Chapter 3
Chapter 3
Mia was exhausted. Her legs ached from standing for hours, her head throbbed from the endless stream of demanding customers, and her soul felt drained from another day of pretending to be unbothered.
Casa Lounge had been bustling tonight, and all she wanted now was to catch the next bus home, crawl into bed, and pray that her mother and siblings were out of the house. She couldn’t deal with them today-not with their drama, their judgment, and their constant reminder of the name she desperately wanted to escape.
She stood at the bus stop, clutching her bag tightly, watching as headlights passed by, one after the other. The night air was cool, the breeze teasing strands of her hair.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the purr of an engine. Mia looked up, startled, as a sleek black sports car slowed to a stop in front of her. Its headlights bathed her in blinding light. She squinted, taking a step back, ready to bolt if necessary. Nothing good ever came out of expensive cars stopping for people like her.
The door opened, and out stepped Alexander Blackwell.
Mia’s breath caught in her throat.
He wasn’t just handsome; he was devastatingly handsome. Towering with broad shoulders, a face carved like a Greek god, and an aura of confidence that demanded attention, Alexander Blackwell was every bit the enigma he is said to be. His presence was overwhelming, the kind of presence that knocked the air out of your lungs before you even realized it.
He leaned casually against his car, his gaze fixed on her like he had all the time in the world.
“Hey,” he said, his voice smooth and laced with an edge of arrogance.
Mia blinked, unsure if her brain was playing tricks on her. She glanced behind her, twice, certain there must be someone else he was addressing. Surely, ‘a Blackwell’ couldn’t be talking to her.
“I’m talking to you, Turner,” he said, smirking.
Her mind went blank. All she could do was stammer. “W-what? Me?”
“Yup.”
Mia clutched her bag tighter. She looked at him like he’d just announced the sky was green. “Why… why are you talking to me?”
His smirk deepened, and then, without warning, he said, “Go on a date with me.”
Mia froze. The words hit her like a thunderclap. Did she hear him right? She blinked rapidly, waiting for the punchline, but his face remained serious, even amused.
“What?” she choked out. “Y-you have a girlfriend.”
Alexander shrugged, pushing his hands into his pockets. “Not anymore. We broke up. Check the news, Turner.”
The casual way he said it made her feel like she’d stepped into some alternate reality. Her mind struggled to catch up.
“I don’t understand,” she said, her voice shaky.
“How much?”
Mia blinked again. “What?”
“I said, how much to go on dates with me?”
1/2
Chapter 3
It took her a second to process his words. Her jaw dropped as realization hit her. “You… you want to pay me to go on dates with you?”
“Maybe,” he said, his tone nonchalant, as if he were discussing the weather.
“Why?” she demanded, her voice rising in confusion. “You don’t even know my name!”
“I know enough, Turner.”
God! she hates when she’s being address like this
Mia felt anger under her exhaustion. Her hands balled into fists at her sides. “No,” she said firmly.
Alexander raised a brow. “What?”
“I said no.”
He tilted his head, genuinely surprised. “Why?”
Mia stared at him, incredulous. “What do you mean, why? You don’t even know me. You’ve never talked to me before. And now you suddenly want to-what?-buy me for dates? When I just saw you yesterday with your girlfriend”
“Don’t tell me you were watching me, Turner,” he said, his smirk returning.
“You wish,” she snapped.
“Trust me, that can’t be part of my wishes,” he said coolly. His eyes glinted with amusement. “Name your price, Turner.”
“I said no!” she spat, her voice firm. “You can’t just buy people to go on dates with you. I’m not interested.”
Alexander’s smirk faltered for a split second. He stepped closer, his presence overwhelming, as he stared down at her. “You’re a Turner,” he said, his tone dropping. “Stop acting like you have any pride”
Her chest tightened, anger bubbling inside her. “Please, leave me alone,” she said through gritted teeth.
He stepped back, his smirk returning like a mask. “Three dates, Five thousand, for each.”
Mia’s eyes widened. “What?”
“You heard me. Sleep over it, Turner.”
And just like that, he turned, got into his car, and drove off, leaving her standing there, speechless, her thoughts swirling into
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