The Enemy I Hate To Love

CHAPTER 9! The Deal

Emma's POV

I grabbed Michelle's arm and practically dragged him off the stage, the pounding music doing nothing to drown out the sound of my heart racing in my chest. I didn't even care where I was taking him as long as it was somewhere private, somewhere far away from the prying eyes of the crowd that had just witnessed the most mortifying moment of my life.
The VIP section had a small hallway leading to private lounges. Perfect. I pushed open one of the doors and pulled him inside, slamming it shut behind us.
Michelle leaned casually against the wall, a cocky smirk tugging at his lips as he watched me with that infuriatingly calm demeanor. "Well, this is a surprise," he said, his voice low and teasing. "Didn't know you liked to take charge like this. We're being naughty, aren't we?"
I spun around to face him, glaring. "Shut up, Michelle. What is wrong with you? Why did you do that?!"
His smirk only deepened. "Do what? Announce the truth?" He took a step closer, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "You didn't seem to mind being the center of attention out there."
"The truth?!" I snapped, trying to keep my voice steady. "We are not dating! You can't just... announce something like that in front of an entire club! And the press! You know this is going to be all over social media in minutes, right?"
He shrugged, completely unbothered. "That was kind of the point."
I stared at him, my anger bubbling up into something hotter, something more intense than frustration. "What do you mean, 'the point'? What's going on, Michelle? Why would you-"
Michelle's expression shifted, his smirk fading as he took another step toward me, his tone turning serious. "Because, Emma, I need you to pretend to be my girlfriend. For six months."
I blinked, thrown completely off-guard. "What?"
"For six months, you'll be my girlfriend," he repeated, his voice calm and steady. "And in return, I'll pay you.
I opened my mouth, but no words came out. Did he just... offer to pay me to date him?
"I'm serious," he continued, stepping even closer, until I could feel the heat radiating off his body. "Ten crores. Six months. No strings attached."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "You've got to be kidding me."
He shook his head, his gaze never leaving mine. "I'm not. My sister, Vanessa, she's... she's my lifeline, Emma. She wants me to get married, or at the very least, start dating. She's been pushing it for months now, and with her moving to New York in six months, I just need her off my back until then."
I frowned, trying to process everything. "So this is... for Vanessa?"
"Yes." His eyes softened, and for a moment, I saw a vulnerability in him that I hadn't seen before. "She's the only family I have left, Emma. And she's happy right now, thinking I'm finally with someone. I don't want to disappoint her."
I hesitated, torn between the anger I felt and the unexpected glimpse of humanity I saw in Michelle. But still... "No," I said firmly, shaking my head. "I don't like you. I won't date you."
Michelle's eyes darkened, and he took another step toward me, closing the distance between us until there was barely an inch between our bodies. "Really?" he murmured, his voice low and dangerously seductive. "You don't like being close to me?"
I swallowed hard, my breath hitching as the space between us seemed to evaporate. "I-I don't..."
"You don't like my touch?" he whispered, his thumb brushing lightly over my lower lip.
I froze, my heart pounding in my chest as his touch sent a shiver down my spine
His eyes were locked onto mine, and before I could even think to move, he slowly lowered his head, his lips barely grazing the tip of his thumb as he flicked his tongue across it.
My body responded before my brain could catch up, a heat pooling in my stomach as I felt the need, the raw, burning desire flare up inside me. I hated myself for it, hated how easily my body betrayed me in his presence. I was flushed, needy, and completely out of my depth.
Michelle's eyes glittered with satisfaction as he watched me, his smirk returning as he took in the effect he had on me. "You sure about that, Emma?" he asked, his voice teasing as he stepped even closer, his breath warm against my skin. "Because it seems like you're enjoying this."
I snapped back to reality, the sudden wave of clarity hitting me like a cold shower. What the hell was I doing? I took a step back, putting some much-needed distance between us.
"No," I said, my voice shaky but resolute. "This isn't happening. I'm not going to be your fake girlfriend, Michelle. I don't care how much money you offer me."
Michelle's gaze darkened for a moment, but then he let out a low chuckle. "How about I double it?"
I blinked. "What?"
"Two hundred crores," he said, his voice steady and unwavering. "I'll pay you two hundred crores to pretend to be my girlfriend for six months. Just do it for Vanessa. I'm asking you for a favor."
I stared at him, my mind racing. Two hundred crores? That was... a life-changing amount of money. It could solve so many of my problems. And then, like a lightning bolt, I remembered Vanessa's words from earlier that evening, how happy she'd seemed when she thought Michelle and I were together. I remembered the light in her eyes, the excitement in her voice.
And suddenly, I found myself questioning everything. Could I really do this? Could I pretend to be his girlfriend for six months, knowing that it would make Vanessa happy? Was it worth it?
I took a deep breath, my mind still spinning. "You're really doing this for her?"
Michelle nodded, his expression serious. "Yes. She's my sister, Emma. She's all I have."
I hesitated, my heart battling with my head. But in the end, there was only one answer I could give.
"Fine," I said, my voice quiet but firm. "I'll do it."
Michelle's smirk returned, but this time, there was something softer in his eyes. "Good. You won't regret it."
As I stood there, my heart was still racing and my mind reeling from everything that had just happened, I couldn't help but wonder if that was true. Would I regret this? Or had I just made a deal with the devil?
Only time would tell.