Chapter 3

"It's you?!"

The words slipped out of my mouth, confusing the officers for a second.

"So you do know each other?"

Ethan blinked rapidly, seizing the moment. "See? I told you!"

He walked over, casually throwing an arm toward my shoulder. "Right, babe?"

I shoved his arm away in disgust. "I don't know him!"

"He harassed me before. Does that count as 'knowing' someone, Officer?"

When I first joined the company, Ethan was working as an entrance security guard. Out of basic politeness, I nodded and said a quick 'good morning' whenever I passed the front desk.

A few weeks ago, I left work early and accidentally overheard him bragging to his buddies that I was head-over-heels for him.

"If she's not into me, why does she say hi every single morning?"

"Let me tell you, man, girls who act shy on the outside are the wildest in bed!"

"Just wait till I nail her, I'll show you guys the proof!"

Hearing that made me want to throw up on the spot. I didn't even know what his name was!

From that day on, I completely stopped acknowledging him.

When I gave him the cold shoulder, he lost his mind. He started popping up everywhere, following me around and trying to talk to me.

In the cafeteria, he had the audacity to demand that I buy his lunch.

After several uncomfortable run-ins, I completely lost my patience. I had our family chef pack me a lunchbox every morning so I wouldn't have to step foot in the cafeteria.

Chloe had mocked me for that, calling me a pretentious snob who thought she was too good for cafeteria food.

Remembering all this, I clenched my fists.

"Officer, his defamatory lies are documented fact. I want a written public apology posted directly into the company chat."

The request was entirely reasonable, and the officers nodded in agreement. But Ethan wasn't having it.

"What did I lie about?"

"You did get into that old man's car, didn't you? And that man has a family, doesn't he?"

His pathetic attempt to deflect made the officer shake his head.

"Ethan Miller, I suggest you quit while you're ahead. She's giving you a graceful way out. Take it, or we can handle this at the precinct, and it won't be pretty."

Hearing the precinct mentioned, Ethan finally shut his mouth. After a tense silence, he glared at me.

"Fine! I'll apologize! But you have to return the gifts I bought you first! And compensate me for all the money I spent on you!"

I looked at him in total bewilderment. "What gifts did you ever give me?"

"And when did you ever spend a dime on me?"

Ethan gave me a sneering look. "Playing dumb again?"

"That lollipop! Aren't you going to give it back?"

His words instantly dragged a ridiculous memory to the surface.

A while back, I had gotten so sick of him shadowing me that I gave him an ultimatum to leave me alone during my lunch breaks.

He agreed, but with one condition: "I'll back off, but you have to buy me a coffee first."

I handed him a fifty-dollar bill just to get rid of him.

Half an hour later, he came back holding a cheap dollar-fifty lollipop. "There was a buck-fifty left over. I didn't want to waste it, so I bought you a treat. Pretty sweet of me, huh?"

I was buried in work and didn't even look up.

By the time I remembered it, Chloe had already snatched it off my desk and eaten it.

"Also," Ethan continued shamelessly, "I spent three hundred and twenty-eight dollars eating at the cafeteria just to sit near you! You owe me that money!"

I literally barked out a laugh.

Even the police officers looked utterly exasperated.

The lead officer gave him a stern warning. "Either you apologize to her right here, right now, or you're coming with us in handcuffs. Pick one."