After Becoming Mortal Enemies

The day Chase found me, his anger evident, I knew my plan must have worked.

He dragged me to a secluded spot, fiddling with his lighter as he demanded, “What the fuck is wrong with you? Who told you to do that?”

As I watched the flame flicker high, illuminating his handsome face, I felt both guilty and scared, my legs instinctively going weak. “Don’t burn me.”

There are some things you just don’t interfere with, like a wedding.

I felt pretty guilty, but since I had taken the money, I had to get the job done.

Chase laughed in exasperation. “Now you’re scared, huh?”

He continued, “I knew there was something twisted about you – if you can’t have it, you destroy it, right?”

I steeled myself. “It’s already done. What else can I do?”

Chase laughed again. “You think you can just say ‘it’s done’ and walk away?”

I lowered my head. “If it comes to it, I’ll just give myself up to you.”

Chase’s eyes swept over me, lingering on a particular spot before he scoffed, “In your dreams.”

He stared at me with disdain. “From now on, stay the fuck away from me. I don’t want to see you again.”

He started to leave, then suddenly turned back, his deep eyes locking onto mine. I had no idea what was going on.

He asked, “What did you just say?”

I replied, “I said it’s already done. What else can I do?”

“Not that part.”

Tentatively, I said, “I’ll give myself up to you?”

He narrowed his eyes. “Deal.”

I was stunned, unsure of what to say.

Wasn’t he supposed to look down on me? What was he playing at now?

Come on, man, we were supposed to be enemies. Get a grip.

“As you wished. Didn’t you always have a thing for me?” Chase stared at me with a mocking smile.

I was still standing there in a daze, feeling like I was in a dream.

Did I just land myself a boyfriend as easily as that?

That same day, he dragged me to meet his mother, announcing that I was his new girlfriend. His mom stared at me, momentarily speechless.

I could tell she was trying hard to keep it together. Finally, she asked, “Didn’t you just get engaged? How can you already have a new girlfriend?”

Chase, looking like he was just playing around, said, “Yeah, well, your son’s just too irresistible.”

I was pretty sure his mom was looking at me like she wanted to kill me.

She probably thought I was there to solve the problem, but it turned out I was the problem.

I might not have been in a relationship before, but I knew this wasn’t how relationships worked.

I wasn’t dumb enough to believe Chase really saw me as his girlfriend. After that day, when he used me to mess with his mom, we didn’t do anything remotely like what a couple would do.

First of all, he never contacted me on his own. Secondly, we were so distant at work that we might as well have been strangers. Thirdly, we never did anything like go on dates or have any kind of intimate interaction.

There was no way I was going to lose out on that money, so I secretly approached his mom and explained that I was just a tool he was using to piss her off.

She seemed relieved.

Finally, one day, I was at a club negotiating a contract with a client. As I left, I spotted Chase.

He was surrounded by beautiful women, drinking and seeming to have a great time.

Even though I knew what our relationship was, I still felt a bit upset.

I pretended not to see him and was about to walk away when he called out to me.

I walked over slowly, unsure if I was really angry or just pretending to be. “You’ve got a girlfriend; yet you’re still out here messing around? What do you take me for?”

Admittedly, I was being provocative, trying to force a conversation.

But he just smirked and said, “That’s just who I am.”

Was that how all scumbags talked?

I gave him a sideways glance. “What exactly are we? We need to sort this out now.”

Chase gave a cold chuckle. “Sort out what?”

I laughed. “Chase, you’re not trying to get back at me, are you?”

Chase snorted. “You think I’m like you? Treating me like your nemesis every day?”

He stood up, staring straight into my eyes. “Honestly, I never gave it a second thought.”

The words didn’t hurt much, but the inherent insult was sharp.

It turned out I was the only one who saw him as a rival. To him, I was nothing. All those little schemes and tricks I’d tried – they just made me feel like I was using a petty heart to judge a noble soul.

Seeing him with that carefree attitude, I felt a bit humiliated.

The whole “girlfriend” thing was just a joke; he had only said it to provoke his mom.

Hadn’t I thought of this already? I was just clinging to a sliver of hope.

I laughed, surprising myself, and nodded. “Got it.”

Then, with a bow, I said, “Sorry for the trouble. Goodbye.”

Not someone I wanted to mess with, not at all.