The entire day had been a nightmare for Beauty and the tears she had tried to hold back in the office flowed freely as soon as she stepped into the back seat of the taxi. She cried silently, her body trembling as Kathy’s mockery words and the laughter of her coworkers replayed in her mind.The taxi driver noticed her distress but wisely kept quiet, focusing on the road as Beauty quietly sobbed, wiping her eyes with the sleeves of her blouse. Beauty couldn’t understand why Kathy hated her so much or why everyone else seemed to enjoy her humiliation.Is it a crime to be a plus size?How is her weight offensive to them?She had always been nice to everyone around her.What did she do to deserve such treatment since kindergarten?By the time the taxi pulled up to her place, Beauty’s eyes were swollen, and her face was streaked with tears.She paid the driver, murmuring a thank you as she stepped out of the car, clutching her bag tightly to her chest. She walked towards her building, gl
She wasn’t expecting anyone, and after the day she’d had, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to see anyone either.Maybe it was Jessie, coming to check on her.Suddenly, she panicked.Could it be the real owner of the gift she received the other day?She hesitated, staring at the door.The doorbell rang again, this time the visitor was desperate, after being ignored by Beauty for the past minutes.Beauty sighed and finally walked cautiously toward the door, her hand trembling slightly as she reached for the handle. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door.To her surprise, the same delivery people from the other day stood on her doorstep, smiling warmly at her.This time, they were holding an even bigger package, a large box of chocolate cake adorned with chocolate snacks like Hershey's, Reese's, and M&M's.Another bouquet of roses accompanied the box, even more beautiful and looks more expensive than the firstBeauty’s eyes widened in shock. She blinked severally, her mouth opening slig
With one last glance at the hidden gifts, she left her room and headed downstairs to wait for her parents, hoping she could keep everything normal so they wouldn't suspect anything.When the doorbell rang again, Beauty's heart skipped a beat. She thought it was too soon for her parents to have arrived. But as she cautiously opened the door, she was surprised to find Jessie standing there, looking annoyed.“Really?”Jessie snapped with arched brows, her hands folded.“Jessie! I’m so sorry…..” Beauty started to apologize, but Jessie waved her off, stepping inside with a huff.“It’s fine, don't start crying. I’m here to make you feel better, not the other way around.” Jessie said.“I wasn't going to cry”.Beauty said, embarrassed.Jessie rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, cry baby. I actually came to tell you that I had a run-in with Kathy. So I gave her a piece of my mind she’ll never forget.”Beauty's eyes widened, she wondered what could have been the issue.Jessie was never one to hol
He flashed Raymond that smile of his.“I guess I have found out, who do you think I had this bulge for?”Raymond's jaw dropped as he noticed Bruno's massive bulge too.He felt the strongest urge to touch it.“That is a nice-looking stuff, so this was because of me?”Raymond asked, he couldn’t take his eyes off it.While Bruno couldn’t take his eyes off Raymond's face.“You ask too many questions, cutie”.Immediately Bruno got down on his knees, face straight in Raymond's crotch, and hands started undoing the lace of his shorts.Raymond felt his throat dry, he knew what he was going to do, most importantly he wanted Bruno to do it, he ached for it for so long. That was the only reason he is here working for his annoying sister.He closed his eyes and threw his head backwards.“Yes…Fuck… Bruno”.“Raymond…”“Bruno…”“Raymond!”“Wait, that wasn't Bruno's voice," Raymond thought and opened his eyes only to see a blurry image of a tall lady furious staring at him.“What the hell are you ca
Bruno woke up to the soft light filtering through the curtains of his luxurious bedroom. The first thing that caught his eye was the image of Beauty on his PC screen. He had spent the previous night scrolling through her Instagram page, he wanted to see if she posted about the gifts he sent, until sleep claimed him.Doesn't that make him a stalker?However, unlike his sister Abigail, who posts any little thing, including a pimple update.“Ew a zit, you don't belong here, but it's cute, though. My face makes it cute. Schedule calling, I will get emergency laser treatment. See ya soon lovelies,xoxo”.Beauty never posts even a picture of herself. Only the cropped profile picture. The pictures on her wall are mostly Jessie's, her parents and family members he had no idea of.Pushing aside the covers, Bruno sat up and ran a hand through his tousled hair, the remnants of sleep slowly fading away.He took a moment to appreciate God for another day before swinging his legs out of bed and s
Just then, her mother's voice echoed up the stairs. "Beauty, breakfast is ready! Come down before it gets cold!"Beauty blinked and glanced at herself in the mirror one last time before turning away.She walked out of the bathroom and made her way downstairs. The scent of bacon and eggs wafted through the air, and her stomach growled in response, momentarily distracting her from her worries.Entering the kitchen, Beauty saw her father sitting at the head of the dining table, hidden behind the morning newspaper, and her mother bustling around, setting down plates of food. The kitchen was filled with the warmth of morning sunlight streaming through the windows, making the room feel warm and bright."Morning, sweetheart," her father greeted, looking up from his newspaper with a smile. "Did you sleep well?"Beauty nodded, taking her seat at the table."You are not going to work today?"Her father asked again. "Yeah, I took a day off, to focus on an important design." Luckily, her fa
“Oh it was indeed a wonderful day sweetie. And the music! Oh my gosh! They had a live band playing soft jazz throughout the night. It was so romantic. Couples were dancing, your daddy and I showed off a little too much, we almost overshadowed the young couple”.Beauty's mom said with pride.Beauty smiled softly.“She dragged me into it”.Her Dad snapped in defense.His wife frowned at his statement.“Oh now you're going to blame me? But you got into it and danced like you were the groom!”Beauty shook her head.“Anyway, Lisa's fiancé, Marcus, made the sweetest speech. He talked about how he knew from the moment he met her that she was the one. He even said she was his other half, and he couldn’t imagine his life without her. Everyone was tearing up.”“Your mother was the everyone I guess”.Mr. Hills cuts in sarcastically and chuckled.“What do you mean, Hills! You also had some tears in your eyes too!”“I didn't even cry on our wedding day what makes you think I had tears in my eyes b
As they finished breakfast, Beauty’s mother, Mrs. Hill got up to fetch something from the fridge.Opening the door, she peered inside.She sighed and closed it with a slight frown. “It looks like we’re out of a few things,” she said, glancing over at Beauty.“I was thinking about going to the grocery store today. Do you mind going instead? I have a few things to take care of around the house.”Beauty nodded readily, wiping her mouth with a napkin.“Sure, I can go. I was planning to run a few errands today anyway.”A few errands or maybe a therapeutic walk to get her emotions in check. First about her high school reunion invitation and now.Her little cousin who just got engaged.Mrs. Hill smiled back to her daughter, appreciative. “Thanks honey. Just make sure to take your umbrella with you. It’s looking cloudy out there, and I wouldn’t want you to get caught in the rain. You have a thing for colds you know.”Beauty glanced out the window and saw the gray clouds gathering, heavy an
"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