I run a side hustle selling my photos online for people to use as fake profiles for online dating. For an extra fee, I even offer custom voice messages and video calls. Everything was going smoothly until one of my regular clients messaged me: [I'll pay you $15,000 if you meet up with him in person for me. You can keep whatever gifts he buys you, too.] Just as I was about to reject the offer, a photo of her 'online boyfriend' popped up on my screen. It was my absolute worst enemy. I stared at the screen, my face completely blank: [Are you telling me you've been using my photos and videos to date him?] 1 [Then you're definitely being scammed, girl,] I replied earnestly. [Impossible,] she insisted. [He's transferred me so much money. This is definitely the notoriously wealthy Sterling family heir.] Me: "..." I saved the photo of Arthur Sterling she sent me and ran a quick reverse image search. It was a generic paparazzi shot that gossip blogs had recycled a million times. I sent her the screenshot of the search results. She remained completely unfazed. [We've been working together for so long, why would I lie to you? My online boyfriend is 100% the Sterling heir.] I let out an exhausted sigh. Knowing the young master Arthur Sterling, his real-life romantic entanglements were already enough to drive him insane. Why would he have the time or energy for a fake online relationship? And especially... using my photos and videos. Forget falling in love with me through a screen; if he actually saw them, he'd probably throw up. I typed back to the client: [When he looks at my photos, what exactly does he say?] [He says I'm gorgeous! I mean, you are genuinely beautiful,] she paused, then added, [I even used your custom voice memo packages! Every time I send one, he transfers me $8,000!] Mother of God. If Arthur Sterling ever heard that sickly-sweet, high-pitched "baby voice" I put on for those recordings... he'd probably lose his appetite for three days straight. That confirmed it. The guy on the other end was absolutely, categorically not Arthur Sterling! Thinking about this, I went back and reviewed all the photos and videos I had sold to this client. The photos were standard, pretty selfies. But the videos... Lots of tight mini-skirts paired with cat-ear filters. ...It's fine. The guy wasn't Arthur anyway. The client continued to beg me: [Please, babe, do me this one favor! I promise it's completely safe! I already told him I'm not ready for any physical contact yet. And the meeting spot is a super crowded mall downtown.] When I didn't reply immediately, she sent another frantic message: [If you really don't want to stay, just show your face for one minute and leave! If you don't, he'll realize I've been catfishing him, and I won't be able to milk him for any more cash!] A few seconds later, my bank app notified me of a $45,000 transfer. My fingers, which were hovering over the keyboard to type a rejection, froze. Then again... If this guy had the absolute audacity to use Arthur Sterling's photo for online dating, how did he have the guts to meet up in person? Wasn't he terrified of being exposed as a fraud? This girl might be able to pay me to act as her stand-in, but absolutely no one on earth could order Arthur Sterling around. Perfect. I'll go see exactly what kind of freak this imposter is! I deleted my drafted rejection text. [Fine.] Looking at it objectively, this client was incredibly generous. Tsk. I bet the real Arthur Sterling isn't even this generous. Terrified I'd back out, she quickly forwarded several screenshots of her chat history with the fake Arthur. It was an endless stream of Hubby kiss kiss and I only love my hubby. The chat was flooded with reaction stickers of cute kittens spinning, happy kittens, and whining kittens. Me: "..." The fake Arthur's replies were incredibly consistent: [Baby, you're so beautiful.] Transfer received. [Baby, you're so cute.] Transfer received. ... Transfer received. Transfer received. Transfer received. My god. This guy was a walking ATM. The client quickly dropped a location pin. [It's at this mall.] I clicked on it. Oh, wow. The actual Sterling heir really did frequent this exact mall. It was very close to one of his family's estates. Maybe I should... I pulled up Arthur Sterling's contact in my phone. Is there any chance I could arrange for the imposter to run face-first into the real Arthur Sterling? That would scare him to death! Uh. I forgot. Arthur blocked my number. I silently locked my phone. 2 Following the client's endless, neurotic instructions... I dressed up meticulously and arrived at the mall half an hour early to scope out the area. I never expected that I would actually run into the real Arthur Sterling here. He looked relaxed and indifferent, one hand casually tucked into his pocket. A girl was walking next to him, chattering away happily. Arthur wasn't really listening; a lazy, detached smirk played on his lips. But the fact that he hadn't shown any signs of annoyance the entire time was practically a miracle. I was stunned. It wasn't until Arthur noticed me that his smirk vanished. He muttered under his breath, "What awful luck." I heard him clearly, but my expression remained completely blank. The girl immediately linked her arm through Arthur's, glaring at me defensively. "Who are you?" When I didn't answer, she looked up at Arthur with a pitiful, victimized expression. Arthur scoffed. "Just some broke loser." He wasn't wrong. If I wasn't broke, why would I be here meeting up with a fake Arthur Sterling for cash? I let out a dry, sarcastic laugh, my tone rising slightly. "Having the great Young Master Sterling despise me is truly an honor." Hearing that, Arthur's face darkened instantly. He crossed his arms, his words ruthlessly cutting. "Mia, can you even afford a single item in this entire mall?" "As long as you can afford them, that's all that matters," I smiled, pointing to a luxury boutique nearby. "Didn't you buy me a bag from that exact store once?" The girl's eyes widened in shock. "What is your relationship with him?" What relationship? We were each other's first loves. Though dating this arrogant young master was easily the biggest mistake I'd ever made in my life. Arthur didn't say a word, and I wasn't in the mood to humiliate myself further, so I adjusted my bag and turned to leave. "Mia." His tone was light and airy, but carried the exact same condescending, arrogant weight it always had. "Which poor guy are you scamming into paying your bills today?" I turned back. "Don't worry, Young Master. So far, I haven't managed to scam anyone more generous than you." Of course, I wasn't counting the money the client just transferred me. Arthur had been surrounded by sycophants his entire life; he never bothered hiding his emotions. Right now, for example, it was glaringly obvious he was in a terrible mood. Terrified he would intentionally ruin my upcoming meetup, I paused for a second and then decided to appease him. "You were right before. Someone like me will never be happy. But as long as you're happy, that's what matters." Honestly, the whole "mortal enemies" thing was mostly Arthur's one-sided hatred for me. I never liked making enemies, especially not with an ex who used to be incredibly generous with his money. But the young master, who was famously impossible to coax even when we were dating, was definitely not buying it now. He sneered, his words dripping with venom. "Don't leave. I want to see exactly what kind of trash you've managed to hook this time." I froze. I still didn't know what kind of persona the client had established with the fake Arthur. What if she was playing the innocent, pure little flower? The whole thing would blow up in my face. With Arthur's abrasive personality, he could expose me in two sentences. I swallowed my pride. "He's not as handsome as you, and he's not as rich as you. Young Master Sterling, why do you insist on humiliating me?" The girl next to him nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Arthur. Let's just go." Arthur didn't even glance at the girl. His long, elegant fingers pulled a premium black card from his pocket. The girl took it, her entire demeanor instantly changing, and briskly walked away. "I'm going to go shopping then! Text me if you need anything, Arthur!" I smiled. "She's cute." Arthur ignored the comment, and showed absolutely no sign of leaving. He just stood there, staring me down. But he had always been like this—willful and unrestrained. In the past, when he had a high fever, I would pace around frantically, worried sick. He would just lazily grab my hand and smirk. "Want to see what 104 degrees feels like?" My eyes widened, my face flushing bright red instantly. Not from shyness, but from pure anger. "Are you psychotic?!" The corners of his lips curved up, and he couldn't stop a muffled laugh. We eventually tried it, and he ended up in the ER. ... They were all just immature, childish memories. I lowered my eyes. Arthur quickly lost his patience. He raised an eyebrow. "You didn't just invent a guy, did you?" I stayed silent. His patience officially exhausted, he answered a call from a friend. "Yeah, I'll be there in a minute." Then he cast a final, sweeping glance over me, mockery swimming in his eyes. "Instead of carrying around that cheap, thirty-dollar canvas tote, maybe you shouldn't have been so damn stubborn about your pride back then." With that, his long legs carried him away, the distance between us growing rapidly. I watched his tall, retreating silhouette. Even his walk radiated a careless, arrogant swagger. After I broke up with Arthur, I packed up every single luxury item he had ever given me and shipped them all back to him. He only sent me one text in response: [I don't collect garbage.] Then he blocked me. As for the luxury goods, mutual friends told me he threw them all into the massive dumpster outside his villa. My phone started pinging relentlessly with notifications. Ning: [Babe, are you there yet?] [Let's just meet at the coffee shop, okay? I'll text him and tell him I'm waiting for him there.] [Babe, answer me!] I reined in my emotions and replied: [Okay, I'm heading to the coffee shop now.] Once I got inside the coffee shop, I scanned the entire room. I texted the client: [Hey babe, bad news. Arthur Sterling isn't here. Even worse news, there's only one genuinely handsome guy in the whole place.] [Impossible! He just texted me that he arrived!] she replied frantically. I let out a long sigh. Until I saw that one incredibly handsome man walking directly toward me. The outer corners of his eyes tilted up slightly, and there was a small, striking red mole just beneath one of his eyes. He smiled warmly. He inexplicably radiated a dangerous, almost fox-like charm. I instinctively took a step back, instantly on guard. He spoke, his voice deep and magnetic: "Mia." Me: "..." I quickly texted the client: [Isn't your name Ning? You didn't use my real name, did you?] She replied instantly: [Uh... yeah. I was too scared to use my real name, and since we were negotiating the photo prices at the time, I just accidentally gave him yours.] Me: [Brilliant.] I locked my phone, took a deep breath, looked up, and greeted the man. "Hi there." Up close, the man was even more devastatingly handsome. His features were refined and delicate, but not feminine. He had a high, straight nose bridge, thin lips curled into a faint smile, and a subtle, sparkling stud in his left ear. He was significantly better looking than I anticipated; it was almost startling. Wait, he had absolutely no reason to use Arthur Sterling's photos for online dating. I offered a polite, awkward smile. "You and the photos you sent me... look quite different." He raised an eyebrow. "I'm fairly certain I never sent you a photo of myself." Me: ? For a split second, my facial expression completely short-circuited. This guy never even sent a photo! How the hell was that client so absolutely certain he was Arthur Sterling?! "Then I must have remembered wrong," I forced a strained smile, trying to suppress the urge to grind my teeth. "Do you mind if I run to the restroom first?" "Of course," he smiled gracefully. Once in the restroom, I immediately dialed "Ning's" number. The second the call connected, I unleashed a furious barrage: "I fucking told you! Your online boyfriend is NOT Arthur Sterling! He's NOT Arthur Sterling! You wouldn't listen, so I just assumed he was a normal catfish! Turns out the guy never even sent you a picture! What on earth made you think he was Arthur Sterling?!" The other end of the line was dead silent. After a long pause, a very distinct, very male voice blurted out, "Holy shit." It was a guy! I was completely stunned. "He's not Arthur Sterling? How is that possible? Then who is he?" he demanded, firing off questions. I was just as frustrated. "You're asking me? Where did you even find this guy?! How can you be this incompetent?!" I thought I was dealing with a female scammer trying to milk a rich guy for cash. Who would have guessed it was a dude?! No wonder he needed to buy my custom voice memo packages! "What does he look like? Describe him right now!" The guy actually sounded more panicked than I did. Me: "Well, he's actually incredibly handsome, so don't worry about that." The line went silent again. After a long, agonizing pause, his voice sounded completely drained of the will to live: "He doesn't happen to have a small red mole under his eye, does he?" Me: "Yes, he does." "AAAAAHHHHH! I'M DEAD!" ...Now he realizes he's dead. Where was this panic when he was scamming the guy for thousands of dollars?! If the guy he was scamming was actually Arthur Sterling, then he'd be dead. Knowing Arthur's ruthless reputation, he'd literally skin the guy alive. After a while, he asked, his voice trembling in pure agony, "...What do I do now?" I was curious. "This guy seems a million times nicer than Arthur Sterling. Did you think Arthur was some kind of saint?" "No, you don't understand. My older brother is infinitely more terrifying than Arthur. If Arthur wanted to destroy me, my grandmother could at least try to stop him. If my brother wants to destroy me, absolutely no one can save me!" Saying that, he started wailing again. My eyes widened in shock. "...What did you just say?" He was clearly in the depths of despair. "No wonder Arthur always calls me an idiot. Am I really that stupid?" Me: "...So what's the plan now? Should I just make a run for it?" "No!" he hissed through gritted teeth. "If you run, he will 100% investigate. And he will 100% trace it back to me!" I was speechless. He blurted out a desperate solution: "Why don't you just take over my WeChat account? We'll just pretend you were the one talking to him the whole time! I mean, my brother is really good-looking, and he transfers a ton of money..." My pupils dilated in pure horror. Before I could answer, he started muttering to himself: "I had no idea he was this generous when he's dating someone. Fuck, why is he so stingy with my allowance?" "Forget it," I refused. Ever since I broke up with Arthur, I finally saw things clearly. What doesn't belong to you will never belong to you, no matter how hard you try. Especially when it comes to these insanely wealthy, elite heirs. It's better not to harbor any delusional fantasies about them. Besides, if I actually got involved with this man and Arthur found out, who knows what kind of psychotic episode the young master would have? Actually, no. He'd probably just mock the man: "Your taste is absolute garbage, getting involved with a woman like Mia." I thought about this silently, then let out a heavy sigh. The voice on the other end of the phone whined, "I thought you guaranteed post-sale support!" They really are from the exact same family! This guy's thought process was just as deranged as Arthur's. I said flatly, "I'm hanging up." "$75,000! I'll add another $75,000!" he panicked. "I literally drained my entire Chinese New Year red envelope fund for this! You absolutely cannot let my brother find out!" Me: "...$150,000." Him: "...You're extorting me! You're definitely going to milk a ton of money out of my brother anyway, do you really have to bleed me dry too?!" "Then never mind," I said. "Deal!" he shrieked, completely broken. "What's your brother's name?" I asked. "Julian Thorne." My head snapped up. "The Julian Thorne? Arthur Sterling's older cousin who's always abroad?" "Yes." 3 I stayed in the restroom, smoothing out my dress, touching up my makeup, taking a deep breath, and finally walking out. Julian was waiting for me outside. To be honest, Julian's demeanor didn't exactly match his elegant, orderly name. He radiated a calm, calculated aura of someone who operated entirely outside the rules. He always wore a faint, polite smile, but he felt exactly like a cunning fox. Why would someone with this much wealth and power resort to online dating? I proactively looped my arm through Julian's. He paused, a microscopic hesitation, and his smile deepened. "Do you want to go shopping first? Or grab something to eat?" he asked. "Whatever you want," I replied. So, he took me from store to store, browsing endlessly. Unlike Arthur, Julian was incredibly patient, offering thoughtful feedback on how every bag and dress looked on me, and then flawlessly paying for everything. Arthur was too lazy to look. He would walk into a store, immediately sit down on the nearest plush sofa, stare at his phone, wait for me to pick what I wanted, pay the bill, and leave. It was incredibly bizarre. It felt like the universe had literally dropped a perfect boyfriend into my lap. But Julian was absolutely not as easygoing and accommodating as he appeared. People like him are the most dangerous. But right now... He even summoned two bodyguards to trail behind us and carry the mountain of shopping bags. "Mia, I made a reservation at that restaurant you said you wanted to try," Julian said, a soft smile on his lips. "Let's go!" I agreed enthusiastically. "Do you remember which one it was?" He lowered his eyes, his expression completely relaxed and casual. It was exactly the way a predator looks at prey trapped in its palm. ...Which one? I have absolutely no idea! And I couldn't exactly pull out my phone and text his little brother right now. The atmosphere instantly froze. My heart trembled, and I pressed my lips together tightly. I suddenly felt a chilling breeze on the back of my neck. I finally understood why the little brother said Julian was infinitely more terrifying than Arthur. Arthur's emotions were written all over his face. If you pissed him off, the consequences were immediate and explosive. But Julian was entirely different. I couldn't read him at all. Like right now, I had no idea what his sudden question was meant to imply. I opened my mouth, but before I could formulate a response, he smiled—a smile that didn't reach his eyes—and his voice was warm and deep: "It's fine. You've been busy, Mia. It's completely normal to be forgetful. You'll know it when we get there." I nodded frantically, agreeing with everything. Julian was still a good guy! If Arthur had found out I forgot something important involving him, he would have cold-laughed and mocked me relentlessly for five straight hours without repeating a single insult. 4 When we arrived at the restaurant, the host immediately recognized Julian and greeted him respectfully: "Mr. Thorne." He then escorted us to the most secluded, exclusive private dining room in the back. The ambiance was exquisite, complete with an indoor koi pond. I sat directly across from Julian. He had casually rolled up his sleeves, revealing his elegant, prominent wrists. The pale skin made the subtle blue veins even more striking. I didn't reach for the menu. "You can order. I'm not a picky eater." Julian chuckled softly. "Alright." Taking advantage of the moment, I quickly texted the little brother: [You told Julian you wanted to eat at a Western restaurant?! I almost blew my cover! Are there any other crucial details I need to know? Tell me right now!] Suddenly, the door to the private room was pushed open. A painfully familiar voice rang out: "...Julian? When did you get back to the country?" My entire body turned to stone. Arthur clicked his tongue, his tone utterly bored. "I thought this room was empty, so I didn't bother making a reservation. The other private rooms are full. Let's just share." I acted like a terrified quail, ducking my head as low as humanly possible. But I forgot that Arthur once told me he could recognize me even if I was burned to ash and scattered to the wind. ... "Mia?" The lazy, bored voice instantly turned freezing cold. I didn't dare lift my head. But unexpectedly, my phone lit up with a notification right at that moment: [Huh? That's impossible. I never told my brother where I wanted to eat. I hate Western food! I told him I wanted the rustic iron-pot goose stew!] My pupils dilated in absolute horror. "Pick your fucking head up, Mia," Arthur ground out through clenched teeth. Julian tapped his index finger lightly on the table. "Is that how you speak to your sister-in-law?" "What did you just say?" Arthur's volume skyrocketed. Only then did I slowly, agonizingly lift my head, offering a pathetic, strained smile. "What a coincidence." Then, following Julian's lead, I added, "Little brother." "Who the fuck is your little brother?!" Arthur instantly exploded, pointing directly at me and demanding an answer from Julian. "I dated her! Did you seriously not know that?!" Julian took a slow, elegant sip of his coffee. "I didn't. Are you two still together?" "No, no! We haven't been together for a long time! We broke up ages ago!" I quickly interjected. "Shut your mouth." Arthur's voice was heavy with suppressed, volcanic rage. Every single word sounded like it was being forced out through a grinder. He clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned bone-white. "Julian, did you seriously not run a background check on her when we were dating? Are you actually sitting here spewing bullshit, claiming you don't know who Mia is?!" Julian sat with his legs crossed, his posture entirely relaxed. Even in this suffocatingly tense atmosphere, he managed a smooth, unbothered smile. "I do. So what?" The corners of Arthur's eyes flushed red with fury. I sighed internally and spoke up. "Don't be so angry. We just weren't meant to be. Why don't you have a glass of water and calm down?" Saying that, I prepared to stand up and pour him some water. "Mia." Julian cast a light, warning glance at me. My chest tightened, and I immediately sat back down, perfectly still. Arthur stared in absolute disbelief. "You used to argue and fight with me every single day, and now you're just obediently taking orders from him?! Did he brainwash you?!" Me: "..." Mostly, it's just because Julian's aura is significantly more terrifying. A long, agonizing silence passed. Arthur's voice was slightly hoarse. "When exactly did you two get together?" I couldn't answer that question. Julian answered calmly: "Late last year." "When, exactly?" Arthur seemed determined to get the exact date, refusing to let it go. "The day after Christmas." My facial expression completely froze. A cold, mocking sneer curled Arthur's lips. "Mia. You are fucking unbelievable." Arthur and I broke up on Christmas Day. But the person who started messaging Julian the day after Christmas wasn't me! I remained completely silent, bitterly swallowing the truth, officially accepting the title of a ruthless, calculating woman who seamlessly monkey-branched from one cousin to the other. Seeing that I didn't dare say a word, Arthur violently slammed the door and stormed out. 5 Julian, however, didn't seem bothered in the slightest. He offered thoughtfully, "If the food isn't to your liking, just let me know." I nodded, trembling slightly. He gave me a surprised look. "Are you afraid of me?" When he smiled, the red mole near his eye was so dangerously captivating it was almost blinding. I parted my lips slowly: "...You ran a background check on me before?" He nodded, his tone casual and unhurried. "The family was curious about Arthur's new girlfriend, so they had me look into it." "Then why did you..." I was stunned. "...still get involved with me..." Julian's smile deepened. "I thought my future sister-in-law was quite adorable a long time ago." I awkwardly rubbed my nose. But I still felt like something was fundamentally wrong here. A long time ago? Before he even ran the background check? Wait, and what about his subtle test earlier?! Does he already know the person he was online dating wasn't actually me?! That I'm just a hired stand-in?! I was terrified, not daring to speak recklessly. "Mia," Julian said softly. "Come back to the Thorne estate with me next week." I was shocked. "What?!" He offered a helpless smile. "You said before that you wanted to meet my family, and you brought it up multiple times. Did you forget, Mia?" My heart was pounding. Given my previous mistake, I didn't dare give a casual answer. "...Oh, right." "But I'm just... not quite ready yet." I subconsciously gripped the hem of my shirt. "You mentioned before that your family requires a $4.5 million dowry. Mia, I can transfer that to your account at any time." Julian looked at me with absolute seriousness. I was horrified. What insane, astronomical dowry?! Is that really what his little brother told him?! My voice shook. "No rush, no rush! Let's just... take our time and see where things go..." By the end of the sentence, my voice was practically floating away. This entire family is absolutely terrifying. The atmosphere fell silent. Julian lowered his eyes, the smile vanishing from his face. He said softly, "I apologize. I was too impatient." I froze for a second. Is he... actually deeply, genuinely in love? If he finds out that the person whispering sweet nothings to him all this time was actually a dude... And that I technically conspired with his little brother to deceive him... I rubbed my temples, feeling a massive headache coming on. The situation felt like it was spiraling completely out of control. Judging by his expression, Julian looked genuinely heartbroken. Sigh, it makes sense. If he wasn't genuinely in love, why would he spend so much money on an online relationship? I quietly stood up. "I'm going to run to the restroom again."
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