"He said he's already on his way and'll be here in twenty minutes. Lara, do I look okay in this?" Lena'voice wavered as she lowered her phone and turned to Lara.
"Relax. You look amazing," Lara said, nodding a little too emphatically.
She glanced Lena up and down. The white floral dress hugged her figure perfectly, emphasizing her slim waist and long legs. It was unfair—Lena somehow managed to look gentle, elegant, and eye-catching all at once.
Lara swallowed her envy.
Even as another woman, she sometimes wondered what kind of miracle diet or genetics Lena had been blessed with.
"Seriously," Lara added, forcing a smile. "He'd like you even if you showed up in pajamas."
"He's not… chasing me," Lena muttered. "He just invited me to dinner."
"Please." Lara scoffed. "You don't even believe that yourself. If a guy invites you out, it means he's interested. And you've got everything going for you—looks, personality, and let's be honest…" She gestured vaguely.
"Men notice."
Lena's face flushed red.
Lara noticed—and kept going anyway. "Guys like him? Money, status, confidence? They're surrounded by women all the time. If you don't make a move, someone else will."
She softened her tone. "I'm serious, Lena. Being pretty isn't always enough. If you want this to go somewhere, you need to show him how you feel."
"I don't know how," Lena admitted quietly. "I've never dated. Not even in college."
Lara paused.
Truth was, neither had she—but Lena didn't need to know that.
Drawing inspiration from countless romance novels, Lara cleared her throat. "Okay. Simple stuff. Dinner, right? Put food on his plate. Talk softly. Look at him when he speaks. Let him feel… special."
Lena's eyes lit up. She grabbed a pen and started writing everything down like a diligent student.
That made Lara strangely proud.
"Oh—didn't you say he's mature? Not like guys our age?" Lara asked.
"Yeah," Lena nodded. "He's calm. Very composed."
"Then just be yourself," Lara said. "Those types usually like someone warm and lively."
She shrugged. "That's all I've got."
"Thank you," Lena said sincerely.
Lara flopped onto the couch with a dramatic sigh. "Ugh. When is it my turn to be chased by some rich, handsome heir? I'm sick of my job."
She waved her phone. "Six hundred bucks a month. On call all day. It's a joke."
Honestly, she was right. Lara really was beautiful—just as pretty as Lena herself. The only thing she didn't quite match up on was her upper body, but she had something else going for her: that tiny waist.
Right now, since she was at home, Lara wore a black tank top that showed off her stomach and that slim waist. She looked good—her waist-to-hip ratio was just about perfect.
"I hope you'll take all my good wishes with you," she said to Lena.
Then she glanced at her phone. Over ten minutes had gone by. She nudged Lena "Hurry up, you'd better get to the gate. Don't keep him waiting."
"Alright, I'm off," Lena said. She tucked her phone into her bag, grabbed her purse, and headed out the door.
The handbag wasn't anything fancy—just a little over $100, but it did the job.
The door banged shut behind her.
Lara flopped onto the sofa, looked down at her own waist, and ran her hand over it.
"Sigh, who's going to get lucky enough to have a back like this?" she muttered.
Even she had to admit—her waist was killer.
Two minutes later, Lena arrived at the entrance of the residential area. She looked around but did not see the skyscraper gray BMW.
She waited quietly.
It was already six in the evening, and people were coming and going. Several men glanced her way—some openly, some pretending not to stare.
Her white dress with yellow daisies made her stand out. Paired with white socks and sneakers, she looked youthful and pure… yet undeniably attractive.
Lena felt uneasy.
She wasn't used to wearing clothes that drew this much attention.
Pretending to check her phone, she subtly covered herself, finally relaxing a little.
That was when a car stopped in front of her.
She looked up—expecting Evan.
It wasn't his BMW.
Clearly, Evan has not yet arrived.
Instead, it was a black Volkswagen Passat.
Upon seeing this, Lena frowned and took two steps back.
Then, she looked at the Volkswagen Passat with some wariness.
The door opened.
"Lena," a man said with a smile. "Going out? Need a ride?"
Anthony stepped out.
Early thirties. Average build. Pockmarked face. Familiar—and unwelcome.
He lived upstairs. Owned his apartment. And had a wife.
"No," Lena replied immediately. "Someone's picking me up."
"Oh, come on," Anthony said casually. "Just tell me where you're going. I've got time."
His eyes lingered far too long.
He even swallowed, watching her. Honestly, he'd wanted Lena for a while now. She was fresh out of college—young, pretty, with a great figure. No comparison to his wife at home.
Lena was different. She shot him down, even after he told her about his houses and tried to take her out to dinner. He figured maybe she was just playing hard to get, so he kept asking. Still, nothing. That only made him want her more.
"Really, I'm fine. Like I said, someone's coming for me," Lena replied, feeling grossed out by the way Anthony stared at her. She took a step back. "And actually, it's my boyfriend."
That last part wasn't exactly true—Evan wasn't her boyfriend. At least, not yet. But she needed Anthony to back off, so she said it anyway.
"What? You have a boyfriend?" Anthony's face changed for a second, but then he smiled again, looking her up and down.
"It doesn't matter if you have a boyfriend, Lena. You can always break up with him. You know what I'm offering. I'll be honest—if you come with me, I'll give you a house. I own several. How's that? Pretty tempting, right?"
He leaned in, dropping his voice. "You know how crazy the housing prices are here. Even a regular apartment in Silverbrook costs over a million dollars. I'm not just talking—I mean it."
Anthony glanced around, trying to look sincere. He figured Lena would cave. Most girls would, if someone offered them a house worth over million dollars.
To him, the price was worth it. Lena was stunning. He'd dated lots of women—even some beautiful ones—but none of them came close to her. Plus, Lena's looks would make people respect him even more.
He stared at her, sure she'd say" yes".
"Absolutely not! Don't even think about it!" Lena glared at him, furious. Did he really think that was the kind of person she was?
"Don't be in such a hurry. Think about it," Anthony kept smiling, convinced she'd give in. "Most people work their whole lives for a house. I'm offering you one right now. No one else gets an offer like this."
And then his mind wandered. He remembered Lena's best friend—also beautiful, even if her body wasn't quite like Lena's. But her waist… Anthony swallowed again. If only he could have both…
"I said no," Lena snapped, her hands clenched into fists. If she wasn't holding herself back, she'd have punched him right then and there.
Lena, you're just too young. You really don't get how much money matters, or how much a house means. You said you've got a boyfriend now, right? He just graduated too, didn't he? Even if he's making $10,000 a month, can he buy you a house?
Right as he finished, he glanced at Lena's face, ready to keep going, when a sleek, skyscraper-gray BMW rolled up nearby.
He froze, staring at the car with real envy.
He knew right away—that was the top BMW, the one that costs over $200,000. He couldn't hide his jealousy. No way he could ever afford something like that.
The apartments his family got from the demolition? The rent's not bad, about $25,000 a year all together. That's enough to live pretty well. But a BMW? Not a chance.
He shook his head, about to look away, when the BMW stopped right in front of them. The driver's door opened and out stepped a young guy.
"Is this your friend?" the guy asked, walking straight over to Lena and glancing at Anthony.
"He's not my friend," Lena jumped a little. She didn't expect the guy—Evan —to look so different. His new haircut, way better clothes, almost like a whole new person. If not for his face, and the BMW parked right there, she might've thought she had the wrong guy.
But she snapped out of it fast. She shook her head and grabbed Evan's arm, shooting a look at Anthony.
"My boyfriend's here. You can leave now, right?" Lena said, her voice sharp. She was truly disgusted by Anthony's attitude. The guy already had a wife and still wanted her as a mistress.
"You—he's your boyfriend?" Anthony felt a chill the moment Evan walked over. Now, hearing Lena say it out loud, he started to panic. He never imagined her boyfriend would show up in a top-of-the-line BMW. And so young, too!
Driving a BMW at forty is one thing. Driving one at twenty? That's a whole different level.
Anthony's confidence fell apart. He knew he couldn't compete with a young guy like that, not in a million years.
"Of course he's my boyfriend. So stop bothering me!" Lena said, feeling a little embarrassed—especially with Evan looking at her—but she stood her ground and nodded.
Anthony just stood there as Lena said it again, his heart sinking.
"Are you harassing my girlfriend?" Evan frowned, stepping closer. He lifted his left hand just a bit, and Anthony caught sight of the watch—a Patek Philippe. His eyes nearly popped out of his head.
Anthony loved reading up on luxury stuff, even if he couldn't buy any of it. He recognized the watch right away. In that instant, fear took over. No way could he mess with someone like this. Rich kids were one thing, but what if the guy was the son of some official? If something went wrong...
"It's a misunderstanding! Really, I swear—I didn't know she was your girlfriend. If I'd known, I wouldn't have dared, not even if I had three lives," Anthony stammered, bowing his head, his whole posture screaming apology.
He was honestly scared. Evan's family background seemed untouchable.
Lena stared at Anthony ,surprised to see him so utterly humbled. She never thought he had this side to him. Was it just the BMW? That didn't seem like enough to make him crumble like this...
Don't worry, I swear I won't bother your girlfriend again. Anyway, I'll get going now—I don't want to be in your way.
Anthony finished what he had to say. Evan just waved him off, looking totally relaxed. That small gesture finally let Anthony breathe easy.
He didn't even glance at Lena. He just got into his old Volkswagen Passat, started the engine, and headed straight into the neighborhood.
He didn't really feel calm until he'd parked the car and was out of sight from everyone else. Only then did the tension really drain away.
Then, out of nowhere, this wave of frustration hit him—all because of Lena.
Seriously, you've got a rich boyfriend? Why didn't you mention it before?
If I'd known, would I still have bothered you? Of course not.
He couldn't help thinking about her—her face, her figure. He let out a long sigh.
He knew there was just no chance for him and Lena now. How could he compete with some rich kid? There was just no way.
Time to let it go.
He shook his head, got out of the car, locked it up, and headed into his building. That's when he saw Lara coming down the stairs.
She spotted him too, and her eyebrows instantly drew together. She remembered him—he'd hit on her before, more than once.
Lara got ready to just walk past him, but this time Anthony didn't try to talk. He didn't even really look at her. He just kept going up the stairs.
Huh?
She actually stopped for a second, surprised.
Every other time he'd see her, he'd come over with that sleazy look, trying to chat her up. But now? Nothing. Not even a proper glance?
What's up with that?
--------