Chapter 63: ... Police?
Kyle didn’t know why the police were at the door, but he was certain it would look incredibly suspicious if he were the one to answer. He knew they couldn’t force their way in without a warrant, so he quickly tiptoed back to check on Calista. A cold thought gripped him—what if something was seriously wrong with her?
How could he explain this situation to anyone? The mere thought of her health deteriorating because of their time together sounded absurd, something so outlandish that even Kyle wouldn’t believe himself if the roles were reversed.
A wave of relief coursed through him as he confirmed that Calista was still breathing, her chest rising and falling steadily. Still, he couldn’t shake the anxiety brewing inside him. What if she had somehow been the one to alert the police? The notion seemed implausible unless this entire scenario had been a calculated trap.
The situation wasn’t good. If the officers saw her in her current state, it wouldn’t take much for her to present herself as a victim. And with the agreement they had signed not in his possession, all Kyle had to defend himself was his word—a precarious position at best.
"The hell is going on?" Kyle muttered under his breath as the doorbell rang a few more times before the ringing stopped. He peered cautiously out a nearby window and saw that the officers weren’t leaving. Instead, they lingered, pacing around as though waiting for something. His heart sank further when another patrol car arrived on the scene.
Realizing he had little time, Kyle decided to wake Calista. He rushed to her side, shaking her gently. Her face was flushed, and she appeared completely out of it. It took her a minute or two to regain her bearings, during which Kyle anxiously glanced at the door.
"...Kyle?" she murmured, her voice groggy as she rubbed her eyes.
"You’ve got a guest," he informed her, keeping his tone as calm as possible despite the tension simmering beneath the surface. Her confused expression told him she wasn’t expecting anyone.
"I wonder who it could be," Calista mumbled to herself, clearly puzzled by the situation. But Kyle wasn’t convinced. She was an actress, after all, and while she wasn’t a great one, he knew she could easily pull off an act if needed.
She made her way to the door while Kyle stayed out of sight, his mind already racing with potential escape plans. He wasn’t about to get caught in a compromising situation, especially with his car parked right outside. He could only hope the officers assumed the luxury vehicle belonged to Calista—it wasn’t an unreasonable assumption.
Kyle leaned in, straining to catch snippets of the conversation at the door, but their voices were too muffled to make out. Frustrated, he accidentally made more noise than he intended, causing Calista to glance back briefly before resuming her discussion with the officers.
"What are they talking about?" Kyle wondered, his nerves fraying with each passing second. He contemplated initiating his escape plan but hesitated when he heard the door close. Peeking cautiously, he saw Calista walking back toward him. The officers were gone—or at least no longer in sight.
"Babe, you wouldn’t believe what just happened," she said with a mischievous smile, her tone light and teasing. Kyle bristled at her use of the word "babe." It was becoming increasingly clear that she believed they were in some sort of relationship—a delusion Kyle had no intention of correcting.
"Who or what?" he asked, feigning interest while his thoughts remained focused on why the police had been there.
"The police," she said, suppressing a giggle. "They thought I was in danger. Someone called them."
Kyle waited, sensing there was more to her story.
"It’s because I was screaming," she added, bursting into laughter. "I guess the neighbors thought something was wrong."
Kyle shook his head, a faint smile playing on his lips despite the ridiculousness of the situation. Of course, the neighbors had called the police. But this told him something valuable: if this sort of thing were a regular occurrence, the neighbors wouldn’t have reacted. Clearly, Calista didn’t usually behave like this, which made the situation even more curious.
"Interesting," Kyle thought to himself. Though absurd, the experience was yet another reminder of why he needed to be cautious about the people he involved himself with.
After grabbing a quick bite to eat at her place, Kyle prepared to leave. Calista, aware of his busy schedule, didn’t protest. Still, before he walked out the door, he turned to her and said, "You know, Calista, I never thought we’d get this far, but I’m glad we met."
The statement wasn’t entirely sincere, but Kyle knew it would feed into her fantasies of a relationship. He didn’t expect anything more from her, but he saw value in the situation. For all her quirks, Calista was helping him gain the interpersonal experience he needed to handle future relationships.
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Kyle knew he had to be careful about the people he allowed into his life. With available "slots" in his metaphorical harem, the last thing he needed was another situation like this, where he had no control over who entered his personal sphere.
Hitting the gas pedal, he arrived at the construction site in no time, partly expecting to find the workers slacking off. To his surprise, they were hard at work, pushing forward with the project as diligently as when he had last checked in.
The site had already moved into the alteration stage, and Kyle was pleased with what he saw. The transformation was coming together faster than anticipated, and it was clear the team was taking the job seriously.
"You’re back?" a voice called out. Kyle turned to see Collins, the project manager, approaching. The man was drenched in sweat, his muscles glistening under the afternoon sun.
Kyle raised an eyebrow. "You’re working too?"
"Of course," Collins replied with a chuckle. "I don’t just manage. I like to get my hands dirty."
Kyle couldn’t help but feel slightly envious. Collins’ physique was a reminder of his own neglected fitness. "I really need to hit the gym," Kyle thought, making a mental note to prioritize his physical health alongside his business ventures.
"You guys work fast," Kyle said aloud, genuinely impressed.
Collins grinned. "We do. At this rate, your nightclub should be ready in about a week. My crew’s been eager to tackle a project this big—it’s been a while since we’ve had something like this to sink our teeth into."
Kyle nodded, satisfied with the progress. "If you keep up the good work, I’ll make sure to include a generous bonus as a token of appreciation," he said, hoping to further motivate the team and ensure they didn’t cut corners.
Collins chuckled again. "That’s good to hear. But don’t worry—we’re professionals. You’ll be happy with the results, bonus or not."
Kyle smirked, appreciating the man’s confidence. He had a good feeling about the project and was eager to see it completed. The nightclub represented more than just a business opportunity—it was a step toward building the future he envisioned.
