“Fine,” Laney finally said.
Soon, the car pulled into Garrett‘s mansion.
As soon as Garrett got out of the car, he opened the door and grabbed Laney‘s arm, pulling her into the house.
“I live here alone.Do you want me to show you around?”
“No, thanks.Just tell me which room I‘ll be staying.I can also take the couch if needed,” Laney said flatly As she spoke, she headed straight to the closed curtain and peeked through the crack vigilantly.
“They‘re lurking outside.I doubt they‘ll give up.Do you have a gun here?”
Now that Garrett was home, he felt safe and dropped his guard.He took off his glasses, picked up a bag of chips on the table, and turned on the TV.
As he casually stuffed chips into his mouth, he said absent–mindedly, “I don‘t have any weapons here.This is the twenty–first century.We‘re all civilized people.”
“Why don‘t you ask your assistant to send us some guns? I know you have access to the arms industry.If those guys make a move, I could protect you if I have a weapon.”
Standing by the window vigilantly, Laney looked at Garrett, who was lying on the sofa and watching TV.
With his glasses off, Garrett looked less refined and more down–to–earth.He was thirty years old, but there was still a bit of teenage spirit in his eyes.
Despite this, his jaw was firm and his eyebrows were straight.Now that she was getting a closer look at him, Laney found that he seemed really matured and handsome.
“Don‘t worry about it.This is my place.We‘re safe here.Relax.Do you want some snacks? Chips, chocolates, biscuits—whatever you like.My pantry‘s fully stocked.” Garrett gestured at Laney with a bag of potato chips in his hand.
Laney was bewildered.She had never seen this side of Garrett before.
Shouldn‘t the son of a rich family like him be a bit more self–disciplined? How could he be so fond of junk food? Albeit a bit dubious, Laney walked over and sat beside him.She looked at the bag of chips and swallowed her urge to eat some.
“That does not look healthy, Mr.Harding.Anyway, I‘ll find a way to drive those guys away.I can‘t hide in your place forever.”
While munching on the chips, Garrett plucked a piece of tissue from the tissue box on the table and wiped his mouth and fingers.
Then he sat up straight and said seriously, “Let me see if I can talk to someone from the Burke family.Just stay here in the meantime.”
Laney was left with no choice but to agree.
Garrett put down the bag of chips and brushed the crumbs off his shirt.
“Now, let‘s find you a room.” Laney nodded and followed Garrett around the villa like a meek puppy.It didn‘t really matter to her which room she‘d stay in.
Finally, after a tour of the mansion, Garrett made her stay in the room next to his.
“It‘ll be more convenient here.You can shout for me if anything comes up.”
At least, this was the reason he gave her.
Laney didn‘t object.
A room in a villa was a luxury to her, having spent many a night on the streets before.She walked around the room and found no personal effects here.
Perhaps no one had lived here before.
Just as she was thinking about ordering some things online, Garrett said quickly, “I asked my assistant to buy you some clothes and other daily necessities.Someone will bring them here later.If you‘d need anything else, just tell me, okay?”
“Oh, thanks.I was thinking of buying them myself.” Laney thanked him in a hurry.
It seemed out of character for Garrett to be so considerate.
But on second thought, she realized that he had had so many girlfriends before, so he should know better than anyone else how to treat a girl right.
*******
And that was how Laney started living with Garrett.
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In her eyes, Garrett had always been a playboy, but his house was far from what she thought it‘d be.
It was quiet, and he never brought his girlfriends here.
Unlike the image he used to keep up, he didn‘t go to bars or clubs on weekends.
He only liked staying in and watching TV dramas with junk food.
He would cry when he was touched, and he would cover his eyes with a pillow whenever he saw disturbing scenes from horror movies.
Sometimes, when he‘d get scared, he‘d nestle in Laney‘s arms and whine, “Aren‘t you scared at all?” “I‘ve seen a lot of real shit more horrifying than that,” Laney would explain calmly.
At first, she couldn‘t understand whether Garrett was really scared or if he was just pretending.
But after listening to him complain, she‘d sigh and pat him on the back to comfort him.
“Don‘t be scared.It‘s fine.It‘s all fake.”
Then Garrett would throw himself into her arms and held her tight.
On work days, he always had a routine.He would set out to the office and come home from work at the same times, always making it a point to have dinner with Laney.
Although he didn‘t know how to cook and always left the kitchen in a mess, when Laney cooked, he would stand to the side and praise her generously, like a supportive husband.
Laney had been staying in Garrett’s house for a week now.When she had nothing else to do, she would exercise, do chores, or busy herself in the garden.The rest of her time was spent watching the men lurking outside.
Standing in front of the window of the study and looking out, Garrett happened to see Laney hiding behind a tree in the garden with a dagger in her hand, looking extra vigilant.
Seeing this, he was in a trance for a moment and a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
“Mr.Harding, can you hear me?” The person on the phone called out his name twice before Garrett finally centered himself.
“Ahem, sorry.Could you please repeat that? The signal here is spotty.”
As he spoke, Garrett returned to his seat and put on his glasses.
“We’ll put everything regarding Laney to rest now.We didn’t know that she’s your girlfriend.But Mr.Harding, would it be too much to ask for more shares in the cooperation, if ever?”
The man on the other end of the line was the head of the Burke family.It was never really that important for the Burke family to take revenge on Laney anyway, especially so when someone as Garrett Harding was trying to intervene.
“Of course.Thank you for doing this for me, Mr.Burke.” Garrett smiled.
A dangerous cold light flashed in his eyes as he added, “But if you dare to hurt Laney again, I won’t let you go I promise.”