Chapter 115: Chapter 115



Michael’s muscles tensed, the strain evident as he hastily pulled on his pants, feeling Lacey’s antics gnawing at his patience.

“What are you trying to do now?” he grumbled, frustration seeping into his voice. Lacey looked up at him with an earnest expression.

“I’ve been holding this back for too long—I really like you. All this time, I’ve just called you a friend because I was scared of losing you. But I can’t keep pretending. Please, don’t push me away.”

Michael inhaled deeply, his breath shaky. Knowing Lacey as intimately as he did, he understood her too well. Her words felt jarringly out of place, sweet to the point of discomfort, especially delivered in a tone she usually despised.

“Stop playing games, Lacey.” He removed her hands from his body.

Lacey’s eyes flickered with a touch of anxiety. She had always been magnetic, her liveliness winning over everyone since her youth. Yet, Michael remained unaffected, a puzzle she couldn’t solve.

The more she flirted, the clearer Michael’s mind became. “Michael, are you impotent?”

Frustration creased Michael’s brow as he retorted, “Is that all you’re after? Just to sleep with me?”

Lacey was just teasing him at first, and she always saw Michael as nothing more than a friend. But now, she refused to back off. “Yes. Can we?”

“It’s not going to happen.” Michael zipped up his jacket with a definitive tug.

Lacey couldn’t tell if she had pushed too far or not far enough. “Hey, you’re not going to spill this to Adrian, are you?”

Michael’s hand paused on the door handle. After a heavy silence, he said, “I’ll help you this time. But keep out of Adrian’s affairs, Lacey. They’re complicated enough.”

“Bah!” Lacey scoffed, lounging back on the bed, her arm propping up her head as she waved dismissively. “Goodbye then. You’re missing out on genuine affection, Michael. What a shame.”

Michael shot her a last look, his expression unreadable, then swung the door open and strode out, his steps brisk and determined.

He retrieved a cigarette from his pack, the smoke curling up as he inhaled deeply, trying to cool the flames of desire that she had stoked. That damn woman had the nerve to say she liked him. She probably didn’t even know what liking someone meant.

On the weekend, Katherine accompanied Joelle to the hospital for a secret pregnancy check-up. The hospital was recommended by Rafael, known for its confidentiality. However, for caution, Joelle still had Katherine accompany her and even used Katherine’s name for registration.

After a series of exams, she and Katherine waited for the results in a nearby café. Katherine took a photo of a dessert and accidentally posted it from her work account. To her surprise, the first person to like it was Frankie.

This was a rare opportunity. She hadn’t forgotten her original purpose of contacting Frankie. If she was going to do business, she had to play the long game. Since Frankie had liked the post, it indicated he was online. Katherine took the initiative to message him. If not now, when would be the right time to chat?

“Really, Frankie? Even have time to browse friends’ updates?”

Frankie replied instantly, “Just caught a moment while I’m free. Are you at work?”

Katherine glanced at Joelle. Then she answered, “No, I’m off today, just enjoying some coffee with a friend.”

Frankie typed, “I regret missing you last time. I’m free now. Can we talk?”

Katherine made a noise in surprise. “But I’m currently in my country.”

Frankie replied, “I knew. I saw the location shared in your post.”

Keyla asked, “Are you here as well?”

Frankie sent a face-palm laughing emoji. “I never said I was abroad.”

Keyla replied, “Great. I’m free now, but I’m here with my friend.”

Frankie took longer to reply this time. “Are you turning me down?”

Katherine smiled and typed, “Isn’t that what you did to me last time?”

Joelle noticed Katherine’s amused expression as she glanced at her phone, her curiosity piqued. “What’s so fun?”

“Nothing, just chatting with a client.”

“Is he good-looking?”

Katherine took a sip of her drink. “Haven’t met him. But judging by his voice and how he talks, he sounds like he could be.”

Joelle teased her, “You’re not getting swept up in an online romance, are you?”

Katherine crossed her legs, settling back with a confident air. “This isn’t just some online fling. I’m strategizing my future with a potential client. Did you know his investments rake in as much as a small country’s GDP annually? I need to secure a titan like that.”

Joelle’s expression turned serious. “You snagged such a high-flyer that easily? Doesn’t that make you wonder if he has hidden agendas?”

“If he does, what of it? There’s no way I could offer him as much as he can offer me. In business, you can’t afford to second-guess every detail. You should talk to Shawn; leveraging your looks is all part of the game.”

As if on cue, Joelle’s phone began to ring at that moment—it was Shawn.

.

.

.