Eric smiled back."Thanks, Beauty. I sincerely appreciate your help," Eric said, his smile widening as he caught her gaze. "I've been struggling to get the hang of things around here, and you've made it so much easier... You're as beautiful as your heart. Thank you".Beauty chuckled softly, waving off the compliment, her cheeks flushed."No problem, Eric. I'm happy to help."As she spoke, she unconsciously brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, and Eric's eyes flickered to the movement, admiring the small, graceful gesture. Bruno saw it too, and something in him snapped. The way Eric was looking at her...like she was more than just a helpful co-worker...made Bruno feel like he was going to explode. She hadn't even looked at Bruno today, but here she was, smiling and laughing with Eric like nothing was wrong.He had to turn the monitor off totally, and rushed to get a chill glass of water from the water dispenser."Maybe I should respect her choices, she doesn't belong to me, why can
Beauty stared at the floor, her eyes welling up with tears she had tried so hard to hold back. She bit her lip nervously, trying to suppress her emotions.Unfortunately, her emotions are now like a tangled mess, and she felt like she was about to break."Talk to me," Jessie said, her tone softer now. "What's going on? What did I do?"Beauty took a shaky breath, and finally, unable to contain it any longer, the dam broke. "I... I am sorry Jessie, it's just ... . I am shamelessly jealous of you. That he liked you back, I am sorry. I shouldn't feel that way. He is never mine...not like it could ever be possible. You are beautiful and all that, and I am not a competition" she confessed, her voice barely above a whisper.Jessie was speechless, her expression softened instantly. She had been expecting drama, of course but didn't expect her to be this hurt.Beauty wiped her eyes, sniffling as she continued. "When you called last night and excitedly told me that Bruno called you and you guy
Beauty let out a long breath, feeling like a heavy weight was lifted off her shoulders in playful anger. "You're such a brat, Jessie! I was going crazy thinking I lost my chance!".Jessie grinned sheepishly. "I know, I know. I didn't mean to push you that far. Forgive me?"Beauty laughed, wiping her face again. "I'll think about it," she teased, though her smile showed that all was forgiven."Good because I'd hate for us to fight over some guy,you know. Not like we are certain about his sexuality. I have a lot of trust issues these days" Jessie said, putting her arm around Beauty's shoulders."He is not gay...stop it, Jessie".Beauty frowned. "Alright, alright. I hope so, too. If he is into women, it's obvious Bruno's more into you. I mean, come on, girl, have you seen the way he looks at you? He interacts with you more. He saved you the other day from getting bullied," Jessie pointed out.Beauty sighed. "You think? It maybe a pity attraction, nothing else".Jessie rolled her eye
Her palms were sweaty, and her heart raced as Bruno's eyes stayed locked on her, as if waiting for her to approach.She swallowed hard, feeling the eyes of every coworker on her. Jessie nudged her forward, whispering, "Go on. He's waiting for you.""What if he fires me?" Beauty whispered back, her voice trembling.Jessie shrugged but gave a reassuring smile."I doubt that. He's sitting at your desk, remember? I think he's here for something else. If it's to fire you. He would have invited you to his office".Jessie whispered back.Beauty's feet felt heavy as she tried to lift them off the ground. Jessie's Apple Watch beeped."Oops, time for my schedule".She told Beauty. "Meet you at lunch break, good luck, tell me all about it".Beauty nodded slowly, but her heart still raced at the intensity of Bruno's gaze."Hey! Mr. Bruno, nice haircut. You look damn hot with that expression on your face! Who got you mad with our reserved young boss?"Jessie announced, swinging her hip like she
Without saying a word, he reached up and, with his large, muscular hands, loosened his tie, pulling it off in one smooth, deliberate motion.He went to the water dispenser and took a glass of chilled water before returning to her.Unexpectedly, he snatched her neck, not too hard, and kissed her hard like he would cut the life out of her."Sir Bruno".Beauty gasped.Without saying anything, he went on and pulled her by the waist then lifted her onto his desk, pinning her down with his body. She could feel the heat radiating from him, their faces inches apart, her heart thundering in her chest.He leaned in, his lips brushing hers, soft at first, teasing her, before capturing her in a deep, passionate kiss that made her head spin. His hands gripped her waist, pulling her closer, as if he couldn't bear the distance between them.When he finally broke the kiss, they were both breathless, her hands tangled in his shirt, his lips ghosting over her skin.Then, in the haze of passion, he whi
She looked down and bit her lip, her chest tightening. Bruno saw her nervous fingers fiddling the hem of her blouse.*This is not right! I have no right whatsoever to demand her attention. What am I doing? Asking such questions. Dragging her like that In Front of everyone? I didn't consider how she feels too.*"I apologize". His voice came softly.Beauty looked up at him confused."You may go back to work".He said settling down on his chair.Beauty had questions, but she is better off without the answers.*********During lunch break, Beauty made her way to the expensive café where she and Jessie usually met.Her mind was still buzzing from her earlier thoughts about Bruno. What was that question he asked? If he did something wrong?*I can't believe I made him feel bad, why should someone like Bruno care about what I think of him anyway?*She stepped inside, scanning the room until she spotted Jessie sitting at their usual table by the window, already halfway through her dri
That made Jessie curious, she looked up."A reunion? Are you going?"She asked, looking a bit bothered because of Beauty's past trauma back in school.Beauty sighed and replied."I shouldn't, right? But if I reject the invitation, they will all know I rejected it because I was afraid they would judge me".Jessie rolled her eyes, visibly annoyed. "Well, who cares what they think, let me tell you Beauty, you will attend the reunion and shock all of them".Beauty shrugged."What's there to shock them with? And I can't believe they're making it a two-day event," Beauty replied sadly, twirling a piece of lettuce with her fork."A Dinner, a sleepover, and a masked party? All that just so she can shame me for showing up without a boyfriend or a husband. Beyoncé, the school proprietor's daughter is a bully and she's the sponsor... I know she's targeting me again.""What a pest...she should get a life...and grow up...what is her business if you are single?"Jessie replied, more triggered than
Jessie grinned, completely unbothered by Beauty's reaction."Hear me out. Bruno's a good guy, right? He's got class, he's charming and very hot. Girl, just imagine pulling up with the hottest guy at the reunion, that sponsor, whatever her name is...""Beyoncé?""Yeah. She will be shocked and put to her place. He is a green flag that will treat you like a lady without making you feel inferior. Plus he wouldn't go around blabbing to anyone. I mean Bruno hardly talks to people anyway, so your secret is safe".Beauty set her fork down, shaking her head. "Jessie, it's impossible. Sir Bruno? Pretend to be my boyfriend? For two days? No way. That's ridiculous."Jessie shrugged, leaning back in her chair."Why not? He's not seeing anyone, and it's not like you're asking him to marry you. Just a couple of days. Besides, didn't he just pull you into his office like some jealous boyfriend today?""Jessie!"Beauty snapped."What? That's what it looked like".Beauty's heart skipped a beat at the
"How did this even happen?" Jessie asked curiously."It's a long story, Jess," Beauty replied, shivering-not so much from the cold but from the aftershock of what had just happened."You're still shaking," Jessie commented."I'm okay, Jess," Beauty murmured, her voice thick with emotion. "Thanks to Bruno... I don't know what would have happened if he hadn't been there.""I'm glad. He followed you without a second thought."Beauty pressed her lips together"The way he shouted my name, his voice... it was the reason I kept pushing to survive, even when I was sinking into the water. I've never been so scared in my life," she sobbed.Jessie hugged her again. "It's okay, honey. It's okay," she whispered.Just then, Ferdinand's voice interrupted them. "You two want to go back swimming? It's time to leave the woods!""This is probably a sign to leave the woods you know," someone on the team whispered.Jessie pulled back and used her palms to dry her friend's tears. "Come on, let's get you
Her voice was a whisper, her gaze downcast, her cheeks flushed but still wet with tears. She suddenly shifted, her foot slipping as she tried to balance herself, pressing her knee against his crotch, directly into arousal he'd been fighting to hide."It's... hard... rock," she murmured to herself, her cheeks flushing as realization dawned on her.Bruno froze, knowing she'd found him out, feeling the blush of embarrassment creep up his neck.How could he get an erection at a time like this? What a creep he is!Awkwardly, he stepped back, gently letting her go, his hands falling to his sides.Beauty stood there at the shore, her body soaked, watching him leave.Just then, Jessie and the others appeared, rushing toward them.Mrs. Lola Cruz covered her mouth emotionally, seeing they were both safe."Lo siento, this is all my fault. I shouldn't have asked you to look for Bobby.""Please don't apologize. It's not your fault," Bruno replied calmly.One of the staff threw him a towel.Jessie
"Hold on, I'm coming for you!" Bruno yelled out.The river's current was strong, making it difficult even for him, but his strokes were powerful, so he pushed through, his eyes never leaving her.He could feel his heart pounding harder and harder with fear. He had never felt so much fear, never had someone so dear to him that he panicked at the thought of losing them-let alone watching them die right in front of him.Beauty started coughing and sank into the river."Beauty!" Bruno yelled so loudly that his veins created a visible network across his forehead and neck, his eyes red with shock and despair.The river's flow had dragged Beauty under, only for her to resurface, coughing and choking, her eyes red from the struggle. Her breaths came in frantic gasps, her arms flailing.She burst into tears.Bruno, who had frozen after she went under, snapped out of it and pushed himself to swim faster this time.His heart skipped a beat when he saw her disappear beneath the surface again, w
A collective sigh of relief swept through the group. Beauty felt a strange mix of embarrassment and awkwardness. She wanted to laugh but had to hold it in.They had all been so caught up in the drama, so ready to offer help, only to find out it was just... a chicken?"Oh, sorry," they all murmured in unison, their faces flushing with embarrassment.Jessie was fighting every urge not to laugh at the poor lady. In fact, she had to avoid eye contact with Beauty, because that would definitely cause her laughter to explode."We'll help you find your baby, Mrs. Lola," Bruno said gently, reassuring her."Muchas gracias."Beauty stared at Bruno as he consoled the elderly woman, hoping they could make eye contact, longing to be consoled by him too. But he was very serious about keeping his distance this time... forever.Kathy wasn't happy with the idea of looking for a chicken. She had been glad to finish her shoots so they could leave this dreadful place, only to be asked to find a missing ch
However before any of them could actually say anything, Mrs. Lola approached them.Beauty nervously wondered what could be her reason for coming to speak with her."Ms. Beauty, I am impressed by your designs, really. I would love to work with you again... after this tour. What do you say?""Thank you so much," Beauty managed, feeling a mix of pride and nerves. "I appreciate the offer and will do my best.""I'm sure you will," Lola said with a smile, then she nodded at Jessie inform of acknowledgement, Jessie smiled back awkwardly.As the two watched her walk away, Beauty drew a deep breath."She does like you... a lot of pressure, huh?" Jessie whispered, starting a conversation.Beauty's breath caught in her throat as she looked at her friend and nodded slowly.Jessie chuckled and gave her a thumbs-up."Good job. Looks like you've got a fan in Mrs. Cruz. You shouldn't be distracted at this time, okay? We all make mistakes...you have to be strong and focused more this time. Don't let t
Mrs. Lola Cruz stepped forward with a broad smile."First, I want to thank the F&F team for this collaboration. I am yet to see Mr. Bruno, but I am sure he has something important that may be the reason he can't be here with us. About this collection. It is meant to embrace our culture with a combination of nature. I must confess, Mr. Ferdinard, your company has some real talent; I can testify to that. It was nice working with them.. especially Beauty Hills.I can't believe we were able to round up the designs within hours after she joined us... please give her an applause, please."She said and gestured at Beauty.The models and stylists, the whole crew, clapped loudly, cheering for Beauty.Well,Kathy was an exception,other designers had a tough t"Thank you... for the opportunity, Mrs. Lola." Beauty managed to reply and tried to force a smile but her thoughts kept drifting back to her break-up.She stole a glance at her phone lying beside her Sketchpad, half-hoping for a message fr
Jessi frowned at his stubbornness. She didn't blame him, but the fact that he was in denial seemed childish to her.He still loves her, he can't even look her in the eyes and say those words!He longs for Beauty..he just need to push a little bit. He must be feeling like a fool but just another chance."I know you're frustrated, Bruno. But she's been through so much. Her past... it's made her afraid to trust anyone, even herself. Can't you give her one more chance? She's terrified you're going to leave, just like everyone else. And here you are, making it come to pass. Don't pretend this doesn't matter to you. You can't just shut your feelings for her off like that; you know you love her."Bruno shook his head, an exasperated chuckle escaping his lips."You don't get it, Jessi," he muttered. "Beauty's... she's too complicated. She's hurt me in ways I didn't even know were possible. Do my feelings not matter because I am a man?"Jessi crossed her arms as she took another step toward hi
Jessi stood just outside the door, hesitating. She had already knocked twice; no reply from Bruno. She wasn't sure if he even wanted to see her. Not after what happened last night. She knew it would be tough for him this time.However, Beauty's sadness had broken her heart. She knew she had to do something-anything-to bring them back together.She told Beauty she can take care of him.Ofcourse,she would have given it a chance, but not when she knew for sure that Beauty loved Bruno, and he also loved her. They had to make it work; they should!Arching her brow at the thought, she summoned a deep breath and gave one more quick knock.Without waiting for an answer anymore, she turned the knob and stepped into the room.Bruno was standing by the window, his gaze out over the garden. He didn't turn when she entered or even act like he noticed her presence.Jessi sighed."Bruno," she called softly, as she closed the door behind her. He didn't answer, and she didn't expect him to."I know y
The next morning, Beauty was the first to wake, her heart heavy as she sat up on her bed, staring at Bruno. He was still asleep, his chest rising and falling with the rhythm of his breath.Everything that happened last night kept flooding into her head.From the truth-and-dare game, the harassment from Ferdinard, to Bruno's drunk act and cuddling her to sleep.She wasn't sure how he would have reacted, so she had to wake up with him close to her, but she had to pull away. Her gaze went back to Bruno.She didn't know what to expect from him or the next step she should take. Jessie isn't here to give her a piece of advice. Her words last night were clear; she had to choose.As if on cue, the duvet she had carefully draped over Bruno's body after sneaking out of his arms the night before shifted and fell off, leaving him exposed.Beauty's breath hitched, her hands trembling slightly as she stood up and moved toward his bed to cover him again.She reached for the blanket, but before she