He Didn’t Kidnap Me. Not Exactly novel Chapter 136

Chapter 136

“You’ve been avoiding me.”

His expression barely changed.

“I’ve been busy.”

Two meanings inside one sentence.

I could hear both of them clearly.

“Well,” I replied tightly, “it looks like you’ve been avoiding me.”

This time he didn’t answer, so I exhaled slowly.

“Look, I came here to apologize and talk things out properly.” I said and before he could answer, a group of girls passed nearby, immediately slowing when

they noticed DeLuca.

Their eyes lit up instantly and one of them whispered something while another looked down at her phone and grinned.

“Oh my God, it’s actually true.”

“I told you.”

“Send it to me.”

They kept walking afterward, still giggling quietly while typing swiftly into their phones.

DeLuca glanced at them briefly before looking back at me, unbothered.

Meanwhile I instantly understood.

More rumors.

More gossip.

More people talking about him and Mabel.

Something inside me tightened again. So before I could stop myself, I asked:

“Are you and Mabel dating?”

DeLuca tilted his head slightly.

“Is this the apology?”

“Are you and Mabel dating?” I repeated.

His gaze stayed on mine for a moment before he answered calmly.

Tallow her to think that we are

The words landed badly.

It was not confirmation. But definitely not denial either.

I swallowed once.

“So you’re not dating?”

“I allow her to think that we are,” he repeated evenly.

That sting in my chest worsened instantly.

Because that meant something.

And something was still infinitely worse than nothing.

I forced myself to keep standing there, my emotions tucked away. “What about Aria?” I asked quietly.

He raised a brow.

“Aria?” he repeated.

Then, he looked away from me. “I could add Aria too. The more the merrier.”

I stared at him.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify