Chapter 2

The whole place erupted.

The guy with the instant soup cup even dropped his fork in shock.

My best friend, Chloe, was shaking my shoulder wildly from the edge of the crowd.

"Lily! You did it! You brought the ice prince down from his pedestal!"

I didn't feel like I "did it" at all.

I just felt a suffocating pain in my chest.

My ocean-view condo, my floor-to-ceiling windows, my huge balcony---all gone.

I stiffly raised my head, looking at Ethan on the balcony.

"Ethan, are you studying for the Bar exam too hard lately? Are you out of your mind?"

He had his hands in his pockets, his tone flat.

"I'm perfectly clear-headed."

"But you used to say we had no chance!"

"That was before."

He paused.

"Now I've changed my mind."

I was almost in tears.

"Ethan, seriously, don't be impulsive. A forced relationship never works out!"

He looked at me, a flicker of an imperceptible smile in his eyes.

"Sweet or not, we'll know once we try."

With that, he turned and went back into the dorm.

Less than three minutes later, he came out of the stairwell.

He'd changed into a crisp white shirt and dark pants, standing as tall and poised as a runway model.

He walked up to me, blocking the streetlights above.

"Let's go."

I took a step back.

"Go where?"

"Didn't you ask me to be your boyfriend?"

He naturally reached out, taking my wrist.

"Come with your boyfriend to study."

His palm was warm, so hot it made me shiver.

The system dinged again.

[Host has entered a romantic relationship.]

[New mission activated: Hold hands with target for five minutes.]

[Reward: Five dollars.]

I stared fixedly at the "five dollars" in my mind.

Five dollars?!

I used to get ten thousand for getting yelled at, and now holding hands only gets me five?!

Was the system getting a cut from some middleman?!

I struggled fiercely.

"Ethan, I suddenly remembered I have a huge assignment for my literature class that I haven't written yet! I have to go!"

He didn't let go; instead, he gripped my hand tighter.

"Literature class assignment? Your English Lit department has advanced math this semester?"

I choked.

He looked down at me, his gaze incredibly penetrating.

"Lily, you chased me for two years. Now that you've got me, you want to run?"

"I didn't..."

"Then just follow along."

He led me, past a sea of guys staring like they'd seen a ghost, out of the dorm area.