Chapter 13: Chapter 13: Making an Appearance
Of the ten-day deadline, nearly two days had already passed. In eight more days, there would truly be nothing left between them.
All she wanted was to sit with him and have a proper meal.
But he wouldn’t even grant her that simple request.
’Fine. If they weren’t going to have any connection anyway, then why bother meeting one last time.’
She laughed, mocking herself, and threw all the food into the trash.
That night, Tristan Grayson, who was at the hospital, received a call from his family.
Someone had taken a photo of him at the hospital kissing another woman and posted it online, accusing him of two-timing and toying with women’s emotions.
Even Maggie Monroe’s family background and medical condition had been dug up.
Tristan Grayson scrolled through the latest headlines, so furious he smashed his phone on the ground.
’It had to be her. He didn’t show up for their dinner tonight, so she pulled a stunt like this to ruin him?’
The next morning, Mika Summers’s house was already surrounded by reporters.
Hearing the commotion outside, she furrowed her brow in confusion. ’Why are they back again?’
She finished getting ready, grabbed a tissue from the table to wipe her mouth, and then sat on the sofa, turning on the TV.
But the moment she turned on the TV, she nearly jumped out of her skin.
The screen was broadcasting a live feed from right outside her house.
A man she knew all too well was standing at her front door, facing questions from a crowd of reporters.
"Tristan, do you have any comment on the alleged love triangle sparked by these photos?"
"Tristan, are you really two-timing, dating two women at the same time?"
"Yeah, Tristan, how can you do this? Doesn’t your conscience bother you at all?"
The reporters’ questions grew more and more outrageous, but Tristan simply maintained his smile, saying nothing.
Watching Tristan on TV, she gave a self-deprecating laugh. ’He’s such a good actor. In front of the cameras, he’s always the gentle, refined, and caring man—not the cruel, heartless man he is in private.’
A sharp pain shot through her chest. Her face went pale as she turned off the TV, planning to go back to her room and sleep.
But just as she turned, she froze. The reporters’ questions from the news flashed through her mind.
’A love triangle? Dating two women?’
Her expression darkened as she grabbed her phone and started scrolling through the news.
The top headline showed a photo of Tristan lowering his head to kiss another woman, and another of him pulling a woman into his embrace.
Although there were no clear photos of the woman’s face, Mika knew perfectly well who it was. This was the girlfriend Tristan had been keeping on the side, hidden from his entire family.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
Her face grim, she looked toward the door.
’Is that him?’
’What is he doing here? Is he going to clarify their relationship to the reporters?’
She gave a bitter smile and went to open the door.
"Babe, what took you so long to open the door?" The moment the door opened, Tristan yanked her into his arms, pressing her head down firmly with his hand so she couldn’t be seen.
Hearing Tristan’s words, her entire body froze. ’Babe?’
She was suddenly repulsed by the pet name. For the sake of his public image, he really would say anything.
She struggled to get out of his embrace, but Tristan’s low, displeased voice rang out coldly, "Don’t talk. Don’t move. All you have to do is play along!"
"And why should I play along with you?!"
"If you want your face all over the news, feel free to push me away."