03. Are You In or Out?

POPPY:

Oh, god. 

Boyfriend? 

Fucking boyfriend? 

Soon-to-be husband?

Seriously, Poppy? That was the best thing you could come up with?

Why not? My dear ex-husband seemed to believe in my words. 

Now. 

If only Sebastian Holding would be kind and go with the flow. That would be much appreciated.

"Poppy, that is only a lie, right? I understand I am a jerk for saying everything I said five years ago. But I already regretted it. Please tell me the truth that this man is not your boyfriend. That you two are not going to marry each other. I had been looking for you for quite some time and now that I found you, I promise I won’t be wasting this opportunity again."

Nolan’s eyes were pleading with me.

Since when did he learn how to beg? Back when he was my husband, he was always cold and rarely showed his feelings. It was always me who was always telling him that I love him. That he meant a lot to me. 

But now.

Was this really the Nolan I knew before? 

"It's... it's true! Bastian is my new boyfriend and in fact, we are getting married three months from now." To Sebastian's shock, I pulled him inside my house. 

Poor Sebastian.

He was stunned and no words could come out from his mouth. 

Using that opportunity, I added, "No need to be shy, darling. I know you've been secretly planning everything."

Please, play along, I said. 

I no longer wanted to see Nolan again. 

Sebastian suddenly tried to release my hold on him. "I'm not your boyfriend nor are we two going to wed. You are not the woman I am marrying."

I gritted my teeth as I allowed him to let him go. 

Hope resurfaced on Nolan's face. "Poppy. Please forgive—"

"Don't listen to Bastian. He's only saying that because we argued earlier. But we are good now." Stepping forward, I patted Sebastian’s expensive suit. "Come, darling. I know you are in a bad mood right now. Why don't you eat inside? I had food prepared there. That would surely chase away your bad mood."

Without waiting for anything, I grabbed his hand and pulled him inside then shut the door in front of Nolan's shocked face.

Outside, Nolan was knocking on the door, pleading with me for us to talk.

Talk? 

That was the last thing I wanted to do right now. I was no longer the same Poppy who was madly in love with him. 

The smile vanished from my eyes when I noticed Sebastian watching me.

I gulped and jumped away, giving him and him enough space in between.

“Boyfriend? Soon=to-be-husband? Do you know what you were talking about? If the press would hear it, I am done.”

I heaved a sigh and pinched the bridge of my nose. 

“Look. I am sorry for what I said there. Earlier. It was just…I was desperate to chase him away.”

“Do you know you are wasting my time?”

I glared at him. “You are not the only one whose time is wasted. I may be poor, but I also have a lot of things to do. However, I still remember that I did something to your wedding as you said.  Do you want to talk about that? We will talk inside. Here."

I turned my back and went to the living room. I felt Sebastian’s presence tailing me. 

“Follow me, Mr. Holding.”

Seriously, Poppy? Letting a stranger inside your house? What if this man was a lunatic?

I can fight him off. Besides, my neighbors will be worried if I did not step outside my house for a few hours. 

"Are you not scared I would do something to you?"

Glancing over my shoulder, I answered, "I promise you that before you can do that, you are dead. I know some moves, Mr. Holding."

It was true. When I was still single and met Nolan, I enrolled myself in some judo classes because of my work in a grocery store. My shift was always night and I usually go there late and some assholes would sexually harass me. But after learning to defend me, they already know how to distance themselves from me. 

Breaking a few of their fingers would do the job better. 

Sebastian raised some eyebrows. "I'm scared," he muttered mockingly. "Then, inviting me means you prefer talking to me than your boyfriend?"

Besides, he looked like nothing of a serial killer.  And if he happened to hurt me still, my fully loaded gun was waiting to be used.

"Ex-boyfriend. Ex-husband," I answered grinning. I patted the couch beside me. "But you don't have to concern yourself with my issues, okay? I can deal with that."

"From my understanding, you cannot deal with him alone."

"I can."

"If you can, why do you have to lie?"

"Fine. Stop being nosy. I don't appreciate anyone prying into my private life. Do you want to talk? Talk and be gone. I don't want to deal with you anymore."

"You know what made me come here. The pictures."

Pictures I did not have any idea what was it all about. 

We finally settled on the couch and sat opposite each other. 

"And I will repeatedly tell you that I was not the person you were looking for. This might be the address. But I am not the one who ruined your wedding. I have a child to take care of. I don't have all the time to mess with someone else's life."

And speaking of my child, I wonder if Kelly was okay now? Damn. I wanted to see her and see for myself. Kelly and I were usually inseparable. I'm so protective of her that I don't want her to get hurt. And now that Nolan had appeared, he would mess with our peaceful lives and insist on his presence on my daughter. 

Fuck it.

Why did Nolan have to show now?

"Regardless if it was you or not, since I already wasted my time in coming here, I want you to help me fix my relationship with Olivia."

My mouth gaped open. "Are you seriously saying that? Why would I help you to begin with, huh? I'm already busy with my life crying out loud!"

"You help me," he ordered as if I was his employee.  

“How many times will I tell you that it has nothing to do with me?”

"A million dollars for helping me. Or anything you want. How is that?"

My eyes widened. "Just who are you?"

How could he give that sum as quickly as that?

"I'm the CEO of  Holdings Company."

Holdings Company? The one who was the top company in the technology industry? I once attempted to apply at that company but their qualifications were so high that I did not pass even the standard. And now the CEO  slash billionaire wanted my help?

That was why he was familiar. 

I had seen him once in one of the company's brochures. 

Sebastian Holding.

He smirked when he realized I finally recognized him. "Now you understand I am capable of paying you. Name your price." He leaned on the chair and crossed his legs.  "Now, would you help me or not?"

I narrowed my eyes. 

A million dollars was a huge amount. It can supply Kelly's educational needs. But something was fishy here.

I must be careful with my words. 

"Why did Olivia call off the wedding? Women typically forgive someone, especially someone they loved. And calling off the wedding just because of one picture without even verifying if it was you or not is something to question. Tell me, Mr. Holding. Did you cheat on her?"

He glared at me and I did the same.

Did he think my knees would go weak all because of his stare? Well, news flash, he needs to do better than that.

I was exposed to more shocking and way more difficult problems in life. Encountered a lot of scarier men. No one fazed me anymore. Especially this handsome god in front of me.

"Do I look like one? Cheater to you?"

I stared at him from his face to his foot. "Yes. You look like one to me."

A man with a look to boast. A man with a good financial standing. Maybe I had low trust or stopped trusting men anymore that I found myself saying, "Yes, you are, Mr. Holding. You look like the perfect cheater to me."

His eyes turned into slits. "It wasn't me. You won't believe it but it was not really me. In court, someone will be innocent unless proved that he wasn't one."

“Impossible. Your fiancee believed it was you. She knew you more than me. We are practically strangers, Mr. Holding.”

“You don’t want to help me?” He stood. “Fine with me. You are lucky I give you my spare time despite my busy schedule.”

I bit the inside of my cheeks. 

A million dollars was waving in front of me.

Actually, I was becoming desperate. There were a lot of bills to pay and Mr. Holding was the only one who could help me pay all my debts in a snap. 

“What will I do?”

He smirked. “Simple. You are a woman. You know what to do for Olivia to say yes to marry me again.”

“By Olivia, are you pertaining to Olivia Green?” I asked, without even thinking.

“Who else? She is my supposed-to-be fiancee.”

I sucked in a breath. Olivia Green was a famous actress and well-known businesswoman in the retail industry.

“Is that the reason why you wanted to be with her? Because it is good for your image?”

Sebastian’s jaw clenched. “Regardless of what I do or my what my feelings for that woman are out of your concern. Let’s cut to the chase, woman. You are seriously wasting my time. Are you in or out? Will you help me or not?”