Caroline let out a harsh sigh. She looked to the left and right sides of the road, hoping Jared's car would arrive. She was extremely nervous now, feeling uneasy because it was almost nine at night. She was worried Jared had forgotten their promise, since he was never usually this late.
The phone in the girl's hand rang, and Lenzy's name appeared on the screen as the caller. She could already guess why Lenzy was calling. She had resigned herself to being scolded and having Lenzy demand her money back.
“Where are you two right now? The party is about to start.” Lenzy's voice sounded panicked.
Caroline fell silent as she bit the tip of her fingernail. She didn't know what to say. She had thought she could get Jared to attend the party, just as Lenzy had trusted her to do. The reality was far from that. She also felt annoyed because Jared had made her hope for so much. If he couldn't come, he should have just been honest.
“I'm sorry, Lenzy. It looks like I can't come to your party,” Caroline said hesitantly.
“Why not? You promised me, and you already accepted my money. Why can't you keep your promise?” Lenzy sounded irritated.
Caroline had already predicted that Lenzy would be angry with her. So she had prepared herself for it.
“I never promised you that I would definitely attend your party with Uncle Jared. You were the one who pressured me and assumed that we'd accept your invitation,” Caroline defended herself.
“Don't make excuses. You have only one choice: you come with Mr. Madison, or you return my money ten times over.” Lenzy threatened her.
“That wasn't part of our agreement. Don't act like you can do whatever you want.”
“I don't want to hear any excuses. I'll wait for you here, or you can return my money tomorrow—ten times the amount I gave you.” Lenzy emphasized each word.
“But—”
Before Caroline could protest, Lenzy ended the call.
“Damn it!” Caroline cursed, half frustrated. She couldn't believe she'd ended up facing such a complicated problem. She desperately needed money and was struggling financially, yet Jared had gone back on his promise, and Lenzy was demanding an exorbitant sum from her.
Caroline massaged her temples, feeling terribly dizzy. She was used to living a peaceful, straightforward life. Whenever she had a problem, her parents took care of it. But now she had to become the breadwinner of the family. She had to solve her own problems.
Caroline turned around, intending to return to her apartment and go to sleep. But the honk from behind her brought her to a stop. She turned around again and looked at the car that seemed so familiar. Jared had finally arrived.
All the problems weighing on Caroline's shoulders melted away the moment she saw Jared inside the car with the window rolled down.
“Were you waiting for me? I'm sorry. I'm terribly late.” Jared apologized sincerely. He didn't offer an explanation for his lateness. But Caroline understood because she had overheard Thalius mention an important meeting Jared had to attend that night. Knowing that Jared hadn't broken his promise was more than enough for her. She was genuinely happy because Jared was a man of his word.
“No problem. We can leave now.” Caroline answered casually, then stepped closer and got into the car.
“You look beautiful tonight.” Jared complimented her. He liked Caroline's simple outfit: a long blue skirt and a white knitted sweater. Casual, yet so elegant. Her hair was loose, held back with a feathered hair clip. Caroline looked utterly graceful in Jared's eyes.
“Uncle, I think I already told you the dress code was white and blue,” Caroline remarked, since Jared was wearing formal clothing with a black tuxedo.
“Ah, right. I forgot. Donny, did you buy the shirt I asked for?” Jared looked at Donny, who was sitting in the passenger seat.
“Yes, sir.” Donny handed Jared a tote bag.
Jared immediately took off the black tuxedo and the white shirt covering his body.
Caroline's eyes widened when she saw Jared's muscles so clearly. She swallowed with difficulty and even found it hard to breathe. She knew Jared had a great body, but she hadn't expected it to be even better than she'd imagined. Those arms, those shoulders, even those abs. She hadn't realized that everything Jared possessed surpassed Jake's. Jared was superior in every way.
“What are you thinking about?” Jared remarked when he realized Caroline was staring at his abdominal muscles.
“Ah, uh, um, nothing. You shouldn't change your clothes here, Uncle.” Caroline stammered.
“Do you want to touch them?” Jared offered with a smile.
Caroline turned her face away and stared out the window, her cheeks flushed. She was deeply embarrassed that she'd been caught staring at Jared's abs. She didn't want to be labeled a pervert.
Jared wasn't wearing an undershirt, so Caroline could clearly see his bare upper body without a single thread covering it.
“Put your clothes on!” Caroline said without turning around. She kept staring out the window because she wasn't sure she could control herself if she continued looking at Jared's body.
Jared rose from his seat and began lowering his pants.
“Uncle, what are you doing?” Caroline grabbed Jared's hand when she realized he was about to take off his pants. She was afraid Jared wasn't wearing underwear, just as he wasn't wearing an undershirt. She didn't want to further pollute her eyes and mind by looking at the man's naked body. This wasn't appropriate, either. Jared should have been embarrassed to take off his clothes in front of a girl.
“Relax. I'm wearing underwear. I have to change here so we can get to the party faster without stopping.” Jared explained.
Caroline reluctantly released her grip.
“Or were you hoping for more?” Jared teased again.
“I don't know what you mean.” Caroline pretended not to understand. She turned back toward the window, trying to steady her heartbeat. She was still genuinely shocked by what Jared had just done. In her eyes, Jared had always been dignified. But all of that had disappeared after the man took off his clothes right in front of her.
'I guess he's used to taking his clothes off in front of other women.' Caroline commented inwardly.
The car stopped when they arrived at their destination. Many luxury cars were parked there, indicating that Lenzy's friends were mostly wealthy.
Caroline got out first. She hadn't brought a gift because she was sure Jared would bring something luxurious. That way, she wouldn't have to spend any money. She could simply slip her name onto the gift Jared gave her.
“You carry this.” Jared handed her the tote bag containing a $300,000 watch. It was incredibly expensive.
“How much did this gift cost?” Caroline wanted to know just how insane Jared was when it came to spending money.
“It's just pocket change. It's not expensive.” Jared answered casually.
Caroline didn't ask again, but she didn't believe the answer she'd received. How could Jared possibly give someone a cheap item? It had to be expensive. She was certain of it.
“How much was the gift?” Caroline whispered to Donny because she knew he always told the truth.
“Three hundred thousand dollars.” Donny answered matter-of-factly.
Caroline smiled broadly when she heard the amount Donny named. She'd guessed it was expensive.
“You're going to fall behind!” Jared looked back because Caroline wasn't keeping up with him.
“Wait for me, Uncle!” Caroline hurried to catch up with Jared. They went inside after passing through security. Caroline showed the invitation Lenzy had given her, and they were allowed in.
The party had already begun when they arrived. There were no familiar faces. None of Lenzy's coworkers had been invited besides Caroline and Jared. Lenzy wouldn't have invited Caroline if the girl hadn't been useful to her.
When Caroline and Jared walked in, everyone's eyes immediately turned toward them.
“Is that Mr. Madison?”
“Wow, Mr. Madison is attending Lenzy's birthday party? Incredible. Lenzy must have some serious pull if she was able to invite Mr. Madison.”
“He's even more handsome than in his pictures online.”
“Who's the girl beside him? She's beautiful. Is she Mr. Madison's girlfriend?”
“No way she's Mr. Madison's girlfriend. She still looks so young.”
“Young leaves are always more tempting.”
Jared and Caroline became the subject of conversation.
Lenzy smiled broadly when she saw Caroline arrive with Jared. She hurried over to welcome them. She tried to act as friendly and kind as possible to attract Jared's attention.
“You finally came. I've been waiting for you.” Lenzy spoke with a radiant smile. She took Caroline's hand, but her eyes remained fixed on Jared.
Lenzy was used to seeing Jared in formal clothing and a black tuxedo. Seeing him dressed casually left her even more captivated. Jared looked younger and fresher in a light blue shirt and white pants. His charm was truly extraordinary. Every girl there fell for him, fantasizing about becoming his girlfriend. Only Caroline felt nothing unusual.
“Happy birthday. This is a gift from me and Uncle Jared.” Caroline held out the tote bag.
Lenzy happily accepted it and opened it at once. She looked radiant, overjoyed to receive the gift. It had Jared's name attached to it. She was so happy that she couldn't contain herself. She immediately ran over to her parents to tell them what she'd just received.
“I didn't know you'd been friends with her for so long. Didn't you hate her?” Jared looked at Caroline seriously.
Caroline looked flustered, trying to smile and act normal. There was no way she could tell him that Lenzy had paid her to bring Jared to the party. Five thousand dollars and three hundred thousand dollars couldn't even be compared. Jared would have been happier giving Caroline that money if she wanted it. Perhaps he would even be angry and feel insulted if he knew that she'd valued his presence at only five thousand dollars.
“Mr. Madison, thank you for attending our daughter's birthday party.” Lenzy's father approached and welcomed him. “We feel deeply honored by your presence.”
“Honestly, I didn't know this was your daughter's birthday party. I was simply invited by my niece to attend her friend's birthday party.” Jared accepted the handshake. He spoke plainly because Lenzy was nobody to him.
“So that's his niece.”
“He's such a caring uncle.”
“That girl is so lucky.”
“Didn't Mr. Madison only have one niece, and isn't that niece a boy?”
The guests made all kinds of comments.
“I've heard that the super-rich keep their families' identities secret. They want their private lives kept private so they can enjoy life without interference.”
“Yes, that's true. If Mr. Madison says that girl is his niece, then she must be his niece.”
The rumor that Caroline was Jared's niece gained more credibility. More and more people learned of it, unaware that they'd been deceived.
“Thank you for being such a good friend to my daughter…” The middle-aged man stared intently at Caroline, trying to remember the woman's name.
“Caroline.” Caroline supplied her name.
“It's nice to meet you, Caroline. Please enjoy the party.”
“Mr. Madison, would you like to dance with me?” Lenzy asked directly, without a trace of embarrassment.
Jared wore an annoyed expression. He was genuinely uncomfortable being there. If not for Caroline, he would have left after meeting Lenzy's father.
“Uncle, dance with her, even if it's only for a little while. Making other people happy is a good thing.” Caroline nudged Jared in the waist.
Jared let out a harsh sigh. He accepted Lenzy's outstretched hand, then followed her toward the center of the room to dance with her. He was truly lowering his dignity to make Caroline happy. He hated dancing in front of everyone and becoming the center of attention, especially when his dance partner wasn't a woman he liked.
Caroline looked happy. She smiled broadly and applauded.
“I'm so jealous.”
“Lenzy is so lucky.”
“Could it be that Mr. Madison likes her?”
“I heard Mr. Madison never wanted to touch women. But he wants to dance with Lenzy. He must have feelings for her.”
“I wish I were in Lenzy's place.” The girls commented, showing their envy at Lenzy's good fortune. Meanwhile, Jared grumbled inwardly.
“Don't ask me to do something that ridiculous again.” Jared spoke after approaching Caroline once he had finished dancing with Lenzy.
The handsome face still held traces of irritation. This was the first time in his life he'd ever danced with a woman. He had wanted his first dance to be with the woman he loved, but for some reason, he had simply obeyed when Caroline asked him to dance with Lenzy.
Caroline didn't respond. She only smiled to hide her guilt. She couldn't believe she'd sold Jared to Lenzy for just five thousand dollars. She still couldn't believe she'd done something so ridiculous.
“I have to go home now. I still have some business to take care of.” Jared spoke gently. His tone was no longer as irritated as before.
Caroline nodded and waved goodbye.
“I'm taking you home.” Jared grabbed Caroline's wrist and tugged slightly, forcing her to follow him out of the room.
“I haven't said goodbye to Lenzy yet.” Caroline made an excuse. In truth, she was more concerned about the food she hadn't touched. She had deliberately not eaten before leaving because she knew Lenzy's birthday party would have all kinds of delicious food. Now she was starving.
“You don't need to say goodbye. She'll understand if I take you home.” Jared answered casually.
Caroline wanted to argue, but she felt too awkward. Jared's steps came to a stop when Caroline's stomach growled loudly with hunger.
“Are you hungry?” Jared asked to confirm.
Caroline only smiled and rubbed the back of her neck. Her cheeks flushed, and she felt embarrassed because her stomach had growled so loudly.
“I can go home by myself, Uncle. You go home first. I'll leave after I eat.” Caroline spoke, trying to hold back her embarrassment.
“Come with me.” Jared insisted slightly. He pulled Caroline's hand again so she would continue following him toward the parking lot. Donny and Thalius were already standing by there.
“Let's go to the usual place.” Jared said to Thalius. The man nodded in understanding.
“Where is this usual place?” Caroline asked curiously. She looked at Jared very seriously.
“You'll find out later.”
“But I want to know now.”
“You need to learn the meaning of the word patience.” Jared emphasized it, and Caroline stopped asking questions.
The atmosphere in the car was unusually quiet this time. Caroline mostly remained silent while Jared seemed busy with his phone.
Jared's phone kept ringing nonstop. There were many messages and calls. The man frowned, confused and irritated as he read the news that was now trending online. He hadn't expected giving in to Caroline's request that he dance with Lenzy to create such sensational news.
“Sir, have you read the news online?” Donny asked to confirm.
“Find out who spread that news. I want you to take care of it.” Jared spoke with a face that seemed to be holding back his anger. He squeezed the phone in his hand to vent his frustration. Less than an hour after he had danced with Lenzy, the news had already spread across social media. His name had suddenly become a trending topic.
“What happened? Why do you both look so upset?” Caroline asked in confusion.
“Go online and look at the news that's blowing up right now.” Donny told her.
Caroline opened Google, and a news story about Jared's first girlfriend immediately appeared. She was confused, but she also looked pleased by the news.
“Why is your name all over the internet?” Caroline looked at Jared seriously. Even though they'd known each other for quite some time, Caroline still didn't know everything about Jared.
“You didn't know? Mr. Madison has twenty-five million followers on Instagram.”
“Wow, you're famous?” Caroline was quite surprised.
“His name once appeared in Forbes magazine as a billionaire under thirty-five. And recently, he was featured again as one of the hundred richest people in the world.”
“I had no idea you were this cool, Uncle.” Caroline looked proud and gave him two thumbs-up to show her appreciation.
“There was once a report saying that Mr. Madison wasn't interested in women because he was never seen getting close to one.”
“You really don't like women, Uncle?” Caroline looked at Jared seriously. She was genuinely beginning to take an interest in getting to know him better.
“Of course he's interested in women. Can't you tell by the way Mr. Madison looks at you?” Donny said firmly.
“Yes, I can tell. Uncle Jared's gaze is deadly. Sometimes it scares me to look at him.” Caroline replied.
“You don't realize that Mr. Madison likes—”
“Stop talking. You're giving me a headache.” Jared cut Donny off before the man could tell Caroline that Jared liked her.
“What does he like?” Caroline looked at Donny seriously.
Donny glanced at Jared fearfully. After seeing Jared's irritated expression, he no longer dared to answer Caroline's question.
“Donny, you haven't answered my question. What does Uncle Jared like?” Caroline pressed.
“Can't you be quiet? Hearing your voice is giving me a headache.” Jared glared sharply at Caroline. She fell silent at once, frightened by his look.
The atmosphere became quiet again. The only sounds were the constant chimes and rings coming from Jared's phone. The more he ignored it, the louder it rang. Irritated, he turned off his phone.
Caroline opened Instagram. She wasn't much of a social-media person, so she didn't know much about famous people. She searched for Jared's name, and Donny had indeed been telling the truth. Jared had twenty-five million Instagram followers. She opened the comments on Jared's latest post. There were 534,000 comments. She read them one by one, smiling because she found them funny.
'I’m disappointed, sir. You actually chose another woman over me.'
'Baby, you should realize I'm prettier than your girlfriend.'
'I don't think Lenzy is a good match for him. He's far too perfect for a girl like Lenzy. I've known Lenzy since we were kids. She's pretty, but there's nothing special about her.'
'Who is the girl who made you fall in love, sir?'
'My heart broke when you chose another woman over me.'
'I'm ready to be your mistress, sir.'
'Can your girlfriend fight? I want to battle her for your heart, sir.'
Caroline giggled as she read the comments. She found them hilarious and incredibly amusing.
“Uncle, it looks like you've broken a lot of hearts. You have so many fans who are crazy about you. It's hilarious and adorable.”
Jared shot her an irritated glance. He was even more annoyed because Caroline truly didn't realize the slightest bit of the feelings he was showing her.
“I'll help you clarify things.” Caroline smiled as she replied. “What kind of ridiculous news is this? I was at the party. Mr. Madison danced with Lenzy at someone's request. I could even see the annoyed expression on Mr. Madison's face the entire time he danced with Lenzy. Why are you calling her Mr. Madison's girlfriend? If you love someone, do you get annoyed when you're asked to dance with them? You're insulting Mr. Madison by calling that woman his girlfriend. Mr. Madison's type isn't a woman like that.”
“You really typed that? Aren't you worried Lenzy will get angry at you?” Jared looked at Caroline seriously.
“I don't care about her.” Caroline answered casually. “I also commented from a fake account, so don't worry.”