It's been a month since we were together.
Kara Delirus. The most popular girl in our college. Why? Because she had the money, she was beautiful, and she had connections throughout the country. And me? Just a regular guy. Not ugly, not handsome. Not tall, not short. Not fat, not built either. Just… in between.
But… oh. If only I'd known she was dating me for 'that' reason, though.
"Ace." A voice called behind me. "You done with that?"
"Uh-huh." I muttered. "Nearly."
I hauled the last table into the store and exhaled, leaning against the wall. The coffee shop I was working at, Beadry's, was now empty, the clock on the wall showing midnight. I didn't like working as a waiter, but hey, it paid the bills. Plus… after learning I was working here to get my rent money, Kara… bought this place. I used to get so much mobbing from my old boss. The new one? Damn. He was a straight-up angel.
A sleek, midnight-black Lamborghini Aventador purred onto the street, its low-slung body gleaming under the streetlights like a predator in the night. The engine hummed with restrained power, chrome accents flashing as it pulled up smoothly, exuding an aura of effortless luxury that turned heads even at this late hour.
In the driver's seat, Kara sat with her sunglasses on… despite it being dark. Her long blonde hair was straightened, cascading down her shoulders. She was wearing a tight crop top, which was having a hard time restraining her big breasts. From where I stood, I could see tight pants hugging her curves, but I couldn't pick the color since I was a bit far away.
"Ms. Delirus came," my boss said, getting ready to count the money in the register. "Bye, Ace. We can handle it from here."
"Thank you. Night, Mr. Terr."
I walked out of the store and stopped at the red light. Kara lowered her glasses, and her serious expression faltered as she waved at me with a smile. I waved back, and when the light turned green, I quickly crossed to the other side of the road and walked around the car, sliding into the passenger seat.
She immediately hugged me, kissing me on the cheek. I chuckled, kissed her back, then looked at myself in the rearview mirror. Yeah. Her expensive lipstick had marked my cheek.
"How was work?" she asked with a smile.
"Good, good. Got a hundred bucks in tips," I said.
"Just today?"
"Oh, no, no." I chuckled. "This week. Total of a hundred bucks. Got my beer money, huh?"
She released the handbrake with a big, warm smile on her face and began driving. I looked out the window, exhaling. I was pretty sure she had enough money to buy the apartment I was staying in. She even offered me a better place to stay. But… my pride wouldn't handle that. So I refused her every time.
As a red light came up, she stopped and began tapping her fingers on the steering wheel. I kept looking out the window. Damn, was I tired. I needed to hit the hay and end the day.
"I got a surprise for you," she said.
"Oh?"
That was… something strange about her. She was always serious. Stone-faced. Not showing even a single emotion. But… when she was with me, it was as if she was a different person. Was she… really in love with me? Or was that pity, after I confessed to her when I was drunk at that party? Fuck me…
The light turned green. But instead of going straight, toward my apartment's direction, she turned left. I cocked an eyebrow and looked at her.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"Mother wants to meet you," she said. "I figured… today is as good as any."
"Today?" I asked. "It's midnight, Kara. Jesus, why now? Let's do it tomorrow."
"Nope," she said. "We're going now. She's expecting us."
"Ah, come on," I muttered. "I'm… look at my clothes! I'm not really in a…"
"It'll be fine," she said. "Trust me… just, can I ask a small favor?"
"Sure?"
"Can you turn off your phone?" she said. "Like, remove your SIM card."
"Uuh…"
"Our home's security scans the area for unknown signals and such. And yours isn't saved in our system. I don't want the lockdown to be initiated."
"Huh. Rich people stuff. Wow."
I removed my phone from my pocket and turned it off. I didn't have that little pin to remove the SIM card, so I decided to leave my phone in the car. I didn't need the alarm blaring the first time I was going to meet her mother. It'd be a… very bad impression of me.
The Lamborghini accelerated smoothly onto the highway, the city lights blurring into streaks as we left the downtown bustle behind. The leather seats cradled me like a glove, and the faint scent of Kara's perfume, something floral and intoxicating, filled the cabin, mixing with the new-car smell. She cranked up the heat a bit, making the space feel cozy against the chill night air seeping through the windows. Soft jazz played low on the stereo, the kind that made everything feel a little more intimate, like we were in our own bubble speeding through the darkness.
"So, tell me about your day," I said, trying to shake off the nerves about meeting her mom. "What happened this morning? You sounded a bit off on the phone earlier."
Kara glanced at me with that playful smirk, her hand sliding over to rest on my forearm for a second, giving it a quick, affectionate squeeze before returning to the wheel.
"Oh, it was ridiculous. I ditched the morning meetings early and went shopping with Mia and Sophia—you know, my old high school friends. We hit those boutiques downtown, the ones with the insane prices. Anyway, Sophia tried on this tiny red dress that was basically painted on her, and she got stuck in it. Like, literally couldn't get the zipper down. We were laughing so hard the store staff thought we were drunk. Took all three of us to wrestle her out of it without ripping the thing. She ended up buying it anyway, just for the story."
I grinned, shaking my head. "Sounds chaotic. Did you buy anything ridiculous too, or were you the responsible one for once?"
"Please," she snorted, rolling her eyes. "I walked out with three bags. This new lingerie set caught my eye—black lace, super soft. I kept thinking how you'd like seeing me in it." She shot me a sideways glance, lips curving into a teasing smile. "Maybe you'll get a preview later if you behave at Mother's."
My pulse kicked up at that, heat creeping up my neck. "Yeah? What else did you get?"
"Some heels that are basically weapons—six inches, strappy. And this cropped leather jacket I've been wanting forever. Mia kept trying to talk me into buying this hideous neon purse, but I held strong. Barely."
I laughed. "Good to know you have limits. So, how'd the day end? You said you hit the spa after?"
"Yeah, quick stop for a massage. My shoulders were killing me from carrying all those bags. The masseuse was amazing—deep tissue, hot stones, the works. I closed my eyes and just... relaxed. Kept wishing it was your hands on me instead." Her voice dropped a little lower, warm and suggestive, as she changed lanes smoothly.
"They were… women, right? The masseurs I mean? Not jealous just… asking."
"Aw, cute. Yes, woman, Ace."
"Damn, Kara," I muttered, shifting in my seat. "You're killing me here."
She chuckled softly, fingers tapping the steering wheel in time with the low music. "Good. Keeps things interesting."
We fell into an easy quiet for a minute, just the hum of the engine and the occasional sweep of headlights through the trees. I watched the dashboard glow highlight the curve of her cheek, the way her hair fell over one shoulder. It felt normal—like any couple on a drive—even though we were heading toward a mansion that probably had its own zip code.
"So," I said eventually, "your mom... she's really up at this hour waiting for us?"
Kara nodded, turning onto a private road where the streetlights gave way to softer, hidden landscaping lights. "Mother doesn't sleep much. She'll be in her study with a glass of wine, pretending she's not excited to finally size you up."
"Size me up? Great. No pressure."
"Relax," she said, reaching over to brush her knuckles along my jaw for a second. "She'll love you. Or at least tolerate you. That's basically the same thing in our family."
The wrought-iron gates loomed ahead, tall and ornate, swinging open silently as we approached. Beyond them, a long, tree-lined driveway curved toward lights in the distance—a massive house that looked more like a resort than a home. My stomach twisted again, but Kara's calm presence beside me kept it from turning into full-blown panic.
She eased the car forward, tires crunching softly on gravel. "Here we go," she murmured, more to herself than me. "Welcome to the madhouse, Ace."
Kara pulled out her phone, tapped once on an app, and the massive wrought-iron gates swung inward without a sound. She eased the Lamborghini forward, tires whispering over perfectly laid cobblestones.
The estate wasn't just a house—it was its own private world. A long, curving driveway wound through manicured grounds lit by soft ground lights. Perfectly trimmed hedges lined the path, and beyond them stretched acres of dark lawn, a fountain quietly bubbling in the distance. Smaller guest houses and garages dotted the edges, but the main residence dominated everything: a three-story stone-and-glass monster with wings stretching left and right, easily fifteen or twenty bedrooms, balconies on every level, and tall windows glowing warm against the night. It looked like a luxury hotel that had decided to become a palace.
Kara pulled up under the covered porte-cochère and killed the engine. The sudden silence felt heavy. She turned to me, eyes bright, a little excited flush on her cheeks.
"You ready?" she asked, voice low.
I swallowed. "Well, kinda nervous."
She unclicked her seatbelt, then gave me that wicked smirk I knew too well. "Good. Because I'm getting that nervousness out of your system right now."