Chapter 4 Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Kimberly’s POV

The restaurant was breathtakingly exquisite in a way that made my stomach turn.

Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, casting soft golden light over twenty empty tables covered in fine white linen. Someone had lit candles at each setting even though it was only 3 p.m., and the quiet clink of silverware being polished by staff in the back was the only sound. The air smelled like lemon polish and money.

Kai’s father had rented out the entire place for this meeting.

Not a corner booth. Not a private room. The whole restaurant.

That was the point, I realized as I sat alone at a table for four, my cheap tote bag tucked awkwardly under my chair. It was damage control at the highest level. It was power. It was a reminder that I was a college senior who worked double shifts at the campus café.

It made me feel even smaller than I already did.

The door swung open and Kai walked in like he owned the building which, given his family, he probably could. He was in a black cashmere sweater and dark jeans, hair still damp from a shower, jaw tight. He didn’t look at me at first. He just dropped into the seat across from me with clear irritation, as if this apology was a dentist appointment.

Zach, his manager, sat beside him with a tight smile.

“Are you happy now?” Kai said, finally looking at me. His ocean-blue eyes were cold. “I apologized. That’s what you wanted so badly, right?”

I kept my hands folded tightly on the table so he wouldn’t see them shake. The words his PR team had clearly written for him still hung in the air from thirty seconds earlier, a flat, practiced “I’m sorry for the misunderstanding outside the club.”

“Thank you for the apology,” I said quietly. I meant it, mostly because I wanted this to be over. “But it wasn’t my intention for things to escalate this far.”

Kai let out a harsh laugh that echoed off the empty tables. “Really? If you hadn’t recorded me or thrown your fucking shoe at my face, would we even be sitting here right now?”

My cheeks burned. I could still feel the phantom weight of that silver heel in my hand. “Are you always this fickle, or do you just have violent mood swings? You don’t even know my intentions, yet you keep jumping to conclusions.”

“Jumping to conclusions?” His voice rose dangerously. He reached into his bag and slammed a magazine onto the table, shoving it toward me so hard my water glass shook.

The cover showed a blurry photo of us outside The Palms, me barefoot on the sidewalk, him in the back of his car, my face twisted in fury. The headline screamed in bold red:GOLDEN BOY EXPOSED: Kai Dawson Assaults a Lady.

“Is that why you immediately assumed I was a scumbag who hits women?” he said, leaning forward.

“Kai, calm down,” Zach said quickly, placing a hand on his shoulder. He turned to me with that exhausted PR smile. “Please ignore his temper.”

I stared at the magazine, humiliation and anger swirling in my chest until I couldn’t tell them apart. My phone had been destroyed. My name was now attached to his on every gossip blog in new-York . And he was acting like I was the problem.

“Wow,” I said, pushing the magazine back. “You really are a scumbag, just like I thought.”

I pushed my chair back and stood up. My knees were shaking, but I was done.

“Please sit down, Kimberly,” Zach pleaded, standing too. “We can solve this amicably. We asked you here to fix this, not fight.”

I exhaled shakily and sat back down because I needed this to end more than I needed pride. “I only have thirty minutes to spare now. I have to get to work. My shift at the café starts at four.”

“Thirty minutes it is,” Zach said, checking his expensive watch. “They should be here any moment.”

Right on cue, the restaurant door opened again. A stylish woman in a cream blazer and a sharp-looking man in glasses walked toward our table with the kind of energy that made everyone turn.

“Hi, I’m Aria, and this is Won. Nice to meet you both,” the woman said brightly as they took their seats, pulling out tablets and folders like this was a business merger. Which, I suppose, it was.

Kai and I exchanged confused glances. His brow furrowed. Mine probably did too.

Aria leaned forward with obvious excitement, her eyes flicking between us like we were a math problem she’d already solved. “Our company is producing a new variety show called “Dating My Anti-Fan.”

I blinked. “I’m sorry, what?”

“It follows a top celebrity and someone who has publicly clashed with them,” Won explained smoothly, picking up where she left off. “They live together for six weeks, go on dates, complete missions, and clear up misunderstandings on camera. The goal is to show growth, that even enemies can find common ground. Our tagline is ‘We Are All One’ by the end.”

Aria smiled wider. “You two are perfect for this. The public is already obsessed with your story. A popular, arrogant football star and the ordinary girl who stood up to him? The chemistry is undeniable. Think about it, the fights, the tension, the forced proximity. Cameras everywhere, even in the shared apartment. It’ll completely flip the narrative, fix Kai’s image, and honestly, Kimberly, it would give you massive exposure.”

I sat there stunned, my heart pounding so loud I was sure they could hear it. The chandelier light suddenly felt too hot.

“I wasn’t even a fan of this guy to begin with,” I said, my voice coming out smaller than I wanted. “I don’t watch football. I’m definitely not the right fit for this show.”

“But you’ve already become a symbol of an anti-fan,” Won added, unfazed. He slid a tablet toward me showing the hashtag #JusticeForKimberly trending with 2.3 million views. “That makes you perfect. The public is already invested in your story. They want to see what happens next.”

Kai looked like he was about to explode. His hands were fists on the white linen. “Never,” he said, his voice low and final. “I’m not doing this. Find someone else.”

I stood up again, grabbing my tote. This was insane. “I agree with him for once. I’m sure you can find another anti-fan. Look into that.”

Before I could take a second step, Zach spoke up, his voice dropping. “Kimberly, wait. Kai’s dad is offering very generous compensation. Way more than you’d make from part-time jobs for years. Plus, it could open doors for your future after graduation.”

He leaned in and quietly mentioned the number.

I froze mid-step.

It was life-changing. Not “new phone” money. Not “pay rent” money. It was “clear my student debt, pay off the credit card I’d maxed out last semester when my dad got sick, and actually graduate without working three jobs” money.

My fingers tightened around the strap of my tote. I thought of the café apron waiting for me, the blisters from standing for eight hours, the tuition bill sitting in my email.

The manager continued, softer now, like he knew he had me. “Kai doesn’t really have a choice if he wants to save his image and keep his sponsors. We just need your approval to move forward.”

I stood there for a long moment, torn between pride and practicality, between wanting to slap Kai and wanting to never worry about money again.

“I… need time to think about it,” I said finally. My voice shook. “Can I go home first?”

“Of course,” Aria replied, already packing up like it was a done deal. “But the deadline is approaching, so please be fast. We want to start filming next week.”

Kai shot to his feet so fast his chair screeched against the marble floor. His eyes were blazing. “Are you crazy? Why would you even consider something this outrageous?”

I turned to face him, anger and desperation mixing inside me until I couldn’t breathe right. For the first time, I wasn’t scared of him.

“And what business is it of yours if I decide to accept?” I asked.

He stepped closer, close enough that I could smell his cologne, something clean and expensive and see the muscle ticking in his jaw. His voice dropped to a low, threatening whisper that only I could hear.

“I will make your life a living hell, Kimberly, if you ever accept this show.”

The whole restaurant went quiet. Zach looked away. Aria watched us like we were already filming.

I held his gaze, my heart racing with a mix of fury, fear, and something else I refused to name. I lifted my chin the same way I had in that hallway.

“I look forward to that, Kai.”