“I missed you, too… but what the hell is this, Oscar? You can’t just appear out of nowhere and give me a heart attack.“@
Oscar’s smile widened. He rubbed his neck while responding, “That’s what we call a surprise. The good one supposedly triggered a slight heart attack.”
“Well, congrattions,” she said tly. “You’ve seeded. My blood pressure skyrocketed, nearly reaching dangerous levels. Geez, you’ll be dead meat if I end up in the emergency room.”
Instead of feeling sorry, Oscar continued teasing her, “Eve, you should’ve seen your face when those
reporters cornered you. You looked ready tomit homicide.”
“Stop teasing me!” She punched his arm again. “I
nearly fainted seeing you, a man who is rarely seen outside right here in the middle of the city, and all you can do isugh?”
1:30 Are You Insane?
While Evelyn and Oscar exchange yful teasing, Liam pretends to focus on the road, silently dying inside.
Every word he hears and every smile andugh he
steals a nce at from the rearview mirror feels like a scene straight out of a rom he never signed up to
witness.
Liam tightened his grip on the steering wheel, trying to act calm and hold back the urge to chime in on
their conversation.
“Where’s my little buddy Oliver?” Oscar finally stopped teasing her, shing that familiar warm smile.
“At this hour? At home, of course,” Evelyn replied, exhaling as if that should’ve been obvious.
“I can’t exactly bring him to the Walters Group. I don’t want to stress my son out. Moreover, the media would explode again if they saw a kid with some security details entering the office. They’d probably start another round of spection about his mysterious father-”
Her words trailed off, tension slipping back into her voice. She was reminded of the swarm of reporters
<b>20:25 </b>
2/10
1m Are You insane?
earlier; the shing lights, the shouting questions.
Without realizing it, she gripped Oscar’s arm, her tone rising, “Oh, right! The reporters. Please, do something about them.”
Oscar’s eyes sh a smile. He looked way too pleased for someone being asked to handle a crisis.
“What?” Evelyn narrowed her eyes. “Why do you look like that? Did you already do something?”
Instead of answering, Oscar nced toward Liam in the driver’s seat, then leaned closer to her, voice lowering to a whisper. “Come closer.”
Evelyn blinked, suspicious but curious, and leaned in slightly. “What?”
He smiled faintly. “Those reporters… are my people.”
For a second, Evelyn just stared at him. Her brain feels slow to understand his words.
Then,
“ARE YOU INSANE?!” she practically shouted. “How could you…”
2/107
139 Are You Insane?
Before she could finish, Oscar mped a hand over her mouth, eyes wide.
“Ssh! Do you want the whole city to hear?”
She red at him as if she wanted him to tell her more, or she would bite his hand.
“Okay, okay,” he hissed, still whispering. “Let me exin before you murder me.”
Evelyn reluctantly nodded, her eyes narrowing into
slits.
He released her slowly, keeping his voice low. “This early morning, I got a… special job request.”
Her suspicion deepened. “From who?”
Oscar’s grin turned sly. “From none other than Lana Scott herself. She offered me a huge sum to erase all traces of her scandal with William Walters from every majorwork, website, and database.”
Evelyn’s jaw dropped. “You’re kidding.”
“I swear on myptop’s wellbeing,” he said solemnly, though amusement flickered in his eyes. “She’s paying
1.39 Are You insane?
more than some governments would ever pay me. With that kind of money, I could buy my own ind in Sweden and live off eating a sm?rg?sbord buffet for life.”
“Unbelievable,” Evelyn muttered, shaking her head. “That woman must be utterly desperate. How on earth did she even find you?”
Oscar smiled proudly, “I’m not exactly invisible, you know. I’m… selectively visible. I let only a few potential
clients.”
Evelyn gave him a t look. “Stop speaking in difficult code. My brain can’t think that far,” she said.
He chuckled softly. “You need to upgrade the processor in your brain, my friend.”
“Oscar, this isn’t funny. Lana is dangerous… and maniptive. If she found you, that means she’s digging deep. You need to cut all contact with her.”
Oscar’s yful smile softened, reced by a hint of sincerity. “Rx, Eve. I only epted to get ess to her data trail. I’m not really working for her.”
6/10
139 Are You Insane?
Evelyn blinked, startled. “You’re… spying on her?”
“Think of it as free of charge damage control. Only for
you.”
For a moment, Evelyn didn’t know whether to scold him or thank him. She settled for ring again, though the corner of her lips twitched.
“Well, bro, you’re doing a funtastic job! Continue what you do!”
A big smile spread across his face after hearing thatpliment.
Then, Evelyn, catching sight of Liam in the mirror, lowered her voice. “We’ll talk about thister. Not
here.”
Oscar followed her gaze and nodded. “Got it. I’ll brief you when we’re in a private ce. I wouldn’t want your bodyguard here sending a full report to your husband.”
Evelyn sighs silently. He wasn’t wrong. Liam had a habit of rying everything to Axel, and right now, thest thing she needed was another interrogation about
6/10
130 Are You Insane?
her “reckless hacker friend.”
“Hmm… We’ll discuss itter. But for now, no more surprises.”
Oscar grinned. “Speaking of surprises…”
“Oh no,” She narrowed her eyes on him. “What now?”
He stretchedzily in his seat,pletely at ease. “Lunch. I’m starving. Or better yet, let’s go to your house. I need to see my little buddy Oliver.”
“What? You can’t juste to my house…” She stopped mid–sentence, realizing how little control she ever had over Oscar once he made up his mind.
“Oscar, listen… You were meant to be halfway around the world, and I already have a n for when you visit my house.”
“Well, my friend, I’m here now… Let’s go to your ce,” he said, shing that trademark grin.
She was utterly speechless.
“Thank you, my friend…” he said yfully. “So, lunch at your ce?”
20:26
7/10
130 Am You Insane?
“No,” she said firmly. “Let’s find somewhere quiet… and safe! Preferably, where there are no cameras,
microphones, or people who recognize us. I mean,
me!”
Oscar pouted theatrically.
“Ohe on… you’re no fun, Eve. I wanted to give Oliver his birthday present early.”
That made her pause. “You remembered?”
“Of course I remembered! The kid’s turning four. I promised himst year I’d show up in person next
time.”
Evelyn’s expression softened instantly. The thought of Oscar and Oliver together tugged at her heart.
Oscar wasn’t <i>just </i>her best friend; he was Oliver’s favorite uncle figure, the one who always sent ridiculous gifts and even more ridiculous video
messages.
He is the person who never misses an opportunity to cheer Oliver up whenever he calls.
Even before Axel entered their lives, Oliver always
20:25
8/10
139 Are You Insane?
believed that Oscar was his father.
“Oscar,” she said, smiling despite herself, “so you actually came to keep your promise?”
He nodded proudly.
“Of course. I couldn’t let my favorite little man think I ked out. Last year, he forced me to do a virtual pinky swear.”
Evelyn chuckled, shaking her head.
“You do realize he still talks about that pinky swear?”
“Hahaha, good…” Oscar said with a grin. “It means my influence is strong.”
“You’re such a bad example,” she teased.
He onlyughed and then asked again, “So, where to, boss?”
“Fine. Lunch. Somewhere private.”
Sara Lili
<strong>Sara Lili</strong> is a daring romance writer who turns icyndscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of d’s breathtaking cold.