A week later.

Things got crazy after the night she saw herself on TV three weeks ago. She got swamped with reporters the next morning that she couldn't get to work when she wanted to.

This made her call Cainan and tell him what was happening, and he told her to remain calm. Not long after; he arrived at her house with a few police officers with him. The police made the reporters leave, and he threatened to sue any site that he saw with even a picture of him and Jasmin on. Jasmin got to learn that Cainan, who had been happy-go, friendly and easy-going, also had a bad temper when pushed. Despite not knowing if that was a good thing or bad, she knew better not to cross it.

He came in and asked her if she was okay, and when she nodded; he pulled her into a tight hug and sighed in relief. Then he told her he would get her a new place in a new neighbourhood before the end of that day.

She told him she didn't feel right about leaving. He then explained that the exposure she now had because of the news about them, her place, would not be the best option. He reminded her he would have gotten her one if the arrangement hadn't changed that day.

His suggestion was from the best of intention. He was only worried about her safety, yet leaving her neighbourhood wasn't what she wanted. She told him she would accept a change of house, but not of the neighbourhood, as she wasn't ready to leave just yet. He had no other choice but to agree with her.

Just as Cainan promised, she moved into a two-room apartment on the 23rd east avenue at the mainland. Though it was the same neighbourhood; it was a much safer district. He asked if she was happy, and she nodded. He told her that was what was important.

They have gone out a few times in the last three weeks, but they kept things low key. He was still yet to take her on a formal outing. He would ask her how her day went and she would tell him, just like couples would. After Cainan took care of the reporters the first time, none bothered her anymore and she was free to go home and work freely without fear of being confronted.

"When is my order coming along?" asked Jude in an impatient tone. He was one of the restaurant's customers.

In the past three weeks, his visits had become more frequent and, though the reasons were both unknown and irrelevant to Jasmin, she was happy he was buying and spending at the restaurant.

"Soon, just be patient, Jude," she assured him with a charming smile, after dropping the cup of ice cream another customer ordered a minute ago on their table.

He scowled and mumbled something under his breath. "I no longer want to be patient, Jasmin. I have been patiently waiting for you and now I hear you belong to some rich guy now."

Her cheeks heat, not in the cute way. She felt insulted a little by Jude's crude use of words, like she was some property. He had no right to use such a tone, no matter how long he had been waiting for his order.

However, she maintained her charming smile, as she spoke, "Some rich guy isn't his name, Jude, his name is Cainan Inferno and also I belong to no one. I choose whom I want to be with. I hope you can understand that."

As she turned to leave, he slapped her on the butt, which caused her to gasps and halted. She sucked in a quick breath and her teeth clenched. Jude had always been a cool customer with flirty jokes here and there, all of which she managed with, but he seemed to overstep his boundaries today and she would not stand around and take it.

She turned to him and met his objectifying eyes on hers and she lowered her head slowly, "Touch me one more time and I swear I will knock your teeth out and I promise you that will not be a pretty sight," she warned through gritted teeth, her eyes not leaving his as she said those words.

She straightened up and the charming smile returned to her face before she made her way back into the kitchen and further into the cooking section. Her fist clenched, and she dragged in a few deep breaths, trying to control the anger in her. She noticed the gaze of Andrew, the cook's who made Jude's spaghetti and bacon order on her and she turned to him.

"How much longer?" she asked, resting both elbows on the counter and staring at Andrew, who was doing his job perfectly.

"Less than three minutes," he said with confidence, and that was such a great reassurance.

She patiently waited. It was days like these she needed Anita, her little sidekick beside her, but she wasn't here yet.

Anita and George travelled to Jos two days ago. She left to attend Anita's younger sister's innovation day at the University and Jasmin had no one to talk to or bond with. Despite there being three other waiters in the restaurant, she didn't feel like she could effectively communicate and make friends with them. She needed something that would be temporary and so she finally broke the wall she had had around her and spoke to Andrew, one of the cook and she found out he wasn't that bad. He was cool, and they had bonded well since yesterday. Now the eight hours she spent at work didn't feel like eight years anymore.

"Good, I cannot wait until that smuggled face bastard leaves the restaurant."

"Oh wow," he said, surprised.

Her eyes narrowed at him. "What?" she demanded, her tone cold and unfriendly.

He looked up at her then quickly down at the pot before him, "I just haven't seen you that upset before."

"The son of a bitch slapped my butt!"

"Jude!" he hissed out like it was a cuss word.

"Yes, he's the bastard that—" she answered, before asking "How did you know who I was talking about?"

"I'm not just a dorky cook and I'm not blind either. I see things. And I've seen the way he looks at you. It's obvious that he has an obsession with you. At first, I thought he may have liked you, but I don't think so anymore, and he's here every day just to push his obsession."

"I don't care if he obsessed or mentally ill, I will break his arm and knock his teeth out next time he touches me."

"Just be careful around him." he placed the plate already severed with spaghetti and bacon on the counter and she collected it before leaving the kitchen.

As work closed, Jasmin hugged her bag and bid goodbye to Andrew before taking her leave. Cainan's black Prado was on the other side of the building and she knew it was him waiting for her.

Their relationship was suffering from what she would call bipolar syndrome because one day they could be all fun and friendly with each other and the next, trying to avoid each other and another day trying to kill each other.

They’d had a few fallout in the three weeks they had been dating. One of which was after she turned down his offer for a car and personal driver. He believed something bad would happen to her since she closed from work late some days. She told him having a personal driver and car made no sense; she was a server and that meant a simple life and she didn't see how a car and driver was a simple life. He was only looking out for her safety, so when he proposed picking her from work; she agreed to it.

She got over to his car, and the door opened to her. She silently entered, and he drove them off.

"How was your day?" he asked after moments of silence.

"It was good," she replied.

"You sure about that? You're quite quiet for someone who had a good day."

"My good friend is yet to return from her journey, so don't blame me if my mood isn't usual," she grumbled out even though he was right to be suspicious.

Her day didn't go so well and it wasn't because of Anita's absence, even though she told him it was. Jude had a hand in it, but she couldn't tell him that. He had kicked against her working last week after what happened with the reporters and up to him, she wouldn't even be waiting at the restaurant but she loved her friend Anita and wanted to do something that made her happy and she was happy with waiting. Telling him she got harassed at work would only complicate things which she didn't want.

His hand took her hand into his and gently squeezed down on it, and the action, as well as the reaction of her body, comes as a surprise to her and she almost pulled away from his touch. His hand as always, were warm and soft and they caused a shiver to run down her spine and she didn't know what the reaction was going to be.

"Mom wants to meet you, and she invited us to dinner with her husband and stepchildren. She came over yesterday and told me to bring you along tonight. I would have told you this morning, but I had an emergency at work and I forgot. And when I remembered it was after I closed from work and felt it was already too late."

Too much information within ten seconds.

"She would expect us." she said with a small voice. "She's probably made dinner and would set the table for the two of us."

He nodded in agreement. That was how it normally went. "Yes, but I can tell her to reschedule."

She became silent for a while before saying, "That food would go to waste. I don't think there is a need for that."

Cainan laughs out loud. There was always something that ticked in her at the mention of food. "So you want to come to dinner?"

"Yes, I'd like to meet your mother and her husband and their family."

Cainan couldn't help the warm smile that came on his face. “Fine then, I had a gown picked out for you,” he said, reaching to the back and bringing out the shopping bag and handing it over to her.

She narrowed her gaze at him. "You had this all planned out. You knew I wouldn't say no, and you played me."

His eyes glinted in guilt, "A part of me knew come along, but I would not decide for you. I got the dressed on half certainty."

"I bet you tell yourself that to sleep better at night," she made a face at him.

"I sleep better when I dream of you."

Her cheeks heat and she immediately looked away from him. Words like that always made her heart swell and Cainan was fond of saying them lately.

He started referring to her as "beautiful," after last week, as well as "darling" and other cute names. He also complimented her a lot, and it was unusual and she didn't know if he was just playing the role of a perfect boyfriend or if he really meant what he said.

Well, as of last week, he told her to stop calling what they had a pretend relationship. He insisted it wasn't a pretend relationship, but one where they both knew their role and followed the rules and instructions. He clarified that the only thing she was pretending to do was steal his heart and him hers but that everything else was real.

She didn't ask him if he meant his compliment, though. That would leave herself vulnerable... or at least that was what she told herself whenever those stupid butterflies fluttered in her stomach.

The rest drive was silent and when they arrived at her place, she made her way out of the car, but Cainan remained seated in the car.

"Bathing and getting ready will take more than an hour, you can't stay in the car for all that time."

"I don't mind," he answered with a small smile.

"Well I do, come on out and let's go in."

He didn't hesitate before getting out, and they made their way into the house.