Chapter 2
The car raced through the city and rolled into the underground garage of a high-end apartment building downtown.
This was Zack's place. I'd never set foot here before.
Zack yanked me out of the car and hauled me straight into the elevator.
The polished mirrors in the elevator reflected just how much of a mess we were.
One of Zack's hands was bleeding, the other hand gripping me so tight I could barely breathe, his face so stormy it looked like thunder could strike any second.
And me? I looked like some helpless little thing, dragged along with nowhere to run.
"System! System, help! The plot's gone so far off track it's not even funny," I pleaded silently.
That cold, mechanical voice finally echoed in my mind.
The System said, [Warning: Zack Sherman is way out of character. The plot correction system couldn't kick in.
[Unforeseen force detected. Mission difficulty upgraded. Host, you're on your own.]
I cursed, "What the hell!"
The elevator chimed as it reached our floor.
The doors slid open to reveal a living room so spacious it felt almost unreal.
Everything was black, white, and gray: cold, empty, not a trace of warmth. Just like Zack himself.
Zack tossed me onto the couch and disappeared into his room.
I thought he was going to patch up his hand, and my heart finally loosened up a bit. I was starting to think maybe I could make a break for it.
But the next second, Zack was already back.
In his hand was a thick photo album.
Zack slammed it down on the coffee table in front of me, towering over me with a look that could freeze hell over.
"You said being with me was dull?" he growled.
He leaned in, hands braced on the back of the couch, trapping me in his shadow once again.
"Then tell me—what the hell is this?" he demanded.
He flipped open the album.
The first page? There I was, fast asleep in the library, drooling all over the table, looking absolutely ridiculous.
The second page had me munching on fried chicken, ugly-crying at some TV show, seriously, not my best look.
The third page was a total disaster zone: me trying to cook for him, and the kitchen looked like it had been bombed.
Every single page showed just me, over and over again.
There were all sorts of angles, all kinds of situations, and most were snapped without my knowing that photos were being taken.
Seriously? What kind of psycho did this? These were straight-up stalker pics. Zack must've been spying on me.
My face burned red, then went pale.
But Zack acted like he was offering up a treasure. He pointed at the photos, his voice hoarse and thick with emotion, and said, "You claim all I care about is work, but every project—it was just to wrap up sooner and be with you.
"That cake shop you love? I bought their recipe, spent three months learning it. And the Northern Lights? I'd already booked us a trip to Velmora."
He grabbed my chin, forcing me to look straight into his eyes.
He pressed, "Sophia, is there anything you wanted that I haven't given you?
"Just tell me. What do you really want?"
His gaze was so scorching that it made my heart skip a beat.
The cold, aloof genius from the book, obsessed with research and treating his ex like she was just there for his convenience. Was this really the same guy as the clingy, obsessive romantic standing in front of me?
My mind was spinning, and I was clinging to the only lifeline I had left.
"Nina!" I blurted out. "You and Nina are meant to be! She's your official love interest."
The moment the words left my mouth, the atmosphere in the living room froze.
Zack's face went from stormy to downright arctic in an instant.
He echoed, "Nina?"
Zack slowly straightened up, as if he'd heard the most absurd thing imaginable.
He took off his glasses and tossed them onto the coffee table.
Unshielded, the raw intensity and possessiveness in his gaze were undeniable.
Zack asked, "You mean my mentor's daughter? The one who's always tagging along behind me?"
He gave a soft laugh, but his eyes stayed cold.
He scoffed, "Sophia, since when did your imagination get so colorful?"
Come on, that was not just my imagination. That was the original storyline. Nina was the heroine.
I was so desperate that I shot up from the couch, trying to talk some sense into him.
I said, "Don't you remember? At that academic conference, when your experimental data had a huge flaw, Nina was the one who pointed it out.
"And only last month, when your ulcer flared up, she was the one who rushed you to the hospital.
"You two are perfect for each other! I'm nothing but a mistake."
I was getting more and more desperate, like I was trying to sell Zack on the perfect match.
If only he'd fall for Nina, my cannon fodder quest would finally be mission accomplished.
Zack stood there, his face growing stonier with every word I said.