LOGINJulian stared at her briefly before his lips curved.“Why are you interested in knowing about my past?” He smirked, leaning closer to her. “Perhaps, is it what I'm thinking?”Elara shrugged. “We're getting married in two weeks, and apart from your name and family, I know nothing about the man I'm marrying,” she muttered.“What if my past isn't pleasing to the ears?” Julian raised a brow. “Would that change the way you see me?”“It can't possibly get worse, though,” Elara smirked.Julian chuckled, diverting his gaze to the moonlit sky.“I've always been popular, not in a good way, though. I spent the majority of my time gambling, drowning in alcohol, and chasing women,” Julian reminisced with a small smile.“All I did was travel around with no notion of responsibility. I spent my family's wealth recklessly on alcohol, partying, and women. And just as you know, I used to have a drinking problem. Seventy percent of the time, I was drunk, and I was honestly content with the way things wer
The venue for the after-party was bustling with loud music and chatter. The air was fun and upbeat, with some celebrities and guests taking pictures and videos together while others drank and danced away their sorrows.Julian sat alone in the quieter corner of the venue, sipping on a glass of cold whiskey while his gaze swept across the hall.“J,” a lady smiled, holding a bottle of alcohol as she slumped onto the seat next to Julian.She had short hair and wore a gown that left little to nothing to the imagination, exposing the back tattoo that adorned her entire back.“What a surprise we have here. I thought I'd never get to see you in person again, Mr. Director,” she smiled as she leaned closer to Julian, her hand slowly caressing his thigh.“You're still the same, I can see. They never seem to find you missing at any party,” Julian smiled at her.The lady laughed too loudly before bringing her face closer to his. “I can't say the same thing for you, though. You stopped responding t
Getting to their assigned room, Elara was stunned to see one of their models sitting weakly on the chair while Tristan fanned her.Isabel paced around, trying to get her emotions in check while Henry spoke on the phone at a corner.“What’s happening?” Elara muttered.Aria sighed. “She’s sick.”“It’s okay,” the model said immediately as she rose up. “I can still walk the runway. It’s not a—”Her body gave up, and Tristan quickly held her, guiding her back to her seat.“Gosh, this can’t be happening right now...” Elara pinched her brows. “Why didn’t you inform us on time?”“I’m sorry,” was all the model kept muttering as tears streaked down her cheek.Elara sighed loudly, running her hands through her hair. Her heart raced when she heard the sound of the microphone from the stage.The runway was about to begin.“There’s no available model who could come at such short notice to replace her,” Henry spoke, shaking his head.“I’ll see what I can do. There’s got to be a way.” Isabel walked o
Morning...Elara slowly sat up in bed as she let out a sleepy yawn, grabbing her phone to check the time. Her brows furrowed when she saw it was eleven in the morning.Talking with Julian all night must have made her oversleep. Thankfully, she still had one more hour to get ready for the big event—the runway.Her lips curled as she made her way to the bathroom.Freshened and fully clothed, she walked downstairs while wearing her necklace when a sweet aroma wafted in the air.Making her way to the kitchen, her brows rose when she saw the bouquet of peonies lying next to a tray of freshly cooked meal.“When does he even have time to make all this?” Elara chuckled as she picked the bouquet, inhaling its sweet scent.“How does he know it’s my favorite?” Elara’s smile widened. Her gaze caught the note attached to the bouquet.She opened it.~Nothing better to start a day than your favorite flower and favorite meal, enjoy. Good luck, Kitten.~Elara scoffed. “So old-fashioned,” she grinned.
The brief silence that settled between them pressed harder on Elara with every passing second.Her gaze slowly lowered to his chest, her lips slightly parted. What should she say at this moment?As she lifted her head to speak, her phone suddenly began ringing.Julian turned toward her bag, which vibrated slightly with the ringing of the phone.“I... I need to go,” Elara murmured, pulling away from his grip. She grabbed her bag and walked away.“Hello?” she answered as she left without turning back._______Eclipse Models...Elara hurriedly walked into the office to meet Lyra discussing with the other models who were to wear her designs for tomorrow.“I’m late, sorry. Something came up,” Elara sighed as she walked up to them.Lyra smiled. “It’s okay. I was just discussing with them how the event was going to turn out,” she muttered.“I really pray that tomorrow is a success,” Elara sighed.“Hey.” Lyra held Elara’s hand. “You’re Elara. You’ll definitely ace it,” she reassured her.Elar
For a brief moment, Elara stood rooted to the spot, staring in the direction Julian had taken.“...right, Elara? Elara?”“Huh?” Elara blinked, turning to face Aria.“What were you saying?”Aria exchanged glances with the others before looking at her.“We were thinking if we should go on a trip. Your birthday is next month,” Aria said.Elara smiled. “That would be nice,” she muttered.“Great! Let’s go. I’m hungry.” Aria held Elara’s arm as they were guided to their table.Walking into the VIP sector, Elara’s gaze locked with Julian’s. He was sitting not far from her.Once again, he looked away.Her chest tightened as she looked away too, feeling a boiling sensation rising in her chest.They all settled at their assigned table, and the attendant began taking their orders.Soon after, their food arrived.They all ate while discussing and laughing in between.Henry immediately gulped down a glass of wine as he nearly choked from laughing at something Isabel said.Elara laughed at the scen







