Chapter 15 - When the Hunter Becomes the Hunted.

The Moment Everything Changed

After slipping past the crowd of reporters, Nora rushed into the women's restroom, locked herself in a stall, and pressed a hand over her mouth.

Then—she burst into laughter.

She could still picture Dave's face, frozen in fury, his jaw clenched so tightly she thought it might snap. That moment alone was worth everything. At first, she had wondered why he had been so mad. But now, she knew the answer.

It was because of her.

That's why she had stood her ground. That's why she had handed him the phone instead of letting Francis Walter's assistant take the picture. Dave should have been the one to capture that moment. He should have seen her smiling with another man, should have realized—she wasn't his.

The memory sent a thrill through her.

Pulling out her phone, she scrolled through the pictures she had taken with Francis Walter. Her heart raced as she examined each shot—the way his hand had rested lightly on her shoulder, the warmth in his smile, the easy charm he exuded.

God, I still can't believe it.

If it weren't for the ongoing scandal tying her to Dave, she would have posted the pictures instantly. Her face wasn't widely known online, but her connection to Dave was.

The most hated "free woman" on the internet.

She smirked at the title, unbothered.

Her phone vibrated in her hands, snapping her out of her thoughts.

Francis Walter: Hey.

Her breath hitched.

Francis Walter just texted me.

A slow grin spread across her face. They couldn't risk chatting over social media—his fans were too obsessive, and even a whisper of a rumor could spiral out of control. Instead, they used a private messaging app.

She quickly tapped out a reply, her fingers trembling slightly with excitement.

For the first time in a long while, she felt like she had the upper hand.

---

Inside the Van

Inside a sleek, black van parked outside the venue, Francis Walter leaned back against the leather seats, his phone in hand, an amused grin playing on his lips.

Seated around him were Dave Trump and his four closest friends—Ivan Pavlov, Chris Hemsworth, Tyler Darrison, and Luis Brown.

The atmosphere in the van was thick with tension.

Dave sat rigid, his hands resting on his knees, but his clenched jaw and narrowed eyes betrayed his irritation.

Luis, always the one to stir the pot, leaned forward, feigning casual interest. "Francis, who are you texting?"

Francis, still grinning, lifted his head. "Nora. The fan I took a picture with. She's really beautiful—and she's got a bit of an attitude."

The four friends exchanged glances.

Then, as if on cue, they struggled to suppress their laughter.

Without warning, Dave lunged forward and snatched the phone from Francis's hands.

"She isn't for you," he said, his voice dangerously low.

Francis blinked. "What?"

Dave's grip tightened around the phone. "She's a pretender."

Francis frowned. "You know her?"

Instead of answering, Dave threw the phone back at him and stormed out of the van, slamming the door behind him.

The moment he was gone, the four men finally lost control.

Laughter erupted, filling the space.

Francis, still processing what had just happened, turned to them.

Ivan smirked. "You really don't know, do you?"

Chris leaned back, shaking his head. "Nora Smith. Think hard. The shameless girl."

Francis's brows furrowed. He had heard that name before. His friends had mentioned her more than once, usually with amusement, sometimes with disbelief.

Then, it clicked.

The infamous Shameless Nora.

The girl who had chased Dave for years, who had followed him with unwavering devotion, despite his constant indifference.

And yet—today, she had walked past him like he was nothing.

Francis chuckled, shaking his head.

Interesting.

So, Dave had been playing the cold, distant act all this time—only to snap the moment she looked elsewhere?

Francis smirked.

She should give up on him.

He'd make sure of it.

---

Dave's Breaking Point

The air outside was cold, but Dave barely felt it as he stormed toward his car.

His blood boiled.

He yanked at his tie, loosening it as he pulled out his phone.

For the first time in history—he texted her first.

Dave: Let's meet.

He didn't know what he would say when he saw her.

He just knew he needed to see her.

Now.

---

Nora's Reaction

Nora had barely left the restroom when her phone buzzed again.

She glanced down—and froze.

Dave: Let's meet.

Her heart stopped.

Then, her lips parted in disbelief.

Did Dave just… text her first?

For a second, she could only stare, rereading the message over and over again, making sure she wasn't imagining things.

And then—

She let out a shriek.

A full, unrestrained, I-cannot-believe-this shriek.

Her hands clutched at her phone as she spun around in excitement.

"You messaged me first? You?" she muttered, grinning wildly.

So, all this time… you were just playing hard to get, huh, Mr. Dave Trump?

Laughter bubbled in her chest.

She had waited years for this.

And now—

Now, it was her turn to play.