Fake Husband, Real Affair

Chapter 9

I sat in the passenger seat, completely thrown off by Caleb's behavior.

"Mr. Young, do you… know me?" I asked cautiously.

He turned his head, giving me a small smile. "Why so formal? No need to call me Mr. Young like everyone else. Just Caleb."

He hadn't answered my question, so I pressed on.

"I need to clear something up with you. You might not be aware, but I'm Sean's ex-wife. What happened tonight, you used me to deflect Mischa's attention. That might affect my personal life later, so I'd really appreciate it if you could clarify to the media that we're not, "

"Who said I was joking about pursuing you?" he interrupted, calm as ever.

I blinked, confused. "Wait… what?"

"When you were dating Sean," he said, his tone almost resentful, "your mom actually preferred me."

I stared at him, trying to piece it all together. A vague memory surfaced, before Sean and I had gone public, we agreed to keep things lowkey. My mom, growing anxious, had tried to set me up on a blind date. All I knew at the time was that the guy was the illegitimate son of the Young family chairman. I didn't understand her urgency, so I refused.

"I never showed up for that blind date," I said slowly. "How did you recognize me?"

Caleb just smiled again, maddeningly unreadable.

I could tell I wasn't getting any more out of him, so I let the subject drop. He drove me back to my apartment in silence. As we pulled up, I hesitated before getting out, then decided to say what was on my mind.

"You're impressive, Mr. Young. I'm sure you'll find the right person soon. But me? I'm introverted… not really cut out for relationships. I hope you find someone who truly suits you."

Caleb didn't say a word, just stared out the windshield, deep in thought.

I grabbed my bag, opened the door, and stepped out. Once inside, I kicked off my heels and pulled the curtains open to let in some air. That's when I noticed the sleek Maybach still parked below. Caleb was leaning casually against it.

My phone buzzed with a message request. It was from Caleb. I thought for a second, then chose not to accept it. Almost instantly, a text came through from an unknown number:

[I'll pick you up for class tomorrow morning.]

I replied quickly:

[No need.]

Out of habit, I glanced back out the window and saw him getting into the car and driving away.

The next morning, I opened the window, and there he was. Caleb, dressed in a black suit, already chatting it up with the security guard downstairs. The morning sun lit up his face like something out of a magazine.

After getting ready, I headed down. He greeted me with a bright smile.

"Morning," he said.

I nodded politely. "Good morning, Mr. Lambert," I added, acknowledging the guard.

Mr. Lambert smiled knowingly. "Krystal, is this your boyfriend? He seems like a good one! Most tenants barely say hi, but this guy, "

He trailed off, giving Caleb a thumbs-up.

Flustered, I waved my hands. "No, no, Mr. Lambert, you've got it wrong. He's my teacher, not my boyfriend."

Mr. Lambert looked disappointed. "That's a shame."

"No need to be disappointed," Caleb cut in smoothly. "I'm pursuing her."

Mr. Lambert lit up like a Christmas tree. "Well, in that case, you two make a great pair! Don't give up, young man!"

I quickly pulled Caleb aside, cheeks burning. "Why are you here again?" I hissed. "I thought I was pretty clear last night."

A breeze swept past us, blowing a loose strand of hair into my face. Caleb gently brushed it away.

"I told you," he said softly. "I came to take you to class."

I stepped back, fixing my hair and trying to collect myself. "You're my mentor. This is… really inappropriate."

He gave me that same calm, confident smile. "We're both adults. Who says a mentor can't go after the woman he likes?"