If you asked me whether I'd ever want to go back to my past, I'd tell you—hell no.
There was nothing back there worth revisiting. Not even for the nostalgia. My past? It sucked. Straight-up miserable.
And just when things were finally starting to go right—when my life was finally gaining some traction…
Boom.
Here I am.
Back at square one.
Standing outside the gates of my old high school like someone hit rewind on my entire life.
A few minutes ago, I was driving my black Porsche Cayman through the city. Not the flashiest model out there, but it was mine. Sleek, clean, quiet—just like the life I was building. I was heading home after a client meeting, sun setting, playlist vibing. Things were good.
Then I saw her.
This old lady just… stepped out into the road. No crosswalk. No signal. Just shuffled right in front of me like she was on a mission from God.
I slammed on the brakes, heart in my throat, barely stopping in time.
I jumped out, rushed over, and asked if she was okay. She smiled. Didn't say a word. Just nodded.
Then—someone shoved me. Hard.
I staggered back, bracing for pavement.
But instead of falling, I opened my eyes… and I was here.
I sighed. "God, I really came back."
To be clear, high school was never good to me. I was the quiet type—skinny, decent-looking, zero presence. The kind of guy people either ignored or picked on. High school wasn't a time I looked back on fondly. It was a place I'd gladly left behind.
And yet today, here I was again, with a crowd of students gathering to check their post-exam scores.
"Excuse me, are you Liam?" someone asked.
I turned and spotted a man who looked to be in his forties, dressed head-to-toe in a fitted black suit with a crisp white dress shirt and a matching black hat that made him look like he belonged in a high-end chauffeur catalog. He gave me a polite, practiced smile—cool, composed, completely professional.
"I work for the Ye family," he said smoothly. "My young lady has asked me to invite you over."
He gestured toward a sleek black Jeep parked across the street.
In the backseat, with the windows rolled down, sat a black-haired girl whose entire presence screamed I run the world. Alice Ye. She leaned against the car window like it was her throne, then glanced over at us and gave me a crooked smile, like this whole thing was just a casual meetup between old friends.
Are you kidding me? Of all the days, it had to be this one, Liam thought, letting out a slow exhale before casually strolling toward the Jeep.
The older man blinked, clearly startled by how little hesitation the boy had. But he quickly regained his composure and followed, adjusting his pace to match.
Liam didn't even look back. He walked around the car and slid into the back seat through the opposite door, as if this were the most normal thing in the world.
The moment I sat in her car, memories of this day came rushing back like a slap to the face.
Today was that day.
The day I agreed to pretend to be the boyfriend of Alice Ye's mother.
Yep. You heard that right.
Her mom's boyfriend.
Why did I agree to something that insane? One reason: money. She promised me a fat stack of cash if I could pull it off.
Spoiler alert—I didn't.
Her dad saw through me in minutes. Total humiliation. And when I got home? My parents lit me up like I'd committed some kind of moral war crime.
So yeah—no payday, no dignity, and a long lecture from both sides.
The experience was burned so deeply into my brain that years later, when I finally had the means to buy my first real car, I didn't go with something flashy or overhyped.
I bought this exact model.
The same one I'm sitting in right now.
Full circle, I guess.
Alice was wearing an oversized white T-shirt that hung just low enough to mostly hide the black shorts underneath. Effortless. On-trend. And annoyingly distracting.
Even with the loose fit, her body was impossible to ignore. Those legs alone looked like they'd walked straight off a fashion magazine cover—sculpted, smooth, and way too long for someone who spent her free time scheming for sport.
She turned to me. "You ready?"
Same voice as I remembered—soft, sugary, like syrup poured over cotton candy. Completely at odds with her don't-mess-with-me energy.
I leaned back, elbow on the armrest, and glanced over at her. "Let's just get this over with. I haven't forgotten—I'm here to play your dad today."
She blinked. "Huh?"
A flicker of confusion crossed her face. Eyebrows twitching. Like I'd just said I was here to audition for The Bachelor: Senior Edition.
"Wait—no. That came out wrong," I said quickly, face heating up. "Your mom's boyfriend. Not your dad. I misspoke ."
It was muscle memory at this point—the way I fumbled, backtracked, tried to smooth things over. People-pleasing. Apologizing before anything even had a chance to get weird. That used to be my default setting.
Alice folded her arms and gave me a sideways look. "Let's try to hold it together, alright? If you screw this up in the first five minutes, the deal's off."
I nodded. "Got it. I'll give you exactly what you need."
We pulled up in front of a high-end tea house tucked into a quiet street downtown. The kind of place with old-money energy—hand-carved wooden doors, polished stone floors, and silence so thick it made you second-guess every step.
Inside, a hostess in a fitted qipao led us through a maze of lacquered hallways toward a private room.
As we walked, I tried not to stare at her legs again.
I failed.
"You even listening?" Alice stopped mid-step and shot me a glare.
"Yeah, sorry. Just… first time in a place like this. Kinda nervous."
She rolled her eyes. "Stick to the story. No improvising. No dumb jokes. Just play your part."
"Sure thing."
We stepped into the room.
Sitting at the table was a man in his mid-fifties, dressed in a tailored blazer and a watch that probably cost more than my rent. Sharp haircut. Fit. Definitely the kind of dad who drinks protein shakes with his morning paper.
Across from him sat a woman in her twenties, model-tier pretty, posture perfect, smile polite.
Alice stopped in her tracks.
She clearly hadn't expected the plus-one.
Her dad stood, smiling like this was a casual Sunday brunch. "Sweetheart. Glad you came. Thought this would be a good chance for you and Lin to finally meet."
The woman next to him gave a nod and a soft smile. Warm, but measured. Definitely not Alice's mom.
"And I hear you brought your boyfriend," her dad added, looking at me. "That's great! See? I'm not upset. He's a good-looking guy—I'm happy for you."
I cleared my throat. "Actually… I'm not her boyfriend."
The air in the room seemed to freeze.
Her dad's smile faltered. "I'm sorry?"
I looked him straight in the eye, then casually pointed across the room.
"That's my partner," I said, nodding toward her mom.
Silence.
Dead silence.
The air in the room flatlined. Alice's dad just stared at me, completely blank, like his brain had hit a blue screen. Even the model-girl next to him raised her hand to her mouth, eyes wide in stunned disbelief.
And that… is how I walked into the first day of my past.