Los Angeles, US.
"I'm. not. doing. it."
"Please, please, please," Ryle glanced at the man with a pleading expression on his face, "How about this? You help me watch my house in my absence and in return, I will help convince Aunt to not send you more blind dates. What do you think?"
The man's jaw ticked.
Ryle smiled smugly, knowing that it was working. He pushed the buttons a bit harder, "And maybe I can also convince her to not ask for grandkids. You know she always listens to me and I will probably succeed."
"Fine," the man said and victory was a seven-lettered word that was printed all over Ryle's handsome face.
"Come on, Max. Put off that cold expression on your face. I am not asking you to give up on your life. You just have to live in my luxurious hilltop mansion for a while I am not around...." he paused, "...and take care of my parrot," Ryle added in a low voice.
Maxim walked towards the number plate near the mansion gates.
66, Arkell Hills.
Maxim flipped the 2nd '6' on the golden plate, changing it to '69' but it switched back to '66' yet again.
"Ah...I'd fix it," Ryle winced, "I'll make sure to switch it back to '69'," he added. His address was '69' but the 9 was half damaged and it kept flipping to 6.
It was not a big thing but his best friend had OCD and this flipping 9 could be the sole reason Maxim Warner would back off on this deal.
But he didn't.
And that told Ryle that his baits were working. Maybe the man was really desperate to shake off his blind dates.
Maxim glanced at the mansion right next to the one they were standing in front of.
Ryle bit his bottom lip. Another red flag. Maxim Warner hated having neighbors.
"Look, my neighbor is just an innocent old man. He is not the kind of nosy person who will ever peep inside the mansion next to his. You can make all kinds of noises, bring all kinds of women and spread them in any position you want and my neighbor will never spare another glance in your direction," he said, trying to sound as convincing as he could, "As for my adorable parrot, it's just as elegant as it's Master....as in me."
Fine! Maxim shook his head with a helpless sigh.
"Oh, bro, I am gonna miss you," Ryle hugged the man but before he could place a wet kiss on his best friend's face, he heard a threatening voice.
"Try to do that and watch how I drive away from your hilltop mansion right this moment," Maxim glanced at the man in disgust.
Ryle coughed, "Chill," he threw his hands up in submission and walked inside his Black Mercedez Benz. "Don't worry. Once my seminar is over, I will be back. All it takes is 29 days, almost a month, no more or no less," he winked at the man before taking his head inside the car.
As Ryle drove off, Maxim turned around to glance at the hilltop mansion.
The upper floor was made of glass and he could see the warm lights were on.
He walked towards his black sedan.
The security opened the door and his driver drove straight inside the paved road, stopping right in front of the mansion.
Maxim walked inside the mansion.
The ground floor was a garage house and he did not bother checking around as he climbed the stairs, only to be greeted by a sensual voice.
"Master, spank me."
Maxim stiffened. The corner of his lips twitched as he turned to the side.
A beautiful parrot was sitting on the branch extended from a wall. There was a lewd expression on its face as he mewled once again, "Spank me, Master! Ahh..."
Maxim closed his eyes, a vein throbbed on his forehead.
What did that jerk say? That his parrot is as elegant as him?!
Such elegance would make him sick in the stomach for the rest of the month.
Maxim glanced at the parrot with a piercing gaze but something else caught his attention.
From the corner of his eyes, he noticed a movement.
As he turned his head to the side, he noticed an old man standing near the window of his mansion holding binoculars that pointed in his direction.
Unfortunately, this happened to be the innocent old man neighbor who had no kinks for peeping, who minded his own business.
Maxim forced a smile on his face and turned around to look at the house.
Only one light was on in the living room and it was near the place where the parrot was.
The rest of the place was enshrouded in darkness.
He picked up the remote control from the coffee table and turned the lights on but the scene that greeted him made his eyes widen.
Dirty clothes were strewn everywhere, the carpet was moved onto the single couch, the long couch had some suspicious sticky white liquid-like thing, empty beer bottles, half-finished popcorn, chicken wings on the floor, bras, and panties tucked in the corner of the couch and he did not dare to look around anymore.
Maxim gritted his teeth as his OCD kicked in. He strode towards the balcony.
"Ryle Harper!" His voice was filled with rage.
...
Ryle, who just walked inside the airport, sneezed loudly and accidentally bumped into someone.
"Oh my God," Diana hugged the baby in her arms protectively.
"Ah, I am so sorry," he paused, noticing the lady's weird appearance. Not weird by literal appearance but because of her dirtied outfit, bruised dusty face, and then the baby tucked in her arms...."I hope you are fine," he flashed a charming smile at her.
Diana rolled her eyes, "We will be fine if people like you pay attention to where you are headed," she walked past him without sparing him another glance.
Ryle was dumbstruck. What just happened? Did a woman really not fall for his charms? And she even mocked him discreetly?!
He sneezed once again and his thoughts wandered off to his best friend whom he had coaxed inside his mansion successfully.
The first sneeze was definitely because Maxim discovered his lies. As for the second sneeze, it was because the man was now cursing him to death.
"Hehehe," Letting out an evil laugh, Ryle headed towards the third terminal.