Bittersweet Expectations (Hate at First Flight #0.5)

32. Pretending to be Ethan Clarke's Girlfriend

To say I was surprised was an understatement.

I was beyond surprised.

Rightfully so given that Ethan Clarke's entire demeanor towards me since we had met was that I was a gold digger that he would never cast an interested gaze upon.

Ethan Clarke and I dating was as likely as oil and water mixing together, which was physically impossible.

If I wasn't so shocked, I would've burst out into a loud uproar of laughter, because the idea of Ethan and I dating was just so ridiculous and the fact that he thought he could get away with that lie was beyond me.

It didn't help that everyone else in our close proximity that had heard him introduce me as his girlfriend was equally as shocked by his announcement.

You could hear a pin drop in the midst of the silence that had dawned on the hotel lobby.

As if he sensed everyone's doubtful gazes, Ethan Clarke wrapped his right arm around my waist and pulled me closer to him.

Heat instantly radiated where his body touched mine and I couldn't help but get flustered, my face burning up as I tried to gather my footing so I didn't completely fall into him.

The smell of wood and earth flooded my senses and the sweet scent from before was now masked by the faint smell of scotch.

Was he doing this because he was drunk? That would explain just how erratic he was being. Ethan Clarke was not this unpredictable.

I tried to push him away but his arm tightened it's grip and he pressed lightly into my waist as if he was trying to signal me.

I looked up at him and he gave me a look that instantly stopped me from trying to get out of his hold.

He was pleading for my help.

Ethan Clarke looked earnest as he asked me for help.

Whatever was behind his decision to introduce me to his ex as his current girlfriend, he needed me to go along with his lies.

Ethan Clarke was actually asking me to help him. Something that I thought I would never see happening.

I involuntarily bit my lower lip as I weighed my options, mulling over what to do.

I could either expose him for lying or I could help him out by pretending to be his girlfriend for whatever reason he wanted me to be.

I had two options but only one had perks.

The second one.

By helping him out, I could ask for something in return.

Simething like moving out of Building X and ending this farce of a contract we had in the first place.

The past week had proven that I would much rather prefer living in the small bedroom back at the Clarke's mansion than at Building X.

I gave a slightly nod and instantly his face was back to the mask that I knew was Ethan Clarke. He turned back to address Laurel Richards who was staring at me like I had just magically grown a second head.

She studied me with a sharp gaze that seemed to dig into my very skin as her eyes did a double take over my dress and my body. I felt bare under her eyes and became self-conscious, given the sharp contrast between the two of us.

She had a luxurious beauty to her one that seemed almost inhuman, and compared to her, I couldn't even come close.

Charles, who was standing a few feet behind Laurel, cleared his throat which seemed to break Laurel out of her thoughts.