"Hey Tony, looking cute as always."
The voice was smooth—way too smooth. Like silk dipped in honey and wrapped in a challenge. I turned slowly, bracing myself for whatever came next.
There she was.
Mai Suzumia.
Tall, graceful, dressed in a white designer jacket over a violet crop top, black jeans clinging to her like second skin. Her deep auburn hair flowed freely down her shoulders, catching the light as if it had been choreographed to move just so. Her eyes sparkled—a mix of amusement, curiosity, and danger. The daughter of Akira Suzumia, one of the most powerful multimillionaires across Asia and the founder of Suzumia Enterprises.
And she was talking to me.
Correction: she was talking to Tony Bellingham.
(How could a girl this cute be talking to me???)
"...Uh. Thanks," I said, praying the real Tony didn't have a signature way of replying.
She tilted her head. "You seem... off. Late night?" Her tone was playful, but her gaze was sharp—like she was reading every twitch on my face.
"Yeah. You could say that," He answered, chuckling nervously.
She stepped closer. "So. Did you forget something? You promised me a surprise."
Crap. Crap. Crap.
(What the....)
His brain spun. Think. Think! Did Tony actually make her a promise? What kind of surprise? Did they date? Flirt? Scheme?
I smiled like I totally knew what she was talking about. "Ah, right... it's still being prepared. You know how surprises are. Wouldn't be one if I gave it away now, right?"
She raised a brow and grinned. "Smooth. That's more like you. Or at least... almost like you."
The word almost hit different.
(She does have a point.)
She leaned closer, and for a second, I froze. Her perfume was a soft, exotic scent I couldn't name—but it felt like temptation bottled.
(All these Perfume, gonna kill my dude one day, again)
"Tell me, Tony..." she said, almost whispering. "Do you believe people can change overnight?"
The question felt like a trap. "Depends. Are we talking real change, or just acting different?"
"Hmm. Acting different usually means you're hiding something," she mused, eyes locked on mine.
His throat went dry. He forced a laugh. "Deep talk for before noon, don't you think?"
She smirked. "You're lucky I like deep things. And mysteries."
Before kai could answer, a buzz in his pocket rescued him. He pulled out the phone—Tony's phone. A calendar reminder flashed across the screen.
Incoming ca from- Clara.
My chest tightened. Clara???, Oh snap, i forgot we were suppose to meet up!!.
Mai's eyes flicked down to the phone. "Ah. Clara. Still seeing her?"
I pocketed the phone fast. "Yeah. Kinda. You know how it is."
"Oh, I do." Her smile turned razor sharp.
She stepped back, her presence still heavy in the air. "We'll talk soon, Tony. Don't keep me waiting for that surprise."
And just like that, she turned on her heel and walked off.
Tony....well kai stood there, heart pounding, brain fried. Every word she'd said felt like a loaded bullet. Did she know? Was she just playing with me?
He had no idea.
It was 2:45 PM when He finally made it back to the garden terrace—a quiet, open area behind the mansion, framed with polished stone walkways and expensive imported plants that probably cost more than my old apartment.
Clara was already waiting.
She sat by a small glass table under a parasol, sipping orange juice. Today she wore a sleeveless navy dress with gold accents, classy but simple—typical Clara. She always managed to be elegant without trying.
When she saw me, she smiled—but it didn't quite reach her eyes.
"You're late."
(She's so strict, yet cu.....Hold up, dude stop it)
I sat across from her. "Ran into Mai."
She paused mid-sip. "Oh. Of course. What did she want?"
"To mess with my head, I think."
Clara set the glass down gently. "She's good at that."
I looked at her closely. There was something guarded in her expression, something calculating. She folded her arms and leaned forward slightly.
"Tony… can I ask something weird?"
His stomach tensed. "Sure."
"Are you okay? Like... really okay?"
He blinked. "Why wouldn't I be?"
She shrugged, avoiding my gaze. "You've just been... different. Since your birthday. The way you talk. The way you walk. Even the way you look at people. It's like… you're you, but not really."
Kau tried to laugh it off. "Midlife crisis at nineteen, I guess."
Clara didn't laugh. She just stared at me, searching.
"You know you can trust me, right? If something's wrong, I'd help."
God. Part of me wanted to spill everything right there. To tell her I wasn't Tony, that I had no idea what I was doing, that I was a broke kid who somehow became a billionaire's son. That I was scared, overwhelmed, and losing grip by the hour.
But he didn't.
I couldn't.
So he forced a grin. "I'm fine, Clara. Just figuring some stuff out."
She nodded slowly, then stood. "Okay. Just remember what I said."
As she turned to leave, she paused. Without looking back, she said:
"Be careful around Mai. She doesn't play fair."
(Mai.....well this info will be helpful someday)
By the time evening hit, I was back in my room, sprawled out on a custom Italian mattress I didn't deserve. My mind kept looping through everything.
Mai's words.
Clara's suspicion.
And the ticking clock. How long could I keep this up?
I rolled over and stared at the ceiling.
In my old life, I never had to pretend. I was just me—poor, lost, trying to survive. Now, I had wealth, power, and possible danger staring me in the face. And somehow, this was even harder.
Then I remembered something Mai said:
"You're cute when you lie, Tony."
She knew. Or at least she felt something was off.
And if she was testing me…
I was already losing.
(Well, time to up my game if i don't want anyone to find out the truth just yet)