His hands reached out towards her, and cupped the back of her neck.His heart raced, and for the first time, he allowed himself to breathe.Meanwhile, Beauty's breath caught in her throat, and she closed her eyes tightly. Not sure why she had to do so. Her breathing hardened at this point, she doesn't care if she would be the same as the others.She wanted to feel loved by a man she loved dearly. Even if he is faking it.She is desperate at this point, and she felt sorry for herself.A tear dropped on her cheeks.Bruno noticed it, his heart sank, but he realized she hadn't pulled away even with that tear on her cheek.Maybe...just maybe...she was waiting for him to make the move. To make her feel loved.She looks so vulnerable, and he doesn't want to make a mistake.What if he disappointed her by not going for it? His resolve crumbled.His free hand moved almost instinctively, from her neck reaching up to her cheek, his thumb brushing her skin to wipe off the tears as though testing
"No way...he is so handsome! My little baby got herself a hot shot. Wait, have I seen him somewhere?(Paused and decided to wave of off) Look at that height difference...she looks so tiny next to him, he is definitely Beauty's type".She giggled and went to get her husband.Who was seated nearby, reading, going through his phone."Hill? Hill? Come have a look at this!" she whispered excitedly, pulling him to the window. "Come on."Mr. Hill groaned as his energetic wife pulled him up to his feet.Hill arose by himself and smiled at her little effort. Then he walked with her to the window.They both peered through the rain-soaked glass. They could see a young man standing in front of Beauty, who was staring down shyly, wrapped in a tight hoodie yet oversized sleeves.Those are clearly not hers."Who's that?" Hill asked, raising an eyebrow. "Is that her boyfriend?""I don't know," His wife replied, her voice brimming with curiosity. "I think I have seen him before, like on a blog or TV s
But then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw moving shadows from the window, upstairs.He looked back to Beauty, she had her eyes closed, pouting. He smiled at her, embarrassed on her behalf."Look at that, Honey, they are about to kiss!"Mrs. Hill whispered in excitement."Let's give them some privacy".Mr. Hill replied."What? You can't bear seeing your daughter kissing a man?"Bruno noticed Beauty's parents were standing by the window, watching them intently.His heart skipped a beat and his body stiffened. He quickly stepped back, breaking the moment. His face flushed with embarrassment as he cleared his throat, trying to compose himself. He couldn't let himself get carried away, not with her parents watching. As much as he wanted her, he had to be respectful.It could turn way worse if Beauty reacted in some way that shows that they are not a couple yet."Be careful please".He said to Beauty...Beauty, opened her eyes, flustered and confused by the sudden shift, glanced ov
As soon as Beauty stepped into the house, she met the eager faces of her parents waiting by the door. Her mother was already buzzing with excitement, her eyes gleaming, while Her father, though quieter, stood with his arms crossed, a knowing smirk playing on his lips.Beauty knew where this was leading to.She greeted them softly and turned to walk to her room."Beauty! Who was that young man?"Mrs. Hill asked, practically bouncing on her toes. "He looked so handsome! And those clothes...are they his? Those ain't your clothes!"Beauty's face flushed with embarrassment instantly, and she pulled the hood tighter around her head, trying to hide her embarrassment. "Mom..., Dad.... Calm down".She mumbled, kicking off her wet shoes. ."It's not what you guys think. He's Sir Bruno...my boss. He gave me a ride because of the rain. That's all.""Your boss? Well, he is quite young and good-looking too".Her mother replied."*Just your boss?" Her father chimed in, raising an eyebrow. "And he
Before Beauty's parents could bombard her with any more questions.Beauty seized the opportunity to escape, hurrying toward her room. She could still hear them talking in hushed tones behind her, obviously not buying her casual dismissal.Her mother, still unsatisfied by the answers she got, persisted.“We need to talk about this, you know!”Her husband put his hands on his shoulder.“Just let her be Sweetie, we can only hope for this to be good…for the best…someone who will see her the way we see her”.“I hope so too… I am just you know…excited. I got a feeling that he is the one for her…did you see the way he looked at her? We need to know more about that young man… I want her to be happy…you know… I am sick of seeing her always sad and lonely and insecure…”.She paused abruptly as a sob erupts from her throat.Mr. Hill smiled and kissed her on the cheek.“Sweetie. I know you are excited and also worried, but let's not push her too hard into another relationship, give her some time…
"You are not joking. He called you," Beauty asked, her voice softer now, masking her disappointment."Yes! I still can't believe it".Jessie exclaimed."Yeah.... Why exactly?""I'm not sure,".Jessie replied with a laugh. "He said he was just checking in, making sure I was doing okay after that stressful week at work. It's so thoughtful of him, right? I didn't even know he cared about me like that. You know, in that sort of way."Beauty forced a small smile, but it didn't reach her eyes."Yeah... Very thoughtful," she replied slowly, her mind racing with conflicting emotions.Suddenly, everything she'd felt earlier, the connection, the unspoken tension between them felt like a just cruel illusion. The moment they'd shared in the car, the way he'd held her, the way he looked at her... had it all been in her head? Was she living in a delusion, seeing something that wasn't really there?*I guess I was just being delusional. Bruno was just that kind of person. Someone who can't see so
As he held the hoodie, the faint scent of her perfume drifted to his nose. It was subtle, floral, and undeniably feminine, it's her favorite scent. He was familiar with it.He paused, breathing it in for a moment longer than he should have.It felt like having a part of her still there with him, even after dropping her off. The fabric was nearly dry now, but the warmth of her presence still lingered.A strange impulse took over him. Bruno brought the hoodie up to his nose again, closing his eyes as he took in her scent. It felt intimate in a way that made his heart race. He opened his eyes slowly with the fabric still under his nostrils, he couldn't help but wonder for a split second*Did she leave it for me?* But then he quickly shook his head. Of course, she hadn't. Beauty didn't seem like the type to pull something like that. She was too innocent, too genuine. She probably hadn't even realized it was missing yet.Before he knew it, he was slipping it over his own head, the fabr
*I am so dead*Raymond stood at the spot, feeling awkward and exposed, waiting for his fate.When he couldn't stand the cold stare and the tension was burning his feet, and it was very uncomfortable.He had to speak out first, apologize before Bruno takes action against this act of his.He hesitated, unsure of how to proceed."I...am a bit tipsy. I apologize for my rude behavior"."You are drunk? Is that what you are supposed to act like? You need more lessons on that, your acting skill sucks".Bruno replied sarcastically."He maybe the quiet type but he got one devil of a tongue*Raymond thought."I am so sorry Mr. Bruno, please don't hate me."Raymond replied.Bruno sighed deeply with a hand on his face."Fine, get back to work. I don't want this to repeat itself again.""Thank..thank sir".Raymond replied with his head still lowered.Bruno walked past him towards the elevator.Again, Raymond perceived the subtle scent of a feminine perfume all over him, making him realize what he h
"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