Chapter 96 - REPORTING TO ARTHUR

The darkening sky was littered with several sparkling diamonds, bringing the romantic atmosphere to the cuddling couples at the beach. Some people were sitting on the sand, chatting with their friends or with their partner. Some were having dinner by the beach. Other people were sweetly cuddling with their loved ones just like Stefan and Cayenne.

She quickly adjusted her emotions and stood straight in front of him. "Don't be so stiff. Your muscles will get tired if you keep doing that." Stefan reminded her. It was just half an hour past six in the evening and they still have time before meeting Cayenne's family for dinner.

"Aren't we a bit too close?" She asked. Her voice was soft and there was a bit of hesitation when she questioned him about their distance. She wasn't really having any dirty thoughts but she could feel something hard was pressed on her back and her heart would speed up its beat as if a ghost was chasing her.

Stefan hugged her even tighter and placed his chin on her right shoulder. "This distance is enough for us." He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her even closer. When he slightly turned his face to see her, his lips brushed on her cheeks which stunned the both of them.

"You didn't kiss me, did you?!" Cayenne complained with wide eyes. She was basically glaring daggers at him but she couldn't make any other move more than this.

Stefan also pulled back and shifted his eyes to her side. Even if he wanted to deny what happened, the redness of his earlobes was betraying him already. "Sorry. I didn't mean to."

"It was really unintentional?"

"Hn."

"You better behave. There's no next time or I will leave you."

Stefan nodded his head in agreement but it was just in the surface. In his heart, he had so many things he wanted to do to keep her beside him. One step at a time. This was his new motto in obtaining Cayenne's heart and loyalty.

Cayenne was acting tough externally as if the sudden touch of his lips on her face didn't affect her. "Let's go for a walk? The coldness will be lesser if we keep moving."

"No, I don't want to."

"Why?"

"I just want to hug you."

Cayenne's heart jolted and a rush of electrifying heat coursed all throughout her body, startling her and making her feel like she was dumb. She just couldn't find a way to refute him. She was lost for words and all she can do was stare at his handsome face.

Stefan felt her scorching gaze that remained on his face. Thinking that they'd be put in an awkward situation later, he pinched her chin and slightly raised it to meet her eyes. "Am I handsome?"

"Hn."

"You like me?"

"No."

"Tsk!" His upper lip was hooked in light sneer but it wasn't because he disdained her answer but because he was disappointed to get the opposite word to what he was expecting. "Is it so difficult to like me? We've been together for over a month already."

Cayenne shrugged her shoulders and sighed. This time, she unwrapped his arms from her waist, turned around to look at him in the eyes and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Boss, why are we together again?"

"I paid you to help me cure my insomnia."

"Exactly!" Cayenne exclaimed, pulled back her hands and placed it beside her. "You paid me to help you with your insomnia. And what about our relationship? How did we end up like this?"

Stefan looked at her with complex emotions. He didn't want her to deny what they have but when he thinks about it, everything started in a bad situation and she was left with no choice but to lie to her family. He was reminded, once again, that their relationship was built with no absolute foundation. It was built with lies.

"Ayen, the 'couple' relationship that we have…" He even used his fingers to make quotation marks for the word couple while talking to her. "…is fake. However, the kindness I showed you, my patience, making time for you, opening up to you – these things weren't fake."

"I know." Cayenne mumbled. "I know that you really cared." But you're only doing this because you wanted me to do my best for you. Cayenne wanted to add the second sentence but she decided to shut her mouth and swallowed back the things that she wanted to say.

Stefan took a step closer to her and held her hands with his. She felt so cold under his touch and there were goosebumps forming on her arms already. Thinking that Cayenne was uncomfortable when she was pressed on him, he decided to take off his coat and draped it over her. "I have something I wanted to tell you but I think the time isn't right yet."

"I'll wait. I won't hurry you."

Stefan caressed her face which was actually warm compared to her hands. How can it not be warm when she's blushing? Her heart wasn't able to take a rest since earlier and until now, it was fiercely pumping her blood making her feel warm and happy. 'It's good to be alive under his touch.' Cayenne thought to herself as she wrapped the coat around her body, smelling his masculine scent from the coat.

After half an hour of wandering and chatting, the two of them went back to the resort and waited for the valet driver. The employees greeted him politely and they even smiled towards Cayenne even though they couldn't see her face clearly. 

Cayenne scooted closer to him and whispered. "This is just my guess base on the employees' warm attitude towards you. Do you have any share of this resort?"

"Not just some shares, I own this resort." Stefan admitted directly which really surprised Cayenne. She thought that he wasn't the kind of person whose riches were unimaginable but she was wrong. Every day, she learned a new thing about him and every day, she would feel that she was getting smaller compared to him. Not really physically but their social standing in the society. "Why are you so quiet? Are you surprise?"

"Hn. A little. I know that you are wealthy so it's already in my expectation." She replied while clenching her fist under the skirt of her dress. 'Every day, the gap between us is getting bigger.' A sad expression appeared on her face but since she was wearing a cap and dark glasses, Stefan didn't see it. "I heard that it's common for rich people to have their children engage in arranged marriage. How about you? Did your parents find some socialite for you, already?" It was just a random question from her but it was something that Stefan was worried about.

He was afraid that he was already set up to marry someone for the business purposes. "I am not really sure and even if they found one for me, I won't accept the proposal of marriage from anyone else."

Cayenne didn't say anything. She was nodding her head as if she was understanding what he meant, also, it was to hide her broken heart. Stefan wanted to say something else when his car arrived and they needed to leave already. "Let's go." He held her hand and the two of them went out of the hotel.

She didn't notice that someone was watching her from the reception desk. From the moment she stepped in, she already got her attention and until they left, the receptionist didn't take her eyes off of her.

Arthur was watching a movie in his room when he received a message from one of his high school classmates. He hadn't seen her for a while now and even after coming back, he was too busy to have a small reunion with friends. This former classmate was someone who always tag along with Cayenne before. She would always tell people that she was friends with Cayenne when the two of them were together but few people know that behind her back, she was backstabbing Cayenne to other people.

Arthur didn't know about it and he even gave her his contact number in order for her to give some report about Cayenne's activities.

There was no difference this time. His right eyebrow slightly raised while reading the message. Brigette told him that Cayenne went to a resort with a man. They weren't doing anything unusual but they were awfully close.

Not wanting to exchange messages and wait for a long time to get a reply, Arthur called her immediately. "Are you sure that it was Yen? How can she be in a resort?"

"I'm not really sure about that but, the woman looks like Cayenne. I swear. I knew her for a long time and I must not be mistaken." Brigette insisted what she believes in. Although she was right, circumstances will be going against her.

Arthur hang up the call and dialed Cayenne's number. When she picked it up, Kyle's voice resounded in the background asking her about something and he could faintly hear the voices of her mother and Luiz. His doubts started to dispel but he still asked her the purpose of his call. "Hi Ayen, are you free this time?"

"Sorry, I'm having dinner with my family."

"Is that so? Where are you right now?" Arthur asked her, trying to figure out if she was lying to him or not.

"I am not really familiar with this place since it was Luiz who chose this. It's been a long time since I had dinner with my family and I want to have quality time with them." Cayenne's casual words served as a hint for him not to disturb them.

Arthur's plan to come over and join them for dinner was shut by her in an instant. He could only smile and pretend that it wasn't affecting him. "Alright. I'll just find another time to invite you guys for dinner. Have a great night."

"Thanks." Cayenne put her phone down and turned it into silent mode. "Talking to him takes so much energy. I'm famished." She murmured to herself while reaching out for food.

"Just tell me what you want and I'll get it for you." Stefan told her while getting the plate of squid rings that she was trying to reach. Everyone can see how much he cared for her. Only Cayenne was blind.