The restaurant was empty. The chairs were pushed to the side leaving one in the middle with two chairs opposite each other.

"Vince I think the restaurant is closed." Hayley said.

Vince smiled ushering her inside. "It's not closed. Just reserved for us" opening the door, she gasped at the scene in front of her. The lights were dim giving the environment an aura of intimacy and romance. He pulled a chair out for her and sat opposite her. Vince couldn't stop smiling. Hayley looked stunning and he was happy to be the man on her arm. After Willa showed up at the house, they'd given her a set of instructions. Hayley went as far as to threaten her so she wouldn't cause mischief or make Alexis do something stupid.

Reserving the restaurant wasn't hard after telling the manager what his plan was. The man readily agreed and said they would make special arrangements for him. Looking around, Vince decided that this turned out better than he'd expected. And from the looks on her face, Hayley was too. "So? Give me the verdict" he said

"This is beautiful Vince. I didn't know you were so romantic"

He gasped jokingly placing a hand on his heart "What do you mean you didn't know I was romantic. After all the flowers I bought you?"

"What flowers? I never got any" she replied tongue in cheek.

"Okay. That's not a problem." he said then snapped his fingers. Suddenly men came in with bouquets of different types of flowers placing them anywhere they could. Hayley looked on remembering the day JR had filled her room with flowers then proceeded to make love to her. Would she ever feel that way again with someone else? She wanted to get that feeling back. She needed to love someone else who wasn't JR. Comparing whatever Vince did to the things JR did for her was a bad sign and unfair to him. The man put an effort to take her on a date and here she was thinking about someone else. Fingers snapping in front of her face brought Hayley back to the present.

"Where did you just go?" Vince asked.

"Nowhere. I love all the flowers Vince. Thank you"

"Anything for you"

"That's what I want to talk about with you. How are you affording all this?"

He chuckled "With money of course"

"I know. But what money? Last I checked you weren't on speaking terms with your father and I don't think your job pays that well."

"Ouch Hayley your faith in me is appreciated." Hayley saw a flash of hurt pass his eyes and she wanted to kick herself. Vince was really trying here.

She took his hand and intertwined their fingers resting the on the table. "You know I don't mean it like that. Am still confused as to how you can afford that apartment we're living in. And now all this?" she waved her other hand around. "Did something change? What aren't you telling me?"

He lifted their joined hands kissing her wrist "My dad finally let go of the trust fund my grandfather left me. He said it was to show me that he doesn't want to control me anymore but I think he's plotting again. I wasn't going to touch the money but after what happened to you and Alexis, I had to let go of my pride to protect you"

"Vince...."

"Don't say I don't need to Hayley. I will do anything for you. I hope you know that"

"We're not your responsibility. We both love you Vince but I don't want you to go out your way to please us"

He smiled and shifted their hands, this time kissing her palm. "I know. I do what I do because I want to Hayley. You and Alexis deserve to be spoiled" she smiled back wondering why it was easy to accept Vincent's help but not JR. Ugh stop thinking about him. She chastised herself but all throughout dinner she couldn't help but compare notes.

-----------------------

JR tore the newspaper apart. How could he? How could she? Dammit she'd gone on a date with that imbecile. It was all over the paper, the internet. Billionaire cop finally gives us a peek at his private life. Vincent Lachlan who is the son of Sylvester Lachlan who owns Lachtech, the biggest software company in the country, was spotted having an intimate with Hayley Barret. Just months ago the woman was said to be engaged to another billionaire James Rutherford Jr and sources say that they didn't last long. We hope she really does make it work with Lachlan because he's quite the catch. What with him being a police officer and a billionaire, what more could a girl ask for?

Damn Vincent. He'd planned this from the beginning to the end. Whoever took those photos knew when to take them to make them look like something more. The way Hayley smiled while that moron kissed her hand, the flowers surrounding them, he would have been impressed had that not been his woman. He had to give it to Vince though. The papers wouldn't be so nice to Hayley unless they were told to. He'd been in the spotlight for a while and he knew how those vultures operated. They would have shredded her to pieces calling her names because she moved from one billionaire to another. If this was how Vincent wanted to play it then so be it. He took out his phone and called Nick "We start today. I want to be plastered on every damn magazine and TV station out there. I'll show that damn cousin of yours how this game is played"

---------------------

He was everywhere. Every channel she switched to, JR's face was plastered there with some actress or model or socialite. And he was always smiling like he someone who was enjoying themselves immensely. Maybe he was since he hadn't called or texted. Hayley didn't know what to expect. They'd had a moment when he brought Alexis home last weekend but he hadn't pursued her further. Did she want him to? Of course she did. She didn't want him to forget about her. But judging from the dates he was having it looked like he had. You went on a date too. "One fucking date" Hayley growled as the lift opened and Nick strolled in. Huffing, she turned off the TV.

"Hey Hayley. How are you?"

"I'm fine Nick. What brings you here?"

"I came to visit Alexis. I haven't seen her in a while. Is she around?"

"No. Vince took her to work today."

"Oh. My bad then"

"What's that?" she pointed at a package he was holding and as if remembering he was holding it, he held it up then gave it to her.

"I just picked it from the lobby downstairs. They were about to send it up and I volunteered since I was coming here"

"That's weird. What could it be?" she asked taking it. She never received any packages because she didn't know anyone who could send them to her. Maybe it was from JR? Her heartbeat quickened and she ripped the box open only to be disappointed. "They must have the wrong address because these are magazines and I've never subscribed to receive any"

"But the box has your name on it" Nick said pointing at the sticker on the side which truly did have her name.

"Mmmm again weird. I barely read this magazines and they look like the gossip ones" picking up one she flipped through it while Nick moved to the kitchen to grab a beer.

"Maybe Jazz or Shree did it for you? I don't know. They couldn't have known who you are and sent them to you"

"Yeah. Maybe....." she stopped talking. On the page in front of her was JR leaving a restaurant with that snake Giselle. She was laughing about something he had said and his arm was around her waist. He was looking at her with such admiration that Hayley bunched the magazine up without realizing it. So he'd gone back to that witch? Giselle out of all the women out there? Damn them both. Damn them. Throwing the one she was holding, she picked up another one with him on the cover. A woman was beside him who was looking up at him with so much adoration. Growling in anger she picked them all up and stalked to Vince's office where there was a fireplace and threw them there, then rummaged through his stationery cabinet not knowing what she was looking for. Frustrated, she banged the drawer close, opening another one and going through it. As she was closing it, something shiny caught her eyes and she stopped. A lighter.

Taking the decanter filled halfway with whiskey, resting on a table by the wall, she poured it all over the magazines and set them on fire. Hayley smiled evilly looking on as Giselle's face burnt. Let's see how he likes you fried. She told herself then gasped when Nick spoke from behind her. "Wow. What did those poor things do to you?"

"Why....." she went to ask but remembered that he was the one who had brought her the package. "You're still here?"

"Yeah. Want a beer?" he held out the one he was drinking.

"No thanks."

"Why did you burn them?"

"The..... They..... They had inappropriate things I didn't want Alexis to see. She's still a child you know" Nick nodded. Hayley exhaled secretly, glad that Nick had bought her excuse. Whatever had made her act like that anyway? They were just magazines for heaven's sake. Yes. Magazines with photos of JR with other women. It made her sick to even think that he'd been with them the way he was with her. Had he spent all night with them telling them how beautiful they were? Making them feel special the way he did her? God she felt sick, truly sick just picturing him with someone else.

"Hey I'm leaving. I'll come back when Alexis is around" Nick said already turning to leave. She just nodded sinking into the leather sofa facing the fireplace. Why was she fooling herself? She was in love with JR. Until that second, she'd never let herself admit that fact. He'd told her countless times that he loved her but she'd never said it back. And he hadn't pressured her into saying it. He'd given her time, telling her not to rush anything. Well except marrying him. He had told her they would live each day as it came. He wouldn't ask her anything until she decided she was ready to talk to him. He had given her his love unconditionally and she was trying to replace him? With Vince? What was wrong with her?

Vince had been there for her when she would have given up. He'd helped her see that she had to live for Alexis. She was too young to give up. He'd nursed her back to health, stayed up all night taking care of Alexis, taught her how to be strong again. He'd given her her life back. And for that she was grateful. It was obvious that the connection they had was deep. But it wasn't love. Maybe he loved her. No. He did love her. But she didn't love him back. Not the way she loved JR. Theirs was just friendship. That was all she felt towards him. And to continue lying to him, giving him false hope that she could learn to love him one day, was just cruel. He deserved to be happy. She deserved to be happy with someone who loved her. With someone she loved back.

Getting up from the sofa, she made up her mind. She was going to fix everything. She just hoped she wasn't too late.

----------------------

Nick raced to the elevator taking the opportunity to get away while Hayley was still distracted before she realized what they had done. Damn JR was going to be over the moon about this. He couldn't believe she fell for it. She was so mad and it had taken everything in him not to laugh in her face. Exiting the building, JR got out of the car when he saw him. "So? How did it go?"

"Perfect. You are going to worship me after this"

"Tell me everything. What did she do?"

"Just get in the car and drive. I don't want Vince to find us here. He might shoot us"

"I don't care just tell me what happened?"

"I'll do better" Nick gloated rounding the car then held up his phone. "You are going to see for yourself"

"You took a video?" JR asked in shock.

"Yeah. Now get in. I mean it when I say Vince will blow our brains off if he figures out what we're doing" he jumped in making JR follow his movement.

"How angry was she?"

"Livid. She set the whole package on fire. Man I wish you'd seen her tear up Giselle's face"

"You know what this means. Right?" JR asked giddily "She was jealous. Which means she still loves me"

"I told you my plan would work. Now all you have to do is wait for her to come back to you."

"From your mouth to God's ears my friend" JR said stepping on the gas.

-------------------

Vince watched from down the street as his cousin and JR jumped around in excitement. He sighed knowing without a doubt that whatever they did they'd won. It was never a competition to begin with. If Hayley was meant to be his, she would have fallen in love with him years ago. He'd told her how he felt and she knew all these years but she never reciprocated his feelings. And he didn't blame her. He knew that if it was up to her, she would have chosen him. Even the kisses they shared weren't as heated as the ones she'd shared with JR. He'd seen them once, accidentally as he was going to the kitchen. They had something between them that didn't happen when he was the one kissing her. And as much as he hated to admit it, he knew she loved that clown. Hayley only saw him as a friend. Running his hands through his hair, he backed out driving aimlessly without a destination in mind. He needed time to accept that he'd lost her. She wasn't his. Never was.

**************************************************

Vince : Please love me now. I'm really not a bad person 😔

Seriously how can you hate Vincent after this?

And how can you not love JR and Nick? They are quite the pair those two. What do you think?