Chapter 1My Online Boyfriend Is A Snake

My online boyfriend is a bit of a weirdo.

He constantly sends me pictures of his pet snake, always asking me if I think the little guy is handsome.

I honestly am not a huge fan of reptiles.

But my virtual boyfriend is a god at video games, has a voice like liquid velvet, and is incredibly generous with his wallet.

So, I routinely swallow my conscience and shower the reptile with praise.

"Absolutely gorgeous!"

"That is literally the most handsome snake I have ever seen in my entire life!"

He would always text back, "Does my baby like him?"

I would reply in seconds. "I love him! So much!"

Fully satisfied, the man on the other end of the screen would casually wire me five thousand dollars.

Eventually, I wanted to meet up in real life.

But when I arrived at our agreed location, the only thing waiting for me was that little black snake.

* * *

It was incredibly easy to recognize the little black snake.

After all, Asher sent me pictures of him every single day.

"This is his front profile."

"This is his back."

"Here is a side view."

I practically had the reptile's anatomy memorized.

So, even though the little black snake had been meticulously groomed today, wearing a miniature top hat and a tiny silk bowtie, I recognized him instantly.

The strange part was that Asher was nowhere to be found.

I mean, I look pretty good in person.

There was no way he got spooked by my appearance, abandoned his precious pet, and made a run for it, right?

Maybe he just stepped out to take a call or grab something from a store.

I thought about standing a bit further away to wait.

But the moment the little snake locked his emerald-green slit pupils on me, his eyes lit up with an unnatural brightness.

He let out a soft hiss.

He genuinely seemed thrilled to see me.

I was still a little creeped out.

But then I remembered this was the beloved pet of my stupidly rich, overly generous internet boyfriend.

I had to put on the performance of a lifetime.

Bracing myself, I sat down next to him.

The light in the little snake's eyes grew even brighter. He happily wiggled the very tip of his tail, slowly inching closer to me.

Swallowing the urge to scream, I put on my best gentle, maternal smile.

I even reached out and lightly teased his chin.

Sitting alone at a table with a reptile was getting incredibly awkward, so I gathered my courage and spoke to it.

"You are so cute."

The little snake actually seemed to understand me.

A faint, rosy flush miraculously appeared on his dark, scaly face.

Testing the waters, I added, "You look even better in person than in your photos."

The snake was over the moon.

He even lifted his tail tip to wave at me.

Fighting down my primal human fear of cold-blooded creatures, I did my absolute best to interact with the little guy.

I was determined to make sure that when Asher finally came back, he would see me radiating pure, maternal love.

And then, hopefully, he would wire me another five grand.

But I kept up the act from noon until nightfall.

Sitting in that high-end luxury restaurant, I drank three artisan lemonades, ate a plate of truffle pasta, two salads, and three different cuts of steak.

I texted Asher ten different times.

No reply. No Asher.

It wasn't until midnight that the waiter finally approached my table. "Miss Sophie, we are preparing to close for the night."

Was this bastard Asher playing some kind of sick joke on me?

Feeling utterly humiliated, I reached for my purse to pay the massive bill.

The waiter just smiled warmly and shook his head.

"The future boss's wife never has to pay for her meals."

The staff even brought out a mountain of beautifully wrapped gift bags that Asher had prepared for me in advance.

It suddenly clicked.

Asher didn't show up because this was a test.

Billionaires love doing this kind of thing.

He wanted to observe me from the shadows to see if I was emotionally stable, if I had good manners, and if I possessed a genuinely loving heart.

Normally, I possess none of those things.

But remembering the sheer size of Asher's bank account, I was suddenly overflowing with the noblest virtues known to mankind.

If this was a test, I was going to pass it with flying colors.

So, when I gathered my things to leave, I absolutely refused to leave the snake behind.

Steeling my nerves, I scooped the little guy up, tucked him against my chest, and carried him all the way home.

You can do this, Sophie. You are going to secure the bag.