Chapter 103: Chapter 103: Enemies On Both Fronts (Part 3)

Don had barely settled into his pace when a voice, feminine and unmistakably flirty, called out from behind him. "Oh, Doonie~"

He instinctively raised an eyebrow and glanced over his shoulder. Striding toward him with a confident sway in her step was Cassie, the woman he vaguely remembered as Donald's mother and, more notably, Samantha's least favorite neighbor.

She was dressed in a pair of snug, black running shorts that accentuated her toned legs and a matching sports bra that hugged her chest, leaving little to the imagination. Her skin glistened faintly with a light sheen of sweat, and a pair of oversized sunglasses perched on her nose, adding a touch of playfulness to her appearance.

Don slowed his jog, coming to a stop as she approached. He wasn't entirely sure what she wanted, but the fact that she was here, and now, didn't exactly put him at ease. He watched her with guarded curiosity, inwardly admitting that she had a rather impressive figure—slender yet curvy in all the right places.

Cassie finally reached him, lifting her sunglasses to rest atop her head, revealing her sharp blue eyes. She placed a hand on her hip, her posture oozing confidence and flirtation.

"Good morning, Donnie," she greeted in a playful tone. "You're the last person I expected to run into this early."

Don gave a polite nod, keeping his expression neutral. "Morning, Cassie."

Cassie tilted her head slightly, her smile widening. "Donald and I came by yesterday after we heard about the Central Mall attack, but your mom said you were sleeping."

"Yeah, I wanted to get some rest early," Don replied smoothly. "Still feeling sore from the whole thing."

"Oh, I can imagine how tough it must've been," Cassie said, her tone full of exaggerated sympathy. She took a step closer, her hand drifting up to rest lightly on his chest.

Her touch was warm, almost too warm, and her fingers lingered longer than necessary. "You should come by sometime, you know. I used to be a professional masseuse for celebrities. I'd be happy to treat you to a massage."

'Wow, she's forward,' Don thought, mildly impressed by her boldness. The offer was tempting, no doubt, but he knew better than to jump at such an invitation.

Given how disliked Cassie was, it wouldn't be a stretch to say she was trying to use him for some ulterior motive. And even if she wasn't, the last thing he needed was to be seen as someone easily manipulated or allured by a pretty face.

Maintaining his neutral expression, Don nodded. "I might take you up on that offer sometime."

Cassie's smile broadened, pleased with his response, but before she could say more, Don quickly added, "Sorry, but I need to get back to my run. I'm already behind on time."

"Of course, no problem," Cassie replied, but then she tilted her head slightly, her eyes narrowing in an almost calculated manner. "Mind if I join you? I usually have company, but my usual clique is away at some wedding I couldn't be bothered to attend."

'She can't take a hint,' Don thought with mild irritation. He wondered if she just wasn't invited to the wedding—somehow, that seemed more likely. But instead of voicing his suspicion, he simply nodded, keeping his tone polite but distant. "Sure, if you want."

Cassie took this as encouragement and immediately fell into step beside him as they resumed jogging. Don kept his pace steady, hoping she would tire out or find some excuse to leave, but Cassie was relentless. She matched his strides with ease, her breath barely quickening, as if she did this kind of thing every day.

Then, without warning, she picked up speed and ran ahead of him, her slender frame moving with a grace that was almost mesmerizing. Don's gaze involuntarily drifted down, taking in the way her shorts hugged her ass, accentuating every curve as she jogged. The way her hips swayed with each stride was undeniably alluring, a sight designed to draw attention. S~eaʀᴄh the ηovelFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

'This woman is tenacious,' Don thought, more amused than anything. 'A real-life cougar.'

The rest of the jog was anything but peaceful.

Cassie, ever persistent, began peppering Don with questions, her tone light and conversational, but there was an undercurrent of something more. She asked him about his life, his interests, what he liked to do for fun—all the while maintaining an air of friendly curiosity.

Don, however, wasn't fooled. He knew she was fishing for something, and he wasn't about to give her any real bait.

So he fed her half-truths, mixing in a few outright lies where it seemed necessary. He kept his answers vague and uninteresting, giving her little to latch onto. Whenever she tried to probe deeper, he deflected her with ease, making it clear he wasn't interested in sharing more than the bare minimum.

Cassie, however, was nothing if not determined.

She dodged his attempts to ask about her own life, skillfully sidestepping his questions with a shrug or a laugh, and always steering the conversation back to him. It was like a game of cat and mouse, but Don was beginning to think this particular cat had a lot of practice.

'She's definitely trying to use me,' Don concluded as he jogged alongside her. 'Someone as self-centered as her shouldn't be one to pass up the opportunity to talk about herself. The fact that she's avoiding it means she's got an agenda.'

He considered his options. Outmaneuvering her with manipulation was tempting, but it was also risky. Cassie wasn't new to this game, and there was no telling how good she really was. If he miscalculated, it could backfire spectacularly. No, it was better to take a different approach—one that didn't involve playing into her hands.

'If she's trying to seduce me with her body, it means she's confident in her charms,' Don thought, glancing at Cassie as she ran a few paces ahead of him, her slender figure still moving gracefully. 'She's used to people being drawn to her, so if I don't show any interest, it might throw her off.'

He maintained a casual, almost indifferent demeanor, keeping his focus on the road ahead rather than on her. He answered her questions with the bare minimum, not offering any more than necessary, and let the silence stretch out between them.

Sure enough, after a little while, Cassie began to hesitate. Her questions became less frequent, and she seemed to lose some of her earlier enthusiasm. She even let out a light, almost nervous laugh, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Sorry if I'm being nosy," she said, her voice taking on a more subdued tone. "I'm just trying to get to know Donald's friend."

"It's fine," Don replied, still keeping his voice neutral. "I'm just not in the mood to talk much. Got a lot on my mind."

Cassie put on a show of understanding, nodding sympathetically as they continued their jog in silence. The shift in the dynamic was subtle, but Don could tell that his strategy was working. Cassie's confidence seemed to waver, and she no longer pushed for conversation.

By the time they arrived back at his driveway, the tension had eased, though Don could still feel Cassie's gaze on him as they slowed to a stop. She stretched her arms overhead, her body language still attempting to be inviting, but the once confident spark in her eyes had dimmed slightly.

"That was fun," Cassie said, her tone light as she smiled at him. "Remember my offer, okay?"

"I'll keep it in mind," Don replied, giving her a polite nod.

Cassie jogged back toward her house next door, glancing back over her shoulder with a playful grin. "Don't forget," she called out, blowing him a kiss before disappearing inside.

Don watched her go and felt immediate relief. 'She's going to be trouble,' he thought with a sigh, turning away from her house.

He could already tell that this wasn't the last he'd see of her. She was tenacious, and people like her didn't give up easily.