Love’s New Bloom By Simone Hastings - Season 2 Episode 8

To answer Alana’s comment, Chandler gave her a sideways glance and said, “Your partner is a horrible influence on you. How could such a beauty like you say such an unrefined thing!”

Alana broke out laughing merrily. “Nothing can be done about it; one picks up another’s quirks when they spend too much time together. It’s his fault for being in the Special Forces and talking so crudely.”

Chandler laughed. “Isn’t he coming home soon?”

“Yep, on the eighth of next month. He’ll be right in time to be there at our engagement party.” Alana’s gaze was full of anticipation.

“Don’t worry. Once our engagement’s settled, I’ll find an opportunity to have him transferred to be your personal bodyguard. That way, you can be together all the time.”

Alana became slightly morose. “Even if we’re together, we’ll have to sneak around… Sometimes, my sister and I really wish that we were born into a normal family. Who cares about being rich? No one knows that we have no freedom to make any choices, not even who we marry..

Chandler’s expression darkened as well. He had felt the same way as her before.

“Lighten up. At least we get to marry a friend we trust implicitly. This way, we can still love who we want to love. We learned to put on a show from a young age, so what’s so hard about keeping up the show for a few more years?” His eyes were cold as

he said this.

Alana asked, “Chandler, don’t you want to come clean to your father? With the way he’s controlling your marriage, how can you stand it?”

Calmly, Chandler said, “It’s not yet time to come clean. Besides, I’m not worried since I’m getting engaged to you.”

“Us being friends is something only my sister and Roman knows. No one else would even imagine it. Even your woman might not help but mistake what we are for each other. You have to get Erin quickly before she becomes someone else’s. If that happens, you’ll regret it!” Alana looked genuinely worried for him.

Chandler’s eyes flashed. He said lowly, “I know what I’m doing.”

That was actually why he’d allowed Roman to become Erin’s new boss. He didn’t trust a man like Sean Dunn. Also, if he didn’t distance himself from Erin, Quentin would only put all of his focus into splitting them up.

If he openly defended Erin, he would get distracted, and that would affect the plan he’d put into motion six months ago.

That evening at six, Erin met up with a property agent to view a rental unit.

Half an hour later, she’d gotten the signed contract and sent it to the agent. She sat alone on the couch and looked around at the two–bedroom apartment. Her face was overwritten with happiness. To her, being able to rent this unit was unbelievably

lucky.

Apparently, the owner was in a rush to leave the country. Thus, he wanted to get rid of it fast, regardless of whether it would be rented or sold. Thus, she only spent five thousand dollars a month to rent a place in a condominium in the city that cost twenty thousand a month.

This was the kind of crazy deal that no one would believe was even possible.

If it weren’t for the fact that the property agency was the largest one in town, Erin might not have trusted that she could get such a steal. Suspicious, she had even searched online to check if the unit was haunted before actually signing the rental

contract.

The thing was, what Erin could never imagine was that the owner so urgently wanting to “leave the country” was none other than Chandler. There was no way he would accept a questionable apartment when he was going to stay here from time to time

in the future!

The next morning, a single man moved into the unit opposite Erin’s. The man took the initiative and went over to say hi to

Erin.

His name was Jack, and he was ripped. Although he wasn’t tall, he looked to be quite strong.

Jack told Erin that he was a personal fitness trainer and that she could come to him if she needed any kind of help.

After Erin closed the door, Jack went back to his apartment and made a call.

“Mr. Frost, I’ve already gone over to Miss Lane’s place to introduce myself.”

Chandler was currently in his office signing contracts. He put his phone on the table and turned on the speaker. “From now on, keep an eye on the kind of people who visit her, including those she brings home. Report to me each time.”

Jack Hastings replied deferentially, “Yes, sir. Don’t you worry about this!”

While Jack was making that phone call, Erin’s new place received its first visitor–Sean Dunn.

Seeing Sean with packages of different breakfast foods and a smile, Erin really couldn’t leave him outside. She finally stood aside to let Sean into the apartment.

Once the door was closed, Sean went in search of the kitchen, acting as if he were in his own home. Yawning, Erin watched him, troubled. “You’re here so quickly. I’ve barely moved in! Did Roman Blair tell you my address?”

Sean said teasingly, “What a nice place! It’s the kind that anyone could just move right into. Erin, did you hit the jackpot or become someone’s sugar baby? Being Roman’s assistant can’t earn you more than twenty thousand a month. How could you possibly afford this place?”

“Watch what you say. What makes you think I became a sugar baby? I’m only tremendously lucky! Maybe I was unlucky earlier and now the universe is making it up to me.” Erin looked around at the apartment and felt such affection for it that it went right down to her bones.

The apartment was pristine, and its decorations were elegant. She could tell that the owner had to be a man and the kind who was young and tasteful.

Her words made Sean chuckle. He busied himself getting the plates out, laying the breakfast he bought out onto them. Before long, the table was filled with food. Sean looked at the fruit of his labor and felt oddly satisfied.

He turned around and looked at Erin, who was still in her cartoon–print pajamas, displeased. “Hey, I’ve already gotten breakfast ready. Shouldn’t you go wash up and eat?”

Erin pouted. “I just woke up. Why did you come so early? And I never invited you over, either.”

Hurt flashed in Sean’s eyes. “Goodness me! What a wretch soul I am. I was so nice as to recommend you to be Roman’s assistant and you even got the job. I even went out early to get you your favorite breakfast to celebrate, and you’re still complaining about me?”

Erin shivered upon hearing that. She had no choice but to surrender. “Alright, I’ll go wash up now! Please don’t ever talk like that again. I got goosebumps from that.”

Amusement shone in Sean’s eyes. He winked at Erin. “Hurry up. I haven’t eaten either, so I’ll wait for you.”

Seeing Sean taking a seat at the dining table, Erin quickly rushed to the bathroom and closed the door.

What a nightmare!

She really had no clue how she was going to deal with this uninvited guest. And he was playing coy too!

Erin said to herself in the mirror, patting her face, “Wake up! That guy outside will not be easy to deal with…”

She admitted that she owed Sean a favor for helping her with her job. Such a favor was not so easy to repay. She could only take things one step at a time.

After Erin finished washing up and changing, Sean had already eaten nearly everything. When she got to the dining table, she

was in shock. “Damn, are you preparing to hibernate for the winter? How did you put away so much?”