The Unwilling CEO's Love Game
Chapter 97

On the drive back with Harrison, the car stereo played the latest hit, "Possibility."

The lyrics were: [All the possibilities, the hopes that never came to pass. They were thoughts, and they were regrets.]

Jocelyn confessed, "I can't lie to you. He still has a place in my heart."

Harrison was not surprised. He even understood. "Yeah, I know."

"You're okay with that?"

"It would be a lie to say I don't mind. But what I mind more is you rejecting me because of him. I hope you can give me a chance and yourself one, too." Harrison was calm and sincere. His words were solid, honest.

Jocelyn clenched her fists tighter. "If you really don't mind, then we can give it a shot."

A wave of elation surged through Harrison, and he immediately pulled the car over. "Are you serious?"

Jocelyn was still uncertain, but the words were out, and seeing Harrison's joyous reaction, she nodded vigorously. "Yeah."

Harrison's smile brightened, his lips pressed in an effort to contain it, and his eyes crinkled with glee.

He resumed driving, and the music shifted to "Little Sweet."

Jocelyn never expected Harrison to listen to such sugary tunes, especially at this moment.

His mood was infectious, painting her own in shades of pink.

They dined at Bliss Restaurant, where Harrison had initially planned to hold Jocelyn's hand to please his parents but feared pressuring her and refrained.

Harrison's parents sensed a shift in their son's demeanor during the meal, a different aura between the two.

However, being wise, they kept their notions to themselves, asking no questions.

After dinner, Harrison drove Jocelyn back to her hotel.

As the car stopped, she stepped out.

Harrison followed.

Standing at the hotel entrance, he asked, "So, you're my girlfriend now, right?"

Jocelyn paused, then nodded softly.

"Can I... hug you?" Harrison was tentative.

Jocelyn's heartbeat quickened, and she did not immediately respond.

The next second, the light in Harrison's eyes dimmed with disappointment.

"Sure," Jocelyn finally murmured.

Harrison, as if jolted awake, approached her with restrained excitement and enveloped her in a gentle embrace.

This was their second hug.

The first was between friends.

This time, he held her as her boyfriend.

Jocelyn allowed the embrace, guilt lurking for fearing she might let down his genuine affection.

"Sleep soon," Harrison murmured, letting her go sooner than he wished, keeping it just a hug, nothing more.

Jocelyn always found Harrison gentlemanly and completely respectful in his conduct.

"Yeah, you too," She replied, their new relationship still awkward for her.

Harrison nodded, "You go on up. I won't walk you to your room."

"Alright." Jocelyn did not play coy, entering the lobby and glancing back to see Harrison smiling at the door.

She returned the smile tenderly before turning away.

Once inside the elevator, she messaged him on Facebook. [Get home soon.]

[Already in the car.] Harrison replied promptly.

[Drive safe.]

[Goodnight.]

Exiting the elevator, Jocelyn was searching for a "goodnight" sticker when she accidentally bumped into someone.

Apologizing and looking up, she froze upon seeing Melvin.

She thought it was a coincidence, excused herself, and stepped aside to pass by.

Thankfully, Melvin did not make a scene and acted as if she was invisible.

Back in her room, unsettled, Jocelyn did not reply to Harrison.

Sitting on the sofa, she pondered the fleeting encounter with Melvin, wondering if it was an illusion.

There was no reason for him to be there.

After mulling it over and tousling her hair in frustration, she decided not to dwell on why Melvin was there.

They were no longer connected.

Post-shower, Harrison texted, asking if she was asleep.

[Not yet.] Jocelyn replied.

Harrison sent a video call, and Jocelyn accepted after a moment's hesitation.

"Why aren't you asleep?" Harrison appeared fresh from the shower, in his pajamas.

Seeing the clean, scholarly handsome man on the screen, Jocelyn felt uneasy, perhaps due to the Melvin incident.

"Just about to," She said.

"I won't keep you then. I'm swamped tomorrow, might work late. Probably can't join you for dinner," Harrison explained in advance.

"It's fine. You do what you need to," Jocelyn replied, valuing her independence regardless of being with Melvin or anyone else.

Reluctantly ending the call after a few more words, Harrison didn't want to disturb her rest.

Lying in bed, Jocelyn scrolled through photos of her and Harrison, her thoughts drifting to Melvin.

She also revisited older photos, ones with Melvin, but they were never straightforward, more like secretive snaps.

Melvin never wanted to go public with their relationship, leaving them without a single proper photo together.

The difference between secrecy and being openly acknowledged weighed heavily on her.

Before hitting the hay, she did her usual scroll through Twitter and stumbled upon Harrison's latest tweet: [My girlfriend] with a picture he had snapped of their shadows together. The sight sent a little jolt of electricity through Jocelyn's chest, a tingling sensation.

This was what normal dating was like.

This was what a normal boyfriend was like.

No matter how Jocelyn turned it over in her mind, she was convinced Harrison was the epitome of boyfriend goals.

She tapped the like button.

Phone down, eyes closed.

Snippets of the day spent with Harrison kept playing in her mind, but then, the uncomfortable memory of bumping into Melvin outside the elevator resurfaced.

She rolled over, trying to stop thinking about the reason for Melvin's appearance there. Whatever it was, it was none of her business now.

That night, Jocelyn's sleep was restless, and she even slipped into a dream she should not have had.

In it, she was entwined with Melvin, in his place, against the backdrop of expansive windows, in an intimate embrace.

Waking up from the struggle, her body's reaction left her ashamed. She had never imagined a day when she would be so hungry.

She should never have dreamed of Melvin, especially not doing what they were doing in her dream.

Glancing at the clock, it was already 5:40 in the morning.

The first thing she did was hit the shower, trying to scrub away the shame.

Post-shower, the thoughts faded.

Then she decided to grab breakfast somewhere and then walk to school.

Slipping on a jacket and shutting the door behind her, she turned around only to replace Melvin standing at the doorway of the nearby room, watching her.