Fake Love, Real Trouble

Nathan walked toward the balcony, preparing himself to meet the daughter of one of the Cole family's business partners.

But as he stepped outside, his usual composed demeanor faltered slightly.

Standing there, bathed in the soft glow of the evening lights, was Lilian.

She looked different—her usual school attire replaced with an elegant formal dress that made her beauty stand out even more.

Nathan quickly composed himself, playing it cool.

He smirked slightly and greeted her in a relaxed tone, "You must be the Carter's daughter."

Lilian, catching onto his act, responded with a raised brow. "And you?"

Nathan's smirk widened. "I'm just a butler here."

Lilian immediately saw through the lie. His outfit was too expensive, and his perfectly styled hair was far from what a butler would have.

Crossing her arms, she questioned him skeptically, "So what's the deal? Did your father ask you to flirt with me so our parents' businesses could benefit?"

Nathan chuckled softly. Some things never changed—Lilian was always quick to assume things on her own.

"I don't really care about that... Just hanging around," he replied nonchalantly.

Lilian, clearly unimpressed, suddenly said, "I already have a boyfriend."

Nathan raised an eyebrow, mildly surprised. He thought she didn't take their fake relationship that seriously.

"Is it really a real relationship?" he asked, his tone carrying a hint of doubt.

Lilian hesitated for a second before responding firmly, "It's none of your business."

A smirk played on Nathan's lips as an idea formed in his mind.

"A friend of mine named Derek said you don't really look like you're in a relationship with the guy."

He said it casually, watching her reaction. He wanted to see if she would finally admit the real reason she asked him to pretend.

But Lilian didn't respond. Instead, she turned around and walked away without another word.

Nathan simply shrugged.

This party was already boring enough.

Without much thought, he decided he had no reason to stay any longer.

Nathan walked into school as usual, hands tucked into his pockets, his expression unreadable. As he passed by, his ears picked up a conversation happening a few steps away.

Lilian was chatting with Eva, excitement laced in her voice.

"I swear, that guy I saw last night? He was crazy rich. The way he dressed, the way he carried himself—it's like he came straight out of some billionaire romance novel. But ugh, those types are the worst. Arrogant, entitled, and they think they own everything," Lilian scoffed.

Nathan smirked silently, finding amusement in her words. If only she knew.

Before he could dwell on it, a sudden tap on his shoulder pulled him out of his thoughts.

"What's wrong? Worried your 'girlfriend' is cheating on you?" James teased, flashing his usual grin.

Nathan flinched slightly at the unexpected comment but quickly masked his reaction. He let out a small chuckle, shaking his head.

"Why would I care? She's not even my real girlfriend."

James shrugged. "True. But still, you seem out of it today."

Nathan didn't bother to reply and instead walked with James towards their classroom.

The moment he stepped inside, Lilian was already approaching him. Before he could react, she grabbed his wrist and pulled him out into the hallway.

The corridor was empty, the silence between them thick with unspoken tension.

"Alright, enough. What is your problem, Nathan?" Lilian demanded, arms crossed. "First, you act like some perfect boyfriend yesterday, and now you're completely ignoring me. What's your deal?"

Nathan stared at her for a moment, debating whether to brush it off or actually give her an answer.

"It's nothing," he finally said, his voice indifferent. "Not everything is about you, Lilian."

Lilian frowned, clearly unsatisfied with that response. "So you're saying you're ignoring me for no reason?"

Nathan sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Look, I just have things on my mind. It has nothing to do with you, okay?"

Lilian wasn't convinced. "I don't buy it. If it's not about me, then what is it?"

For a split second, Nathan hesitated. He felt the weight of last night's event creeping back into his mind—the Cole's Party, the suffocating expectations, the reminder of everything he wanted to leave behind. His usual calm façade cracked just slightly before he quickly pieced it back together.

"It's nothing important," he repeated, his voice quieter this time.

Lilian studied him closely, noticing the flicker of something in his eyes—something deeper than just annoyance. But before she could press further, Nathan suddenly straightened up, his expression shifting.

"...Sorry," he muttered, completely catching Lilian off guard.

She blinked. "Huh?"

"For ignoring you. I didn't mean to," he said, looking away. "So don't start skipping your assignments or whatever, alright?"

Lilian raised a brow, then huffed, clearly still irritated but slightly less so. "Tch. Fine. But if you act weird again, I'm definitely making you do double the work as punishment."

Nathan let out a small laugh, shaking his head. "Yeah, yeah."

As they walked back to class, a part of Nathan still felt unsettled. He might have patched things up with Lilian, but the real problem—the one he refused to talk about—was still waiting for him in the back of his mind.

End of Chapter 7.