hit a red light, the driver slammed on the brakes. Chase, who was lying in the back seat, rolled off and hit his head on the door.

He sat up, holding his head, looking dazed. "Jolene, why does my head hurt so much?"

Ha...

Your head hurts? You brought it on yourself.

"Since you're awake, you can go home on your own."

I told the driver to pull over.

I'd only taken a few steps when Chase followed me.

He grabbed my arm. "Jolene, don't go. Wait for me."

I was a little annoyed, but considering how much money he'd helped me make, I figured I owed him some after-sales service.

I took a deep breath and tried to sound as calm as possible. "Is there something else?"

He frowned. "Why... why are you suddenly so cold to me? Before, I couldn't get rid of you even if I tried. You said you'd never leave me."

Kid, that was a lie...

But telling him the truth might set him off. It was so hard, but I had to keep smiling and see this through to the end.

"You only let me stay by your side in the first place because I looked like Yvonne.

"Now that she's back, I have to step aside.

"Chase, I can't stand in the way of your happiness.

"I'll be fine on my own in the future. Don't worry about me."

Chase was stunned for a moment, then suddenly took my hand and placed it over his heart. "What if I said you're my happiness?"

Then I'd probably be scared to death...

I was so startled I hiccupped. "Chase, are you messing with me?"

You're ditching the real deal for a fake? Had I hit him too hard?

He said solemnly, "I'm not messing with you. Before Yvonne came back, I really did think I was still in love with her.

"But when she came back and said she still loved me and wanted to get back together, I wasn't happy.

"These past few days, I haven't been able to stop thinking about you.

"When you ignore me, it hurts.

"I know I treated you badly before, but can you please stop using that idiot to make me jealous?

"When I see you with another man, I want to kill him!"

I'd never seen him so serious. I started stammering. "Chase, calm down..."

"I am calm."

But I wasn't.

The love interest falling for the stand-in? What kind of cheesy plot was this?

For now, I had to pacify him. "My head's a mess. Give me some time to sort things out. I'll give you my answer then, okay?"

He frowned. "Fine. I'll give you ten minutes. That's enough?"

"No."

"Half an hour?"

"No."

"One hour. That's my final offer."

"Three days."

"Three days? Why not three years?"

"That works too..."

"Jolene!" He was hopping mad. "Are you trying to kill me?"

"Fine. Two days."

Two days. That should be enough time for Kael to come up with a plan.

I was definitely going to pass this hot potato to him.

Chase snorted. "Two days it is. But you're mine in the end!"

Dude, aren't you a little too confident?

The next day, I told Kael the whole story.

"Mr. Kael, can you find a way to make him give up on me?"

He didn't answer my question. Instead, he asked, "He kissed you?"

Awkward...

I should have skipped that part.

The air around Kael grew cold. "You knocked him out?"

I nodded, feeling a little nervous. Kael doted on his brother, and I was afraid he'd be angry.

But instead, he said, "Good job."

Now that's a real brother!

"I'll handle this. Don't worry."

With Kael saying that, I felt at ease. I had a strange sense of trust in him.

He asked again, "Have you thought about that investment we talked about? I had my secretary put together some relevant case studies. She'll email them to you. Take a look."

I'd just mentioned it offhandedly last time, but he'd actually remembered.

I was fl