TWENTY

Jared sat alone in the corner of the restaurant, twiddling his thumbs, checking his phone, and glancing at his watch every few seconds. He had a half-drunk cup of coffee and an almost-empty bottle of wine in front of him. He looked agitated, and the people around him could sense his impatience.

As he checked his phone for the umpteenth time, he saw a message from the woman he was waiting for. It read: "On my way, be there in five." He sighed and put his phone down, hoping she would arrive soon. He had been waiting for her for what felt like an eternity.

After a few minutes, he saw her walking towards him. She was beautiful, with long hair and a curvy figure. She was wearing sunglasses and carrying a handbag. She looked around the restaurant, trying to spot him.

Jared had worn a black cap, pulled low over his face, so he wouldn't be easily recognizable. He wanted to seclude himself from other people in the restaurant. He knew his cover would be blown if anyone spotted him with her.

As she got closer, she took off her sunglasses, revealing her big brown eyes. She rushed over to him and greeted him with a big smile,

"Hey, sorry I'm late. The shoot took longer than I expected."

Jared didn't return the smile; instead, he looked at her indifferently. She took a seat opposite him, placing her handbag on the floor. She was careful to not take off her sunglasses until she got to Jared, as if she was afraid he wouldn't recognize her without them.

She apologized again for being late, touching his hand resting on the table.

"I'm sorry, baby. I got held up at work. I hope you didn't wait too long."

Jared shrugged, "It's fine. I didn't agree to come for you to waste my time like this."

She apologized again, "I'm sorry, I'll make it up to you. I promise."

Jared looked at her impatiently, "Well, get to why we're meeting up. I'm a busy man."

She looked hurt and sulked, "I don't like how you're not eager to see me anymore. I just wanted to have lunch with my boyfriend."

Jared gave her a stern look, "We're not dating, remember? This is a contract dating, and nothing else."

She looked at him incredulously, "What do you mean? I thought we had something special."

Jared shook his head, "You knew from the beginning that this was just a business deal. You agreed to it, remember?"

She looked down, "I know, but I thought we could have something more than that. I really like you, Jared."

Jared sighed, "Look, I don't want to hurt your feelings, but this was never about love or emotions. It's just business. We agreed to be each other's dates for a certain period, and that's it. Nothing more, nothing less."

She looked at him, her eyes misting up, "But I thought we had chemistry. I thought we were good together."

Jared shook his head, "It was all part of the plan, remember? We were just playing our parts. It's time to move on now."

She looked at him, her eyes red with tears, "I can't believe this. I thought you were different, Jared. I thought we could have a real relationship."

Jared looked at her coldly, "I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. But this was just business, and nothing else. I think it's best if we end things here."

She looked at him, her lips quivering, "End things? Just like that? After everything we've been through?"

Jared nodded, "Yes, it's for the best. We both knew this was going to end eventually. It's time to move on and focus on our own lives."

She wiped away her tears and took a deep breath, "Fine. If that's what you want. But can we at least have lunch together as friends? Just this once?"

Jared thought for a moment and reluctantly called the waiter over to order lunch for both of them. While they waited for their food, she asked him why his attitude had changed towards her. "Why are you so cold and distant all of a sudden?"

Jared sighed, "I'm sorry if I'm coming across that way. It's just that I've been busy with work and other things. I didn't mean to give you the wrong impression."

She looked at him skeptically, "Is that all? It seems like there's something else bothering you."

Jared hesitated, not wanting to reveal too much. "It's nothing, really. I just have a lot on my mind."

She leaned in closer, "You can tell me anything, Jared. I'm here for you."

Jared looked at her, a flicker of emotion crossing his face. "It's just that...I don't know. I feel like something's missing in my life. Something important."

She reached across the table and touched his hand, "Maybe you just need to take a break and figure out what you really want. What makes you happy?"

The waiter arrived with their food, and they began to eat quietly. As they ate, Jared couldn't help but notice how beautiful she still looked, even after all this time. He felt a twinge of regret at the thought of ending things with her, but he knew it was for the best.

She looked up from her plate and smiled at him, "Thank you again for coming to lunch with me. I know we're ending things, but I hope this won't be our last meeting at least."

Jared nodded, "I hope not either. It's been a pleasure getting to know you, even if it was just for a little while."

She smiled again, "You know, I still remember the day we met. It was so unexpected."

Jared chuckled, "Yeah, it was. I never would have thought that signing up for a contract dating service would lead to this."

She looked at him, a hint of sadness in her eyes, "Do you regret it? Our relationship, I mean?"

Jared thought for a moment before answering, "No, I don't regret it. It was a good experience, and I learned a lot about myself and what I want in a relationship."

She nodded, "I feel the same way. I never would have thought I could have a relationship like this, even if it was just for show."

Jared smiled, "Yeah, it was kind of fun pretending to be in love. But now it's time to move on."