CHAPTER 38: CHAPTER-38. (WILL BE WAITING FOR YOU).

My mind started running at the speed of a literal bullet train trying to figure out any excuse.

I couldn’t just blurt out the truth.

So, what then?

And then again I cannot use any lame excuse, this was Dave.

He noticed everything. If I messed up even a detail, he’d see right through me.

I had to pick something that was close to the truth but not close enough to burn me alive.

Something boring. Something harmless. Something that wouldn’t make him look twice.

And still... nothing.

My brain was like a roulette wheel of bad excuses spinning round and round, none of them landing where I wanted.

One second it was ’I am going shopping’ and the next it was ’doctor’s appointment’ and then back to ’work stuff.’

All useless.

All dumb.

Dave would see right through me.

I mean, come on. I couldn’t just stand there and say, ’Hey Dave, I’m off to meet the Silver Fox, your family’s number one rival in the whole entertainment industry. Don’t wait up.’

Yeah, that would definitely win me the award for Biggest Idiot Alive.

If he found out, he’d either blow up at me or worse... completely shut me out. And I couldn’t handle either.

I bit my lip, trying to look casual while my insides were literally playing Guess the Excuse.

Shopping?

Nah.

Too plain.

And with these formal clothes I was wearing? Nobody in their right mind would believe I was headed for a mall sale in a blazer.

Doctor’s appointment?

Nope.

Linda would panic, shove soup down my throat, and start planning a healing retreat in the Himalayas. Not worth the trouble.

Work?

Maybe.

Technically, it wasn’t a lie.

I was working on my writing. If I twisted it enough, I could say I was meeting some random small-time editor.

Not a rival agency’s mastermind. Just a boring little meeting. That sounded safe... right?

But then I looked at Dave. One problem he wasn’t stupid. If my excuse had even the tiniest crack, he’d poke through it until I crumbled.

God. Why was I like this? Why didn’t I plan ahead instead of standing here frozen while he stared at me with those quiet, heavy eyes? It was like being caught in a spotlight.

I needed something boring. Harmless. Forgettable. Something he wouldn’t even think twice about.

And still... nothing.

My brain was spinning so fast it felt like I was about to take off like a rocket. My heart thumped in my chest as I scrambled through excuse after excuse, none of them sticking.

And then my phhone started to ring as the sound echoed in the whole surrounding breaking the awkwad silence.

I jumped, fumbling for my phone.

It was Caroline.

I blinked.

Wait.

What? Caroline?

She barely ever called me these days.

Her calls had slowly faded away, like she’d been avoiding me. And whenever she did call, she always acted weird, like she was hiding something behind her cheerful voice.

Suspicious. Totally suspicious.

But right now? She was calling me? At the perfect time?

Confused, I picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Ele! Where are you? I need to meet you. Right now." Her voice was rushed, shaky, like she was running out of breath.

My brows furrowed. "Uh... right now?"

"Yes! Please. Just come. It’s important." Okay now, I started to get worried. She was not someone who would be in trouble but the one who created it.

I stared at the wall for a second, trying to catch up.

Still... inside, I almost laughed in relief. If this wasn’t the universe throwing me a lifeline, I didn’t know what was.

"Okay, I’ll be there," I answered quickly.

Before she could say more, I hung up. Perfect. An excuse, ready-made, no lies required.

Thank you, Caroline. And thank you God. I was havig this feeling that today would be my lucky day.

I turned seeing Linda who was still in the kitchen, humming softly while she stirred something on the stove. Then my eyes focused on the man standing too still.

"Caroline needs me, I’ll go meet her," I said, trying to sound casual.

"Alright, come back safely, dear." Linda answered as if she was answering for him. She glanced at me briefly, nodded, and went back to her pan

I breathed out in relief. Easy. Too easy.

I slipped on my shoes, already feeling like I had just dodged a bullet train. But when I looked up, my eyes caught Dave’s.

He hadn’t moved. He was still sitting there, still silent, just watching me even after getting his answer.

What does he want now?

His gaze was heavy. Quiet. Not judging, not asking...but searching.

I fumbled with my bag, pretending not to notice, but I could feel his eyes following every move.

"Okay, I’ll be back," I mumbled, opening the door.

The air outside was cooler, brushing against my face, and I thought I was free. Almost.

But then his voice fell into my ear.

"Will be waiting for you." His voice low yet firm sending shivers to my spine.

I froze. The words were simple, quiet. But they hit me like a punch.

I didn’t look back. I just swallowed hard, nodded to myself, and closed the door.

But his voice stayed with me, clinging to my thoughts like glue as I walked away.

Why did he have to say it like that? Like it actually mattered?

For a second, guilt twisted inside me.

Guilt for lying.

Guilt for sneaking off to meet someone I knew he’d hate.

But I shoved it down. I couldn’t afford to think about Dave now.

Caroline had sounded frantic, and whatever was going on with her, it had to be big.

And me? Well, I was about to find out.

Still, deep down, I couldn’t shake the image of his eyes watching me, waiting.

Somehow, I was scared as hell. Shocked too...because why in the world would he say that?

Sweet things like that weren’t his thing.

Like... ever. What’s next, Dave?

He gonna hand me flowers and recite poetry? Yeah, right.