Lahat ng Kabanata ng Craving my mother's Hot Fiancé : Kabanata 21 - Kabanata 30

~Melissa~The Sterling Sports Media building stood forty stories tall, it was made of glass and steel catching the morning sun like a beacon. I tilted my head back, shielding my eyes, my portfolio bag sat heavy against my hip.This was it. My one chance to turn things in my favour.The subway ride had taken forever…I spent twenty minutes stuck between a man who smelled like old coffee and a woman whose perfume made my eyes water. I’d stood the entire way, too nervous to sit, practicing my answers in my head.Why do you want to work in sports photography?What’s your greatest strength?Where do you see yourself in five years?Two days ago, I jumped on my bed screaming when they called. Aria had burst into my room thinking I was dying, and we’d ended up jumping together like maniacs until my mom knocked on the wall telling us to quiet down.Now, standing here, my hands were sweating so badly I had to wipe them on my skirt.“Good morning.” The receptionist smiled as I walked towards her.

~Melissa~Monday came too fast.I stood in front of my closet at six AM, staring at the limited options hanging there. I needed to look professional but not like I’m trying too hard. I settled on a cream blouse tucked into black slacks. It wasn’t much but it was simple and clean. My hands shook as I buttoned the blouse.This was insane. I was walking into Gavin’s territory. His empire. Where he made the rules and I’d have to follow them.But I didn’t have a choice anymore. Six rejections had made that crystal clear.I grabbed my portfolio bag…the same one I’d carried to Sterling Media, but thankfully I managed to clean off the coffee stains and headed downstairs.Mom was already in the kitchen, humming as she poured coffee.“Good morning, sweetie!” Her smile was bright. Too bright for six-thirty AM. “Big day today. Are you nervous?”“A little.”“Don’t be. I’m so proud of you, Melissa.” She pulled me into a hug that smelled like vanilla and coffee. “This is going to be amazing. I just

Aria’s POVThe restaurant was the kind of place where you needed a reservation three months in advance and a trust fund to afford the wine list.Crystal chandeliers hung from coffered ceilings. Waiters in tuxedos moved like ghosts in between the tables where Manhattan’s elite discussed mergers over foie gras.I hated every inch of it.I was dressed in an emerald silk dress that hugged my frame perfectly. my purple hair was styled into an elegant updo, the diamond earrings my grandmother left me catching the light.My parents sat across from me at our corner table. With dad in his custom Armani suit, his silver hair was perfectly styled. Mom dripped in Cartier, with an expression that was always so difficult to read.“Darling, you look lovely,” Mom said, though her eyes swept over me obviously taking note of all my flaws. “Though I do wish you’d consider returning to your natural hair color. The purple is so… bohemian.”I took a long sip of my wine. “I like bohemian.”“Of course you do

~Melissa~Morning came too fast.I dragged myself out of bed after maybe three hours of sleep, pulled on jeans and a sweater, and braced myself for whatever fresh hell waited downstairs.The smell of coffee and bacon hit me halfway down the stairs. Mom’s voice drifted from the kitchen, her voice was high pitched meaning she was excited about something.Great.I rounded the corner and stopped dead.Jason sat at the kitchen island, showered and dressed in dark jeans and a fitted black t-shirt that showed off the body I’d seen way too much of last night. His dark hair was still damp,and pushed back from his face. Those green eyes lifted to meet mine, and that infuriating smirk appeared.“Morning, Melissa!” Mom turned from the stove,with her spatula in hand, beaming. “Come meet Jason. He prefers Jason over Luca.”“We’ve met,” I said flatly.“You have?” Mom’s eyebrows rose. “When?”“Yesterday,” Jason said smoothly before I could respond. “Ran into each other outside the arena. Small world.

~Melissa~I woke up before my alarm.My stomach was already twisting with nerves, it was my anxiety mixing with something else I didn’t want to name. Today was my first day working for Gavin. The job I have been wanting desperately all my life. Saying I feel overwhelmed was an understatement.I showered quickly, then stood in front of my closet for twenty minutes trying to decide what to wear.I settled on black slacks and a cream silk blouse. Then I sat in my vanity doing my makeup with more care than usual. I wore Foundation. And then a concealer for the dark circles that wouldn’t go away. A touch of blush. Mascara. And then I applied my eyeliner. The long, dramatic wing that made my eyes look bigger and gave me that sharp, put-together look.I studied my reflection. The eyeliner was perfect. Sharp lines that extended just past the outer corners of my eyes, giving them an almost cat-like appearance.My hair was next. I grabbed my curling iron and worked through sections, creating l