Chapter 4
Anya couldn't just stand by anymore. She spoke up for Chris gently, "Miss, your boyfriend has been so good to you. Why are you treating him like this?
"He isn't even mad that you cheated on him. Why are you still giving him such a hard time?"
Chris gave Anya a grateful glance, then whipped around and snapped at me, his patience clearly gone.
He said, "Valeria, I'm only going to say this one more time—leave with me right now. We'll handle our problems in private. Stop making a scene in a hotel."
I was about to lose it.
Chris was always the nice guy, eager to please everyone.
Back then, I thought that was one of his best traits.
He was so soft-hearted, always putting others before himself.
Now, looking back, I just want to slap myself for ever falling for that.
He was the type who only acted tough at home but turned into a pushover the moment he was outside—too chicken to stand up for himself, always terrified of offending anyone.
He only ever had the nerve to take his frustrations out on me, but around others, he wouldn't even dare breathe. Furthermore, he had to keep up his fake gentle and kind persona.
I must've been blind. Two years with him and I still couldn't see his real self.
"Cut the crap. Just get lost," I said.
Chris was always obsessed with keeping up his perfect image, but after I put him on blast in front of everyone, he finally lost it.
He stormed over, wrapped his arms tight around my waist, clearly dead-set on hauling me away whether I liked it or not.
He was 6 feet tall and weighed in at 140 pounds. Years in the gym had left him ridiculously strong.
I was lifted off the ground and couldn't even fight back.
"Chris, are you out of your mind? This is kidnapping! Let me go," I screamed.
But Chris didn't even look at me. Jaw clenched and eyes steely, he just hauled me out with long, determined strides.
Just then, a towering man strode through the hotel entrance.
Acting purely on instinct, I latched onto the man's arm without a second thought. "Help! He's trying to kidnap me."
When I finally looked up, I was so embarrassed I wished the ground would swallow me whole.
Right in front of me was none other than Kane Callahan—my sworn enemy.
Back in elementary school, Kane and I were seated beside each other.
We hated each other's guts. He'd sneak caterpillars into my books, and I'd pour glue all over his seat.
Six years of sitting beside each other meant nonstop battles—honestly, I lost track of how many times our folks got called in by our teachers to deal with us.
Our families were business partners. Our grandfathers were old army buddies, and our mothers were close friends.
I only learned later that my family made sure we sat beside each other on purpose, hoping we'd get close.
They thought we would grow up as childhood sweethearts and end up tying the knot when we grew up.
But instead of ending up together, we nearly became sworn enemies.
As we grew older, we just drifted further and further apart.
By high school, we were like complete strangers. That was finally when our families gave up on the whole matchmaking.
I had thought Kane was in Naicasland. I'd no idea how he turned up at this hotel all of a sudden.
"Hold up." Kane blocked Chris's path, tossing me a half-amused glance. "She told you to let go—didn't you hear her?"
Chris shot Kane a glare, irritation flashing across his face at the intervention. "Look, man, this is between me and my girlfriend. Just butt out."
I couldn't play dead anymore. Even if Kane ended up mocking me for it, I had to shake off the scumbag Chris for good.
"Girlfriend, my ass!" I snapped at Chris. "Who said I'm your girlfriend? Let me go, now."
I turned to Kane. "Kane, call the police. This psycho's trying to kidnap me."
When I called out Kane's name, Chris looked totally stunned.
Without missing a beat, I jabbed my heel hard into Chris' shin.
Chris hissed in pain and let go of me immediately.
As soon as I was free, I darted behind Kane, grabbing onto his shirt. "Just help me out—I'll owe you one."
Chris glared at my hand clutching Kane's shirt, then turned toward Kane.
When he saw Kane's face, the resentfulness in his eyes grew. He remarked snidely, "Wow, Valeria, never thought you knew so many men."
Kane was a little taller than Chris, dressed head to toe in a perfectly-fitted casual suit. There was something about the way he carried himself—one could instantly tell he was not someone one wanted to mess with.
His features were razor-sharp, almost like a sculptor had spent hours crafting them. Just by standing there, he had every eye in the room glued to him.
Kenneth spotted Kane, and a look of pleasant surprise instantly spread across his face.
He hustled over and bowed, wearing an eager, fawning smile. "Mr. Callahan, you're here ahead of schedule. I had even arranged a car to pick you up from the airport."
Kane was a super VIP at Starmore hotel.
Anyone who spent over ten million there was granted lifetime VIP status.
Every manager had to memorize their names, and the best presidential suites in the hotel were always kept aside just for them.
Just looking at Kenneth practically falling over himself to please Kane, one didn't need to be a genius to tell Kane was a big shot.
Chris was practically seething with jealousy. He couldn't hold back anymore. "Valeria, I really underestimated you. So the whole ice queen act of yours was just for the broke guys, huh?
"But the second you spot someone rich, you're all over them."
Kane let out a dry laugh.
He glanced down at me with a mocking smile. "Seriously, this is your ex? The guy you were actually thinking of bringing home?"
God, I wished I'd just drop dead right then.