Janet’s POV
I smiled at the chef who once used to be my cook at home. My heart beats racing wildly inside my rib-cage and sweat begin to form on my forehead. I clutched my fists to grasp some confident and looked at Paxton whose eyes were full of questions, “Do they bow to everyone here?” I asked him in a whisper, pretending ignorant.
He raised his brows at me as he says, “More important question is why did he call you, Ms. William?” My heart skipped a beat hearing this. I felt a drop of sweat sliding down the corner of my forehead. It was suddenly very hot.
“How do I know?” I said with fake a frown and looked back at the chef whose eyes were still to the ground. I managed to pull a smile on my face as I speak, “I think there’s some kind of confusion Mr. Chef because I’m not your Ms. William!” his eyes were snapped on me hearing this, “I’m Janet Reyes,” I told him.
He blinks at me confused, “What are you saying, Ms. William?” I clenched my jaw and he quickly says, “Yes, yes, you are not Ms. William. I made a mistake. I thought you were someone else. Please forgive me, young lady. I apologies!” He bowed to me once again and made me squeeze my eyes with exasperation.
I forced a smile at him, “It’s okay,” he nodded and hastened away. I let out a sigh and turn my face to Paxton who to my utter surprise still had suspicious expressions. I lifted my shoulders, “What?” my heart beats were increasing with every passing second. God, I’m never coming to any Italian restaurants ever!
He narrowed his eyes at me, “What is it?”
“What?”
“You frightened him away with your eyes, Janet. So, tell me, what is it? What are you trying to hide?”
“Nothing! And sorry if I frightened him but he annoyed me!” I reasoned, thinking he would buy it but seems like today is not my day. He narrows his eyes even more and slowly leans over, his sexy brown eyes boring into my hazel ones, scaring the living shit out me, “Paxt-
“You can fool others, Janet, but not me!” A drop of sweat slid down the corner of my forehead. His suspicious gaze was burning me, “So, tell me, who are you?”
“Uh, Janet! I’m-I’m Janet Reyes!”
“I don’t believe you!” He said and all the hair of my body stood up. He stares me with that look for a moment before he burst into a laughter that was enough for me to realize that this idiot was only playing with me, “God, Janet, look at your face,” He looks at me and laughs more. I let out the sigh I’ve been holding in me through a smile and looked down. My body was shaking and heart beats were irregular. At the moment, all I could think of was throwing the table in the air to mute his laughter which was only angering me. He nearly gave me a heart attack, “I’m sorry,” he said after he was done.
I fake smiled, “Your stupid joke nearly caught me! For once, I thought that now you will throw me in jail or something until you are assured that I am really Janet Reyes!”
He chuckled, “Not gonna lie, but for once, I did thought you’re someone who’s changed her identity and has been living here to stay hidden or something!” he shook his head as if how stupid he sound while whatever he said was precisely true, “But it was only his stupid misunderstanding!” I nodded and gulped down the entire drink of my glass before placing it back on the table.
.
.
.
“Where are we going?” Olivia asked but received silence. My head was still looking for a way to get out of this crisis, “Janet, I ask where are we going?”
I looked at her and replied, “Cafe,” I then parked my car on the free parking space and jumped out of the car together, “Apparently, this café serves the best coffee. So, why do not we try it out?” I said as we made our way towards the café’s entry. When we entered, the first thing which welcomed us was the nutty aroma. It was all bright and tranquil. I looked around for Paxton and found him sitting in the corner of the café with Charlie opposite him. The bright rays of sun were falling on them directly as they were sitting right next to the glass wall.
Last night, Paxton told me to obey some of his orders, like whenever he smiles, I’m supposed to smile too, whenever he pinches me, I’m suppose to nod, and whatever he says, I should stay normal and cool. I’m hell not allowed to react. I have no idea what’s his plan but I have this good feeling that whatever he’s up to is not going to disappoint me.
I grabbed Olivia’s hand and walked towards them but as soon as Olivia saw them, she halted and snatched her hands away.
“I’m not going there with you,” She said, glaring at Charlie from my shoulder. I asked, “Why?”
“Because I don’t want to see him” she turns around and tried to walk away but I stopped her by jumping in front of her, “Janet, please don’t do this!”
“For how long are you going to keep walking away from him? You guys love each-other. This is the time to sort things out!”
“He don’t deserve me, Janet,” She said, her eyes already glistening with fresh tears. She was hurt, “And neither do I deserve a man like him!”
“Fine. Keep being stubborn. But I have something to talk about with Paxton. Come sit with me until I’m done,” she opens her mouth to reply but couldn’t speak when I added, “But if you feel like you won’t be able to take your eyes off him and your heart in control, then you can go sit somewhere else!” she looks behind at Charlie and then back at me. I raised my brows, “So?”
We stood next to Paxton and snapped bot of their eyes at us unitedly. Paxton’s smile widen but Charlie’s smile vanished. He was definitely not expecting her. Both Olivia and Charlie stared at each other with tender eyes but didn’t speak a word. I held Olivia’s shoulders and made her sit next to Charlie who gulped and shifted somewhat in his seat nervously. Olivia was also nervous but she pretended all cool and normal.
“What’s going on, Paxton?” Charlie asked, glaring at his friend to death. But the spark in his golden eyes didn’t go unnoticed by me. He was somewhere glad to see her. Paxton looked at me, brought his hand out and said, “Come here,” without any word, I put my palm in his and was about to sit next to him but he yanked me and I landed in his lap. My eyes widened and heart stopped. I wasn’t expecting this. He smiles and pulls me closer to him. My heart beats increased and body went hot. I looked at Olivia and found her looking at me with a frown.
“What the hell?” she asked, “Why are you sitting on his lap?”
Since, I had no idea what to say, I stayed mute and let Paxton speak.
“Do we really have to answer you in words?” He asked with mirth in his eyes. She stared at us in utter shock then shakes her head incredulously. Paxton smirked and I only frowned more.
“No. You-you said there was nothing!”
“Can anyone just tell me what’s going on?” Charlie asked, he was also confused and desperate for an explanation.
“Janet and I are dating!” My eyes widened after hearing him. He smiles at me and winks. And that’s when I understood his plan. He is going to pretend we’re dating to make them realize that when the ones they broke up for can date, then why can’t they get back? I smirked and looked at Olivia whose mouth was wide open in disbelief.
“No! No, it’s not true,” she begin to hyperventilate.
“I know it’s hard to believe but it is true, Liv,” I looked at Paxton and added, “I’m dating him!” Charlie let out a knowing chuckle and looked away.
“Impossible!” She lets out, “I mean, just a day ago you-you were on a revenge operation and now all of a sudden you’re dating him? I don’t believe this!” As soon as she finished, Paxton’s and Charlie’s eyes were snapped on me.
Uh, oh!
“You hate him. Since the day you’ve learned that the reason he called you back was to torture you, you’ve been making plans to ruin him, and now you are suddenly dating him? How?”
“WHAT?!!” Charlie exclaimed with wide eyes.
“No, it’s not true!” I said in my defense but maybe Liv was determined to ruin me, “I’m not making any plans or whatever!”
“Oh, c’mon, Janet, didn’t you hack his phone and break his image at his father’s eyes for treating you like a slave?” Drenched in embarrassment, I pressed my lips together, closed my eyes and looked away.
Fantastic, Olivia! Here, I was trying to help you but seems like that it’s me who need help now.
“Our act ends!” Paxton shoves me off him lap and stood up. I balanced myself and threw daggers in Olivia’s way, “I was hell sure of my plan to bring you together by pretending to be in a relationship with Janet, but now that I have learned that Ms. kind, sweet, and innocent Janet Reyes was the one who texted my ex in order to take her revenge on me, I think it’s better for you to sort things out on your own because I’m done for today” he walked past me, towards the exit, not even looked at me once.
I stood there, feeling guilty, angry and embarrassed while I should not because I’m not the only bad one here. Plus, it was he who started it all.
“Janet?” His call snapped my head at him instantly, “You wanna be a part of their conversation?” I shook my head, “Then, why are you standing there like a third wheel? Come with me!” I nodded and followed him clumsily.
