I sigh and rub my temples as I step into the luxury department store. After the morning I've had-being bent over a kitchen counter by my boss and then basically being proposed to for a business arrangement-I deserve a new pair of shoes.

My Zara shoes were officially retired after the yogurt incident.

I pick out a pair of sleek, black stilettos with red bottoms and hand my card to the cashier with a small, tired smile.

"Declined," the woman says after swiping it.

I blink. "I'm sorry? Try again, please."

Even if I didn't have money on the card-which I most definitely did-Scott was supposed to send me money for playing girlfriend this morning.

She swipes it again. "Declined, ma'am."

I pull out my spare credit card that I only use for emergencies. Of all days that my credit card company decided to screw me over, it was this one.

Fuck.

"Try this one."

"Also declined."

My heart does a weird little skip.

That wasn't possible.

I pull out my phone, my fingers trembling slightly as I logg into my banking app. I expect to see the generous deposit Jin-hoon had made this morning. Instead, my blood turns to ice.

The balance is a negative number. A very large, very scary negative number.

I stare at the screen, my vision blurring. There is a credit from Scott's company, but immediately following it is a massive debit. And then another. And another.

"Is there a problem?" the cashier asks, her tone shifting from polite to suspicious.

"I... I have to go," I whisper. I hurry out of the store, my breath coming in short, ragged gasps.

I stand by the roadside under the bus shed-I hate driving and don't know how, so I never bothered buying a car.

I call the bank's 24-hour customer service line immediately.

"Hello!" I say to the person on the line after the bank routes me through several automated voices. "I'm calling to dispute some debits on my account. I never made those transactions."

"Can we have your bank information?" a soft feminine voice asks.

I relay it to her.

"Yes. You made those transactions."

"No, no I didn't... I..."

"I'm sorry, Ms. Claire," the representative says after ten minutes of me frantically explaining that I hadn't spent a dime. "But these transactions were authorized through your personal laptop. The security keys were all correct."

"But I didn't do it! It's fraud! thousands of dollars are gone, and I'm in debt!"

"The funds were moved into various charity accounts and real estate management firms," the woman continues, sounding almost impressed. "For the real estate... it looks like a very strategic, long-term investment. Proving it is fraudulent will be nearly impossible since it was done from your home IP address."

"I was at my boss's house all morning!" I shout into the phone.

"You can come in on Monday to file a formal dispute, but I should warn you, these types of cases rarely go in the favor of the account holder when the passwords haven't been changed and it was done from your registered device."

I hang up, feeling sick.

I rush home, my mind racing. Luckily, I had pre-purchased bus tickets.

The moment I step into my apartment, I know someone has been here from the way it smells.

Like a man's cologne.

I walk into the kitchen and stop dead.

On the fridge, stuck on with a magnet, is a small yellow post-it note.

You're lucky you weren't home. You would have paid in more ways.

- CT

I sink to the floor, my legs giving out.

Owen.

I hadn't changed my passwords since Owen lived with me. I had been so relieved to get him out of my life and in jail that I'd forgotten how much of my digital life he had access to, and that one day, he was going to be released.

Monday morning feels like a funeral and with my mood, I am extremely happy Scott has gone to Newark and didn't need me there with him.

I spent my lunch break at the bank, showing them the note and the footage from my doorbell camera. It showed a man in a black hoodie and a mask entering my apartment with a key.

"It could be anyone," the bank manager says, handing the phone back to me. "And since he had a key and your passwords, the bank views this as a domestic dispute, not bank-level fraud. We cannot reverse the transactions."

"I'm going to lose my house," I said, my voice barely a whisper. "The loan... my apartment was the collateral."

"I'm sorry, Ms. Claire. You have thirty days to clear the negative balance before we start the foreclosure process."

I walk out of the bank and stand on the sidewalk. I am so close to just lying in the middle of the road and letting myself get run over by a truck.

I officially have nothing. My savings, my credit, my home-all gone because I had tried to be "understanding" to a man who was a monster and had come back to take revenge.

Where the hell am I supposed to start from after all of this?

My life is over and even after receiving my salary this month, it was not even going to lift anything off the debt.

This man had literally drained my savings.

I pull out my phone and look at the time. Scott was still going to be in Newark for a meeting.

He wouldn't be back until late.

Five million dollars.

It wouldn't hurt to try, right?

"You never call me," Scott's voice comes through the line, sounding smooth and irritatingly calm.

"I want your offer," I say, my voice shaking. I grip my phone so hard my knuckles turn white.

There is a long pause on the other end. I can almost hear the smirk forming on his face.

"The marriage?" he asks.

"Yes," I close my eyes. "The marriage."

"I'll prepare a contract when I am back then. Is that the only reason you called?"

"Yeah... um, will I get paid immediately for it?" I really need to clear my debt as soon as possible and also maybe hire a lawyer who would know how to help me get my money back.

Getting married to my boss couldn't be that bad, could it?

"What happened, Minnie Mo

use?" he asks in a dangerously low voice. "Are you in trouble?"

I swallow hard, not knowing how to answer that question.

If I say yes, my ego will scream at me from the pain. Saying no sounded more convenient.

So what if I am in trouble?

He doesn't need to know that. I accepted his proposal and that was all.

"No sir. I just think the idea is profitable," I manage, clutching tightly to the phone.

I hear him breath sharply, almost like he's irritated. Then his voice came, low and dominating, even through the call.

"You're a terrible liar, Minnie Mouse," His voice reverberates through the device.

Oh God. Why is it so damn hard for him to believe me?

I quickly shake my head, as if he is standing right in front of me, "No sir. You–I honestly just told you–"

"Meet at my apartment by seven p.m, Mouse. Don't be late." He cut me off with the order.

I lower my hand from my ears, my brows twitching with confusion. Now what the hell just happened?

He is in Newark on business. And suddenly he wants to come down to the city for me? Really?

No, that can't be possible.

Scott is arrogant, overbearing and definitely far from nice. He has to be coming home because of other reasons.

But what if...

"Did you hear me?" Scott's voice came again, reminding me that I am still on the call.

I quickly return the phone to my ears, racking my head for the next words to say.

"Sir, you're coming home because of me?" The words escape my mouth before I can stop them, making me bite hard on my lips.

I hear him breath a smirk, "well, you're my girlfriend now. And that means you're now my responsibility. I hope that answers your question."

My eyes widen after hearing that. I thought we are playing pretend? So how come he cares enough to put his business on hold?

"No–no sir. I–there's no need for you to. This isn't a real–"

"No buts Minnie Mouse. Meet me at seven. And wear something nice." He shuns me once more, the beeping sounds of the call disconnecting ringing in my ears.

My heart flutters with a strangely good feeling. Sometimes I hate that he threw orders around and I have to obey every one to the letter. And other times, I kind of like it.

I sigh, turning my gaze towards the brown polished wardrobe with some clothes peeking out. Despite having so many options to pick from, I now feel limited.

I stalk over, pulling out dresses and checking them out on the teddy bear shaped mirror opposite the wardrobe.

My dresses are either too modest or too revealing. I ended up settling for a purple dress with a sweetheart cut that stopped just before my knees. It seems nice enough to fit into the "girlfriend" vibe.

After styling my hair, and applying some make up, I walk out of the house. In a couple of minutes, I arrived at the mansion. The sunset casts over the mansion in a beautiful golden light, giving it a somewhat dreamy look.

But something about tonight is different. On other nights, I've come here as his secretary, but tonight I am coming here as his "girl". That is the last thing I wanted to be anyway.

He is too arrogant to have a woman around. Too nonchalant too.

But since I need money, I have no choice.

I plop out of the cab, and then walked towards the tall black rods that joined to form a gate. I opened the small part with my spare keys and headed for the mansion.

The moment I push the front door open, I meet the furious glare of an elderly woman. My heart stops for a second as the atmosphere grows tense.

Shit.

Scott's grandmother.

I'd totally forgotten she was going to be at his place. She eyes me from head to toe, displeasure clearly written all over her face.

Then she clasps her hands behind her, her brows arching tighter.

"Young lady, shouldn't you be at work? What are you doing here?" She questions.

Dear Lord, help me find the right excuse.

I slowly walk in, keeping my head facing down.

"Files. He'd sent me to get files," I lie smoothly, hoping that she'd buy the lie.

"Files? Are you going to deliver the files telepathically? Isn't he in Newark anymore?" She interrogates me, immediately making me feel stupid for my first response.

I bite hard on my tongue, the sounds of my racing heart echoing through my ears. Now what was I going to say?

If I say one more word, she'd probably come up with more questions. But if I keep quiet, she'll still question me.

Not knowing what to do, I part my lips, hoping that whatever came out of my mouth was going to help the situation.

"Well, I–"

"Hey baby," A familiar voice cut me off, making me spin around.

There he is.

My annoying boss clad in a white shirt and black slacks. He is holding a bouquet of roses and a small pink gift bag. His lips has the perfect smile I'd ever seen.

Wait, a smile? That is actually the first time I've seen him smile!

I'd never have thought that he was capable of it.

My mouth is half-opened, no words coming out due to the shock I was feeling. But then he starts approaching, and his musky scent hit my nostrils, making me feel a strange sense of safety.

He wraps a hand around my waist, pressing his lips against mine so fast that I didn't have time to resist. His lips are soft and so hot at the same time. The tender kiss sends literal sparks down my core.

When he breaks the kiss, I can see the brightness in his eyes. My cheeks burn so hard under his gaze. I attempt to look away but he tilts my chin upwards.

"Tell me, did you miss me?" He asks.