Chapter 628

"I really have to go. Bye," I said, gently shook off his fingers, and turned to run out, my heart pounding as I escaped.

I shot Elaine a quick text, telling her I was heading back early.

As I sat in the car heading back, the foreign streets slipped by in reverse outside my window. I leaned into the seat, my thoughts all tangled up.

It was just one of those unguarded run-ins, like a page in a book—you just flip it and keep going.

Elaine came back that evening. After her shower, she was towel-drying her hair as she asked, "Ms. Murphy, Davis said you ran into a friend today? And he sounded pretty handsome, too?"

I felt a little startled and quickly said, "Just someone I know, we're not really that close."

"I get it," Elaine laughed. "When you bump into someone familiar in a foreign country, even if you're not close, you still want to chat a bit."

Since she didn't seem to be suspicious, I lowered my eyes to the book in my hands. But while I’d been able to read earlier, now I just couldn't focus at all.

Back to the daily grind of classes. Elaine and I ended up in totally different courses–she was all about finance, while I was thrown into hotel management.

Our classrooms were in separate buildings, so I was stuck going to class by myself every day.

I couldn't get used to the food here at all, and you could literally see I'd gotten skinnier.

Plenty of big shots from home were here for classes, too, so I got to rub shoulders with some of them.

There was this guy named Frank Wallace who definitely had his eye on me. After class, he’d always come over and strike up a conversation–sure, it was all about school or work, but the look in his eyes said he was thinking about way more than just business.

By 4 p.m., class was over, and I was packing up my books, ready to head out.

Frank was right on my heels, following me all the way to the school gate. I was standing by the curb, trying to flag down a taxi.

With a big grin, Frank asked, "How about dinner tonight? I know this great Chinese place."

I gave him a polite smile. "Thanks, but I've already got plans with some friends."

Frank looked a little deflated, hands on his hips, but he came right out and said, "Ms. Murphy, I really like you. Would you consider going out with me?"

"I'm divorced and have a kid. I'm not looking for anything casual," I replied, keeping my tone calm.

Frank perked right up at that. "You're divorced, too? Hey, same here–I've been divorced for over two years. My daughter lives with my ex-wife. Does your daughter live with you?"

I shook my head. "No, she's with my ex-husband."

Frank suddenly acted like we were meant to be together. He leaned in, getting way too close. "Victoria, we've been in class together for a few days now. We've talked about school and work, so we pretty much know each other. Are you really not going to give us a chance?"

My brows knitted in frustration. ‘Why is it so hard to get a cab today?’ I thought.

"I've got two apartments in Shaville. If you agree to be with me, I'll sign one over to you. Plus, I've got stocks and mutual funds–my investments are worth seven figures, easy," Frank boasted.

He figured I was turning him down because I thought he wasn’t well-off enough, so he started showing off his bank account right away.

"And if you're worried my ex-wife might stir up drama, don't be. She lives in Southlake with our kid, and we hardly ever meet–maybe once or twice a year tops…"

I couldn't stand his shamelessness anymore, so I just cut him off. "Sorry, Mr. Wallace, I'm really not interested. And just so you know, I already have a boyfriend."

"Your boyfriend's back in the country, right?" Frank's eyes lit up. "We could mess around here–no strings attached. He'd never find out."

I looked at him like he was some kind of creep. Seriously, how can someone be this shameless?

Frank saw how shocked I was and just shrugged. "Come on, everyone's doing this these days. Don't tell me you're not up for it?"

"You're so old-fashioned," he said, trying to defend himself. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not some kind of jerk. I just think life's too short–why not enjoy it while you can? Honestly, living in the moment is the best thing you can do for yourself. And let's be real, men and women both want the same thing. You're not losing out or anything, right?"

"Mr. Wallace, we're just not on the same page," I replied coolly.

I stared out at the road beyond the school gate–still not a single car in sight.

Frank pointed at a BMW parked not far away, "Hop in, I'll give you a lift. If you won't have dinner with me tonight, I'll just ask you again tomorrow."

I turned my face to the side, keeping my voice cool. "Seriously, I'm not interested. Go ask someone else."

Frank let out a couple of tsks. "Ms. Murphy, why waste your youth? Is it because I'm older than you? It's just seven or eight years–honestly, that's the sweet spot. Older guys know how to take care of a woman way better than those young kids."

I blinked. ‘Seven or eight years older?’

Then I remembered Edward mentioning he was only thirty-two–just five years older than me…

My head buzzed. Why was I thinking about him again?

"Ms. Murphy, no point waiting–there aren't any cabs coming," Frank said, trying to take my hand.

Before I could shake him off, a black Mercedes–Maybach glided up and stopped right in front of us.

The window rolled down, and I froze when I saw the man sitting in the backseat.