Because of a previous hand injury, Autumn always kept some bandages in her bag. She went to the locker room and used one to cover up the hickey Damien had left on her.
Chapter 99
There was still one minute left before the agreed time. She didn’t go back early. Instead, she waited in the rest area for R
Not long after, Rico arrived. He immediately felt relieved when he saw she was alone.
He called out to her, but he instantly froze when Autumn lifted her head. Even though he was still some distance away, his sharp eyesight enabled him to catch the fierce, cutting look she
threw at him.
Rico quickened his steps. When he got closer, he found Autumn didn’t look any different from usual. Was it just his imagination earlier?
“Did Damien do anything to you?”
“No. The matter between us is more or less settled.”
That was a lie. Right now, Autumn’s mind was consumed with dark, violent ideas of how to make Damien suffer. She even thought about slashing his throat.
“Really?” Rico looked skeptical.
Autumn seemed calm, but something was off. In fact, she gave off a cool, faintly unhinged vibe.
He glanced at the bandage on her neck but didn’t ask about it. Instead, he simply said, “Just let me know if you need any help.”
Autumn burned with the urge to get back at Damien. Wild, irrational ideas rushed through her mind, but her thinking stayed clear. She simply didn’t possess that kind of
Sure, she could make a lot of money, just like Olivia. But even if she had Olivia’s billion–dollar fortune, going up against a powerful family meant everything could be destroyed in the blink
power.
of an eye.
Take someone like Dawson–if someone crossed him, he could easily make them bankrupt and disappear. Well, Damien had that kind of power too!
Her rationality finally came back. She pushed aside those dark thoughts and gradually returned to calm. Then, she turned to look at Rico–the warm, loyal guy she had struggled to get used to at first.
“I saw how you stood up for me just now. I owe you one. If you ever need anything I can help with, just say the word. I might not have your money, but I’ve got skills—‘
“Stop!” Rico reached out and touched her forehead. “Are you running a fever?”
“No. I’m being serious here. Since you’re good to me, it’s only natural for me to return the favor.”
Rico’s mouth twitched. He looked at her like she was a fool. “Come on, Autumn, it wasn’t a big deal! I mean, of course I had to step in. Damien’s totally crazy for grabbing you like he was about to tear you apart.
“Honestly, even if you were a stranger, I still would’ve said something. And really, all I did was shout a few words–it’s not like I actually helped. I won’t like it if you get all formal with me.‘ Hearing that, Autumn adjusted her tone. “Alright, I won’t be formal with you. I’m honored that you see me as a friend. I want to be loyal like you, so if you ever need anything, just let me know. I’ll definitely help you.”
“That’s better. Don’t worry. If I ever need a favor from you, I definitely won’t be shy about it. And forget this ‘honored‘ nonsense. Autumn, you’ve got personality–I like that. Not just anyone can be my friend, you know. Friendship is a two way street, after all.”
“Okay.”
Rico tilted his chin toward the court. “So, are you going to continue playing tennis?”
Suddenly, a tennis ball hit Rico on the calf with a thump.
“Ah! Shit!” he cursed loudly.
As soon as he turned around, he saw Barry, whose expression was icy–cold.
After Damien and Emilia left, Jayden had lost interest in playing too. So, Barry told him to get lost and came over to find Autumn himself, only to catch Rico brushing his hand against her forehead. At that moment, he wanted nothing more to rip Rico’s filthy hand off and fling it straight out of the galaxy.
“I was just wondering what kind of bad luck this is–turns out it’s you!” Rico cursed loudly.
The cold glin‘ in Barry’s eyes quickly faded as he approached and looked at Autumn. For some reason, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something about her was different from how she had been back at the cafe.
It had to be because of Damien!
Without realizing it, his hands at his side slowly tightened into fists. But his face showed no sign of anger. In fact, he even smiled and said, “Autumn, I forgot to mention that Rico’s my older cousin. He’s the one who invited me to play tennis today.”
Autumn hadn’t known about this connection. But hadn’t Barry just called Rico annoying earlier? She couldn’t help but glance between the two of them
They both had those dreamy, flirtatious eyes–the kind that lingered on people with a softness laced with just a hint of wicked charm. On top of that, they were tall and handsome. Standing together, they looked like a pair of playboys, radiating an effortless air of indulgence and excess.
came across as the more mature of the two.
But Rico was loud, carefree, and a little rough around the edges. Barry, on the other hand, was polished and reserved. With his quiet gentleness and restraint, he was the one who actually
“You two really look like each other,” Autumn remarked
But beneath their calm expressions, there was an undercurrent of tension. They were clearly annoyed with each other.
Naturally, Autumn could tell their rivalry wasn’t anything like the deadly animosity between Dawson and Damien. Theirs was more like they purely couldn’t stand each other.
