Contract Marriage: I Will Never Love You-Chapter 144: Arrogant and Beautiful

Hailey

I groan at Rebecca’s eagerness. "You’re not serious."

Rebecca grins like a cat who just found a very fancy, very breakable vase. "Oh, I’m dead serious."

"You’re going to flirt with Marcus?" I exclaim.

"Flirt?" She gasps in mock offense. "Hailey, please. I just want to see what his problem is. Josh filled me in on the whole...him trying to get inside your pants thing."

My jaw drops. "He what?"

Rebecca shrugs, utterly unapologetic. "Don’t look at me like that. He was worried. And, let’s be honest, slightly grossed out. Your boss trying to seduce his girlfriend? That’s peak soap opera drama."

I glance nervously toward Marcus, who’s still across the room, completely unaware that he’s become the topic of sibling gossip. "God. I knew Josh was annoyed, but I didn’t think he’d go full confession mode."

"Oh, he didn’t just confess," Rebecca says, leaning in conspiratorially. "He ranted."

I bury my face in my hands. "I’m going to die."

"You’re not," she says sweetly, patting my shoulder. "But Marcus might."

I lower my hands. "So you’re here to... what? Casually interrogate him?"

Rebecca smirks. "I prefer the term recon mission. Get the lay of the land. Figure out what his angle is. And if he is playing games with you, I’ll be the unexpected plot twist that ruins his whole season arc."

I blink. "You are actually terrifying."

"I know," she beams. "Now come on. I’m not going to hex him or anything. I’m just going to...talk to him a little."

"Maybe you can distract him away from me a little," I murmur.

Rebecca winks. "That’s the spirit. Let’s get this party started."

I groan again, dragging my feet as she practically skips across the studio floor. Marcus is mid-conversation with the stylist, gesturing toward a rack of dresses, his tone smooth and bossy as usual.

When he notices us approaching, he straightens a little, eyes flicking to me, then to Rebecca. His brow lifts.

Rebecca speaks before I get the chance. "Rebecca. Josh’s best friend. I figured we should meet."

Marcus takes her hand, still not smiling. "Marcus Winters."

Rebecca tilts her head as she shakes his hand, her eyes narrowing slightly. "You know," she says slowly, "I imagined you taller."

Marcus raises an eyebrow, clearly not used to being caught off guard. "You imagined me?"

"Well, when someone is the subject of a very animated rant from my best friend, I tend to paint a mental picture," she says brightly, releasing his hand. "Usually with devil horns."

"Charming," Marcus says dryly, folding his arms. "And here I thought I had a fan club."

"Oh, I’m not a fan," Rebecca replies, all sweetness and teeth. "I’m an observer. And right now, I’m observing a man who doesn’t quite understand what line not to cross when it comes to someone else’s girlfriend."

"Rebecca," I warn gently under my breath, but she holds up a finger.

"Nope," she says without looking at me. "Let me have this."

Marcus’s jaw tightens slightly, but his voice stays calm, measured. "If Josh has a problem, he’s welcome to talk to me directly."

Rebecca shrugs. "He would. But unlike you, he’s a real gentleman."

Marcus’s eyes darken just a shade.

"Is that so?" he replies coolly. "And here I thought this was a professional environment, not a playground for personal grudges."

Rebecca leans in, her tone light but razor-sharp. "Oh, it is professional. That’s why I’m here. You see, professionals don’t flirt with their employees or try to manipulate their relationships to get ahead. So if that’s not what you were doing, then you have nothing to worry about, right?"

Marcus doesn’t respond immediately. He just stares at her, expression unreadable. The silence stretches long enough for me to start praying someone pulls a fire alarm.

Eventually, he says, "What I do or don’t with my employee is none of your business."

Rebecca’s smile doesn’t falter. If anything, it widens, slow and deliberate—like a shark scenting blood in the water.

"Well, see, that’s where you’re wrong," she says, her voice sweet as honey. "Because when it affects the people I care about, it becomes my business. Especially when the person involved is my best friend. And especially when that person already has a boyfriend who, by the way, could wipe the floor with you in about three seconds flat."

Marcus’s gaze flicks to me, then back to her. "So what exactly are you accusing me of? Being interested in Hailey? Or trying to use her?"

Rebecca’s expression hardens for a fraction of a second. "I’m accusing you of being a man who’s too used to getting what he wants. And thinking no one notices the way he looks at women like they’re part of the office furniture."

A beat of silence passes between them like a standoff at high noon.

Marcus chuckles, low and sharp. "You think you’ve got me all figured out, huh?"

Rebecca shrugs. "I don’t need to figure you out. I just need you to back off."

Marcus straightens, smooths his jacket like brushing off the exchange entirely, and says, "Well. If you’ll excuse me, I have a shoot to manage."

He turns and walks off, and only when he’s far enough away do I finally breathe again.

I look at her. "I can’t believe you just did that."

Rebecca sighs and pats my hand. "I know. It’s exhausting being this iconic."

We both laugh. "Hope I didn’t just get you fired, though," she says.

I shake my head. "No. Marcus wants me here. Josh too, believe it or not."

"Hmm...he is weird. But insanely hot. You think I can get inside his pants?" she says nonchalantly.

I choke on air. "Rebecca!"

She grins at me, completely unbothered. "What? I’m just saying, if the man’s going to act like a predator, he should know what it feels like to be the prey."

"You are unhinged," I whisper, glancing around like the walls might have ears.

Rebecca waves a hand. "Maybe. Where the hell is Josh?"

I stifle a laugh, shaking my head. "Probably in the dressing room, getting ready for the next shoot. Come on, let’s go surprise him."

Rebecca perks up instantly. "Ooh, ambush. My favorite love language."

I give her a look as we weave through garment racks and lighting rigs. "Please don’t traumatize him. He already has to deal with Marcus."

"Exactly. He deserves a reward," she says, practically bouncing on her heels.

We reach the dressing room hallway, and I pause at the door Josh usually uses between sets. I knock twice before pushing it open.

Josh is standing at the mirror, adjusting his collar and looking slightly stressed, like someone who knows he’s about to model a winter coat under summer lights. His eyes lift to the mirror, then to us.

His shoulders immediately sag. "Rebecca?"

"I am here," Rebecca says cheerfully, slipping past me and plopping herself onto the little couch in the corner like she owns the place. "Hi, Josh."

He looks at her with confusion. "What are you doing here? When did you get here?"

"I am here for the emergency Marcus seduction mission," she replies.

Josh freezes mid-button. "I’m sorry, the what?"

"The emergency Marcus seduction mission," Rebecca repeats as if it explains everything.

Josh stares at her. Then at me. "What is she talking about?"

I shrug. "She is going to seduce Marcus to keep him off my trail."

Josh blinks. Twice. Then his hands fall from his collar like his brain has decided to power down for a reboot.

"You are not," he says lamely.

Rebecca waves a dismissive hand. "I am. Just relax, will you? I’m just going to mess with his head a little. Make him think twice about pursuing your girlfriend."

Josh runs both hands through his hair, leaving it disheveled. "This is insane. You can’t just—Rebecca, the man is dangerous. He’s not some college frat boy you can manipulate with batting eyelashes."

"Exactly why it’ll work," Rebecca says smugly. "He won’t see it coming."

I sink into the chair beside the mirror, watching this trainwreck unfold. "You can’t possibly be attracted to that arrogant bastard, Becky."

"Arrogant and beautiful bastard," Rebecca corrects me.