My little garden was completely decimated by bugs. In a sheer panic, I texted my long-distance online boyfriend for help. "Babe, disaster. I wasn't careful and my little garden got infected. Bugs everywhere. What do I do?" The "typing…" bubble on my screen danced for a solid ten minutes before his reply finally popped up. "Babe, I’m clean. Just use mine from now on, okay?" A second later, an image loaded. It was a photo of his bare torso, a black lace ribbon tied strategically around his... anatomy. I stared at my phone, absolutely petrified. Turned to stone. Ever since that day, my online boyfriend made it his daily mission to send me an endless stream of unhinged, heavily curated thirst traps. It was a routine I had almost gotten used to—until my older brother, Darren, dragged me to an off-campus pub with his friends, and I laid eyes on a man so stunningly gorgeous it felt like a personal attack. When he leaned over to pull out a chair, a silver chain slipped from beneath the collar of his Henley. I froze. Wasn't that the heavy-link collar I took off my Golden Retriever and mailed to my online boyfriend? I couldn't help myself. I clicked my tongue against the roof of my mouth in two sharp, familiar bursts. Without missing a beat, the gorgeous man subconsciously let out a low, breathless, "Woof…" 01 I couldn't shake the feeling that I knew this guy from somewhere. It was the mole on his hand that gave him away. The exact same placement, the exact same long, elegant fingers as the hands I’d watched for hours on video calls as my online boyfriend built custom mechanical keyboards. Darren noticed me staring a hole into the guy’s skull and leaned in, offering some well-meaning brotherly advice. "Don't let the brooding Abercrombie model look fool you, Quinn. He’s a total headcase." Darren took a swig of his beer. "His online girlfriend cheated on him a while back, and now he spends his days trying to win her back by sending her dirty photos. If it were me, I would’ve dumped a girl like that eight hundred times over." I choked on my ice-cold Coke, nearly spitting it across the table. Darren thumped me on the back. "Jesus, Quinn. You're twenty years old, learn how to swallow a beverage." I finally caught my breath, wiping my eyes, only to find his roommate looking at me with a sharp, suspicious glare. A memory slammed into me. The first time my online boyfriend had ever sent me a faceless video, I had choked on my drink exactly like this. My stomach plummeted. Something was terribly, impossibly wrong. Beneath the table, I pulled out my phone and texted my online boyfriend: "Thought you said you were going out with the guys tonight?" A split second later, the roommate’s phone lit up. My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird. I stared at him, unblinking. He picked up his phone, his thumbs flying across the screen. Almost instantly, my phone buzzed in my lap. "Babe, don't worry. There’s no other girls here, just my roommate's little sister." "I'm a good boy. You know I don't go to parties with other girls." "Babe... are you missing me?" I went entirely rigid. My intensely devoted, borderline-obsessive online boyfriend was my brother’s roommate. If my memory served me right, Darren only had one roommate. Judson Wright. The same Judson Wright who Darren constantly complained about because they were always neck-and-neck for the top spot in their engineering cohort. The same Judson Wright who was notoriously adored by half the female population on campus. Rumor had it he never so much as looked at another woman, maintaining a strictly enforced, ten-foot perimeter around anyone with a pulse and a Prada bag. But online? He had a girlfriend he worshipped like a religion. And as it turned out, I was the religion. We had been dating for nearly two years, and he had never once shown me his face. I’d always assumed it was because he was insecure about his looks. Now, sitting across from a face carved from marble—a sharp jawline, a high, aristocratic nose, and lips that looked entirely too soft—I felt my brain short-circuit. He was wearing a loose white button-down slung casually over a fitted ribbed tank top, the thin material doing absolutely nothing to hide the heavy contour of his chest. I’d seen it all in photos, sure. But having the flesh-and-blood reality sitting mere feet away from me was entirely different. I swallowed hard. My fingers twitched. God, I wanted to touch him. 02 "Daddy, I want to sleep with you." I rested my chin in my hand and typed out the text, a sudden, wicked surge of adrenaline taking over. I blamed the unhinged romance novels I read; they had thoroughly corrupted me. Across the table, I watched Judson’s ears turn a violent, violent shade of red. He snatched up his water glass and practically inhaled half of it, his Adam's apple bobbing sharply with the frantic swallows. It was a deeply distracting sight. Yet, when he lowered the glass, his face was a mask of utter, infuriating indifference. My phone buzzed. "Babe, behave. I’m out in public." I bit the inside of my cheek, fighting a smile. "But I wanna see your abs, Daddy." Judson stared down at his phone for a long, agonizing minute. His thumbs hovered, tapped, deleted, and tapped again. Finally, two words came through: "Tonight. Promise." I let my eyes drift over him again. He was looking down, his dark, thick lashes casting faint shadows over his cheekbones. He wasn’t even doing anything, yet that aura of cold, untouchable restraint was intoxicating. It made you want to reach out and snap the wire, just to see what he looked like when he lost control. "No. I want to see them now." Judson abruptly pushed his chair back and stood up. His voice was tight, the fraying edges of his composure barely concealed. "I need to use the restroom." Two minutes later, my phone buzzed. It was a photo. In the dim, fluorescent lighting of the dive bar bathroom, he had the hem of his shirt caught between his teeth. His belt was unbuckled, the leather loose, revealing the sharp, downward V of his obliques disappearing into the waistline of his denim. And his hand—the veins thick and prominent against his pale skin as he gripped his phone. I actually gulped. "Babe, is this okay?" "I’m afraid if I have to hold back much longer, I might actually cry." All the blood in my body rushed to my face. My ears felt like they were on fire. Darren frowned at me. "What is wrong with you? Why is your face the color of a stop sign?" I quickly turned away, frantically fanning myself with a cocktail napkin. "N-nothing. It’s just stuffy in here. They need to fix their AC." With trembling fingers, I slowly typed back to Judson: "It’s okay." 03 It took Judson twenty minutes to emerge from the bathroom. When he finally returned, he looked completely refreshed. There were still damp droplets of water clinging to the ends of his hair and his fingertips. He had slipped perfectly back into his untouchable, icy persona. His spine was ramrod straight; he moved through the crowded bar like royalty parting the sea. I watched him approach, a hysterical little voice in my head screaming: "How on earth does this man toggle between these two personalities without suffering whiplash?" "Have you stared enough?" I blinked, suddenly realizing I had been tracking his every move for far too long. He was looking down at me, and his eyes were laced with pure, unfiltered disdain. I quickly averted my gaze. "I have a girlfriend," he said, his voice cold and flat. "Don't even think about it." Before my brain could even process the audacity, the phone in my pocket vibrated. "Babe, my roommate’s little sister hasn't taken her eyes off me all night. She’s definitely into me." "But don't worry, babe. I shut it down. I told her straight to her face that I have a girlfriend." "Aren't I a good boy, babe?" "Babe, I’m highly coveted on the market. When are you finally gonna lock this down?" I stared at the endless stream of "babes" filling my screen. Then I looked up at the man sitting across from me. My brain felt like it was melting out of my ears. Was the wildly needy, desperate golden retriever on my phone truly the same person as this glacial, arrogant prick sitting at the table? As the night wound down and people started grabbing their coats, Judson leaned over to push his chair in. That was when the chain slipped out from his collar again. I stared at it. It was the literal dog chain I had mailed him. Months ago, his insecurity had spiked. He was constantly begging me to make it official, demanding to know when I was going to give him a title. I had lied, telling him my parents were strict and wouldn't let me date. He had been relentless, begging for a physical token—something to prove he belonged to me. I had been staring at my dog's spare collar at the time. In a moment of sheer, chaotic impulsivity, I tossed it in a padded envelope and shipped it to his P.O. box. The day he received it, he had been borderline euphoric. He kept texting me, saying he had no idea I was "into that sort of thing." He had spent the entire night sending me voice memos of him barking. I had never in a million years imagined he would turn it into a necklace and wear it under his clothes. As the group funneled out the door, I hung back, unable to resist the urge to mess with him. I clicked my tongue again. The exact same command I used for my dog. Right on cue, Judson’s breath hitched, and he let out two low, conditioned barks. He immediately whipped his head around, eyes wide, but the hallway was empty. I was hiding behind the heavy oak door, pressing my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing out loud. A second later, my phone vibrated. "Babe, I miss you so much I think I’m hallucinating. I just heard your voice." 04 After we left the pub, Darren suggested we hit up the street fair set up near the campus green. The night market was packed shoulder-to-shoulder. Darren practically had me in a headlock, terrified I was going to get swept away by the crowd. Judson, on the other hand, maintained a rigid, three-yard distance from me at all times. I secretly smiled to myself. "Look at him, keeping his boundaries. I’ll have to reward him for this tonight." But that fond thought was instantly obliterated a second later. I had stopped at a vendor's table, my eyes landing on a vintage, pastel Sanrio keychain. I reached for it, but another hand shot out and snatched it first. The moment our fingers brushed, Judson recoiled like he had just touched a hot stove. He practically jumped back. He glared at me, his brow furrowed in deep annoyance. "Excuse me. I saw this first. My girlfriend loves Hello Kitty." He had my love for Sanrio carved into his DNA. The very first gift he had ever sent me was a pink care package tied with a lace ribbon, overflowing with Hello Kitty merchandise. "Whatever," I thought reasonably. "He’s buying it for me anyway. Considering how fiercely loyal he’s being, I’ll let him have it." I was actually grinning as we walked away. Until my phone buzzed. "Babe, my roommate’s sister might actually be mentally unstable." "I explicitly told her I was taken, and she just tried to grope my hand at a vendor stall." "I'm so disgusted. I wouldn't touch a desperate fangirl like her if she were the last woman on earth. I only have eyes for you, babe." "Don't worry, babe. As soon as I get back to the dorm, I’m sanitizing my hands ten times." "Babe, I’m only yours to touch…" "Babe, what if I wear the black silk tonight so you can look?" I saw red. My fingers flew across the keyboard. "Touch my ass! We are DONE. We’re breaking up." Ten feet ahead of me, Judson tripped over his own feet and nearly face-planted into a churro stand. His spine curved, his shoulders instantly hunching as they began to shake. He looked utterly, devastatingly pathetic. Darren rushed forward and grabbed his arm. "Whoa, man, you good? What the hell just happened to you?" Judson sniffled, his voice cracking with a very real, very audible sob. "My girlfriend… she just dumped me…" Darren frowned, his face twisting in disgust. "Bro, I told you, that girl is for the streets. She’s probably playing five other dudes right now. You’re the only idiot treating her like royalty." Judson’s head snapped up. His eyes were bloodshot and feral. He shoved Darren backward. "Don't you ever speak about my girl like that!" I was already vibrating with rage, and seeing him defend me while simultaneously calling me a stalker in my DMs pushed me over the edge. I marched up and punched Darren square in the arm. Darren clutched his bicep, looking at me like I had lost my mind. "What the hell was that for?!" I planted my hands on my hips, chest heaving. "We are no longer speaking!" 05 When I finally got back to my apartment, I couldn't stop myself from opening the app. "99+ Unread Messages." "Babe, what did I do? Tell me what I did wrong." "I reported everything to you tonight! I was so good!" "Babe, please don't ignore me…" "Babe, is it the black silk? Do you hate the black? I can wear the white!" "Babe, we are not breaking up. I refuse." "Babe, it’s been two hours, 45 minutes, and 6 seconds since you looked at me." "Babe, are you busy?" "Babe, please answer me. I’m begging you…" I stared at that last message, a traitorous wave of affection washing over me. "Is your roommate's sister pretty?" I typed. "I don't know, probably ugly." "Does she have a good body?" "Not interested. Didn't look." "Did you feel even a tiny spark when you saw her?" "I feel absolutely nothing for anyone on this earth except you." "If someone forced her to be your wife, would you do it?" "I’d rather they shoot me in the head." "You are going to deeply regret everything you just said." "I have no regrets, babe. You’re the only woman I’m ever going to marry." Naturally, he never saw my reply to that, because I blocked his number and deleted the app. Not ten minutes later, a text from Darren popped up on my screen. "Holy shit, you know what? Judson actually got dumped!" "But he doesn't even seem that sad this time. He’s been furiously online shopping for the past hour. Buying nothing but lingerie and toys!" They broke up, why was he buying all that? Was he planning to use them for his "crafts"? He always was a bit too enthusiastic about that stuff. "I bet his ex dumped him because he was too boring in bed," Darren texted. "He’s probably gearing up to impress the new girl!" Wait, what? "What new girl?" I typed back furiously. Darren replied instantly: "Who else? His new prospect! His parents set him up on a blind date last week. Apparently, she’s drop-dead gorgeous." "He was just talking about taking her to the movies tomorrow." Last week? Last week, he told me his younger cousin had just gotten accepted into our university, and he was taking her out for a celebratory dinner. He went on a blind date?! That absolute bastard. He was playing me this whole time, keeping me on the hook while he entertained other women in the real world! 06 The next evening, I stood in the lobby of the local multiplex. Sure enough, I spotted Judson standing by the concession stand with a beautiful brunette. He was holding a massive tub of popcorn and chivalrously carrying her designer purse. He looked attentive. Perfect. When the girl excused herself to the restroom, he stood dutifully near the corridor, waiting for her. My eyes burned, hot tears threatening to spill over. I had never experienced this version of him. I only ever got him through a glowing screen, feeding me pretty words and empty promises in the dark. Suddenly, he turned around. He spotted me. His brow instantly furrowed, his expression morphing into pure, unadulterated disgust. "What are you doing here? Are you following me?" I flinched at the harshness of his tone. I sniffled, crossing my arms over my chest. "Do you own this theater? Am I not allowed to buy a ticket?" He raised an eyebrow, a cruel, mocking smirk twisting his perfect mouth. "Don't think I don't know exactly what you’re doing." He took a step closer, his voice dropping. "How long have you been standing there, creeping on me?" My throat closed up. I couldn't find a single word to defend myself. I just glared at him, my eyes shining with unshed tears. My silence only made him more arrogant. "Struck a nerve, didn't I? I’ve dealt with desperate, obsessive girls like you before." He looked at me like I was something scraped off the bottom of his shoe. "I’m already taken. So do yourself a favor and drop the pathetic fantasy. Out of respect for your brother, I won't cause a scene. Now leave." It was the second time he had called me desperate and obsessive. My entire body was trembling with rage. His mouth was so incredibly venomous. I opened my mouth to tear him a new one, but before I could make a sound, the shrill, deafening shriek of the fire alarm tore through the lobby. Panic erupted instantly. The crowd surged, morphing into a chaotic stampede. Someone slammed into my shoulder, and I lost my footing, crashing hard onto the carpeted floor. On pure instinct, I reached a hand out toward Judson. His gaze swept over me, clinical and precise, and didn't linger for even a fraction of a second. It was as if I were nothing but a smudge of dirt on the floor. I watched as he sprinted toward the women's restroom. The strobe lights of the fire alarm flashed violently overhead, bathing the panicked faces of the crowd in harsh, strobing red light. It painted Judson’s retreating back in a cold, unforgiving hue. I scrambled to get my hands under me, but before I could stand, another panicked moviegoer plowed into me. This time, I went down hard. My temple slammed into the sharp edge of a display stand. My vision went black for a terrifying second. The acrid, chemical smell of smoke invaded my lungs, and I started to cough violently. Tears streamed down my face, entirely out of my control. I couldn't see anything. I was just crawling forward on my hands and knees through a forest of trampling legs. Through the blur of smoke and tears, I saw Judson emerge from the hallway, holding the brunette tightly against his chest, shielding her from the crush of the crowd. He walked right past me. His stride didn't even break. In that moment, for the very first time, I felt the physical sensation of a heart breaking. All those books and movies that described heartbreak as a suffocating, physical agony—they weren't lying. The girl in his heart was her. So what did that make me? Just a digital distraction for his lonely nights? Just one of a dozen girls he kept in his phone to feed his ego?
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "560129", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel