Daniel took off his glasses, his head throbbing after staring at the monitor too long. He leaned back into the expensive chair in this room, letting his shoulders sink into the cushion. His real job was as an investment manager, handling everything related to finance and investments. Daniel owned his own company. It wasn’t large, but it was reputable—and he had an impressive list of clients.
He was responsible for helping with business planning and decision-making by offering financial advice to Johnny and any other client in his portfolio. Hasegawa Johnny was a VIP—one of the most prominent and loyal clients in Daniel’s freelance line of work, as well as a friend.
“The CEO chair feels much softer and comfier,” Daniel sneered.
Johnny sat lost in thought on his new sofa, occasionally rubbing his temples. For the past hour, he had been complaining about not knowing how to return the money he used to gamble in Las Vegas a few weeks ago. He had only wanted a little fun amidst the grind of being a CEO.
Johnny was worried that if his cousin found out about his foolish act, Shiloh wouldn’t hesitate to report it to Johnny’s father. Having a secretary who was also a cousin could be such a pain. Even more so when her husband, Edward Leung, happened to be the company’s Chief Financial Officer. Hearing Johnny’s complaints, Daniel couldn’t help but chuckle. The nepotism in Johnny’s family ran so deep, it practically had roots.
“Your family’s so warm and tight-knit, huh, John? Cousin and her husband working in the same company. Lucky for you I lent you that money, or they might’ve gotten suspicious,” Daniel said with a smirk.
Johnny grimaced at the teasing. “Thanks,” he muttered, then took a sip of his coffee.
“I gotta admit—you’re kind of insane. Using company funds to gamble?”
“Well, at least I’m a CEO adored by my employees. Meanwhile, you play around like an unemployed man even though you own a business,” Johnny shot back.
Daniel let out a quiet laugh. To him, nothing beat the joy of having both money and time. He could go anywhere he pleased, never stuck working from morning till night in front of a screen like everyone else.
In his spare time, he played the role of a “Cool Therapist” for lonely women. Cool therapist? That was Caitlin’s nickname for him. Ugh, how was she doing? He found himself missing her again. The truth was, he never really cared about Caitlin’s money. But it was the only logical excuse he had to stay close to her. As a paid boyfriend, and she the lonely client. Or maybe, I’m the lonely one, Daniel thought to himself.
“I like freedom. And money gives me that,” Daniel said simply, his eyes lowering to glance at his phone.
Moments later, the door opened. A woman entered carrying a tray with two cups. Johnny’s secretary—who always acted rather insolently toward her boss. Daniel winked and smiled in thanks. Shiloh didn’t respond; she just walked out without saying a word.
“Don’t flirt with her. She’s the annoying cousin I was talking about. I have to watch my every move around her or I might get kicked out of my own company,” Johnny warned.
Daniel raised his eyebrows, understanding. “Cousin? But she looks Korean, and you’re Japanese.”
“She’s mixed. Korean-Japanese,” Johnny replied, clearly not in the mood to explain. “Now, about my money, dude?”
“Oh, that. Don’t worry, your money’s coming back soon. I got some insider hints from the stock exchange—one of your shares is about to spike out of nowhere thanks to some petty scandal.” Daniel grinned.
“Seriously?” Johnny’s eyes lit up.
“As long as you return my money—with half the interest.”
“Bastard. How important is money to you that you’d blackmail your own friend?” Johnny rolled his eyes.
Daniel pretended to think. “Uhm... since the day I learned how to count. It’s very important. But I don’t want to serve it—I want to control it.”
Now he could say that with a smile, maybe even laugh about it. But there were wounds buried deep beneath that casual tone. The kind that only money could inflict. Daniel hadn’t been born into wealth—not like Johnny, who had been groomed to be a CEO since the cradle. Daniel came from a humble, even impoverished background.
He had started from the very bottom, and that had taught him to value money more than anyone he knew. Once just an average economics student with a drive stronger than most his age. He didn’t want money to rule him—he wanted to rule money. That disgusting object had indirectly killed his mother. Daniel hated money. And loved it. It was a complicated relationship, the one he had with it.
His family had been a mess. His father, a laborer earning barely enough. His mother, a laundress and housemaid for the wealthy. As the eldest child, Daniel had to suppress all his own desires just to make sure his siblings could eat properly or go to school like everyone else.
He’d once worked on a farm owned by a local official on the outskirts of town. During junior high, he sometimes followed his father to construction sites. Back then, rural England had no laws restricting underage labor.
He had almost buried his dream of going to college—of having a better life. That’s how much money had made him resent life itself. He was certain Johnny would never fully understand that. Maybe that’s why he liked Caitlin? They both hated money. Or did they? Daniel wasn’t so sure anymore. Not even about his own feelings.
“That’s not a very good answer,” Johnny cut in. He never liked vague responses.
“Well, let’s just say... as important as air to breathe.”
Daniel didn’t want to continue the topic. Johnny, too, grew quiet, focused now on the updates Daniel had just sent him regarding his finances. In seconds, Johnny was buried in calculations about his personal and company accounts. Daniel shook his head, watching his friend turn serious so quickly.
He folded his arms and closed his eyes. Insomnia had been haunting him ever since that night. The night his father murdered his mother. The nightmare returned again and again, uninvited. His drunken father, tearing through the house like a storm. That bastard had beaten his mother to death—and hurt Daniel too, who was still in high school at the time. Thankfully, the man died in prison two years ago, and Daniel never had to see that devil’s face again.
His two younger sisters were now married, living with their husbands. It was only in the past year that Daniel had begun to breathe freely, living life on his own terms. No more siblings to feed. No parents to care for. No lover. Free—like a seagull flying high above the sea.
“I can’t sleep. Your sleeping pills don’t work on me, John!” Daniel groaned.
“Should I knock you out cold?” Johnny raised a fist.
Daniel rolled his eyes and reached for his other phone. “Guess I’ll have to call my medicine,” he muttered.
Medicine? Yes, medicine. If Caitlin hadn’t been there that night—if he hadn’t woken up from that nightmare in her arms—he might never have realized how much her presence had calmed him. Her voice, sweet like cotton candy. Her childlike grumbles. Her endless complaints about her boring job.
He searched for her name in his contacts, desperate to hear her voice. What was she doing now? He missed her—achingly so. Longed to hold her again. She didn’t pick up right away. Daniel tapped his fingers on the table, impatient.
Maybe when he returned to England, he needed to say it—plainly—that their relationship could no longer be client and paid boyfriend. If Caitlin wanted something real, Daniel was ready to give her that.
“Hello?” Caitlin finally answered.
Something felt... off. Unfortunately, Daniel wasn’t a profiler. If she were in front of him, he might have figured it out. They exchanged a few pleasantries, and Daniel had to accept her words that she was doing fine—even when his instincts screamed otherwise.
“You’re okay, right? I won’t be able to see you for a while,” Daniel said.
“Okay, I get it. Besides, I don’t have the money to pay you.”
The call ended faster than Daniel expected. No jokes, no teasing like usual. He stared at the screen for a while before turning off his phone. Glancing over at Johnny, he smiled faintly to see his friend asleep on the couch. At least Johnny hadn’t heard a thing.