Fara opened her mouth, then closed it again. Her eyes were fixed on Evan in disbelief. "You're really serious about this?"
"Dead serious," Evan replied flatly.
Fara let out a dramatic sigh and reluctantly pulled out her phone. "Fine, fine. I'll pay. But do you have to be this stiff? I just want to get to know you better."
Evan said nothing, merely waiting for the notification of the transfer to chime on his phone. Once he confirmed the amount, he gave a brief nod and turned to leave.
Fara huffed in frustration. "So arrogant, Evan…" she muttered, watching his retreating back.
But behind her irritation, a spark of challenge lit up in her eyes. Evan had drawn a clear boundary—and that only made her more determined to cross it.
—
It was only the beginning of the year, and Evan's life was already full of drama. Again.
Sienna had threatened to kill him. Fara had started chasing after him. And as always, no one remembered Michelle or the life she had built in 2018.
He let out a long sigh as he sat on the couch in his apartment. It was only January, yet it felt like he had lived a whole year in just a few weeks.
The only thing he could do was keep living his life. If the year had other plans for him, Evan could only brace himself for what was coming.
In 2019, Evan became more serious about his work. Technically, it was his seventh year working, though to others, he looked like just another employee with three years of experience.
But he couldn't stay in the same position forever. If he wanted to get closer to becoming his father's assistant, he had to prove he was more than just the "boss's son."
He started taking on more responsibility, showing results, not just riding on his last name.
Of course, Reza was still his superior, and that made things a bit complicated. There was no way Evan could get promoted without going through Reza first. But Evan knew how to play the game.
If he kept doing well, the opportunity would come on its own.
—
Fara was nothing if not cunning. After failing to catch Evan's attention through normal means, she raised the stakes.
She planned everything carefully—choosing a moderately crowded location, making sure paparazzi were nearby, and of course, ensuring she looked cozy with Evan on camera.
At first, Evan didn't realize it was a setup. He just happened to be in the same place—maybe coming out of a restaurant or the apartment lobby—when Fara suddenly approached him.
It didn't take long for the story to explode.
"Fara and a Mystery Man? The Handsome Stranger by the Actress's Side Sparks Speculation!"
At first, the media was just guessing. But their curiosity soon led them to the name Nathaniel Evan.
They dug into his background. The son of a wealthy businessman, handsome, mysterious, and never seen on social media. A perfect formula for wild theories.
Speculation ran rampant.
— Evan was Fara's secret boyfriend.
— Evan was the rich man funding Fara's lifestyle.
— Some even claimed he was her sugar daddy, despite only being 25!
It was ridiculous, of course. What kind of sugar daddy was that young? But the public didn't care about facts. They wanted a scandal.
Evan stared at the headlines, expressionless.
"Unbelievable, Fara…" he muttered.
He knew this wasn't a coincidence. This was a plan.
—
Evan read the news with narrowed eyes. This was too much. He could ignore a rumor or two, but this? The media was pulling his name deeper into the mess.
He immediately contacted the company's legal team for advice. Even if it was a personal issue, his family's reputation was involved. After getting counsel, he knew what to do next.
That evening, in the apartment lobby, Fara waited for him with a confident smile. She expected Evan to be curious, maybe even flustered or at least interested in hearing her out.
But Evan's expression remained cold. Without preamble, he said, "I've consulted the company's lawyer."
Fara blinked, still smiling, but beginning to sense something was off. "Huh? Why bring in a lawyer?"
"I want you to shut down this rumor now," Evan said flatly. "Before my lawyer does it for me."
Fara fell silent. This wasn't going as she had expected. Usually, the men she trapped would panic, try to explain, or even negotiate. But Evan? He came at her with legal threats.
"I didn't make up the rumors, Evan. The media did that on their own," Fara said, trying to stay casual.
"And you can stop them," Evan replied firmly. "If this story's still out tomorrow, I'll assume you orchestrated it. Don't blame me if you get sued for defamation."
Fara swallowed hard. Evan wasn't bluffing.
"…Fine, I'll talk to the media," she said at last.
"No need to talk," Evan added. "Just post one sentence: 'There's nothing between me and Nathaniel Evan.' No long clarification, just that."
Fara was quiet for a moment. This was not how she wanted things to go. But seeing the intensity in Evan's gaze, she knew she'd lost this round.
"…Alright," she muttered. "I'll handle it."
Without another word, Evan turned and walked away, leaving Fara standing there, scowling.
She took a deep breath before pulling out her phone. Her fingers hesitated, but she knew she had no choice. If not, Evan really might sue her.
Finally, she typed out a simple sentence on her social media account:
"There's nothing between me and Nathaniel Evan."
That was it. No emoji, no detailed explanation.
Within minutes, her notifications blew up. Fans started speculating, some disappointed, others even more suspicious. Media outlets that had built up the "mystery man" narrative now had to dial it back.
Fara bit her lip. This was far from the outcome she had planned. She had wanted Evan cornered—or at least intrigued. But instead, he stayed unfazed and forced her to retreat.
"Bastard," she muttered, glaring at her phone screen.
But this wasn't over. There were other ways to get close to him. Fara wasn't about to give up after one minor setback.