The chill rolling off Shaun was impossible to miss-it radiated from him in waves. He had thought it was Halsey who asked for his Instagram handle. He had believed it was Halsey who said she liked him, who wanted to meet him for dinner.


    But now, the truth hit him like a p to the face.


    All of it had been in his head. He had been ying a one-man show.


    And now, he felt like aplete joke.


    j


    Geneva’s voice trembled. “Mr. Lane, I really didn’t know… Please, just let me go…”


    Shaun’s face was ice. “Get her out of here. I don’t want to see her again!”


    The bodyguards immediately dragged Geneva away.


    She tried to protest, to beg, but one of them covered her mouth and hauled her off.


    Shaun stood frozen in ce, tall and cold, his sharp eyes turning red with emotion. How could Halsey do this to him?


    Chelsea, of course, wasn’t about to let the moment pass. “See it now? Ms. Mallin doesn’t care about you. She’s been ying with you from the start! If she really loved you, she never would’ve asked you for your Instagram just to give it to Geneva.”


    Warren jumped in, too. “Come on. You have to stop this. Ms. Mallin isn’t right for you. You’ve got to move on. Stop torturing yourself with one-sided feelings. You’re only making a fool of yourself!”


    Shaun really did feel like a fool. He had cleared his whole schedule, dressed up for her, and came here thinking he would see Halsey-but she never showed up.


    Why? Why would Halsey do this to him?


    Shaun brushed past Warren and Chelsea and stormed out, his long strides full of anger.


    “Where are you going?” Warren called out.


    Chelsea shouted after him, “Don’t go looking for Halsey again!”


    Shaun ignored them, got into his luxury car, and sped off into the rainy night.


    +25 BONU


    Back at home, Halsey was alone. Madeline had been called away by her advisor, leaving the


    ce quiet.


    She was trying to work on a design draft, but her mind was somewhere else entirely. She held the pencil, but her focus was gone.


    Hours had passed, and the page in front of her was still nk.


    She nced at the clock. It was already 7:00 PM.


    What was Shaun doing right now? Was he enjoying dinner with Geneva?


    Was he happy?


    Her mind kept circling back to him. She shook her head, trying to drive the thoughts away. She couldn’t keep thinking about him.


    She picked up a knife to sharpen her pencil, but her hands weren’t steady. The de slipped and cut her finger, leaving a bright line of red.


    Blood welled up.


    Halsey dropped the knife and quickly brought her finger to her mouth.


    Just then, thunder cracked outside with a loud boom, and rain started pouring down.


    She rushed to the window. The rain was already hitting the ss hard. She reached out to


    close it.


    Right then, her door flew open with a loud crash, making her jump.


    ?????????? ???


    She turned around in shock.


    And there he was-Shaun.


    He stood in the doorway, tall and sharp, rain dripping off one side of his body. He held his


    ck suit jacket in one hand, the rest of him still dressed in a crisp white shirt and dark


    trousers. His chest rose and fell as he stared at her.


    Halsey froze. “You’re back…so early?”


    Shaun’s lips curled into a cold smile. “What, disappointed? Were you hoping I wouldn’te back at all tonight?”