3 - Don't Fall In Love

Sienna POV

Red smirked and raised a hand, pointing toward the table.

“There’s an envelope on top of that table. Take it and read what’s inside. It’s not that hard to do.”

I took the envelope. Pretending might not be that difficult, but I might end up losing all my hair once I meet this Scarlet woman. Even if I’m brave, there’s nothing I can do if someone grabs my hair—it’s not that easy to escape.

When I opened the envelope, there was a folder inside. I pulled it out and frowned as soon as I saw what was written. It wasn’t printed—it was handwritten on plain white paper. What puzzled me was how uneven the writing was; some letters slanted up, some down, making it confusing to read.

“I’m sure you’re confused by the handwriting,” he said.

“You’re right, I really am—because it’s terrible,” I answered bluntly.

“Watch your words, lady. I’m the one who wrote that. I know it’s not neat, but I wanted to write the conditions myself.”

“You have employees, right? Why not just have them type it for you? You’re making things harder for yourself, bl—”

“I prefer things written by my own hand,” he interrupted, his tone firm but calm. “Even if I can’t see, it doesn’t mean I’ve lost control over my life—or my business.”

That shut me up. For a moment, I felt a strange mix of respect and pity—mostly respect, though. He might be blind, but he clearly wasn’t helpless.

I rolled my eyes and focused on the paper again. Honestly, his handwriting wasn’t that bad—I was just teasing him. The only problem was that the sentences didn’t follow a straight line, so they got mixed up and confusing.

The first line I managed to read said: Don’t fall in love with me.

I grimaced. That was the first condition? Of course that’s exactly what always happens first—typical. He didn’t even start with Plans for Revenge or something more reasonable. Unreal.

I kept reading. The rest seemed fine, though a few of them looked like they’d be hard to follow. Apparently, I had to learn how to act like a respectable woman in society because I was supposed to own a company abroad. Meaning, I had to answer questions intelligently. I thought being a fake girlfriend was just for show, not a crash course in sophistication.

I closed the folder and was about to put it back in the envelope when I paused and looked at Red.

“Don’t look at me,” he said calmly. “There’s a pen on the table. Sign it before you put it back—if you really accept the deal.”

I frowned. “How did you even know I was looking at you?”

“I felt it.”

“Wow. Sensitive much.”

“When one sense is gone, the others grow stronger. You just confirmed it when you asked.”

This guy knows too much. I grabbed the pen and held it tightly, its tip hovering over the signature line. I stared at it for a moment, watching the ink spread slowly across the paper’s surface. Then I closed my eyes and finally signed. I capped the pen and placed the folder back into the black envelope.

“I’m done,” I said.

“Are you sure you’ve finished signing the contract?”

“No.”

“What?!” Red’s brows furrowed.

“Joke! You’re so jumpy. You can even ask your butler to check—it’s really my signature.”

“Good. Your lessons start tomorrow. You’ll study here in my house.”

“Wait! You still haven’t told me how much you’re paying me,” I asked bluntly.

“I think you didn’t read the contract properly. The amount is written right near the signature section.”

“Just tell me. I’m too lazy to open it again.”

“Tsk. Silly girl. Ten million. And if you think that’s not enough, you can ask for more before the contract ends.”

My mouth fell open. Ten million? I could finally rest for a few years! Maybe even start a small business so I wouldn’t have to stay up late working again. I propped my chin on my hand. When someone’s rich, millions are like loose change. Maybe that’s why his ex wouldn’t let him go—she’d live a luxurious life until her last breath with a man like him.

“How long am I supposed to pretend?” I asked, glancing away—he looked like he was about to explode.

“What’s the point of your eyes if you didn’t even read the whole contract? Every answer is there! Why do you think I went through the trouble of writing it myself if you’d just ask me everything because you were too lazy to read?!”

Who wouldn’t be lazy to read that? There were like twenty conditions, and every sentence was long. I only skimmed what I could.

“Just answer me without turning red,” I teased. His face looked like it was about to burst. Being pale really betrayed every emotion—his face turned pink whenever he got angry.

“The contract doesn’t have a fixed end date,” he said finally, his tone controlled. “It ends only when my goal is achieved. Think of it as a results-based deal, not a time-bound one. I don’t waste money on deadlines—I invest in outcomes.”

His words caught me off guard. So that was why he didn’t put a date—it wasn’t carelessness. It was confidence.

“Still sounds intense,” I muttered.

“Revenge isn’t a hobby, Miss Sienna. It’s a plan.”

I studied his face. Some people really had the nerve to cheat on someone this good-looking. Then again, maybe he had a bad temper or some other flaw that pushed Scarlet away. Still, cheating was cheating—she should’ve just broken up with him.

“You’ll live here in my house,” he said. “I hope you also read the rules about staying here.”

I grimaced. Yeah, I definitely missed that part too. He looked like he was about to erupt again.

“You…” He sighed deeply, clearly giving up on my laziness.

“You’re free to walk around inside the house,” he continued, “but don’t touch my things.”

“What, are your things made of gold or something?”

“Each piece of furniture you see is worth one million.”

I choked—even without drinking anything. Just my saliva was enough to nearly kill me. One million per item? The same things could be bought at a local store for under a hundred thousand! He probably wouldn’t even care if one broke. The rich are unbelievable.

“Are you done questioning the prices of my furniture—inside your head?” he asked.

“Not yet.”

“What?!”

I flinched. His patience was shorter than mine.

“Nicolas!” he suddenly shouted. A man came rushing in.

“Sir,” the man bowed slightly.

“Take her to her room so she can rest.”

Nicolas turned to me and smiled politely. He was handsome too—though Red still had the edge, mostly because of the money, I guess.

“Good evening, Ms. Sienna,” he greeted.

I smiled awkwardly. Great, I was wearing something far from ‘respectable.’ Even the butler looked more dignified than me.

“I’ll go to my room first,” Red said, standing up. “Watch her closely until she’s in her assigned room. Don’t let her wander off.”

He walked away with such straight posture, like he wasn’t even blind. He didn’t bump into anything either. I was ready to be impressed—until I remembered his warning about touching things. So basically, he thinks I’m a thief.

“Excuse me, Ms. Sienna,” Nicolas said with another polite smile. “Please, follow me. I’ll show you to your room.”

His teeth were perfectly white and even. My cheap toothpaste could never compare.

I just nodded and followed him. He gestured down the hallway, showing me the way. I walked behind him, looking around as we passed through the massive house. The interior screamed luxury—there was even a red carpet. The ceilings were so high that people looked small, and even though there was no second floor, the place was unbelievably spacious. We’d been walking for what felt like forever.

“Wait a sec,” I said. Nicolas stopped and turned to me. “Which side is Red’s room?”