Chapter 176: Chapter 176- boyfriend
Marylin shoved Karl away, her chest heaving as she glared at him, eyes blazing.
"You—!"
She wanted to curse him, call him shameless or a scoundrel, but the words stuck in her throat. The image he had always shown her—polished, scholarly, refined—didn’t match those crude names. She opened her mouth, but nothing fit.
Frustrated, she spun on her heel and stormed into the bathroom.
One look in the mirror made her groan. Her lipstick was smudged, the mark of his kiss glaring back at her. She yanked tissues out of the box and rubbed at her lips furiously, cursing him a hundred different ways in her head.
Never in her wildest thoughts had she imagined Karl doing something like this. She had always believed him to be warm, harmless, safe—even when he confessed so openly, she never felt threatened.
And now? He had stolen a kiss.
Even worse, her lips still tingled with his clean, fresh scent. No alcohol, no smoke, just him. It lingered in her mouth, and the memory of it felt... pleasant.
Pleasant? She nearly smacked herself. How could she use that word to describe being taken advantage of? She was clearly losing her mind.
"If you don’t want to go to the ball with me anymore, I’ll understand," his voice came from outside, soft, tinged with guilt. "It was my fault for being presumptuous."
Marylin paused, thinking the apology was finally over—
Until he added, voice quieter, more earnest:
"And since you’re already angry, I might as well be honest. That night, when you were drunk... I kissed you then, too."
Her head snapped up. Rage burned hot through her veins.
She yanked the bathroom door open, fire in her eyes.
"Karl!"
"You—You’re nothing but a wolf in sheep’s clothing!"
The fury inside her had no outlet. First, he ambushed her just now. And now he confessed to already stealing a kiss from her before? Words weren’t enough to express her anger.
She grabbed his arm and marched him toward the door.
"Get out! You’re not welcome here. I don’t want some opportunist who takes advantage of women in my house!"
Karl didn’t fight back. He allowed her to shove him along, his expression calm, almost regretful.
But before she could slam the door in his face, he caught it with his hand, his voice steady, serious, sincere.
"I know—we have no relationship. And I shouldn’t have kissed you without your permission. But if you need me to take responsibility, I will. Gladly."
Marylin: "..."
She had no words for him. Who even said things like that anymore? Responsibility over a kiss? Was he naive, or just hopelessly idealistic?
Her only answer was a sharp bang as she slammed the door in his face.
Inside, she stomped back toward her room, intent on stripping out of the dress. But then his muffled voice carried through the door.
"I won’t be coming. Something came up last minute. Start without me."
He must’ve been calling a colleague or friend from the ball. His tone was quiet, edged with loneliness.
Marylin froze mid-step.
She drew in a long breath, exhaled, and finally turned around. Against her better judgment, she opened the door.
Karl had just slipped his phone away, about to retreat to his own apartment. At the sound of the door opening, he spun around, surprise flashing in his eyes.
Marylin’s face was cold as she said flatly,
"I’ll still go with you. I gave you my word. But don’t think for one second that what you did tonight is forgiven."
She wasn’t sure why she’d agreed. She had every right to refuse him after such a reckless kiss. But his voice on the phone... that quiet note of disappointment... it had sounded too lonely. Too pitiful.
Karl’s expression lit up instantly, the darkness melting into joy. He stepped closer, his gaze fixed on her.
"Thank you, Marylin..."
She ignored him, striding toward the elevator on sharp heels. Karl’s steady footsteps followed behind.
The elevator ride was silent, the tension thick.
When they reached the ground floor, Karl shrugged off his suit jacket and held it out to her.
"It’s cold outside. Wear this."
Gentle. Considerate. The very picture of a gentleman.
Marylin looked at him for a beat before finally accepting. He helped drape it over her shoulders, his movements careful, respectful.
They had known each other for only days, shared only a handful of encounters. And yet his actions—the steadiness, the maturity, the quiet care—were already breaking apart the image she’d built of him.
She had thought he was a naive, bookish boy who didn’t understand the world.
But the truth? He was far more mature—and far more dangerous to her heart—than she had ever expected.
Sometimes, it only takes a few encounters to see straight through someone.
Marylin stood in front of the building, waiting. Karl had gone to fetch the car, and soon they were on their way to the school ball hosted at Karl’s university.
On the road, Karl broke the silence first. His tone was tentative, testing the waters.
"Since you’re single now, why not give me a chance? Why not try accepting me?"
Marylin snapped back without hesitation.
"Accept you? For what? So you can kiss me whenever you please, this time with a perfectly legitimate excuse as my boyfriend?"
Karl: "..."
Her words were razor-sharp, and she clearly wasn’t letting him off the hook. Still, he didn’t give up. Instead, he spoke with quiet sincerity.
"That’s not what I meant. If you agreed to date me, I swear—I’d never do anything without your permission. Not ever."
Marylin gave a cold snort.
"Men are creatures who think with their lower halves. Their promises aren’t worth a dime."
Her past relationship had already taught her enough about betrayal. Once burned, she had no illusions about men’s so-called guarantees.
Karl’s voice dropped, steady and low, carrying a weight that made her chest tighten against her will.
"Not all men are like the one who hurt you. Some men can make a promise—and keep it."
His eyes flicked toward her, unwavering.
"Like me."
The way he said it sent a ripple through Marylin’s heart. Her lips pressed together, and she refused to answer. Silence was safer.
Karl didn’t push. He only returned his focus to the road, the steady hum of the engine filling the space between them.
For Karl, this was enough—for now. Living across the hall from her, being able to see her every day, knowing her comings and goings... that was already a blessing. Winning her heart would take time. And he would wait—though deep inside, impatience clawed at him.
He wanted her. Desperately. To have her by his side, to call her his, to never let anyone else near her.
By the time they arrived, the school ball was already in full swing. It was lively, filled with young professors, staff, and office workers. Marylin quickly realized what kind of event this really was—a networking mixer, more like a matchmaking party than a formal ball.
Some had brought dates, but most were single, mingling freely.
And the moment Marylin grasped this, she nearly laughed out loud in exasperation.
So that was Karl’s plan.
By bringing her here, he hadn’t needed to say a word. Without any announcement, he’d let everyone assume she was his. In front of all these people, their "relationship" had already been sealed.
When in reality, they had no such thing.
Karl’s move was subtle. Calculated.
And Marylin had to admit—he played this game far too well.
The worst part? Several young, pretty girls had clearly come tonight just for Karl. Marylin didn’t even need to ask—she could see it in their eyes, the hostility aimed squarely at her like invisible arrows.
So she tilted her head, flashing Karl a sultry smile as they swayed together in the dance hall.
"By bringing me here, aren’t you cutting off all your admirers at once?"
The music was slow, the kind meant for hushed conversations and lingering touches. Couples floated across the floor, the atmosphere soft and romantic.
Karl’s brows furrowed briefly at the women, but when his gaze returned to her, his smile was easy—warm.
"I cut them off willingly. I only want one flower. The most beautiful one."
The hand resting at her waist tightened ever so slightly, a subtle promise pressed into her body.
Marylin couldn’t help laughing.
"You’ve only just started working. Isn’t it a little shortsighted to focus blindly on me? There’ll be plenty of women far prettier than me in your future."
Karl sighed softly, the sound brushing against her ear.
"What will it take for you to believe me?"
His gaze burned with a sincerity so intense she couldn’t hold it for long. Flustered, she broke eye contact, turning her head away.
"Enough. Stop talking and focus on dancing."
But Karl only leaned closer, his voice a whisper meant for her alone.
"Later tonight, when we’re back... I’ll show you something."
Something important—something that would prove his heart wasn’t just talk. He still carried that transfer agreement, waiting for the right moment to place it in her hands.