Chapter 1

"It's just dinner with my dad. Why are you so nervous?" Jake's voice spoke volumes about his frustration.

He searched for Scarlett's eyes in the rearview mirror, and she pursed her lips once their eyes met. Jake was her boyfriend of two years, and he was currently driving their old, trashy Volvo down a luxurious street past the speed limit.

It was a beautiful evening, but Scarlett couldn't relax. Her heart was racing while her hands were sweaty. She took a deep breath, which did nothing to calm her down.

And eventually, she snapped.

"Because we are broke, Jake!" Scarlett glared at her boyfriend. "We got thrown out of our apartment, and now we are eating dinner with your billionaire dad. And you told him it was because you missed him when the truth is that we need his money! We are leeches, Jake!"

Jake raked his fingers through his dark hair. "Do you have a better idea then? My dad is a billionaire. He won't care if we borrow some money, and he certainly won't miss it!"

"It still doesn't make it right!" Scarlett argued. 

She felt silly wearing high heels and a red velvet dress. The only reason Scarlett had agreed to wear it was because Jake thought it might help the situation. Did he want her to seduce his own dad? 

Regardless, Scarlett didn't feel like herself wearing pretty makeup and such a revealing dress. Her breasts were spilling over, and her lips were smeared red. Even her blonde hair looked glossy tonight.

Why wasn't Jake dressed up?

As usual, her boyfriend was clad in an oversized hoodie and sweatpants. Not that Scarlett usually cared what Jake wore, but he looked like he planned to run a marathon and not socialize at a fancy dinner.

"Scarlett... Babe..." Jake tried to calm her. "You're worrying too much. We will loan some money and—"

"We should tell your dad the truth!" Scarlett interrupted him. "I have anxiety over this dinner, Jake! You should feel guilty too!"

"Nah, I don't, and we can't tell my dad the truth," Jake shook his head and sighed deeply. "It's too late for that."

Scarlett crossed her arms over her chest and muttered. "You never call him, so he probably knows you want something already."

"Whatever."

Jake ignored Scarlett and drove towards a beautiful white mansion.

The elegant gates were open, and oak trees lined the gravel route. The mansion itself was exquisite and looked like it might have belonged to a famous movie star. 

It was beginning to dawn on Scarlett that Jake's dad was loaded. She didn't know a whole lot about him. Jake and Scarlett had been together for two years, and Jake hardly ever mentioned his dad. 

Apparently, Jake was born when his dad was only sixteen years old. His parents were never together and had only met as a hookup. Or so Jake's sob story went.

"I'm going to park right here," Jake said once they were outside the stairs leading to the mansion's grand doors.

Scarlett lifted an eyebrow. 

In her eyes, it was unsophisticated to park right below the staircase. Why couldn't Jake use the garage like a regular person? It was the civilized thing to do.

She wet her lips. "Won't your dad be mad that we park right outside the stairs? It seems a bit rude..."

"Nah, my dad is cool." Jake smiled and got out of the car. 

Scarlett followed suit. She tried to channel her inner calm but audibly gasped once she saw the white mansion.

It looked massive when you stood next to it!

Scarlett's nerves went through the roof, and she could barely stand straight. Jake's dad came from money—Scarlett worried he might look down upon someone such as herself.

She was a foster kid and had no money growing up. And Scarlett fantasized the rich could smell the scent of poverty on her skin from a mile away. It was such a shame since it gave birth to fear, which wouldn't help her impress Jake's dad.

Scarlett desperately wanted Jake's dad to like her. The only reason she didn't melt from the sheer pressure was that Jake held her arm. 

"You look beautiful tonight," Jake said as he used his entire arsenal to keep his wobbly girlfriend standing straight. He wasn't a large man but somehow managed to keep them both from falling. 

"You think so?"

"Yes, I love what you did with your hair."

"Thank you." Scarlett smiled. She had put up her blonde hair in a hair clip when she usually wore it down. It felt weird to not have anything covering her ears, but at least Jake thought she looked pretty.

"You're welcome," Jake peered up at the mansion. "Ready to head inside?"

Scarlett grimaced. "Not really."

"Well, it's too late to go back, and we really need the money."

"I guess you're right..."

"I am."

"Okay, just let me gather myself."

Scarlett took a deep breath, and the two of them began walking up the stairs until Jake suddenly stopped mid-step. His cellphone was ringing, and he grimaced at the inconvenience. 

"I need to take this," Jake nodded up at the doors. "Why don't you head inside? This might take a while."

"Oh, okay?" 

Scarlett tried to keep the smile on her face, but her boyfriend had so many mysterious phone calls lately. It bothered her. But she didn't want to fight with Jake tonight. 

"Don't worry," Jake flashed her a grin. "My dad won't bite you."

Scarlett laughed. "I hope not… Well, I will head inside!"

"Great!"

Jake headed back to the car, and Scarlett lifted her chin and set course for the grand doors. Her legs were shaking as she pulled up the heavy door with her arms.

Scarlett had never been inside a fancy house before and immediately felt out of place when she walked inside. Goosebumps prickled over her arms, and her eyes bulged out of their sockets.

A chandelier lit up the entrance, and two grand staircases went in different directions. Red carpets covered the white steps, and the black railings were luxurious and wielded with lots of details. Scarlett didn't know where to look!

Everything was gorgeous.

Scarlett took in her surroundings in awe while walking forward, lost and distracted. She didn't even notice the elevated floor. 

Instead, Scarlett stumbled forward, tripping over her feet and falling headfirst into a broad chest and a pair of thick arms that caught her. 

Oh no! Two seconds in, and she had already made a fool of herself. Her heart raced as she wet her lips. "I-I'm so sorry for—"

Holy cow!

Did Jake have an older brother?

Scarlett gaped like a goldfish and blinked up at an amused face above her. The other person's silent laughter made embarrassment tackle its way to her chest. 

Why did this man have to be handsome?

Scarlett felt like sinking through the earth to never return. The gentle hands that helped her stand belonged to such an attractive man. And he kept watching her until his melodic voice rang in her ears. 

"You must be Miss Greyson?"

"Uh... Yes, that would be me," Scarlett was mortified. She cursed her clumsiness and struggled to keep her voice steady. "Who are you?"

Scarlett had to crane her neck to look up—this man was tall, dressed in an elegant navy suit and a black tie. 

His brown hair was unruly like he had run his hand through it multiple times tonight. He had stubble. And dark, intense eyes underneath thick, brown eyebrows regarded her in silence. 

Scarlett had trouble understanding this was an actual person. He looked like he had walked out straight from a poster.

The two of them kept staring at each other in silence until, eventually, the man spoke. 

"I'm Griffin Archer, Jake's dad," his lips curled into a faint smile. "Who else would I be?"

Scarlett gasped. "But you look so young!"

Immediately, Scarlett covered her mouth after blurting out what she was thinking. Panic settled in her chest, and she peered up at Griffin with horror striking her features. 

She expected him to call her rude and never let her inside his home again. But to her surprise, Griffin's lips tilted up further by the corners, hinting at amusement rather than him taking insult.

Yet it was difficult to tell what the man was thinking.

Griffin didn't seem like the type who was very open about his emotions. He was extremely calm, and if Scarlett was honest, she found him intimidating. When he moved and spoke, the man radiated wealth and power from his every pore.

Beautiful people were scary.

"Are you always so free-spoken?" Griffin asked with an arched eyebrow.

Scarlett blushed. "I lack a filter... But I'm working on it."

"I see," a ghost of a smile played over Griffin's lush lips. He seemed amused, but Scarlett could be mistaken. When he spoke again, he almost sounded kind. "Follow me."

"Uh... S-sure!" Scarlett paused. "Wait. Where are we going?"

This time, Griffin breathed a laugh. He threw her a smile over his shoulder. "I thought you came here to eat dinner, Miss Greyson?"

Her cheeks couldn't burn any hotter. "Right..."

Griffin seemed massively entertained. "The dinner has been ready for an hour. I'm keeping it warm but sent my private chef home," he turned around to study Scarlett. "I hope you don't mind that it's simply homemade pizza tonight?"

Scarlett's blush intensified. She didn't like to be in the spotlight. Griffin had the most intense way of looking at a person. He gave her his undivided attention, which sent shudders down her spine. 

Scarlett was a shy person.

"Pizza sounds lovely," she wet her lips. "Do you like pizza?"

"I would hope so since that's what I'm serving," Griffin deadpanned, and Scarlett fought the need to roll her eyes at herself. Why had she asked a question with such an obvious answer?

"I'm sorry..." Scarlett apologized and tried to keep up with Griffin as they walked down the corridor. "I'm rather nervous."

"I can tell."

"Sorry."

"May I ask why you're nervous?"

"Huh? Isn't it obvious?" Scarlett lifted her chin. Her heart was racing. "I mean... W-why wouldn't I be? Your Jake's dad and I want to leave a good impression."

When she said those words, Griffin's face seemed to soften. His pace slowed down, and he assessed Scarlett for the billionth time. Up and down, taking in the whole picture of her like there would be a test and paper about what clothes she would wear tomorrow.

"You seem like a good person," Griffin said.

"Yeah," Scarlett shyly smiled. "People usually describe me as kind, but some of my friends call me a dreamer and complain that I space out too often."

Scarlett had no idea why she had just said that or why it felt so natural to speak to Griffin. It surprised her when he didn't bat an eye and simply continued the conversation.

"And do you think they are right?"

Scarlett's lips curled higher up her face. "I'm guilty as charged."

Griffin actually smiled. "I'm guilty of being a dreamer too. It's actually not a weakness, and if you need any evidence, look around you—my fortune would be the proof."

Scarlett once more let her eyes take in the expensive furniture and the beautiful paintings. "You seem like a successful man."

"I'm a very successful man," Griffin held up the door leading into the grand, enormous kitchen. "Ladies first."