The day was winding down, but the drama was just beginning as Jessica breezed into Andrew's office, wearing a form-fitting black cocktail dress designed to grab attention. She pouted, her voice dripping with feigned sweetness.

"Baby, you didn’t forget you promised me dinner, right?” she asked, clinging to his arm like a vine.

Andrew resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Keep it together, he told himself. "No, I didn’t forget," he said with forced politeness.

Jessica beamed and tugged him toward the door, but Andrew sighed internally. He was playing his part for the sake of the plan, but he hated every second of it.

Meanwhile, Eva arrived at Andrew's office, ready to leave for the day, excited about the note he had left her that morning and their little tryst earlier. She knocked on the door, but there was no answer. Confused, she pushed the door open to find the office empty.

"Where could he be?" she wondered aloud. She tried calling James, but he had no clue either. Disheartened, she decided to head back to her office.

At an upscale restaurant, Andrew sat stiffly in a booth as Jessica cuddled up to his side, her arm wrapped possessively around his. She snapped selfies and posted them online, her lips curling into a sly smirk.

“Andrew, did you see? I’m working with top brands now,” Jessica said, her tone dripping with self-importance.

Andrew barely acknowledged her, scrolling through his phone, his expression unreadable. But Jessica snatched his phone away, her pout turning to a scowl.

“Andrew! After two months, you’re ignoring me?” she whined.

Andrew bit back a sharp retort, not wanting to break his cover. Instead, he calmly held out his hand. “Give my phone back.”

Jessica’s childish antics were interrupted by the waiter, and Andrew seized the opportunity to retrieve his phone. As he glanced at it, his heart sank—he hadn’t told Eva about this fake dinner date. His anxiety spiked. What if she misunderstands again?

Jessica, sensing his distraction, tightened her grip on his arm. “You’re mine tonight, Andrew. No excuses.”

But Andrew had had enough. “I need to leave. Something urgent has come up,” he said firmly, pulling his arm free.

Jessica pouted and clung to him again. “No! Just a few more minutes. Please?”

Unbeknownst to Andrew, Eva had seen Jessica’s post. Her heart sank as she stared at the picture: Jessica’s smug expression and Andrew sitting beside her, his face unreadable. Fury bubbled inside her. He said he was coming to me tonight, but here he is with her.

Determined to confront him, Eva stormed into the restaurant. She spotted him in the booth with Jessica, the latter clinging to his arm like a parasite. Jessica noticed Eva immediately, her smirk widening as she leaned closer to Andrew, whispering something into his ear.

Eva felt her resolve waver. He chose her, she thought bitterly. Turning on her heel, she headed for the bar.

"Something stronger," Eva told the bartender after downing her first drink.

The bartender hesitated, noticing the fury in her eyes. "Are you alone, ma'am?" he asked cautiously.

"Just pour," she snapped, slamming her glass down.

The bartender obliged, but as Eva drank straight from the bottle, his concern grew. A few men at the bar were eyeing her, their intentions far from noble.

"Ma’am, I think that’s enough," the bartender said firmly.

"Another," she demanded, her voice slurring slightly. Before things could escalate, a familiar voice called out.

"Eva!"

Eva turned to see Lucas, her best friend, striding toward her. "Who are you?" she asked, her words barely coherent.

“It’s me, Lucas,” he said, trying to steady her. He noticed her tear-streaked face and became alarmed. “What happened?”

"That bastard... idiot... moron,” Eva slurred, cursing Andrew with every word she could muster.

A woman standing next to Lucas chuckled softly. “She’s got quite the vocabulary,” Dahlia said, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Let's take her home," Lucas said urgently.

Suddenly, a cold, familiar voice cut through the chaos. “There’s no need.”

Everyone turned to see Andrew, his face a mixture of frustration and concern. Eva clung to Dahlia, her eyes wide with fear and defiance.

"Please don’t send me to him," Eva pleaded. "See? He looks scary."

Andrew sighed, his patience fraying. Without another word, he scooped her up into his arms. Eva struggled weakly, her hands slapping against his chest.

"You bastard," she muttered. "Idiot. Moron."

"Yes, that’s me," Andrew said dryly, holding her securely as she buried her face in his shoulder, her curses softening to incoherent mumbles.

As Andrew carried Eva out, Dahlia watched with growing interest. “Well, well,” she said, a sly smile tugging at her lips. “This is getting interesting.”

“You know him?” Lucas asked.

Dahlia nodded. “My brother’s his assistant. Trust me, she’s in for quite a ride.”

Lucas raised an eyebrow but said nothing as Andrew disappeared into the rainy night with Eva in his arms.