Cross stopped walking. He leaned towards her, a smile plastered on his face. "Why? Do you want to become my girlfriend?"
"What?" she asked, flustered. "Who wants to be in a relationship with you?" She immediately scolded herself inwardly. Why was she saying weird stuff again?
"Really?" he cocked an eyebrow. She instantly felt irritated.
"Really!"
"Then… if no one wants to marry you in the future, you won't beg me to marry you?"
"Pardon?" Why would she beg him? She rolled her eyes and changed the topic. "I have been seeing you a lot these days. Did something happen?"
"Hmmm. I'm bored."
"So you decided to see me because you are bored?"
"True."
Sera playfully slapped his arm, earning a chuckle from him. "Let's go? Let's leave them. Why do you always associate yourself with childish people?"
"Aren't you one of them?"
"I am a caring, handsome, smart, responsible best friend."
"Lies."
He smiled, and the two started walking towards the exit of the mall. "I'll be traveling in a few days. My company sent me abroad. I will be busy. I might not be able to go home for a few weeks."
Sera nodded. She was already used to it. After walking for some time, Cross brought her to some park a few minutes away from the mall. Then he bought her a cup of coffee. Sitting next to her, a relaxing smile lingered on the man's face. "You didn't win this time. Was it intentional?"
She pursed her lips. "You wanted me to win?"
"Of course, I do."
"I don't want to work with companies."
"Quinn Media?" he took a sip at his coffee.
"Yeah."
"Why not? They are big."
She shrugged in response. Working with big companies would mean she would get to travel more often. Traveling means meeting new people. She doesn't want to risk it. "I want to stay here."
Cross stared at her. "You don't want to see your family?"
She nodded. "The night that you save me… was that night that I ended my relationship with them." A sad smile lingered on her face. Sera Zhang… wasn't a saint.
In fact, she was evil.
No. She wasn't the good one. In the fairytale, Sera would be the evil stepsister. In a novel, she was the scheming sister. She was well aware of this. Slowly, memories of the past swirled in her head. She was once a happy young woman. Talented, smart, beautiful, rich, and spoiled.
That was until she heard the truth from her mother.
She wasn't a Zhang.
She heard her mother tell her most trusted servant that the DNA arrived. She wasn't her daughter. She wasn't related to the Zhang's. Sera couldn't accept it. Without listening to the rest of her mother's words, she left and locked herself in the room.
She was stupid. And selfish.
So, despite knowing the truth… she acted as if nothing happened. She pretended to be sweet and caring to her younger sister and to the Zhang Family.
Then the problem came…
She fell in love.
"What are you thinking?" Cross asked.
"Someone called me. They wanted me to go back."
The man's face darkened. "You can't do that."
"I know."
He pursed his lips, brows furrowed. "You also can't hide here forever. Soon, they will know. They will track your phone number and… "
"I know." A sigh left her lips. She then leaned her head against Cross' shoulders. "But I'm not alone. You are with me. Right?"
"I will be away." It pains him to say this. She hated the look in her eyes every time he said these things. This is why Cross would just leave while she was sleeping. "You have to keep your phone on all the time. Call me if something happens."
Silence followed his words.
"Cross?"
"Hmmm?"
"Why are you so good to me?" She remembered that night. It was raining, the road was dark and slippery. She just got off the train. She had been banished by her own family, she had been running away for days. She reached Pane City after riding trains. Those people must have thought she was some rich woman with her expensive-looking luggage. She just got lucky. Cross was there to save her.
And thus, the weird friendship began.
"Because you're beautiful?"
"Hey! Are you saying that you wouldn't have helped me if I was ugly?"
"Yes."
"So superficial," she snorted. "By the way… Xu Je'er… You don't like her to work with me?" Sera's knowledge of the rich family of the city was limited because she wasn't interested to learn about them. However, Cross was different. He worked in a finance company and is working with rich people all day.
"She is dumb and unreasonable. Childish, too. She will only bring trouble to you."
Sera nodded. "I need her connections."
"I know you would say that," he smiled. "I heard that Miss Xu's family is being punished by God Quinn. The current situation is not really good for them. However, they are already established and are a very old company in this City. Their connection is still good."
"God Quinn?" She turned towards him. "Mr. Quinn of Quinn Media?" She wanted to ask how come he was calling that man God. She has heard this nickname long ago. This was because of his mysterious personality and other rumors of his powerful family. However, how could Cross call him God too?
As if sensing her thoughts, Cross smiled. "God Quinn is an intelligent man. He is kind and considerate. Very warm too."
"…" She gave him a weird gaze. "You — Have you met him?" The words that came out of his mouth sounded so weird. It gave her goosebumps!
"Of course! As someone who worked in finance, I have met a lot of high-profile personalities. He had a weird personality, but he is kindhearted and handsome too."
"Oh." She shrugged. "Stop praising him like that."
"Why?"
"It sounded like you are his fan, ah. No… it actually sounded like you like him? Cross Qin… be honest. Do you— Do you swing that way?"