Mr. Badass ✔

28 In Love, Folly is Always Sweet

Gemma's POV

The next day, I return to work at the car dealership and once again see Luke's face.

"Good morning, boss."

"Good morning," he replies, nodding without expression as he brushes past me. It's as if the Luke who knelt down on one knee yesterday was just a figment of my imagination.

I guess he's given up. That's probably for the best.

I stay busy with work and manage to sell two cars in a day. Just before the end of my shift, I receive a phone call.

It's from an unknown number, but the voice on the other end sounds familiar, calm, and restrained, "Miss Dawson, could we meet in person?"

After hearing who it is, I stay silent for a few seconds, then firmly reject her, "I'm sorry, I have my own life now. I don't want to waste time."

She, along with Dmitri, is one of the last people on earth I'd want to meet again.

But Sophia insists, even changing the meeting place. "I can come to you," she says, then hangs up before I can respond.

When my shift ends and I step out of the dealership, she's already waiting outside. Sophia is wearing a baseball cap and a loose black trench coat, with barely any makeup on.

With the brim of her cap pulled low, she looks nothing like the arrogant Sophia who once publicly humiliated me in school.

But I still stop cautiously in my tracks.

She walks up to me and glances at my outfit and the dealership behind me. "You're a car saleswoman now?"

"Mhm," I reply, pausing briefly. "Are you here to mess up my life again?"

Sophia remains silent for a few seconds, her gaze falling to the ground. "No, I just... want to talk today."

Alright. What needs to be faced, must be faced.

We head to the café next door and sit in a quiet corner.

The waiter approaches. "What would you two like to drink?"

"Orange juice," Sophia says, turning to me. "And you?"

"I'm good. I'm in a hurry."

After the waiter leaves, the atmosphere turns quiet.

I break the silence first. "Go ahead, what do you want to talk about?"

Sophia's eyes wander over my face, studying me for a while before she finally says, "We haven't seen each other in four years."

"So?" I meet her gaze calmly.

Sophia presses her lips together. "Let's talk about Dmitri."

When Sophia showed up at the dealership, I had already guessed that Dmitri was the reason. What else could a wealthy woman like her and someone like me—a simple employee—talk about? Our only connection is that one man.

I let out a small laugh. "Before that, don't you think you owe me an apology? Your husband lied to me, pretending he was single. I was just the victim, but you destroyed my college life."

Sophia's expression turns a bit sour, but she forces a smile. "I really didn't know it at the time. You know how it is—men like Dmitri, so many women throw themselves at him."

The waiter interrupts her, bringing Sophia's orange juice.

She thanks him, takes a sip, then asks, "Did he ever contact you afterward?"