Chapter 9: Are You Free Tonight?

Words : 1750 Updated : Feb 5th, 2026

In the hotel room, Rhea Zimmerman lounged lazily against Atreus Lyson's chest. One small hand traced slow circles over his skin. "What was that about earlier? Were you upset?" "Mhm." Atreus gave a slight nod and answered plainly, "It was nothing, really. I broke up with my girlfriend." Rhea's interest sparked immediately. She lifted her head from his arms and studied him. "Why? I thought you said you'd been with that girl for years." Atreus watched her lips move, hesitating. He could not exactly tell her the truth, that his girlfriend had run off with her son. "She ran off with some rich kid," he said instead. Rhea's expression softened with understanding. That made sense. As a man, Atreus was hard to fault. But some things in life did not change just because a man was good in bed. Reality stayed stubborn, especially with young, pretty girls these days. They were not as pure as they had been back then. In their time, most women had been willing to throw everything they had into love. In a world like this, how much of that was left? When money was tight, everything turned bitter. That was the truth of it. These days, man or woman, if you had money, you could always find someone young and beautiful. If you did not, even a dog would look at you with disgust. "It's fine." Rhea smiled and tapped the tip of his nose. "She didn't know how to treasure you. Your big sister will take care of you." Atreus met her teasing gaze. Heat flared in his eyes again. He rolled over and pressed her down. By the time they left the hotel, two hours had passed. "You're such a bad guy." Rhea shot him a coquettish glare, her cheeks still burning as she remembered what he had done to her. Atreus grinned. "Rhea, you're not scared, are you?" "I, I'm not scared of anything. It's not like I've never…" She stopped halfway, then looked straight into his eyes. "Even if it really happens, I won't make you take responsibility. You're still young. You'll meet a better woman." Rhea was not the type to get drunk on romance, and she was not the kind of woman who lost her head just because she liked someone. She liked Atreus's youth and energy. She liked the time they spent together. But she also knew it clearly. She would not marry him. More than that, she had never planned to remarry at all. So even if she ended up with a child, she would be willing to raise it on her own. Of course, she did not need to spell any of that out for Atreus. All she wanted was to cherish what they had, while it lasted. "Oh, right." Rhea hooked a finger into his tie and tugged him toward a parking space. Then she pressed a set of keys into his palm. "This is for you. From today on, it's yours." The black Multivan ahead blinked its lights. Atreus froze. "Rhea… this…" "Consider it…" Rhea said, half joking, "…your reward for earlier?" Atreus had wanted a business van of his own for a long time, but the idea of living off a woman still made him instinctively resist. "Rhea, are you trying to keep me?" "I'd love to," she replied, amused. "I'm just afraid someone won't agree." Rhea could see right through him. Pride was normal for a young man. Not like that ungrateful brat she had raised. All he ever talked about was money, money, money. Sometimes Rhea felt less like a mother and more like a walking ATM. Atreus gave an awkward laugh. "I appreciate it, but I can't take the car." "Then treat it as a loan." Rhea pushed the keys back into his hand. "When you're meeting clients, you can't keep riding that little electric scooter of yours. I already bought it, and I'm not the type to go back and return things. Besides, with a car, it'll be easier for you to come see me. If you refuse again, I'll be mad." Atreus hesitated, then finally nodded. "Alright. I'll borrow it. Thanks, Rhea." He stopped arguing. He knew that if he wanted to break into Dreamhaven Residence's market, Rhea's help could save him from a lot of detours. Still, he wanted to earn what he wanted with his own hands, not by relying on a woman. Rhea rolled her eyes at him with a soft snort. "What are you staring at? Aren't you going to try your new car?" Atreus quit pretending to be polite. He opened the door and got in. Borrowed or not, the driver's license he had spent two years earning finally had a place to prove its worth. Just as Rhea said, having a car would make meeting clients far more convenient. After he dropped Rhea off at home, Atreus drove the van back to his rented apartment. He had barely stepped inside when someone knocked on the door behind him. Atreus opened it and blinked at the visitor. "Winter… I think I just paid rent, didn't I?" Winter Shirvinton had been holding a stern little expression, but his ridiculous question nearly made her crack up. So in his eyes, she was nothing but a rent collector? "I'm here because I need to talk to you." Atreus's heart skipped. Was Winter here to settle scores over what happened yesterday? Winter glanced past him into the room, her pretty eyes narrowing with suspicion. "Someone's here?" "Uh, no. Just me." Atreus forced a dry laugh. Winter had met his girlfriend before. The girl had been pretty. Not quite as pretty as Winter, but still, not bad. "Where's your girlfriend?" "We broke up." Atreus smiled like it was nothing, then added when he saw disbelief on her face, "She ran off with some rich kid." Winter froze. She remembered that day, when Atreus had been sprawled downstairs with blood all over his face. She had thought he'd gotten into a fight with someone, but it turned out… "Aren't you going to let me in to sit for a bit?" Atreus flicked a glance at his rented apartment, which looked like a doghouse that had been ransacked. "It's kind of a mess." Winter stepped inside. The moment she saw the chaos on the floor, she thought of herself. In that case, she and Atreus were not so different, were they? She was beautiful, and her family background was good. Of course she had never lacked pursuers. She had never given any of those men a second glance, not until a few months ago, when she met someone. He had been attentive to the point of obsession, so gentle that she had almost believed she'd found the one. Then, two days ago, her best friend sent her photos of that man leaving a hotel with another woman. Winter had seen the woman before, some nobody model barely clinging to the bottom rung of the industry. The man Winter liked was a photographer. She had never imagined that bastard would dare betray her. Atreus noticed Winter sitting there in silence, so he spoke first. "Winter, did you come because of yesterday…" Winter's face flushed. She turned her gaze away, found a spot on the sofa that was relatively clean, and sat down, clearly changing the subject on purpose. "Are you free tonight?"

Chapter 9: Are You Free Tonight?

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