19 They didn't even know each other until college

"Someone who won't fall in love with you and won't ruin your image, huh? We have a long way to go, sweetheart."

Luca let out a deep exhale, her arms relaxing along with them. She and Nova turned their head toward the door when they heard the automatic lock of the main door go off, waiting with bated breaths for the person who went inside. The two of them were quite relaxed knowing someone entered her suite, but when the bedroom door opened from the outside, it justified their lack of urgency.

"Jacques..." called Luca as soon as she met Jacques' eyes. "What should I do?"

Jacques, Luca's agent, furrowed her brows. Her eyes darted between Luca on the bed, and then at the cat that was looking back at her.

"What do you mean, what should you do?" Jacques inquired, pushing the door wide open as she marched inside. She stopped on the side of the bed, standing tall in her smart casual. Her hand rested on her hip while her blazer moved up from her pose.

"Luca, what sort of trouble did you start this time around, huh? I'm telling you, hun. We cannot afford to pay the Z holdings if we breach the contract." She warned, anticipating a piece of bad news she had to clean up as she had always done.

Luca's frown deepened. "Why do you always say things like that, as if I don't care about my image?"

"Wow..." Jacques laughed dryly, looking at her artist, but unable to say anything. Or rather, she didn't know where to start.

"I didn't cause trouble, alright?" Luca sighed heavily, clicking her tongue languidly.

"Then why are you acting as if it's the end of your career?" Jacques raised a brow, narrowing her eyes suspiciously.

"Just... I don't know."

"Because she doesn't know what to do with her life and even if she wants to slut around, she's being too picky about it," Nova answered for her with a scoff, but Luca ignored her cat's sassing. "Goodness. Now I understand why Jacques had always been so stressed out. You're crazy, girl."

"Gosh..." Luca murmured, rolling her eyes at Nova.

Meanwhile, Jacques could not help but let out a deep exhale. She slowly sat down on the edge of the mattress, studying Luca's somber mood.

"Lu, you've been acting strange since that day you signed the contract with Zkinfluence. I told you. If you're going through something, you have to tell me so we can do something about it."

"Really?" Nova looked at Jacques with a dead expression. "Can you kindly find this woman a man who is good-looking, healthy, has a delectable body, and someone that will be happy with a no-string attached relationship without being weird after having a taste of the cake?"

Nova could not help but let out a 'tch.' "Of course, you can't. Your talent has a great career and her image is something you should uphold, or you two will get ruined."

Nova was at her wit's end at Luca's 'predicament.' If the latter had a different world or she was a normal salary woman, it would be easier for her to find one. However, for someone as famous as Luca, the sort of lifestyle she was seeking would risk everything.

'Why would she even desire for something if she can't make sacrifices?' she wondered, observing Luca and Jacques. 'Right... because she's a low-key pervert. Tsk.'

"You don't know?" Jacques repeated in a questioning tone, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Therapy." She breathed out when she reopened her eyes. "You agreed to attend a session. Don't worry. No one will know you are visiting the doctor, so no rumors will circulate about it."

Luca's frown remained, but she rocked her head in understanding. She kept her eyes down, peeking at Jacques every minute.

"Jacques, do you remember the time when we promised we'll get married together?" she broached, causing her agent's brows to raise. "With our dead dating status now, how can we even date? I mean, I don't even want to date. I will just marry myself at this rate."

"Lu, what are you talking about?" Jacques laughed awkwardly, her eyes filled with confusion. Her lips parted once again when Luca looked up at her. "I'm... engaged. Hello?"

Luca furrowed her brows, watching Jacques raise a hand to show the small diamond ring on her ring finger.

"Are you really okay? How can you forget I'm engaged when you made a fuss about becoming my maid of honor?" Jacques sighed deeply, but this wasn't new to her. Luca tends to forget things, but it was still upsetting how she would forget such a huge thing for her agent.

"You're... engaged?" Luca gasped, snatching Jacques' hand to look at the ring up close. "What — how? I mean, why? We promised in high school we will only get married if it's a double wedding!"

"Hah..." Jacques let out another dry laugh, shaking her head in disbelief. It was already upsetting that Luca forgot about her engagement, but why was she talking as if she didn't know Jacques was dating someone for two years now?

"Goodness... really. I — forget it." Jacques snatched her hand away and clicked her tongue, looking at Luca in disappointment. "I will get you checked, even if I have to drag you with me."

"What...?"

Jacques shook her head, slapping her blazer back as she stood up. "Anyway, I brought the things you asked me to. I still have a lot on my plate right now, so don't give me another problem. Please! Wait for the time when I have nothing else to do, understood??"

"Uh?" Luca blinked, looking up at Jacques. Her attention was on her manager's retreating figure, failing to notice the horror in Nova's eyes.

"By the way." Jacques stopped by the door and looked back, pointing a finger at Luca. "We made that promise in college, but you told me it's fine since you want to see me get married. I can't believe you're going back to your words."

Jacques clicked her tongue and waved, bidding Luca farewell since she didn't plan to stay with her for a long time. When she closed the door behind her, she looked back and huffed faintly.

"High school..." she murmured, shaking her head mildly. "How can she be so forgetful? I didn't even know her until college." But Jacques didn't dwell on it, assuming it was simply Luca being forgetful once again.

The only one who couldn't toss this piece of seemingly unimportant information was Nova, who was looking at the shut door with horror.