Chapter 5: From Sugar Daddy to Soulmate

**7**

I pretended to be calm and sat next to him.

Those cold, sharp eyes saw right through me.

"Miss Wu, guess—am I Sean or Nick?"

I held it in for a while, then answered dryly.

"I guess you’re the better-looking one."

He laughed, then took the drunk me out of the private room.

...

The cold wind sobered me up a bit.

Nick Warren stood with his hands in his pockets, looking down at me.

"I helped you. Have you thought about how to repay me?"

I blinked and patted my chest.

"Sign a bet with me. You give me resources, I’ll make you tons of money. I’m pretty and professional—I can definitely get famous."

He laughed again, more alive than before.

"Sometimes, you don’t have to be so upright. But, you’re fine as you are."

I was young then—didn’t get what he meant. But after that, Nick Warren never brought up the bet again. Still, my contract ended up with a company closely linked to him, and I kept getting opportunities.

Only then did I realize—I’d landed myself a sugar daddy.

Tsk, fine by me.

Nick Warren is silly, rich, and handsome. Looks like I’m getting the better deal~

I started working hard to play the background extra and please him. He treated me better and better. So good I started to have unrealistic hopes.

Until I heard he was getting engaged.

In a fit of anger, I posted a breakup essay and ran off with all my assets.

That day, I used 35 moving trucks. The scene was epic. So satisfying.

I’ll never forget the neighbor kids across the street gawking at my fleet of U-Hauls, their mouths hanging open as if they’d just seen a parade. I even waved at old Mrs. Campbell, who almost dropped her mug and hollered, "You moving out or taking half the town with you, honey?" Iconic.

---

**8**

Lost in memories, I realized the Maybach had already pulled up to Nick Warren’s rarely-used lakeside house.

Nick’s lakeside place looked straight out of a Martha’s Vineyard postcard—big windows, wraparound porch, the works.

He came around and opened the door for me.

I didn’t react, so he leaned in and pinched my cheek.

"Finally realized you have no conscience?"

"You’re the one with no conscience," I shot back without thinking.

Nick Warren nodded solemnly.

"Yeah, true. But at least I wouldn’t make up such melodramatic breakup reasons. Need me to remind you?"

He took out his phone and opened our chat history, then started reading like a soulless narrator:

"In your world, I’m just a background extra. I don’t want to be your trophy anymore. Our best ending is you lying high on the stage, me perched on the spring mountain. Let’s never meet again. I’m a supporting role, how dare I be jealous; I’m a passerby, I was always prepared."

AHHHH!

Shut up!

I was so embarrassed my blood rushed to my head. I lunged into his arms, trying to snatch his phone.

Nick Warren effortlessly scooped me up, carrying me inside like a child.

In his safe, warm embrace, I calmed down.

Sullenly, I asked, "What do you want?"

"Can’t you tell? First I coax myself, then I coax you. Come on, let’s settle today’s mess. Tell her about us."

In a corner I hadn’t noticed, he’d already dialed Zoe’s number, holding the phone to my mouth.

I clearly heard her syrupy voice on the other end:

"Nick, you actually called me first today~ I’m so happy~"

My cheeks went nuclear, and I seriously considered hiding behind the kitchen island. It smelled like fresh coffee and linen in the foyer, and for a split second, I wished I could just teleport back to grade school gym class and hide behind the bleachers. But Nick’s arms didn’t let me go anywhere.

---

**9**

Who am I, where am I, what am I supposed to say—this is so awkward.

I looked at Nick Warren in shock. He looked calm, raising his eyebrows, signaling me to go ahead.

The long silence made Zoe suspicious.

"Nick?"

"Ahem, it’s me, your Chelsea..."

"Chelsea? Why are you calling me from Nick’s phone?"

I racked my brain and finally came up with a reason.

"I think I left my phone in the network’s makeup room. Just happened to run into Nick, so I’m using his phone to call you. Wondering if you haven’t left yet—can you help me look for my phone?"

Nick Warren listened to my nonsense, holding back laughter. I pinched his waist in annoyance.

Zoe paused a few seconds. "Oh, okay, no problem."

After getting her reply, I hung up in a hurry.

Nick Warren leaned over, voice lazy.

"Babe, after you call, remember to look for the phone too. I’m so good to you~"

...

"You did that on purpose!"

I turned off the screen, jumping out of his arms.

"Of course. Now even if she’s slow, she should know about us."

"Crap, isn’t her dad really powerful?"

"She has a powerful family—what do I have, ahhh?"

"Now that I’ve offended her, am I going to get blacklisted?"

I was jumping around anxiously, but Nick Warren pulled me back, face serious.

"You can rely on me."

"But you’re not my anything..."

I muttered, not daring to meet his eyes.

Nick Warren straightened, hand on his hip.

"Let’s clear this up now. Who told you I was your sugar daddy?"

I cleared my throat. "Well, that’s how it is in all the novels..."

Nick Warren: "..."

He gave me a look like I’d just said aliens built the Statue of Liberty, then shook his head in disbelief, lips twitching like he wanted to laugh but couldn’t quite manage it.

---

**10**

He was clearly annoyed. He took a deep breath to steady himself.

"Go ask around—what kind of sugar daddy plays real-life dress-up games with his girlfriend, not letting her sleep until she’s satisfied?"

"What kind of sugar daddy lets his girlfriend redecorate the whole house in pink and writes apology letters every time she’s mad?"

I muttered back, "I thought those were just your kinks."

Nick Warren stared at me like I’d grown another head.

"Miss Wu, you basically trained me into a dog, and you call that a kink?"

He paused for two seconds, then calmed down.

"So do you get it now? I’m not some sugar daddy. I’m your boyfriend—your future husband."

I nodded, a little sheepish.

"But I also heard you were getting engaged to someone else."

"And who told you that?"

He clicked his tongue, like he’d seen through everything.

"A cousin of a neighbor’s older sister’s housekeeper..."

Nick Warren: "...Auntie, can you listen to me for once?"

"So you’re not getting engaged?"

He rubbed my head.

"Don’t I have a brother? Let him get engaged. No one dares control me."

Hmm... Rebellious. Truly rebellious.

"Anything else you want to ask? Ask now, so you don’t run off again."

He’d lost his temper, voice soft.

My mischievous brain cooked up a killer question.

"Why did you help me the first time we met? Love at first sight?"

Nick Warren thought for a moment, then laughed.

"Maybe because, among all those monsters and freaks, a chubby little cupcake bluffing her way through stood out?"

I squinted at him. "So you’re saying I’m not pretty?"

He leaned in, eyes full of laughter.

"Pretty. And sweet."

A hazy, soapy scent wrapped around me, making my nose tingle.

Hey hey hey, where are you licking? Such a rogue, ahhh!

...

The kitchen clock ticked somewhere in the distance, and for the first time in ages, my heart felt light. Maybe being loved by someone with all his quirks wasn’t so bad. Outside, the cicadas started singing as dusk settled over the lake.

If this is what being spoiled feels like, maybe I could get used to it.

---

**11**

After making up with Nick Warren, I went back to my usual routine—bossing people around at home, working hard outside. Living the dream.

Until one day, on a commercial shoot.

Even with my eyes closed for makeup, I could feel all the stares from every direction.

Sis is gorgeous, but no need to worship me like this~

I looked up, and my assistant Lexie, who’d just gone for Starbucks, came running back, panting.

"Sis, something happened! Not only did the internet say you have a sugar daddy, now they’re saying you’re two-timing, flirting with other male actors on set!"

The makeup artist dropped her powder brush in shock, and the gaffer whistled, shaking his head. Hollywood, eat your heart out—drama just found a new queen in me. I took a long sip of my caramel macchiato, smirked at the rumors, and thought—bring it on. Queen Chelsea isn’t going down without a fight.