05. ISABELLE'S POV

It's been two days since I fainted and somehow ended up having dinner with a famous CEO in Spain. Life Is strange like that. Since I didn't get the job at Banderas Ètoile, I now work at a small café near the bank where Camille works as a teller. On the bright side, I get to see her often so not a total loss, right?

“He was so handsome, oh my God!” she squealed, practically bouncing in her seat. “And those biceps? He's tall, Isabelle. Tall.”

“ Okay, slow down.” I smirked. “So what you are telling me is….you're in love with a cop?”

“Mhmmm.” she nodded dreamily.

“I thought you hated them.” I furrowed my eyebrows.

“Not after I saw him.” She grinned, twirling a fork like she was in a rom-com.

“How did this happen? Wait…were you arrested?”

“ No!” she laughed. “There was a fight at the bank yesterday, so the police came. And that's when I saw him. It was magical.”

“So…you talked to him? or was it more like telepathic communication?” I teased.

Before she could respond,

“ISABELLE MANUEL.” 

Aaargh my annoying boss.

The man sounded like he was seconds from exploding. And to make matters worse, he was a creep. Let's just say a pervert. He has a habit of offering jobs in exchange for favors. Since I refused his advances, he made sure I paid it at work. But I never cared. He could keep his tantrums.

“ Yes,sir.” I said,forcing civility as I turned to him.

“ In my office. NOW.” he turned and stomped away.

“ Looks like you're in trouble.” Camille said,mouth full of cake I baked her.

“ Yup. As always. See ya.” 

I walked into his office, already bracing myself. And yes,as Camille said I was in trouble. His face said it all.

“ What's this?” He hissed, slamming the magazine down in front of me.

I glanced down and nearly fainted.

“A young redhead woman seen with Mr Giovanni, the CEO of the Banderas Ètoile, having dinner. The two of them were later spotted entering a hotel. Is she the new girl-”

I couldn't breathe.

 What the fuck? Yes, we had dinner but I wasn't alone. And we definitely didn't enter any hotel! What's going on?

“ You know I don't tolerate scandals among my staff,” he said, circling toward me like a vulture.

“ But…. I might forgive you. And you know how.” His hand slid to my hips.

Without hesitation, I slapped him.

Hard.

I was very angry at Giovanni, at my boss, at everything, I snapped. I stormed out, his shouts echoing behind me.

“I am going to kill that bastard,” I muttered, bolting outside.

Surprisingly there were more than three news reporters with cameras ready for another scandal. How the hell did they know where I worked?

 Oh, he's going to pay for this.

 I jumped into a taxi and headed straight for Banderas Ètoile. I didn't care if it was reckless. I wasn't letting this slide.

I barged through the doors like I owned the place. The security scrambled to stop me, but I pushed forward. My eyes locked on the CEO'S office. Without knocking , I blasted the door open.

And, there he was. Mr. Giovanni. Sitting behind his desk calm as ever, typing on his sleek Macbook. His hair slicked back. Anti-blue light glasses perched on his nose. He looked so handsome that I couldn't focus. 

Not now, Isabelle. Focus.

Security moved to drag me out. But he raised a hand and they backed off.

“Isabelle,” He said, offering a small smile.

“Qué es esto?”(What's this?). I snapped, slamming the magazine on his desk.

He furrowed his brows looking at the magazine then looked back at me.

“ Speechless huh?” I said. “ Look, just because you're friends with Lulu doesn't mean you get to play me. We don't even know each other. Why would you do this?”

He stared at the page “A shampoo ad?” he asked, confused. 

“What?” I glanced down. Oh no. 

Wrong page.

 I quickly flipped to the gossip article, embarrassed. He almost smiled as I fumbled with the pages. He can smile?

“There.” I showed him. “ What's this?”

 “ I don't really know what's all this about.” He said. “I'm not responsible for this.”

“Wow, So Lulu and Camille, called the paparazzi? Do you-”

He cut me off, standing now with his hands in his pockets. ”Are you the only one in the magazine? Should I also assume that you did this to me?”

I opened my mouth but nothing came out..

“ You barged into my office,yelling, accusing me. Do you think you'll be safe if I call the police?” He said nonchalantly.

I was quiet. 

“ I'll look into it,” he said, sipping his coffee and turning toward the window. “I don't want to be in the magazine with strangers either.”

I rolled my eyes. “ Whatever, just fix it before sunset.”

 I turned to leave when he said,”You might need my help getting out.”

I paused. 

His eyes met mine and for a second he looked like something out of paint. His eyes could easily lure me in like a cat gets lured with milk. He looked like he wasn't real.

“Or,” he said, tilting his chin towards the window, “ you can deal with them.”

Reporters.

  

He picked up his phone. “Bring the car around. Make sure she gets home without being seen.”

Two minutes later, the driver arrived.

“She will give you her address,” Giovanni said.

I scoffed and left with the driver without a goodbye. 

Later that evening at Camille's place, we gathered around with Lulu, dissecting the chaos.

“ I think he handled it, I don't see any photos online.” Lulu said, scrolling.

“That's good news.” Camille said, drinking an orange juice.

“ But who did this?” I said, furrowing my brows.

“I don't know,” Lulu muttered, “but he's up to no good, I think you should avoid Giovanni.”

“ I barely know him.” I rolled my eyes.

“ Just saying.” He shrugged. 

“ So what are you going to do now? Since the pervert fired you.” Camille asked.

I let out a long, frustrated sigh. “ I don't know.”

My mind was corrupted. I lost a job because of the scandal,bills were piling up, My head was spinning. Why does it always happen to me? Why was I always the one left picking up pieces?

“ I'll see you guys tomorrow. I need to clear my head.” 

“ Be careful, mi alma,” ( my soul). Camille said softly. “Text me when you're home.”

I nodded and left.

When I got home, it was dark. Looks like the landlady also wasn't home. Her room was dark too and for once I liked the silence.

 I texted Camille so she wouldn't panic, I stayed in my bed for a while, lost in thought. Eventually, I stood up for a quick shower. 

In the bathroom, I let the cold water slide down my skin, hoping it would wash away the mess of today, the scandal, the job, the shame. But then something was off…

A sharp,acrid scent hit my nose.

Smoke.

I froze, my heart pounding. I quickly wrapped a towel around myself and pushed the bathroom door open and that's when I saw it.

My room was on fire.

Red flames danced wildly across my bed, crawling up the curtains like they were starving. My clothes are burning. My TV melted into black plastic. The mirror crack'd under the heat, the walls glowed with flickering orange light. It wasn't just a fire, it was inferno devouring my life, one memory at a time .

I was paralyzed.

The air was thick with smoke, clawing at my lungs, making it impossible to breathe. The heat lashed at my skin. I couldn't move. My legs gave out and I dropped to the floor. The smoke wrapped around me like a monster pulling me .

The screams were not just outside, they were inside me too. Memories from my nightmares coming to life. The same sound, the same heat , I was ten again, trapped. I started crying, the room tilted and my knees buckled.

My eyes gave up but I was conscious. Since I couldn't move I thought this is how I die.

Then …bam!

The door opened with a violent kick and I felt strong arms lift me like I weighed nothing. I didn't know who he was.I didn't care. I just gripped his shirt with everything I had, sobbing and shaking, as the heat faded behind us and cold air hit my skin like a slap.

We were outside.

But inside me something was burning too.