James didn't deliberately avoid Avril; he figured there was no need to. This girl knew he had a girlfriend, and he wanted to be upfront about it. However, when Avril saw him chatting with the fourth girl, she couldn't hold back any longer.
"Uncle, are these all your wings?"
"Uh?" James paused, confused.
"I mean, are these all your girlfriends?" Avril asked, a hint of incredulity in her voice.
She had thought James was the kind of guy who was loyal, but seeing all the girls on his phone made her think twice. To her, he suddenly seemed like a cunning guy hiding a dark side.
"Sort of, I have only one or two who are official," James replied nonchalantly.
"Sort of? Only one or two?" Avril teased.
"Wow~ Uncle, you're impressive! A rich guy like you not only has multiple girlfriends but also differentiates between the 'official' and 'not official' ones." She twirled her hair sardonically.
But then again, with a man this wealthy, it wasn't surprising to have several beautiful women around. It was hardly a novelty.
"Am I considered official?" she asked, her tone playful.
James gave her a sideways glance and answered coolly, "You're just a little kid."
"Open your eyes and see clearly; I'm not a kid!" she retorted, standing up straighter, defiance in her posture.
Though her form was slender and not particularly curvy, she was still more toned than the average girl. Compared to the fuller-figured Tailsa, however, she lacked some of the vigor, bringing forth a certain delicate beauty.
James grinned as he opened Monroe Anne's chat window and sent a voice message: "Send me a picture that shows off your figure."
Instantly, Monroe Anne was in a good mood, sending over several photos in the tight-fitting cheongsam she had tried on earlier that day.
James turned his phone to show Avril the new pictures. Monroe Anne, with her stunning curves, posed gracefully in the figure-hugging dress, showcasing her body to the fullest.
Faced with such impressive assets, Avril felt self-conscious in comparison.
"Of course, she's going to sag eventually," she murmured, oscillating between envy and admiration.
Words felt inadequate in the face of such physical prowess.
James simply shook his head, a hint of disdain in his expression.
Feeling a bit stung by the implication, Avril kicked James lightly, saying, "If you like that kind of style, should I go and get one?"
"No thanks. I don't like fakes," James shot back.
Avril laughed, teasing him, "Are you afraid it might pop?"
"Something like that. Besides, what's the point of something fake? I might as well buy some clay."
After a while, the novelty wore off, and it became just another aspect of a woman's body.
Just then, a message popped up from Shirley Taylor.
"She doesn't want to go, so I'm not going either. You handle your stuff, and we'll talk later."
Avril leaned in, peeking over to read the message. "That girl looks easy to trick."
James dismissed her playful banter and typed back, "Shirley's very considerate; I'll find time to see you."
Shirley Taylor: "Okay."
After sending the message, James turned back to Avril. "It's getting late; you should head back to sleep."
"Can I sleep here?" she asked hopefully.
James outright refused. If he let her stay, it would just complicate things.
"Do you have other girls over tonight?" Avril pressed.
"No, and I don't need your company," he replied flatly.
With a huff of frustration, Avril stormed off.
Later that night, after a shower, Avril lay in bed, eyes wide open, unable to sleep.
Everything from that day felt like a dream. A man had just appeared out of nowhere, claiming he wanted to support her and threw around a staggering figure of three billion to make her famous.
Could such bizarre things truly happen in the world? Or was she being pranked, like Truman in that movie, with hidden cameras capturing her every move for the entertainment of viewers?
Did those invisible spectators want to watch her joy or her embarrassment?
But one thing puzzled her: why hadn't James made a move on her? Wouldn't getting tricked be the best kind of drama for an audience?
Lying in bed, her thoughts spiraled out of control. She recalled his tenderness, the way he held her camera earlier with such purposeâit was undeniably alluring.
That camera was real; she had seen it clearly. No one in the world could pull off what he did.
If all of this was true, didn't that mean she had a wealthy sugar daddy now?
The thought of having a sugar daddy with infinite cash, who could drop three billion at any moment, sent her heart racing. She felt excitement bubbling in her chest, fantasizing about a life where she could enjoy exquisite food and lavish luxuries, all thanks to him.
But she realized she needed to figure out how to impress him too.
Reflecting on James's chat with Shirley, she surmised that he probably liked sweet, innocent girls.
Maybe it wasn't too late for her to put on a charming act. Her youthful face could easily lend itself to portraying a naïve and obedient girl.
With sweet fantasies swirling in her mind, Avril slipped into a deep sleep.
The next morning, James got ready to go for a run with Shasha.
Dressed in a hundred-pound training outfit, he arrived at the community entrance where Shasha was already waiting.
She wore a basic fitness outfitâa breezy tank top paired with snug shortsâher fair skin lit up beautifully in the morning sun.
With delicate features, a tall frame, and flowing golden locks, she appeared breathtakingâlike a masterpiece plucked from the canvas.
Passersby couldn't help but glance at the exotic beauty, though none dared approach her; after all, the language barrier eliminated many from the running.
Little did they know she could speak English.
James waved at her, calling out, "Hey there, flower girl!"
Shasha turned and greeted him with a smile. "Boss, you made it!"
But as he walked closer, he noticed her eyes looked puffy and dark circles shadowed her under-eye area, suggesting she had been crying.
He sighed, offering some comfort, "Don't be sad; heartbreak is something we all experience. You'll inevitably run into some bad guys along the way."
"Yeah, I'm over it now. It won't get in the way of my work," she replied, trying to sound upbeat.
Shasha led James to a wide-open lawn, where she began to guide him in stretching and leg exercises.
She demonstrated some stretches, and James followed her lead.
As he saw her toned legs pulled tight, he couldn't help but feel a touch of compassion for her struggling heart.
After finishing their warm-up, they began to run, keeping a good pace. The two kept chatting as they jogged.
"Boss, I've been thinking for a while now, and I've decided to go back. The pace here is a little too fast for meâI'm just not adjusting well."
"Let's take care of your personal trainer fees and the apartment situation within the next month or so," James replied, understanding that the best way to keep her would be to take her back to his place and comfort her with actions.
But he held back, choosing to offer silent support instead. He promised to take her to enjoy a nice trip in Russia once everything settled down.