Helen opted to ignore the noticeably more cheerful Olivia. A valid choice, all things considered. And I was thankful for her not making a scene out of it. Win-win for her.

Instead, she focused on finishing her food and retelling the contents of the phone call she just finished.

Grandpa Smith needed to meet her as soon as possible to discuss the plans and scheduling of the marriage interview. Ideally, today, since he would leave to attend the same convention as Long Hào.

With this, the overall atmosphere changed once more, since both girls seemed to have something on their minds.

I could make a solid guess that it was tied to my choice of where to spend the night. I closed my eyes, trying to calculate the best way forward, but stopped myself. Yeah, I already decided what I was going to do.

***

In the parking lot of Helen’s apartment. My darling and I were currently sitting inside my, or Bella’s, crossover.

The drive here was spent in relative silence, both of us consciously avoiding the loaded topic.

“Thanks for today,” I voiced my gratitude, starting the conversation.

“I actually had a lot of fun as well. That little girlfriend of yours...” A deliberate pause that was aimed at making her opponent nervous. “She is quite an interesting person.”

I smiled, both genuinely glad to hear those words and dismissing her cute tactics.

“Yeah, she certainly is.” I easily agreed. “And so are you, darling.”

The beauty in question responded with a pleased smile and light shake of her head. Yeah, the compliment worked, but it wasn’t enough to misdirect the topic.

“Will you stay for the night?” Helen went straight to the point.

“No.” I replied as directly as possible. “Not today.”

The whole of Helen Smith dimmed after hearing those words. I was quite certain a large part of it was an act, but it was still effective.

“Can I hear your reasoning?” My darling asked for clarification.

“Because if I choose her, you will be jealous. But if I choose you, my silly girl will be insecure.” The rationale was clear.

“She didn’t look all that insecure when we left.” Yeah, Helen was unhappy hearing my words.

“I managed to alleviate a lot of it, but if I don’t return today, it will backfire even worse.” I continued with pure logic.

My experience told me that telling her the emotional part would result in much more backlash. I would do so anyway if need be.

“I see,” Helen said in an emotionless tone, reaching her hand to open the door.

My reaction was quicker as I caught her shoulder, bringing her into my embrace instead.

“Helen,” I whispered into her ear, “I have no idea how much it’ll help, but it'll all be much easier if you stop treating it as a competition.”

“For whom?” The beauty in my arms replied with biting words.

“For everyone,” I answered without delay.

Judging from the fact that my darling didn’t struggle to leave, she was seriously considering my words.

“If not competition, then how should I treat them?” A fair question.

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“Acquaintances. Friends.” I stopped, trying to find it in myself to continue with the last word in this line. “Family.”

I felt how my darling froze after hearing it. I suppose this brilliant young woman understood the meaning I put into those words. Not a surprise, really. Her sharp perception was what I gambled on.

With that in mind, another realization dawned on me. With Olivia, I tried to leave everything to chance and see as much of her as I could. And it has worked so far, making me more and more interested in that silly girl.

But with Helen, I had chosen a different approach. What I really wanted from her was a very specific outcome. And I could bet she understood it as well.

The choice was still hers either way.

“Darling, do you really want to play these types of games?” I heard a mockery in her voice. “Fine, you made your point clear enough. And I have no one else to blame for letting this terrible man sweep me away. Yet again.”

She let out a heavy sigh.

“I’ll do as you want,” my darling said shortly after. “But if you dare to run away despite all my efforts... I will use everything in my power to push this marriage forward and then make your life as difficult as I possibly can as your legal wife.”

***

I opened the door to my apartment, half expecting Olivia to throw herself into my embrace right at that moment. And I wasn’t wrong.

I caught a my-silly-girl-shaped missile and gave her a light spin while she buried her face into my chest. Using this chance, I did the same with the top of her head.

Using my foot, I closed the still-opened door behind myself. Another moment to take my shoes off, and I carried Olivia in my arms towards the bedroom. My silly girl happily giggled as I did so.

And again, I had that odd feeling of discrepancy, where some part of me felt surprised at how easily she trusted herself into my arms. And even more so at the fact that her trust wasn’t misplaced. Even the beast, still not fully lulled back to sleep, was averse to the idea of hurting her.

With a careful motion, I threw my girlfriend into our bed. Our. Huh. Which elicited a bout of cheerful squealing from Olivia.

I looked at her while slowly undressing myself. She licked her lips, crawling backwards deeper into the bed. An obvious invitation to join her if I ever saw one. Especially coupled with the fact that Olivia was dressed in that matching set of risky underwear we bought last week.

The one she was wearing in that selfie from the dressing room.

I put on a bit of a show for her as I kept freeing myself from clothes. I wasn’t joking about my experience entertaining women at parties. Judging by her expression, as she kept following my actions with her eyes, it was welcomed.

As I was left with only a pair of boxers, Olivia decided that she had enough.

“Honey,” she complained. Her tone was right in between being playful, coquettish, and capricious. “You know, Patricia showed me a few tricks…”

My girlfriend moved toward me on all fours. Her pretty face was flushed with lust and anticipation. In her mesmerizing eyes, I could see, once again, that promise.

A thought that I should really tell that bestie of hers off for corrupting my silly girl visited my mind for a moment. But at the same time, I kind of looked forward to enjoying the results.

“Not today,” I said, declining the unsaid offer. “I have something new in mind already, and I’m really in the mood to try it out.”

I moved forward, coming face-to-face with Olivia. She smiled and leaned back, leaving herself at my mercy, not even bothering to ask what this new idea was.

I took another step forward, getting onto the bed, and Olivia mirrored my actions, moving a bit backward. We kept at it all the way to the bedpost.

I, as usual with this silly girl, found myself completely drawn to her eyes. Promise, anticipation, infatuation, and lust met me in her gaze. Not an ounce of apprehension; whatever it was I had in mind, she genuinely thought it would be something she was going to enjoy.

It was something that I rarely ever did, despite sleeping with... My mind had a momentary lapse as I tried to remember how many women I slept with throughout my life. Too many.

I gave her a gentle kiss. Watching in fascination how the cocktail of emotions in her eyes melted into one—the one that I couldn’t respond in kind to.

What should I do with you, my silly girl? Don’t you feel afraid of being hurt? Haven’t I told you a few times that you shouldn’t do it?

I couldn’t believe just how attached I had already become. Which wasn’t that bad if things went as I hoped. But what if? I stopped this line of thought, focusing on the present moment.

Screw it. Since she wanted to give herself to me, it would be rude not to accept.

My hands started their dance across her gorgeous body, freeing her from those pieces of useless cloth that would get in the way. The response I got was a familiar moan as her hands entwined around my neck.

I gave Olivia another gentle kiss, taking off my boxers. Another motion and a familiar wet tightness welcomed me.

And then…

Yeah, as I said, the thing I had in mind was a true rarity in my life. We made love.