My Online Boyfriend Lives In The Next Room Chapter 10

My Online Boyfriend Lives In The Next Room Chapter 10

I didn’t go back to the hotel. Instead, I called a few agents and lined up apartment viewings.

Over the next three days, I saw a dozen places. None of them worked. The rent was too high, or the

roommates were unbearable.

One agent brought up a place in my old building. “Just opened up,” the agent said. “Owner’s moving to a

bigger place, wants to rent it cheap.”

I didn’t realize it was Alistair’s apartment until I stepped off the elevator.

The agent rang the bell. Alistair opened the door.

He looked at me like he’d been expecting me.

“Sorry, not interested.” I turned to go.

“Laurel, let’s talk.” He glanced at the agent.

“I’ll give you two a minute.” The agent excused herself.

“What do you want to talk about?”

He stepped aside. “Come in.”

I sat on the living room sofa.

“You need an apartment,” Alistair said. No buildup. “I’m moving out. You can have this place.”

That was all this was. For a second, I’d thought he’d found out about the ghostwriting.

“No, it’s fine. I’ll find something smaller on my own.”

He took it as a money issue. “You wouldn’t have to pay rent. Just consider it payment for house-sitting.”

“Alistair, I appreciate everything. The cheap rent, all of it. But I really can’t.”

Alistair just looked at me in silence.

Part of me wanted to tell him everything

Sloane had targeted him for his money. That was a scam, whichever way you looked at it. I had even become

her accomplice.

Alistair deserved to know the truth.

At worst, I could return the money to Sloane. I’d saved six thousand over the past six months. With Sloane’s

final payment, I had sixteen thousand.

Give back the ten grand, and I’d still have six to get by on.

But after last night, Alistair and Sloane had already crossed every line there was to cross. Was it even my

place to say anything now?

Before I could decide, the doorbell rang.

Alistair opened the door.

Graham’s voice carried through the door. “Mr. Mercer, just a token of our appreciation. Please accept it…”

Alistair’s voice came back flat and cold. “No.”

Then Sloane. “Alistair…”

The way she said his name was intimate. Possessive, even.

Alistair had his back to me. I couldn’t see his face. But the tension rolling off him was impossible to miss.

Sloane stopped mid-sentence. Through the open door, she spotted me on the sofa.

“Laurel?” Her voice went sharp. “Why are you here?”

Graham’s glare landed on me, suspicious and accusing. “Laurel, what is this? You know the bank has a policy against employees fraternizing with clients. Explain.”

I didn’t get the chance.

Alistair cut in, his voice ice. “Laurel and I know each other. This has nothing to do with the bank.”

Graham and Sloane froze where they stood.

“And if the bank prohibits fraternizing with clients, what exactly are the two of you doing at my home?”

Graham’s smile turned desperate. “But you and Sloane are…”

“Mr. Carrington.” Alistair’s voice didn’t rise. “If you’re not gone in ten seconds, I’m calling corporate.”

“That won’t be necessary. We’re leaving.”

Graham grabbed Sloane and left. The look he threw me on the way out was venomous.

I decided to tell Alistair the truth.

“Alistair…”

He spoke over me. “Have you decided about the apartment?”

“Actually…”

He must have thought I was still hesitating about the apartment. “You can’t live in a hotel forever. I’ll be gone

by tomorrow. The door code’s the same. Just move back in.”

Just like that, he derailed me.

I’d seen a Tik Tok once about signs from the universe. It said if someone interrupts you right when you’re

about to say something important, that’s the universe telling you it’s not time yet.

I swallowed what I was going to say and thought about the apartment instead.

I wasn’t going to find anything this good anytime soon.

I went back and forth in my head, then finally said, “Three thousand a month. That’s my offer.”

Alistair said, “Fine,” so fast I almost thought he’d been waiting for me to ask.