Trapped in a Secret Marriage with a Dangerous Billionaire - Chapter 294

Chapter 294: Asher Goes On a Blind Date
The elegant chandeliers of the five-star diner cast a golden glow over the polished floors, and the soft hum of classical music filled the air. The restaurant was bustling with well-dressed patrons, each engaged in quiet, sophisticated conversations.

But Asher? Asher was stuck in a nightmare.

Seated at a private booth near the floor-to-ceiling windows, he swirled the wine in his glass absentmindedly, glancing at his watch for the third time in the last ten minutes.

Twenty minutes late.

The blind date his mother forced on him was twenty minutes late.

And just when he was considering whether to walk out and tell his mother that this whole ‘give-me-a-grandchild’ mission was a horrendous idea, a feminine voice rang from behind him.

“Asher Moore?”

He looked up just as a tall, striking woman in a form-fitting red dress sauntered towards him. She had the effortless grace of a runway model—because, well, she was one. Audrey—his blind date.

But the moment she opened her mouth, whatever charm she had shattered instantly.

“I know, I’m late,” she said, flipping her long, silky hair over her shoulder. “I overslept.”

Asher arched a brow, waiting for an apology that never came.

Nothing. Not even a sheepish smile.

Still, because he was raised to be a gentleman, he stood and pulled out her seat. “You overslept? At 7 PM?” he asked casually.

Audrey laughed like it was the funniest thing in the world. “Ugh, don’t judge me! I had a really exhausting week—photoshoots in Milan, a private yacht party in Monaco, and then, of course, catching up on my beauty sleep. I deserve it.”

Asher forced a smile. “Right. Of course.”

He took his seat and signalled for the waiter. This was already going to be a long night.

As soon as Audrey got comfortable, she never stopped talking.

“Oh my God, you won’t believe what happened at my last show in Paris. One of the models literally tripped on the runway, and it was so embarrassing. Thank God that has never happened to me! Can you imagine? A model like me falling? Impossible.”

Asher took a slow sip of his wine. She never even asked him a question.

Audrey continued without pause, gesturing dramatically. “Then there’s this brand in New York that’s dying to sign me, but I’m holding out for better offers, you know? I mean, I need to be paid what I’m worth. These designers don’t appreciate how much work it takes to look this good!”

She batted her lashes at Asher, waiting for praise.

He gave her a blank stare.

The waiter arrived, sparing him for a moment. They placed their orders, and as soon as the waiter left, she was at it again.

“Speaking of good looks, did I tell you that Vogue called me last week? They want me for their next issue. Vogue! Can you believe it?”

Asher hummed noncommittally.

Audrey went on, completely missing his disinterest.

“Oh! And let’s not even talk about my followers. 3.2 million on Instagram! And they just keep growing! I mean, people love me. I can’t even go shopping in peace anymore without someone stopping me for a selfie!”

Asher resisted the urge to rub his temples. She was insufferable.

He tried to tolerate her, really. But when dinner finally arrived, and she continued blabbering with no regard for whether he was even listening, he decided he had suffered enough.

Subtly, he pulled out his phone under the table and texted the only person who could save him from this torture.

Asher: Call me in 2 minutes. Emergency.

Xander: Are you in trouble?

Asher: Yes. The worst kind. A date.

Xander: Understood.

Asher smirked and set his phone down. Two minutes. He just had to last two more minutes.

Audrey, completely unaware, was still talking.

“…and then my ex had the audacity to call me last week. Can you believe it? I told him, ‘Honey, you lost the best thing that ever happened to you, and there’s no going back!’ Ugh, men are so desperate.”

Asher’s phone rang. He let out a breath of relief.

“Excuse me,” he cut her off mid-sentence, holding up a hand. “I need to take this.”

He answered in the most serious business tone he could muster.

“Yes? Understood. I’ll be there soon.” He nodded along, faking a deep frown. “I’ll handle it immediately.”

Ending the call, he turned to Audrey, forcing an apologetic look. “Something urgent just came up at work. I have to leave.”

Audrey blinked. “What? But—”

“Enjoy the rest of your evening,” he cut in smoothly, standing and grabbing his coat.

“Wait! When are we going to meet again?” she pouted.

Asher was already walking away. “We’ll see.”

Spoiler alert: They would never see each other again.

—

The second Asher slid into the backseat of his car, he sighed. “Drive.”

As the vehicle pulled away, he leaned back against the seat and pulled out his phone. He scrolled through his contacts until he found Abigail’s name. With a smirk, he dialled.

After two rings, she picked up. “Asher? To what do I owe this rare honour of a late-night call?”

He chuckled. “I just left a date. And not just any date. The worst one of my life.”

Abigail laughed instantly. “Let me guess. Your mother’s arrangement?”

“Bingo.” He sighed dramatically. “Apparently, she wants a grandchild by next year, so now she’s throwing every single woman at me like I’m some auctioned prize.”

Abigail snorted. “I pity you.”

“You should. Tonight, she set me up with some international model—Audrey. She was beautiful, sure. But my God, she wouldn’t shut up!”

Abigail burst into laughter. “How bad was it?”

“I don’t even think she knows what my voice sounds like,” Asher said dryly. “She talked non-stop. About herself, her fans, her Instagram followers, her photoshoots. I could have walked out mid-dinner, and she still wouldn’t have noticed.”

Abigail laughed harder. “Serves you right. Maybe now you’ll finally settle down.”

“Actually, I have an idea,” Asher said smoothly. “I need you to pretend to be my girlfriend.”

She immediately shut it down. “Absolutely not.”

“Think about it. If I introduce you to my mother as my girlfriend, she’ll back off for a while. I’ll be free from these horrible dates, and you—well, you get the privilege of being seen with me.”

Abigail snorted. “I don’t do fake dating anymore, Asher.”

He smirked. “I’ll make it worth your while. Perks included.”

“I also don’t do flings anymore, no matter the perks,” she shot back.

Asher exhaled deeply. “Damn. I didn’t expect you to refuse me so quickly.”

“Never underestimate me,” Abigail teased. “Now, enjoy the rest of your night—alone. I need to speak to Aura about girls’ stuff.”

She hung up.

Asher stared at his phone before chuckling. “She didn’t fall for it.”