Act Like You Love Me (Jessica) novel Chapter 151

Chapter 151

Daphne’s POV

I stood in front of the full-length mirror, staring at a girl I barely recognized.

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The dress Lois had practically forced me into was a deep forest green that made my eyes pop, and the fabric hugged my curves in a way that made me realise I actually had curves.

I’d spent so long hiding under oversized wool and denim that forgotten there was a shape beneath it all.

Lois had taken over the morning like a drill sergeant. She’d curled my hair into soft waves that cascaded over my shoulders and applied just enough makeup to make me look polished but got painted,

“Damn! I’d totally bang you if I were into girls,” Lois gushed, her eyes roaming over me with a grin that was half-proud, half- mischievous. “Wait, do I even have to be? You’re a ten, Daph, Aeral ten.”

“Lois!” I whispered, though I couldn’t stop the heat from rushing down my spine. Her bluntness was exactly what I needed.

For the first time, the reflection looking back at me didn’t look like a nervous intern. She looked like she belonged in a boardroom.

I turned and pulled her into a tight hug. “Thank you. For everything.”

“Don’t get mushy on me yet,” she said, patting my back before shoving me toward the door. “Now, get your ass moving. It’s almost ten.”

The next twenty minutes were a blur of motion,

I moved through the apartment, trying to shove my feet into my heels while simultaneously grabbing my laptop bag and checking my reflection one last time.

I was a mess of nerves, repeating my opening lines under my breath like a mantra. ‘Mr. Tyrone, I’ve analyzed your current encryption protocols and found a latency issue in the third layer

Lois tried to thrust a mug of coffee into my hand.

“Take a sip, at least.”

“No time!” I said, barely catching the edge of the mug for a quick gulp before dashing out the door.

“Try not to let that pussy drool, alright?” Lois yelled at the top of her lungs just as I reached the landing.

The sound echoed through the hallway. My neighbor, Samson, and his girlfriend were just coming out of their unit; they stopped dead, eyes wide, before bursting into giggles.

My face turned a shade of crimson I didn’t know was possible. I hade a mental note to absolutely murder Lois when I got back-slowly.

Finding a cab took forever, and once I was inside, the universe decided to play its favorite joke: a massive traffic jam.

“Can’t we go around?” I urged, leaning forward so far I was practically in the driver’s lap. “I have an appointment at noon. It’s the most important day of my life.”

The driver cut me a look in the rearview mirror, his expression t

“Unless this car grows wings, lady, we’re sitting here. It’s a city. There’s cars. That’s how it works.”

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09.57 Thu, Feb 19

Chapter 151

“You’re very helpful, thank you so much for that insight,” I snapped back.

“Anytime. You want a lecture on gravity next? Or maybe the color blue?”

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I checked my phone. 9:40. Panic started to claw at my throat. The road ahead was a cluster of stationary metal and brake lights.

I couldn’t sit here. I couldn’t let David Tyrone think I was just another flaky person who couldn’t keep a schedule.

“Stop the car!” I cried, shoving a bill at him.

I hopped out, my heels clicking on the asphalt as I wove between the bumpers of idling cars.

“Good luck with the wings!” the driver shouted after me. I didn’t even look back; I just flipped my middle finger over my shoulder and kept running.

I was so focused on the ticking clock in my head, so lost in the sheer terror of being late, that I stopped paying attention to the world around me.

I reached the crosswalk and bolted. I didn’t notice the light had turned green. I didn’t see the sleek, silent vehicle moving toward the intersection until a blast of a horn and the screech of tires tore through the air.

I froze, my breath catching as a silver Tesla stopped mere inches from my knees.

The adrenaline spike made me snap. Instead of being grateful I wasn’t a hood ornament, I leaned over and slapped the hood of the car.

“Are you crazy? You’re speeding in a congested zone! You almost killed me!”

I couldn’t see through the dark tinted windows, which only made me angrier. I stood there, pánting, smoothing down my dress while hurling every insult I knew about reckless drivers.

After a few seconds of me shouting at glass, the driver’s side door swung open.

A man stepped out, and the air left my lungs.

It was David.

He looked like he’d stepped straight out of a luxury campaign. He was wearing a perfectly tailored navy blue suit, his blonde hair caught in the sunlight, and dark sunglasses shielding his blue eyes.

As he stepped closer, a wave of his cologne-something expensive, woody, and clean-wafted into my nose, momentarily short-circuiting my brain.

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“Mr. Tyrone,” I voice shrinking from a roar to a squeak.

He pushed his sunglasses up onto his head, looking me up and down. His gaze lingered on the dress for a fraction of a second before meeting my eyes.

“Miss Moore. Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

“As long as you’re the murderer, yes,” I mumbled, the words slipping out before my filter could catch them.

He blinked, his brow furrowing slightly. “I didn’t catch that.”

I forced a tight, embarrassed smile and shook my head so hard early gave myself whiplash.

“Nothing! I’m so sorry. I was just… I’m late. I wanted to be perfect for the interview. I didn’t want to mess this up by being a second behind.”

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09.57 Thu, Feb 19

Chapter 151

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David stared at me for a beat, his expression unreadable. He looked back at the line of traffic, then back at me. He didn’t look angry; he looked almost amused, though he hid it well.

“Get in,” he said simply.

“Hmm?”

David let out a small, weary sigh.

“Do you need a visit to the ENT, Miss Moore? I said get in. I’m lading to the same office you are, and at this rate, you’ll be walking until dinner.”

I nodded quickly, my face burning with a fresh wave of embarrassment, and followed him to the passenger side.

The interior was unlike anything I’d ever experienced. It was prine, smelling of high-end leather and a subtle car freshener that complemented his cologne,

I sank into the seat, the plush material molding to my back.

For a second, the stress of the morning evaporated, and I felt myself relaxing into the luxury of it all.

I closed my eyes, the smooth motion of the electric car making the feel like I could drift off right there.

“Miss Moore.”

His voice was a deep, calm command. My eyes flew open and Irked my head toward him.

“Yes, sir?”

“Your seatbelt,” he said, gesturing toward my shoulder.

“Right. Of course.” I reached back, fumbling for the strap. But beween the nerves and the unfamiliar setup, the metal

tongue kept slipping out of m

I tugged at it, but it locked. I tried again, my movements becoming more frantic.

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