Chapter 228: Carly

They say forged hardships never quite hold up against a golden-haired beauty.

The exact reason Mikaela and Sam broke up remained unclear, but Sam certainly hadn't been the one to call it off.

Mikaela's connection with Sam had grown out of their shared, chaotic ordeal. Yet as the novelty faded over time, the halo around Sam wore off, leaving him looking like any ordinary college guy in her eyes.

A year ago, a heated argument had erupted between them, neither willing to yield. As it happened, Mikaela's father was leaving Los Angeles to pursue a fresh start elsewhere. Without a word, Mikaela packed her bags and quietly left town with him.

To Sam, her sudden departure meant one thing: he had been dumped.

Once the initial sting wore off, Sam resolved to dust himself off and move forward. He wanted to prove that even without the former high school queen on his arm, he could still catch the eye of someone incredible. After all, he was a guy who had saved the world twice over. Unsurprisingly, he soon found someone new.

His meeting with Carly had been simple enough.

Carly worked at a private museum, managing a collection of rare vintage automobiles for a wealthy collector. A university trip had brought Sam's class to the venue, placing the freshly single student right in her tour group.

Calling it love at first sight might have been stretching it, but Carly had approached Sam almost immediately, her enthusiasm unreserved. Sam had always lacked a defense against tall, striking blondes, and before long, friendly chatter had grown into the scene unfolding now: Carly sitting across his lap over the blankets.

Yet Sam had no idea that behind her day job at the museum, Carly held ties to a foreign embassy—the off-the-books kind.

When a woman whose charm exceeds her modest surroundings steps into your life, caution is usually wise. One ought to wonder if there is more to the story than simple luck. Good fortune rarely drops from the sky without a string attached.

"This is your lucky tie," Carly said, sitting across his lap with a bright smile as she waved the silk tie above his head. "Today is a big day, Sam. It's going to bring you all the luck you need."

For Sam, today was indeed a major turning point. It marked the first day of his transition into the professional world.

It was September 2011, and Sam was officially starting his senior year internship. Through a special arrangement arranged behind closed doors, he had secured a placement at an aerospace firm on the mainland. Today was his first day on the job.

"It's a nice tie, Carly," Sam said, taking the silk from her hands and inspecting it from side to side. "Though it feels a bit short to cover my whole body with luck. Maybe it'll just keep my brain lucky..."

Carly twirled a strand of golden hair around her finger, resting her free hand gently against his chest. "Well, it's a charm. I'll pick a longer one next time."

She possessed full, expressive lips, a healthy warm complexion, and a striking presence that gave her a distinct look. On a quiet morning like this, it was more than enough to leave Sam flustered.

"Time to get up."

A moment later, Carly sat up, her playful tone shifting instantly into sharp, brisk efficiency.

"Don't forget to wear that tie this afternoon, Sam," Carly called out, stepping barefoot across the wooden floor toward the closet. "By the way, do you need money for lunch?"

"No, I'm good. I still have cash left over from yesterday."

If there was one thing about Carly that bothered Sam compared to Mikaela, it was her mothering routine. She insisted on handling every detail, right down to his meal money, leaving him feeling like a dependent taking handouts.

"You really enjoy this, don't you, Carly? Treating me like some kept boyfriend."

Carly pulled a selected outfit from the rack, calling back without turning around, "You guessed it. I love a kept man!"

"No, now I'm just depressed," Sam muttered, pulling his trousers on as he followed her into the hallway. "I saved the world—twice, actually—and I still have to bend over backward just to get an entry-level job."

"I know, and I believe you," Carly said, applying her lipstick before the mirror as she smoothed down a sleek black pencil skirt. "But the rest of the world doesn't know you saved it, Sam."

Before the battle in Egypt, the global alert issued by the Fallen had made Sam briefly famous, though hardly in a heroic light. Very few people outside top-secret circles knew of his connection to the Autobots.

"Some people know. The government knows. But did they offer me a desk in D.C.? No." Sam leaned against the doorway. "Honestly, I should be with the Autobots. Optimus said they built a base down at Diego Garcia. Complete freedom. We're a team, Carly. They need me out there..."

After months of quiet routine, the itch for excitement was bound to return.

Carly capped her lipstick, adjusting her collar in the glass. "Well, sweetheart, at least they put you through college. And the President gave you a real medal."

Walking down into the living room, Sam glanced automatically toward the main wall, a proud grin spreading across his face.

Hanging on the wall was a large, beautifully framed photograph, mounted just below a gold-bordered medal with a blue star.

The photograph showed two figures holding the award together: Sam, dressed in a sharp suit with an ecstatic expression, standing beside President Obama, who offered a polite, dazzling white smile for the camera.

Looking at his younger self in the frame, Sam drifted back to that evening at the white house.

"Thank you, son. Great job out there. This country owes you a debt of gratitude."

The President had shaken his hand warmly, leaving Sam with a surge of pride he had never forgotten. The first thing he had done after receiving the award was share the news with Mikaela, before calling his parents. There had even been a small accident during the reception when he accidentally knocked over a glass side table...

"Hey, Sam, I have to run."

Carly slung her handbag over her shoulder, stepping over to wrap her arms around his neck. Dressed in her sleek professional attire, complete with thin-framed glasses and her hair tied back, she radiated an effortless, commanding air.

In contrast, Sam stood in faded denim and a graphic tee, looking like a college kid who had wandered into the wrong office. Standing together, they made a striking, slightly mismatched pair.

"Have a safe drive," Sam murmured, resting his forehead against hers as he cleared his mind of past memories. Mikaela was in the past; Carly was his partner now.

"I don't have much time, Carly," Sam added quietly. "My parents have been driving their RV across the country for two years, and they said they'll be arriving here in a week. I haven't seen them in person for ages, only on phone screens. If they find out we're living together under one roof, my mom will lose her mind."

"Hmm... I have an idea," Carly leaned her head back, offering a faint smile. "Prepare a nice candlelit dinner for me tonight, and I'll tell you how to handle your parents. If you impress me, there might even be an extra reward..."

"Oh, come on," Sam groaned playfully. "You know I can't resist that..."

Carly raised one heel slightly, her shoe catching against the leg of his jeans.

Before the moment could linger, Carly felt a strange nudge against her ankle.

She glanced down, her expression instantly shifting from warm affection to sheer alarm.

"Aah! Get it away!"

"What's wrong?" Sam lifted his head from her neck, wiping his mouth as he looked down at the floor.

Standing right beside Carly's ankle was a small, blue-armored bot with glowing optics, wringing its hands while staring straight at her legs.

"Nice view! You are smokin' hot, lady—way better than the last girl this kid brought home—whoa, hey! Wait!"

"Don't... why are you hitting me? I wasn't doing anything! I've got legs, I can walk myself out..."

Before the small bot could finish, Sam grabbed him by the back of the neck, marched across the living room to the patio door, slid the glass open, and kicked the little machine straight into the yard like a football.

Swish—

"Aah! I'll be back for—boom!"

With the moment ruined, Carly let out a breath and smoothed down her skirt. Walking over to the entryway mirror, she retrieved her coat from the rack.

"Sam, I don't mind having them around, but you need to keep a leash on your little friends. Yesterday when I got home, that 'Brains' creature was hiding inside my lingerie drawer. Heaven knows what he was trying to do in there..."

Brains—a former Decepticon data processor—had gained self-awareness after exposure to the AllSpark's energy pulse during the mission in Mission City. After the civil war broke out, he had abandoned his former faction and joined the Autobots.

A year ago, around the time Sam and Carly began dating, Brains had moved in to stay nearby. Because his alternate form was a compact laptop, the little bot functioned like a walking supercomputer with boundless processing range, capable of searching and downloading global networks in seconds.

"Don't worry, Carly, I'll talk to him," Sam said, closing the patio door with an awkward smile.

Her words sounded eerily familiar, leaving him with a strange, lingering sense of unease.

"I just want a normal boyfriend, Sam," Carly said, slipping her coat on and adjusting her hair once more. "Your giant metal friends are making our home life a little complicated."

"But that's why you love me, right?"

"I haven't said that word yet," Carly teased, looking back over her shoulder with a sharp smile. "Maybe if you start helping with the rent, I'll think about saying it."

"Trust me, that day is coming real soon."

"I believe you. Bye, sweetie—see you tonight."

"Bye."

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