Spade's POV
Heaven's Club
"So, I guess everything's fine now?" Ten asked, his tone casual but laced with curiosity. I averted my gaze, unwilling to meet his eyes. "With all the things you did just to get Xyrine to forgive you, I doubt she's still holding a grudge."
Forgiven? I exhaled sharply, rubbing my temples as the memory of the whole chicken incident resurfaced. Damn it. I even had nightmares about being chased by an army of chickens because of that mess. And the worst part? All my efforts ended up going to waste.
How was I supposed to know it only cost 150? I thought B1T2 was expensive.
"No," I answered, my brows furrowing.
Both of them just stared at me, their expressions skeptical as if I wasn't telling the truth.
"Do I look like I'm joking?" I muttered, exasperated.
Instead of answering, they just burst into laughter.
Ugh. These two idiots.
"Xyrine is really something else, LOL," Ten chuckled.
"You've really found 'the one,'" Ren added with a teasing smirk.
If only they had seen the look on Xyrine's face when I told her I paid 20,000.
Damn. Even now, just thinking about it gives me chills.
"So, what now? What's your next move?" Ten asked once he had finally stopped laughing.
The corner of my lips curved upward. "Of course, I have my backup plans."
"And what is that?" they asked in unison.
"Operation: True Love," I said with a mischievous grin.
They laughed even harder.
"Tsk. Whatever, jerks."
Xyrine Jean's POV
Montreal University
"Are you guys seriously playing this on-and-off game?"
"This is his fault!" I huffed, crossing my arms. "You know that moment when you're just about ready to forgive someone, and then they go and ruin it at the last second?"
Ella shook her head, amused. "Well, that's on you. Why did you bring him to the wet market? And why did you make him pay? You know how filthy rich he is—he probably treats thousand-dollar bills like loose change."
I groaned. "Ugh! Just thinking about it makes me want to punch him."
Seriously, how could he turn something that should've only cost 150 into 20,000?! That's beyond ridiculous!
"So, what now? Does this mean all his efforts were wasted because of a...chicken?"
"Uh… would I be shallow if I said yes?"
Ella let out an exaggerated sigh. "I don't even know what to say to you anymore. Come on, we're gonna be late."
We were about to head to class when a professor suddenly blocked our path in the corridor.
"Ms. Guevara, come with me."
Ella and I exchanged glances. "Why? What's this about?" I asked cautiously.
"Do you have any idea about the chaos that broke out at the university the other day? Several students got beaten up—all because of you."
Beaten up? My eyes darted to Ella, silently asking for an explanation.
She leaned in and whispered, "Ask your boyfriend."
"What? Wait—why am I the one being called when this is Spade's fault?" I hissed in frustration.
"Well, I have no idea. Good luck, cousin. I'll get going." Ella shot me a sympathetic look before walking away, leaving me with no choice but to follow the professor.
A Few Hours Later
CAFETERIA
Here I am in the cafeteria—not to eat, but to wipe down tables and mop the floors.
Damn that Spade! This is his fault, yet I'm the one being punished? Was I the one who went around beating people up? Huh? Was I?! Well… if I really think about it, I was the reason behind it all. But does that mean I should be the one paying the price? Just because he's one of the Four Kings?
Before long, students started flooding into the cafeteria for break time. I quickly pulled my cap down lower, not wanting to be recognized. I went back to mopping, trying to blend in, when suddenly, I felt something spill all over me.
"Oops, sorry."
What the…? I looked down at my uniform, horrified. Is this soy sauce?!
I turned sharply to face the culprit.
"Aww, it's you. My bad, I mistook you for a trash can," Monique said with a smirk. "Wait… is community service fun?"
My brows furrowed at her words. I then noticed she wasn't alone—Althea was with her.
Oh? So they're teaming up now?
"Oh? Why? Did I hurt your feelings?" Monique continued, feigning innocence. "But it's true, isn't it? You do look like a trash can. And people like you—worthless, disposable—don't belong anywhere near the Four Kings, especially not with Spade."
Her words made me cringe. Does she think she's in some over-the-top drama series?
"Oh? And who exactly does belong with him? You?" I asked sarcastically, watching her expression shift as she raised a brow.
"Yeah, especially now that his engagement with Althea is off," she said confidently. "I think it's my turn to be engaged to him."
Engaged? I almost laughed at the absurdity of it. Her? With Spade? What kind of delusional script is she running with?
"You can't be serious. He would never want you," I scoffed. "Honestly, your attitude is worse than actual trash."
"What the hell did you just say?!" she screamed, shoving me hard.
I stumbled back, only to realize—too late—that there was a full bucket of water right behind me. Oh, great. Just my luck.
I braced myself for the inevitable fall when—out of nowhere—someone caught me from behind.
Blinking in surprise, I turned my head, my eyes locking onto my unexpected savior. My gaze lingered as I noticed something different about him. Wait… is his hair styled? And he's wearing a red polo?
Tsk. What is it this time? Another one of his imaginary photoshoots?
"Looks like my girlfriend has fallen for me again," Spade teased, grinning down at me.
"What the—? Let go of me!" I snapped, pushing him off and straightening up.
"Anyway, what's the commotion about this time?" he asked.
"Don't talk to me! Do you think I forgot about the chicken incident?" I glared at him.
Spade scratched the back of his head, sighing. "Are you serious? I have chicken-related trauma now. I'm this close to needing counseling."
"You? Counseling?" I scoffed. "After spending 20,000 on a chicken? I'M the one who needs counseling!"
He just smiled at my remark.
"Can you not smile? It's annoying."
"How could I not, if you're this adorable?" he smirked, throwing in a wink for good measure.
I rolled my eyes. This guy…
"Ahem! Excuse me? We're still here!" Monique snapped, drawing our attention back to her.
Oh, right. I forgot about this witch.
"Now, Spade, can you please clear things up with that girl and let everyone here know that you're done with her?" Monique said smugly. "Tell her to stop deluding herself."
I stared at her, unsure if she was just drunk on her own arrogance or genuinely an idiot. I guess this delulu hasn't heard yet that Spade and I already made up.
"Well? Spade?" she pressed, glaring at him.
I turned to look at him, expecting him to respond, but instead, he casually sat down on a nearby chair, crossed his legs, and gave me a look that screamed—'Do whatever you want with her.'
A grin spread across my face. Is that permission?
Alright then. Time to start the real show.
I turned back to Monique before shifting my gaze to Spade. "Go ahead, Spade. Tell everyone here what I mean to you."
The cafeteria fell into silence as every student turned to him, anticipation thick in the air.
Spade removed his sunglasses, revealing a teasing glint in his eyes before flashing one of his signature smiles.
Oh god. Is this another one of his dramatic entrances? it's cringing me to the max. ugh
After his unnecessarily dramatic pause, he stood up and slowly walked toward us. At first, I couldn't tell if he was heading toward me or Monique. I noticed how Monique's grin stretched even wider as he got closer.
What is this guy up to?
Then, just as he reached Monique, he turned his gaze toward me and—
"Hey, wipe that ridiculous smile off your face, will you?" he said to Monique before stepping past her and draping his arm over my shoulders.
"Everyone," he declared, "Xyrine is still my girlfriend. I assume no one has a problem with that, right?"
The cafeteria erupted in murmurs.
Great. we're now officially in a fvcking reality shitshow.
"So, how was that?" he whispered to me.
"Heh." I shrugged his arm off and stepped toward Monique, whose face was now twisted in pure rage.
"What was that you were saying earlier?" I asked, pointing to Monique.
"BITCH, SHUT UP!" she shrieked, raising her hand to slap me.
Oh, please.
I caught her wrist before she could land the hit and leaned in slightly. "Be ready," I whispered.
"What?! Get your hands off me, you freak—" SMACK!
Before she could finish, I slapped her—hard.
A collective gasp echoed through the cafeteria. Some students even winced at the impact. Monique stumbled back, clutching her cheek, her face turning an angry shade of red.
"What's wrong? Does it hurt?" I taunted. "That's one slap compared to the two you gave me the other day." With that, I turned on my heel and walked away.
One slap may not seem like much, but let's see if your face isn't swollen for a week.
"You will pay for this!" Monique screeched behind me. "I swear to God, you won't like what's coming next!"
She stormed out of the cafeteria, Althea following close behind, but not before shooting me a glare.
"You dropped your crown, my queen," Spade mused, placing a hand on my head.
Oh, hell no. Did he really think I'd let this slide?
"Get your hand off me!" I snapped. "What, do you think you can win me over just like that?"
Instead of responding, Spade simply grinned—a devilish, knowing smirk.
What's with that smug smile?
"I figured this would happen," he said. "Anyway, if I can't win you over the easy way… then I'll just have to do it my way."
I frowned. "What the hell does that mean?"
Just as I was about to demand an explanation, he casually snapped his fingers.
Just then, a powerful gust of wind swept through the cafeteria, rustling napkins and making students glance toward the windows. Their eyes widened in shock as they took in the scene unfolding on the field outside.
I followed their gaze and—My jaw nearly dropped.
A helicopter had just landed in the field.
Before I could even process what was happening, a strong pair of arms wrapped around my waist.
"Eh? What kind of nonsense—Waaaah!" A startled scream ripped from my throat as my feet suddenly left the ground. My world spun as Spade lifted me like a sack of rice, hoisting me effortlessly over his shoulder.
"Spade! Put me down! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" My fists pounded against his back, but he didn't even flinch. "Put me down right now, you lunatic!"
"Apologies, my dear princess, but I'm afraid I have to kidnap you for a while," he said, his voice laced with amusement as he strode toward the exit.
The entire cafeteria erupted into excited squeals, gasps, and giggles. I even caught a glimpse of Ella making a tiny finger heart at me.
WTF? Really? This is beyond embarrassing—I'm dying of secondhand cringe.
"Hey! Let me go! Where the hell are you taking me?!" I kicked my legs, but he only tightened his grip, carrying me like I weighed nothing.
Spade didn't answer. He just kept walking, straight toward the waiting helicopter. My stomach flipped at the realization. Oh God, he wasn't joking. He was actually serious about this whole "kidnapping" thing.
By the time he finally set me down, I barely had a second to catch my breath before he placed a headset over my ears. His fingers brushed against my cheek as he adjusted the strap, and despite myself, I felt my heart stutter.
"Wait, where exactly are you taking me?!" I demanded, glaring up at him.
He smirked. "I told you, I'm kidnapping you."Then he winked.
Arg, this crazy man uses his face card too well
As the helicopter began to ascend, my stomach churned. Instinctively, I grabbed onto his sleeve and squeezed my eyes shut.
"Waaaah! If you're really kidnapping me, can't you at least let me go home first?!" I wailed, tightening my grip on him. "I smell like soy sauce!"
Spade chuckled. "Ah, so that was you. I thought I smelled steak."
Before I could snap back at him, he leaned in slightly, his nose brushing against my neck.
"No wonder you smell so… appetizing," he mused, his voice low and teasing.
I froze. My entire body went stiff, my mind short-circuiting. Then, as the words processed, I practically screeched, clutching my own neck.
"Ack! You idiot! It spilled on my uniform, not my skin!" My face burned with mortification.
Spade just laughed, clearly enjoying my suffering.
I swear to God, I hate him! I like him, but I hate him at the same time.
The flight lasted only a few minutes, but with my fear of heights, it felt like an eternity. When we finally began to descend, I risked opening one eye, my breath hitching as I took in the massive roofdeck of a mall.
I turned to Spade, my brows furrowing. "Why the hell are we at a mall?"
Still, he didn't answer me. Instead, he helped me step out of the helicopter, leading me toward the edge where a group of staff stood waiting. It wasn't until we were fully on the helipad located at the roof of the mall that I realized the sheer scale of this place.
Then, without missing a beat, Spade turned to the man in a suit—probably the manager—and said, "You have five minutes to clear out the entire mall."
My jaw dropped.
"Wait, what?!" I stared at him like he had lost his damn mind. "Five minutes?! This mall is huge! What are you, the son of a mafia boss?!"
Spade barely spared me a glance. "No, just the owner's son."
I didn't know whether to faint or scream with that statement.
"You heard him," the suited man barked to his employees. "Clear the mall in five minutes. Now!"
Within seconds, staff members scattered like ants, moving with an efficiency that made my head spin.
What the actual hell?
I turned to Spade, completely dumbfounded. "Spade, you've officially lost it."
He looked at me then, his expression unreadable. But when he spoke, his voice was calm.
"Yeah," he admitted, his eyes locking onto mine. "Because of you."
I nearly choked.
My God. This man. This insane, ridiculous man.
Minutes later, the staff returned. "Young Master, the mall has been cleared," one of them reported.
Spade nodded before turning to me. "Come on, let's go."
He took my hand in his, lacing our fingers together so naturally, like he had done it a thousand times before.
Ah! Lord, this is madness.
He led me down to the fourth floor, where the entire place was eerily empty. The silence was almost deafening, the usual buzz of shoppers and background music completely absent. It was surreal—like we had stepped into a parallel universe.
Without warning, Spade pulled me into a boutique and grabbed a dress from the rack, handing it to me.
I glanced at the price tag.
"108,000?! What the f—?!"
"Put it on," he said, completely unbothered. "We don't have much time."
"Are you insane?!"
"No matter how many times you ask me that, my answer stays the same. Yes, I've lost my mind over you. Now hurry up, okay?"
Ergh!
With no other choice, I snatched the dress and stormed into the fitting room. When I stepped out, I caught him staring.
His eyes darkened slightly, roaming over me with an intensity that made my breath hitch. I quickly looked away, feeling flustered.
This is soooo embarrassing.
Spade took a step closer. "Come on, or should I kiss you right here?" he teased.
"Move before my fist ends up kissing your face instead," I shot back, my voice a little too high-pitched.
After changing, we returned to the rooftop and boarded the helicopter again. The realization hit me like a truck. So this was why he had been dressed up earlier. He had planned this madness from the very beginning.
The flight lasted longer this time. When we finally landed, I looked out the window and froze.
A farm. A massive, sprawling farm.
I turned to him, my confusion growing. "Why are we here?"
Spade simply pointed ahead. "Do you see that farm?"
"Obviously. It's huge. Are you an idiot?"
"It's yours now."
"…HAH?!"
I think my jaw had permanently unhinged at this point.
"Spade, are you okay? Did you hit your head or something?"
"I did," he admitted, smirking. "The moment I met you."
damn him and and his cringe pick-up lines. .
"Wait, what do you mean it's mine?!"
"I figured you liked chickens so much. Now you'll never run out. You can have as many as you want, no competition."
I blinked at him, my mind struggling to process if he was serious. Judging by his expression… he was.
I exhaled sharply, shaking my head. "You didn't have to do all this," I murmured.
Without a word, Spade took my hand and led me toward a large tree, where a picnic blanket was spread out.
"Sit," he said.
And for once, I obeyed. I jolted when he suddenly lay down on my lap. At this point, there was nothing I could do but let him be. I watched him in silence until his voice broke through the stillness.
"Xyrine, have you forgiven me?"
"Kind of. It depends," I answered.
"Depends on what?"
"On your answer."
He sat up, his gaze locking onto mine with an intensity that made me swallow. "Go ahead, ask me anything," he said, like he was ready to hand over the code to his family's safe if I asked.
I hesitated before muttering, "Mistress." I glanced away, suddenly unsure. "I mean… before. Why did you ask me to be your mistress?"
Even now, that question still haunted me.
"Ahh." He let out a breath, settling back onto my lap, eyes closing as if gathering his thoughts.
"I don't know if you realize this, but someone like me—an heir—has no control over who we love or who we end up with. Since I was five, I've been engaged to whoever my parents chose. At first, it felt strange, but over time, it became normal, just another part of my life." A shadow passed over his face.
"So when I started falling for you, calling you my fiancée felt... dull. Impersonal. It was a word that never meant anything romantic to me. But calling you my mistress? Strange but that felt different. It was like claiming you in a way that no one else could challenge. Like making you mine—completely and unquestionably mine. Only mine."
His eyes opened, meeting mine, and my heart slammed against my ribs.
"So, Xyrine," his voice softened, "can you promise me something?"
"W-what?" My heartbeat stuttered.
"Please don't say it again."
"Say what?" I frowned.
"That you're breaking up with me."
I barely had time to process his words before he cupped my face, tilting it towards him. His touch was warm, firm—desperate.
"I have everything in life," he murmured, his gaze unwavering, burning into me.
"But the moment you said those words, I realized how powerless I am when it comes to you."
His fingers curled gently around the back of my neck, sending a shiver down my spine.
"So, please," he whispered, his lips just a breath away from mine,
"Don't say it again."
Because I barely survived the pain.