STIGMA

Z City was still bustling in the night. Kate Luo hastily walked through the evening crowd with a mobile phone in one hand and a handbag in the other, looking impatient. She pressed her phone against her ear, dreading the voice on the line of the other end.

"Kate, have you arrived at the cafe? Have you met Brain Li?" An excited middle-aged woman's voice sounded from the line.

"I'm almost there, Mom. I'll call you later, okay?" Kate Luo replied perfunctorily.

"Please don't mess up again, dear. Brain is a good man. Be at your best appearance and behavior when you see him..." Beep! Beep! Beep!

Before her mother could finish speaking, Kate Luo hung up and stuffed her phone in her bag. Then she exhaled softly.

She really did not understand why her mother was so keen on getting her to go on blind dates. She was not exactly in a rush to get married.

Despite her thoughts, she quickened her pace. The sooner she got this over with, the sooner she could go home.

A few minutes later, Kate Luo arrived at the Moon Cafe.

As soon as she entered the shop, she started searching for a man named Brian Li. She did not even know what he looked like, so she had to approach men who were alone at their tables.

"Hey, are you Brian Li?" Kate Luo saw a man who seemed to be waiting for someone, so she greeted him. She stood by his table and looked down at him.

When the man looked up at her, Kate Luo felt her heart flutter. She did not expect that her date would have such stunning good looks. He had a face that could have been chiseled out of marble and dark eyes that went deep. Kate Luo could only blink.

But the man had one imperfection. His eyes might go deep, but they were emotionless. His demeanor also exuded a unique coldness that Kate Luo had never felt in another person before. It made her shiver a little.

The man nodded slightly, his icy, godlike face looking like a Renaissance bust.

'Mom, where on earth did you find such a man?' Kate Luo thought. The men she had gone on blind dates with previously could not hold a candle to this beautiful yet aloof stranger.

"Hello, my name is Kate Luo. I'm your blind date. Look, I'm just going to be honest with you. I'm looking for someone to fake marry. We'll be husband and wife in front of everyone, but we'll be strangers to each other when no one's around. What do you think?" Kate Luo asked straightforwardly.

At her words, a hint of doubt flashed through the man's eyes.

"I'm not forcing you to do it. I just want to know if you're up for it," Kate Luo added.

It was she who was standing over him, but the man's straight posture and raised head completely suppressed her momentum. Under his strong and indifferent stare, Kate Luo could not help shrinking. She also found her voice softening a little. The man had a powerful presence.

"Okay. I agree," Brian Li finally replied nonchalantly.

When Kate Luo heard his answer, she heaved a big sigh of relief and casually said, "Finally! Someone who's game!"

She had pitched this proposal to many men before, but all of them recoiled. They thought that she might get a screw loose.

Well, she was not insane. She just wanted to get her mother off her case without actually getting married.

"When are you going to marry me? Oh, how demanding of me. I'm sorry. I'll just give you my phone number, and you call me when you decide." As she spoke, Kate Luo took out her phone from her bag, pulled up her own phone number, and read it to Brian Li.

Seeing that Brian Li took note of her number, Kate Luo turned around and left with the words, "See you again soon."

As Brian Li looked at Kate Luo's back, a smile spread across his face.

"Boss, Miss Chen is here." His assistant leaned in and spoke softly in his ear.

As soon as his assistant finished his words, a sexy and seductive woman walked toward Brian Li.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Brian." The woman's coquettish voice could capture even the attention of the most indifferent men.

"I'm sorry, too, Miss Chen, but I've just gotten engaged. I hope you find your own happiness," Brian Li replied in a cold but polite tone.

Then, he left without looking at her face.

Miss Chen was left shocked and then regretful. She deliberately made Brian Li wait for her as a test. She thought that if he waited, it would mean that he was truly interested in her. How could he be engaged in such a short period of time?

Kate Luo did not head back to her mother's home. She just called her mother and briefly reported what happened, which she exaggerated. She told her that she fell in love with Brian Li at first sight and was now so absorbed with him.

After speaking with her mother, Kate Luo finally felt relieved. A gentle smile lit up her face as she made her way to the Faraway Community.

The Faraway Community was located in the outskirts of Z City. It was relatively remote from the downtown, and life there was simple and quiet. Kate Luo liked it there very much.

When she arrived at her house, she found Sherry Xia waiting for her at the door.

"What are you doing here, Sherry? Why didn't you wait for me inside?" Kate Luo asked in a pampering tone.

The lovely and gentle girl was standing quietly at the door, looking at her with a smile. She had long, curly hair and a round, delicate face. Kate Luo always thought that she looked like a cute, life-sized Barbie doll.

"I finally succeeded in my blind date today. I met a man, and he agreed to be my nominal husband." Kate Luo opened the door to her house, and she and Sherry Xia went inside hand in hand.

A smile tugged at the corner of Sherry Xia's mouth as she listened to the other girl.

"Hey, didn't you hear what I just said? Aren't you happy for me?" Kate Luo laughed.