She shifted uncomfortably in the leather seat, pressing herself against the car door to avoid brushing against him.
Vale caught the movement from the corner of his eye and scoffed. She's acting like I'm the one desperate to touch her? The irony was almost laughable. If anything, he was the one who should've been recoiling.
The chauffeur cleared his throat. "Sir, where to?"
"The hotel," Vale said curtly.
The chauffeur hesitated, lips parting to remind him about the blind date waiting for him. But Vale's cold eyes cut him off instantly.
"Do what I say."
"Yes, sir." The driver stiffened and turned back to the road.
Meanwhile, Sera tilted her head, completely unaware of the stormy silence in the air. "So… what's this job about? And how much do I make?"
Vale didn't answer. His jaw flexed once, his eyes fixed on the window. Instead, he called the chauffeur's name, voice smooth but commanding.
The chauffeur glanced at the mirror. "You'll be accompanying the boss to a gala tomorrow night. As his… companion."
"Companion?" she frowned. "What, like I just follow him around?"
The chauffeur nodded. "Exactly."
She squinted at Vale. "And why couldn't you say that yourself? Is your mouth broken or something?"
Vale's brow twitched, but he ignored her.
"How much is the pay then?" she pressed.
The chauffeur named a figure—an amount that barely scratched the surface of Vale's wealth.
Sera's jaw dropped. "What?!" she yelped, clutching her chest. "For one night?!"
The sudden outburst finally dragged Vale's attention to her. His lips pressed into a thin line. "Isn't it enough?"
Her mouth opened and closed like a fish. "It's—It's too much for just… just hanging out!" she stammered.
Vale's frown deepened, genuine confusion flashing across his face. "Are you from outer space?" he asked flatly. "Most women would've sold their souls for half that amount."
Sera narrowed her eyes, muttering, "Well, I'm not most women."
Vale scoffed, but for the first time that evening, something like amusement flickered in his gaze.
---
Inside the car, Sera finally sighed. "You can just drop me at the bus stop. I'll go home from there."
Vale didn't even look up from his tablet. "No. If the money is too much for you, then you can be my companion for the whole day before the gala."
Her head whipped toward him. "Excuse me? The whole day?"
"That's right."
Sera's mouth dropped open. "And where exactly am I supposed to sleep? On the sidewalk? And what about food? Should I start chewing air?"
Vale pinched the bridge of his nose. He had already said more words today than he had in an entire week.
The chauffeur, catching the strain in his boss's tone, quickly stepped in. "Miss, you'll be lodged in a hotel. Everything will be taken care of."
Sera blinked at him, weighing the offer. Truth be told, she was exhausted. "Fine," she muttered at last.
She pulled out her small, outdated phone to text her friend. Her fingers fumbled over the keypad as she squinted at the screen. Vale, who had been quietly scrolling through his iPad, caught sight of it.
His usually composed, handsome face scrunched up in sheer disbelief, like someone had just handed him a stone tablet from the caveman era.
"What's that?" he asked dryly.
"My phone, of course," Sera shot back, biting her tongue to stop herself from screaming can't you see?!
Vale stared at her for another long second, then lifted his own sleek phone and made a call, completely ignoring her grumbling.
Minutes later, the car rolled to a smooth stop before a towering five-star hotel, its golden lights gleaming against the night sky.
Sera stepped out and nearly tripped. "This place?!" Her eyes widened as she spun in a circle, gawking at the marble pillars and glittering chandeliers visible through the glass doors. "You're lodging me here?!"
Vale barely spared her a glance as he pressed a key card into her palm.
Clutching it, she frowned. "We're not sleeping in the same room, right? Because let me tell you now—"
Vale cut her off with a scoff. "Don't flatter yourself. You're too slim. Who would want to sleep with you?"
Her jaw fell open in shock, but before she could retort, the chauffeur ushered her inside.
A staff member guided her to her suite. It was larger than her entire apartment, with a king-sized bed, plush couches, and a bathroom that looked like something out of a luxury magazine. Sera stood there, frozen, unsure if she was allowed to touch anything.
Not long after, there was a knock at the door. A hotel attendant wheeled in a small package. When she opened it, her jaw nearly unhinged—inside was the latest iPhone.
By the time she finished soaking in the warm bath, her body pampered by luxury she'd never imagined, Sera collapsed into the soft bed. She hugged the new phone to her chest and drifted off to sleep, a smile tugging at her lips.