Daniel would be staying in Canada for a while, specifically in Toronto. He’d traveled all the way from England to America just for someone named Johnny, to talk business. While in Canada, he would be staying at Johnny’s residence. The two had been old acquaintances—close, even if Johnny didn’t know about the tragic childhood Daniel had endured. Their friendship had begun through business.
But that evening, Daniel felt slightly uncomfortable because Shiloh and Edward had come home with Johnny. It seemed Johnny’s cousin was suspicious of this stranger claiming to be both an investment manager and an old friend. Johnny had already tried to explain to Shiloh that Daniel wasn’t someone to be wary of.
Daniel sat on the living room couch, casually enjoying his drink. He had chatted quite a bit with Edward Leung, and so far, they seemed to get along. However, Edward’s wife hadn’t stopped watching him with a gaze full of doubt.
Shiloh emerged from the kitchen, then took a seat beside Edward. “What were you two talking about? Looked like fun,” she asked.
Edward smiled warmly. “Not much. He’s impressive. Should I quit my job and become an investment manager?” he teased.
Daniel smirked, indulgent of the newlyweds’ ever-present affection. He never understood how two people could risk tying themselves to a long-term commitment like that. Maybe it was because he came from a broken family—he never had the desire to love or be loved the way these two clearly did.
Shiloh pouted. “Don’t even dream about it, Ed. We’re already swamped managing my small publishing business.”
Johnny entered wearing casual clothes. “Come on, you two. You don’t have to be suspicious. He’s just a friend. I spent the whole day watching you at the office, so why are you tagging along home too?”
Edward rose from his seat and pulled Shiloh with him. “Well then, we’ll get going. Enjoy your evening!”
He wrapped his arm around Shiloh and walked away, though his wife didn’t seem willing to leave until she had a more satisfying explanation of who Daniel really was. Johnny looked visibly relieved once the newlyweds were out of sight.
“Damn that couple,” Daniel muttered.
“That’s my life—having a weird secretary,” Johnny said before sipping his drink.
“Just give them time off for a honeymoon, John. Maybe when Shiloh gets pregnant, you’ll finally get some peace.”
Meanwhile, elsewhere—back in England—Caitlin sat alone in her kitchen, deep in thought. She didn’t have the courage to abort the baby that was growing inside her. So far, she had decided to just let it be. What if she bled out and didn’t survive the attempt to kill the fetus? It could be fatal. She couldn’t afford to act recklessly.
She had just gotten back from the grocery store and was walking toward her apartment building. Fiola had called earlier, but Cat hadn’t picked up in time. She tried calling back once she was inside her unit.
“Where is she? Maybe the baby’s being fussy,” Caitlin muttered as she placed the groceries on the table.
A moment later, another call came in—this time from a number she hadn’t saved in her contacts. She hesitated before answering, but in the end, she did. Some irrational part of her hoped it might be Daniel.
“How does it feel?” the woman asked, her tone smug.
Caitlin recognized the voice, but kept her composure. “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t you hate me even more now?” Ariana asked.
“I’ve never liked you,” Caitlin replied bluntly.
Ariana burst out laughing on the other end of the line. “I got the info from your ex. I was only responsible for uploading it to the company’s website. You know, outsiders don’t have access,” Ariana said.
So this was Tobey’s doing? That bastard. Caitlin had to admit—his method of revenge was bold. How much had he paid Ariana for this? It seemed karma between her and Tobey was endless, even after the breakup. He must have hired someone to keep tabs on her long enough to fabricate a story worth feeding to Ariana.
“And?” Caitlin tucked her hair behind her ear with one hand.
“He paid me a generous amount. I’m not taking sides—I just thought you should know.”
The call ended. Caitlin stared blankly at her phone screen. She headed to her room to rest. Ever since realizing she was pregnant, she had grown easily fatigued—even a short walk left her drained. She had no one. No one at all. If only Daniel were here… at least he would’ve been some kind of comfort. But how could she face him now, in her current state?
***
That night, Daniel and Johnny went partying at a nightclub to celebrate their reunion. Some of the hostesses had already set their eyes on Daniel, but he wouldn’t let anyone come close. As if he had someone—someone whose heart he had to protect. He just drank a little and danced briefly before leaving the club.
They returned home drunk. Johnny’s personal driver, Paul, made sure they got back safely. While his boss had been partying, Paul had gone for a walk before ending up babysitting two drunk men. He wasn’t a drinker himself—partly to stay healthy as Johnny’s right-hand man, and partly to make sure his boss stayed out of trouble.
From time to time, Paul glanced at Johnny through the rearview mirror as he drove. His boss was clearly wasted, though his friend still seemed relatively sober. Daniel stared out the window, lost in thought, unaware of Paul’s sidelong glances.
“Paul,” Daniel said, finally turning toward the driver.
“Yes, sir?”
“Tell your boss in the morning that I’ve left. He doesn’t need to look for me,” Daniel said with a smile.
“Very well. Anything else?”
Daniel shrugged and smiled faintly. “No. It was good seeing you again after all these years. Have you ever thought of becoming wealthier? I could help. Driving Johnny around must be exhausting.”
Paul blushed at the tempting offer but had to decline—for now. Not because he was rich, but because he didn’t have that kind of capital. Daniel played in a different league. Rumor had it he once worked on Wall Street. Paul suspected Daniel regularly dealt with CEOs like Johnny—people looking to quietly multiply their private funds, and who paid a premium for it.
Paul gave a polite smile. “I appreciate your offer, Sir, but I don’t have that kind of money. Besides, my salary is more than enough.”
He believed Daniel wasn’t arrogant and remained humble despite his fortune. After all, the man still remembered his name and never spoke down to him. The first time Paul met the handsome investment manager was back when Johnny was new to the company.
Daniel hadn’t looked like he does now—he’d looked more like a student who’d spent too much time in the library working on his thesis. Paul even mistook him for a future doctor and was shocked to learn he was the same age as Johnny. Why did his boss always act like a fool around Daniel when they were clearly peers?
“Are you sure?” Daniel asked.
“Maybe another time,” Paul replied simply.
“I can wait. No rush.”
Paul nodded respectfully and met his gaze. “That’s actually motivating. Thank you.”
Daniel just chuckled to himself. He closed his eyes and crossed his arms, trying to get some rest. After a night of partying, he suddenly found himself missing Caitlin again. He was tired—exhausted, mentally. Physically, he lacked nothing.
But the emptiness always came whenever he was alone. It crept back in like clockwork, hitting hardest around midnight when his mind went blank and his heart felt hollow. How long could he endure this way? His parents were gone. He should’ve been able to leave those painful memories behind.
That’s why, for the past two years, he’d casually offered himself up as a rental boyfriend. Daniel had trouble sleeping and nothing to do during his idle hours. Meeting strangers who hired him for companionship helped—at least a little. Everything had felt mundane until Caitlin called him. She had looked like a good girl who’d cried for a month straight—the kind of woman Daniel rarely encountered in his ridiculous side job. Thinking back to their first meeting made him smile.
“She thought I was a gigolo,” Daniel murmured to himself.