I'm dead.

My parents stood looking stunned, their eyes wide open and mouths hanging.

"F-fiancé?" My dad was the first to speak.

Ian nodded with a smile. "We got engaged not too long ago"

Dad turned to me. "Hailey, why didn't you tell us this earlier?"

Sweat trickled down my forehead. "Um I... I-" I started hyperventilating and quickly glanced at Lexi, begging for help.

Lexi got the message and flashed a smile to my parents. "It's getting late and you must be tired because of the long flight. We should get going"

"Put their bags into my car" Ian threw his car keys to Brian. "I'll drive them"

Brian nervously obeyed and Lexi shot me a sorry glance before helping Brian to take the suitcases out of the airport.

"Mr. and Mrs. Evans" Ian looked back to my parents. "You must be hungry. Shall I treat you to dinner? In my house perhaps-"

"No!" I suddenly yelled and all of them turned to me. Ian raised a brow and before he could say something else I jumped in. "Restaurant!" I nodded hastily. "Yes that's right. Restaurant! Let's eat...uh from a restaurant" I grinned awkwardly.

"Fine" Ian agreed. "I know a good place. I'll take you there. Let's get going shall we?" Ian asked my parents and Dad slowly nodded his head, dragging mom with him.

Brian and Lexi were loading the luggages to the trunk as we approached them.

"You two can join us to dinner" Ian suggested but they shook their heads.

"No...um" Lexi gulped. "Thank you but we have somewhere else to be. Right Brian?" She nudged Brian's elbow and he came out of his daze. "Oh yes yes" He nodded deliberately. "We have somewhere else to be. We'll get going then. Bye Hailey" They waved their hands and I mouthed a No but they ignored my helpless cry and sprinted towards Lexi's car in a hurry.

Those traitors! How dare they leave me in middle of the battlefield?

"You look familiar son" I tensed as my father spoke, staring at Ian with puzzled eyes.

Ian smiled. "I get that a lot" He opened the backseat car door. "Please get in Mr. and Mrs. Evans"

Dad hesitantly nodded and got inside, pulling mom with him. Ian closed their door and turned to on-the-verge-exploding me.

"What the hell?" I hissed angrily. "What are you doing here? I thought you went on a date with Emma"

"I never said yes to the date"

"You did!"

Ian smirked. "I just asked at what time I should be there. I never said I would go"

"Then why did you even bother asking for the time?"

"To avoid it of course" Ian shrugged.

I gaped. "What nonsense is that? So you really stood up on Emma?"

"I paid for her dinner. She can eat whatever she likes and then go home"

"I'm gonna kill you-"

"Everything alright?" My dad asked, rolling down the window.

"Yes, Mr. Evans" Ian answered, turning to look at him. "Everything's alright" He then gave me a smirk and climbed on to the drivers seat.

Asshole!

I huffed angrily and climbed on to the passengers seat. From the rear view mirror I could see my mom still looking stunned and it will take a while for her to get a grip on everything. And when she does I'm pretty sure all hell would break.

Ian drove us to a restaurant and my jaw fell wide open seeing where he took us. It was the same place I booked for him and Emma.

The audacity this man has!!!

Ian got out and opened the car door to my mom's side but she was frozen like a statue. He turned curious eyes to my dad and dad awkwardly nudged mom's elbow. "Honey let's get out. This man is waiting"

Shaking my head at this utter nonsense I climbed out and strode straight to the restaurant, then popped my head inside, scanning the area to see if Emma was there.

"She's upstairs" Ian's voice came from behind and I spun around. "I booked a private room for us. You don't need to worry about her. So now stop glaring at me like you're going to kill me"

I scowled. "I am going to kill you"

"You always say that"

"Doesn't mean that I won't do it"

Ian chuckled. "Whatever. Now go inside before your parents hear our conversation"

I set my jaw and turned on my heel, stomping inside. A waitress directed us to a private dinning room with a candle lit table and I reluctantly sat down. My parents sat across from us and a waiter came to take our orders.

After he was gone dad closed the menu and looked at Ian with a smile. "Son, what did you say your name was-"

"What do you do for living?" My mom's voice boomed through the room and I gulped anxiously.

She's back bitches. Say hello to hell.

Ian glanced at her. "Oh I'm the C-"

"CNCO!!!" I suddenly bellowed and all eyes turned on me. "He's uh... a concert organizer for CNCO" I hastily added and Ian raised a confused brow.

My mom glared at me and turned back to Ian "What do your parents do?"

"My father is the chair-"

"Chair and tables" I interrupted. "Chair and tables private limited. His father works in a uhhh... furniture company"

Mom folded her arms and leaned back in her seat. "Then your mother?"

"She's a board mem-"

"Board games!" I shouted again and shot Ian a shut up look. If they know who he really is, I'm dead for sure.

Mom raised a brow. "Your mother plays board games for living?

"Exactly" I nodded with a huge grin and Ian rolled his eyes.

"So you're telling me" Mom narrowed her eyes in suspicious. "You afforded a car like that being a concert organizer?"

Before Ian could speak, I jumped in. "Hard work pays off"

Mom still didn't look convinced. "If you really are a concert organizer, then why are you wearing a suit?"

"He wore that to impress you"

Mom slammed her hand on the table and everyone jumped up in shock. "Did I ask you Hailey? Let the man speak"

Fuck, I'm dead.

Before mom could pester Ian with more questions, a man in a suit and a waitress barged in, holding a bottle of wine.

"Mr. Kingston" The man spoke with a wide smile on his lips. "I'm the manager of this restaurant and we're very honoured to have you here" no no no. "We brought you this precious wine and hope you enjoy it. It's on the house"

"Honoured?" My mother asked him with confused eyes.

"I'm sorry what?" He asked politely.

"You said you're honoured to have him here. Why?" No no no.

The manager chuckled awkwardly, glancing at Ian twice to see why he brought some crazy people here. "We're honoured because Mr. Kingston is the-" Nooooooooo! "CEO of ATC"

Time slowed and my heart began hammering in my chest, blood pounding in my eyes. Everything around me started spinning except for the devious woman sitting before me.

"CEO?" Mom asked as the manager and the waitress disappeared out the door.

I blinked, still in a daze. "W-what?"

"CEO" She repeated, her gaze intently fixed on me. "As in chief executive officer?"

"I don't know what you're talking about" I whispered, my voice almost inaudible.

Mom's face twisted into a scowl. "CEO of ATC" She exaggerated on the company name. "That's the highest position of the company you work in" She narrowed her eyes. "Are you dating your boss Hailey?"

"I think I'm gonna pass out"

"Answer me"

"I'm dying"

"Hailey" My mom slammed her hand on the table, pulling me out of my daze.

"Are you dating your boss?"

My jaw set and I raised my chin arrogantly. "I can do whatever I want"

R.I.P Hailey.

Mom scoffed in disbelief and turned to dad. "How can she say that? Est-elle même notre fille?"

"You're not even french. Don't show off"

"You shut up" Mom turned blazing eyes on me. "Do you two live together?"

My mouth snapped shut at that.

Mom gaped. "So you really live together?" She scoffed and glanced at Ian. "Tell me, do you even use protection?"

"Mom!!!"

"Cheat on my daughter and you're dead"

Ian smiled. "I won't Mrs. Evans"

"If you hurt her, I won't hesitate to put you behinds bars"

"Don't worry Mrs. Evans. I won't hurt her. I will care for her and protect her at any cost"

"You better. If not you're going to feel the wrath of me. Understood?"

"Yes, Mrs. Evans" He bowed respectfully.

Dad's lips curled up into a small smile. "I quite like you son"

Mom looked at dad incredulously and smacked him on the shoulder. "How can you judge someone so easily? You are disrespecting your brother who is a judge-"

I threw my head back and groaned. "Oh my god mom stop it!" I closed my eyes and sighed. "That's it, I need a break" I abruptly stood up. "I'm going to the bathroom. Bye" I stomped out of the private dinning and went straight to the bathroom.

I washed my face and sighed heavily, already exhausted with my ordeal tonight.

I was about to go out when I spot Emma walking towards the bathroom in an off shoulder blue gown, her hair twisted up into a perfect bun.

"Shit" I hastily went inside a bathroom stall and hid, partly closing the door.

Emma came inside and opened the tap, washing her smudged mascara. After she was done, she took a tissue out of her purse and dabbed on her cheeks. Was she crying?

Her phone suddenly rang and she answered.

"Tess" She spoke in a broken voice. "No he didn't come" There was a pause. "I don't know Tess" She wiped a tear off her cheek. "I really want that money but there's no progress. I can't even properly talk in front of him. He's-" She gulped. "frightening"

She sniffled. "I don't think it's possible Tess. He's trying to win back his fiancé. They are so close. I mean, Hailey is good and I really like her but-" She looked down, feeling ashamed. "She's not helping. As long as she stays I can't make him fall for me"

She closed her eyes and let out a heavy sigh. "She has to go"