Chapter 2

I looked at those screenshots over and over, unable to believe it.

Sienna, who was always so dignified and proper, was this vile online.

But the photo was right there---my jacket, my hands. How could I not recognize myself?

The evidence was ironclad.

Breaking into a cold sweat, I took a deep breath and replied: "Sure, see you tomorrow night."

The next day I arrived at the restaurant to find Sienna already there early, with all the dishes already ordered.

Seeing me enter, she quickly stood up with a smile and pulled out my chair.

"Tristan, you're here. You look so sharp today."

The picture of a refined young lady.

We'd barely eaten a few bites when I heard her say, "Tristan, we've met several times now. We should make it official. My dad says he'll arrange our engagement for next week."

I nearly dropped my fork.

Including today, we'd only met four times, and we hadn't even confirmed our relationship. Engagement already?

I swallowed the curse words on the tip of my tongue.

"Sienna, I don't think we're compatible."

Sienna's smile froze. "What are you saying, Tristan?"

"I'm saying we're not compatible. You can't force a relationship. Let's not contact each other anymore."

Sienna's face immediately darkened.

"Tristan Parker, what do you mean? Are you playing games with me? If you weren't interested, why did you keep meeting me?"

I listened wordlessly, not responding.

Sienna snorted coldly and pulled a piece of paper from her bag, slapping it on the table.

"Fine, you want to break up? Let's settle the accounts first."

I looked down to see an itemized list of dating expenses.

A long string of items, with a total at the bottom: Forty-eight thousand dollars.

I was shocked and looked up at her.

She looked completely justified. "Not a penny less."

"But I treated you too. It's not like you were the only one paying."

As far as dating expenses went, I'd spent about the same amount as her.

"That was your choice. I didn't force you."

I laughed in disbelief. "You're charging me for the Uber ride you took to get here?"

It said two hundred dollars for the ride, but it only took her twenty minutes to get here.

"If I wasn't coming to see you, would I need to make this trip? Who else should I charge if not you?"

I pointed at the line that said "beauty treatment, two thousand eight hundred" and asked again, "What does your spa treatment have to do with me?"

"If I wasn't meeting you, would I need to maintain my appearance?" Sienna said self-righteously.

I was so angry I nearly choked.

"Then show me the receipts, the order screenshots. Let's go through it line by line. I'm not taking your word for it."

Sienna slammed the table. "What receipts? You have no idea how much effort I put into dating you? You think you can just take advantage and run?"

Her aggressive manner finally matched that bitter woman in the screenshots.

Instead, I calmed down.

"How about this---take a photo of this list and post it on your social media. Get two hundred likes, and I'll transfer the money immediately. Not a penny less."

Sienna's face stiffened. Her eyes darted around, and she immediately switched to a gentle expression.

"I was just speaking off the cuff earlier. Tristan, I like you. I don't want to break up. I was just joking with you. Don't take it to heart."

She pushed the red wine on the table toward me.

"Come on, have some wine and calm down."

I stared at the glass of red wine for a moment, then reached out and picked it up.