Chapter 119: Denials and Disappearances
Damon’s POV
The absolute last thing I wanted to do today was go on a bloody date with the girl who had almost ruined my entire life.
If my father ever found out I was stepping foot out of the house just for Jennifer Riley, he wouldn’t just ground me... he would literally skin me alive. My family hated her family, and after the stunt she pulled back then, my name was barely recovering. Yet here I was, standing in front of my bedroom mirror, groaning in absolute misery as I tried to fix my hair and look presentable for a viper I despised.
"This is ridiculous," I muttered to my reflection, gripping the edges of the sink.
If this were a date with Micah, I would have been thrilled. I would have been fully ready, eagerly waiting by his door, excited to spend every single second with him. But for Jenny? I was dreading every tick of the clock.
My plan for the day was simple and strictly timed. I was going to take her to the mall, sit through a short movie, buy her lunch at a restaurant, and then take her to a luxury store to buy her a designer bag before making her spill every piece of information she had about Jenson University’s plot. That was it. I wasn’t up for a whole-day date, and I certainly wasn’t going to play the romantic boyfriend. Two hours, get the intel, and get out.
"Besides," I rationalized out loud, tossing my comb onto the counter, "since Noah said he’d be with Micah today to buy him a new phone, I’m pretty sure I’ll run into Micah at the mall anyway."
I stepped out of my room, grabbed my keys, got into my red car, and drove off.
Jenny had specifically called me earlier and demanded that I pick her up right at the front gate of our school. She wanted everyone leaving campus to see us together. She wanted the entire student body to whisper, to make assumptions, and to believe we were back together. It pissed me off to no end, but my hands were tied. Noah had explicitly told me yesterday to go ahead with the date and extract the information no matter what.
When I pulled up to the school gate, Jenny was waiting near the curb. She slid into the passenger seat with a triumphant smirk, her heavy perfume instantly filling the air.
"You kept me waiting, my love," she purred, leaning toward me.
"Traffic," I lied coldly, staring straight ahead at the road as I hit the gas. "Let me make one thing clear. We’re going to the mall. We’ll watch a short movie, get food, and I’ll buy you that bag you wanted. But you’re telling me what Jenson is planning the second that bag is paid for."
"My, my, so impatient," she giggled, leaning back in her seat and adjusting her makeup in the mirror. "A proper date requires time, sweetheart. Don’t ruin the mood before we even arrive."
I clenched my jaw so hard my teeth hurt, keeping my eyes glued to the highway. I forced myself to breathe through the burning frustration in my chest.
’Just endure it,’ I told myself. ’Do it for Micah.’
When we arrived at the mall, we headed straight to the cinema on the top floor. We bought tickets for a short action movie, but I couldn’t focus on a single frame on the screen. My mind was racing, my chest tight with a dark, restless anxiety. I kept glancing around the dark theater, wondering if Micah was somewhere in the building.
After the movie ended, Jenny dragged me straight to an upscale restaurant nearby. She ordered expensive dishes with an arrogant wave of her hand, casually chatting about useless gossip while I sat across from her, barely touching my food.
"You’re so tense today," Jenny said, cutting her food with a smirk. "Are you really that eager to get my information, or are you just happy to be out with me again?"
"I don’t care about the date, Jenny," I said bluntly, leaning across the table. "I care about what Jenson is planning against me. Who are they targeting first?"
"Then, you’ll get your answer after you buy me my bag," she replied sweetly, taking a slow sip of her drink. "Don’t rush me. I like watching you wait."
I swallowed the urge to snap at her right then and there. Every second sitting across from her felt like torture, but I forced myself to put up with it. I needed that information.
Once we finished eating, Jenny wiped her lips and stood up. "Alright, time for my reward. The boutique is on the lower floor."
We took the escalator down toward the luxury shopping avenue. Jenny wrapped her arm tightly around mine, leaning her head against my shoulder as we walked down the wide corridor. I hated the physical contact, but I gritted my teeth and let her pull me along, constantly scanning the crowds of shoppers around us.
Just as we were approaching the luxury bag store, I saw a commotion near the phone shop across the courtyard.
My feet froze. My blood ran cold.
Standing right in the middle of the walkway was Micah. He was holding a small paper bag from the mobile store, looking pale and fragile. But he wasn’t alone. He was completely surrounded by four broad-shouldered guys wearing dark leather jackets... guys who clearly belonged to George Jenson University. They were crowding him, stepping into his space, blocking him from moving in any direction. Micah was backing away, looking terrified, clutching the phone bag tightly against his chest.
My pulse spiked instantly. A wave of pure, aggressive rage flared in my chest.
Without thinking, I took a heavy step forward, my fists clenching as every instinct inside me screamed to march over there and smash those Jenson bastards into the floor.
"Hey!" Jenny gasped sharply, her arm wrapping around mine like an iron vise, physically dragging me back before I could take another step. "What are you doing? Where are you going?"
"Let go," I growled, trying to pull my arm free.
Jenny followed my gaze, her eyes narrowing as she saw the Jenson guys surrounding Micah. A cold, suspicious look crossed her face.
"Don’t get involved with them," she said, her voice dropping into a stern, controlling whisper as she pulled me back with all her weight. "Why do you want to save a stranger?" She paused, her eyes locking sharply onto my face. "Or do you know him?"
My breath hitched in my throat.
Right at that exact second, Micah turned his head desperately, looking for a way out through the gap in the guys’ shoulders. His big, tear-filled eyes swept across the crowd... and locked directly onto mine.