The Girl in the Hoodie is Mine

Chapter 178: The Devil’s Bargain

Jason POV:

I glare at her, debating my next move.

If I run, she might actually post it.

If I stay, I might die of embarrassment.

Neither option is ideal.

"Fine," I grumble. "What do you want?"

Ella taps her chin in thought, her evil little smirk growing wider by the second.

Oh, I don’t like that look.

I really don’t like that look.

"Well..." she starts, dragging it out just to torture me. "I could ask for something now, but I think I’ll save it for later."

I squint. "What do you mean?"

She shrugs. "I mean, I haven’t decided yet. But when the time comes, whatever I ask, you’ll have to fulfill it. No complaints. No negotiations."

My whole body tenses.

A mystery favor?

That could mean anything.

That could mean public humiliation.

That could mean attending fifty more events.

That could mean—I swallow—going shopping with her.

I narrow my eyes. "I don’t like this deal."

She smiles sweetly. "Then I guess I’ll just have to—"

"FINE!" I snap before she can even finish that threat. "Fine! You get one favor. That’s it."

Her smile widens, and I feel like I just signed a deal with the devil.

"But no murder," I add quickly. "And no setting me up for a public scandal."

She grins. "Define scandal."

Oh, I hate her.

"Go to sleep, Ella," I mutter, rubbing my temple.

"Sleep well, darling husband," she singsongs, walking away way too pleased with herself.

I groan and drag myself to my room.

At least now I can sleep off this damn hangover.

But something tells me...

I am going to regret this deal.

Okay.

I really need to get her stupid phone and delete that stupid video before my life spirals into a nightmare of blackmail and threats. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

Which, let’s be honest, has already begun.

I mean, she just made me agree to a mystery favor. A mystery favor.

This is only the beginning. If I don’t act fast, my entire life is going to be ruled by her threats and I will be reduced to a puppet husband dancing to her every whim.

No. Not happening.

But first... I need sleep.

This headache is pounding like a drum concert in my skull, and I swear if I don’t sleep it off, I might actually die.

Once I wake up?

Operation: Steal Ella’s Phone begins.

With that final thought, I stumble to my bed and let unconsciousness claim me.

When I wake up, my headache is still there, but at least now it’s downgraded from a drum concert to a persistent hammering.

The first thing I remember? freewёbnoνel.com

Ella.

And that stupid video.

I groan, rubbing my face. Right. That’s still a problem.

I need to get that phone before she has me dancing in a pink tutu.

I drag myself out of bed, still feeling like crap, but determined.

Mission Objective: Retrieve Ella’s phone and delete the cursed video.

Obstacles: A vengeful wife, her ridiculously good memory, and my own stupidity for getting caught in the first place.

I take a deep breath. I can do this.

I sneak out of my room like a criminal. The house is quiet, meaning Ella is probably in her room, plotting whatever hellish favor she’s going to ask for later.

I scan the living room, the kitchen, and the couch—no phone.

Damn it.

She must have taken it with her.

That means... I have to go into her room.

My soul physically leaves my body.

It’s one thing to be forced to share space with her during public events, but voluntarily entering the lion’s den? Yeah, that’s asking for trouble.

But desperate times call for desperate measures.

I creep towards her room, press my ear to the door, and listen.

Nothing.

Good.

I carefully twist the doorknob and push it open, stepping inside as quietly as possible. The room smells like her perfume, which is distracting and totally irrelevant to my mission.

Focus, Jason. FOCUS.

Her bedside table? No phone.

Her desk? No phone.

Under her pillow? Still no phone.

Where the hell—

Then I spot it.

The phone is right next to her, on the bed, charging.

And there she is—asleep, looking peaceful, like she didn’t just blackmail me hours ago.

This is my chance.

I tiptoe closer, my fingers inches away from my freedom.

Just a little more—

Then, out of nowhere, Ella stirs.

I freeze.

She shifts slightly, lets out a soft sigh, then settles back down.

I exhale slowly, my heart pounding.

That was too close.

Okay, back to the mission.

I carefully grab the phone, praying to every deity in existence that she doesn’t wake up.

The moment my fingers wrap around it, her voice cuts through the silence.

"Jason, what the hell are you doing?"

Oh, shit.

Discussion later.

I already got the phone.

Lucky me, she didn’t lock it. For once, her overconfidence works in my favor.

I turn quickly, my fingers moving at record speed, ready to wipe away the biggest mistake of my life.

But just as I’m about to tap the video, Ella jumps on me like a damn monkey.

"OH, HELL NO!" she screeches, wrapping her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist like some possessive koala.

And just like that—the struggle begins.

I stumble backward, trying to shake her off, but she’s clinging onto me for dear life.

"Let it go, Ella!" I growl, holding the phone above my head, out of her reach.

"In your dreams, Jason!" she snarls, grabbing my wrist and yanking it down.

We twist, turn, crash into furniture, and probably wake up half the neighborhood in the process.

"Give it back!"

"Delete the damn video first!"

"No way in hell!"

She claws at my hand, trying to pry the phone free, but I refuse to let go.

At some point, we crash onto the bed, rolling around like deranged toddlers fighting over a toy.

Then she bites me.

"OW! Did you just BITE me?!"

"I warned you!" she hisses, her teeth still clamped onto my shoulder.

"Are you a damn vampire?!" I yelp, trying to shake her off.

The phone slips from my hand.

Shit.

We both dive for it at the same time, but because life hates me, she grabs it first.

Ella scrambles away, holding the phone to her chest like it’s her firstborn child.

I lay on the floor, panting, defeated, and questioning my life choices.

She smirks down at me.

"Nice try, hubby," she says, tauntingly. "But you should know by now—you’ll never win against me."

I glare at her, still catching my breath.

"You bit me."

"And?"

"That’s assault."

She grins, twirling the phone between her fingers. "Consider it self-defense."

I groan and cover my face.

I am never getting that damn video deleted.

I wasn’t giving up. Not now. Not when I was this damn close.

So, I grabbed her wrist and pulled.

Ella stumbled forward, crashing into me, and before I could think, we tumbled back onto the floor.

I rolled us over, pinning her beneath me, my hands trapping hers above her head.

And then—silence.

For the first time in forever, Ella wasn’t yelling, biting, or plotting my murder.

Because we both noticed.

The intimate position.

My body pressed against hers.

Her breath fanning my face.

The way her eyes widened slightly, then narrowed like she was trying to decide whether to murder me or—

Well.

That’s when I smirked.

Time for a bargain.

"Oh, my dear wife," I drawled, lowering my face just a little, my smirk widening as I felt her body tense beneath me. "It’s either you delete that video... or I kiss you."

Her eyes snapped up to mine, and oh, the horrified realization on her face?

Priceless.

"You wouldn’t," she hissed.

I tilted my head, letting my lips hover dangerously close to hers. "Try me."

Ella’s fingers twitched in my grip, her breath shallow and quick.

I saw the internal war in her eyes—was she going to risk the kiss, or was she going to give up and delete the evidence?

She licked her lips, and my eyes—traitors that they are—followed the movement.

Her smirk returned. "Go ahead," she challenged, voice soft but laced with mischief.

I narrowed my eyes. She’s calling my bluff.

Damn it.

But two can play this game.

I dipped my head, letting my nose graze hers, close enough that if she moved even a fraction, our lips would touch.

She froze.

Bingo.

I chuckled lowly. "You sure you want to test me, sweetheart?"

Her throat bobbed as she swallowed, her breath stuttering.

I could practically see the calculations running through her head.

Was a single kiss worth holding onto the video?

I had her right where I wanted her.