Jason's heart was still pounding as he dashed across rooftops, his newfound parkour skills making the escape almost effortless. His mind raced as fast as his feet, replaying the events that had just unfolded. The kiss. The escape. Damon's enraged entrance. Somehow, he had gotten out of that room unscathed—but this world had already proven itself to be unpredictable.
Just as Jason was considering his next move, his phone buzzed in his pocket. A phone? He hadn't even realized he had one in this new world. He pulled it out and glanced at the screen.
Unknown Caller.
His gut twisted with unease, but he answered. "Hello?"
"What the hell happened?" A cold, familiar voice snapped through the line. It was Amelia, the villainess of the novel, and the woman who had ordered him to drug and assault Lila. The venom in her tone was unmistakable.
Jason hesitated, trying to gather his thoughts. He needed to be careful. Amelia wasn't someone to be crossed lightly. In the world of The Cold CEO's Girlfriend, her family was only second to Damon's in terms of wealth and influence. And more than that—she was Damon's fiancée, at least by arrangement.
"It didn't work," Jason finally said, choosing his words carefully. "The drug didn't have the effect you wanted. She wasn't completely out, and I had to improvise."
"Improvise?"Amelia's voice was icy. "You were supposed to humiliate her, not fail at the simplest task.
"Jason gritted his teeth. "I had no choice. Damon showed up earlier than expected. I had to escape."
There was a long pause on the other end of the line, and Jason could practically feel Amelia's anger through the phone. When she finally spoke again, her voice was low and seething. "You're lucky you got out when you did. If Damon had caught you, you'd be dead."
Jason didn't need reminding. He had seen the way Damon moved when he entered that room—like a predator ready to strike. If he hadn't escaped in time, things would've ended very differently.
"Meet me at the usual place," Amelia ordered sharply. "Now."
The line went dead before Jason could respond.
Amelia sat in the back of her sleek black car, her fingers drumming impatiently on the leather seat. Her mind raced with anger and frustration. How could that idiot have failed such a simple task? She had meticulously planned everything, ensuring Lila would be humiliated beyond repair in Damon's eyes. But instead, Jason had botched it.
The car came to a stop in front of a secluded café, a place Amelia often used for private meetings. Jason was already waiting inside when she entered, his posture tense as he sat at a corner table.
Amelia strode in with the confidence of someone who owned the world, her icy blue eyes narrowing as they landed on him. She didn't sit down. Instead, she stood over him, her presence suffocating.
"You failed me," she said coldly, crossing her arms.
Jason met her gaze, fighting the urge to shrink under her glare. "I didn't have a choice. The drug didn't work the way you said it would."
"That's not an excuse," Amelia snapped. "You had one job—make Lila vulnerable and humiliate her. If Damon starts asking questions now, it'll be harder for us to control the situation."
"He's already looking," Jason admitted. "But he doesn't know who I am."Amelia's eyes flickered with interest at that. "And you made sure to cover your tracks?"
Jason nodded. "He didn't see me clearly. I escaped before he could get a good look."
Amelia sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You're lucky, Jason. Very lucky." Her tone softened slightly, but the disappointment lingered. "I can't have any more screw-ups. Damon's suspicion is already piqued, and if he finds out it was me behind this…"
Her voice trailed off, but Jason understood the implication. Damon Blackwood was dangerous, not just because of his wealth and power, but because of the way he protected Lila like a prized possession. If he ever found out that his fiancée had orchestrated this attack, all hell would break loose.
"You'll get another chance," Amelia said, her eyes narrowing as she made her decision. "But next time, no mistakes."
Jason nodded, keeping his face neutral. He didn't plan on hurting anyone—especially not Lila—but he couldn't let Amelia see his reluctance. In this world, survival meant playing the game, at least for now.
Back at the Blackwood estate, Damon sat in his private study, a glass of whiskey untouched on the desk before him. His expression was dark, his mind consumed with thoughts of the man who had dared to lay a hand on Lila.
He had searched every security feed, questioned everyone who had been at the hotel, but the man had slipped through the cracks. It didn't make sense. Whoever he was, he had been careful. Too careful for someone working under Amelia's orders.
Damon's grip tightened around the glass. He knew Amelia was involved—she had always hated Lila, seeing her as nothing more than a threat to her arranged engagement. But this…this was a new level of cruelty. And Damon would find out who this mysterious man was, no matter how long it took.
Meanwhile, Lila sat in her apartment, staring out the window, her mind replaying the strange encounter with Jason. She hadn't expected him to kiss her—there had been nothing romantic about it. In fact, it had felt like he was…warning her. Like he was trying to tell her something without words.
It didn't add up.
Amelia's lackey was supposed to be some mindless thug, but there had been a look in his eyes—a desperation that didn't fit the narrative. And now, Lila couldn't stop thinking about him.
Who was he? Why had he kissed her, only to flee before Damon arrived?
Her curiosity burned inside her, and for reasons she couldn't explain, she felt drawn to find out more.
Amelia, too, found her thoughts drifting back to Jason as she sat in her luxurious bedroom later that night. Something about him had changed. He had always been a useful pawn, but today, there was something different. His escape had been impressive—too impressive for a mere lackey.
She smirked to herself. Perhaps Jason wasn't as disposable as she had once thought.
Both women, unbeknownst to each other, were now intrigued by the man who had defied the story's expected script.