Chapter 7

"Ava, I think..." Nathaniel tried to talk to me while we ate. 

"You think nothing...please just eat and lets get out of here." I cut him off. 

"You are really stubborn and that's what I don't like about you." He said. 

"Then I think I should level up my stubbornness to make sure you dislike me even more." I shot back. 

He suddenly leaned forward, his hand coming towards the side of my face like he wanted to caress me. I stared at him confused and disgusted. What was he trying to do?

I shoved his hand away. "stop it! what are you trying to do?"

"Your hair was in your plate and I just wanted to help you pull it out" He said.

"oh please! all you had to do was tell me. Don't come near me" I said disgusted.

He leaned back, smiled and muttered to himself in a low voice, "No wonder her parents need to marry her off by force." 

I dropped my spoon on my plate. "What? What did you just say?"

"I said, this kind of character you have is the reason why you are still single and now your parents have to force you to marry someone". He said looking at me eye ball to eye ball.

I won't lie, what he said hurt me a lot. It was painful to hear him say such a thing about me and I wasn't planning on letting him go scot-free. 

"See who is talking, you're being forced to marry to end your childish playboy era. At your age, you aren't even responsible enough to find a wife on your own". I shot back again. 

He didn't like what I said. He wanted to say something but couldn't find any words. He focused on his food and so did I. Our table was completely quiet till we were about finishing our meals. 

I was one bite away from ending this nightmare of a dinner when a collective gasp rippled through the restaurant.

It started small. A few whispers, stolen glances. But then—ping, ping, ping—phones buzzed, notifications popped up, and suddenly it felt like every single person in the room was looking at us.

A slow, uneasy chill crept down my spine.

Nathaniel leaned back in his chair, like he was used to getting all this kind of attention. “You feel that?”

I swallowed. “What?”

He pulled out his phone, glanced at the screen, and then—he actually laughed.

A deep, amused, completely unbothered laugh.

“Wow.” He tilted his screen toward me. “Looks like we just became the hottest gossip of the night.”

Heart pounding, I grabbed my own phone and clicked on the first notification.

Nathaniel Hargrave’s Secret girlfriend?! New Billionaire Couple Spotted on a Romantic Date!

I blinked. What. The. Hell.

And right below the headline—a high-definition photo of Nathaniel leaning in with his hand almost caressing my face. My mouth was open, frustration written all over my face, while Nathaniel had that damn smirk on his face like he was enjoying my misery.

This was not happening.

It couldn’t be happening.

I started panicking. "No. No, no, no—"

Nathaniel, meanwhile, scrolled through the comments, still too calm for my liking.

"I didn't know Nathaniel could be so formal and romantic with a lady like that"

"OMG! She's so lucky! Nathaniel looks so hot and breathtaking"

"Guess he is off the market now"

"How on earth did she of all people bag a whole Nathaniel Hargrave?"

"She is not his type. Nathaniel likes sexy and more attractive ladies."

“Oh, this one’s good,” he mused. “‘The chemistry is unbelievable! Billionaire bad boy finally tamed?’” He chuckled. “Cute.”

I shot him a murderous glare. “This is NOT cute!”

“Oh, relax.” He took a sip of his whiskey like this wasn’t a public relations disaster. “It’s just a rumor. It’ll fade.”

I let out a short, disbelieving laugh. “Oh, really? Because the last time I checked, people love clinging to juicy, ridiculous, life-ruining gossip!”

Nathaniel shrugged, completely unfazed. “So? Deny it.”

I froze. “What?”

He leaned forward, smirk widening. “Go ahead. Stand up. Announce to the entire restaurant that you, Ava Collins, are absolutely not, under any circumstances, dating me.”

I hated him.

Because suddenly, I became hyper aware of our surroundings.

Of the eyes locked onto us.

Of the fact that the second I stood up and made a scene, I’d only prove the rumors were worth talking about.

Nathaniel knew that. And he was enjoying every second of it.

“You’re evil,” I muttered.

He grinned. “And you’re stuck with me for now.”

Just then, a notification sound came up.

Mom: CALL ME. NOW.

I groaned, my soul leaving my body.

I was about to type a response when a loud, high-pitched voice cut through the air.

Oh no.

Not now. Not here.

I turned just in time to see her—Bella Summers. I*******m model. Lifestyle vlogger. Professional gossip-spreader.

And apparently, my worst nightmare.

Her eyes went wide as saucers when she spotted us, clutching her bright pink phone like it was her lifeline.

“Oh. My. God.” She practically teleported to our table, bouncing on her designer heels. “Nathaniel Hargrave and his mystery date?! You guys, I KNEW something was up!”

I wanted to die. Right there. On the spot. Take me out, universe.

Nathaniel, of course, didn't look amused at all.

He leaned back, his smirk still intact. “Bella,” he greeted smoothly. “A pleasure, as always. You look gorgeous”

Bella giggled. “Oh, you’re so funny, Nate!” She flipped her hair and turned to me, finally noticing my existence. “And who is this" She gave a pause. "lovely lady?”

I forced a little smile. “No one. No one special”

Nathaniel raised a brow. “Ava Collins.”

Bella gasped dramatically, placing a manicured hand over her chest. “AVA Collins?!”

I blinked. Excuse me?

She clutched my arm like we were besties. “The Ava Collins from that viral article about women in marketing?! Oh my God, I actually love your work—wait.”

Her fake excitement turned to gleeful mischief. “Are you guys really dating?”

“No,” I said quickly.

“Yes,” Nathaniel answered at the exact same time.

Bella squealed. 

I whipped around, shooting him a deadly glare. “WHAT. THE. HELL.”

Nathaniel just shrugged. “She was going to say we were a couple anyway. Might as well enjoy the show.”

Bella’s eyes sparkled like Christmas had come early. “I KNEW IT! The slow-burn romance of the year!”

I grabbed Nathaniel’s sleeve, my nails digging into his arm. “Fix. This. NOW.”

He tilted his head, pretending to think. “Mmm… nah.”

I almost lunged at him.

Then, Bella pulled out her phone and started a livestream.

Oh, hell no.

“Hey, guys! It’s Bella Summers, coming to you LIVE from one of the most exclusive restaurants in the city! And guess what? We have a celebrity couple sighting!” She turned the camera to us, smiling like she had just discovered a gold mine.

I panicked. “We’re not—”

Nathaniel wrapped an arm around my chair, leaning in like we were the happiest damn couple alive.

“Hi, Bella’s followers,” he greeted smoothly. “Glad you could join us.”

The comments exploded.

Omg he’s so hot!!

She’s so lucky!!

Wait! isn't that Ava Collins? OMG

Ava looks like she wants to murder him lol

I did.I one hundred percent wanted to murder him.

Bella sighed dreamily. “I can’t believe it! Nate, you used to be such a heartbreaker, but now? You’ve finally found the one!”

I wanted to scream.

Nathaniel, the human disaster that he was, simply chuckled. “What can I say? Fate has a funny way of bringing people together.”

I STOMPED on his foot under the table.

Nathaniel tensed but somehow kept smiling. I, meanwhile, tried to resist the urge to throw a wine glass at his face.

Bella ended the livestream with a wink. “Well, there you have it, folks! Love is in the air! I have confirmed the rumors in a live with Nathaniel and his mystery girl.” She wiggled her fingers at us. “Congrats, you two! Can’t wait for the wedding! Okay, goodbye!”

And then she was gone.

I sat there, stunned, horrified, and dangerously close to committing murder.

Nathaniel looked over at me, his smirk still intact. “Well,” he mused. “That escalated quickly.”

I snapped.

“You—” I pointed at him, voice low and lethal. “Are THE WORST HUMAN I HAVE EVER MET.”

Nathaniel simply shrugged. “You’re welcome.”

I dropped my head to the table.

My phone buzzed again.

Mom: Ava. CALL ME. NOW.

Then another one came through.

Mom: You’re trending.

I lifted my head slowly.

And that’s when I saw them—paparazzi flashing outside the restaurant windows.

Dozens of them.

Waiting.

I stared, stomach dropping.

Nathaniel leaned closer, his voice cool and maddeningly calm.

“Ready for Act Two?”