The Playboy's Wicked Revenge (Major editing In Progress)

3: Atleast let me speak

Sia

After taking a deep breath that barely helped settle my nerves, I walked toward the shop where my aunt and cousin, Kevin were waiting. The mall around me buzzed with life, bright lights reflecting off glass storefronts, the aroma of fried food wafting from the food court, and the constant chatter of people shopping, laughing, living. But I barely registered any of it. My stomach was tight, and my heartbeat echoed in my ears.

As I reached the store, my steps faltered. My eyes locked on something, or rather, someone that made my chest seize.

I couldn’t believe it.
That jerk. That monster.

He was standing right there beside my aunt, speaking to her casually, like they were long-lost friends catching up. The sight made my throat dry. I blinked hard, hoping I was hallucinating, but no, he was real. And smiling. And comfortable.

For a second, I considered turning around and bolting out of the mall altogether. But just then, Kevin spotted me and waved cheerfully. "Sia! Come here!" he called.

Perfect. Of course he saw me.

My feet felt like they were dragging through wet cement as I walked toward them.

Honestly, if the world ended right now, I wouldn't complain.

I kept my head lowered, hoping invisibility might magically kick in. Everything felt too surreal, too heavy.

The moment I reached them, my aunt smiled warmly and introduced me to him.

Apparently, my aunt and his aunt had grown up together in Florida and were best friends back in the day. That explained the familiarity. But I couldn't really process anything after that. My mind had gone foggy. I was hyper-aware of his presence beside me, and the way his cold eyes stayed fixed on me made my skin crawl.

My aunt gave me a gentle look, the kind that screamed, “Be polite.” Swallowing my discomfort, I began to lift my hand for a shake, but before I could, he extended his first. That ever-present smirk tugged at his lips.

“X,” he said. “Nice to meet you.”

X? What kind of name was that?

“Sia?” my aunt said loudly, breaking me out of my thoughts.

Oh no. I said that out loud. My eyes widened. God, why me?

Kevin leaned toward me and pinched my arm, clearly trying to save me from my own embarrassment. I forced a smile, ignoring the heat flooding my face, and finally shook X’s hand.

His grip was far too tight and firm to the point of pain. I winced slightly but didn’t say anything. Couldn’t say anything. Not with everyone watching. After a moment that felt too long, he finally let go.

“So, Aunty Princia” X asked casually, turning to my aunt. “When are you coming to Florida?”

“I’ve been thinking about visiting soon” she replied. “What about you? What brings you here?”

“Work,” he said simply.

His tone was cold, emotionless. Not uninterested, more like detached. It wasn’t small talk. It felt more like a statement to end the conversation altogether.

My aunt and Kevin kept chatting with him, all ease and laughter. I stood beside them, awkward and silent, like I didn’t belong there.

My thoughts were screaming, Can we please leave now? But no one noticed.

From the corner of my eye, I could feel him watching me, his gaze flickering over me now and then. Sometimes with amusement, sometimes with disdain, and sometimes with no expression at all. It made my skin itch.

I tried focusing on anything else, the display shelves filled with clothes, the mirrored walls that reflected us like we were actors in some awkward drama, the sound of children squealing in the distance. But then my stomach growled.

Loudly.
My face burned.

I didn't ate anything since last night, Again. And now it was well past noon.

Everyone turned toward me. My aunt gave me the I told you to eat before coming look. Kevin’s eyes lit up like it was a blessing in disguise, he clearly thought we’d grab something from the food court now.

And X? He looked at me like I’d broken some unspoken rule of behavior.

"Umm Sorry" I murmered

Eventually, the conversation came to an end. They exchanged goodbyes, and I finally felt like I could breathe again. We began walking toward the food court.

I stayed a few steps behind the others, hoping to disappear into the crowd.
But then, without warning, someone grabbed my arm and pulled me aside.

I gasped as my body collided with something solid- his chest.

I looked up, startled. It was him.
His eyes were blank yet sharper somehow. And despite being in the middle of a brightly lit mall, it felt like the world narrowed to just him and me.

I opened my mouth, about to ask what the hell he was doing. But he cut me off, leaning in slightly.

“This is going to be fun,” he said, his voice low and smooth. Too calm. Too confident.
I stared at him, confused.

What was that supposed to mean? What exactly was going to be fun?

But he didn’t give me time to ask. He simply turned and walked away like nothing had happened.

I stood there for a moment, flustered, questioning everything.
Why me?

He didn’t even let me speak, and then just tossed that cryptic comment at me like it meant nothing.

I followed after my aunt who was already in the queue of McDonald's.

I took a sigh with a thought lingered in my mind, how did I made a new enemy with a very punchable smirk without doing anything.

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Xo,
Marbil