Chapter 33: Welcome To My Home.
Kyle did a quick clean-up of his room, tidying up the space with efficiency because he was well aware of what inviting Calista over would lead to, but this didn’t bother him in the slightest. If things ever got complicated, Kyle knew he could always buy a new place or, if necessary, relocate to another country entirely. However, he didn’t think such drastic measures would ever be needed right now—Calista was convenient, and tonight, she would serve her purpose once again, just as she always did.
Kyle leaned back on his couch, grabbing a bottle of water and downing two full glasses to ensure he was properly hydrated for the activity he anticipated. He reminded himself to put on the act of caring about her acting ambitions because, at the end of the day, this charade of pretending to be supportive was a small price to pay for what he got out of their arrangement. Kyle knew it didn’t take much effort to feign interest, and a few minutes of false enthusiasm was all it would take to keep her invested in him.
His phone buzzed unexpectedly, pulling his attention away from his thoughts. He wasn’t expecting anyone other than Calista, and when he glanced at the screen, the caller ID displayed an unfamiliar number. Hesitating for a moment, Kyle decided to answer the call, though he didn’t speak first, waiting instead to hear the voice on the other end.
"Hello?" came a familiar voice. Kyle immediately recognized it as Ella—the girl he had spoken to just hours ago during their earlier conversation.
"Who’s this?" Kyle asked, feigning ignorance and wanting her to introduce herself to him rather than acknowledging her outright.
"It’s Ella. I’m surprised you don’t recognize me after our long conversation earlier," she replied, her voice carrying a faint hint of nervousness that Kyle picked up on almost immediately.
Kyle wasn’t in the mood to entertain Ella’s ambitions right now, not when his focus was on Calista and what the evening had in store.
"Ah, of course," he replied casually, his tone deliberately indifferent. "You made an impression, but I’m a busy man," he added, downplaying her importance to subtly remind her that she wasn’t special or unique to him.
"Oh... I see," she said, her voice faltering for a moment before an awkward pause followed. After a few seconds of silence, Ella pressed on. "We didn’t get to finish our conversation earlier, and I—"
"Does Jane know you’re calling me?" Kyle interrupted sharply, cutting her off mid-sentence. The silence that followed told him everything he needed to know without her having to say a word.
"What do you want, Ella?" Kyle asked, his tone more direct now, making it clear that he wasn’t in the mood for games.
"I wanted to talk about my music," she admitted after a brief pause, her desperation evident in her voice. "I’m in a band, and I really need some guidance... any help you can offer," she added, laying her cards on the table without shame.
Kyle had no intention of letting this conversation drag out longer than it needed to. "This isn’t something we can discuss over the phone. Let’s set a time to meet properly," he said, steering the conversation toward a conclusion he could control. He realized that with his growing list of clients, he needed a dedicated space for meetings. Using his apartment for this purpose was becoming increasingly impractical, and he decided that his newly purchased building could be transformed into an office space.
"That sounds great! When are you free?" Ella asked eagerly, clearly excited by the prospect of meeting him in person.
"I’ll let you know," Kyle said curtly before ending the call without giving her a chance to respond further.
Moments later, the call he had been waiting for finally came through. He let the phone ring twice before answering, taking a moment to compose himself.
"Hi! I’m here," Calista’s voice chirped through the phone, her excitement barely contained. Though she sounded genuinely thrilled, Kyle could tell her affection for him hadn’t deepened as much as he expected.
Kyle stepped out of his apartment, walking briskly past Aiysha’s unit without a second glance. Outside, Calista’s car stood out like a beacon, drawing the attention of several residents in the building. Their gazes lingered on the expensive vehicle, murmurs of curiosity spreading as they tried to piece together who she was. Kyle smirked inwardly at their reactions, entirely unbothered. If anything happened to the car, it wouldn’t matter—he could replace it without a second thought.
Their eyes met, and Kyle raised his hand in a wave. Calista’s face lit up, her smile radiant as she practically ran to him.
"Kyle!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around his neck with the enthusiasm of someone who had been looking forward to this moment all day.
He caught her effortlessly, lifting her off the ground and spinning her around once before setting her back down gently.
"I missed you," he said with a warm smile, his tone soft and reassuring.
"I don’t blame you for that," she replied smugly, her confidence shining through in her response. Kyle didn’t mind her arrogance—it was entertaining, knowing it would likely crumble soon enough when reality set in.
Unbeknownst to them, Aiysha was watching the interaction from her apartment window. She had been curious about Kyle’s sudden lifestyle shift, and seeing Calista with him now made everything click in her mind. The expensive car, the confidence—of course, it had to be Calista. To Aiysha, it was obvious: Calista was some kind of sugar mommy or wealthy girlfriend funding Kyle’s expenses.
Kyle’s instincts prickled as if sensing her gaze. When he glanced up, his eyes locked with Aiysha’s briefly before she hastily shut her blinds. Her reaction was telling; had she smiled and waved, it would’ve seemed innocent, but instead, she acted like she’d been caught doing something wrong.
Kyle shrugged it off, not giving it much thought, and turned his full attention back to Calista.
"We should head inside," he said, gesturing toward the building entrance.
He half-expected her to grimace at the sight of the modest apartment complex. After all, it didn’t reflect the wealth Kyle actually had. But for someone playing the role of a struggling cashier, it was a fitting home that didn’t raise suspicion.
"Alright!" she said brightly, gripping his arm tightly as they walked. Her hold was firm, her demeanor giddy—just like a woman deeply smitten with her man in the movies.
Kyle couldn’t shake the feeling that something was different about her tonight. Was it her attitude? Her eagerness? He couldn’t quite place it but decided he was probably overthinking things.
Inside her apartment, Aiysha sat by the window, her thoughts racing as she replayed what she’d just witnessed. She felt a pang of disappointment she couldn’t explain; she had assumed Kyle was single. But then again, why did it even matter? What Kyle did with his life wasn’t her business.
Meanwhile, inside the building, Kyle unlocked the door to his apartment, stepping aside to let Calista in first. He caught her faint smile as she walked past him. Whatever she had on her mind could wait—tonight, she was here for him, and that was all that mattered.
