.Ethan stretched as he walked out of the resort, the weight of the long day finally settling in his muscles.
The sky had deepened into a warm orange glow, the last remnants of the sun dipping beneath the horizon.
The air was thick with the scent of saltwater and the faint aroma of grilled food from the beachside vendors wrapping up their sales.
He let out a breath, running a hand through his hair as he pulled out his keys, making his way toward his Porsche.
The day had been long, but productive. Now, all he wanted to do was go home, shower, and maybe get a few hours of actual rest before diving into work again.
He still had to prepare a permit application for the Casino. The System would do that but still, he earned the right to be a bit lazy after all.
Just as he was about to open the car door, his phone vibrated in his pocket.
A part of him considered ignoring it — he already knew it wasn’t Zack since the man would’ve just texted, and Lila was probably still at home recovering from their last drinking disaster.
That only left a handful of people who would be calling him this late.
Glancing at the screen, his body stiffened when he saw the name flashing across it.
[Vanessa.]
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His mouth went dry.
For a second, he just stood there, staring at the phone as if debating whether answering it would be worth whatever headache was waiting for him on the other end.
But letting it go to voicemail wasn’t an option either.
Reluctantly, he answered.
"Hey, Vanessa," he said, trying to sound casual.
"Where are you?" Her voice came sharp, direct. No ’hello,’ no ’how was your day?’ — straight to business, as expected.
Ethan sighed, already rubbing the bridge of his nose. "I just finished up at the resort. I was about to head home — "
"Good," she cut him off. "Hurry up."
Hurry up?
He groaned before he could stop himself, regretting it instantly.
The line went silent.
Then, in a voice so cold it sent a shiver down his spine, she asked, "Did you just groan at me?"
Ethan forced a nervous chuckle. "No, no — just, uh, stretching."
A beat of silence passed before she finally exhaled. "Just get here," she said, then hung up.
Ethan stood there for a second, staring at his phone.
His fingers hovered over the call log like he was considering calling her back just to clarify whatever the hell that was about — but ultimately, he just shook his head and climbed into the car.
Whatever this was, he’d just have to deal with it when he got there.
The drive home felt shorter than usual, probably because his mind was occupied with a mix of dread and curiosity.
Vanessa wasn’t the type to just demand his presence for no reason, and something about the way she sounded told him she was up to something.
When he finally pulled into the long driveway of his mansion, his eyes immediately landed on the sleek Ferrari parked just outside the gate.
Vanessa.
And she wasn’t sitting inside either.
She was standing near the entrance, chatting with the gatekeepers, her arms folded as if she had been waiting for him for a while.
Ethan let out a breath, gathering himself before stepping out of the car.
"Vanessa," he greeted, keeping his tone neutral.
At the sound of his voice, she turned, her piercing gaze locking onto him immediately.
She was dressed in her usual effortless style — tight-fitting jeans, a black blouse, and heels that made her seem even more intimidating than she already was.
Her long dark hair was swept over one shoulder, and as she crossed her arms, she tilted her head slightly, watching him with an unreadable expression.
Then, without any buildup or hesitation, she said, "I’ll be living with you now."
Ethan blinked.
For a moment, he genuinely thought he misheard her.
"You’re… what?"
"Living. With. You." She enunciated each word carefully, her lips curving into the faintest smirk as if enjoying his reaction.
Ethan opened his mouth, then closed it again. Enjoy more content from freewebnovel
His brain struggled to process the sheer audacity of the statement.
Vanessa? Moving in? Just like that?
Sure, they weren’t in an official relationship. But a girl doesnt just comr around and say she wants to live with you.
"Uh…" He ran a hand down his face. "Are you joking, or…?"
She raised a brow. "Do I look like I’m joking?"
No. No, she absolutely did not.
Still, Ethan couldn’t wrap his head around it. "And you decided this… when, exactly?"
"This morning."
"This morning," he repeated blankly. "And you didn’t think to — I don’t know — ask me first?"
Vanessa rolled her eyes. "Ethan, please. You have more space in this place than you know what to do with. What’s one more person?"
Ethan stared at her, his mind running through a million different responses but none that he could actually say out loud without making this situation worse.
"What’s the real reason?" he finally asked, crossing his arms.
She gave him a look. "Do I need a reason?"
"Vanessa." His voice dropped slightly. "You don’t do anything without a reason."
She held his gaze for a long moment before finally sighing, her expression softening just a bit.
"Fine. If you must know, I’m tired of the city. Tired of dealing with my family breathing down my neck every five seconds. I want a change of scenery."
Ethan narrowed his eyes. "And out of all the places in the world, you decided my house was the best option?"
She smirked. "It’s a pretty nice house."
He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Vanessa — "
"Oh, relax," she cut him off. "I’m not asking you to marry me. Just letting you know I’ll be around for a while. Unless…"
She leaned in slightly, a teasing glint in her eye. "You have a problem with that?"
Ethan clenched his jaw.
Of course he had a problem with that. But saying no to Vanessa was like trying to fight a hurricane with an umbrella — it just wasn’t going to happen.
He exhaled sharply, rubbing the back of his neck. "This is gonna be a headache."
Vanessa grinned. "Only if you make it one."
He stared at her for a long moment before shaking his head with a defeated sigh.
"Fine," he muttered. "Just don’t take over my entire house."
"No promises," she said breezily, returning to her car.