Liar and Liar - Chapter 18

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 18

Danielle didn’t know what movie was being shown, but she thought it wouldn’t matter if she arrived in the middle of it. This was just an act of settling the bill for her deal with Frederick anyway.

The glass door wasn’t large, and the back of the villa was also simply designed to not stand out too much, but the interior was completely different.

‘Wow…’

The modern interior design that appropriately combined wood, white, and gray tones and connected the upper and lower floors with wide stairs reminded her of a gallery.

The blue ocean could be seen beyond the front glass. It seemed like the entire ocean-facing side of the building was designed with floor-to-ceiling windows.

‘This would be amazing even as a house, but it’s just a villa.’

California’s ocean couldn’t be privately owned no matter how rich someone was, but this house definitely had two spans of Malibu Beach as its own.

“The kids are still playing outside, I guess. Are you planning to watch the movie later?”

Danielle made that assumption since there were no people in the building, but an unexpected answer came back.

“No, we’re doing it now. We’ll watch it outside.”

Why? Instead of approaching the glass window, Danielle was captivated by the interior design.

“Do you want to change into a swimsuit? If there’s anything you want to drink, I’ll bring it to you. Juice?”

“I’m not planning to swim, do I really have to change? Just orange juice or something would be fine.”

“Ah, I didn’t mention it. We watch the movie while in the ocean.”

“…Why?”

It’s not like it’s a drive-in theater, what is this, an under-the-sea theater?

“Because it’s more fun that way. The bathroom is over there, so just change and come out.”

Danielle went into the bathroom in a daze. It felt somewhat uncomfortable, but she changed into her swimsuit for now. It was a simple black tankini without even frills.

‘What does he mean by watching a movie in the ocean?’

No matter how short it was, it would be over an hour, and since the sunset was already beginning, the sun would set soon.

Missing the small hints Frederick had thrown, Danielle twisted her hair up with a clip and came out of the bathroom.

One more person had been added next to Frederick.

“Hi, Danielle!”

Though she called out cheerfully, the owner of the voice was someone Danielle couldn’t exactly greet warmly.

Stella was standing next to Frederick wearing an ice blue bikini. Her thick curly blonde hair was as radiant as her smile.

“You’re late? Is that possibly a swimsuit? Ahaha. That’s really amazing! I wouldn’t have been able to wear something like that. Your confidence is no joke.”

“It’s just a black swimsuit though?”

“Yeah, at our school you’re definitely the only one who could wear it. It’s unique.”

“…”

Emily Holt was better since at least she had no pretense. Stella Bellavia was 10 times more annoying to Danielle.

She was excellent at spitting out words that never sounded good while not revealing her true nature, making them sound like compliments.

“…Frederick, how’s my swimsuit? You can be honest. Is it too simple?”

Saying he could be honest was all lies. In fact, what Frederick should say was already decided.

Think carefully before you speak, Frederick.

‘If you talk nonsense right now, I’ll never forgive you for the rest of my life.’

Asking him to say something nice about a swimsuit she roughly bought during an end-of-season sale at TJ Maxx, America’s representative thrift market, felt like a somewhat unreasonable request, but that was something he should handle with his smooth Italian tongue.

It wasn’t like she expected something amazing, just something like ‘You look so pretty to me?’ would have been enough.

But Frederick suddenly approached the table. Then he took out a light purple flower from the small vase on the table.

And he approached Danielle, tucked the flower behind her ear, and said this:

“Madonna mia… It’s not that you’re wearing a black swimsuit, but rather the black swimsuit seems to have been created to complete the artwork that is you.”

Hey, that’s too much.

Danielle was silently shocked. The fact that there was no playful expression on Frederick’s face was another continuous surprise.

Stella’s expression, which she checked discreetly, was also predictably distorted. Seeing that felt somewhat satisfying.

But that was only when done in moderation.

“Our darling has redefined black as heart-stopping art. Should we call this black shade ‘Dani-black’ from now on?”

“I get it, so just do one verse, just one verse…”

‘Is he trying to turn me into some four-legged mollusk for swimming?’

Like an octopus, her toes already seemed to be curling up. Danielle had no immunity to this kind of sweet talk.

‘Looking at this guy, I wonder if he has awareness or not…’

Maybe it’s a sophisticated strategy to embarrass me…

However, Frederick’s face, which she glimpsed, had an affectionate smile. Instead, Stella, as if she was thoroughly scratched, couldn’t stand it anymore and opened her mouth.

“Danielle, you don’t need to get validation from men for everything like that, you’re wonderful enough. Love yourself.”

It would have been nice if she could have brushed it off indifferently, but Danielle was perfectly scratched by Stella’s words.

Stella had already pointed out Danielle’s double eyelids during Lower School, asking if Asians had plastic surgery even at a young age.

“Did someone burden you by saying your face needed to be fixed? It would be really sad if you did that because you didn’t love your natural face.”

‘This damn racist bitch.’

That damn ‘Love yourself.’ Danielle now understood why the male students were so enthusiastic about the Fight Club Gym that Frederick built with his own money.

She was tired of subtly competing and bickering with words and just wanted to have a fight with Stella right now. You ‘love yourself,’ you cunning fox.

That’s when it happened.

“No, Stella.”

Frederick lightly grasped Danielle’s shoulders with both hands.

“I’m her boyfriend. How could my opinion be the same as other men’s? And-“

Danielle was startled by the faint warmth that approached near her cheek. Frederick’s breath touched her skin directly, keeping a distance of two finger joints.

“My father always told me. A man should praise and worship his goddess.”

“…”

Stella was smiling. As if she was truly happy. It was a flawless, perfect smile as if today was her birthday.

“I see. That’s wonderful. I’ll go down first.”

The loser eventually showed her back and exited first, but even as Danielle exhaled deeply, she didn’t particularly feel like she had won.

The current Frederick Bastia was fake. She must never forget this fact under any circumstances.

So instead of a strange excitement, only something lukewarm remained in Danielle’s heart.

“The girls you dated before must have been worth dating you.”

“What do you mean?”

Danielle pulled out the flower tucked behind her ear.

“Your lip service is good. Goddess and all that.”

In this cutting-edge era where artificial intelligence even writes love letters, he used the word ‘goddess’ with his own mouth without changing his expression.

‘This is why I keep getting swayed by this guy.’

Danielle concluded that it wasn’t just her problem, but any woman in the world would definitely be swayed in front of Frederick Bastia.

“I’ve never said this to other girls.”

Danielle, who was about to head to the door where Stella had disappeared, paused. When she turned her head, Frederick raised one corner of his mouth and shrugged both shoulders.

“Liar.”

“It’s not a lie.”

I told him to only do one verse, but he did a second verse. Frederick persistently added a third and fourth verse.

“Believe me, honey-“

What kind of logical argument was that. Danielle tried to ignore Frederick, who was acting cute like a teddy bear, with a face that had lost all sense.

But when she heard the zipper sound and felt the sensation of her shoulders and back being covered, Danielle looked down at her shoulder. The identity of the touch was Frederick’s zip-up hoodie.

“It doesn’t matter if it gets wet. Keep this on.”

When Danielle silently put her arms through, Frederick zipped it up all the way. Almost to her neck.

“…It’s too big.”

“Just roll up the sleeves. Don’t take it off. Promise.”

Frederick rolled up each sleeve of his light blue zip-up with his large hands. Instead of answering, Danielle turned around, trying to swallow the subtle sensation.

Danielle put her shoes in the shoe rack where other students seemed to have left their shoes and headed to the door where Stella had gone. The stairs led toward the beach so they could go down to the ocean.

Just opening the door brought a wave of ocean scent. But what entered Danielle’s view wasn’t the ocean. It wasn’t the American Football Team male students who were playing beach volleyball shirtless, showing off their smooth bronze skin while wearing only pants in the sunlight on the beach.

What caught Danielle’s gaze was a huge screen erected high in the middle of the beach like a billboard advertisement.

Danielle’s mouth fell open.

Though she was told to wear a swimsuit, what Danielle had expected was at most sitting on the beach to watch. Danielle turned her head to Frederick who had followed her out.

“We watch movies like that…? What movie are you even showing?”

“A movie that’s more fun to watch in the ocean. What do you think it is?”

I already knew you trust fund babies are dopamine addicts who spend money lavishly, but…

“JAWS.”

“….”

Jaws in the ocean….

‘Whose idea was this, really.’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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