Alex walked toward the bed opposite Kelly and sat down.

  On the other hand, Kelly's heart beat so fast after the girls left to give them privacy. She wanted to escape from here, but Alex quickly blocked the door.

  Now she wondered what the guy would do now that they were alone. On the one hand, she's thinking how he found out she was here in Metro City and not in Sydney because it was what excuse she told everyone.

  "Ahem. You can hide under your quilt all night but not forever." Alex said afterward. His lips curled into a smile.

  Kelly gritted her teeth upon hearing the guy quoted that. Later, she pushed the blanket down to her neck and peeked at the guy who was now sitting on the bed across from her.

  "What are you doing here?" she asked. On her face, she is displaying displeasure.

  "Do you think you can escape from me?" Alex returned a question instead of replying. His tone is a bit like ridicule, on the one hand, amused.

  Kelly glared at Alex. She twitched her mouth, then roared at him. "It's like I owe you some money!"

  Alex looked at Kelly with a bit of intent, and he remained silent and did not retort. But because of his silence, this actually upset Kelly. The girl pouted her lips in annoyance.

  This is what she hated about Alex, and he would choose to keep silent instead of voicing his thoughts.

  The truth is, Alex is familiar with Kelly's attitude, and he knows her mouth, so he chooses not to speak a lot.

  Besides, as his upbringing was to speak appropriately, follow etiquette, act elegantly, and talk, it became his habit not to speak and choose the words that would come out in his mouth.

  That is why, even though many things he wanted to say to Kelly, he kept quiet as he didn't want to argue with her.

  As for Kelly, she was extremely irritated by his silence. When she roared at him, he would instantly shut his mouth. If the guy is Pitt, she was now in a race of higher pitch and competing who threw a thousand ridiculous words at each other.

  Indeed, she prefers arguments as she can read between words what the guy is up to. But Alex…. He is too timid and lazy!

  "Have you come just to stare at me?" She may have sneered at him. But deep down in her heart, she was hoping the guy would take the hint that she wished for him to speak up about what was on his mind.

  But another minute was only wasted, and Kelly grew bored. She cannot settle her mind, and her heart argues against her head…


  Yes. She was quarreling with her inner self, as she thought that what if this is the kind of husband she has? It made her wonder what progress she would get?

  Can this guy even know how to read her mood? How if she was angry and wanted to be coaxed? It seemed like a lonely marriage!

  Kelly doesn't like how her head starts running wild. She bit her bottom lip with a thought, 'Am I developing a feeling with Alex?' The way her heart flutters is she hoping that Alex likes her too.

  But…. Ah! Why is she thinking of these things?

  Kelly was engrossed in her own world; she didn't notice that Alex had already moved to her bed and was now seated close to her.

  "What are you doing?" She tightened her grasp on the blanket.

  Alex noticed her action. He smiled but said nothing. Again, she was upset and sneered inside her heart. Indeed, there is a reason she felt frustrated.

  But she denied these feelings because she wasn't sure if Alex was sincere. Also, it was because this relationship is fake.

  He only said that he would help her by pretending he was her boyfriend. True, after he said that, he started making advances in the form of annoying her, then he reasons out they needed to practice.

  And she hated herself because she didn't want it to be just a pretense. Yes. She would admit to herself now. She wants an actual relationship, and her mind and heart are messing up because of this thought.

  "I missed you." All of a sudden, said Alex.

  Kelly was stunned when she heard that. She isn't sure she heard it correctly, or maybe her ears are playing tricks on her.

  "What did you say?" she stuttered, and she scolded herself.

  "I said I missed you."

  'That's all?' Kelly thought, and she was even more frustrated because she wanted to smack her own self for wishing the impossible, Alex's confession.

  She clears her throat, then asks after a long silence. "Why would you miss me? You are only my fake boyfriend."

  But when she said that, a big lump stuck in her throat. She coughs to hide her irritation.

  Alex gaped at Kelly. After he was satisfied, he depended on himself. "You can continue to think of me as your fake boyfriend, but as for me, you are my real girlfriend."

  Kelly gritted her teeth. It's not because she was angry, but because she wanted to smack the guy with a happy heart. However, she maintains a poker face to hide her true feelings.

  "You were just forced to feel that way because you pitied me."

  During the video call. Her grandma told Alex that she wished to see her granddaughter walking down the aisle before she died.

  Then, Alex replied to her grandma, "I'm only waiting for Kelly to agree, grandma."

  Alex's answer put her under great tension, giving her a severe headache. With that, she was in a difficult situation as she would have a hard time explaining to her father he had only mistaken Alex as her boyfriend, but the truth is, they had nothing to do with each other.

  But now, Alex is saying she is his real girlfriend? That causes her heart to keep fluttering.

  "Get up," said Alex, which alarmed Kelly for a second, then she frowned afterward.

  "I want to sleep now. I have to visit the store tomorrow." After she said that, she pulled the blanket and covered her head, then she freaked out when Alex pulled it open and slid inside. "What are you doing?"

  Alex chuckled, looking at her wide eyes that obviously, she feared he would do something to her.

  "You want to sleep? Then let's sleep," he said in a soft voice.

  "What are you……"

  Before Kelly could finish her words, he placed two fingers above her lips and uttered, "Don't worry. I just wanted to lie next to you, and I won't touch you until we get married."

  "What did you say?" She thinks her ears were playing with her, and she heard weird words from Alex's mouth.

  Alex laughed softly. Then he explained, "I know your tradition. So I will respect that."

  Kelly has rendered speechless. She understood what Alex meant, and her cheeks instantly blushed—what Alex had said made her happy. However, she didn't want to hope much. And so she blurts out.

  "What I am asking is, are you really serious about pretending to be my fake husband?" Yeah, not a boyfriend anymore. We are leveling up!

  However, instead of an answer, she would receive, Alex knocked her head.

  "Fake husband? Where can you find someone as handsome as me just to be your fake husband?"

  She sensed the hurt in Alex's voice that made her feel guilty. This time, her voice softened.

  "But you don't like me……" she bit her lower lip after she said that. The words she stutters cause heartache in her chest.

  "Yeah. I don't like you," said Alex.

  The little hope she was trying to hold on to now vanished. With a heavy heart, she turns around not to see Alex's face but the guy's hand grasping her waist, pulling her closer.

  Then, she heard Alex carried on…


  "Having a crush on someone for so long… You wouldn't notice that it develops for love."

  Kelly blinks her eyes. Again, she wondered if what she heard was correct. Why are her ears so playful tonight?!

  She breathed inwardly, then pursed her lips. "What are you saying? Who is your crush?" she asked.

  Kelly lifted her gaze to meet Alex's eyes. The way he was looking at her, she felt like her heart melted, and it was tender and sincere.

  "I love you, Kalila…."