Still, he quickly composed himself, tightening his jaw. As she stopped in front of him, their eyes met, and he straightened his posture, forcing his voice to sound steady.
“I want to make one thing clear,” he said, his tone clipped. “I agreed to date you just to deal with my mom. I don’t really love you. It’s just… she won’t leave me alone, so… I said yes.”
He watched her closely, expecting outrage or at least some protest. But Emma didn’t flinch. She listened quietly, her expression calm and unreadable.
And when he was done—
There was no change in her expression.
Not even the slightest flicker.
She simply gave a small nod.
“Okay,” she said softly.
That was it.
Shock spread across Harold’s face, his brows pulling together as if he couldn’t quite process what just happened.
Then, as if remembering something, he added, “My mom said if we start dating, we’ll have to live together. So… are you moving into my house?”
“You can move into mine if you want,” Emma replied effortlessly.
Harold froze.
For a second, he looked completely thrown off.
Then he stiffened again, pride snapping back into place.
“I won’t be sleeping in a separate room,”Emma tilted her head slightly, her voice still soft—almost thoughtful. “If we’re dating, we’ll share the same room… won’t we?”
Harold’s face betrayed him instantly—like he’d just been stung by a bee. His cheeks flushed red despite his effort to hide it.
He turned his head away sharply, avoiding her gaze.
When he spoke again, his voice came out louder than necessary, slightly tight.
“Just—come to my house tomorrow,” he said quickly. “Bring your luggage. I’ll send you the address.”
Before she could respond, he hurried to his car, slammed the door shut, and the vehicle roared out of the parking lot as if something was chasing him.
Then—
A soft chuckle slipped from her lips.
She shook her head slightly, murmuring under her breath,
“He’s cute.”
That night, Emma packed her things, neatly arranging everything into a suitcase.
The next evening—
She stood in front of Harold’s house. A quiet, standalone villa, isolated from the noise of the city, built with clean, modern architecture. The structure was sleek and minimal, with large glass windows and sharp lines that gave it an expensive, understated elegance.
Emma lifted her gaze, taking in the house for a moment before stepping forward.
When Emma’s car came to a stop in front of the house, Harold was already standing by the door. The moment she stepped out, he took a step toward her, frowning.
