Lahat ng Kabanata ng Rejected by the Cowboy: Kabanata 41 - Kabanata 50

Chapter 42At the end of the workday, they left the boutique together and returned to the building. The day's fatigue was heavy, but not completely exhausting.Inside the elevator, Zacky leaned against the mirrored wall, watching their reflection."Is this your routine?" he asked, breaking the silence. "Every day?""Yes. Monday to Friday," she replied with a tired smile.He slightly furrowed his brow."Kind of monotonous."Dolores let out a short sigh."Yeah... I agree." She paused before adding, her voice softer: "That's why being at your farm was so special."Zacky turned his face towards her, attentive to her words."Too much work," she continued. "I hardly have any leisure time. Sometimes I feel like I only exist between meetings, fittings, and appointments."The elevator seemed to be rising too slowly."At the farm it's different," he finally said. "The work is heavy, but the mind... the mind rests."She nodded, as if she understood exactly what he meant.When the elevator finall

Chapter 44Early in the morning, they arrived at the studio where the commercial would be filmed.Zacky got out of the car slowly, observing everything carefully. That environment was completely different from what he was used to. Lights, reflectors, people talking loudly, cell phones ringing... it seemed like another world."Ready to face it?" Dolores asked."I should be the one asking you that," he replied, adjusting his collar. "I've never set foot in a place like this."As soon as they entered, Victor appeared like a whirlwind, dressed in black from head to toe, with huge glasses and his inseparable, impeccable wig."My stars have finally arrived!" he exclaimed, opening his arms. "Dolores, you look radiant. And you..." he stopped in front of Zacky, analyzing him as if he were a work of art. "Still absurdly handsome. Thank you for existing," he said, putting his hands together to make a heart.Zacky raised an eyebrow, confused, and Dolores held back a laugh."Let's start off gently

Chapter 46They walked through the hall. Zacky's presence did not go unnoticed; eyes turned towards him. Some socialites whispered among themselves, others didn't even bother to hide their interest.Dolores leaned slightly towards him, her hand resting on his arm."The ladies are drooling over you," she commented in a low tone, unable to hide the jealousy.Zacky discreetly observed the surroundings. She was right. There were glances that were too long, practiced smiles, women clearly appraising every detail of him as if he were a newly arrived trophy."Yeah... seems like it," he replied, not giving it much importance."And that doesn't bother you?" she teased, raising an eyebrow.He looked at her calmly."No." He paused briefly. "Because I know who I came with."Her heart skipped a beat."Hmm... good to know."An elegant woman approached with a glass in hand, smiling at Zacky."Hello, I couldn't help but notice... did you two arrive together?"Before he could answer, he naturally put

Chapter 48He didn't wait for an answer. He brought his face closer and kissed her. His tongue invaded her sweet mouth, drawing sighs from her and making the world around them disappear for a few delicious moments.On the other side of the lake, a young woman with her eyes closed made a silent wish before tossing a golden coin into the water:"I hope my baby, one day, finds love… since I had no luck with anyone."Hearing the coin touch the water's surface, she opened her eyes and the tears she held back began to fall. She placed her hands on her belly. She had just discovered the pregnancy. She told her boyfriend that same day; the day she turned eighteen; which became, at the same time, the best and worst birthday of her life. She discovered she was pregnant and was abandoned.What hurt her the most was hearing him say there was another woman and that she would have to leave so the other could take her place in the house.The young woman looked up and that's when she saw them.At the

Chapter 50Minutes later, Andréia ended up accepting the job, even against her own will. Not because she wanted to, but because it meant food and a roof over her head. It was that or the streets.Even so, from the very first moment, she made a silent plan: she would leave that place as quickly as possible. She didn’t want that life. She would save every cent she could, rent a simple place, and survive for a few months until she found a decent job—something that had nothing to do with what she had been forced to accept.She left the office with her head down and followed the woman down the hallway.“Here it is, sweetheart,” the woman said, opening the door. “Start cleaning. Tonight you’ll already begin attending clients. I’ll leave you plenty of sheets, and you’ll change them as you get customers.”The words felt like repeated punches to her stomach.Andréia held back her tears, swallowed hard, and simply nodded. She didn’t say she was pregnant. If she had, she might not even be there