I Ran Away After Three Years as Stand in, CEO Went Mad Chapter 10

I Ran Away After Three Years as Stand in, CEO Went Mad Chapter 10

“That’s such a niche word. What does it mean?”

I chewed. “You’ve got some girl you never got over. I look like her, so you kept me around like a

little collectible.”

He said, “I never thought of you as a replacement.”

Everyone says trusting a man’s words will ruin your life.

I can’t afford that.

I need a lie detector.

After running around half the day, I came back with a lie detector from a tech expo.

I put Declan’s hand on it. “Say that again.”

Declan just stared at me like I’d lost my mind.

He cleared his throat. “I never treated you as a stand-in.”

Good.

Truth.

I thought for a moment. “Then why didn’t you ever take me to any parties?”

Am I that embarrassing?

In a lot of novels, that’s how it goes.

The CEO brings his stand-in to a party, and his friends share a knowing look-he found himself a

replica of the one that got away.

Or they ask, “Where’s your arrangement?”

All the bros have arrangements.

Declan couldn’t very well say he was the one without an arrangement.

He paused for a moment. “Because you’re, like, seriously socially anxious.”

I didn’t think my mental state had much to do with social anxiety.

Then I thought about it and remembered the social-anxiety crazy posts I’d made.

[I have social anxiety. At work, I literally just stare at the clock till it’s time to leave.]

{I’m so introverted. I don’t talk to anyone at work. I just stand there like a mannequin.]

The knot in my chest loosened.

I felt strangely lighter.

I took a deep breath. “Declan, remember this.”

He said, “Okay,” and lowered his head to listen. “Remember what?”

“I don’t care what-just remember it.”

He didn’t argue. “Okay.”

I wasn’t a stand-in.

I was kind of happy. My brain started itching. Like it was about to sprout a whole lovesick lobe.

I unblocked Declan.

When he brought up me being his “arrangement” again,

I gave him a look-part scorn, part mockery, mostly just whatever. “You think I’m still that broke girl from back then?”

“What are you now?”

“This year’s broke girl.”

Just kidding.

I was pulling in a million followers now. I didn’t need his chump change.

Even if his chump change was actually pretty damn substantial.

I enunciated clearly, one word at a time. “I’m not that kind of person.”

Back then was back then. Now I was rich.

Taking money for an “arrangement” was something I could only do as a broke new grad. Because

once you have money, you get a little high and mighty.

He looked down, his lashes hiding the disappointment in his eyes. “Can I at least have a shot at winning you over?”

I said, “Say it a different way. That’s way too cheesy.”

Declan went silent.

Declan scratched his head.