AMARA was totally wasted. Rowen did not know what could have been her fate that night if he were not there. The world is full of filthy creatures lurking everywhere, waiting for the right time and the perfect prey.

Rowen carefully put her down on the passenger’s seat. He was buckling her seatbelt when Amara mumbled something.

“I don’t wanna go home…” She shifted her head on the other side.

He heaved a deep sigh and patted her head. If that so, he has no choice but to bring her home.

After making sure that Amara was sitting comfortably, he closed the door to her side. Rowen positioned himself in front of the wheel.

While on their way, she kept on mumbling things. He did not know if she was having a monologue or confiding to him.

“That bitch Ann Margaret, she scammed me big time! She said she used the money for his father’s hospitalization. But I don’t believe her.” Amara scoffed. Her eyes remained shut. “She lied to us in so many ways. She made us look like a fool. Many people hate me and curse at me as if I was the one who scammed the money. I was scammed too, motherfuckers! Tss!”

Rowen suppressed his laugh. He knew it was rude to laugh at her. But the way those curse words rolled on her tongue fits her perfectly. It only shows that she was still the same Amara that he used to know back in the days.

He gave her a side-way glance when she stopped talking. Amara was sleeping and snoring soundly.

HER senses were awake, but she kept her eyes closed. Amara needs a little more time to spend on the bed. Five more minutes will do—no, make it thirty. As long as her cats did not bother her, she could stay in bed guilty less. She refilled the feeder last night, and if her cats wouldn’t be glutinous, it will last until the afternoon.

Amara shifted on the other side of the bed. Her hand roamed, looking for the bolster pillow she used to hug. But her hand could not find it. She opened her eyes, and an unfamiliar room greeted her.

“Holy shit!” She jerked off. “Where the hell am I?”

And then, her head throbbed. She groaned and cupped her throbbing head. Now she has to pay the price of getting wasted last night. Wait, last night… A bell rang above her head. Something happened last night at the bar!

She looked at herself. She was still wearing the same clothes. Her body feels the same, except for the fact that it feels heavy.

Amara let out a sigh of relief. And then she remembered Rowen.

“Ah, Rowen!”

She was about to leave the bed when the door opened. A half-naked Rowen drying his hair with a towel came in, wearing a pair of shorts that she wished weren’t there for a better view. Amara raised her hand and squeezed his muscles in her imagination. He turned to her with furrowed brows.

She quickly put her hand down and pressed her lips together. He obviously caught her fantasizing him in broad daylight. Amara shook her head and gave it a knock.

“How are you?” Rowen asked as he sauntered to his wardrobe.

Amara lay on the bed again. “I’m not fine.”

There’s no way she would lie about it.

“Do you have a problem?” He donned his shirt and turned to her again.

“I need money. Can you lend me some?”

“Yes,” he said.

She immediately rose from the bed. “What did you say?”

“I said, yes. You asked me to lend you money.” Rowen walked toward the bed and sat on its edge.

Her soles touched the bare skin of his legs. Amara shut her eyes; he felt so warm.

“Are you nuts?”

His brow raised.

“Look, Amara, you said that you were scammed by that bitch named Ann Margaret. You have no money in your pocket, and you need money to refund the buyers’ payment. I can give you the money that you need. But in return, be my girlfriend.” Rowen leaned closer to her.

So, Rowen was not the typical type of Prince Charming, who will appear out of nowhere to save a damsel in distress. He was someone with a motive. Dang, he hurt her again.

“W-why me?” she asked stuttering.

“We are good friends. I am safe with you.”

“Who says that?” She cocked her head. “I’ve wanted to taste you since we were young.”

Rowen groaned. “Oh, fuck!”

She pulled him closer to her. “Say it again.”

“Say what?”

“F… U… C… K…” Amara shut her eyes and moaned.

Rowen pushed her down to the bed and turned her into a big sushi roll.

“We’ll talk again once you’re sober,” he said.

“I am sober,” she insisted.

“Well, it seemed to me that you’re not.”

Amara tried to kick him, but she couldn’t since she was tightly wrapped with a comforter, and his body was pressed against her.

“Come on, Rowen. I am sober enough that if you ask me if I love you, I’d say I do.”

He quickly moved away from her. Of course, that was the easiest way to push him away. He was like that ever since whenever she says that she loves him. And that’s why Amara hated him so much, and yet she couldn’t stop herself from loving him.

Amara got out of her cocoon by herself and got up.

“It’s been five years since we last saw each other, Rowen. You should be like, long time no see, Amara. You just made me feel like a prostitute selling my flesh to a filthy rich man to earn money. You hurt me, dummy!” She breathed exasperatedly.

It felt so frustrating that they were reunited, and he was acting toward her that way.

Rowen ran his fingers through his hair and sighed.

“I’m sorry. Believe me. I didn’t mean to make you feel that way, Amara.” He looked at her. Rowen’s eyes never lie. “My mother keeps pestering me to get a girlfriend. She wouldn’t stop pairing me with her friends’ daughters until I get one.”

“And you want me to be your girlfriend just like that?”

“Well…” He scratched the side of his neck. “It’s just for show, Amara. You’re a good friend, so I thought you’re my best candidate.”

“No. I am your best candidate because you know that I have been in love with you for a long time.”

A moment of silence ensued between them.

“Look, this is a win-win situation for both of us.”

“You’re offering me something hard to resist.”

Rowen held her hands. “I’ll promise you that I’ll do everything you want. Just be my girlfriend, Amara.”

She scoffed. “I should be the one acting so desperate.”

“But I am desperate too,” he said.

She left the bed and put on her shoes.

“You’re leaving?” Rowen stood in front of her.

“Yeah.”

“How about our deal?”

“Maybe I’ll just spend a night with a filthy rich man and ran away with his money,” she said.

“Amara…” He grasped her arm.

“Rowen… I have so much on my plate right now. What I need is someone who could help me.”

“I can help you. It’s just that I am asking something in return.”

She looked at him in the eyes. And then, she heaved a deep sigh.

“I… need to calm down first. Give me time to think about it. Take me home,” she said.

“Oh, okay.” Rowen grabbed his car key. “Should I buy something for your parents?”

She raised a hand. “Not that house. I live on my own now.”