Chapter 20 DEBBY
Debby’s phone rang, and her heart did a little flip. She already knew who it was. She grabbed her phone and rushed to the window. There he was—Kyle. Handsome as ever, phone pressed to his ear, eyes scanning the building.
The moment he spotted her, a grin spread across his face. He waved.
Debby’s cheeks flushed as she waved back before whirling around and grabbing her purse.
Tonight was special. Their first official date.
Just as she yanked the door open, she froze.
Her father stood right there, his expression unreadable.
For a second, neither of them spoke. He looked like he was about to knock.
“Dad?” she asked, shifting uncomfortably.
“Where are you going?” His voice was calm, but his eyes held something else.
Debby stepped past him. “Out. I have a date.”
“With that boy?”
She sighed, already walking toward the stairs. “His name is Kyle.”
“Debby, I need to talk to you.”
She paused, glancing back. “Can it wait? I promise I won’t be out late.” A lie. She was planning to sleep over at Kyle’s if things went well.
Her father studied her for a moment. Then, with a sigh, he stepped aside. “Be careful.”
She flashed him a smile. “I will.”
Outside, the driver was already standing by, ready to open the door for her, but she waved him off. She had other plans.
Kyle was leaning against his car, watching her with that effortless charm that always made her stomach flutter.
The moment she reached him, he pulled her into a tight embrace.
“Missed me?” he murmured against her hair.
Debby smirked. “It’s been like… five hours.”
“Too long.”
She laughed as he pulled away, his hands lingering on her waist.
“How do I look?” she asked, twirling dramatically.
Kyle’s gaze raked over her slowly. “Dangerous.”
“Dangerous?”
“Yeah. If you keep looking this good, I might have to fight off every guy in the restaurant.”
Debby rolled her eyes, but her heart was pounding.
Kyle opened the car door for her. “Your chariot awaits, my lady.”
“Where are we going?” she asked as he slid into the driver’s seat.
Kyle simply smirked. “You’ll see.”
The drive was smooth, filled with laughter and Kyle dodging every attempt she made to get him to reveal their destination.
When they finally pulled up in front of a stunning, high-end restaurant, Debby’s mouth dropped open.
“Kyle…” she breathed, taking in the golden lights and valet parking. “This place looks crazy expensive.”
Kyle winked. “Only the best for my girl.”
Her heart soared.
She hooked her arm through his as they walked in, marveling at the extravagant decor. The chandeliers, the crisp white tablecloths, the waiters in black and white uniforms—it was like something out of a dream.
As they sat down, she smirked. “So, are you going to admit you’re secretly a billionaire now?”
Kyle chuckled. “I keep telling you, I’m not.”
“Then how can you afford all this?”
He leaned in, eyes glinting mischievously. “I already told you it was forex.”
She nodded.
He leaned back. “So what do you want to do in the future?”
Debby smiled. “I want to be successful. Have a career I love. Maybe even travel the world.”
Kyle nodded approvingly. “I like that but it wouldn’t hurt to learn. You can have a career and still invest, you know.”
Debby wrinkled her nose. “I’m not interested in forex trading. I’ll stick to my plans, thanks.” She tilted her head. “And you? What’s your plan?”
He didn’t hesitate. “Business. Chains of them. I don’t want to work for anyone. I want to build an empire.”
Debby grinned. “See? That sounds exactly like a billionaire’s mindset.”
Kyle smirked, taking her hand and pressing a kiss to her palm. The warmth of his lips sent a shiver down her spine.
And then the air between them shifted. Her breath caught, and just as she was about to speak, the restaurant doors burst open and two men in black suits stepped inside, scanning the room.
Debby’s stomach twisted as their eyes landed on her and Kyle and they strode towards them.
Kyle followed the direction of her eyes and he saw them too. His body tensed.
“Kyle Hart?” one of them said, pulling out a badge. “You’re under arrest for fraud and theft.”
Debby’s heart stopped. “What?” she whispered.
The officer pulled out handcuffs. “Stand up.”
Debby looked at Kyle, expecting him to laugh. To say this was some kind of mistake.
But he didn’t. He just sat there, silent. Her stomach dropped.
“Kyle?” Her voice was small.
He turned to her, his eyes suddenly intense. “Debby, listen to me. This is a misunderstanding.”
Her pulse was hammering. Fraud? Theft?
The men yanked Kyle to his feet.
“Wait!” Debby gasped. “You’ve got the wrong person! He wouldn’t—”
Wouldn’t he?
She didn’t know his parents. He was ridiculously rich for a teenager. And this place… This restaurant was too expensive.
It all clicked.
Forex trading? Or fraud?
Kyle looked at her. “Debby, please. You have to believe me.”
Her throat closed. Did she?
Kyle didn’t fight. He didn’t argue. He let them cuff him like he had done this before.
Debby felt sick.
Her hands trembled as she reached for her phone. She needed to call someone—anyone.
Just then, her screen lit up with a message from an unknown number.
With shaking fingers, she opened it.
“You think Kyle’s being honest with you? Nah. Do you know why he’s 20 and we’re all 18? That’s because he skipped two years. And do you know where he was during those two years? Juvenile hall. Prison. Wake up, Debby Carter.”
Her vision blurred and the phone slipped from her hand.
