Just seeing her name felt urgent, leaving him worried. Something tugged at him, and without thinking twice, he tapped on the message.His eyes widened as he read her text."Jess, I'm so sick. I think it's fever. It's so bad I feel like I could die. My parents aren't home, and I need you. Please come, urgently, if you can. I can't even see the alphabets clearly to type. Can you save me? If you can't, I will understand."Bruno froze when his gaze landed on the time the message was received.Then he jumped to his feet."An hour ago?!" he screamed internally, panicking as he rushed to his wardrobe to change.An hour had passed since she sent the message. Beauty must have been waiting, thinking Jessie was ignoring her. Not knowing she had accidentally sent it to him instead. Worse, she was home alone.Without wasting another second,Bruno grabbed his jacket and keys and rushed out the door.He dialed her number, hoping she would pick up, so he could reassure her that he was on his way.Unf
Finally, Bruno's car screeched to a halt in front of Beauty's house, his heart pounding in his chest.He jumped out carrying the medical materials he bought, rushing to the front door. He knocked hard, the sound echoing through the quiet night."Beauty?" he called, his voice filled with panic.No answer.Bruno pressed the doorbell repeatedly.Still nothing.Without thinking, he tried the handle, and to his surprise, it wasn't locked.He felt a bit of relief, but then a terrifying thought came to his mind."Had she been too weak to lock it? Or had she collapsed before she could? What if someone dangerous got here before you?!"The thought made his heart race even faster.He shoved the door open and rushed inside. The house was silent-eerily so-except for the faint sound of his hurried footsteps echoing across the corridor."Beauty!" he called out.The living room was empty. He was about to rush up the stairs when he heard a groan from the kitchen.He glanced in that direction and found
The urge to kiss her was so overwhelming that it felt like the air between them was charged with an electric pull he couldn't resist.Her lips were right there... so close, so tempting. He swallowed tightly again as his gaze stayed focused on her mouth.The idea of feeling her lips against his, of tasting her, was intoxicating. His body was screaming at him to give in to the burning desire to taste her.But then, with a jolt, he snapped back to reality. "No," he muttered under his breath, pulling back."Focus, Bruno. She's sick. What the hell are you thinking?"His hands were still shaking as he grabbed the glass of water nearby."Beauty..." he called in a whisper, carefully lifting her head, his fingers brushing the back of her neck and feeling the heat of her fever against his skin.The touch sent another jolt through him, and he bit his lip, trying to control himself.Beauty moaned softly, half-asleep, and the sound went straight to his core. He felt his shaft tighten.Her lips par
Shelley's face was flushed with a deep redness, and her hair clung to her damp forehead. She was shivering uncontrollably despite being wrapped tightly in her blanket.More surprisingly, it was a hot afternoon!Her mother instinctively placed a hand on her forehead and felt the burning heat radiating from her skin."Oh my God, you're burning up!" she exclaimed.Shelley tried to mumble something, but her words were lost in the chattering of her teeth as she shook like a leaf in a storm.Her mother wasted no time, grabbing a nearby washcloth and rushing to the ensuite bathroom. She soaked the cloth in cool water and wring it out before gently placing it on Shelley's forehead."Where did this come from? You were fine this morning," her mother muttered to herself, pressing the cool cloth against her forehead.She reached for her phone in her pocket to call the family doctor, her hands trembling slightly as she dialed the numbers."I don't understand how this happened; I was perfectly okay
The next morning, Beauty slowly opened her eyes, the lingering grogginess of the fever made her feel a bit heavy. The sunlight filtered softly through the curtains.As she stirred on the bed, she perceived a delicious aroma in the room. Her stomach grumbled, and for a moment, she thought Jessie had come to take care of her after all. "Jessie..."Beauty muttered weakly, her voice scratchy and faint.She shifted under the covers and realized she felt a bit better, her fever no longer burning as intensely. The towel that had been on her forehead was now resting beside her, and she noticed her clothes had been changed into something clean and comfortable, too.She must have been really out of it for Jessie to do all that."Thank you, Jessie".She muttered with a weak smile.Curious and hungry, she pushed herself up with shaky arms, still feeling a bit weak.Nevertheless, she was determined to go to the kitchen and say at least good morning to Jessie and thank her for coming to her aid i
Meanwhile, Bruno was so focused, his eyes moving between the cookbook propped up on the counter and the pan he was stirring, completely unaware that Beauty was standing there, frozen in shock. The way his muscles flexed every time he moved, his intense concentration as he tried to follow the recipe. It was almost too much for Beauty to handle.Beauty felt her face glow redder by the second, and she quickly tried to snap out of it. She wanted to say something, anything, but her voice caught in her throat. "Why does he look so good in an apron? It's just an apron" she thought, mentally kicking herself for even thinking about it. And when he turned slightly to reach for something, Beauty's eyes went wide at the full display of his length pressing against the fabric, so low she could see the V-shaped line, and that long weight of his... "Oh... my God." She immediately slapped her hand over her mouth, trying to stifle the gasp that escaped her lips. This can't be real.Bruno, hearing
She could hardly think straight with Bruno all over her like this. She instinctively started fanning herself with her fingers again.Her eyes darted around, desperately trying to avoid looking at him, but it was impossible to ignore how close he was, how his muscled chest and arms towered over her.He tilted his head, his expression puzzled. "Hot? It doesn't feel that warm in here..." He leaned in even closer, looking concerned and, looking genuinely confused."Maybe I should check your temperature again..."Beauty practically choked on her own breath as he leaned in, his face just inches from hers.She could smell him... God, he smelled so good...and the way his muscles flexed with every slight movement was so distracting, it made her head spin."No, no, it's fine! Really! You don't need to...um...check again! I'm okay. Just... um... just needed some air."She blurted out, stepping back quickly, her heart pounding in her chest. Bruno blinked, still concerned, but he took a small s
Bruno, noticing Beauty's flushed face and the whole situation, finally decided to do something about it.He awkwardly cleared his throat and excused himself."I'll, uh....go put on my clothes," he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck as he hurried out of the kitchen.Beauty, still standing by the counter, took deep breaths, trying to calm her racing heart.How am I supposed to be normal after all that? She thought, fanning herself with her hand.The image of Bruno in the kitchen apron was burned into her mind, and the lower part of his body... she couldn't stop the blush from creeping up her neck.She shook her head, then something hit her."My clothes!"A few minutes later, Bruno returned, but this time in his regular clothes-thankfully more covered now in a simple T-shirt and jeans.He found Beauty hugging her body as if she were naked."You... you changed my clothes?" she asked slowly."I... apologize for that. I had to take them off because of your temperature. I didn't mean any
"I know I said some awful things to you. I doubted you, and I pushed you away when you were only trying to be there for me. And I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."She swallowed hard, her throat tightening as tears rolled down her cheeks."I judged you wrongly, Bruno. I let my insecurities and fears get in the way, and I didn't give you a chance to explain. I should've trusted you. I should've listened. You were the only one who never treated me like trash, yet I doubted you. I'm sorry... I'm so sorry."She covered her mouth, trying to keep going, but her voice was drowned in emotion.Bruno said nothing. She knew he could hear her. She had to say everything anyway; she couldn't stop now."I was so scared, Bruno. I've been hurt before, and I thought you were like them. I thought you were just another guy who would hurt me. But I was wrong. And now I've ruined everything. I love you, Bruno... I do... I know you can hear me. I love you so, so much... I love you."She sobbed, waiting, hoping fo
Beauty sat on the edge of her bed, her phone trembling in her hands. Jessie sat beside her, watching her friend."I don't think he would want to hear my voice, Jessie. Maybe I'll do it later.""When it's too late?" Jessie asked gently. "You have to tell him, Beauty. You can't just cry. At least try. If he ignores you, then... you know you tried, at least."Beauty took a deep breath, her chest tight with a mix of fear and anxiety."Just take a deep breath, in and out. You're good to go," Jessie said.Beauty nodded and did as she said. Afterward, with trembling fingers, she unlocked her phone and pulled up Bruno's contact.She stared at his name for what felt like an eternity, her heart pounding in her chest. She could feel the lump in her throat, her anxiety rising.However, she knew she couldn't wait any longer. Like Jessie said, if she let more time pass, she might lose him forever.Finally, she tapped the call button.One ring. Two rings. Three rings."Come on, Bruno, pick up," she
Beauty wiped her eyes again, though the tears continued to fall. "You don't understand, Jessie... I didn't give him the chance to explain. And when he did... I said terrible things. I... I'm afraid he's done for good." Her voice cracked.Jessie sighed deeply, then knelt in front of Beauty, taking both her hands. "Listen to me, honey. People do make mistakes, and when i say people I meant everyone, literally. If you really want to make things right with Bruno, you have to try. Don't let this one mistake stop you from fixing what you both had. You're human; you have a past. It's understandable why you doubted him. He should understand if he truly cares. I'll talk to him, too."The doorbell rang, interrupting them. Jessie and Beauty exchanged a glance.Beauty quickly wiped the remaining tears from her cheeks, trying to compose herself before the unknown visitor get to see her in such a state."Beauty! I'm home!" her mother called from the doorway."Mom?" Beauty gasped, rushing upstairs
Jessie was sitting on the couch, focused on her novel app,when Beauty walked into the house, her eyes swollen from crying.She definitely cried all the way home, Jessie thought.Then she sighed. "I told you going to work wouldn't help. What happened?" Jessie asked gently, rising from the couch and walking over. "You look... devastated. Talk to me. Did you get to talk with Bruno?"Beauty shook her head, her lips trembling as she tried to hold back the flood of tears. She couldn't even form the words. Jessie took her hand and led her to the couch.Beauty let her bag slip from her hand."Beauty talk to me please... what happened?" Jessie asked again.But instead of answering, Beauty broke down. Tears spilled from her eyes, and her body shook with sobs she could no longer contain. She buried her face in her hands.Jessie quickly sat beside her, wrapping an arm around her. "Shh, it's okay, honey, it's okay," she whispered, rubbing her friend's back in comfort.It took a few minutes for
Lana, a stunning and popular model with a flawless complexion and long, dark hair, was dressed in a sexy, figure-hugging jumpsuit that highlighted her curves in all the right places.His brows furrowed as he realized what Abigail was trying to do, even though she knew he had someone-well, not anymore, but still... she wasn't aware of that.Lana took the chance and stood up gracefully, offering him a warm smile as she approached."Hi, Bruno," she said, her voice silky smooth. "It's nice to finally meet you. I'm Lana Queens."She stretched out her hand for a handshake.Abigail prayed silently that he wouldn't ignore her.But Bruno wasn't in the mood for pleasantries. His frustration was written all over his face, and before he could stop himself, he snapped, his voice harsh and cold."I don't have time for this," he growled, barely looking at her as he brushed past and headed toward the stairs.Lana froze, shocked by the sharpness of his words. She had never heard him sound so harsh. Fo
Abigail and her friend, Lana, sat on the plush sofa in the living room, laughing as they chatted."Girl, it's funny, but fan pages are annoying," Lana complained as she continued scrolling through her phone."I don't know. I like some of my fan pages," Abigail shrugged."Oh, not until someone gets scammed by one of those fake profiles claiming to be Abigail Hathaway," Lana pointed out."Well, I can live with that. The real issue is the blogs and their bullshit. I found one talking about my ass expecting a baby with a secret lover-who is a married man."Lana burst into loud laughter."Sorry, so sorry, but why a married man, though?"Abigail shook her head."I mean, I may fantasize about older men, but come on!"Lana laughed again."Well, that's an annoying one. I saw this on the Channel official page last week. Have you checked it out?""It's nice, but my father will kill me if I don't stick to F&F unless it's business," Abigail rolled her eyes."You have a tough old man," Lana replied
"How am I supposed to know? I didn't go with them," Monica replied defensively."You must know something! What did their body language say?" Kathy snapped, unwilling to let the topic drop."I am sorry. I don't know what you are talking about".Monica stood her ground."Well, you are his assistant,you must have seen something notice something,come on Monica. You don't want me to be your enemy".She persuaded.After a short silent."Well... they both looked... devastated when they got back," Monica admitted hesitantly.Kathy leaned in closer with interest. "What do you mean 'devastated'? Like a couple having a misunderstanding?"Monica shrugged."I don't know, okay? I mean, we all rate Beauty so low, but what if she's in a secret relationship with Sir Bruno? He's so soft with her. He was the reason she got the job in a big company as F&F without being the company's standard. It's something..I mean, you can get anything through to him if you go through her.I even asked her to help m
They arrived back at the company. Bruno drew a deep breath, fighting all his inner demons to resist the urge to steal a glance at her. His mind raced, wondering if she had looked his way. But why does it matter? He is trying to call everything off, anyway.He unbuckled his seatbelt, but before he could step out, Beauty opened the car door herself and walked straight into the building, never once looking back. Bruno's eyes followed her as she disappeared into the company, his eyes blinded to anything else around him, even missing his assistant, Monica, who stood at the entrance, waving at them."Oh, you're back, Beauty," Monica said with a smile, but Beauty ignored her, walking briskly inside without a word."Well, that's rude," Monica muttered, rolling her eyes. She brushed it off before turning her attention back to Bruno.Once Beauty had disappeared completely inside the building, Bruno blinked, swallowed hard, and noticed that his hands were shaking slightly. He threw his head ba
With a deep breath, he started the car again and made a U-turn, heading back in the direction of Eden Lovers Estate.He convinced himself he wasn't ready to forgive her yet. He would take her back to the company, but that was it.He wouldn't let this go further or try hard anymore.Yet, deep down, part of him wondered if he was lying to himself._______________"What do you want?" Beauty snapped angrily, her grip tightening around the phone. "Bruno made me call. He said... he said the only way he won't upload my video or sue me for assault is if I apologized to you and that I should tell you the truth. About what happened at the reunion.""And?" Beauty asked, her voice cracking. She already knew, but hearing from Beyoncé sent a cold shiver down her spine.Beyoncé was surprised."You knew about this? You knew that I blackmailed him?" she asked.Beauty's breath caught in her throat. All this time, Bruno had been telling her the truth. He had been blackmailed. She felt her chest tighte