Chapter 13
Chapter 13:
The blind date was slated for the cozy corner of Vanilla Waves Café.
Gabriela stepped inside and lingered by the entrance for a few minutes before her date finally appeared. He wore a sharply tailored suit that only emphasized his middle-aged gut, but not even expensive clothes could disguise the bland, lackluster aura he carried.
His lips curled into a smug grin. “Apologies for the delay p>
Gabriela offered a polite smile, her tone even. “No trouble at all p>
The man raked his gaze over her, lingering just a beat too long before saying, “Rhys Fox. I assume Phyllis has already filled you in. She told me you’re… a bit materialistic.” He gave a thin, pointed smile, then added coolly, “Just so you know—I don’t hand over my paychecks for anyone else to control. You’ll quit your job once we’re married and focus on running the household. I expect you to take care of my parents as well. In exchange, I’ll give you an eight thousand monthly allowance p>
Rhys, who was in his early thirties, already sported a receding hairline and an air of smug superiority.
Gabriela had never cared much about looks, but his arrogance made her skin crawl.
Honestly, she had anticipated this. Phyllis had set her up with this man out of spite, not concern.
But Josh’s earlier phone call—his anxious reminder to give the blind date a real chance—echoed in her mind. Swallowing her pride, Gabriela forced herself to stay civil, biting back every insult she wanted to unleash.
Rhys pressed on. “Phyllis mentioned you lost your parents, and her family took you in. They’ve done their part. Now that you’re an adult, you should be independent and start living on your own. If you really can’t find a place to stay, you could move in with me. We’ll treat it as a test run—see if you can handle married life. But let’s be clear: if I decide you’re not suitable, I’ll have you move out, no questions asked p>
𝗥𝗲𝘢𝗱 𝖿𝗋е𝖾 𝘯𝗼𝗏𝘦ls 𝗼𝘯.сo𝗆
Gabriela’s fingers itched to fling her coffee right in Rhys’s face and snap him out of his delusions.
She forced herself to remain calm instead of causing a scene. For Josh’s sake, she had to swallow her frustration.
Ten minutes dragged by before she finally snapped. She excused herself to the restroom, pulled out her phone, and begged Aubrey for a rescue.
When Gabriela returned, Rhys’s face soured. With an air of reluctance, he finally said, “You’re far from perfect, but at least you’re easy on the eyes. My parents should be satisfied. After we get married, I’ll make sure you learn how to behave. Are you at least decent at cooking? I expect my wife to handle those basics, you know p>
Rhys rambled on, barely pausing for breath. Gabriela stared at him, forcing a polite smile as her patience wore dangerously thin. Just then, her phone vibrated. Relief washed over her when she saw Aubrey’s name flash on the screen.