Chapter 146 Chapter 146
Amber
As soon as I tucked Evalie into bed, kissed her forehead, and turned off the lights in her room, I felt the tension in my chest tighten like a noose. I walked back to my bedroom quietly, the soft patter of my bare feet on the hallway floor the only sound in the silence.
My hands were trembling before I even reached my bedside table.
The moment I closed the door behind me, I didn’t waste another second. I crossed the room, reached the bedside table for my purse. Opening it, I took out the piece of paper that held Erlan's number. I stared at the set of digits like it was a ticking bomb.
Am I really doing this?
I picked up my phone quickly, my finger hovering just above the screen, nerves lighting my insides on fire.
Is this actually a good idea?
What if he laughs in my face?
What if this backfires and makes everything worse?
What if… What if I hurt Evalie somehow?
But then I remembered Rayne’s face when Erlan flirted with me in the boutique.
That subtle twitch in his jaw. That flicker of unease in his eyes, the ragged tone of his voice. That possessiveness he tried so hard to bury but couldn't hide from me.
He needed to know how it felt. What rejection tasted like. How bitter and cruel it could be.
Typing the number into my phone, I paused. I took a breath and hit the call button before I could talk myself out of it.
It rang once. Twice.
Then, he picked up.
“Hello?” I began, voice slightly shaky.
“Amber?” Erlan’s voice crackled through the speaker, rich and full of mirth. “What a pleasant surprise. I thought for sure Rayne wouldn’t let you contact me.”
I rolled my eyes, already irritated. “He doesn’t control me. No man on Earth ever will.”
I paused. Then added firmly, “But I didn’t call you just so we could talk about him.”
Erlan chuckled, and I could practically hear the smirk in his voice. “Fair point. Do share, dear Amber. Why did you call? Did you finally consider my offer? You ready for me to give you a good time?”
I exhaled slowly, keeping my voice steady. “No. I… I have a request.”
“Ooh, mysterious,” Erlan said smoothly. “If it’s someone as beautiful as you, then I’ll have to oblige. Go on.”
I hesitated, chewing my bottom lip for a second before blurting it out. “I want you to pretend like we’re in a relationship. Basically we'll act like a couple to get under Rayne's skin.”
There was a pause. Not the amused kind. Not teasing. Just dead silence.
My heart jumped into my throat.
Shit. He thinks I’m insane. Maybe I am insane. Who calls a man like Erlan Lark with a half-baked scheme like this and expects him to—
Then he laughed.
Not a chuckle. A full, deep, throaty laugh that rolled through the phone and curled around me like smoke.
“I always knew there was something about you,” Erlan mused, still half-laughing. “Something intriguing but mysterious, begging to be explored. You have a bit of darkness… just like me.”
My brows furrowed. “I don’t understand.”
He hummed, and I could picture him tilting his head lazily, probably draped over some luxurious chair shirtless with a glass of something expensive. “You have feelings for Rayne.”
I blinked. “Excuse me?”
“Why else would you care enough to go out of your way to make him jealous?”
My gut twisted at his words. Heat rushed to my face. “I think you have it twisted. This is for revenge, I need to see him suffer. To feel the same pain that I did.”
“Noted,” Erlan said, the amusement returning to his tone. “But mon chérie, the opposite of love isn’t hate. It’s indifference. You hate him, but you still care. Take it from me—there’s a very thin line between love and hate. You never really know when they intersect.”
His voice was silk over a blade.
My free hand curled into a fist. “Ugh! I don’t know why I’m surprised. You’re his friend, so of course you’re just as infuriating. Calling you was a mistake.”
I was about to end the call when his voice shot through the line, stopping me mid-swipe.
“Wait,” he shot quickly. “I never said I wouldn’t do it. It’s just fun to tease people. You should try it.”
I scoffed. “Fuck you.”
“Gladly,” Erlan remarked without missing a beat. “The image of you riding me is too hot to pass on.”
I let out a groan of pure frustration. “Are you always like this?”
“Only with the people I care about,” he replied smoothly. “Alright, let’s make a deal. I’ll pretend to be your boyfriend and make Rayne nearly lose his mind but in exchange, you have to give me a real chance.”
I froze. It took a while to process what he had just said because he couldn't possibly mean…
“What?!” I blurted, finally.
“I wasn’t joking, Amber. I’m interested in you. I wanna sweep you off your feet and put a ring on it. And it’s not just because my family's on my case about an heir… but that’s partly it.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I whispered.
“I’m not,” Erlan retorted. “I’ve always found you… sensational. Be a good sport and give me a chance.”
I swallowed hard. “It’s not possible. I’m bonded to Rayne. I can’t be with anyone else.”
There was another silence. But this one felt heavier. More uncertain.
Then Erlan’s voice dropped low, smooth as venom. “Anything’s possible, darling. I love with a fiery passion.”
The tone of his voice shifted, becoming dangerous and dark. “If I want something enough, I go out of my way to get it. Doesn’t matter if Rayne has to be removed. It’s a sacrifice I’m willing to make.”
My blood went cold.
“You’re insane.”
“And you’re intrigued.”
“Whatever,” I spouted nonchalantly, though my voice shook a little. “Just help me, and I’ll think about it.”