Bedmates Soulmates

Name Your Price

Kira made no effort to effort to stifle a yawn.

She hardly got any sleep last night.

'Miss Woods,' she said, unperturbed, 'I was expecting something a little more original."

"What?" Kayleigh frowned, thrown by her rival's nonchalant attitude.

"You are an actress. You must have read your fair share of screenplays. Doesn't this scene feel familiar to you?"

"What?" was all Kayleigh managed to say.

'It's a run-of-the-mill idol drama plot," Kira said. "When the rich handsome male lead falls for the Cinderella female lead, his mother meets her privately and warns her off.

'Miss Woods,' Kira tilted her head and asked with a mischievous smile, "are you Austyn's mother?

Kayleigh blew her top.

Her face turned a shade darker than the scarlet sheath dress she was wearing.

"You've got quite a smart mouth, she spat out. 'So you think Austyn's in love with you? Pfft, you probably watched too much idol drama. It's time to get your head out of the clouds. Just a minute ago, you acted like you didn't even know him." Kira shook her head like a patient teacher dealing with a student who was being particularly obtuse. "Miss Woods, you've been in showbiz for a long time. How can you still be so naive? Do you fall for everything everybody's told you? 'How dare you!'

Kayleigh trembled with rage.

This immature, ill-mannered, low-born college girl had the cheek to mock her!

Did the girl know who she was talking to?

'Are we done here? Kira asked politely. 'May I be excused now?"

She'd lost interest in the meeting after knowing Kayleigh wasn't serious about the threat.

Kira fingered the phone in her pants pocket.

She had sent out half a dozen resumes.

She was still waiting for calls from the companies.

Taking her hostess' silence as consent, Kira stood up and turned around.

"Frank! Kayleigh called out from behind her.

The burly bodyguard spun around and stood in Kira's path.

what's the meaning of this?' Kira knitted her brows

"I'm not done yet. You can leave when I tell you to leave. Did you hear what I said? I want-

"I heard you, Miss Woods, Kira sighed as she turned back to face Kayleigh and spread out her hands.

Loud and clear. You asked me to leave Austyn. Don't worry, I will. I promise. Cross my heart."

Nathy/Your Prize

Kira meant it.

She had no intention of spending the rest of her life with Austyn.

As for the growing attachment she felt...

Kira dismissed it.

She attributed it to Austyn's role as sponsor for her father's medical bills.

It was easy to feel grateful to someone who tossed you a lifeline.

With time and distance, Kira was confident she could get over it.

Once again, Kayleigh was knocked back on her heels.

Nothing about the meeting had gone as she planned.

"You'll leave him?" she asked.

Kira offered a sincere nod. 'Yes, I will. I know the two of you are in love. Don't worry. I'm not going to be a third wheel. I wish you a lifetime of happiness together. Kayleigh thought she was hallucinating.

She heard every word, but she couldn't process their meaning.

What was going on?

Was she tripping?

Did that girl just wish her and Austyn a lifetime of happiness?

Was that tongue in cheek, or did Kira mean it?

Why would the girl give up a catch like Austyn?

What game was she playing?

Did she have another trick up her sleeve?

Kayleigh idolised Austyn McCarthy.

It was hard for her to imagine any woman would willingly relinquish her place in Austyn's heart

No, not hard.

Simply impossible.

Ah, that must be it.

The girl was playing the victim.

Kira must have been with Austyn long enough to know what he preferred in a woman-considerate, sensible, knowing her place. Just as Kayleigh knew.

The girl was pretending to be intimidated so that she could go crying to Austyn later and tell him all about Kayleigh the bully.

Once he learned Kira was browbeaten into leaving him, he would only hold her closer.

What a scheming, two-faced hussy!

Kayleigh got up, stomped over to Kira and said to her point-blank, 'You are only after his money. Leave

him, and I'll make you a better offer. How much do you want?"

"How much can you afford? Kira shot back, piqued.

'A hundred K

Kira gave it some serious thought.

"No,' she shook her head. The price is too low."

Kayleigh sneered.

The girl was showing her true colours, finally.

"Name your price then. How much do you want? Kayleigh crossed her arms and looked down at Kira.

"I can name whatever figure I want? Kira returned the look with a level gaze of her own.

"Go ahead."

Kira raised her right hand and stuck out her index finger.

"Tsk, Kayleigh sized up her rival and snickered. 'A million dollars? You really are a grabby little girl, aren't you? Do you even know what to do with that kind of money?"

"Miss Woods," Kira shook her head, 'you misunderstood."

'What did I get wrong? You are sleeping with Austyn for his money, aren't you?

'Miss Woods," Kira sighed and told herself to bear with it a moment longer. "You misunderstood me. It's not a million dollars. It's ten million."

What did she say?

Kayleigh's eyes nearly popped out of her head.

She was wrong.

The girl was not greedy.

She was delusional.

Ten million dollars?

She couldn't possibly be serious!

She must have just plucked a number out of thin air.

'Take your time,' Kira said with the perfect smile of a grade-A customer service rep. 'Give it some thought Please call me when you've made a decision. I'll make myself scarce as soon as I receive the cheque. Have a good day. Bye." With that, Kira turned and headed for the stairs.

Frank, the stoical bodyguard, stepped aside after he saw a nod from Kayleigh.

Kira bounded down the stairs.

She'd just wasted half an hour.

Her head lowered as she checked her phone for messages, she didn't look where she was going And bumped straight into Giana.