《Winning My Ex-Crush》


 His Kind of Girl

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°I don¡¯t like you.¡± Laird said it coldly.


    ¡°What? You¡¯re lying, right? I know you¡¯re lying. If you¡¯re lying, maybe you¡¯re just teasing me as usual. If so, it¡¯s okay, but why are you joking like this?¡± I asked quickly.


    ¡°Enough, Fene. I¡¯m sick of you.¡± Laird¡¯s voice was still low, and there was no smile on his lips at all. His green eyes stared at me with anger.


    ¡°Why are you saying that? What¡¯s wrong with me? Why don¡¯t you like me? Give me a clear reason.¡± Tears started to fall on my cheeks.


    I couldn¡¯t believe any of this. Laird has been my friend since we were kids. He¡¯s my neighbor, always by my side; we were even dancing on the prom¡¯s dance floor just a few hours ago. How could his attitude change so quickly?


    ¡°You¡¯re not my type,¡± Laird said again, firmly in a low voice.


    I could barely hear him, but somehow I caught Laird¡¯s words. My heart clenched. I truly couldn¡¯t believe what he said.


    ¡°What? I¡¯m not your type.¡± I pressed my hand against my chest.


    ¡°Do you want me to believe all your insults towards me just because I¡¯m not your type? Is that it?¡± I asked with my mouth agape. My breath almost stopped upon hearing that.


    Completely nonsense! Laird¡¯s gaze on me didn¡¯t falter at all. He remained silent.


    ¡°Is that it?!¡± I asked again, with a raised tone.


    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± he replied shortly.


    I snorted in disbelief with my mouth wide open. I was almost on the verge of anger. I knew Laird was hiding something from me, but his answer made me really angry. I was so angry that I couldn¡¯t even protest anymore. My tears stopped because of my anger. Instead, Iughed.


    ¡°Okay, fine. If that¡¯s the case, what is your type, then? What kind of girl do you like enough to treat me like this in front of everyone?¡± I pressed.


    ¡°Tell me, what is your ideal type of girl?¡± This time, I challenged Laird, and my anger barely contained itself.


    ¡°I like girls who are independent and not clingy like you. I like girls who are confident, naturally beautiful, popr, humble, and honest.¡±


    He spoke and then fell silent again. He looked up, took a deep breath, and suddenly pointed to a billboard advertising our school.


    ¡°Like her. That¡¯s my type of girl.¡±


    I turned to see the billboard he pointed at. There was an advertisement about a sessful alumna from our school. I knew the girl in the advertisement; everyone saw her every time we entered the school building. I saw her ad everywhere. I even saw her on the front cover of women¡¯s magazines.


    ¡°Now you understand, right? You are very different from her. You¡¯re just a foolish, spoiled, and ugly girl. No boy will ever like you.¡±


    The blond-haired boy turned around and walked away.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why did you choose Amy? Aren¡¯t I your best friend? Why did you choose that bully even though she¡¯s not your type?¡± I asked loudly to stop Laird in his tracks. He turned to me.


    ¡°It¡¯s precisely because you¡¯re my best friend that I don¡¯t want you to get cocky.¡± He spoke.


    ¡°If I had to choose between some random girl and you, I would still choose someone else. Even if it¡¯s a bully.¡±


    After saying those words, Laird walked away, leaving me behind. My eyelids blinked in disbelief at all this. My heart shattered into pieces. My chest ached, my fingers¡¯ tips pricked, and I clenched my dress tight against my chest. It hurt so much that even my ears felt numb.


    I turned and walked back to my dorm with tears on my cheeks. My tears flowed uncontrobly. I ran with blurred vision. I didn¡¯t care about my shoes left on the road. I ran as fast as I could to the dorm, my feet scraping.


    Everything felt like a mere dream, and now I was like a fairy-tale princess running home after the clock struck. Everything seemed shattered and erased. The sparkle of prom night¡¯s magic had vanished, reced by an endless abyss of sorrow.


    Truly, this was absurd. This was insane. I couldn¡¯t ept this at all.


    I will retaliate! Laird Evans, you just wait for my revenge!


    ***


    Present days, 7 yearster¡­


    ¡°Great!¡±


    I nced at the photographer as shemented on the results of the images I had taken earlier. On theputer screen, the photo quality appeared to be excellent.


    The idea of this picture shoot was distinct, with monochromatic hues and the y of light creating silhouette shadows as photo enhancers.


    ¡°This looks good.¡± I pointed to one photograph scrolling across the screen.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    An unusual stance that resembles ballet moves. The pose appears to have garnered appreciation, even though I was unaware of its name.


    Kim, the photographer, screamed, ¡°Yes! Perfect! Thank you. I believe we¡¯ll have a lot of fantastic shots, thanks to you.¡±


    We hugged briefly to convey our gratitude, then shared little kisses on the cheek. Jessy, my agent, grinned heartily this time, expressing his approval.


    ¡°Excellent job, Fene. I¡¯m confident your portfolio will be even better this year,¡± Jessy added as he led me back to the changing room.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± I asked Jessy with a bright smile.


    ¡°Of course. I told you that this is your year.¡±


    Jessy became even more eager. Even as I was stripping down behind the curtain, I could make out his remarks.


    ¡°Are you going to the fortune teller again, Jess?¡± With a slight chuckle, I replied in the same loud voice.


    ¡°Ha! Even without those tarot cards, I know you¡¯ll be more famous this year.¡±


    I came from the dressing room curtain right after changing out of the white maxi dress into a tight knee-length ck knit dress. Jessy quickly handed over the maxi dress to the assistant designer.


    ¡°Your name is bing more recognized among designers, and your Instagram followers are growing. What have I said? Making beauty tutorial videos will help you gain poprity.¡±


    I sat in one of the makeup chairs and began brushing my long hair. The makeup assistant let me touch up my makeup.


    ¡°Tomorrow you have a dress fitting for Baumer¡¯s show preparation.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow? What time?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Wait, let me check.¡± Jessy opened his phone and looked at the markings on his agenda. ¡°At 7 a. m.¡±


    I mumbled softly when I heard the early morning schedule for tomorrow.


    ¡°Why is that?¡± Jessy frowned.


    ¡°Hmm. That¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll manage.¡±


    ¡°Manage? Is it really so difficult to get up early?¡±


    He suddenly clutched my shoulder, his mouth agape.


    ¡°Aha! I remember! You¡¯re going out with Tom tonight, right? You naughty girl!¡± Jessy teased me with a bigugh.


    My cheeks flushed, and I smiled shyly.


    ¡°Why not?¡± I carefully flicked my hair towards Jessy.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s fine,¡± Jessy quipped.


    ¡°But?¡± I asked again, hesitantly. I just knew somehow that Jessy wanted to nag me on this.


    ¡°Tell me honestly, what¡¯s on your mind?¡± I asked him.

 Time Limit

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°Have we discussed this before? You¡¯re already 24 years old; thus, your time as a runway model is short. Even for most girls, it¡¯s all over.¡±


    I fell silent while staring at the brown-haired man in the mirror. When I heard that, my heart seethed again. I looked down and closed my red lip cream.


    ¡°Hey, Fene. I mean, if you don¡¯t feel up to the morning fitting schedule, we can start looking at new opportunities for your career in fashion.¡±


    Jessy hugged me from behind while I put on my ck knee-high boots. I could tell he was attempting to cheer me up.


    We¡¯ve been working together for seven years, with him serving as my agent and me serving as his model. Many of my sesses as a model began at a young age, but the world didn¡¯t recognize me as a supermodel as I had hoped early in my career.


    My most notable aplishment thus far has been modeling for multiple Elle and Vogue magazine covers. A dedicated page also features an interview.


    I don¡¯t want to be ambitious, but I¡¯m not sure if my aplishments are impressive enough to get acknowledgement from others. Especially from former friends who the hell know where they are today.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Jess, I won¡¯t bete.¡± I packed my bag and got ready to leave.


    ***


    Tom Chase is my boyfriend. We¡¯d been dating for approximately six months and still didn¡¯t want to live together. That major step never entered my mind. Tom¡¯s reaction remained unchanged, and he, too, seemed unwilling to take the next step.


    I got out my phone and checked my message inbox with Tom, but he hadn¡¯t responded yet. The clock showed 8 p. m., but Tom didn¡¯t appear to have left his office yet. We agreed to have dinner out before heading home, but I¡¯m wondering why he didn¡¯t reply to my messages.


    ¡®I¡¯ll wait for you in the coffee shop across from the studio.¡¯


    ***


    This was outrageous! I couldn¡¯t have been more patient than this. I had waited for an hour without any notice from Tom. My mind was still positive; maybe he was working.


    So, I stood in front of Tom¡¯s office building. My hands clutched a bag containing a few cans of beer, Tom¡¯s favorite, that I had just bought from the nearest mini-market. I had a hunch that we would change our dinner ns at the restaurant to dinner at Tom¡¯s office, as usual.


    I saw lights still on from the windows on the fifth floor of the building, while the other floors were already dark. Just as I suspected, he was still in the office.


    Truly, sometimes Tom worked too hard as an ountant. His office building wasn¡¯t as luxurious as others, but he worked like a horse. Once again, I could only sigh as Tom chose to work and forget our dinner date.


    I then headed up to the fifth floor with the ess card Tom had given me. When I arrived on the fifth floor, the office corridor was deserted and dark. There was no one on Tom¡¯s ountant¡¯s office floor, except for Tom¡¯s room with its light still on.


    I walked towards the ss door that was covered with curtains. I had no suspicions at all.


    ¡°Tom,¡± I knocked on the door and just entered.


    It was at that moment that everything started to make sense.


    I stood at the door in shock as I witnessed the scene in front of me. Tom jumped in panic, hastily adjusting his open pants, while a womany naked on Tom¡¯s work desk.


    ¡°Fene?! Shit!¡±


    I knew the woman on Tom¡¯s desk well. She was Tom¡¯s new secretary, recruited just a month ago. She quickly got up and grabbed Tom¡¯s jacket to cover her body.


    Instantly, as I saw her covering herself with that jacket, my anger exploded.


    ¡°How dare you?!¡± I snapped at the woman.


    I was the one who bought that expensive designer jacket for Tom! It was a birthday gift I gave him. And now, that jacket was being used to cover another woman¡¯s naked body?


    Ugh, hell no!


    ¡°What are you doing here?!¡± Tom yelled, standing in front of the woman to protect her.


    ¡°I should be the one asking!¡± I yelled back louder than that damn man.


    I reached for a can of beer from my bag. Without a word, I threw the beer at Tom, and it hit his shoulder. The man¡¯s body bent to shield himself, but the next beer throw hit the woman right in the stomach. That wench screamed and bent to rub her stomach.


    ¡°Fene, stop!¡± Tom roared angrily.


    I dropped the bag on the floor. My hands suddenly felt weak, and I could only tremble there. My breath was gasping, and I tried to contain my anger as much as I could.


    No, I wouldn¡¯t shed a tear for that man. He didn¡¯t deserve a single drop.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Get out of my office! We¡¯re through!¡± Tom snapped at me.


    ¡°You¡¯re breaking up with me?! Oh hell no, you bastard! I¡¯m the one walking out of here forever,¡± I said with a frustrated huff.


    ***


    I quickened my pace towards my favorite nightclub in New York. I really needed anything to relieve this stress. From my experience, the hustle and bustle of the club always brought a certainfort as a remedy for my anxiety, even if I was alone.


    Of course, I couldn¡¯t tell Jessy because he would surely scold me. I didn¡¯t need scolding or advice. Right now, all I needed was a drink and a dance floor.


    I saw a crowd of people in front of the club lining up. I was quite surprised when I saw someone I knew there. The manughed briefly with the doorman before entering the club.


    That face! I¡¯ll never forget that face! That¡¯s Laird Evans!

 Reunion

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I quickened my pace towards the nightclub. There was a long line to get into the club. They were just ordinary people. Meanwhile, thanks to Jessy and my agency, I had member ess to several entertainment venues in New York.


    One of them was the popr Club Davo. One membership card to improve my reputation and those of the ces I visited. I showed my annual membership card to the doorman. He nodded and grinned as he allowed me in.


    I immediately walked to the bar because I was sure Laird wouldn¡¯t go to the dance floor. My guess turned out to be correct, and I could immediately see him in the bar.


    No mistake! Finally, I have found him!


    I saw him sitting side by side with a brte girl I didn¡¯t know. With their stiff body gestures, I knew the man had just met the woman. It¡¯s just that the woman kept teasing with her daring fingers, caressing the man¡¯s neck.


    Stop! Get away from him! I couldn¡¯t let this happen!


    I moved closer until I was right next to them. The brte girl was the first to acknowledge my presence. Then I interrupted to stand in the middle.


    ¡°Hi,¡± I smiled at him.


    His eyes were widening, and he gasped. He stared at me for a long time, and his face seemed as if he were seeing a ghost.


    ¡°Fene?!¡±


    ¡°Miss me?¡± I asked him with a smile.


    ¡°Do you know this bitch?¡± the brown-haired woman asked Laird in annoyance.


    ¡°I¡¯m her date.¡± I cut her off.


    Hearing that, the woman scoffed and got off the bar stool. As soon as she left, I immediately took the seat to rece her. Laird just gave me a crooked smile as he watched me intently.


    ¡°Wow, Fene. You look so different,¡± Laird said, his gaze seemingly captivated by mine.


    ¡°Yeah. Do you like my new look?¡± I asked, running my fingers through my straight hair.


    Laird chuckled, seemingly at a loss for words. He shook his head with a wide smile.


    ¡°This is truly a surprise. We should celebrate this reunion,¡± Laird said.


    ¡°Two vodkas,¡± I ordered the bartender, handing over my membership card to im my three free drinks per night.


    Laird smiled crookedly again, one eyebrow raised. Once more, he seemed surprised as I confidently presented my exclusive membership card. He continued to gaze at my face, then my body, down to my feet.


    ¡°Are you really Fene Baxter? The spoiled girl from Boston?¡± he asked again, half in disbelief.


    Iughed at Laird¡¯s question. I guess I managed to impress the guy. Of course. I¡¯ve worked hard to get to this point, and it seems to be paying off.


    No, not enough yet. I still have to make him beg for my love. I still have to make him melt in my hands.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m Fene Baxter, your neighbor from Boston. But I¡¯m no longer the spoiled girl you once knew,¡± I said as the bartender ced two vodka shots in front of us.


    ¡°Cheers!¡± I raised my shot and toasted.


    In one shot, the hot liquid burned inside my mouth. The vodka seemed to strike right at my heart and gut. It was tight and ufortable, but I liked it. Better like this. I could feel the pain in my body rather than dealing with unseen pain from a heartbreak.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised you can handle the heat of this drink.¡± Laird smirked, still with an unbroken gaze.


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve grown up,¡± I said slowly.


    ¡°Funny. I don¡¯t recall maturity being judged by one¡¯s ability to drink alcohol,¡± he snorted before raising his shot to the bartender for a refill.


    He held his words as the bartender refilled our shots. Afterward, without pause, we raised our sses again and drank them dry. I groaned softly as, once again, the vodka fueled the fire inside me. I knew my limit was three drinks, but I felt tonight was an exception.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s your parameter?¡± I asked spontaneously.


    ¡°upation,¡± he answered shortly.


    ¡°Fashion model,¡± I quickly said. ¡°And you?¡±


    ¡°Corporatewyer,¡± he said with a shrug.


    ¡°You can¡¯t stray far from your father¡¯s grasp,¡± I said sympathetically.


    ¡°But I live independently in New York. Far from him,¡± Laird countered to refute my assumption that he still lived under his father¡¯s thumb.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve also be an independent woman. Look, I came to the club alone,¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°And why is that?¡± Laird asked with a tone I thought hid a hidden meaning.


    ¡°I just broke up with my boyfriend,¡± I replied bluntly.


    ¡°Really? Is that why you dared to im that you¡¯re my date now?¡± he asked, his eyes darkening.


    ¡°You seem to need help,¡± I said with a shrug.


    ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t need any help at all,¡± Laird said with a thin, meaningful grin as he raised his hand again for a vodka refill.


    ¡°Does that mean I should leave?¡± I asked.


    ¡°On the contrary, now you have to drink with me,¡± he said, raising his shot again for another toast.


    I downed my third vodka of the night. I knew I was pushing my drinking tolerance, but I didn¡¯t want to be seen as a child in front of him again. It seems the man can drink strong now, and I shouldn¡¯t show my weakness to him at the moment.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s dance,¡± I said, pulling Laird¡¯s arm.


    I was starting to get a bit tipsy, and I didn¡¯t want to end the night early. I knew dancing would keep me sober longer. Laird just huffed and shook his head.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°You know I¡¯m not good at dancing,¡± he said.


    ¡°Then why did youe here if not to dance?¡± I asked, still holding onto his arm.


    ¡°For the crowd,¡± Laird shrugged.


    ¡°Oh,e on,¡± I still insisted, and eventually, Lairdplied.


    We broke through the dance floor and began to blend in with the crowd. I swayed my hips and jumped around. asionally, my hands brushed against Laird¡¯s, and he would embrace my waist, our bodies colliding.


    Maybe because I was tipsy, but I felt so happy tonight. All the annoying incidents with Tom were quickly erased by Laird¡¯s presence. Isn¡¯t he always there at the right moment?


    Laird was in my arms, and we could dance together again. I just realized Laird¡¯s body was taller than I remembered. His jawline became sharper with a chest that turned out to be very sturdy.


    Truly, I was curious about everything beneath his clothes. Every touch I felt while dancing only drove me wilder.


    Suddenly, the crowd near us cheered. One of them seemed to be celebrating a birthday and was challenged by their friends to do a body shot. Unfortunately, the young girl seemed hesitant and shy to ept the challenge.


    ¡°Do you see that?¡± I asked, tilting my chin. I and Laird locked eyes after seeing them.


    ¡°Do you dare?¡± he asked with a mischievous grin.

 Up for the Challenge

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I clung to Laird¡¯s arm, giggling with a tipsy delight. Yes, I felt truly intoxicated. I didn¡¯t care at all because I was eager to show how to do a body shot to the unfortunate girl over there.


    Right next to the birthday girl crowd, I climbed onto the bar table and sat there.


    ¡°Body shot, please!¡± I requested it loudly.


    People around us immediately turned their heads towards me as I shouted those words. Especially the girl next to us, who was now staring at me. A few momentster, the bartender quickly arrived with a small salt sprinkle, a shot ss filled with tequ, and a slice of lemon on a small te.


    ¡°Are you really going to do it?¡± Laird asked, still doubtful for a moment.


    ¡°Yes, of course. Do it with me,¡± I whispered to tease him.


    My hand then took the shot ss and carefully tucked it in. I made sure the shot ss was securely supported by the cleavage of my chest and the low neckline of my mini dress.


    Without diverting my gaze from Laird, I picked up the can of salt and jerked back my head. I sprinkled some salt on my neck. Then I took the slice of lemon and ced it not just on the edge of my lips but inside my mouth.


    People around us began to raise their cameras, apparently recording us. Laird grinned, and I could see the passion in his fiery green eyes. He approached me and trapped me at the bar table. His hands propped on both sides of my body. I then opened my legs wider, so he stood right between my open legs.


    Slowly, he brought his face closer to my neck, as if wanting to smell my body¡¯s fragrance. His hands then grasped my waist. The next moment, he licked my neck and sucked it with a loud slurp. Unconsciously, I moaned in pleasure. My hands then lifted to hold both of Laird¡¯s shoulders while keeping the shot ss from spilling.


    Laird¡¯s tongue then trailed from my neck to my cleavage. Damn! He made my body shiver as his tongue licked the exposed area of my breasts. He lowered his body, then Laird bit the shot ss, pulled it away from my cleavage, and quickly downed it.


    He ced the empty shot ss on the table next to me. Then I turned to face him again to give him easier ess to the lemon slice in my mouth. Laird¡¯s eyes gazed at me intensely, as if burning my body with unstoppable desire.


    I tightened my legs around his waist. My body naturally wanted to cling to Laird¡¯s body. My thigh muscles tensed on their own to restrain the pooled desire in my core.


    He then sucked the lemon slice. The sour lemon drops fell on my lips as Laird sucked them. Laird¡¯s hand then pulled away the lemon slice, with his lips getting closer to mine. He sucked all the lemon water drops on my lips and kept kissing me greedily.


    Everyone around us cheered and whistled. They had just witnessed the hottest body shot, done shamelessly.


    Of course, I no longer cared about our surroundings. My lips and Laird¡¯s lips were still busy nibbling and sucking each other. I wrapped my hands around Laird¡¯s neck, and Laird¡¯s body pressed closer between my open legs. I could even slowly feel the bulge pressing against my thigh area.


    I gasped for breath and finally pulled my body away from that kiss. Slowly, I began to realize that there was a woman also sitting at the bar table next to me who ordered a body shot. The birthday girl was also no longer shy and was enjoying a body shot from her partner. I swear, people began to cheer. I could hear them ordering tequ body shots from every direction.


    ¡°Congrattions, Fene. You have set a trending menu in this club,¡± Laird whispered in front of me.


    ¡°That was my job as a model. Showcasing the product,¡± I replied hoarsely.


    Our lips collided again. Our tongues sucked on each other, and Laird hugged me tighter. Our bodies pressed closer together until Laird whispered in between our kisses.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to my t,¡± he said.


    ***


    I leaned in to him, and the next second, all we ever did was kiss passionately. Over and over again, our lips and tongues secured in a ferocious fight. He held me tight, plump chest to hard chest, uniting our rapid heartbeats.


    I circled my hands around his neck, finding support while my body grewnguid by the second. My feet tiptoed to reach a certain number of more steady kisses. Our tongues are circling, swirling, and sucking at each other with all our might.


    Yes, his hand held my back and his other hand pressed his hips against mine, yet our insatiable desire was making me more impatient.


    I turned our unison to the nearest space from his apartment¡¯s door without ever releasing his lips from mine. His hands reached down to my bum, squeezing hard, then pushed me up to sit in a small space on top of his dining table.


    His lips then trace down to my jaw, then on to my corbone, making me moan uncontrobly. My hand grabbed his dirty blonde hair, while my other hand wed at his back.


    His teeth marked a light bite on my corbone, then continued to my shoulders. On and on to my breast, where his hands had been kneading them both in a merciless move. He pulled my dress off and unsped my bra. Leaving them on the kitchen floor together with his shirt.


    He then switched his hand to put his lips on, then sucked on my red, hard nipple. The table¡¯s height makes it easy for him to lean forward to please me. That¡¯s all I ever wanted all this time-him pleasuring me. All I wanted was to make him love me and tattoo his name on those pleasures in my body.


    ¡°Laird.¡± I moaned with heavy breaths.


    ¡°Yes. Call my name.¡±Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

 Huge Mistake

    Fene¡¯s POV


    He licked with the tip of his tongue until I jerked my head back. My back arched up to provide more ess for his tongue on my breast.


    His hand cupped my left breast while his teeth were still scraping my nipple. He moved on to my other breast, caressing with the same embrace using his tongue and lips. I screamed, then trembled once to limp in my heavy breath.


    The first juice rushed down to my soaking thong. But it seemed he wouldn¡¯t stop there; I didn¡¯t want to stop it either because I was so consumed by my longsting curiosity and lust. I need him badly.


    His lips are now kissing my hips, still covered by the redce thong. His hands moved to roll it down, freeing my sacred part of my body.


    Then, time after time, his lips teased my sensitive nub by licking and sucking circles. All the while, his hand was busy circling my nipple, the other thrusting into my core. I just knew I couldn¡¯t hold it any longer. Finally, I screamed and shivered in orgasm again, showing him how much my body reacts to his mouth and his hands.


    ¡°Yes, dear. Do it again for me. Cum for me more.¡± He whispered to me.


    He pressed my hips further close to his mouth, yet it was still not enough to satisfy his need to explore deeper into my core. He stood up, then kissed me again, making me taste my own juice.


    With his hands, he lifted me up, holding my thighs. I straddled his hip, pressing the sharp edge of his jeans against my soft flesh as we moaned together.


    He carried me again, then took steps to his bedroom while my lips still perched upon him. It didn¡¯t take long for him toy me down on his soft bed. He continued on with what was paused back there-sucking my clitoral area until I writhed in pleasure again and again.


    His tongue slides into my small, wet opening, and he circles steadily there, making me wonder how huge it must be for his cock in my wet tunnel. His fingers rubbed my clitoral area, while his tongue thrust deeper into my core. It¡¯s not long until I break again. I panted heavily, and with anguid voice, I whined.


    ¡°You¡¯re a cheater. Give it all to me now.¡±


    I squealed under him, begging to have more of him.


    He let me turn to unbutton and unzip his jeans. The next thing I know, I¡¯m already praising his steel-hard cock with my smooth, slender fingers. I rubbed it until he squirmed with long groans. He was huge, just like I always imagined.


    The next second, my fingers changed to my tongue. I sucked his thick member in and out multiple times, until his hips thrust into my mouth automatically. I sucked his cock until his balls twitched in pain.


    ¡°Wait,¡± he groaned.


    Then he pushed my head out carefully to free his ready cock. His hand reached into his bedside drawer and picked up a single sealed condom. He tore the stic and sheathed his long, thick cock into it, ready for real action.


    ¡°Come on, Laird. Now. I want you now.¡± I whined impatiently.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°As you wish, dear.¡± He replied with a smirk, while his thighs were seated in the perfect position upon my throbbing nub.


    The first touch was mind-blowing. With me already wet and taut from our extensive forey, hisrge bulk slid in with ease, yet I moaned nheless.


    He was unmoving, feeling my tunnel clench his cock with a hot, throbbing pulse. I hissed in satisfaction at how beautifully it fulfilled my expectations.


    He tested it with a steady strike, but the pleasure just gets more and more intense to hold back. I screamed in pleasure when he took me harder, deeper, and faster with each push. My hands gripped on his bed sheet, searching for something steady to hold on to.


    He did it perfectly like it was his daily job. He moved his hips with skillful pushing and pulling. Each thrust constricted pain to my deepest core.


    ¡°Yes! Go! Keep it going, Laird!¡± I cried out uncontrobly.


    Until we both cum simultaneously, our bodies weaken for the final thrust.


    ***


    My body felt heavy, and my head was spinning. I tried opening my eyelids, but my vision remained fuzzy. I only knew there was a bright light that dazzled me. The light shone on my face until I woke up.


    I turned my body. With all of my effort, I strained to sit up against the thick nket that enveloped me. When the nket came off, my body immediately felt cold, and I shivered.


    I blink to clear my vision. My hand scratched my brow, then rubbed my cheek.


    ¡°Oh my God.¡±


    The figure next to me was also bare-chested. He simply wore ck boxer shorts. I swallowed hard. The pain in my genital area as I attempted to get out of bed was the true evidence ofst night¡¯s events.


    I observed Laird once more. His breathing was still regr, and his eyelids were still closed, a sign that he was still sound asleep. Heid half-prone.


    His physique seemedrger than I remembered. Even his stomach muscles were inly visible, indicating that he was still exercising regrly. He looked so perfect. If I could snap a photograph of him right now, I am sure it would be valued as highly as a work of art.


    Then I realized something had gone wrong. I should¡¯ve gotten revenge for his action. I should¡¯ve rejected him the way he rejected me years ago. Instead, I gave myself to him easily, like this!


    ¡°What the hell did I just do?¡± I muttered, regretting all of it.


    I stealthily crept out of the bedroom, whose door had been wide open sincest night. I went to the kitchen table and immediately found my clothes, my bra and my thong there.


    ¡°No, this is a mistake,¡± I said to myself in a panic as I put everything on hastily.


    I went to the front door and found my shoes and bag on the floor. Slowly, without making any noise, I left Laird¡¯s apartment and quickly found the resident¡¯s private elevator to go down.

 Paying Debt

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I was lost in thought, staring nkly at the tissue box on the table. My hand supported my chin as I waited for Jessy toe with our coffee.


    ¡°Hey, gorgeous. Here¡¯s your coffee.¡± Jessy handed me an iced Americano on the table.


    ¡°Thank you, Jess,¡± I said with a small smile.


    ¡°Thank goodness the fitting was postponed. I told you so. Baumer is such a perfectionist; she¡¯ll probably get in trouble herself soon,¡± Jessy chuckled.


    ¡°Yes, luckily I wasn¡¯tte for the fitting. Plus, she still epted me as her model, even though my dark under-eye circles were visible and I was unfocused earlier,¡± I mentioned.


    ¡°Ah, nonsense! She praised you so much. She really likes you. You¡¯re her ideal type of model. Even if you were to switch liking her-¡±


    I red at Jessy. We had agreed that my sexual orientation preferences couldn¡¯t be forced to change, even if it would help my career as a model. Understanding this, Jessy cleared his throat and quickly changed the subject.


    ¡°So, spill it! You owe me a story.¡± Jessy, sitting across from me, immediately sipped his iced lemon tea.


    ¡°Well, here it goes.¡± I took a sip of my drink.


    ¡°What? Come on, be honest with me. What really happened? I thought you went on a dinner date with Tomst night. How did Tom turn into Laird?¡± Jessy pressed on.


    I recalled how I arrived at Baumer¡¯s studio after 7 a. m. in a less-than-presentable state for the fitting session. Upon arrival, Jessy came and informed me that the fitting had been rescheduled for 10 a. m. Unfortunately, my misfortune didn¡¯t end there, as I had left my phone in Laird¡¯s apartment.


    I realized my phone was missing, but I had no idea it was left in his apartment. Jessy had called my number, only to find Laird was the one who picked it up.


    Now, even though I felt that the events of the previous night were a huge mistake, I couldn¡¯t avoid Laird, as he was currently on his way to meet us to return my phone.


    Initially, I mumbled in hesitation. I didn¡¯t know where to start, but Jessy¡¯s gaze remained fixed on me. I took a deep breath, preparing to recount the events fromst night as best as I could remember.


    ¡°Last night, Tom didn¡¯t respond to my messages at all, so I went to his office. It turns out he was having sex with his secretary. We broke up, and then I went to the club,¡± I exined with azy shrug.


    ¡°He cheated?! How dare he! I told you he was a big mistake.¡± Jessy shook his head.


    ¡°I actually don¡¯t care much about Tom hurting me; it¡¯s just that I feel like my dignity is being trampled on.¡± I swirled the ice in my coffee with a straw, voicing my frustrations.


    ¡°I can imagine, honey. Anyone who betrays us is obviously underestimating us. It¡¯s a good thing you broke up with Tom. He¡¯s not worthy of you.¡±


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the deal with Laird? Where did hee from? Is he an angel descending from heaven to save you?¡± This time, he raised both his hands as if something were about to fall into his embrace.


    ¡°No, not quite.¡±


    I then recounted everything I remembered aboutst night to Jessy. Sometimes heughed, sometimes he took a deep breath, and the rest of the time he nodded along.


    ¡°Wow.¡±


    After I finished telling the story up to that morning¡¯s events, Jessy could only utter one word. Then he turned his head from side to side, running his fingers through his temples.


    ¡°I mean, our rtionship may have just been one big mistake. Nothing more. You know, like two old acquaintances meeting at a club and feeling the need to seize the opportunity for a bit of one-night pleasure.¡±


    ¡°But, from your story just now, and as you said earlier that you were childhood friends in Boston, I feel like he sees you as more than just a casual fling,¡± Jessy shrugged.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know about that. Back then, he outright rejected me. Then we also nevermunicated again.¡± I stirred my iced coffee and watched the ice cubes swirl in the ss.


    ¡°I should have sought revenge on him. But with what happenedst night, I feel like everything doesn¡¯t matter anymore. Years of effort to humiliate him have now failed, with me easily jumping to him like a cheap whore.¡±


    I sighed heavily. Jessy looked at me with a furrowed brow. I began toy my head on my hands on the table. Suddenly, Jessy¡¯s phone rang again, and I immediately sat up straight upon hearing it. Jessy answered the phone, and after giving directions for a moment, he pointed to the cafe¡¯s door.


    ¡°Laird is here,¡± he said. I turned my back and saw him entering.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Laird greeted with his charming, crooked smile.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Jessy rose from his seat and quickly moved to shake Laird¡¯s hand.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯mte,¡± he said, his eyes ncing at me.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, but I can¡¯t stay longer to chat with you guys. I have other matters to attend to. Okay? Have fun!¡± Jessy waved and left the two of us.


    It seemed Jessy understood and didn¡¯t want to disturb us. Laird walked towards me with a faint smile and an intense gaze. He then sat in the chair in front of me, taking Jessy¡¯s ce. He chuckled softly and greeted me with his deep voice.


    ¡°Hey, Fene. Are you still wearing the same clothes asst night?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sorry, I was in a rush for my work this morning,¡± I said with a clearing of my throat.


    ¡°Yes, I can see that.¡± Laird nodded as he handed me my phone.


    ¡°Thank you, Laird,¡± I said as I took it.


    ¡°No problem. At least now I¡¯m sure you left, not because you wanted to avoid me,¡± he grinned.


    ¡°Oh, no, of course not,¡± I said, shaking my head.


    Ugh, damn it! I¡¯ve made a big mistake, and now I don¡¯t know how to fix all of this. I should have avoided it, rearranged my ns, and scheduled the right time to meet again, but here I am, meeting him again so soon.


    I wasn¡¯t ready!


    ¡°Great. I thought you weren¡¯t satisfied with me.¡± Laird smiled crookedly, his eyes gleaming, as if I caught a glimpse of desire there.


    ¡°Oh, no. Last night was amazing, and¡­¡± My voice trailed off, and I realized once again that I was feeding his ego.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    He chuckled, and my cheeks flushed instantly. I could only silently curse myself. I had told myself multiple times that this was a big mistake, but my actions couldn¡¯t align with my intentions.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go to lunch. I know a delicious Japanese restaurant,¡± he said.


    ¡°But, I feel like I need a shower,¡± I wrinkled my nose.


    ¡°Hm, in that case, let me take you to your apartment first,¡± he said, smiling meaningfully.

 The Same Beautiful Mistake

    Laird¡¯s POV


    ¡°What?¡± Fene eximed in disbelief.


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked, furrowing my brow.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a cheap whore you can fuck up with at any time?¡± Fene whispered lowly.


    I gazed at Fene; her face flushed. Her cheekbones looked sharper than before after she had toned up. Her red, full lips tantalized me as she frowned disapprovingly at my idea of taking her back to the apartment.


    Hell, how could I not be tempted by her? Even her clothes, the same asst night, only reminded me of the delicious parts of her body beneath them.


    I missed her so much.


    We had been apart for seven years, and I lost contact with her. Once I found out that Fene had decided to leave Boston and go to New York, I almost followed her to New York. If it weren¡¯t for my father opposing and threatening to make life difficult for my younger brother, still in high school, I might have been able to fuck Fene every day now.


    I had to win Fene¡¯s love back. I knew I had hurt her before, but I was certain that she still liked me.


    I was sure that one of the fastest ways to make her like me again was to tempt her. Look, just the idea of going back to her apartment together made her face blush.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say you¡¯re a cheap whore. I know you¡¯ve be every man¡¯s dream girl,¡± I whispered back.


    ¡°Well, then, you shouldn¡¯t have easily invited me back to the apartment,¡± she said.


    ¡°Well,st night I could easily do it,¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°Last night was a mistake,¡± she sighed.


    ¡°I thought you werementing thatst night was amazing,¡± I teased with a smile.


    ¡°Yes,st night was amazing, and yes, I admit it was the best sex I¡¯ve ever had in my adulthood,¡± she said softly, looking frustrated.


    Upon hearing that confession, my blood boiled. I rose from my chair and stood right next to her. She looked puzzled as I trapped her in the chair, with one hand on the table and the other on the back of her chair. Then I leaned down low.


    ¡°Then don¡¯t say it was a mistake. Last night was the best thing I¡¯ve ever had in my adulthood,¡± I whispered in her ear in a low voice.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    I gazed at Fene¡¯s now-reddening face. That¡¯s when I knew she felt the same desire as me. Her beautiful face, with round breasts peeking beneath her low-cut top, drove me crazy. I didn¡¯t want to hear rejection, and it seemed Fene was tempted too.


    My hand touched her chin and slowly moved her face so she could look at mepletely. I had liked her forever. Now, she was in my grasp, and I would never let her go.


    ¡°Laird, we¡¯re in a cafe. There are a lot of people here,¡± she said with a choked voice.


    ¡°That¡¯s why we should move to a more secluded ce. Unless you want to show them all how to satisfy a man,¡± I said, rubbing her soft lower lip. Lips that I knew would fit perfectly with my cock.


    ***


    Fene¡¯s lips still encircled my shaft, her tongue moving up and down, licking the sensitive spots at the tip of my cock. I gazed into Fene¡¯s eyes from above, and the sight was the best I had ever seen.


    I moved my hips naturally, fucking her mouth. Fene¡¯s lips and tongue were very skilled at arousing me. My hands moved to Fene¡¯s lips, caressing them. As Fene¡¯s tongue circled my hardened shaft once again, I squirmed in pleasure, gasping for breath.


    I grabbed her long, silky hair, then gently pushed her head deeper to suck my penis. As the tip of my penis felt like it reached the back of her throat, causing her to choke briefly, I groaned once more, filled with pleasure.


    ¡°Yes, Fen, just like that,¡± I pleaded with quick breaths.


    I liked how Fene indulged me like this. It was as if her actions were the highest form of devotion a woman could give to a man.


    As I felt my erection grow harder and tighter, I knew I was close to climax. Despite knowing she was tired after working since early this morning, I didn¡¯t want to be selfish. Therefore, I released myself from her, even though I was thoroughly enjoying it.


    ¡°Why, Laird?¡± she asked, her lips moist and her voice husky.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to ride me on top?¡± I asked as my hand guided Fene to rise.


    I pulled her waist up to sit on myp on the sofa. Yes, we couldn¡¯t even hold it to walk further past Fene¡¯s leather sofa.


    Fene slowly spread her legs, straddling me. My hands immediately removed Fene¡¯s dress and bra. I was face-to-face with Fene¡¯s white, round breasts.


    Without much thought, I immediately sucked one of her hard nipples while my other hand twirled the other nipple. Fene moaned loudly, and I let her hands squeeze my unprotected, sensitive cock.


    ¡°Laird, a condom?¡± she asked hoarsely.


    ¡°As long as we¡¯re in this position, we¡¯ll be safe,¡± I reassured her in between the licking.


    ¡°In that case,¡± Fene¡¯s words were cut off as she finally allowed my penis to enter her tight pussy.


    We groaned simultaneously, as I could feel our sex meeting without any barrier at all. It felt even more pleasurable. I could clearly feel the core of her pumping with quick pulses.


    ¡°Damn, Fene. You¡¯re so wet and tight. This feels so good,¡± I gasped on her supple breast.


    ¡°All because of you,¡± she confessed with the same heavy breath.


    Our hips moved in unison. I pushed from below, while she pushed from above. The wet sound of our sex meeting echoed loudly throughout the room in a rhythmic pattern.


    Gradually, the rhythm of the beats quickened as Fene¡¯s hips moved wildly on myp. She fucked me senseless.


    The girl moaned loudly as I resumed ying with her nipples with both my hands. It was as if I were watching the best erotic film because now I could see Fene¡¯s aroused expression. Her eyes closed while her brows furrowed. Fene¡¯s hands gripped both my shoulders for support, and I felt even more aroused by it.


    Our hip movements became wilder and harder as we pushed against each other. My breath became quicker, just as Fene moaned louder. Slowly, but surely, the umted pleasure increased rapidly after a few minutes in that position.


    ¡°I¡¯m going toe!¡±


    ¡°Laird! Ah! Yes!¡±


    Fene¡¯s final moan peaked, as did mine, finally reaching climax from the intense friction between my cock and her tight, wet pussy. Fene kissed my lips, and I kissed hers, our tongues intertwining. We continued kissing until our orgasms subsided, and we came down from our peak of pleasure.


    Fene rested her head on my shoulder, and I stroked her sweaty back. She gasped for air on my shoulder while my lips sucked on the tip of Fene¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Can we shower together?¡± I asked, apanied by a groan.

 Bridging Connection

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°We had great sex.¡± He smirked while watching me blush like a honey-zed apple.


    I was just speechless; I couldn¡¯t deny thementary about our sex these past 24 hours. It might be true because my pussy hurts from all the friction.


    I cursed at my stupid little brain, ming it all on myself for submitting to my lust. But I felt grateful because, without some vodkast night or his way of seducing me all the time, maybe I wouldn¡¯t dare to approach him. At this point, maybe we¡¯re already fuck buddies for a day? Friends with benefits?


    The hell I know of it, but I like it. I had been dreaming of him for so long; now it has be so real. We had great sex!


    ¡°Um¡­, right. So, I sincerely thank you for-¡± I trailed off. What should I say? Thank you for the best sex of my life.


    ¡°Thank you for your care.¡± Instead, I said it.


    ¡°It¡¯s cool.¡±


    He shrugged, then continued to eat his own sushi.


    ¡°You¡¯re excellent at entertaining people, aren¡¯t you?¡± He smirked.


    I nced at Laird¡¯s green eyes as if he were reading me with super eyes, spying on my foolish brain.


    ¡°Yes, and you¡¯ll need to give payments to my agent directly,¡± I joked around.


    ¡°Sure, I can call him now.¡±


    ¡°For your record, don¡¯t mess with Jessy,¡± I warned him.


    ¡°Okay, rx. I won¡¯t mess with anyone but you.¡± Heughed.


    I failed miserably in trying to appear posh and elegant, especially with my restless movements. I took out my phone and unlocked it with my right index fingerprint. There are a few missed calls from Jessy and notifications about my credit card bills. I also received texts from my mother and some advertisements.


    ¡°Urgent calls?¡± Laird asked in curiosity.


    ¡°It¡¯s Jessy. He¡¯s just curious.¡± I replied.


    ¡®You owe me the deets.¡¯


    My face blushed once more from the unwritten debt to tell him everything. Jessy was a kind and simple guy, but once you put up with his curiosity, he¡¯ll likely be a thorn in your ass until you satisfy his urge to know the details.


    But that¡¯s what now makes him my best friend. He knew everything about me, though he argued that it was for the sake of his job as my agent. If he was appraised by how much he knew about Fene Baxter, then he¡¯s doing an outstanding job.


    ¡®Still with Laird; catch youter.¡¯Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    I put my phone back in my mini bag and finished my hot green tea.


    ¡°What¡¯s your social media ount?¡± Laird asked me.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re right. Let¡¯s follow each other.¡±


    I opened my ount and typed his ount ID. We¡¯re following each other right away. We sat in silence for a while, browsing each other¡¯s posts.


    ¡°You¡¯ve really be a model, it seems,¡± Lairdmented briefly after looking at my ount.


    ¡°Yes, thanks to you.¡± I smiled shyly.


    ¡°What did I do exactly?¡± He raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Huh? Well, I followed the types of girls you like.¡± I nced out the window, starting to feel embarrassed by my confession to him.


    ¡°As far as I know about myself, I¡¯ve never categorized girls into specific types I like, especially not based on their profession.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Iughed. ¡°You clearly said before that your type is a fashion model with blonde hair.¡±


    ¡°Really? Are you delusional? I never said that. I dare to bet.¡± His forehead creased.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m sure you said that to me before.¡± I persisted, recalling my memory of prom night.


    ¡°There must be some misunderstanding.¡± He grinned.


    I recalled my memories, but I decided to let them slide and just shut up for now. I didn¡¯t want to mess up this moment.


    Laird tucked his phone away in his jeans pocket and stood up. He then ced his hand on my shoulder and whispered in my ear.


    ¡°Even if you¡¯re just unemployed or get fat, I will still pay attention to you.¡±


    His words sounded sweet with a deep, calm whisper. Goosebumps ran down my spine as he spoke, as if it were a dirty joke. I could only blink in disbelief at what I had just heard. Laird then turned around and walked away.


    ¡°Wait, where are you going?¡± I abruptly stopped him, hesitating to stand up.


    Laird quirked an eyebrow and suppressed augh, seeing my panicked reaction. ¡°Cashier.¡±


    Once again, I was surprised by his attitude, although I should have known that he had always been reliable and attentive. He was a meticulous, sensitive man who remembered important things for others, no matter how small. But I thought that all this time he hated me.


    No, wait. If he was willing to fuck with me, it means he quite liked me. Another option that crossed my mind was that he was just like any other man who easily took advantage of the opportunity to sleep with a girl, even if he didn¡¯t like the girl. Thest option made my heart ache. Anxiety arose, although I shouldn¡¯t expect too much.


    ***


    ¡°Come on, spill the details!¡±


    Jessy immediately set his wine ss on the coffee table and pped his hands. He now sat upright, facing me entirely. I murmured in confusion, not daring to meet his eyes.


    ¡°Was his dick big, hard, and sharp? Did he use his tongue? How many times did you orgasm? Tell me everything!¡± Jessy giggled and grinned widely, appearing terrified.


    ¡°A secret,¡± I said in between sighs.


    ¡°What the fuck?!¡± Jessy groaned in annoyance.


    ¡°You had sex with your childhood friend, the person you¡¯ve liked throughout your teenage years, the one who made you move to New York and choose a career as a model, and you don¡¯t want to brag about your achievement? Tell me that¡¯s not true!¡± Jessy shook my arm, and I could only shake my head.


    ¡°There¡¯s no achievement there. I mean, I should have gotten back at him. I should have made him fascinated by me, made him fall in love with me, then I would reject him like he did to me before.¡±


    ¡°Get back at him. Ha! Ridiculous! Forget about revenge if you¡¯re this weak in his grasp.¡± Jessy snapped his fingers repeatedly.


    ¡°Maybe you want to deny it, but your body won¡¯t be able to resist Laird anymore after you¡¯ve been fucking with him.¡± Jessy shook his head and grabbed the TV remote to turn on his favorite vampire romance drama.


    Suddenly, Jessy¡¯s phone notification sounded. He reached for his phone and then read messages in silence. He immediately stoppedughing and changed his act to be serious.


    ¡°We need to go to bed quickly now.¡± Jessy suddenly stood up and hurriedly turned off the TV.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked, confused.


    ¡°Our CEO is retiring and will be reced by a new boss. They want us all toe to the office tomorrow at 9 a. m.¡±

 Blame It on You

    Fene¡¯s POV


    That night, the blond man in front of me used both his hands to remove my dress. Ah, he seemed to be aroused.


    I could clearly see the man¡¯s exposed muscles. His chest was chiseled, his arms looked strong as if they could support my entire body, and his neck stood tall like an oak tree trunk.


    The man¡¯s fingers skillfully unhooked my strapless bra. I nced down at his pants, and I could see a hard bulge right beneath his jeans zipper. The man stopped, but his actions only tormented me.


    Ugh, I wanted to touch him. I wanted to feel the warmth and firmness of that bulge. The familiar face, the strands of hair I knew by heart, and the tempting lips. Don¡¯t stop! Oh, I know. Maybe he needed more encouragement.


    I sucked on the prominent bone at the base of his neck. The man flinched; his emerald eyes now gazed back at me.


    The next moment, we fought for dominance over our lips and tongues. It was an insatiable passion, and I enjoyed it. I enjoyed it so much that I didn¡¯t realize my body had moved. My butt felt cold, but it added to the sensation of making out.


    Every time his warm tongue licked my nipple, my body felt like it was exploding. It was so pleasurable that I couldn¡¯t decide what to hold onto. My fingers gripped his blond hair, asking him to continue paying attention to my nipples while applying gentle pressure to his head as a form ofmunication. Again and again, I didn¡¯t want him to stop.


    He was reluctant to stop. Even now, his tongue and fingers y a game in my wet pussy. I felt unable to contain myself any longer.


    ¡°Laird,¡± I gasped.


    I jolted awake from my sleep. I looked around the dark room, with only one bedsidemp illuminating the space. All I could hear was Jessy¡¯s snoring and my own breathing.


    Jeez!


    Suddenly, I remembered many things. All those memories flowed into me like water from a tap. My brain recalled them, and my body felt them. I remembered them, and I need them now. I wanted to feel it again and again.


    I bit my lower lip. Iid back on the bed and covered myself with a nket so Jessy wouldn¡¯t notice. My index finger pressed against my sensitive nub, and the memories of that night directed my hand movements just as Laird¡¯s fingers did in the same ce. Then another finger began to press slowly into my tight opening.


    One finger, then two. My fingers moved in and out, pressing almost every corner of the inner walls and reaching my sensitive spots. Continuously until I felt the pleasures piling up. Again and again until I couldn¡¯t hold back anymore.


    I exploded at the touch of my own fingers and sighed in relief. After all of that, I could stillpare it to my memories from the night before. It was very different and didn¡¯te close to the pleasure I felt with Laird.


    I needed more than this. I needed Laird Evans.


    ***


    I woke up early to the sound of my phone¡¯s rm. Not wanting to bete for work, I immediately showered and washed my whole body from head to toe. My fingers yed a bit under the warm water. I briefly revisited the memories of that night, especially my nipples and clit. It was like a remedy for the longing for Laird¡¯s touch, which was far different from my own touch.


    If I wasn¡¯t given the chance to be with Laird again, maybe I would look for a temporary recement to fill the void. A one-night stand with a stranger might temporarily satisfy my craving.


    Ugh, I¡¯m such a damn slut!


    Wait, I can¡¯t me myself for being so thirsty for Laird. Instead, I should me Laird for everything he did to my body. He made me crave his touch, like a whore desperate for his caress.


    ¡°Fene, are you done?¡± Jessy knocked on the door.


    I jerked and quickly turned off the shower. Enough! I didn¡¯t want to y with myself anymore. My fingers would only deceive me and not give me the satisfaction I needed.


    I dried myself off and put on my towel robe. Due to my frequent stays at Jessy¡¯s apartment, I left behind many of my clothes and makeup items. Most of them were clothes that I hadn¡¯t had a chance to take back to my own apartment from theundromat.


    If there was someone who didn¡¯t know that Jessy was my gay friend, they would surely think Jessy was my boyfriend because of the abundance of my belongings in his apartment. It was as if we lived together.


    I stepped out of the bathroom and let Jessy in.


    ¡°I¡¯ll cook breakfast. What would you like to eat?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Boiled eggs and honey spread on toast. Thank you, gorgeous.¡± Jessy entered the bathroom.


    I made breakfast for Jessy and myself. Suddenly, a notification from my phone sounded. I turned off the t iron on my hair and opened the new message.


    ¡°Oh no!¡± I eximed in amazement as I read the sender¡¯s name on the message.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Jessy came out of the bathroom with a shirt and vest.


    ¡°Laird,¡± I said with a suppressed squeal.


    ¡°Let me see.¡± Jessy quickly approached me and looked at the message from Laird.


    ¡®Morning¡­¡¯


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± He scowled irritably.


    ¡°Hey, this is progress. Besides, he was the one who messaged me first. Plus, he sent a message in the morning. Doesn¡¯t that mean he couldn¡¯t wait to greet me?¡± I defended myself with quick words and a blushing face.


    ¡°Fene, you¡¯re embarrassing me! You sound like a high school kid again.¡± Jessy giggled.


    ¡°Wait, let me reply first,¡± I said, then cleared my throat to think of a reply.


    ¡®Good morning to you too ;)¡¯


    I added a cute emoji giving a charming wink. Then I strutted over to the dining table.


    ¡°What happened to the revenge you¡¯ve been working on for seven years?¡± Jessy teased.


    ¡°I¡¯m still working on it. Just watch; I will make him think that I really like him.¡± I said, then drank the fresh smoothie.


    ¡°Ugh, I also want to have aplicated love like that. You want him to love you, but you don¡¯t want to love him because you want to win him over by making him beg for your love.¡± Jessy sighed deeply and rolled his eyes.


    My phone notification sounded again. As soon as I saw it was from Laird, I immediately focused on my phone.


    ¡®Having breakfast?¡¯


    ¡°Jessy! He¡¯s asking if I¡¯m having breakfast now. What should I reply?¡± I was panicking.


    ¡°Just tell him you¡¯re having breakfast alone outside.¡± He advised, and I quickly sent a message as per his suggestion.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡®Yes. Alone at a cafe.¡¯


    ¡®Want me to join you?¡¯ He replied.


    ¡°Jessy! He wants to join me for breakfast! I have to go now.¡± I suddenly stood up.

 Wind of Changes

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°No! Fene, we had to go to the office now!¡± Jessy snapped.


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°How could you even consider leaving your job for Laird? You should act professionally.¡± Jessy cut me off and started scolding me again.


    ¡°But this is my chance to meet him again,¡± I protested and half-pleaded with Jessy to let me go. ¡°Just for a moment, it won¡¯t take long. Just for breakfast.¡±


    ¡°No. Listen, Fene. Don¡¯t you want to get back at him? Don¡¯t you want to win his heart?¡±


    I fell silent as Jessy¡¯s tone began to rise, a sign that he was indeed angry. I slowly sat back down in my chair, staring at my half-eaten-boiled egg.


    ¡°I¡¯m very sure that the revenge you¡¯re talking about willpletely fail after all you¡¯ve done. You won¡¯t be able to make Laird like you. You know why?¡± Jessy¡¯s gaze was now fixed on me, and I remained silent.


    ¡°Because you like him too much.¡±


    ¡°I realized that you always put Laird¡¯s interests above your own. You always depend on Laird until you forget how to make decisions without considering Laird¡¯s feelings. No wonder he sees you as spoiled.¡±


    ¡°You want him to like you, right? You want him to feel worthless without you, right? Love yourself first.¡± Jessy stood up from his chair and squeezed my shoulders.


    ¡°Get up. Make yourself so valuable that he begs for your love. Show that you are a sessful, independent, popr, and multi talented woman.¡± He pulled my arm and forced me to walk to his wooden wardrobe.


    We stood in front of a full-length mirror attached to the wardrobe door. I looked at myself in the mirror, and Jessy slowly backed away, leaving me alone in front of the mirror.


    ¡°Look at yourself; don¡¯t you want to be that cool woman? Don¡¯t you want Laird to love you? Love yourself first because no one can love you as much as you can.¡± Jessy pointed to my own reflection in the mirror.


    ¡°Now, change into the best outfit to go to the office. Everyone from the office will be there, so make sure you stand out with your unique style from all the other models in the office. Then send a message to Laird that you are busy being a sessful and independent woman.¡±


    Jessy stood proudly with his hands on his hips. Then I turned to Jessy and smiled.


    Yes, maybe Jessy was right. I liked Laird too much. I was too eager to get him, even though he had clearly rejected me before. Not once did I not think about Laird¡¯s interests. Going to the same high school as him, studying hard for his praise, joining the cheerleading team to cheer him on, and now bing a model to win his heart.


    I did like him, but I wanted him to like me too. With my current situation, I would never be able to make his heart surrender to me.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Jessy. I have to control myself,¡± I said, turning to Jessy.


    ¡°Thank you. What would I do without you?¡± I hugged Jessy tightly.


    ¡°Oh, you poor girl,¡± Jessy hugged back tightly.


    Following Jessy¡¯s instructions, I dressed as best as I could. I wore a hot pink tweed zer suit, a white bustier, and thigh-high shorts in matching pink colors. Ipleted my outfit with a small white bag and white high-heeled shoes. Not forgettingrge gold hoop earrings and a goldriat choker ne as essories.


    ¡®Sorry, I¡¯m in a hurry. There¡¯s an office event. Raincheck?¡¯


    Laird replied to me.


    ¡®Ok, no problem. Break a leg.¡¯


    ¡°Done?¡±


    I showed my message with Laird to Jessy. He smiled and nodded.


    ***


    When we arrived at the office building, my mouth dropped with a blossoming smile. The office had been transformed into a luxury space withvish decorations.


    ¡°Did they renovate the office? I feel like it¡¯s been ages since I¡¯ve been to the office,¡± I said, puzzled.


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible. Two days ago, everything was still the same as usual.¡± Jessy shook his head as his eyes continued to scan every corner of the office lobby.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°You mean, there was a wizard who magically did all this to our office?¡± I still couldn¡¯t believe that he knew nothing about this.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s just that the contractors did their work to fulfill the new boss¡¯s wishes.¡± He snapped.


    The first floor, which used to be just a lobby with white sofas, a small magazine rack, and a short ss table, was now filled with wooden tables and chairs, making me think I had mistakenly entered a cafe. There were no more tall reception desks; instead, there were photo spots with spotlights and the word ¡®Gene¡¯ inrge gold letters on the cream-colored wall.


    As we ascended to the second floor, once again, we were amazed by the ambiance. The area closest to the windows had been transformed into a white runway stage with small lights. Small standing fans were on the main circr stage, and another was on the end of the runway stage.


    The employee desks were arranged in rows against the wall, making the room more spacious than the previous officeyout. The office walls in the employee area were no longer in gray but adorned with close-up editorial photos of each model under Gene Management, including mine.


    In addition to the office space changes, it seemed that specifically for today¡¯s event, they had added a long buffet table. Various types of food were served with ice buckets containing bottles of champagne and wine at the ends.


    ¡°Wow, this is truly an office party,¡± I said to Jessy.


    ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? Luckily, you listened to me. I¡¯ll greet the other agents first. Go mingle with the other models.¡± Jessy walked away to greet the other agents.


    While they chatted about office changes, I grabbed a ss of red cocktail served by a waiter. I sipped the cold cocktail and sighed. One, because I was relieved to arrive on time for the event. Second, I could enjoy a cold cocktail after boredom in the taxi due to traffic jams.


    ¡°Fene,¡± someone greeted me, and I turned.

 Old Friends

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°Oh, hey, Greg. It¡¯s nice to see you. We haven¡¯t met in the officetely,¡± I weed with a light peck on each of our cheeks.


    ¡°I know. We¡¯ve been busy with our own projects,¡± Greg smiled broadly.


    Greg and I joined this mother agency only two weeks apart. Since then, he has always been my partner on small projects. Over time, as our sess grew, we started to have our own busy schedules. Thest time we worked together on the same project was a magazine editorial photoshoot half a year ago.


    ¡°Hey, guys.¡± Kiara approached us this time.


    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear you¡¯re both so sessful. It¡¯s a shame everyone will retire in time,¡± she said with a smile.


    Damn, she mentioned retirement! That topic was sensitive for Greg and me. We were considered too old and were starting to lose to the younger models newly recruited.


    While Kiara was our junior, she was three years younger. Initially, she was recruited as a model. When they first recruited her, she snatched and stole many of my projects. Then, arrogantly, because she wanted to fulfill something she called passion, she switched to bing an actress.


    She challenged our agency¡¯s rule that when someone chose to be an actress, their modeling activities would be reduced. She thought our boss, Ms. L, wouldply with her because she felt like the golden child.


    Unfortunately, Kiara didn¡¯t understand that she was just a small, self-important actress with no acting talent. Kiara got small roles in sis and Hollywood films with poor ratings, so her name never really took off.


    When she decided to return to modeling, Ms. L and her agents no longer respected her. She even protested hysterically in the office because the brands she used to represent had left her.


    But, c¡¯est vie; that¡¯s life. You shouldn¡¯t be greedy unless you are truly multitalented; then it¡¯s okay.


    ¡°You must be busy with TV series too, right? What¡¯s the title again? If I¡¯m not mistaken, Smash or Flush, right?¡± I pretended to be clueless and didn¡¯t remember the title of the drama she starred in.


    ¡°Maybe what you mean is Trash,¡± Greg joked, and weughed.


    Thank God! Greg and I still had the same chemistry to annoy others.


    ¡°Oh, whatever. You can mock me, but after that olddy leaves, I will persuade the new boss to give me all the projects,¡± Kiara said irritably.


    ¡°And the correct title of my drama is Crash! You guys are idiots.¡±


    Kiara strutted away. Greg and Iughed and made a toast.


    ¡°She never learns. Greed only brings disaster.¡± Greg shook his head and sipped his wine.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to try being an actor too? Who knows, maybe Kiara¡¯s right if the new boss is more flexible,¡± I said, sipping my cocktail again.


    ¡°It would be more fun if I could join reality shows like dating shows or racing around the world. How about you? Don¡¯t you want to try acting?¡± Greg asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Do you think I have acting talent?¡± I asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re more suited for a survival game show. It would be hrious to hear your panicked screams,¡± Greg chuckled, and I lightly punched his arm.


    One by one, more models arrived. There were a total of 28 models under Gene Model Management as their mother agency. Not everyone came today, but I made sure to greet everyone present. Being friendly and chatting about many things in hopes of attracting new projects. Except for Kiara, who was beyond help.


    ¡°Everyone, attention. Ms. L ising in,¡± one of the agents announced, clinking their fork against their ss.


    I immediately stopped chatting. The room fell silent, and we waited. Suddenly, the music speaker yed a romantic ssical guitar song. An olddy with full makeup walked in wearing avender dress. She wore a pearl ne and earrings as essories.


    As she entered, everyone immediately apuded to wee her. She bowed, thanked everyone repeatedly, and then walked to the main runway stage.


    ¡°Thank you, everyone, for being here. My children, how I miss you all.¡±


    Ms. L is the founder and owner of Gene Model Management. She is quite respected in the fashion world, and the models she promotes always attract attention in the fashion and entertainment industries.


    ¡°I never imagined I could keep Gene Model Management running for over 30 years. At the age of 70, I still feel enthusiastic about promoting all of you to achieve your sess. Imagine how happy I am when I see your photos on magazine covers, on buses, or your films on TV, even in cinemas.¡± She paused for a moment and looked at all of us.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I want to be just like other famous old designers whounched their new clothing line at 87 years old. I always dreamed that I will still signing contracts for all of you in myst breath,¡± She shook her head.


    ¡°I want to continue seeing your achievements with me. But now I¡¯m just a weak old L Jenkins.¡±


    Ms. L stopped her sentence and shed tears.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard manyints from people. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re not satisfied with my performance as the agency¡¯s leader. I¡¯m outdated.¡±


    ¡°I am sick, and I don¡¯t know when my time wille.¡± She shook her head.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I want to find a partner to share the sess of this agency. To represent you as you deserve and to share sess with all of you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want just anyone taking over this office; it must be someone who will understand and pay attention to you. It must be someone who will truly care for you and help you ovee modern challenges.¡± She tightened her knuckles in the air.


    ¡°And I found him-the person I think is right to lead you. The person who will help you reach higher levels of sess. The person who¡¯s ready to lead you to a new era.¡±


    Ms. L coughed briefly, then continued her sentence.


    ¡°Let me introduce you to n Schmidt.¡±

 New Rules

    Fene¡¯s POV


    The whole room fell silent for a moment as Ms. L stepped down from the stage. I thought the new CEO would be as strict as Ms. L. I waspletely wrong.


    Suddenly, the speaker yed an upbeat song. The man named n immediately appeared on stage in a white three-piece suit, a white shirt unbuttoned to his chest, and ck shoes.


    His dark brown curly hair was thin at the bottom and on the sides but thick and slightly long on top. It was long enough for some of his curly hair,bed to the side, to fall onto his thick eyebrows.


    ¡°Everybody, rock up!¡±


    My mouth dropped in amazement as I watched him dance on the runway stage. He danced and invited everyone to dance. Then he walked on the catwalk like a model. I have to admit that he was very confident and walked perfectly like a model.


    He started singing, and his voice was surprisingly good. He walked back to get off the stage. With his dancing style, he greeted each attendee with their own dance.


    Each person greeted n with a dance. Even Kiara, who was shameless, twerked in front of n and was greeted with a yful p on her buttocks by n. People cheered, and Kiara looked genuinely in pain.


    From afar, Greg, Jessy, and I exchanged nces. We were truly amazed and didn¡¯t know what to say except to follow the rhythm of the music. Jessy was greeted with a flirtatious dance, which was positively responded to by n. Greg was greeted with an elegant dance, which was elegantly nodded back by n.


    When n finally approached me, I turned around, swaying my hips while tossing my hair. n understood my dancenguage, and he stroked my hair with his fingers, just like in the music video of the original song.


    His face approached with a wide smile. His brown eyes looked at me with a sparkle of joy.


    Suddenly, the music changed. This time, he sang a sexy, seductive R&B song. n continued singing in front of me. I just danced along. n¡¯s hands moved as if caressing my face. He even took my outstretched hand and kissed the back of my hand with a wink.


    Damn! I felt inted. I felt as if he were singing for me. His gaze, his gestures, and his seductive voice made me feel very special. But, of course, it was just my imagination. n turned to other models to greet each other with dance and song.


    The atmosphere became lively, and suddenly the song changed again to a more upbeat, sexier tune. He sang the chorus at the end of the song, sounding more emotional, as if he were praising the bodies of the models. n returned to the stage again. He sang and danced with high-pitched emotional adlibs.


    The song finally stopped, and everyone cheered. We all apuded, including me, who was truly enthusiastic about this new figure in our office. It was apletely different atmosphere from Ms. L¡¯s.


    n breathed heavily, and I could see sweat on his forehead. I realized he really enjoyed his performance, just like a professional singer. He bowed several times to the right and left while saying thank you.


    ¡°Hi, everyone, my name is n Schmidt. You can call me n.¡± Everyone apuded, and he nodded his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m not good at speaking, but I hope the songs I sang earlier can somewhat describe me and my hopes as the management of Gene Talent Management.¡±


    ¡°The bottom line is: first, I will set you free.¡± We cheered and apuded again.


    ¡°Second, you must be ready to give everything to me because I will give you everything you need.¡± Again, we cheered and apuded.


    ¡°Finally, love yourselves; your bodies are precious, and I want you to grow better. Don¡¯t be afraid of new challenges.¡± Again, I joined the apuse with others.


    ¡°We will also have many new talentsing in, and I hope you won¡¯t lose to those junior talents. I want to get to know you more, and I hope you can also get to know me. I want you to show me how far Ms. L has shaped you.¡±


    ¡°After this, we will have a Talent Show in our office right now!¡±


    Everyone cheered and was surprised by the new event.


    ¡°Once again, let¡¯s give a big round of apuse to Ms. L! Thank you so much for this opportunity.¡±


    n and Ms. L hugged tightly. n then kissed Ms. L¡¯s cheek and hugged her tightly again. Ms. L appeared to be moved to tears. n raised their sped hands, and they waved to the crowd. They both stepped down from the stage together and greeted everyone.


    The music started to y calm instrumental music again. We all resumed chatting and enjoying drinks or food. I walked up to Jessy.


    ¡°Hey. Wow.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t find the words.


    ¡°Yeah, wow!¡±


    Jessy seemed as amazed as I was.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Jessy asked in a whisper.


    ¡°I think he¡¯s good. He¡¯s a wild, fun person, and clearly a party animal,¡± Imented on n.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s bisexual,¡± Jessy whispered again.


    ¡°Oh,e on, why are you focusing on that?¡± I chuckled softly.


    ¡°I just want to know if I have a chance with him. I hope my guess is wrong. I hope he¡¯s purely gay,¡± he giggled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I feel like his face is familiar,¡± I said, observing n¡¯s face adorned with a beard and thin mustache.


    ¡°I know. He looks like a famous, sexy model,¡± Jessy whispered excitedly.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    I shook my head. Jessy sometimes couldn¡¯t help but talk about handsome men.


    ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect Ms. L, who is conservative, to hand over Gene to that guy,¡± I said, shrugging.


    I watched Ms. L and n chatting with Kiara. The two were very different. One looked like a queen, while the other looked like a singer in Las Vegas.


    ¡°I heard Ms. L is showing signs of dementia, and n wants to buy thepany at a high price plus inject new capital,¡± Jessy exined.


    ¡°Wow. Is n that rich?¡± I asked, turning to Jessy.


    ¡°Of course. He owns Star Fitness, Prime Slim, and Fit U.¡±


    Star Fitness is an exclusive gym with branches in major cities. Prime Slim is a popr brand of body-slimming products. Fit U is a new up-anding sportswear brand.


    ¡°Oh, can I model for his sportswear? Do you think he will recruit me as a brand ambassador?¡± Now I was excited again.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t think about that yet. You have to make sure your contract is extended by Gene. He will determine who he will extend contracts to under the new management through the Talent Show today.¡±


    ¡°Talent Show? What¡¯s that?¡± My eyes blinked.

 Talent Show

    Fene¡¯s POVContentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    n wanted to pull out the weeds, as Jessy exined beforehand. I thought n was the type of person who wasid-back and liked to party. Who would have thought that he was actually being cold-blooded in his work? n demanded perfection, and that¡¯s what the models and actors at Gene had to show.


    Ms. L used to promote Yuri Wu as the top model. Unfortunately, Yuri Wu stopped being a supermodel ten years ago. She was now more focused on being a housewife to her husband-a vocalist in an international rock band-and their two children.


    Because of that, n wanted to re-evaluate which models would be prioritized in promotions. He was looking for new faces as Gene¡¯s management icons to rece Yuri Wu.


    To vie for that position, we had to showcase our talents. One by one, we would demonstrate our abilities in photoshoots. The camera would take our photos five times automatically, with a three-second interval between poses. All we had to do was disy our best pose each time the camera snapped.


    It was a concept simr to a photo box.


    There wasn¡¯t much time to think of new poses. Everyone naturally used their signature poses, and that¡¯s what n wanted to see. There was no chance to change outfits because n also wanted to see our fashion taste.


    I nced at the cameras that had been set up. There were three cameras in total. Two cameras from lower angles are positioned diagonally upward. One camera stood upright to shoot from the front.


    I observed the models and actors showing off their signature poses. The actors and actresses mostly smiled elegantly or sweetly, while the models disyed more daring poses.


    Kiara, of course, behaved like a snake, with the first two poses showing a calm and elegant pose, then three more poses with daring poses. Too daring, even. She looked more like an advertisement for prostitution than an editorial in a magazine.


    ¡°Fene. It¡¯s your turn,¡± Jessy said, quickly putting her arm around my waist.


    I stepped forward onto the main stage. Everyone was watching me, including n, who sat right in front of the small screen to see all the photo results. I had to make sure I would still have my contract extended at Gene.


    Retirement age as a model? Ha! There¡¯s no such thing! I would prove that, as long as I wanted, I would remain a model. I was even a more professional and mature model than others.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready,¡± I said, nodding to Jessy.


    The sound of the camera counter buzzed three times. For the first pose, I used an elegant pose. For the second pose, I imitated a masculine style.


    Three secondster, I changed poses again, this time more daringly with a pose like my signature ballet move with one leg raised in the air with a unique curve while my face was made t with a nk gaze staring out the window. I named that pose ¡°Fairy Dance.¡±


    For the fourth pose, my body faced sideways while my eyes stared sharply at the front camera. Meanwhile, the other hand tossed my white shoulder bag so that the bag floated in the air as if posing with me, with me as the controller of the bag¡¯s leash. My bag eventually fell off the stage.


    On thest opportunity, I quickly took off both of my shoes. At thest count, I jumped andnded with a split-thank God I wear shorts. Both of my hands were raised above, with both index fingers bent, forming a hook to pinch the strap. My facial expression smiled satisfactorily with happiness.


    When I finished, I was almost out of breath. People apuded loudly.


    ¡°Bravo! Fantastic! Magnific!¡± n cheered as he pped loudly.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, blushing.


    ¡°I have never seen such drastic pose changes like that before. All the movements seemed to have been carefully calcted for a long time. Are those really your signature poses?¡± n asked with a gleam of bright light in his eyes. He seemed very impressed.


    ¡°Yes. Those poses usually always manage to dazzle the photographers.¡± I stood up, blushing with embarrassment.


    ¡°Great.¡± n clenched his fist and punched the air. ¡°Okay, next. Oh, God, Fene. You¡¯ve raised the standard to a much higher level.¡±


    I stepped down from the stage and immediately grabbed my white bag. I quickly put on my shoes and walked lightly towards Jessy.


    ¡°Did you see that? I¡¯ve never felt so nervous before!¡± I eximed with a suppressed shout.


    ¡°I saw everything, Fene. You were amazing. You deserve to be the new supermodel. You deserve to be the new face of Gene.¡± Jessy continued to praise me, and then we hugged tightly.


    ¡°Thank you, Jessy. This is all thanks to you.¡± Weughed together gleefully.


    I still remember the first time I entered the modeling world. Since I first joined Gene, Jessy has been my agent. In the beginning, she handled two models at once-me and another model. The other model always changed for various reasons, but not me.


    Jessy and I persevered through the tough fashion world until Jessy was finally assigned exclusively by Ms. L to be my agent. We were a verypact andplementary work team.


    Up to this point, I felt proud. Yes, I¡¯m not a supermodel. Yes, I¡¯m still struggling to get an extension of my contract with the mother agency. But at least I have grown rapidly, and I am proud of my achievements.


    ¡°Hey, good job.¡± Greg hugged me briefly.


    ¡°You too, Greg. Good job.¡±


    ¡°Drink?¡± Greg then handed me and Jessy two cocktail sses.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, and Jessy said at the same time.


    ¡°I think n will choose you to be the new face of Gene,¡± Greg said. ¡°No one makes n so enthusiastic other than you.¡±


    ¡°Do you think so?¡± Kiara suddenly returned with her arrogant demeanor.


    ¡°Yes, I think so. What about you?¡± I asked Jessy.


    ¡°Oh, of course, I also think so. How about you, Greg?¡± Jessy asked.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Greg nodded as if we were discussing the weather in October.


    ¡°Stop fooling around.¡± Kiara hissed, clearly annoyed at being teased.


    ¡°If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t be so arrogant after this,¡± Kiara said with a thin, wicked smile at me, her hands sped in front of her chest. Then she turned and left.

 I鈥檓 a Professional

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her? Why does she always feel unhappy seeing others doing better than her?¡± I asked Jessy, watching Kiara walk away.


    Really, it reminded me of Amy, my bully in high school. Why is there always someone like her in this world? Is this the effect of unhealthy teen movies?


    ¡°Pfft, that¡¯s called being toxic. Don¡¯t mind her.¡± Jessy waved his hand and focused again on watching the other models.


    I waited until the second session started for the models. In the second session, n asked the actors to portray one of their favorite scenes. For the models, n asked us to walk on stage to showcase the clothes we were wearing.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen what your fashion tastes are like. The next question is whether you can persuade others to wear that outfit just by walking on the catwalk,¡± n said to the 20 Gene models, including Kiara, who insisted on returning as a model.


    ¡°Start!¡± With one shout from n, we began to line up beside the main stage.


    One by one, the models started walking on the catwalk. Of course, this was rtively easy because it was our daily job. The difficult part was as requested by n and all the other designers. The way to persuade others to wear, or at least appreciate, the clothing designs showcased.


    Electronic music is yed with a rhythmic beat and interesting instrumental melodies. Suddenly I became nervous, and my gut feeling wasn¡¯t good. Nevertheless, I treated this catwalk the same as I would a show by a famous designer.


    Come on, Fene. You can do this. I repeated those phrases over and over in my mind. Giving positive affirmations to myself was a good thing, right?


    When it was finally my turn, I walked up confidently. First, I posed with a confident hand on my waist. Next, I walked down the runway with full confidence that my clothes were indeed good. I even intentionally put one hand in my pants pocket to show off the trendy pattern inside my tweed zer. It was also aimed at showing off the white bustier I was wearing.


    I felt everything was going well. My steps were steady, my gaze was bright, my posture was upright, and I was sure everything was going smoothly to the end of the runway.


    Unfortunately, it was all just my hope. Suddenly, the background music changed from electronic instrumental music to a children¡¯s song about a shark family.


    Oh, damn it! What the fuck?! Who the hell set this children¡¯s song as the background music?! What is this?!


    I wanted to curse, but I was still walking on the runway with a thin smile. Everyone was stunned and bustling about. Everyone was panicking, except for me.


    Once I started strutting down the runway, I would keep walking until I returned backstage. That was an absolute rule drilled into me. Even if I fell on stage or if my clothes slipped off, leaving me naked, I couldn¡¯t mess up the stage.


    Just keep walking, gorgeous.


    Because of that strict training, I learned not to care about anything else but to fulfill my duty. As long as there were spectators and the show went on, I had to remain calm. Even if the song was silly, I shouldn¡¯t bother.


    Yes! Even if the designers yed children¡¯s songs like this, I didn¡¯t care. I just needed to walk the runway. That¡¯s it.


    So when I kept walking without paying attention to the song, everyone focused back on me. They seemed to forget about the background music. They stared, watching me from below the stage as I reached the end of the runway and began to open my tweed zer.


    At the first stop, I lowered my zer halfway down my arms. Then, I spun halfway around as I lowered the zer further down to my wrists. I spun again, facing the front of the stage, and fully removed my zer. With practiced movements, I spun again, draping the zer over one shoulder.


    Then I walked again to the main stage. Upon reaching the main stage, I turned, blew a kiss, and winked. As I stepped down from the stage, people began apuding enthusiastically and shouting my name.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Bravo! Amazing!¡± Jessy led the cheers.


    At this moment, the children¡¯s song abruptly stopped. n stood up from his seat, his face flushed red.


    ¡°This is disgusting!¡± He walked toward me with a furious expression.


    I could clearly see the furrow on his forehead, his tightly pursed lips, his tense jaw, and his piercing gaze. As I held my breath, preparing to be scolded, n apparently walked past me.


    ¡°Whose fault is this?!¡± n yelled angrily at the operator behind the stage.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Mr. Schmidt,¡± theputer operator stuttered as n approached him.


    ¡°How could you not know? You¡¯re the operator!¡± n¡¯s roar echoed throughout the room.


    ¡°I went out to check on my car. Someone told me my tire was t. I swear. I didn¡¯t know anything. I just came back here. As soon as I saw the song was wrong, I immediately stopped it.¡± The man in the red cap pleaded with n.


    ¡°Then why did you leave theptop like that?¡± n continued to interrogate the poor man with a tone of anger.


    ¡°I thought the music would y fine even if I left for a while.¡± The operator squeaked in fear.


    n ran his hands through his hair. He seemed to be massaging his head and neck. n bit his lower lip and paced back and forth as if holding back his anger.


    ¡°Get into that meeting room and bring yourptop now. I¡¯m not done with you yet.¡± n pointed to the meeting room, and the operator hurriedly went in with hisptop.

 Something in the Air

    Fene¡¯s POV


    n walked onto the main stage. He cleared his throat and suddenly put on a friendly smile. He pped his hands and rubbed them together.


    ¡°I deeply apologize for the inconvenience caused. Especially to Fene, who has acted very professionally despite the unexpected changes during her performance. Apuse for her.¡±


    n¡¯s palms opened, gesturing for the audience to p. I smiled with flushed cheeks. I sped my hands in front of my chest, bowed briefly, and whispered my thanks to n and the audience.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take a 15-minute break. After that, we can continue the show with the models who haven¡¯t walked yet. Thank you.¡±


    n then walked off the stage. He approached me. ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Fene. I never expected you to have developed into such a professional model. You didn¡¯t even flinch when the music changed,¡± n praised me.


    ¡°Well, I guess hard work and experience have disciplined me.¡± I smiled and shrugged. I tried to downy it, of course.


    ¡°Good.¡± n smiled broadly and then walked back to the meeting room.


    ¡°Oh, Mr. Schmidt,¡± I said, gently holding n¡¯s arm, and he turned to me. He nced briefly at my hand on his arm. I immediately realized it was an impolite gesture towards a boss. Quickly, I released his arm and made my request.


    ¡°I just hope you won¡¯t be too harsh on him. Maybe it¡¯s just a technical error.¡± I was referring to the operator.


    ¡°Of course,¡± n replied shortly, then he walked back into the meeting room.


    ¡°What did he say, Fene?¡± Jessy rushed over to me.


    ¡°Nothing. I just asked him not to me the operator entirely,¡± I told Jessy.


    ¡°Oh. Yeah, I think this is too strange. No one noticed anything during the event, and no one paid attention directly to the operator¡¯sptop,¡± Jessy said, massaging his temples.


    ¡°Yeah, it might be a technical glitch like an automated ad ying,¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°By the way, you were amazing, darling. I think you¡¯ve really absorbed my lectures on discipline and professionalism into your brain. I almost passed out when I heard that song ying.¡± Jessy squeezed my arms briefly.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t bad, was I?¡± I tossed my hair back with one hand.


    ¡°Not bad? Oh, you¡¯re being too modest. That was extraordinary,¡± Jessy eximed with joy.


    I then walked to the buffet and grabbed a ss of water. Slowly, people started approaching me. They praised me and gave positivements. We spent our break time specting about what had really happened behind the scenes.


    Most people med the unfortunate operator, but some expressed suspicion of sabotage. Spections grew wilder, and we could only wait for n toe out of the meeting room.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ***


    Ten minutes had passed. Suddenly, the door of the meeting room opened. n and the operator came out with serious faces. n walked back onto the main stage and pped his hands to get our attention.


    ¡°Thank you for waiting. Although I¡¯ve drawn conclusions about the recent incident, I feel there¡¯s no need to prolong this issue. It¡¯s just a technical mistake due to the negligence of the operator.¡±


    We began to fill the room with low murmurs. The bustle returned. It seemed people were still curious about what had really happened. I was curious, too. What really happened? Why did n seem to cover it up?


    ¡°Okay, models, can we continue this fashion show?¡± n smiled broadly as electronic music started ying again.


    I knew other models were still curious. It felt like something was gnawing at our hearts, and it wouldn¡¯t go away just with n¡¯s words-he was even a neer we couldn¡¯t fully trust yet.


    I sensed the atmosphere of the party was now turning darker than its initially vibrant start. Nevertheless, I forced myself to watch until the end. n stood on the circr main stage again.


    ***


    ¡°Thank you so much to everyone who attended. I¡¯ve seen all of you, and I feel that Gene Talent Management has nurtured many exceptionally brilliant talents. I¡¯m confident that this year, you will shine even brighter under my leadership. Let¡¯s all work together well.¡±


    ¡°Remember, my office door on the third floor is always open to all of you who need me, and you have my number in the group.¡± n smiled crookedly.


    ¡°Next up, about the chosen model as the new face of Gene. I will discuss it with the agents first. I assure you, whoever is chosen will sign a contract with various extra benefits. I hope you all look forward to my call.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    n smiled broadly, waving his hand to all of us. The room resounded with apuse again. The event was finally over, and we all began to disperse to mingle at the party until lunchtime.


    ¡°Fene,¡± Jessy approached me with a tense face.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°n called us to his office. It¡¯s about the incident earlier,¡± Jessy whispered in my ear.

 Bad Blood

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Jessy knocked on n¡¯s office door on the third floor. As usual, after knocking on the door, he would immediately enter the office.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    When the door opened, we immediately saw an unexpected sight. Kiara was leaning over n, who was sitting in a chair. Her one hand was trapping n in the chair, while her other hand was on n¡¯s zer cor.


    ¡°Oh, sorry. We didn¡¯t mean-¡± Jessy stuttered and quickly tried to close the door again.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Jessy. Kiara was just leaving,¡± n said with a wry smile.


    ¡°What? But our talk isn¡¯t over,¡± Kiara protested to n.


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re done. You¡¯re fired,¡± n said, still with his arrogant smile.


    ¡°What? You¡¯re firing me?¡± Kiara stepped back from n with a surprised shriek.


    Jessy and I were also surprised by n¡¯s words. We looked at each other without knowing what had actually happened.


    ¡°Yes, Kiara. I won¡¯t take back my words or reconsider,¡± n said, rising from his chair and straightening his white suit.


    Both of n¡¯s hands went into his trouser pockets. Now he stood right in front of Kiara with the same arrogant smile. Then he turned to face me.


    ¡°Please tell us what you did to Fene. Maybe I¡¯ll forgive you,¡± he said, nodding his chin towards me.


    Kiara didn¡¯t immediatelyply with n. She snorted angrily, biting her lower lip, and then crossed her arms in front of her chest.


    ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you want to tell them? Fine, I¡¯ll tell them then,¡± n said slowly.


    His voice was loud enough and might be heard throughout the third floor, especially with the office door still open.


    ¡°Kiara here, Jessy and Fene, caused a disturbance for you. She ttened the tire of our operator¡¯s car, then lured him out to leave hisptop open. When we were all distracted, she took over the song yer settings on theptop with her phone¡¯s Bluetooth and set the children¡¯s song to y remotely when Fene was on stage.¡±


    ¡°What? Is this real?¡± My mouth hung open after hearing n¡¯s exnation.


    ¡°As evidence, theptop¡¯s connection history shows the name of the phone¡¯s Bluetooth. Thatst connection to the operator¡¯sptop was Princess Kiara¡¯s.¡± n emphasized the name of the phone as he said it.


    ¡°I have to admit, you have great courage and overflowing ambition, Kiara. Unfortunately, you¡¯re too foolish to leave a trace.¡± n whispered loudly and then chuckled.


    Jessy and I exchanged nces again. We were so amazed by Kiara¡¯s actions that we¡¯re speechless.


    ¡°Did you really do that?¡± I asked Kiara with disbelief.


    Kiara remained silent, grinding her teeth. Now all three of our eyes were focused on Kiara. She looked embarrassed and tried to defend herself. After being cornered by our gazes, she finally groaned in annoyance. She waved both of her hands in the air.


    ¡°You said I could be the new face of Gene if Fene wasn¡¯t here!¡± Kiara pointed to n¡¯s face. When used like that, nughed.


    ¡°You misunderstood, Kiara. I said earlier that you would never be the new face of Gene because Fene is better than you,¡± n said slowly, as if teaching a student who wouldn¡¯t understand normal speech.


    n¡¯s eyes seemed sharp, and he seemed serious with his words. Jessy and I were surprised to hear it.


    I still couldn¡¯t believe that such a drama happened in my life. I even felt deja vu, as if prom night were repeating itself. The difference this time was that I immediately knew the culprit and could me her. Whereas during prom night, even though I knew the culprit, I couldn¡¯t me her.


    ¡°Ugh, to hell with all of you! I¡¯m quitting this fucking piece of shit agency!¡± Kiara stormed out of the room with quick steps.


    When Kiara passed me in front of the door, she stopped. Then she whispered harshly to me.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t over.¡± Kiara¡¯s threat sounded vicious.


    ¡°Try if you can,¡± I replied with an equally vicious whisper.


    Kiara¡¯s face reddened even more, and she quickly left the stairs. After Kiara left, n called us back.


    ¡°Sorry for the inconvenience just now. Come in and have a seat.¡± n gestured with his hand for us to sit on the sofa in his office.


    n¡¯s office was quiterge. It could even be said that almost half of this third floor was his office space. The rest were training rooms and a small photo studio.


    Ms. L¡¯s office interior was entirely changed to n¡¯s taste. The furniture and decorations in the room were monochrome ck and white. We then sat on the sofa, which seemed to be prepared to receive guests.


    n walked past the desk and sat on the sofa facing us. Up close, I could see n¡¯s muscr body. He was tall, his jacket seemed tight around his arms, and his white pants couldn¡¯t hide his thigh muscles.


    If I hadn¡¯t remembered that he was my boss, I might have thrown myself at him like Kiara did. The sexy aura and charisma of a leader radiated so strongly. When I looked at Jessy, she was clearly drooling over n.


    ¡°Okay, I called you here because I want to ask you a few questions, Fene Baxter,¡± n said casually.


    ¡°Yes. Ask me anything. I¡¯ll be open,¡± I replied politely.


    ¡°Good. I want to know what really happened between you and Kiara. There must be a history that I don¡¯t know about in detail,¡± n said.


    ¡°Oh, yes, where are my manners? I apologize for not offering you drinks. I still need to hire a personal assistant to take care of the refreshments in this office.¡± He grimaced and sighed.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s okay, Mr. Schmidt. We¡¯re quite full with the cocktails downstairs,¡± I told him.


    ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry. The party dishes were more than enough. I¡¯m very full and bloated,¡± Jessy added to lighten the mood.


    ¡°Are you having fun? Wasn¡¯t it tiring?¡± n asked again.


    ¡°Yes, we had fun,¡± Jessy and I replied simultaneously.


    ¡°Good then. By the way, you can call me n. Don¡¯t be too formal,¡± n smiled again. ¡°Please, Fene. You wanted to tell about you and Kiara.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right.¡±

 Golden Opportunity

    Jessy¡¯s POV


    ¡°I actually have no problem at all with Kiara. I also don¡¯t know why she¡¯s so mean toward me. She was three years younger than me when she joined here as a junior.¡±


    ¡°I only knew when she first entered that many of my projects had been reced by her. I didn¡¯t retaliate or anything for that. I thought it was her chance. But the longer she stayed, the more hostile she became towards me and other models, especially after her films failed.¡±


    Fene told n everything as it was. I didn¡¯t know why Kiara¡¯s attitude was so annoying towards others, especially towards her. Fene didn¡¯t even try to reim everything Kiara took from her. I just tried my best to find new projects for her. Oh, poor girl.


    ¡°So, she was jealous of you?¡± n asked again.


    ¡°Yes, I think so.¡± Fene shrugged.


    ¡°Is that true, Jessy?¡± n asked me this time.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s all true. Fene didn¡¯t protest at all when Kiara took over her project. In fact, I protested to Kiara¡¯s agent and Ms. L, but they just said I should give her a chance. So, I looked for various new projects, even to Asia,¡± I said, then chuckled.


    That trip to Asia was so memorable! I wonder if I can still contact my friend there.


    ¡°Very interesting,¡± n murmured as he watched Fene.


    ¡°Well, I have to admit, Kiara actually has quite the potential. Her face is unique, and she¡¯s very confident. I even thought she could be the next supermodel. Unfortunately, she¡¯s very toxic,¡± nmented.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want toxic people in my sacred office,¡± n said slowly again, as if emphasizing us.


    ¡°I thought you were also one of those toxic people who liked to mess around and argue with people. But it seems not. Right?¡± n asked, trying to confirm.


    ¡°Of course not. My reputation is quite good, and I try to be as nice to people as possible,¡± Fene defended herself.


    ¡°Yes, I can see that. Sometimes, the higher the tree, the stronger the wind. I think one or two people hating you is normal. We can¡¯t expect everyone to like us, right?¡± n chuckled.


    Fene and I could only nod andugh along.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m very impressed with you today. I¡¯m seriously considering you as the new face of Gene Model Management,¡± n said.


    What? Did I hear it wrong? I held down the urge to squeal.


    ¡°Jessy, can you get Fene¡¯s portfolio for me to see? I also want you to exin in detail to me about Fene¡¯s projects, both those that have been done and those that Fene hasn¡¯t done yet.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I replied enthusiastically. ¡°I¡¯ll get it right away.¡±


    ***


    ¡°This was Fene¡¯s first Vogue magazine cover. Next were Vogue Italia and Vogue Japan. The most sessful ones followed Vogue Brasil and Vogue China. They were very impressed with Fene there,¡± I giggled happily.


    ¡°They¡¯re fun to work with.¡± Fene chuckled shyly.


    Of course, I was happy. n appreciated all my and Fene¡¯s hard work. After I exined the portfolio in detail like this, I realized, oh, we had actually achieved a lot!


    I wanted to be proud! I was very proud to have brought my model onto the world stage. She should have been included as a supermodel, but it seemed there were still achievements missing. Lately, the demand for Fene has been declining. There are too many new models, too many talentedpetitors, and too little time for anti-aging treatments.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Damn, I remembered I hadn¡¯t called my client for Fene¡¯s new project on skincare!


    ¡°Well, yes. We can offer it again to their executive editor. A five-year gap since herst appearance in Vogue U. S. is the ideal interval. We can showcase Fene¡¯s progress now,¡± nmented again.


    ¡°What about thetest editorial photos you mentioned earlier?¡± n asked.


    ¡°Oh, yes, of course. Let me get them from my desk. The printing just sent the photos yesterday,¡± I said.


    I hurried back downstairs to retrieve the new prints from my desk. I remembered they were still in the envelope sent and hadn¡¯t been put into the portfolio yet. Upon reaching the second floor, I noticed the office was quite deserted.


    ¡°Have people gone home?¡± I asked Liza, another agent, who was chewing on a piece of apple at her desk.


    ¡°Yes. They started leaving after you went upstairs with Fene¡¯s portfolio book,¡± Liza replied casually, ncing at her phone.


    ¡°Ah, you mean they realized Fene was going to be chosen as the new face of Gene?¡± I chuckled loudly.


    ¡°Yes, of course. Besides, Kiara leaked that information when she left earlier,¡± Liza said.


    ¡°Oh, she¡¯s such a damn big mouth!¡± I expressed my annoyance.


    ¡°Earlier, she came back to the office with eggs and threw them at the office door,¡± Liza recounted again, as if it weren¡¯t a big deal.


    ¡°What?!¡± I quickly turned around to see the door that damn bitch had thrown eggs at.


    ¡°No need to bother, Jess. Ss already cleaned it up until it sparkled again.¡± Liza held me back with her voice.


    ¡°Really? Oh, thank goodness. Ss is indeed a very efficient and diligent office boy.¡± I breathed a long sigh of relief.


    ¡°I know. He deserves a bonus for cleaning up those eggs. They stink.¡± Liza creased her nose.


    I took the envelope of prints from my desk. Before returning to the third floor, I peeked inside. There were ten 10R-sized photos, and they all looked good. I immediately turned around to go back up to the third floor.


    Suddenly, I heard footsteps from the first floor. Someone wasing up to the second floor. When that person reached the second floor, we crossed paths at the top of the stairs.


    ¡°Hey, is the party over?¡±


    Oh, God!


    I felt like I heard a choir and the loud ringing of bells in my ears. The sunlight seemed to shine on the man, highlighting the sparkle of his crooked grin.

 Angel From Above

    Jessy¡¯s POV


    That man had shoulder-length curly hair, a sharp square jawline with a thin beard, and a sturdy physique. I could clearly see his broad chest under the white shirt he was wearing. His shirt sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, emphasizing his strong forearms, adorned with blue veins.


    Even his blue jeans couldn¡¯t hide the bulge at the base of his thighs. And the gold zipper further emphasized the treasure map-like pattern behind it.


    When the man raised his hand to sweep his long hair back, I felt a refreshing breeze with a fragrant scent hitting me.


    Oh, God¡­ What kind of tremor is this?


    ¡°Hello?¡± The man spoke again while my mouth was still agape.


    ¡°Oh, yes. Can I help you?¡± I asked, stuttering.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for n Schmidt.¡±


    Oh, God! I didn¡¯t mishear! His ent clearly indicated that he wasn¡¯t from around here. I couldn¡¯t hear a clear R, and I heard a sharp S. Was he from Europe? Was he from Russia? Clearly not from Ennd.


    ¡°Oh, n. Yes, he¡¯s in his office.¡±


    Oh, God. What kind of torture is this?


    I had just found such a handsome and sexy creature, but we had to part ways immediately. Why was he looking for n, if not because he was his partner? Moreover, he seemed very young. He looked exactly like the most handsome model in the world. Now I understand why pop stars chose a guy like him to be a model in their music videos.


    I could even be obsessed with him. I was sure I wouldn¡¯t be able to keep my hands off him.


    ¡°Can you show me to him?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, sure. Follow me.¡± I hurriedly nodded and walked back to the third floor.


    Upon reaching the third floor, I asked the man to wait for a moment. I knocked on n¡¯s office door and went back inside. I saw n leaning his face toward Fene¡¯s. They were chatting, and Fene wasughing when I entered.


    Did I not see it wrong? I seemed to see n flirting with Fene. Hm, naughty boy.


    ¡°n, someone is looking for you,¡± I said to n.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Oh, who?¡± n asked.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t asked for his name yet,¡± I said, trying to remain calm andposed.


    In my heart, I screamed in anger. How could I ask for his name? I couldn¡¯t possibly dare ask for his name with all these heartbeats! But I wanted to know his name!


    ¡°Just let him in,¡± n ordered.


    I turned around and ushered the man into the office. When the man finally entered the office, n groaned irritably, and the sexy man chuckled with a mischievous grin. They didn¡¯t immediately hug and kiss each other affectionately, like intimate partners.


    ¡°You¡¯rete! The party¡¯s over! What happened to you?¡± n asked with an annoyed roar.


    ¡°Sorry, I overslept. I got drunkst night, and my head hurt this morning. So I had to go to the pharmacy first to buy some painkillers.¡± Once again, the man just chuckled as he stated his reason for beingte.


    ¡°You¡¯re outrageous, Mike! You should havee earlier during the event,¡± n scowled.


    The man called Mike just shrugged. He seemed rxed, even though n was scolding him. How could he be so rxed? Was it because he was n¡¯s partner, so he knew n wouldn¡¯t be mad at him for long?


    ¡°Jessy, Fene, let me introduce you. This is Mikhail Ks. He¡¯s from Brus. He¡¯s my brother-inw¡¯s cousin. I recruited him to join as a new model here. Mike, watch your attitude towards them.¡±


    Oh, so that¡¯s it. So he wasn¡¯t n¡¯s partner? Thank goodness! Wait, a cousin of a brother-inw means he¡¯s still a stranger. They¡¯re not family, so they could be in a rtionship.


    ¡°How are you? Just call me Mike.¡± He immediately extended his hand to me.


    ¡°My name is Jessy. This is my model, Fene.¡± I weed his hand.


    Wow. His handshake was firm, his skin was smooth, and his smile was very bright and confident. The impression Mike left on my hand felt overwhelming. I so wanted that hand to touch me again.


    ¡°Hey, Fene. Nice to meet you.¡± Mike walked over to Fene and shook her hand too.


    I slowly sat back down on the sofa next to Fene. Mike sat on the other sofa, facing n. I handed n thetest photos of Fene.


    ¡°Oh, yes, these are thetest photos, right?¡± n examined the photos for a moment.


    While waiting for n to look at the photos, I nced at Fene and at Mike. Fene and I seemed to speak with eye contact and facial expressions. We spoke without words, and it seemed Fene was thinking the same thing as me-that Mike was very sexy.


    ¡°Yes, I can see your progress from the early career photos to thesetest ones. I think I can trust Gene to you, Fene,¡± n said, cing Fene¡¯s photos back on the ss table.


    ¡°Thank you, n,¡± Fene said with a smile.


    ¡°Because you¡¯re already a senior here, I believe you can be more independent in managing your schedule because you¡¯re used to it. Moreover, because you¡¯ll be the main model for Gene, I¡¯ll be directly involved in the scheduling and projects you¡¯ll be working on,¡± n exined.


    ¡°I intentionally invited Mike to the party to introduce him. If only he hade during the event, I¡¯m sure many agents would havepeted to be his agent. Unfortunately, he waste; everyone had already left. Isn¡¯t that right, Jessy?¡± n asked me.


    ¡°Ah, yes. Most had gone home. Only Liza, a few models, and Ss were still in the office,¡± Jessy said.


    ¡°Yes, I suspected that,¡± n muttered.


    ¡°That¡¯s why, Jessy. With various considerations, I want you to be Mike¡¯s agent. I want you to promote Mike just like you took Fene before,¡± nmanded like a king¡¯s decree.


    ¡°So, I¡¯ll be the agent for both Fene and Mike?¡± I couldn¡¯t believe this would happen again after so many years.


    Dealing with Fene alone was draining enough, both emotionally and mentally. Plus, she was in a honeymoon phase with Laird. No one could control Fene¡¯s impulsiveness as well as I did. What if she did something stupid while I was busy with Mike?


    n nodded. I then turned to Mike, and he shed a grin again.


    ¡°Hey, agent,¡± Mike said with his fingers raised in a salute from his temple.


    Oh, no. He seemed like trouble for me.

 An Invitation

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°How about it, Fene? Will you allow Jessy to handle Mike as well?¡± n asked me.


    ¡°Er¡­ Sure. No problem. Jessy used to handle two models at once anyway,¡± I replied, asionally ncing at Jessy.


    I knew very well that Jessy must be thrilled. It was evident in my eyes how Jessy blushed every time he nced at Mike. It could be said he had fallen for the guy. Would I be willing to stand in their way? Of course not.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. Jessy, please take Mike to start preparing for his debut,¡± n requested with a friendly smile.


    ¡°Now?¡± Jessy asked hesitantly.


    ¡°Yes, now,¡± n affirmed.


    ¡°What about Fene¡¯s new projects as the face of Gene?¡± Jessy asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have a more detailed discussion with Fene first before offering her the best contract. I¡¯ll get back to youter, Jessy,¡± n said patiently.


    ¡°Alright. Please follow me, Mike.¡± Jessy stood up from the sofa, and Mike followed suit.


    Jessy and I exchanged meaningful nces. From Jessy¡¯s gaze, I knew he was d to be free from n¡¯s grasp. It was an opportunity for Jessy to get to know Mike better. If I were Jessy, I wouldn¡¯t miss this chance.


    ¡°How far did we get? Oh, yes, so you¡¯re from Boston?¡± n asked, reclining more casually on the sofa.


    ¡°Yes. Beacon Hill, to be precise,¡± I replied, maintaining politeness.


    ¡°So, tell me about your dreams. What dream brought you to New York and to Gene Model Management?¡± n asked.


    ¡°I want to be a dream girl,¡± I said, blushing.


    ¡°A dream girl? What does a dream girl look like?¡± n chuckled, starting to sip his whisky.


    ¡°I want to be beautiful, talented, popr, and independent. During prom night, I saw a billboard at my school, and one of the alumni became a model in the school¡¯s ad. She was Charlotte McMillian.¡± I exined quickly.


    ¡°Charlotte McMillian?¡± He seemed to remember something, then nodded. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. And then?¡±


    ¡°I immediately decided I wanted to pursue a career like hers. To be a model, to act in movies, to be beautiful, and to live a modern life in New York.¡± I shrugged, then rubbed my hands.


    ¡°I know, it may sound trivial to you. But I really want to be like that dream girl,¡± I said with a smallugh.


    Truly, every time I exined my dreams to others, I felt embarrassed. Sometimes I felt too inferior, afraid that others wouldn¡¯t take my words seriously. Every time I expressed my feelings, I felt trembling as if people would jeer at my words. Just like during prom night.


    Apparently, that fear still lingered within me. Fortunately, I became a model. No need to speak much; just pose, walk, and follow the sentences written by others to be memorized.


    ¡°So, have you felt like you¡¯ve achieved that dream?¡± n asked, raising one eyebrow.


    ¡°Of course not yet. I¡¯m still far from my dream. I want to be a supermodel, then I want to act in movies, and only then maybe I¡¯ll feel satisfied.¡±


    ¡°Will you help me, n? I want to try acting,¡± I dared to ask.


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re serious about getting into acting, you should start taking acting sses together with our actors. I¡¯ll ask Jessy to schedule it for youter,¡± n nodded.


    ¡°Really?¡± I immediately smiled enthusiastically upon hearing his words.


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve told you, haven¡¯t I? I want to make you the new face of Gene. I think your dream fits well with the image of a model in my agency,¡± n nodded again.


    He got up and walked to his desk. Then he opened a drawer and took out a purple envelope with gold trimmings on the border. He returned to the sofa.


    ¡°Before we enter into an exclusive contract between you and this agency as the main model, I want to make sure you¡¯re ready for it. I have an important project. If you make a good impression on this project, I will offer you a contract with the highest value here.¡±


    n then handed me the envelope. I read the envelope and opened it. Oscar de Ragetti, the famous fashion designer, was listed as the host of the party event.


    ¡°Next Saturday, Oscar will open his nightclub in the Times Square area. Oscar¡¯s Rabbit Hole will be thergest nightclub entertainment venue, with the most male and female stripper dancers in New York, and will be full of luxurious experiences.¡±


    ¡°He needs a lot of models to liven up and enliven the opening event. He also needs lead models who can show that histest designs are high-quality clothes suitable for any dance moves.¡±


    ¡°How about it? Do you feel up to this challenge?¡± n asked me.


    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± I replied enthusiastically with a nod.


    Wow. Imagine if I became the lead model for Oscar de Ragetti! I couldn¡¯t deny that this was a golden opportunity to boost my poprity again.


    ¡°Do you have a boyfriend?¡± n asked.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± I confirmed.


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t know how your boyfriend will react to seeing you as a lead model, dancing on stage in front of many people,¡± n added with a small chuckle.


    ¡°Oh, no. We broke up two days ago,¡± I said, waving my hand with an annoyed huff.


    I didn¡¯t know about Laird, but we clearly hadn¡¯t reached any level yet. The fact remained that I had just broken up with Tom two days ago.


    ¡°Two days ago? But you performed brilliantly, as if you had no life burdens at all. I¡¯m very impressed,¡± n observed me with his wide eyes. It¡¯s as if he was enchanted by me, and his face seemed very close.


    ¡°Uh, yeah, that¡¯s how it is. I¡¯m trying to be professional,¡± I humbled again.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°Well, even though you didn¡¯t bring a boyfriend, you can bring a partner to attend this event,¡± n said with a thin smile.


    ¡°Yes, n. I¡¯ll consider that.¡± I nodded.


    Honestly, I didn¡¯t know if I would dare to invite Laird to the event. There was no guarantee he would agree, either. Tom usually never wanted toe to model events. He never wanted toe since being teased by Kiara about how bad his style waspared to that of my other ex-boyfriends.


    Your taste in men is getting lower, Fene; that¡¯s what Kiara said to me and Tom atst year¡¯s gathering event. I couldn¡¯t me Tom because Kiara was annoying. What I regretted was Tom choosing to shrink away and not defend himself. Now he¡¯s just straight to be a cheater.


    ¡°Good. Then follow me now,¡± n got up from the sofa.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Trust me. I¡¯ll exinter.¡±

 Chatty Mouth

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I finally followed n down to the second floor. On the second floor, I could see Mike and Jessy chatting at Jessy¡¯s desk. Jessy looked embarrassed, while Mike clearly teased Jessy.


    Wow. Happy for you, Jessy.


    ¡°I feel like Jessy has already forgotten me in her mind,¡± I told n after we reached the office lobby.


    ¡°Ah, you sound jealous,¡± n chuckled.


    As soon as n stepped out of the door, a ck Range Rover immediately approached us on the side of the road. n opened the passenger door just before the driver got out to open the door.


    ¡°Please,¡± n said to me.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    I got into the car somewhat awkwardly, trying to maintain politeness because the passenger seat was higher than my butt. After we sat in the car, the driver immediately drove the car away from the office. n and I sat side by side in the passenger seat.


    Honestly, I didn¡¯t know n, and this made me a little uneasy because I wasn¡¯t with Jessy. Whenever there was a work meeting, Jessy always apanied me. Now, I felt like a lost little bird without its mother and anxious because I had to start flying alone.


    ¡°So you¡¯ve been living in New York for seven years? You must have visited many ces,¡± n said.


    ¡°Well, quite. I don¡¯t really know the streets well because I mostly take taxis or trains with Jessy,¡± I joked.


    ¡°You still take taxis and trains? Doesn¡¯t Ms. L provide apany car?¡± n asked, furrowing his brow.


    ¡°Only for special asions. We only have two office cars. One for Ms. L and one for models attending prestigious parties like the Oscars or New York Fashion Show after parties,¡± I exined resignedly.


    ¡°Well, the new face of Gene needs a car specifically for her. Can you drive?¡± n asked me.


    ¡°Er, I¡¯m still learning. You know, driving a car requires experience on the road. How can I gain experience without a car to practice driving?¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll consider a suitable car for you.¡± n chuckled lightly.


    God! Why did he keep pampering me like this?


    After more than half an hour of chatting in the car to get through the city traffic jams, the driver finally stopped the car in front of a row of stores.


    ¡°Come on, follow me.¡± n walked ahead of me.


    ¡°Sexy Cat Studio,¡± I read on the signboard above the ck ss door.


    ***


    I stepped out of the bathroom, grabbed my body lotion, and immediately copsed onto my bed. It was already 7 p. m., and I felt extremely tired. It was only Sunday, but I already felt like I needed another weekend.


    I opened my scented aloe vera body lotion and started applying it to my hands. Just as I began my daily ritual, my phone rang with its distinctive, ear-piercing ringtone. I had set that ringtone specifically to identify the caller, Jessy Ronald.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I greeted Jessy after picking up the phone. I set the phone on speaker mode as I continued my ritual.


    ¡°Hi, gorgeous,¡± Jessy said in his usual flirtatious tone.


    ¡°From your tone, I can tell you¡¯ve had a very enjoyable day,¡± I said with a wide smile. My agent then giggled with delight.


    ¡°What else can it be? Mike is such a fun person!¡± Jessy eximed excitedly.


    ¡°Oh¡­ It seems like you¡¯ve really fallen for him, huh?¡± I asked with the same amused giggle.


    ¡°Have you ever heard bells ringing in the dazzling sunlight when you meet someone? That¡¯s what I experienced-a magical moment. I¡¯m trying hard to hide my feelings,¡± Jessy confessed.


    After that, Jessy told me all about Mike¡¯s behavior. Their conversations and Mike¡¯s gestures were observed in detail by Jessy. It took almost an hour for me to hear about Mike. If there were a quiz with a prize for everything about Mike, maybe I¡¯d win because I also learned a lot about him.


    Finally, Jessy didn¡¯t know what else to say, and the topic shifted to my activities today with n.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even realize you left with n,¡± Jessy said.


    ¡°Of course. You were so busy with Mike that you forgot about me,¡± I teased, and n chuckled again.


    ¡°Wait, I did try to find you when you and n left. I asked about your whereabouts through messages, right?¡± Jessy tried to defend herself.


    ¡°Yes, after I got back to the apartment at 4 PM,¡± I said skeptically.


    ¡°Oh,e on, I apologize. Where did you two go that kept you out untilte? Did n drive you in his car to the apartment?¡± Jessy asked.Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    ¡°Yes, he and his driver dropped me off in front of my apartment.¡± I chuckled.


    ¡°Then?¡± Jessy pressed.


    ¡°So, n and I went to the dance studio, Sexy Cat Studio, in Times Square. Next Saturday, there will be an opening event for Oscar de Ragetti¡¯s club,¡± I exined slowly.


    ¡°Oh, yes, I heard about the opening party for that club. n asked all the models to attend as guests to liven up the event,¡± Jessy added.


    ¡°Yes. Well, n gave me a challenge to fill the party event before signing the contract as the main model at Gene. n and I will fill the event by dancing as partners along with three other model couples,¡± I exined.


    ¡°No way! Are you and n going to be dancing as partners? Does that mean you¡¯ll be dancing seductively? You know, Sexy Cat Studio-isn¡¯t it for sexy and naughty dance types? Maybe like a striptease dance?¡± Jessy eximed enthusiastically.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I don¡¯t know yet. I can only confirm the type of danceter during practice. I mean, I¡¯m used to partnering with other male models on projects, but this is my boss. I even doubt if I can meet his expectations by dancing seductively,¡± I said.


    ¡°You sound annoyed. Why?¡± Jessy seemed to know about me very well. Just with a change of tone, she knew I was upset with this reality.

 Little Debate

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°Well, I just feel like it¡¯s outside myfort zone. I will be dancing seductively with my boss. What especially disappoints me is that he¡¯s making this a requirement to sign the contract as the main model at Gene.¡± I huffed.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good opportunity?¡± He sounds confused.


    ¡°I mean, haven¡¯t I already shown my quality at the Model Talent Show?¡± I expressed my frustration.


    ¡°Yeah, you have a point. He¡¯s dragging this out too much. But earlier, he said he would offer you the highest contract value at Gene, right? Maybe that¡¯s why he feels your effort deserves it,¡± Jessy spected seriously.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I feel like he has calcted everything. I¡¯m just afraid I¡¯ll be yed by himter. Do you think he can be trusted? Do you think he¡¯ll keep his promise?¡± I asked anxiously.


    ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t know, Fene. I¡¯m also just getting to know him, like you did this afternoon. But one thing I can assure you is that I¡¯ll always watch over you.,¡± Jessy said firmly, just like when we first met.


    ¡°Even if Mike gets in your way?¡± I asked with a half-smile.


    ¡°Yes. Even if Mike gets in my way, I¡¯ll break through to save you,¡± Jessy said firmly.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°Okay. Okay.¡± I took a deep breath and exhaled to calm myself from the sudden anxiety.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, n said I could bring someone as my plus one to the party. Do you think inviting Laird would be a bad idea?¡± I asked while hugging my pillow on the bed.


    ¡°Oh! I think that¡¯s a fantastic idea. You can show Laird about your job as a model, so he won¡¯t be surprised when you enter into a more intimate rtionship,¡± Jessy eximed cheerfully.


    ¡°What if he doesn¡¯t like my job? You know, sometimes all these morous parties can be intimidating for some people.¡± I bit my lower lip, remembering how Tom behaved.


    ¡°Intimidating for Tom, you mean?¡± Jessy snorted as he mentioned my ex-boyfriend¡¯s name.


    ¡°Well, you know. I still want to make Laird like me. I don¡¯t know if he¡¯ll still like me if he finds out I¡¯ll be dancing seductively with n,¡± I said.


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t know anything about men. Let me tell you, men actually like something they can¡¯t get. You know, men like challenges,¡± Jessy said confidently.


    ¡°Imagine that you go to the party with him, but you end up dancing with n in front of everyone. Wouldn¡¯t that make him annoyed? Wouldn¡¯t that make him more curious when he sees you dancing seductively?¡± Jessy paused to build up the tension.


    ¡°When you dance with another man, BAM!, that¡¯s when his ego gets crushed. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be upset, and that, my dear, will make him more eager to get you.¡±


    I pondered all of Jessy¡¯s words carefully.


    ¡°Is that why he rejected me at prom? Maybe he already knew I would confess my love to him and felt I wasn¡¯t a challenge anymore. We¡¯ve also been friends since childhood, so maybe I was too easy for him to get, so he got bored,¡± I said sadly.


    ¡°Oh, my poor darling. I can¡¯tment much about prom night because I didn¡¯t see it myself. You can only ask Laird directly to get a true answer.¡±


    ¡°One thing¡¯s for sure: you have two important choices now. Lure Laird to like you or lure n to spoil you,¡± Jessy giggled mischievously.


    ¡°What? n?¡± I asked with widened eyes.


    ¡°Yes. Oh,e on, Fene. Don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t realize he was flirting with you all day. Plus, he asked you to be his partner in the sexy danceter.¡± Jessy groaned in frustration.


    ¡°That¡¯s because of the project. He would also dance seductively with Kiara if he was more interested in Kiara as the main model. I¡¯m sure-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he wouldn¡¯t volunteer to be your dance partner if it wasn¡¯t because of you,¡± Jessy cut me off impatiently.


    ¡°He is the owner of Gene. So, he should be able to ask anyone to be your dance partner. But, because he¡¯s interested in you, he volunteered himself.¡± Jessy insisted on her opinion.


    ¡°No, Jessy. That¡¯s just your wild assumption.¡± I argued.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s a narcissistic person who likes to show off at parties. He wants to be the star of the party. I¡¯m sure he already nned to be a dance partner for whoever the main model candidate at Gene that he chose,¡± I defended my argument in this little debate.


    ¡°Even if he chooses a male model or handsome actor as the main face of Gene?¡± Jessy tried to break my argument. ¡°Do you think he would still step forward as a dance partner?¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah. You said earlier that he¡¯s bisexual,¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°Uh, fine. Let¡¯s believe what we want to believe,¡± Jessy gave up.


    I smiled broadly, satisfied with my victory this time. Ha! Take that!


    ¡°So, you¡¯ll start practicing tomorrow? What time?¡± Jessy asked.


    ¡°Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 1 PM. n even said I should continue the dance ss constantly to boost confidence and open up potential for new projects,¡± I answered as I turned my body to lie on my back on the bed.


    ¡°Yeah, I think that¡¯s a good idea. Let¡¯s see if they have flexible practice schedules,¡± Jessy said.


    After that, our conversation ended. I hung up the phone and looked at the call history. Crazy-almost two hours! It¡¯s hard to stop chatting if your friend is Jessy.


    Suddenly, a message came in. I immediately jumped and held my breath. I waited for the notification to sound more than once, but after a few minutes passed without additional messages, I finally opened the message.


    ¡®Hey. How was your day? Did the office event go smoothly?¡¯


    Laird Evans¡¯ name appeared as the sender of the message. I squealed for it. He couldn¡¯t stop thinking about me, I guess.

 More Talk, Less Typing

    Laird¡¯s POVText ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I texted Fene briefly and waited for a few minutes, but she hadn¡¯t replied yet. Uncertain, after a day passed without any news on Saturday, I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about her. I was taken aback by all the changes that had urred in Fene.


    She was no longer the vulnerable girl overshadowed by bullies. She had a sessful career, her beauty had blossomed, and she had be skilled in lovemaking.


    The thought of other men being intimate with her makes me mad. Each time I imagined her with someone else, a mix of anger and pain surged in my chest and neck.


    How many men had touched her? How often did she engage in lovemaking? Did her ex satisfy her every time? How many times did she reach climax in one session? Who took her virginity?


    These questions consumed my mind, fueling a burning jealousy within me. It felt like a fire burning with kindling and charcoal, consuming my heart.


    Fene seemed to upy my thoughts constantly. Memories of our childhood, our first kiss, and our prom night kept resurfacing, especially the night we made love for the first time.


    I missed her.


    As my phone notification rang, I set down my beer ss and picked up the phone from the sofa to read Fene¡¯s reply message:


    ¡®Hi, Laird. Today went great!¡¯


    ¡®The office event was amazing, but it was more tiring than I expected.¡¯


    ¡®How was your weekend?¡¯


    A smile graced my face as I read her message. I replied, my focus solely on the phone, disregarding the TV ying in front of me:


    ¡®Today was dull. I missed drinking with the famous model.¡¯


    ¡®d your event went well.¡¯


    ¡®Tell me more about your day.¡¯


    I watched as Fene typed a response. Sipping my beer, I noticed the Red Sox scoring a home run in the third inning on TV. Cheering, I nced back at my phone. The message tone interrupted my focus once more; it was from Fene:


    ¡®Well, there was a weing party for the new owner of my model agency.¡¯


    ¡®Then my new boss had all the models showcase their talents for the selection of the main model to rece Yuri Wu.¡¯


    Reading her message, I furrowed my brow. Maybe Fene forgot that I wasn¡¯t familiar with the model industry. I didn¡¯t know who Yuri Wu was, and her message was somewhat hard for me to grasp. Sensing there were more stories behind her texts, I decided to switch off the TV and dial Fene¡¯s number.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I said as she answered on the fourth ring.


    ¡°Hi, Laird,¡± Fene replied.


    ¡°It seems like you have a lot to share about today,¡± I said with a wry smile.


    ¡°Uh, yeah. Sorry, I find it hard to exin in writing.¡± Fene¡¯s softughter echoed through the phone.


    It seemed like the old Fene still lingered within her. She always felt morefortable speaking than writing, which was reflected in her academic essays being rated poorlypared to her verbal presentations.


    The hope kindled within me, hoping to rediscover the Fene who once cared for me and mend our rtionship to its former state.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I understand. Even though I¡¯m really curious to hear your story, unfortunately, I can¡¯te to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡± Fene asked.


    ¡°You seem tired, and I have a morning meeting with a client tomorrow. That¡¯s why I decided to just call you.¡±


    Fene fell silent for a while, then cleared her throat.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll start with this morning¡¯s event,¡± Fene said calmly.


    For over half an hour, I listened to how Fene¡¯s day unfolded. There were several key points I could grasp.


    Firstly, I might have a newpetitor. Fene¡¯s new boss, n, seemed very interested in her. Secondly, Fene would be extremely busy until next week with preparations for a party event. Thirdly, Fene would be even busier if she signed as the main model at her agency.


    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s good news. Do you need help reviewing the contractter? Maybe we can negotiate some risky uses for you,¡± I offered my assistance.


    ¡°Will you help me? Oh, no, wait. I don¡¯t have the money to pay for your services as awyer. You must work at an expensive and prestigious firm,¡± Fene teased. I chuckled for a moment.


    ¡°Not that expensive. I¡¯m still a newwyer,¡± I humbly replied.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have your own firm?¡± Fene asked.


    ¡°Of course not. It¡¯s not that easy to open your own firm. I need a partner, capital, and a reputable name to be trusted by clients. I¡¯ve only been awyer for six months, just so you know,¡± I chuckled lightly.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure your name will soar as awyer. With your brilliant mind, handsomeness, and integrity, I don¡¯t think it will be long before you¡¯re on TV handling big cases,¡± Fene expressed her belief.


    Once again, I could onlyugh at Fene¡¯s daydreams. God, somehow Fene always managed to amuse me. Her imagination, the determination she held, and her way of speaking sometimes left me astonished.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re mistaken. I don¡¯t intend to continue being awyer, especially not in my father¡¯s firm,¡± I said with a faint smile.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re working at your father¡¯s firm now? In New York?¡± she asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Yup. He opened new branches in New York, London, and Singapore. I¡¯m just adding my name to the list ofwyers in this branch. It won¡¯t be long; maybe another year,¡± I exined slowly, realizing I was sharing my dreams with Fene.


    ¡°Oh, I thought you were going to say you wanted to be a Red Sox athlete.¡±


    Once again, Fene¡¯s words and visions of me left me amazed. I chuckled at her statement. My body rxed again, and Iy back on my sofa, still holding the phone to my ear with one hand.


    ¡°That dream has long been shattered since I failed the athlete selection back then. Remember?¡±


    Memories of the tough days in the summer trying out for athletic training shed through my mind. I felt the bitter taste of significant failure, but I epted it. Instead of stubbornly pursuing what my father opposed, I followed the path he opened for me until now.


    ¡°The only one willing to ept me with my baseball hitting ability was Harvard.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Harvard. Is that where you learned to satisfy women?¡± Fene teased.


    My eyes blinked at Fene¡¯s words. A smirk returned to my face. I vividly remembered Fene¡¯s moans when she reached climax beneath me.


    ¡°Why do you ask? Are you also keen on going to Harvard for that?¡± I teased her softly.


    ¡°Hm, I prefer self-learning. Jumping straight into practice has enriched me with experience.¡± Fene spoke again, this time in a softer tone.


    The memory of Fene¡¯s hand on my cock immediately elicited a reaction in my body. Coupled with jealousy as a trigger, I felt my body igniting once again.


    ¡°Is that so? So that¡¯s why you were able to satisfy me so much?¡± I asked with a thin grin.


    ¡°Yes, I remember it,¡± Fene whispered in my ear, tormenting me even more.


    ¡°What do you remember?¡± I challenged her again, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°I remember I had given you the highest pleasure.¡±


    God! I now had a glimmer of hope once again.


    ¡°Do you remember the moments when you reached orgasms repeatedly in the early morning?¡± I asked to confirm.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, Laird. I can tell about it all night,¡± Fene sighed over the phone.

 Phone Service

    Laird¡¯s POVExclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°That early morning, I felt a warm, unfamiliar hand on my chest. The hand embraced me and pulled my body closer to the one behind me. As I turned around, I immediately saw your face.


    ¡°Hm, am I still half asleep?¡± I asked in a soft voice.


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s what annoys me. Your hand was unconsciously twirling my nipple while you were sound asleep. Are you unaware of the effect you had on my body?¡±


    ¡°Sorry about that,¡± I chuckled.


    ¡°Yeah. So, I woke you up.¡± She said. ¡°I licked your nipple, your stomach, the soft hairs below your navel, all the way to the tip of your penis. I touched it gently. Then I caressed it and squeezed it a few times with my fingers.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Fene. Are you trying to make me masturbate? Because if that¡¯s what you want to do now, I¡¯d rather drop by to your apartment. It only takes twenty minutes on the motorcycle,¡± I interrupted Fene.


    Because damn, I was bing impatient. The shaft at the base of my groin quickly hardened just after hearing Fene¡¯s voice and words. I wasn¡¯t opposed to phone sex, but I preferred experiencing it in person.


    ¡°Hm, no, you can¡¯t do it. You have a meeting in the morning, Mr. Evans, remember? I¡¯m also tired, so I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to amodate you to the fullest,¡± Fene said.


    Her voice seemed to be coaxing me to teleport to her right now. I groaned in frustration, but there was nothing I could do. My clients and boss had warned me not to bete tomorrow morning. They were demanding and nagging.


    ¡°Fine, do as you please.¡± I groaned in disappointment.


    I didn¡¯t know if Fene was intentionally doing this. One thing I knew for sure was that she had now left me hungry with an insatiable desire. I knew precisely that this phone call wouldn¡¯t be able to fulfill my need for Fene¡¯s body.


    ¡°But you should know, when we have our next lovemaking session, I will do whatever I want to you.¡± I whispered to her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll squeeze your firm breasts and y with your nipples until they be taut and turn a rosy hue. Once they¡¯re sharp enough, then I¡¯ll suck and lick them with my wet tongue. I will pamper both your nipples without neglecting either one.¡±


    I uttered all those sentences with my deep voice, adding a slight sucking sound effect.


    Phone sex? If that¡¯s what Fene wanted, then I wouldply. I would also satisfy her with the same pleasure fantasy. I couldn¡¯t deny it; I was also enjoying this game. My hands then crept into my pants and gently massaged my penis, still covered by my boxers.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it will feel amazing. I can¡¯t wait to be the sweetest candy for you,¡± Fene said with a raspy pleasure.


    In my mind, she was also touching her own nipples and ying with them. Although I was sure Fene¡¯s hand wouldn¡¯t match my technique, her hand also had a different texture from my hot tongue. She would be disappointed with her own hand.


    ¡°But, Laird, I haven¡¯t finished confirming my memory of that morning. Did you wake up after I disturbed your cock?¡±


    I chuckled briefly. My hand then returned to touch my dick, which was eagerly waiting to be freed from the fabric of my pants.


    ¡°Yes. I was actually awake when you licked my nipple, but I kept my eyes closed.¡± I let out a littleugh.


    ¡°You know, sometimes our sense of touch and hearing are sharper when our eyes are closed. In the end, I couldn¡¯t resist when you started licking the tip of my cock. I propped myself up with my elbows to watch you licking my erection because of you.¡± I began to reveal my secret slowly.


    I got up and walked to my bed. Then, I opened the nightstand drawer and took out a bottle of lubricant. Iy down on the bed, set my phone to speaker mode, and propped it against the pillow next to me so I could hear Fene¡¯s voice clearly.


    I poured a few of it on my fingers. Then, I practiced what Fene and I did that early morning. I closed my eyes, pulled down my pants to my knees, and started touching my shaft. My thumb began to circle the tip of my cock, imagining it as if it were Fene¡¯s hot, fiery tongue sucking on it.


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s how it is. No wonder when I started licking and sucking your cock more eagerly, your hand reached for my head. You know I really like it when you take control of my movements. Your thick shaft indeed needs more attention.¡± She  hummed.


    ¡°Do you like it when I followed your hand¡¯s movements to suck your cock deeper into my mouth? Ibined my movement with regr licking from the base to the tip. I enjoy it when my tongue licks your cock while my mouth moves up and down sucking it.¡± She trailed her sultry tone.


    ¡°Yes. Go on.¡± I sighed as the blood flow increased to my hard shaft.


    ¡°I know you really like the suction of my mouth and tongue. I could hear you grunting in pleasure at the sensations you felt in my mouth. Especially when my tongue licked both of your balls alternately.¡± She made a slurping sound more clear in my ears.

 Pleasured Ears

    Laird¡¯s POV


    ¡°You know that most sensitive spot of yours that made you jerk and pull my hair? My tongue licked the base of your balls. When I licked it there, you didn¡¯t stop groaning.¡±


    My hand moved to stroke and press with the lubricant in the area Fene mentioned. I groaned with my eyes still closed to continue imagining Fene¡¯s tongue there.


    ¡°I¡¯m almost reaching climax,¡± I gasped.


    ¡°Yes, I know. That¡¯s why I quickly stopped licking you. Instead, I ride on you. Slowly, I straddled your hips and lowered my body. I saw it when you opened your eyes, then directed your erection towards my wet pussy.¡± She moaned with a gasp.


    ¡°I lowered my hips, and when you were finally inside mepletely, I stayed still to feel our blood flow pulsating together. Can you feel that pressure on your huge cock?¡± Fene sighed with pleasure.


    I could only imagine Fene¡¯s fingers possibly being inserted into her wet core. It was somewhat challenging to match my cock, but I thought her three fingers would be close enough for her.


    I groaned as my fist enveloped my entire shaft. I squeezed it gently several times. I hoped to match Fene¡¯s tight, pulsating passage that pumped my cock, but I only found disappointment. My hand couldn¡¯t rece Fene¡¯s throbbing inner muscles, which felt intoxicatingly tight, but I had no other choice.


    ¡°Then my hips moved up and down. I could feel every thrust of your cock that stung me so intensely. Ugh, I miss it, Laird.¡± She groaned in pleasure.


    ¡°I miss when your hips also respond to my movements. We would move away from each other, then collide again, with my wet pussy meeting your stiff balls. Can you feel the friction?¡± Fene¡¯s voice grew heavier, and her breath became more ragged.


    ¡°Yes. I can feel it. I remember how much I enjoyed it. I remember my hands also squeezing and pinching your nipples to enhance the sensation for you,¡± I said, my breath asbored as Fene¡¯s.


    ¡°Yes! Oh, that feels so good, Laird. I want more and more. Don¡¯t stop,¡± Fene pleaded with a long moan.


    The pleasure continued to build in the area of my erection, feeling increasingly fiery hot. The friction between my cupped hands covering my shaft with slick lubricant was enough to make my blood flow quickly. I knew I was almost reaching climax.


    ¡°My hands then gripped your hips, kneading your ass and helping your hips move faster.¡± My breath grew heavy as I recalled all the sensations from that morning.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°Yes, then you couldn¡¯t wait because I was already too intoxicated by that pleasure. Like a ck jaguar in the night, you pounced on me. Our positions reversed, and not stopping there, you turned my body around.¡± I can hear how she winced in pain.


    ¡°Youmanded me to raise my hips. Thatmand sent a wild reaction to me, don¡¯t you know? Then you pulled my hips. Your huge cock immediately entered my deepest core and it felt extremely good,¡± Fene moaned louder, in sync with my increasingly rapid breaths.


    ¡°Yes, Fene. You enjoyed that position. I could kiss your sexy back while my cock pleasured you. How did that feel so satisfying?¡± I asked between my quick breaths.


    ¡°Yes! Your cock entered all the way to my G-spot. I could feel the tip of your cock pressing against my deepest wall. And, oh, yes, it was very-¡± Fene couldn¡¯t continue her moans, and I was sure she had reached her climax.


    I no longer held back and released a burst of cum. I reached a climax with a heavy roar. In a sh, white fluid filled both of my hands on my cock. My breath wasbored, just like Fene¡¯s breathing on the opposite side.


    ¡°Whoah. That was a new experience,¡± Izily remarked as I stared at the ceiling of my room.


    ¡°Yes. How was it? Do you now believe that I remember everything about that morning? Wasn¡¯t my memory crystal clear?¡± Fene asked with a still-hoarse voice. I thought it was because her throat was dry from breathing through her mouth, just like mine.


    ¡°Yes, I believe you. Your memory was so detailed, down to the second round at 3 a. m.,¡± I said with a chuckle.


    ¡°Wait, don¡¯t hang up. I¡¯ll quickly wash my hands.¡± I said, and Fene agreed to wait.


    I cleaned my cock and hands with running water. I didn¡¯t forget the scented soap to remove the pungent smell of my fluids. After drying my hands and putting on my pants again, I returned to the bed. Fene¡¯s phone call was still connected, with over an hour disyed on my phone screen.


    This is crazy. Fene is driving me crazy, and I still want to have sex with Fene properly. Once again, I could only curse my boss and clients in my heart.


    ¡°Hey. Thank you for waiting,¡± I said with a weak smile.


    ¡°Yes. Did you release a lot of cum?¡± Fene asked with her sexy voice.


    ¡°Yup. You made me weak with your voice. Imagine if we did this for real; you would have drained mepletely.¡± I chuckled softly.


    ¡°Well, be patient. Perhaps there will be another opportunityter,¡± she said slowly.


    ¡°When?¡± I asked.


    ¡°How about next Saturday? I¡¯ve been invited to the grand opening party of a new nightclub owned by the famous designer Oscar de Ragetti. It turns out my invitation includes a plus one. Are you interested?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Will there be some booze?¡± I chuckled.


    ¡°Yes, of course. Lots of it,¡± she whispered in a tempting voice.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll pick you up at your tter.¡±

 Last Training

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I stared at therge mirror in front of me. n stood beside me, panting with his hands resting on my hips. My own breath was ragged, sweat trickling down my temples.


    n and I have practiced twice at Sexy Cat Studio now. Monday and Wednesday had started well with introductions to the movements. I practiced further at my apartment whenever I had spare time between daily work tasks. Whether night or morning, I pushed myself to memorize all the dance moves taught.


    It turns out, I quite enjoyed these dance exercises. They were almost like memorizing cheer routines back in high school, but now with freer movements and lessplicated formations.


    I hadn¡¯t expected this dance studio to truly teach sexy dance moves that boosted my confidence. All the motivation and affirmations from the instructor helped awaken my feminine side. Their movements made me aware of every part of my body and helped me appreciate it.


    I love myself. Wow, a simple word on the lips, yet it required reinforcing thoughts to truly believe it.


    Now I understood that everyone had different bodies and souls. Still, I had to like my own body despite my C-cup breasts, stretch marks on my buttocks, and thighs still showing fat. I had to genuinely believe my body was beautiful with all its imperfections to make these dance moves work.


    ¡°How was that?¡± I asked the dance instructor and Jessy, who watched us from the edge of the practice room.


    ¡°I think it was great. You both managed to memorize the moves and let yourselves move to the rhythm of the music,¡± our instructor said.


    ¡°Yeah, I can see the chemistry between you two. Much better than the first day,¡± Jessy added, nodding approvingly.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s try it with the Oscar outfits,¡± n said, releasing his hold on me.


    n walked to the edge of the practice room. I followed him, and he fetched my water bottle and towel.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said with a smile.


    n was always like this. He is very friendly and eager to do small acts of kindness for me. Whether he was picking up my water bottle and towel from the floor or not, he did it happily.


    After sipping some mineral water, I wiped the sweaty parts of my body with a small towel. We rested to catch our breaths. n then checked the wall clock.


    ¡°Let¡¯s change into our outfits quickly,¡± n said without dy.


    Following his cue, I grabbed the bag containing the outfits prepared by Jessy. I went to the restroom and started to peel off my tight ck workout gear. After over half an hour of practice, my gym clothes felt damp.


    I decided to take a quick shower to rid myself of the smell of sweat. Just five minutes, and now my body smelled like soap. Afterward, I put on the pants and bra that had been prepared.


    Then I wore a ck mini dress adorned with sparkling sequin motifs along the hem. It was all Oscar¡¯s design, and I had to wear every piece for tomorrow night¡¯s dance performance with n. Not forgetting the high-heeled ck boots that sparkled with glitter up to my ankles.


    When I came back, I was stunned to see Oscar de Ragetti there in person, apanied by his assistant. Despite the studio¡¯s dim lighting, with only neon lights in shades of purple and pink, we could still see each other clearly.


    ¡°Oh, is this your most beautiful model?¡± Oscar asked in a dramatic way.


    n grinned proudly and waved at me. ¡°Come here, Fene; introduce yourself to Mr. de Ragetti.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Mr. de Ragetti. I¡¯m Fene Baxter,¡± I greeted, extending a formal handshake to him.


    The man instead pulled my hand firmly. Then he hugged me and quickly kissed both my cheeks. He stepped back and looked me up and down.


    Thank goodness I showered earlier! He might have been disgusted if I were still covered in sweat.


    ¡°Oh, yes, you look stunning in that dress. Your blonde hair contrasts beautifully with the outfit. You¡¯re gorgeous,¡± Oscar, the renowned fashion designer, said with a wide grin.


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. de Ragetti,¡± I replied, smiling shyly.


    ¡°You can call me Oscar, darling,¡± he said, still examining my overall appearance.


    ¡°Hmm, make sure to tousle your hair a bit and lift it slightly when you performter to look more energetic. Don¡¯t straighten your hair,¡± Oscar muttered while still looking at my appearance.


    ¡°Let¡¯s try the part where we open the dress,¡± Oscar said, snapping his fingers.


    ¡°So, n, can you see the strap on Fene¡¯s shoulder here?¡± Oscar asked, lifting the dangling strap on my shoulder slightly.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°The knot on it is simple to undo. So, you can pull it to open the dress from this side,¡± Oscar exined while pointing at my dress.


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± I replied. No wonder this dress reminded me of shoce weaving with a loose knot.


    ¡°Then, at the bottom here,¡± Oscar said, holding my waist, ¡°you see there¡¯s a hole in the strap. So while you pull the strap, you can pull the dress off with your other hand.¡±


    ¡°Naughty Oscar! Where did you learn to make such a sexy dress?¡± n chuckled, and Oscarughed happily. It seemed Oscar took it as apliment.


    ¡°You¡¯ll learn how to do it after designing hundreds of costumes for those diva concerts. They need a show that can arouse the audience¡¯s passions,¡± Oscar boasted.


    ¡°How about that, Fene? Do you like this dress? Do you feel like aplete woman inside?¡± Oscar asked dramatically once again.


    ¡°Yes. I think it¡¯s brilliant. I didn¡¯t even know the function of that strap until you told me,¡± I said with a wide smile, still amazed by this dress model.


    ¡°You know, I brought a few dress options with slightly different designs but the same mechanism. We can try them all,¡± Oscar said enthusiastically.


    ¡°Of course.¡± n smiled, and I nodded.


    Honestly, I was quite tired. After dancing for more than half an hour, then showering, and now having to change clothes repeatedly until we found the dress that n found easiest to remove, I was exhausted.


    Silver dresses, gold dresses, and pink dresses. Not to mentionbinations with bra and underwear sets that would be disyed at the end of the dance. As often as I changed clothes, Jessy and I finally made an emergency dressing room in the practice room with a borrowed curtain from our dance instructor.


    Ugh, when would this end?

 Leap of Fate

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°Okay, I think thebinations are perfect. Let¡¯s agree. Don¡¯t forget to style your hair a bit tousled and not too straight like it is now,¡± Oscar continued to instruct me repeatedly.


    What else could I say other than ¡°Yes, Oscar¡± or ¡°Of course, Oscar¡±?


    Ugh, I should have known Oscar was like any other fashion designer. He was even more meticulous and finicky. I guess that¡¯s why he was the best.


    After all the costume fittings, we still brainstormed how to go on stage. I don¡¯t know how many times we talked about it, but our ideas seemed to run out.


    ¡°I still think we need a passionate moment as a sign of the beginning of your performance. Just being called or the lights being turned off and then using spotlights somehow seems less original and less natural,¡± Oscar said with his hands raised like spotlightmps.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Do you want us to naturally advance on stage?¡± n confirmed this again.


    ¡°Yes. You know, like a sh mob, or when people suddenly dare toe up and dance on stage. The event will be more lively and exciting if done spontaneously,¡± Oscar exined his vision once again for the main performance tomorrow at his club.


    ¡°We¡¯ll try it, Oscar. The models will be ready to liven up the event too, so we don¡¯t have to worry that the atmosphere will be dull. We¡¯ll make sure the party atmosphere explodes spontaneously,¡± n tried to reassure Oscar once more.


    After an extended ten-minute discussion, Oscar finally left. I, Jessy, n, and the dance instructor remained silent in the practice room. We all thought about how to meet Oscar¡¯s request for a spontaneous and natural atmosphere, but for some reason, none of us could form a favorable idea.


    ¡°Damn, my brain¡¯s stuck!¡± n eximed hoarsely.


    ¡°My head hurts,¡± I said, holding my forehead.


    Really, I¡¯m not used to thinking this hard. Creativity isn¡¯t my forte, so I¡¯m not sure I can contribute an idea.


    ¡°Oh,e on. I think we¡¯re all exhausted. Also, n, when ites to spontaneity and impulsive decisions, Fene is an expert,¡± Jessy said with an irritated sigh.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I furrowed my brow.


    It seemed tiredness was beginning to gnaw at me bit by bit. I felt offended by Jessy¡¯s earlier remark. It was small, but it made me ufortable.


    ¡°I mean, you¡¯re sure to be able to solve this stage entrance issue easily. I believe in you; you¡¯ll find a solution tomorrow that satisfies Oscar,¡± Jessy tried to reassure me.


    ¡°Yes, of course. Three sses of vodka are enough to make me act crazy,¡± I grumbled irritably.


    ¡°Great. Do that, and I¡¯ll promptly answer your call. Whenever you¡¯re ready and the time is right, I¡¯ll go up on stage to wee you. Jessy will also be ready near the DJ.¡± n intervened to mediate between me and Jessy.


    ¡°I guess that really is the best n for now,¡± I said quickly, shrugging my shoulders.


    ***


    ¡°Hm, this is so good,¡± I sighed.


    Jessy and I decided to end our intense debate. Both of us agreed that we were so tired that emotions easily red up. After contacting our regr spa, we immediately asked the taxi driver to change the route.


    Now both of us were rxing in a private room reserved just for us. The private room at our regr spa has separating curtains. So, we could still spend time together, chatting and letting our bodies be massaged by our regr masseuses.


    ¡°Yes, finally we can rx a bit.¡± Jessy sighed deeply too.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand why Oscar asked a model like me to fill in at the event with dancing. I mean, there are many other dancers who are much better than me. He even has his own strippers. God, he owns the club.¡±


    I groaned in frustration over this project. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m not happy about getting a new, challenging job. It¡¯s just that I feel this challenge is a bit too much for me.


    ¡°What if this project fails and doesn¡¯t meet Oscar¡¯s expectations? You saw it yourself, right? He kept talking about natural spontaneity,¡± I continued to protest to Jessy.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t want a professional dancer. He thinks theyck novelty and spontaneity. He wants something unexpected. He wants the party to be lively, as if his club attracted people to do the unexpected.¡± Jessy exined it patiently.


    ¡°Do you remember the party theme? Leap of destiny. That¡¯s why he asked for a model from Gene. While professional dancers just be the background,¡± Jessy exined.


    ¡°Yes, I know his philosophy. He repeats it by saying that he opened the club as a leap of fate,¡± I said as my masseuse massaged my stiff back.


    ¡°So, do I really have to literally leap onto the stage?¡± I asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s what Oscar wants,¡± Jessy said softly.


    I finally fell silent again, pondering over all of Oscar¡¯s requests that seemed unreasonable. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t have any other choice.


    ¡°Besides, he still wants his clothes showcased by a model who looks like she¡¯s having fun. He doesn¡¯t want someone he doesn¡¯t know wearing his clothes.¡± Jessy¡¯s voice started to fade into her increasingly heavy breathing.


    Little did I know Oscar de Ragetti was such an arrogant person. He¡¯s just like the fashion designers I know. They¡¯re all the same. They¡¯re too proud of their own work.


    Ironically, no matter how bored I am with those arrogant fashion designers, I rely on them to hire me as a model for their clothes.


    ¡°Just make sure I don¡¯t drink more than four sses. You know what happens when I exceed my tolerance when I¡¯m with Laird,¡± I said with my eyes closed.


    ¡°If that night repeats, I think it¡¯s good. Isn¡¯t that what you want? I can¡¯t wait to chat more with Laird,¡± Jessy eximed with a high tone.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I rejected the idea of getting drunk just toply with Oscar¡¯s spontaneity. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t remember the dance moves if I get drunk.¡± I groaned.


    ¡°Ah, yes. I understand. If I were you, I wouldn¡¯t want to lose the memory of Laird, even for a moment, just to enjoy every second of it,¡± Jessy giggled.


    ¡°Ugh, I mean, I don¡¯t want to just be a mere pleasure-bunny to him without any feelings at all,¡± I said again, resting my head back on the pillow.


    ¡°Yes, of course. You want your rtionship to be special.¡± Jessy sounded weaker. He seemed drowsy.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that how it should be? Laird and I have a special rtionship.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to ruin it with a rtionship without feelings. You know, I want to make him like me consciously and genuinely, not just because of alcohol.¡±


    I fell silent, enjoying the massage with my eyes closed. My words received no further response. Then I heard Jessy¡¯s distinctive snoring.

 My Plus One

    Fene¡¯s POV


    That night, after rxing at the spa with aromatherapy massages, masks, and various other beauty treatments, Iy down on the bed.


    At exactly 8 p. m., my phone rang as a sign of iing messages. Laird sent me a message. Seeing Laird¡¯s name on the screen of my phone, I smiled cheerfully.


    We have been sending messages or calling each other at night for the past week. Sometimes, even during the day, we share inspiration for our lunch. I sent photos of healthy food sold by the nearest deli from the studio, while Laird would share photos of when he ate with coworkers and clients.


    Then we would talk about our day. What made usugh that day, and what things that disappointed us. I was really happy because I felt we were going back to our teenage days.


    Wait a minute. No. I don¡¯t want to be Laird¡¯s friend again, like we were as teenagers. What I want is for him to beg me to love him. If he really begs, maybe I¡¯ll forgive his treatment of me before.


    ¡°Anyway, I seem to still hold a grudge against you, Laird,¡± I said to myself as my hands opened Laird¡¯s message.


    ¡®Hey, Princess.¡¯


    ¡®Have you met the fairy godmother to discuss your dress for tomorrow?¡¯


    I chuckled as I read Laird¡¯s message. Without wasting time, I replied to Laird¡¯s message.


    ¡®Not exactly a fairy godmother, but he kindly lent me his enchanting dress.¡¯


    ¡®Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t give me pocket money to rent a luxurious horse-drawn carriage.¡¯


    I got up to lean on the bed frame.


    ¡®What about the shoes? I hope he gave you waterproof rubber boots. I heard it¡¯s going to rain tomorrow night.¡¯


    ¡®I can give you a ride on a male horse.¡¯


    Once again, I could onlyugh at Laird¡¯s message. My face flushed with embarrassment, and I bit my lower lip. My hands typed a quick reply message.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®There are no waterproof boots that will match my dress. Do you have an umbre?¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m curious if I can tame the horse to ride it.¡¯


    I waited impatiently for Laird¡¯s reply. Although Jessy said I should y hard to get by not replying directly to Laird¡¯s message, I couldn¡¯t restrain myself. To hell with the kite-pulling tactic.


    ¡®I¡¯ll sacrifice my jacket as an umbre.¡¯


    ¡®You just need to touch it in the right ce to tame it.¡¯


    Iughed again reading Laird¡¯s message. Since when did he be a flirt? Once again, I saw another side of Laird that I never knew.


    Yes, this is what I want. I don¡¯t want to be Laird¡¯s friend. I want him to see me as a whole woman, not just a spoiled little girl.


    ¡®In that case, I hope the rain will pour so that our clothes get wet all over.¡¯


    ¡®Which part will tame it quickly?¡¯


    I knew our conversation was starting to lead to flirtation and dirty jokes. I couldn¡¯t deny it; I enjoyed the wordy we were doing. Sometimes our conversation ended with exchanging our wild fantasies, and sometimes it ended with sweet goodnight words.


    ¡®No problem. You cane to my apartment to take a shower and borrow my towel.¡¯


    ¡®You have to look and find it yourself.¡¯


    Oh, God. He¡¯s driving me crazy. I want him to like me, but it seems I¡¯m the one who¡¯s crazy about him.


    ¡®I¡¯ll look forward to that moment.¡¯


    ¡®Then can I wait for my horse to arrive at 7 p. m.?¡¯


    Of course, I made sure he would pick me up tomorrow night. All these parties made me feel like I was reliving prom night again.


    ¡®Sure. See you tomorrow.¡¯


    I replied to Laird quickly.


    ¡®See you tomorrow, :D¡¯


    I prayed silently that tomorrow¡¯s event would go smoothly. Hopefully, tomorrow night¡¯s dance party will be a redemption for my past. After that, I hope to be able to repay Laird¡¯s actions and feel relieved because of them.


    Suddenly another message came to my phone. As I opened it, it turned out to be n sending me a message.


    ¡®Got a ride for tomorrow night?¡¯


    I waited for a while to give n a chance to type again. After several attempts at typing, it seemed that n repeatedly decided not to send his message. I frowned in confusion when n didn¡¯t send his message. Finally, I replied to that message.


    ¡®Yes, I have. Why?¡¯


    For a few minutes, I waited again for n to reply to my message that he had read. Who knows? Maybe he wanted to arrange the way to enter the club or set a minimum standard for my rideter.


    I still wasn¡¯t used to n¡¯s messages as my boss. Every time n sends a short message to me, I immediately feel serious tension. It seems like I¡¯m the one who immediately acts stiff and formal toward him.


    Jessy said I put up a barrier with n. God, I really didn¡¯t mean to.


    I just feel I have to respond more seriously to my boss. Anyway, my careerdder and Gene¡¯s main model contract for me are all in n¡¯s hands. I don¡¯t want to make him upset with me just because I misspoke.


    ¡®That¡¯s good, then. Don¡¯t forget the final rehearsal tomorrow morning at 8 at the club.¡¯


    I groaned annoyingly and immediately held my forehead.


    ¡°Damn, I totally forgot about it,¡± I muttered to myself.


    Fatigue, coupled with a conversation with Laird, made me too focused on the evening event. I forgot I still had to rehearse tomorrow with n and the other dancers.


    ¡®Sure. Thanks for reminding me.¡¯


    Immediately after I sent the message, n replied again with a short message.


    ¡®No problem.¡¯


    Ugh! I hope this event ends soon and I can spend the rest of my night tomorrow with Laird.


    Suddenly, a concern crossed my mind. Will I be as busy and tired after bing Gene¡¯s main model?

 The Dazzling Place

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I looked at myself in the mirror. I don¡¯t know how long I spent making sure my appearance was perfect, as Oscar had requested.


    I styled my hair with a curling iron to give it a bit more thickness and waves. I also applied styling cream specifically designed to add volume and smoothness.


    Following Oscar and n¡¯s final choice, I wore a redce lingerie set. Then, I put on a shimmering gold minidress that reached mid-thigh with a low-cut neckline. I didn¡¯t forget a small ck purse with a gold chain strap to hold my phone and credit card wallet. My ensemble waspleted with a set of gold earrings, a ne, and a bracelet.


    All were designed by Oscar de Ragetti.


    I clicked the heels of my ankle-high glittery ck boots. I looked at myself in the mirror and furrowed my brow for a moment. If people didn¡¯t know about the spontaneous dance arrangement, they would think I was overdoing it.


    I mean, this attire is more suitable for divas performing on stage!


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Fene. You look stunning.¡± I reassured myself.


    There was no time left to feel insecure or embarrassed. Today was a crucial turning point for me as I advanced my career. Oscar¡¯s party guests would include stars, fashion magazine editors, and fashion designers. That¡¯s why I had to look stunning tonight.


    The doorbell of the apartment rang. When I opened the door, I immediately saw Laird with his bright smile. He seemed stunned when he saw me.


    ¡°Hi, Laird,¡± I said enthusiastically.


    ¡°Whoah. Hey, Fene. Wow.¡± Laird continued to gaze at my appearance.


    Laird himself seemed to have dressed up to look more luxurious. I could recognize the branded clothes he wore. A ck leather bomber jacket with silver zipper ents, a white t-shirt, ck jeans, a watch, and ck sneakers. Laird¡¯s entire ensemble screamed a born-rich aura.


    ¡°You look cool, Laird.¡± Iplimented his appearance.


    ¡°A thrift store salesman gave me an offer I couldn¡¯t refuse.¡± Laird shrugged with a crooked smile.


    Iughed at his joke. A son of the Evans family wouldn¡¯t possibly buy all that at a thrift store. Plus, I could clearly see that his clothes and shoes were thetest models from famous designers.


    ¡°Do I look beautiful?¡± I asked jokingly, spinning around for effect.


    Laird chuckled. He continued to look at me with a wide smile. It almost felt like I could catch fire if he didn¡¯t stop staring at me with those emerald-green eyes.


    ¡°Dazzling.¡± He grinned crookedly.


    ¡°Sorry, I couldn¡¯t find a fairy godmother to give me a Cindere gown,¡± I said with a shy smile.


    ¡°No worries. I couldn¡¯t find a stallion either. Ready to go now?¡± Laird asked.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m ready.¡±


    I closed the apartment door, and it automatically locked. I linked my arm with Laird¡¯s just like I did on prom night.


    No, wait. I shouldn¡¯t reminisce about prom night. Tonight, I wouldn¡¯t waste my chance.


    I would show all the changes in me. I would show Fene Baxter version 2. 0 with a sessful career as a model. I would make Laird kneel before me with my appearance tonight.


    That¡¯s what I thought as I put on those clothes. In reality, things turned around again. I was surprised again when Laird opened the car door and invited me into the red Ferrari sports car parked in front of my apartment.


    ¡°You said you couldn¡¯t find a stallion,¡± I teased as I got into the car.


    ¡°I prefer to think of it as a mare.¡± He closed the car door and walked with confident strides.


    As he got into the car and started the engine, Laird paused for a moment in his seat. He turned to look at me and continued to examine my face closely.


    ¡°Wow. You¡¯ve reallye a long way, Fene,¡± Laird said, his eyes still gazing at every line of my face.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve grown more mature. We¡¯re not kids anymore,¡± I said with a crooked smile.


    ¡°Not just that. You look stunning. Much more beautiful than in high school,¡± Laird¡¯s hand brushed a strand of hair falling on my cheek.


    ¡°I should have brought you flowers.¡± Laird¡¯s voice lowered as his gaze remained fixed on me.


    God, I blushed at his words. Laird¡¯s words and his continuous admiration made me feel heady. It was like a confirmation that Laird was crazy about me.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Without thinking, I leaned forward to kiss Laird¡¯s lower lip. He was momentarily startled, but soon joined me in exploring the depths of each other¡¯s mouths with his tongue.


    One of Laird¡¯s hands cupped my cheek, while his other hand stroked my waist down to my thigh. We tasted all the sensations on our lips and tongues. God, his kiss was intoxicating. Our interlocked lips felt perfect andplemented each other.


    It didn¡¯t take long for me to reach the tip of passion within me. How easily I was ignited by desire when alone with Laird. When we were out of breath, I pulled away.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to bete,¡± I said.


    I knew if I didn¡¯t stop this, we wouldn¡¯t make it to the party. It would be bad for me.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Laird quickly replied between his rushing breaths.


    He seemed amazed by our kiss, as if reluctant to stop. There was something deeper behind our momentary desire. But it seemed my words made him realize again that our night was far from over.


    ***


    Throughout the ride, we talked about many things. I told him about some important people we would meet at the party: my boss n, my agent Jessy, Oscar as a client, and a few other model friends.


    Of course, I didn¡¯t spill the secret about my appearance tonight. I wanted him to be even more amazed and crazy about me. My dance instructor was very confident that I could charm any man I wanted after they saw my performance on stage.


    Plus, with the hype about spontaneity echoed by Oscar, I would look more like a woman who naturally had sexy dance talent. Even though everything was actually nned and rehearsed.


    The roar of the Ferrari¡¯s engine attracted a lot of attention in front of the club. Everyone turned to look as we arrived.


    ¡°Ugh, look at those journalists and paparazzis,¡± I groaned.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather hide from them,¡± he mumbled while squinting his eyes.

 Party People

    Laird¡¯s POV


    The valet attendant immediately opened the door for her. Then he approached me to exchange the car keys for the valet parking card.


    A red carpet wasid out at the entrance. Music yed lively from inside, and congrattory flowers were lined up in the lobby. Journalists and paparazzi shouted for her to pose in front of them. shing lights and camera shutter sounds immediately animated our arrival.


    However, I shy away from the camera spotlight. I stepped back and let Fene pose alone in front of the camera.


    ¡°Is he your boyfriend?¡± one of them asked.


    She didn¡¯t answer their questions and chose to continue posing. After Fene was waving and blowing a kiss into the air, we immediately entered the club together.


    Inside the club, there were celebrities from the entertainment worlds. I couldn¡¯t even name them all, because there were so many. It¡¯s as if everyone present was a VIP. My throat dried up as my nerves began to rise.


    ¡°You should probably start looking for n and Jessy,¡± I suggested as I scanned the room.


    I let her link her arms with me again as if she didn¡¯t want to be separated. We started walking through the club. The room was dim, with colorful neon lights on the walls. The music sted, and everyone seemed to be having fun with their dances and drinks.


    ¡°Oh, there he is. Jessy!¡± Fene immediately recognized the man named Jessy.


    The brown-haired man turned immediately and looked at us. Upon seeing me, his eyes widened, and his gaze didn¡¯t move from my face. I watched them approach each other, and she hugged him briefly.


    ¡°You already know each other,¡± Fene introduced us.


    ¡°Ooh¡­¡± Jessy sighed as I shook his hand.


    ¡°Hey. Nice to finally meet you again,¡± I said briefly.


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s very pleased.¡± Jessy smiled broadly with a slow, flirtatious tone.


    Although Jessy¡¯s attitude was very flirtatious, I didn¡¯t care. As long as he¡¯s not my rival, it¡¯s all good.


    ¡°Ugh, I envy Fene so much right now,¡± Jessy pouted yfully, squinting his eyes at her.


    ¡°Follow me. I¡¯ll introduce you to everyone,¡± Jessy said confidently, nodding his head.


    When Jessy said he would introduce us to everyone, he really meant it. I lost track of how many people he introduced us to until I felt like I couldn¡¯t remember everyone¡¯s names anymore.


    ¡°Stop bothering Laird,¡± Fene pouted amidst the model crowd.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re so possessive, Fene. When else could we meet such a handsome man as Laird? Right, guys?¡± Jessy asked the people around us.


    They immediately responded with cheers and nods of agreement.


    ¡°Yeah, Fene. Let Jessy flirt with Laird. He¡¯s obviously more suited to be a celebrity than awyer,¡± Greg joked lightly.


    I could only smirk hearing thosements. Turns out she had many friends. I was getting nervous as I was deciding if each of them was my rival or just her gay friend.


    My arm kept creeping around her waist. I put my hand on her back now to show that we¡¯re together. The effects of whiskey, jealousy, and Fene¡¯s scent made it difficult for me to stay calm.


    ¡°Fene.¡±


    I turned to a voice calling her name. My forehead furrowed in confusion when I saw a man appear before us. Again, I didn¡¯t recognize him, but it seemed Fene did.


    I nced to see Fene¡¯s expression. Her mouth hung open, and her forehead creased as she looked at the man. Then, I nced briefly at Jessy, who also had a puzzled expression. The other models around us seemed not to recognize the man.


    ¡°Tom? What are you doing here?¡± Fene asked the man, whose name apparently was Tom.


    Tom approached us slowly. Fene and Tom¡¯s eyes remained locked on each other, though their facial expressions were different. He seemed hesitant to speak for a moment but finally gathered his courage.


    ¡°Fene, I¡¯ve heard the news about you. Please don¡¯t do it,¡± he pleaded with a pleading expression.


    ¡°Do what?¡± Fene asked amidst the booming music, sounding puzzled.


    ¡°I know I¡¯ve wronged you. I know, maybe you me me for all this. I don¡¯t mind that, as long as you¡¯re alive. I know maybe yesterday¡¯s events shocked you, but please don¡¯t do it.¡± That man moved closer, and this time his hand reached out toward Fene¡¯s.


    ¡°Do what?¡±


    Fene asked again, each word punctuated with emphasis. She also pulled her hand away from Tom¡¯s. Her eyes even widened angrily at him, as if she were shouting a warning not to touch her.


    Tom shook his head. He seemed to struggle to speak, licking his lips and swallowing. His face looked desperate, and then he finally took a breath. He raised his head and spoke clearly this time.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t kill yourself.¡±


    Everyone around us gasped in shock upon hearing this, myself included, their eyes widening. Fene spoke up sharply after a brief silence.


    ¡°What the fuck?!¡± Fene clearly refuted Tom¡¯s words.


    ¡°Ugh, Tom, I think there¡¯s a misunderstanding here,¡± Fene¡¯s voice raised, looking around at the people nearby.


    ¡°There¡¯s a misunderstanding, and I have no intention of suicide or any nonsense like that,¡± she said, raising her voice.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I stepped closer to Fene. Immediately, the man nced at me while I was squinting at him. Suicide? Was that man possessed? Besides, who is he?


    ¡°Tom, we need to talk. Come on, let¡¯s talk outside and settle this misunderstanding,¡± she said.


    Fene shook her head and walked towards Tom. Her hand rose to start pushing his body to go with her. Unknowingly, I pulled Fene¡¯s other hand.


    ¡°Let me help. Let¡¯s go together,¡± I said, offering assistance so that Fene would not act rashly.


    I didn¡¯t want Fene to be alone with Tom. Clearly, they had a problem, and I worried about her. Even though she said it was just a misunderstanding, what if she lied? I usually don¡¯t like to interfere in other people¡¯s affairs, but this time it¡¯s different.


    It¡¯s about Fene¡¯s life.

 Screening My Rival

    Laird¡¯s POV


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can handle this. Just wait here for a moment,¡± Fene said, shaking her head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave you alone with that man,¡± I said, nodding my head towards Tom. My eyes were still wary of him.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Laird. Trust me. Just a few minutes. I¡¯ll settle this once and for all,¡± Fene said, her eyes gleaming with determination.


    Seeing her determination, I finally let go of her hand. I continued to watch them both leave the club through the back door. They both disappeared, covered by other people dancing.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m sure she can take care of herself,¡± Jessy said to me.


    ¡°Who¡¯s Tom?¡± I asked Jessy.


    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s her ex,¡± Jessy replied carefully.


    ¡°Ex? The one she broke up with before meeting me?¡± I probed.


    ¡°Oh, Laird. You should ask Fene directly. I¡¯m not sure about my own memory.¡± Jessy tantly avoided my question.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Of course, I wouldn¡¯t let him off the hook. This time, I stepped closer to Jessy and stared straight into his eyes. I spoke softly in front of his face with eyes that didn¡¯t move from Jessy¡¯s worried expression.


    ¡°Hey, Jessy. I know you¡¯re Fene¡¯s best friend. I am, too. I want to make sure Fene is safe. The man¡¯s statement about Fene wanting to kill herself disturbed me.¡±


    ¡°You know, I handle a lot of cases about crazy men out there obsessed with the women they target. Most of those mene after they break up.¡± I still pushed Jessy to speak.


    ¡°Oh, yes, you¡¯re awyer,¡± Jessy said nervously.


    ¡°So, since when did they break up? Does the man oftene to see Fene even after they¡¯ve broken up?¡± I investigated Jessy again.


    Jessy again seemed reluctant to speak. His mouth opened without sound as his eyes blinked in worry. He shook his head and took a deep breath.


    ¡°Oh, alright. Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you,¡± Jessy said quickly.


    ¡°They had a big fight that day because Tom was caught cheating. Fene went to the club and met you. Since then, she has never mentioned meeting Tom again until now.¡±


    After hearing Jessy¡¯s exnation, my eyes felt hot. I felt a surge in my chest. On the one hand, I was happy he wouldn¡¯t do any harm to her, but on the other hand, jealousy immediately burned me.


    I started to feel more and more like a mere rebound guy. My negative thoughts made my feelings more mixed. It felt like I was trying to swallow a big, bitter pill.


    Plus, Tom thought that Fene intended to kill herself because they broke up. Then, after hearing the news, Tom also chased Fene here, where this should have been a special private party for invited guests.


    I¡¯m more convinced than ever that Fene really loves him, not the other way around.


    ¡°Trust me, Laird. Tom wouldn¡¯t dare do anything to Fene,¡± Jessy tried to reassure me.


    ¡°Sure,¡± I replied.


    If it¡¯s true that Fene loves Tom so much, then the man won¡¯t be a threat. Tom wouldn¡¯t behave like a psychopath chasing after his target woman. Instead, he must be very cocky, knowing that Fene loves him.


    ¡°Jessy, there you are!¡± someone called, approaching us and immediately interrupting my chain of thoughts.


    This time, a man I didn¡¯t know approached Jessy again. Pfft, actually, there wasn¡¯t a single one of them I knew. I was just an additional decoration for them.


    I better get out of here as soon as possible.


    ¡°Hey, n.¡± Jessy nodded politely at the man named n.


    My intention to leave immediately disappeared in an instant. The man named n had made me curious since I heard him from Fene. I always wondered if the man was really interested in Fene or not.


    ¡°Oh, hey, Mike.¡± Jessy¡¯s voice immediately softened when he greeted another man beside him.


    Mike immediately responded to Jessy¡¯s greeting with a tight hug and kisses on Jessy¡¯s right and left cheeks.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯mte. I had to make sure my nephew was taken care of.¡± n said gruffly to Mike.


    ¡°I can take care of myself!¡± protested Mike with an ent that sounded strange.


    ¡°Oh, yes, of course. You¡¯re an expert at taking care of your sleep schedule,¡± n said sarcastically, while Mike just shrugged.


    ¡°Where¡¯s my star?¡± n asked Jessy, his smile suddenly adorning his lips.


    ¡°She¡¯s meeting her friend behind. She¡¯ll be back soon,¡± Jessy said.


    ¡°And you are¡­?¡± n turned to me and asked, observing my face.


    ¡°Laird Evans. I came here with Fene as her plus one,¡± I said, shaking hands with him.


    ¡°Oh, d to finally meet you,¡± he said.


    The man still grinned broadly. His gaze was fixed on me as he shook my hand. He swung our handshake a few times. Until I pulled my hand back, and then he released my hand.


    ¡°Laird, this is n. Our hottest boss,¡± Jessy chuckled at his words.


    ¡°Still hot from the oven.¡± nughed at that joke.


    ¡°Great. I can¡¯t wait to eat you,¡± I said with a skeptical, t tone.


    I taunted him after hearing how annoying this man was to Fene. But apparently, they didn¡¯t care about the mockery. They bothughed even louder, thinking it was a funny joke.


    ording to Fene¡¯s story, I know that n is an annoying boss. He¡¯s like all bosses out there. Temperamental, arbitrary, demanding, with a strange sense of humor, and a party animal. Not once or twice have I faced bosses like that in my office.


    ¡°So, did you drive her here with your car? Limousine with a uniformed driver?¡± n asked me.


    ¡°I drove the Ferrari myself. The seats are only for two people,¡± I said quickly.


    ¡°Oh, thank goodness for that. The journalists also have a crush on the sports car. You know, I have to maintain the reputation of the face of the gene that I¡¯m promoting. I offered her a ride in the limousine, but Fene refused,¡± n said, irritated.


    ¡°So you like to y the role of her fairy godmother?¡± I asked, taking a whisky on the drink tray offered by a sexy bunny costume woman.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather be a daddy long-legged to her. The happy ending makes me touched,¡± n smiled meaningfully at me.


    ¡°What about you? What do you call yourself for her?¡± n asked me.

 Seeds of Doubts

    Laird¡¯s POV


    A daddy long-legs? If I remember correctly, I once read a book with that title for an English literature ss assignment in high school.


    The novel tells the story of a man who provides many conveniences for a girl by keeping his true identity a secret. The man then fell in love with the girl, and they eventually got married.


    Does n deserve to be called Daddy Long Legs? I don¡¯t think so. He didn¡¯t keep his identity a secret. In fact, he bragged his name and position as the boss to Fene. Then he intended to marry Fene?


    It seemed n was indeed targeting Fene. Perhaps he intended to offer career sess to Fene and hoped that she would marry him that way.


    I snorted as I sessfully connected n¡¯s mindmap.


    ¡°Me?¡± I asked n. The man smiled broadly and nodded his head.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather choose to be her lifelong best friend,¡± I said with a wry smile.


    ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t that adorable? All fiction makes us dream, doesn¡¯t it?¡± n chuckled.


    ¡°You know, most girls in this room have high hopes of achieving their dreams. They always strive to reach the happiness they desire. They also don¡¯t hesitate to leave or destroy anything that might obstruct their path.¡± He said.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°They are so thirsty for achievements. Better jobs, bigger houses, more money,¡± n paused for a moment to breathe before continuing, ¡°richer and more powerful men.¡±


    n grinned again as he looked at me. ¡°Fene is just like those other girls.¡±


    I understood n¡¯s meaning. He thought Fene had the same ambitions as the girls in this club. Therefore, he was confident that Fene would choose him-a man who could provide money, a career, and a home-over me. Sometimes I curse myself for being so perceptive.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re not good at judging people, especially Fene,¡± Imented casually.


    ¡°Really? Do you think my opinion of her is wrong? How can you be so sure about her?¡± n asked.


    I shrugged. ¡°Experience.¡±


    Upon hearing my answer, n grinned. Heughed to belittle my opinion, but I ignored his attitude towards me.


    I swallowed my anger with a gulp of whiskey that burned hot in my mouth. I didn¡¯t want n to feel triumphant over me, though that was my biggest concern right now.


    I didn¡¯t know Fene as well as before, even though we started having more conversations this week. I didn¡¯t know all the efforts she had made during her career journey as a model to reach this point. I didn¡¯t know all the sacrifices she made to achieve her ambitions.


    I didn¡¯t even know what Fene¡¯s ambitions were now. She used to say she wanted to studymunication and be a TV presenter. In reality, she switched to being a model who didn¡¯t even need to speak at all while walking on stage.


    Being apart for seven years made me almost not recognize her at all. Likewise, she didn¡¯t know anything about me. There are missing moments between us, and I don¡¯t know how much we can fill those gaps.


    If Fene is really like n said-that she will be like those women-I don¡¯t know how to react. However, I know that change is the only certainty in this world.


    ¡°Hey, n. Hey, Jessy.¡±


    This time a ck-haired woman I didn¡¯t know approached us. I guessed she was also one of the models at Gene.


    ¡°Hello, Kiara.¡± n and Jessy simultaneously greeted the girl.


    Oddly enough, I saw Jessy¡¯s disapproving expression in the girl¡¯s presence. n still smiled warmly, but he was too two-faced for me to distinguish his expressions.


    ¡°You came to this party too. Did youe alone?¡± n asked her.


    ¡°No. I came with Tom, but then he disappeared. Have you seen him around here?¡± Kiara asked.


    I immediately realized that this woman meant Fene¡¯s ex-boyfriend. I immediately understood why Jessy seemed to dislike this girl named Kiara.


    ¡°He¡¯s out with Fene,¡± n said with a wry smile.


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s good, then. I hope Tom can mend things with Fene.¡±


    I pierced my gaze at that girl when she opened her damn mouth.


    ¡°You know, I found him looking very restless and worried near Gene¡¯s office. He wanted to meet Fene. So, I just told him that she¡¯s going through a hell of a rough patch after their breakup.¡± She smiled sweetly.


    ¡°We exchanged contact numbers so I could reach out if Fene needed¡­¡± Kiara paused her words and smiled wryly. ¡°Help.¡±


    I furrowed my brow, hearing all that. Jessy even gasped in surprise.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t do that.¡± Jessy gritted his teeth in frustration.


    Kiara turned to Jessy andughed. ¡°Yes, I did.¡±


    ¡°Tell me, Kiara. When did you meet Tom? Was it after you got fired from my office and threw eggs at my building door like a mad woman, or before?¡± n still wore a smile and asked loudly, as if he wanted to tell everyone around us.


    His words seemed to sting the woman until she exploded in anger. People around us turned their heads, whispered, and chuckled at Kiara.


    Kiara panicked and looked left and right. Her eyes then darted to n. Clearly, she felt humiliated by him.


    So that¡¯s how it was. I began to understand the direction of their conversation. There was an unresolved conflict between them, and somehow Fene got dragged into it. That¡¯s why she was trapped with her ex-boyfriend, left me alone, and chose to deal with Tom.


    All because of her.


    Is this really the nature of people in the fashion world? n and Kiara seemed to convince me that my initial suspicion about people in their world being full of intrigue, deceit, and joy in belittling others was epted.


    ¡°I did it because you already belittled me and treated me unfairly! You know that I¡¯m better than Fene. You know I¡¯m the one who deserves to be the main model at Gene.¡± Kiara screamed hysterically at n.


    The man just smiled and replied shortly, ¡°I don¡¯t know about that.¡±


    ¡°You know nothing!¡± Kiara then stepped forward into n¡¯s face and hissed loudly.


    ¡°Just so you know, I¡¯ve already got an agency that deserves me as an artist and model. They invited me here. They didn¡¯t doubt my abilities at all.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Your agency must be thrilled to have a new talent for adult films. Are you shooting a film in one of the private striptease rooms here?¡± n smirked.


    Kiara swung her hand to n¡¯s face.

 Ex

    Laird¡¯s POV


    n managed to hold back her p. n¡¯s hand gripped Kiara¡¯s wrist until she felt pain.


    ¡°Let go of me!¡± n then released his grip.


    ¡°Don¡¯t spoil this party with your beastly behavior.¡± n hissed back at her.


    Kiara groaned in annoyance as she held her reddened wrist. She then walked away, stomping her feet. I watched her quickly be swallowed by a crowd of people.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she dreadful?¡± n asked me with a wry smile.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about her,¡± I said.


    ¡°But you care about Fene, right? Isn¡¯t it too long to chat with an ex-boyfriend? Unless she really wants to mend things.¡± n said it to me again.


    I wondered. How could he keep poking at my feelings? Why couldn¡¯t he just leave me alone? Why did he keep reminding me that Fene had ignored me?


    The memory of prom night immediately disturbed me. I tried hard not to show my anxiety, but the crease in my forehead didn¡¯t fade.


    ¡°Ah, finally, there she is,¡± n said.


    I turned to n and realized that Fene had returned and was walking towards us. n suddenly moved first and took quick steps to reach Fene. They talked for a moment, and then n led Fene by cing his hand on her waist.


    That gesture clearly ignited a fire in my chest. n briefly turned to me with his characteristic smile. Eventually, I started to hate that smile.


    Couldn¡¯t he keep his dirty hands to himself? Why did Fene allow n to touch her so easily?


    And now they¡¯re walking away from us. They both entered deeper into the party area, which seemed to be simr to the VIP area. They immediately joined an elderly man in a morous golden suit. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would think Fene and the old man intentionally dressed as a couple.


    I turned and tapped Jessy¡¯s shoulder, who had been giggling with n¡¯s cousin all this time. Jessy finally looked back at me.


    ¡°Who¡¯s he?¡± I asked, nodding my chin towards the man surrounding me.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know who he is? You came to the party, but you don¡¯t know? He¡¯s Oscar de Ragetti.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m just a newbie,¡± I said with a lopsided smile and a shrug.


    Jessy rolled his eyes upward. He seemed reluctant to respond to my bluntness.


    ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? Fene will be fine. No need to worry,¡± Jessy said.


    ¡°Did that guy mention sparkling gold as the dress code for this party?¡± I asked again.


    ¡°Oh, no. That¡¯s because Fene is wearing Oscar¡¯s design. She¡¯ll be performing in that gown,¡± Jessy said casually, taking a sip of his martini.


    ¡°Performing?¡± I asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Oh, damn it. My cursed mouth!¡± Jessy eximed, regretting the slip of the tongue that I had already heard.


    ***


    Fene¡¯s POV


    I didn¡¯t want to argue with Tom in front of everyone. That¡¯s why I invited him to leave the club through the back door. Not at the front, where I knew there were many paparazzi.


    I opened the back door, which was actually designated for staff. I knew its location by heart, even in the darkness, after the rehearsal earlier this morning. The two of us walked out into the employee parking area, leaving the bustle inside the club.


    ¡°What are you doing here? How did you get in?¡± I asked as soon as we were outside the club.


    ¡°Like I said before, I was worried about you,¡± Tom said with a concerned expression on his face.


    ¡°So, how did you get in?¡± I asked impatiently.


    ¡°That¡¯s not important. Your mental health is more important,¡± Tom said, still looking at me with worried eyes.


    ¡°It is important. So that I know who orchestrated spreading those lies,¡± I asserted to Tom.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Tom asked anxiously.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t answered my question, Tom. How did you manage to get into this exclusive guest invitation event?¡± I asked, folding my arms across my chest.


    ¡°I was invited by your friend, Kiara,¡± Tom replied.


    ¡°You¡¯re both in the same agency as Gene, right?¡± Tom confirmed this with me.


    ¡°Oh, damn,¡± I muttered irritably.


    I took several deep breaths to calm myself. I wanted to be angry and scold Tom, but somehow I couldn¡¯t bring myself to. The way Tom worried about me was actually quite sweet. That¡¯s what used to make me like him. He never hesitated to show his care for me, even being willing to pick me up and drop me off.


    But when I remembered how he cheated with his secretary, my heart froze again for him.


    ¡°Listen, Tom. Kiara is no longer in the same office as me. She¡¯s been fired for being disrespectful to me and my boss,¡± I exined softly so that Tom wouldn¡¯t be too shocked.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. My mental state is still as strong as steel. So, your concern about memitting suicide-that¡¯s a huge misunderstanding.¡± I shook my head.


    ¡°I have no intention ofmitting suicide at all. You know, I never even despaired when I was bullied relentlessly by my housemates back in high school. I chose to ignore the mistreatment I received and responded by focusing on my life priorities.¡±


    ¡°But Kiara didn¡¯t say that,¡± Tom tried to defend himself.


    ¡°What did she tell you?¡± I pressed on.


    ¡°She said you¡¯ve started rejecting projects. She said you get scolded by your boss and are disliked by your model friends. She said you¡¯ve turned into a recluse and a mess. You might seem fine, but you always confide in Kiara that you¡¯re still hurt by what I did,¡± Tom exined quickly.


    ¡°That¡¯s all lies,¡± I stated firmly.


    ¡°Actually, it¡¯s the opposite. I¡¯ve been promoted to the lead model position in my office. I was invited to this prestigious party as the main performer and model. I even have another maning to this party with me,¡± I said carefully to him.


    ¡°So, you mean Kiara lied to me?¡± he asked.


    I nodded my head in response.


    ¡°So, have you moved on from me? Have you found a new man?¡± Tom asked, still stuttering, unable to believe it.


    I nodded my head again.


    Tom, seeing my expression and gestures, blinked rapidly. His mouth gaped, and he seemed to struggle to breathe. Then he snorted and turned his face away angrily.


    ¡°So, are you so cheap as to sell yourself like that?¡± Tom asked again with a resentful face.


    ¡°Hey! Watch your filthy mouth! I¡¯m not as low as you, fucking around. At least I got involved with another man after breaking up with you. That¡¯s what matters,¡± I said angrily with a threatening hiss and emphasis on the word ¡®after¡¯.


    Tom shook his head. He swung his hand and turned his body around. Perhaps ashamed of being deceived by Kiara, he immediately walked away without saying goodbye to me at all.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°Tom,¡± I called out.


    He stopped walking and looked back at me.


    ¡°Thank you for worrying about me. I appreciate it,¡± I said softly.


    ¡°Take care,¡± he said shortly. Then he left me alone in that empty alley.

 Part Ways

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Thank goodness, that misunderstanding is over. Luckily, Tom didn¡¯t push and understood me. I took a long breath and looked up at the New York sky, covered with dark clouds without any stars visible.


    It¡¯s strange how life changes. At first, I remembered how Tom used to treat me well at the beginning of our rtionship. Gradually, he seemed bored with me. Maybe Jessy was right; I often love people too much until they feel annoyed and bored with me.


    But is that wrong? Am I wrong if I want to love someone and give them as much as I can in this world? Am I wrong if I expect the same kind of love in return? Didn¡¯t mom always say to treat others as you want to be treated?


    I just want to be loved that deeply. Affection, isn¡¯t that simple?


    Slowly, I realized that I still had work to do tonight. I still have Laird, who miraculously still sticks with me even though we¡¯ve been through a lot together. If only prom night had gone ording to n, I would have been happy with him.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Determination emerged in me again. My retaliation still has to roll. I still want to show Laird that I deserve to be loved by him. He should have chosen me instead of another woman. Not Amy, not Kiara, or any other woman.


    He¡¯s mine.


    I walked back into the club through the same staff door. I kept moving through the crowd in the club. Until finally, I saw Laird from a distance.


    Somehow, I always find him easily in the crowd. When I¡¯m lost or hurt, I know Laird is always there waiting for me. That¡¯s how I managed to survive through high school, full of bullying from Amy and other friends.


    But before I reached Laird, n approached me.


    ¡°Fene, there you are. Where have you been?¡± n asked.


    ¡°Hey, n. You¡¯re here already. Sorry, I met my friend earlier,¡± I said quickly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go; we haven¡¯t greeted Oscar yet. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s looking for both of us,¡± he said to me.


    ¡°But-¡± I tried to ask for a moment to greet Laird.


    At least I wanted to convince Laird to wait for me. I wanted him to know how much I needed his presence.


    ¡°There¡¯s no time. Let¡¯s go greet Oscar now.¡±


    n kept pushing me. His hand even tried to block and force me to immediately meet Oscar instead of saying hi to Laird. Despite my hesitation, I finally obeyed my boss.


    I walked side by side with n and greeted Oscar.


    ¡°Wow!¡± I said briefly.


    My eyes! It feels like my eyes will explode from the re of Oscar¡¯s suit. But, of course, I didn¡¯tment like that in front of him. The man was wearing a striking golden suit. Women in sexy outfits sit on hisp, and she feeds the man with wine and strawberries. The other guests still entertained Oscar with jokes.


    ¡°Yeah, wow,¡± n replied in front of me.


    ¡°Hey, you two.¡± Oscar smiled broadly. He then shook hands with both of us alternately.


    ¡°I hope your performanceter can really make this club explode with festivity,¡± Oscar said with a big smile.


    ¡°Of course, trust everything to us,¡± n said.


    ¡°Yes, Oscar. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll shine as brightly as your designs,¡± I said with a sweet praise tone.


    ¡°Oh, you charmer. I know you¡¯re just going to throw that outfit away on stageter.¡± Oscar chuckled. Hisughter made the man¡¯s face redder. It seems he¡¯s started to get drunk and is more excited to party.


    ¡°Sure. See you on stageter,¡± n said with a salute on Oscar¡¯s chair.


    The man nodded his head on his red throne. Then Oscar continued his conversation with several men and women who were still busy circling him.


    n and I walked side by side through the guests. As we walked, n looked agile, clearing the way for me in front. But strangely, he seemed to turn away from thest ce we met Jessy and Laird.


    ¡°n, aren¡¯t we supposed to go back to Jessy?¡± I asked aloud.


    ¡°No, we¡¯re going to get ready to go on stage. I have a spontaneous idea that Oscar requested,¡± n said to me.


    Oh no. I can¡¯t just leave Laird like this without an exnation. I don¡¯t want to be considered rude for leaving him for too long. Isn¡¯t that what happened on prom night? I left him alone long enough, and eventually he was caught by Amy.


    I dared to step out of the path made by n. I no longer followed n and chose to make my way to my original ce. n called me, but I ignored him.


    Once I reached Jessy¡¯s ce, I immediately saw Jessy, who was making out with Mike. But around them, I didn¡¯t see Laird at all.


    ¡°Jessy!¡± I shouted loudly to get his attention.


    Apparently, he didn¡¯t answer me because he was too busy with Mike. I shook his shoulders repeatedly.


    ¡°Wait a minute, honey,¡± Jessy said to Mike after moving his body.


    He smiled and took a deep breath, as if he were preparing to face me. Then his body turned in my direction, and he stared at me with a suppressed smile.


    ¡°Have you seen Laird?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°Oh, Laird.¡± Jessy coughed awkwardly. I feel bad, and he seems reluctant to answer me.


    ¡°Where is n? Aren¡¯t you supposed to start the show soon?¡± Jessy asked me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject. Where¡¯s Laird? Have you seen him?¡± I started to get annoyed.


    What¡¯s wrong with Jessy? I mean, what¡¯s wrong with tonight? My senses got worse with all the events tonight. Everything feels like it didn¡¯t go ording to n.


    ¡°He¡¯s at the left end of the VIP ce,¡± Jessy said, and he bit his lip.


    I frowned in confusion. Without much talk, I went back into the crowd. Jessy called my name, but I didn¡¯t care. Apparently, he followed me, but I kept walking as fast as I could. Until I reached the VIP area on the left side of the stage, I found a scene that was so unusual.


    The fire of anger immediately red up in my eyes. Indeed, I couldn¡¯t believe all of this. Is this real? Am I hallucinating?


    ¡°Laird!¡± I yelled, calling his name.

 A Dare

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I felt like I was going to explode with the pent-up anger tonight. What¡¯s wrong with tonight? Everything was supposed to go smoothly, right? Why, at the moment I was about to show off my greatness to Laird, was I instead disturbed by this chaos?


    ¡°Laird!¡± I yelled out his name.


    My fists were clenched by my sides. I held myself back as much as I could while looking at the scene unfolding before my eyes.


    The man named Laird was sitting on one of the red chairs. A single sofa chair should only fit one person, but this time it was being used improperly. Laird sat with two women sitting on hisp. Just like Oscar.


    Around Laird, there were still many women and men surrounding him. They seemed to be ying a game and giggling with joy. When Laird saw me, he immediately widened his smile.


    One thing I couldn¡¯t ept was a woman ying with Laird¡¯s hair while kissing his neck. I knew that woman well, and I couldn¡¯t be mistaken. When she raised her head and turned to look at me as well, I became furious.


    ¡°Kiara?¡± I gritted my teeth as I looked at them.


    Jessy, who came following behind, was also shocked to see the scene. His mouth hung open, and his eyes widened in horror.


    ¡°Fene, Jessy. Finally, you¡¯ve arrived,¡± Laird said with a smile.


    ¡°Laird? What are you doing?¡± I asked, still holding back the anger simmering inside me.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you join in so you¡¯ll understand what we¡¯re doing?¡± Laird asked with a crooked smile.


    ¡°The name of the game is ¡®king for a night,''¡± Kiara said it with the same crooked smile.


    I exhaled in annoyance. My mouth remained shut, and I bit my lower lip to calm myself down. I nced at the club¡¯s ceiling for a moment and put my hands on my hips.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you ashamed to y such a game?¡± I asked, still standing with my hands on my hips in irritation.


    ¡°Why? Everyone here is ying the game.¡± Laird shrugged and looked around.


    I also looked around the area and saw most people behaving the same way as Laird and Oscar. A woman or man sitting on a single sofa chair with dancers or models on theirps. They were being fed whiskey or fruits by the male and female waiters wearing revealing bunny costumes!


    ¡°Laird, I don¡¯t know who forced you to do this, but I urge you to stop immediately,¡± I said, still holding back my anger.


    ¡°Why?¡± Laird asked, furrowing his brow in confusion, still wearing his crooked smile.


    ¡°Why should I stop? They like me, and they lost in the game of bottle roulette to me, so tonight they will be my ves until this party is over. Isn¡¯t that the rule of this game?¡± Laird asked, then twirled Kiara¡¯s hair to his mouth, kissing them.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Ugh! Enough is enough! I hate seeing them like this. Why is Laird doing this?!


    I immediately walked toward Laird. My hands reached out and pulled Kiara away from Laird¡¯sp. Even though she resisted, I still dragged Kiara away like I¡¯d been possessed by a demon. Also, another woman had already moved away from Laird¡¯sp before I grabbed the woman¡¯s hair.


    ¡°Hey! You¡¯re so annoying!¡± Kiara shouted, and the other women near Laird joined in.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. Get out of here right now. Stay away from him!¡± I hissed with fierce eyes fixed on them all.


    I don¡¯t know; I couldn¡¯t control myself. Unconsciously, I had caused amotion at this party. People stopped dancing, all eyes were on me, and the music stopped. I didn¡¯t even care when Jessy tried to stop me.


    ¡°Fene, please stop. Calm yourself down. Look, they¡¯re not bothering Laird anymore,¡± Jessy pleaded with a panicked tone.


    But until this moment, I could only focus on one person in front of me. All my anger was directed at that person. Damn it, Laird just kept smiling crookedly!


    He seemed rxed, got up from his chair, and walked towards me. Then he whispered softly.


    ¡°What are you doing, Fene? Why are you embarrassing yourself in front of so many people?¡± Laird asked me.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been silent all this time, but the truth is, you always enjoy ying with me. You always corner me until I embarrass myself in front of many people,¡± I said with a heavy breath.


    My eyes were still locked on his. My anger was unstoppable, and my patience had run out. Laird always yed with my emotions. He never cared about my feelings.


    Why did it always end like this? Why did he give me hope, as if he likes me and cares for me? What¡¯s the point of all that if, in the end, I¡¯m once again humiliated in front of so many people like this?


    ¡°Why, Laird?¡± I whispered in frustration.


    I questioned his reasons with a soft, almost pleading voice. I didn¡¯t care how we became the center of attention. I didn¡¯t even care when the spotlight illuminated us in the dim light inside the club.


    ¡°You know the reason, Fene. You invited me to this club, and I suddenly realized, ¡°Laird caressed my cheek and tucked strands of my hair behind my ear.


    ¡°You¡¯re not the type of woman I¡¯m looking for,¡± Laird said with a crooked smile.


    No! Not again!


    ¡°Alright, tell me what type of woman you¡¯ve been looking for this time.¡± I asked with a tear on my cheek.


    Laird looked at me for a long moment, then shook his head. He seemed to mutter and pretend to think for a moment.


    ¡°I like sexy women, and you¡¯re not one of them,¡± Laird said. Then he turned to look around us.


    ¡°Right, don¡¯t you agree? What do you think? Is she the sexiest woman in this club?¡± Laird asked the people around us.


    People whispered and chuckled softly. They all looked at me with scornful eyes.


    ¡°Sexy? She¡¯s just a shameless wild woman,¡± even Kiara joined in mocking me.


    ¡°Strip dance!¡± Someone roared from afar.

 Strip Dance

    Fene¡¯s POV


    A man¡¯s voice echoed from a distance. Over time, people started echoing that voice. They kept shouting the same two words: strip dance.


    ¡°Strip!¡± They roared.


    ¡°Do you hear that? They want you to do a strip dance.¡± Laird still looked at me closely with his crooked smile. He put his hands in his pants pockets.


    ¡°If you do a sexy strip dance there and manage to impress me, maybe I¡¯ll consider liking you and being your ve for as long as you want,¡± Laird said, raising his chin towards the stage.


    I smiled back at him crookedly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know anything, Laird. Get ready to worship me and be my ve forever,¡± I said with determination burning in my eyes.


    It¡¯s time. There¡¯s no better time than now to get back at this man. He has no idea that I¡¯ve nned this with n. He will be shocked to death, admit defeat, and be my ve forever.


    I slowly walked backward towards the stage. My eyes still locked onto Laird¡¯s green eyes, and I could see my reflection carved in the light of his eyes. I knew I would win tonight.


    My body turned, and I climbed onto the stage. Not from the stairs like performers usually do, but I lifted myself up with a quick kick. I leaned on my hands and climbed onto the stage, starting from my butt sitting on the stage, then slowly stood up on the stage.


    As soon as I stood on the stage, everyone in the club cheered enthusiastically. Some even whistled and waited for me to dance on the stage. With confidence, I walked towards the main stage, arge rectangr stage near the curtains.


    ¡°DJ, give me the music.¡± My hands swayed like a magician with her magic wand.


    Immediately after that, the DJ turned on the music again.


    The music yed with drum beats as if they were a school marching band. With drum beats providing rhythmic beats, I followed the beat by stomping my feet on the stage.


    Then I pped my hands in rhythm. In a short time, I stretched out my arms and moved like a cheerleader dance I remembered. Just like the movements I used to do when I was still a cheerleader.


    People started whispering andughing. I also saw Laird smirking at me and shaking his head. I kept jumping and moving my hands like a cheerleader leader. Suddenly, people yelled at me.


    I fell silent when I heard them screaming for me to get off the stage. ¡°You¡¯re not sexy at all! Just take off your clothes!¡±


    They kept booing while I just stood still. I observed my surroundings.


    No, I can¡¯t lose! This is right! I will start my sexy and dazzling performance.


    Suddenly, the music changed and yed a melody with a sexy beat as the drum apaniment. The drumbeats were getting faster, and the music started to y in sync with the drum beats. I immediately transformed from stiff movements to more fluid ones.


    The audience watching me now shouted and cheered, encouraging me. They seemed to realize that my dance transformation was intentional, making this dance more surprising. They seemed not to expect that I could perform sexy moves, which of course I had practiced beforehand.


    I quickly lowered my body to the slippery stage floor. With one hand supporting my body, I swayed my hips and thighs on the floor. Then I turned around and lifted my buttocks high to twerk, with both hands supporting my body.


    I spread my legs and slowly descended, following the slowing rhythm of the song. My legs stretched wide to perform my signature split on the floor. Then, like doing push-ups, I pushed and pulled the lower part of my body with my legs stretched out.


    The song changed to a truly seductive tune. Still, with sexy movements swaying my hips, I incited shouts from the audience, who began to stand and crowd around the stage, forming a dense crowd.


    My hands started ying with my hair, shaking my head so that my hair fluttered as Oscar had requested. Then I danced while squatting and spreading my thighs. My hands stroked my groin and then wiped my lips with the same fingers.


    I resumed twisting on the floor. With my hand supporting my body backward, I lifted my buttocks so my body resembled a bridge connecting my legs, which were also supported by one leg. One of my legs was lifted in the air and swayed sexily, causing everyone to scream even more wildly.


    Suddenly, the song changed to a more mysterious yet still sexy melody. I immediately crawled from therge stage to the center of the room.


    As I crawled forward, I swayed my body and buttocks and rotated my head with my hair wildly swaying. My movements resembled those of an animal in arousal. Still crawling, I slowly rose up and climbed arge pole for pole dancing.


    When the song slowed down, I turned back towards the stage. Then I walked slowly, with my feet moving in a straight line along the center of the stage. n was supposed to emerge from the curtain, but it turned out he followed me. He leaped from the middle of the long stage and then intercepted my path.


    As n stepped onto the stage, the audience cheered even louder. n turned me around, and I walked back to the edge of the stage. Oh well, this was not part of the rehearsal, but I thought it was a good improvisation.


    Because when I reached the edge of the stage, I could see Laird staring at me directly.


    ¡°This is what you asked for,¡± I whispered to him.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    Then I started dancing seductively with n. He touched my swaying waist. Both of us continued to sway down until we were back on the floor. n slowly removed both of my shoes as I shook my legs and body a few times. Then he threw my shoes down below the stage.


    The song picked up pace with repetitive club music effects. We stood up, and I continued to arch my back towards n. My hands reached for the nape of n¡¯s neck, rubbing my head against his shoulder.


    Then n bit the loose strap of my dress around my neck area. As he pulled the strap with a biting motion, assisted by his hands pulling my dress, my dress came off to reveal me wearing only a bra and underwear.

 What You Asked For

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Everyone screamed even more wildly, and the room roared loudly. Laird even widened his eyes as he watched me. He seemed very surprised, especially his expression, which now showed anger.


    Wearing only a sexy bra and underwear, I smiled widely. My eyes could only see Laird from the stage. I walked to the edge of the stage, very close to the audience. Then I knelt, opened my legs wider, and arched my back.


    The audience screamed more fiercely as I bounced my back up and down, causing my breasts to move along. I tousled my hair once more before finally getting up straight and grinning towards Laird.


    Didn¡¯t you start this game yourself?


    I bowed to the right side of the stage, taking the whip prepared on a tray carried by a waiter dressed in a revealing rabbit costume. The small 45-cm ck whip had a stic handle with a triangr leather fold at the end of the handle. Then I returned to n¡¯s spot and let n bite the whip so everyone could see the ck whip.


    Slowly, n¡¯s hand took the whip from his mouth. I began to sway around the pole. Then n started with one whip on my right thigh. When n did that, I moved to the left. Then n whipped my left thigh, and I moved to the right. When n whipped my buttocks, I climbed higher up the pole.


    I twisted my body around the pole. The whip held by n served as a guide for my rotation. When n whipped to the left, my body would spin to the right. When n whipped to the right, my body would spin to the left.


    n whipped the pole above my body. Then I immediately lowered my body until I turned upside down. My head was below, while my legs stretched above to support my body. n caressed my thighs right in front of his face. Then his hands slowly descended to caress my thighs, my exposed stomach, all the way to my cleavage.


    Both of n¡¯s hands held the whip. n knelt near my head. He extended the whip to my neck as if my neck were being strangled by the whip. n licked the tip of my ear until goosebumps rose on my neck, and my body trembled as a natural reaction.


    Just as the song reached its climax, the sound of a woman¡¯s moan was heard three times. That was when n whipped my breast three times. Even though I didn¡¯t feel any pain at all, that whip made people gasp. I immediately made my facial expression appear in pain multiple times. I match the woman¡¯s moans in the song with my facial expressions.


    I lifted my body back to its original position. After I sessfully looked normally, I spread my legs wide as the final move. Then I slowly descended from the pole, still spinning.


    The song changed again, sounding slow as if preparing for an explosion.


    ¡°We¡¯re taking over!¡± n shouted very loudly.


    When the music finally exploded loudly, suddenly confetti burst from the sides of the stage. Metallic papers were scattered towards the ceiling of the club. Every time there was a beat to the exploding song, confetti would spurt out, apanied by a scentless white smoke explosion.


    People started going more insane. Coupled with the models and stripper dancers who began climbing onto the stage and tables, everyone immediately went wild. The sea of people jumped and shouted with joy.


    Except for one person, Laird.


    Everyone was jumping and having fun following the rhythm of the DJ¡¯s song. The song seemed endless. I began going crazy on stage, dancing as I pleased. Slowly, n and I descended behind the stage, while other dancers were still wild on stage.


    Jessy, who was waiting for me behind the stage, immediately handed us towels and a bottle of water. I wiped my sweaty body and quickly drank the water given to me by Jessy.


    Jessy also gave me a different dress and jacket. I wore a mini ck dress and tightened the sparkling silver bolero jacket strap across my chest. I could still hear people dancing wildly on stage. They were having fun with the DJ¡¯s music, still ying various songs.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Wow, the reception was amazing. Thank you, Fene. You really seeded in livening up this event.¡± n praised me with a crooked smile and then drank water from his bottle.


    ¡°We seeded in livening up this event,¡± I said, not wanting to take all the credit.


    ¡°You¡¯re amazing, Fene. You¡¯re very talented at dancing. I¡¯m sure the recording of the dance will immediately go viral too,¡± Jessy said enthusiastically.


    ¡°See you at Oscar¡¯s seat,¡± n said as he walked away.


    I waited until n left before asking Jessy. We were supposed to approach Oscar again to confirm if he was satisfied with our performance earlier. But I held Jessy back.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Laird? What did he think of my performance earlier?¡± I asked Jessy.


    Clearly, earlier, I saw Laird staring at me until my performance was over. Strangely, I felt afraid and had a bad feeling when I saw his expression since n went on stage. He no longer looked at me with desire but with anger, recing the desire in his eyes.


    Was he angry because I danced with n?


    ¡°Uh, about Laird¡­¡± Jessy mumbled, looking puzzled.


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked Jessy. ¡°I want to meet him immediately and get his acknowledgment.¡± I exhaled to regte my breathing, which had been erratic earlier.


    ¡°Uh, he¡¯s already gone,¡± Jessy said softly.


    ¡°Gone? What do you mean, gone? Where did he go?¡± I asked, furrowing my brow.


    ¡°He went home,¡± Jessy whispered.


    Upon hearing that, I hurriedly walked to the front area of the club. Jessy called out my name, but I didn¡¯t care. I searched around the club but couldn¡¯t find him. When I reached the front of the club, I approached the valet attendant who had taken Laird¡¯s car earlier.


    ¡°The red Ferrari that was with me earlier. Has he really gone home?¡± I asked the valet attendant, breathing heavily.


    ¡°Yes. Just now,¡± the valet attendant replied.

 Behind The Stage

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I sat on the club sofa in the VIP room. My hands still clutched my phone, constantly checking the messaging app on the screen. I repeatedly called Laird and sent him messages, but he didn¡¯t reply to any of them.


    ¡®Have you gone home?¡¯


    ¡®Did you leave me?¡¯


    ¡®Let¡¯s talk first.¡¯


    ¡®Why aren¡¯t you answering my calls?¡¯


    My heady on the table. Jessy sat beside me with Mike. I ignored what they were doing, even though Jessy giggled after being kissed by Mike.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you so funny?¡± Jessy giggled after their kiss.


    ¡°Ugh, can¡¯t you find somewhere more private? I¡¯m sad because of Laird, and you¡¯re all being lovey-dovey! Where¡¯s your empathy?¡± I asked in an exasperated sigh over the loud music.


    After being scolded like that by me, Jessy cleared his throat and moved away from Mike. He shifted closer to me. His hand patted my back, and he began to speak tofort me.


    ¡°Come on, Fene. Maybe Laird is still driving,¡± Jessy said to me.


    ¡°It¡¯s been almost an hour. Could he still be driving? His apartment is only thirty minutes from the club,¡± I replied curtly.


    ¡°Well, you know how city streets can be really crowded on weekends,¡± Jessy tried to console me again.


    ¡°If it¡¯s crowded, he should still be able to reply to my messages. Besides, it¡¯s past 10 PM; the streets should be starting to clear up,¡± I said again, annoyed.


    Jessy sighed deeply. His shoulders slumped, and he seemed helpless as he saw me start to cry.


    ¡°Why is it always like this? Even on prom night, he left me alone. Back then, I knew where to chase after him, even if it meant walking barefoot.¡± I started to cry.


    ¡°Now, where should I look for him?¡± I sobbed, tears wetting my cheeks.


    I really don¡¯t understand how the world works. Just when I thought I was reaching the peak of my sess, I had to swallow disappointment again. Laird and I seem to have a rtionship that keeps spinning in the same direction. When will we finally break free from this vicious circle? Am I going to lose Laird again?


    ¡°You know, maybe you shouldn¡¯t chase after him right now. From your story about prom night, it seems Laird is just like most men in this world. We easily say things we don¡¯t really mean when we¡¯re angry,¡± Jessy advised me.


    ¡°So, maybe you shouldn¡¯t chase after him for now. Let his anger subside, let things calm down, let your minds cool down, and then you can ask him to talk again,¡± Jessy advised me again.


    ¡°What if he really leaves me? What if he never wants to meet or talk to me again? What if he kicks me out if I approach his apartment?¡± I asked amidst tears.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he would do that. I think he really likes you and is willing to sacrifice for your sake. So, I think he¡¯s just momentarily angry because he¡¯s jealous,¡± Jessy said.


    ¡°How can you be so sure? You don¡¯t know him at all,¡± I retorted to Jessy.


    Jessy fell silent for quite a while. After muttering and appearing restless, he finally sighed, as if giving up. Several times, he rubbed his face, then silenced his mouth with his hand.


    ¡°I do know him, Fene. After what happened tonight, I¡¯m very confident in my analysis,¡± Jessy said.


    ¡°He knew about your performance even before you told him.¡± He squeaked.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked as I began to raise my head again, even though I was crying.


    ¡°Um¡­ I identally mentioned a little about your performance with n when you went to meet Oscar. Please don¡¯t be angry with me,¡± Jessy hurriedly finished his sentence. He grimaced in fear.


    ¡°What? So, he deliberately left me and yed with Kiara because he knew I would perform with n.¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes. So, I had to tell him about the spontaneity issue for the performance. After hearing that, he asked me to help him too. Then he left, and when you came, he was already ying with the women, including Kiara.¡±


    My mouth gaped as I heard Jessy¡¯s exnation of Laird¡¯s attitude. I immediately squeezed both of Jessy¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Tell me clearly. So, you mean he deliberately made me angry to help my scenario go up on stage spontaneously?¡± I asked, staring intently at Jessy.


    ¡°Yes. Then I arranged the technical issues of lights and music when you were arguing earlier. I also told Mike to provoke people to shout the idea of strip dancing.¡±


    ¡°You know, so everything fits with Oscar¡¯s desire for your performance to be spontaneous.¡± Jessy shrugged.


    ¡°Why did you do that? Why did you use him?¡± I asked Jessy in a high tone.


    ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t use him. He took the initiative to help you.¡± Jessy retorted indignantly at my usation.


    ¡°Well, did you tell him I would dance sexy with n?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Uh, he left in a hurry earlier. So, I didn¡¯t have time to tell him about the contents of your performance,¡± Jessy said again.


    ¡°Ugh, no wonder he was angry! Plus, he didn¡¯t know what kind of dance I would perform with n. He must have been even more upset when he realized he helped me do all those erotic dances.¡±


    I groaned in frustration with my head back on the table. My hands weakly pounded the table. No wonder Laird looked so surprised earlier when n went on stage. Clearly, he was angry when I danced erotically with n.


    ¡°But doesn¡¯t that mean it¡¯s a good sign? Doesn¡¯t that mean he really likes you and is jealous of n?¡± Jessy asked.


    ¡°Ugh, forget it. This is so messed up,¡± I groaned in frustration, stomping my feet on the floor and pounding the table wildly.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Fene?¡±


    This time, another man¡¯s voice asked about me. I raised my head and showed my wet cheeks to the man. Apparently, n hade and approached us.


    ¡°Go away. My mood isn¡¯t good,¡± I said sharply to him.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!

 Heartbreak Remedy

    Fene¡¯s POVN?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°Hey, why so fierce?¡± He chuckled.


    ¡°Oscar praised you and promised to make you the main model for his new collection series. Perfumes, dance dresses, essories, and even lingerie. Isn¡¯t that great?¡± n asked as if trying to persuade me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; I feel like I can¡¯t focus on my work. I¡¯m not enthusiastic about all this suddenly,¡± I said, still gloomy, wiping my wet cheeks.


    I didn¡¯t even care about my makeup, which had begun to smear unevenly. Although I used waterproof makeup, my makeup was still not perfect and was starting to be erased by my own hands.


    ¡°Hm, what if I cheer you up?¡± n asked.


    ¡°Come on, follow me.¡± n reached for my wrist.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± I asked weakly, looking at n, who still seemed enthusiastic about taking me away from this VIP table.


    I didn¡¯t know what n wanted. But wherever he took me, I wouldn¡¯t be able to rx without news from Laird.


    ¡°Juste along. Come on!¡± n still forced me to follow him.


    I looked at Jessy. The brown-haired man just nodded. He seemed to urge me to follow n. Finally, I stood up and followed n.


    We went out to the parking building behind the club. Many valet attendants were passing by the building. It was clear that this was where the valet attendants parked the guest cars. n kept walking, leading me farther into the parking building.


    Then he stopped in front of a car among the rows of other cars. A shiny red hatchback car shown by n looked as if it had juste out of the car dealership. I frowned as n showed me the car.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡± n asked me.


    ¡°This car?¡± I asked, still confused.


    ¡°Yes. Tell me, do you like it?¡± n asked again.


    I shrugged. ¡°Well, what¡¯s not to like about this new car? It¡¯s shiny, new, seductive red, and it¡¯s Japanese,¡± I said casually.


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re happy with it, it¡¯s because this car is yours. It¡¯s a bonus for signing the main model contract with me,¡± n said.


    ¡°But I haven¡¯t signed a new contract yet,¡± I said to n, still confused.


    ¡°After our performance tonight and the praise we received from Oscar and his famous friends who came to see us, I think the contract is just a formality now.¡± n smiled.


    ¡°So, you mean, I¡¯ll be contracted as the main model? Then I get this car as a bonus.¡± I asked, still in disbelief. n nodded with a broad smile on his face.


    I took a deep breath and covered my mouth with both hands. I still couldn¡¯t believe all this, and I screamed with joy. Unconsciously, I squealed, shrieked happily, and then hugged n. Then I looked back at the car from every side and angle.


    ¡°Is this really mine?¡± I asked again. n nodded again.


    ¡°Do you want to try driving it now?¡± n asked me.


    ¡°What? Drive it?¡± I squealed, still amazed.


    I screamed in joy. This had never crossed my mind. Given a new car and trying it out right away. Until now, I had imagined buying a used car with a five-year installment n for my first car after getting my driver¡¯s license.


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Then suddenly I realized.


    ¡°I can¡¯t drive it,¡± I told n, my shoulders slumping.


    ¡°Why?¡± n asked, puzzled.


    ¡°I¡¯m not very skilled at driving. Plus, I haven¡¯t even gotten my driver¡¯s license.¡± My hands immediately went limp.


    ¡°Oh, but that¡¯s okay. Jessy can drive it, so he¡¯ll definitely be happy to drop me off and pick me up. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll also be willing to help me practice drivingter,¡± I said with a smallugh to n.


    ¡°Whyter? You can practice driving now,¡± n said, shrugging.


    ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t. Like I said, I¡¯m not very confident in my driving skills,¡± I said firmly.


    n snorted and pursed his lips. He shifted closer to me and whispered.


    ¡°You know, driving is all about experience. How can you get good at it if you never have the experience of driving on real roads?¡± n asked.


    ¡°Yeah, but what if we get caught by the police for not having a driver¡¯s license?¡± I countered, concerned about safety.


    ¡°That¡¯s only if you make a mistake and get fined. As long as you don¡¯t cause trouble, I¡¯m sure the police won¡¯t even know you don¡¯t have a license.¡± He whispered.


    ¡°Besides, I do have a driver¡¯s license. This car is also still under Gene¡¯s office name, so it¡¯s only natural for me to be responsible if something happens. Don¡¯t worry,¡± n reassured me.


    I was still hesitant, while n seemed confident. Then he took out the car key remote. He pressed the remote and opened the driver¡¯s door. Then he got in for a moment and took something out from inside the car.


    ¡°Now, this is for celebration,¡± n said, showing a bottle of champagne and two clear sses.


    ¡°n? Didn¡¯t you say I should drive?¡± I asked with a half-smile.


    ¡°Just a sip won¡¯t make you exceed the tolerance limit for a fine. Trust me. I¡¯m more experienced,¡± n said as he handed me two clear sses to hold in my hands.


    Slowly, n popped the champagne bottle. Foam immediately gushed out of the bottle. n deliberately didn¡¯t shake the bottle beforehand, so the foam wouldn¡¯t spray as usual. Just a small celebration in this cramped space.


    ¡°Come on,¡± n urged me to extend our sses.


    He continued to persuade me with his sparkling brown eyes. His lips kept whispering, and his persuasion finally melted my heart. Now I knew why people, including Jessy, admired n so much.


    I shook my head with a small chuckle. Then I raised the two sses in the air. n immediately poured the golden champagne liquid into the two sses. He put his bottle back on top of the car roof. Then he took out his champagne ss.


    ¡°For your sess and Gene¡¯s sess,¡± n said with a broad smile.


    ¡°Cheers!¡± I said at the same time.


    We sipped the delicious champagne together. The smooth, sweet, and refreshing taste immediately filled my throat.


    ¡°This is delicious,¡± Imented briefly.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s sweet,¡± n said with a nod and a thin smile.


    He stared at me for a long time, still smiling broadly. Maybe I was a little tipsy, but I felt like I saw n¡¯s face shining brighter than usual. His charisma always managed to captivate everyone, and this time I could say I was quite enchanted by him.


    ¡°Thank you, n. You really made your talent happy tonight,¡± I said softly.


    I gazed at him with a long stare. He just smiled sheepishly.


    ¡°So, are you ready?¡± He asked with enthusiasm.

 Hyperdrive

    Fene¡¯s POV


    There was a pang in my chest for a moment. I couldn¡¯t deny it; n was truly amazing. He was kind, charismatic, good at dancing, and good at business, and now he had shown how he was a leader adored by women and men alike.


    Still, I was thinking about Laird.


    ¡°So, are you ready to drive?¡± he asked. ¡°Come on.¡±


    n took my ss and ced it in the cup holder. Then he closed the bottle again and ced it on the back seat of the car. He handed me the car keys and guided me to sit in the driver¡¯s seat. n closed the door for me and then rushed to the passenger seat next to me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± n eximed with a heartyugh.


    Alright. I swallowed my saliva and started the car. I fastened my seatbelt, as did n. I held the steering wheel with both hands and prepared myself. After adjusting the height and distance of the driver¡¯s seat, I looked at n.


    ¡°Are you really sure we¡¯ll be okay?¡± I asked again.


    ¡°Yes, trust me,¡± n said. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Encouraged by his enthusiasm, I finally put the gear in and slowly pulled the car out of the parking building. I took a deep breath to calm myself, and n smiled at me. He then connected his phone to the car¡¯s small screen.


    Suddenly, the voice of the artist Sherlock ck was heard singing Hyperdrive. I immediately turned to n with an amazed smile.


    ¡°Do you like this singer?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes, who doesn¡¯t like him?¡± n asked with a broad smile.


    ¡°I really like his songs too. Who would¡¯ve thought we had the same taste in music?¡± I said it excitedly.


    Not many of my friends knew Sherlock ck. He was an indie singer with his ownpositions, and he had just exploded onto the charts after two of his songs became popr. I¡¯ve liked him since high school. So, meeting someone else who also liked him was quite amazing.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°Oh, careful! Look ahead.¡±


    I quickly turned back to the front and avoided the pir of the parking building. My heart was pounding fast because I almost crashed the car. Seeing my tense behavior, nughed.


    ¡°Just rx, Fene. Take it easy. We should head to the quieter area of Queens,¡± n said calmly.


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s do that. We¡¯ll drive smoothly and gently,¡± n reassured me positively, so I gradually rxed.


    I drove through the city streets at night toward Queens. The time was almost 11 p. m. n rolled down his window, and the cold night air immediately blew in.


    ¡°You can also open your window to rx more,¡± n suggested to me.


    So I did. I rolled down half of my window and immediately felt the wind caress my cheeks and hair. The cold October wind made my tears feel frozen.


    n turned up the music volume. He then hummed along and slowly sang along with the rhythm. Unconsciously, I was swept away by the atmosphere and joined in singing along throughout the journey.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this fun? The song fits our current situation perfectly,¡± n said with a broad smile.


    I nodded. I finally drove the car calmly until we passed a bridge toward Queens. The roads on the bridge were smooth, with only a few other cars.


    We decided to drive all the way to a park. The roads here were really quiet and very different from the bustling streets in front of the Oscar Club in Times Square.


    I drove quite smoothly while n guided me on good driving practices. We circled the streets around the park area, and I began to feel more confident driving the car.


    ¡°How about it? Are you starting to feelfortable with your new car?¡± n asked.


    ¡°Yes. I think I¡¯m getting better at handling the steering,¡± I said happily.


    ¡°Good. You should drive often to get more skill. Eventually, you¡¯ll also get used to your car. Turn the steering wheel left, and the car turns left. Turn the steering wheel right, and the car turns right.¡± n¡¯s words gradually became more rxed.


    He had been drinking the remaining champagne from his ss since earlier. Then I realized that n had also apparently finished the champagne from my ss.


    ¡°n? Are you drunk?¡± I asked in disbelief, though my smile was still broad.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can take me to my apartment now,¡± n said with a slow, unclear voice.


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s go to your apartment,¡± I said.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your address?¡± I asked n, who seemed to be closing his eyes.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t fall asleep. Tell me your address.¡± I called out to n, but he began not to answer me.


    ¡°Hey, n. Wake up. n!¡±


    My fatal mistake was when one of my hands released the steering wheel as if I were already very skilled at driving. My hands shook n¡¯s body, who was already leaning back in the car seat.


    ¡°n!¡± I called his name.


    Suddenly, a loud honking sound startled us.


    ¡°Oh, damn it!¡±


    I mmed the steering wheel to avoid the car that I almost hit. But my reaction to stepping on the brake pedal was too slow, so I ended up hitting the red light at the intersection. The car continued to drive up onto the sidewalk until I finally hit the iron fence of the park.


    My mouth was wide open. My heart was pounding hard after the crash, and my body was shaking violently. My fingers felt cold, and I felt confused about what to do. n, who had just awakened, immediately put the car in automatic gear into park mode and pulled the handbrake.


    ¡°Fene?!¡± n was shocked, and his mouth was agape.


    ¡°Quickly switch seats with me,¡± he ushered.


    ¡°What?¡± I asked, still confused.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility. You¡¯re Gene¡¯s main model; we can¡¯t let any scandal about you spread.¡± n squeezed both of my shoulders.


    ¡°Quickly, change seats. Don¡¯t get out of the car.¡± He immediately got out of the car.


    Confused, I finally obeyed n. I struggled to shift my seat to the passenger seat, which still felt warm from n. My body continued to tremble, and panic immediately enveloped me.


    What had just happened? Soon, I heard the sound of a police car siren from afar. Ugh, I shouldn¡¯t do this in the first ce!

 DUI

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I felt like I was suddenly hit by a panic attack. Sweat dripped down my temples, and my head suddenly started to ache. This was the first time I had been in a car crash. It felt simr to riding a roller coaster, but without the joy. There were no loudughs and no desire to do it again. Only fear and anxiety.


    The police car drew closer, with the sirens ring louder. n had already gotten out of the car and seemed to be checking the damage. He looked at the side of the car that was hit, then inspected the iron fence. He also slowly walked towards the traffic light that was grazed.


    I looked around, and it seemed like there were no casualties at all. Really? Yes, it felt like I didn¡¯t hit any humans or animals.


    After calming down, I turned my body and noticed n walking back to the car. Two police officers approached n behind the car. Initially, I hesitated about whether to get out of the car or not, but I remembered n warning me not to get out of the car.


    Then what? Would he sacrifice himself for me?


    ¡°How are you, sir?¡± The police officer¡¯s voice sounded heavy.


    ¡°Hello, gentlemen. Good evening to you,¡± n said in a friendly tone.


    ¡°Is this your car?¡± the second police officer asked.


    ¡°Technically, no. This is my office car. I just brought it for a test drive. My staff just bought it for me, so I wanted to test its durability right away,¡± n exined at length with a slight chuckle.


    Oh my, he really sounded drunk.


    ¡°Alright. Please show me your driver¡¯s license,¡± the officer requested.


    ¡°Driver¡¯s license? Oh, yes, I have it in my wallet in the car,¡± n said. ¡°Can I go to the car to get it, sir?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± the police officer said, apanying n as he walked back to the car.


    n peeked his head at me from the window.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± I whispered to him. He then whispered in my ear for a moment.


    ¡°Fene, stay quiet and don¡¯t get out. Okay? Close the window,¡± n whispered to me as his hand searched inside the dashboard drawer.


    Seeing the empty dashboard drawer, he then pped his forehead.


    ¡°Oh, the wallet is here,¡± n said, then stood up and now seemed to be covering my window.


    I followed his instructions and rolled up my window. However, I didn¡¯t close itpletely. I left a slight gap open so I could hear their voices outside.


    n took out a small wallet from his pants pocket. Then he handed his driver¡¯s license to the police for inspection. I waited with my heart still racing.


    ¡°Alright, Mr. Schmidt. It seems you were driving under the influence. Do you remember how many drinks you had before driving here?¡± the police officer asked.


    n shook his head.


    ¡°Maybe a martini. Oh, no, not a full ss. But I definitely had two sses of champagne earlier while in the car,¡± n blurted out carelessly.


    ¡°Did you drive while drinking champagne?¡± the officer asked again.


    ¡°Oh, no,¡± n mumbled for a moment. ¡°I drank near the park. I stopped by the park because I couldn¡¯t drive while drinking champagne, right?¡± n chuckled again, seeming to realize his mistake.


    The police remained silent, as if pondering something. They seemed suspicious, but they continued their procedures.


    ¡°Alright. I want you to take a test. Please walk in a straight line towards our car. Can you do that?¡± The officer said it impatiently.


    ¡°Walking in a straight line? Do you mean like a model? I will definitely pass that test because I am the owner of the best model agency in New York. I taught them all how to walk on the runway stage,¡± n rambled on, but eventually, the police officers stopped him.


    ¡°Alright, Sir. Walk in a straight line now,¡± the impatient police officer said.


    n seemed ready. He tried to walk along an imaginary line but remained unsteady due to the alcohol influencing his brain.


    ¡°Is this enough?¡± n walked up to the police car and stopped.


    ¡°Yes, you clearly can¡¯t walk straight,¡± the police officer noted in his pocketbook.


    ¡°Who says? I can!¡± n protested with a furrowed brow, then staggered back towards our car.


    ¡°Can you see my finger? Look at my finger and follow its movement,¡± the officer said, then waved his finger in front of n¡¯s face.


    Somehow, it seemed the police were satisfied with their test results. Another police officer then pulled out a device resembling a breathalyzer. I suspected it was an alcohol level detector.


    ¡°Mr. Schmidt, please blow into this tube for a few seconds,¡± the other officer instructed n.


    nplied and immediately sucked on the short straw of the device.


    ¡°Not sucked, but blown. Like blowing up a balloon,¡± the officer told him.


    ¡°Blowing up a balloon? I¡¯ve never blown up a balloon. I¡¯m better at blowing other things, if you know what I mean,¡± n chuckled again, but the police officer just shook his head.


    ¡°Blow into this tube now,¡± the increasingly impatient officer demanded of n.


    ¡°Okay, chill,¡± n said, then blew into the straw.


    Just a few secondster, the device beeped rapidly. The police checked the result and showed it to their colleague.


    ¡°You exceeded the alcohol tolerance limit for driving, sir. You cane with us in the car now. Is there anyone else in your car?¡± the police asked n.


    ¡°Just a friend. Maybeter it will be more if she wants,¡± n chuckled again.


    I was startled when they mentioned me. I was sure n was drunk and unaware of his words, but I didn¡¯t expect him to think of me like that. I immediately remembered Jessy¡¯s words that n might be bisexual, but getting into a rtionship with n never crossed my mind.


    The police knocked on my car window. I quickly rolled down the window and cleared my throat.


    ¡°Are you Mr. Schmidt¡¯s friend?¡± the officer asked me.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied, my voice trembling.


    Damn! It seemed the panic still had a grip on my body. I trembled in my seat and unconsciously nodded excessively. I swallowed saliva as I waited for the police to observe me and my outfit.


    ¡°Can you step out of the car? Do you have your identification card with you?¡± the officer asked me.


    I nodded again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get out! Don¡¯t get out of the car, Fene!¡± n suddenly shouted.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°Calm down, sir. We just want to check for a moment.¡± Another officer held n¡¯s hands behind his back.

 Interrogation

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Not wanting to escte the situation, I got out of the car as the police instructed me by my window. I quickly opened the small bag I brought and took out my identification card to show it to the officer.


    As I stepped out of the carpletely, I realized the cold wind felt as if it were piercing my legs, causing them to cramp and ache. The calf-high boots I was wearing seemed insufficient to support my body.


    I felt dizzy but managed to hold onto the car until I stood up straight again. It seemed like a muscle in my leg was slightly strained from hastily jumping over the car seat.


    ¡°Are you okay? You look scared,¡± the officer asked me.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. Just startled,¡± I replied in haste.


    ¡°Did you drink with your friend?¡± the officer asked, checking my identification card.


    ¡°Just a little,¡± I replied quickly.


    The police then observed my clothing and face. One eyebrow was raised, and then he inspected my body.


    ¡°Were you partying nearby?¡± the police asked me with a scrutinizing gaze.


    ¡°No. We just came from the club opening party in the Times Square area,¡± I answered slowly, trying to sound calmer.


    ¡°What is your job, Miss Baxter?¡± he asked me again.


    ¡°I¡¯m a model. A fashion model, to be more precise,¡± I said, still with a pounding heart that wouldn¡¯t calm down.


    ¡°Are you a model at his agency?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s my boss,¡± I said with a quick nod.


    ¡°Can you drive home by yourself?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. I don¡¯t have a driver¡¯s license,¡± I replied tensely.


    ¡°Earlier, you said you wereing from a party at a club in the Times Square area. Were you intentionally at this parkte at night?¡±


    Oh, damn! Damn! I started to panic because I didn¡¯t know how to answer. I knew I had to lie, but my brain felt stuck making up any story.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I was just apanying him for a drive in his new car,¡± I said hesitantly.


    Was that convincing enough? I didn¡¯t know what the police were after, but it seemed he was suspicious of something. Would I be found out that I was the one driving his car during the crash?


    ¡°Was he paying you or forcing you to provide sexual services to him?¡±


    As soon as I heard that question, I immediately realized that the police thought I was a prostitute. All along, he was questioning me not because he suspected me of driving his car but because he thought I was selling sexual services to n. Plus, n had joked about it earlier.


    ¡°How dare you! She¡¯s not a prostitute! She¡¯s my top model-the most beautiful and talented one! She¡¯s not a prostitute! I¡¯ll fuck your filthy mouth apart!¡± n shouted after hearing the police¡¯s question.


    He even shook his body to escape from the police, who were restraining him. He briefly ran with an angry face to confront the police interrogating me, but was immediately chased and blocked simultaneously by the two police officers.


    I covered my wide-open mouth with both hands. I didn¡¯t expect n to be this angry. He was known for his temper at the office, but I didn¡¯t think he would dare confront the police.


    ¡°Calm down, sir. You could be charged with assaulting the police if you don¡¯t stay still.¡± Both police officers held onto n¡¯s squirming body.


    The situation quickly turned worse, with n writhing and attempting to attack the two officers.


    ¡°n! It¡¯s okay! Hey, calm down!¡± I tried to hold onto n¡¯s body and calm him down.


    ¡°You bettere with us to the police station too, Miss. We¡¯ll take you home after sorting him out,¡± the officer said while still holding onto n¡¯s struggling body beside the car.


    ¡°Call mywyer!¡± n shouted at me as he was dragged into the police car.


    ***


    ¡°Stay inside,¡± said the police officer as he ced n into the police car.


    The situation turned from bad to worse. n continued tosh out at the police while I sat beside him in the backseat. I kept trying to calm n down throughout the journey. Gradually, n seemed to tire himself out and finally fell asleep in his seat.


    I entered the police station alongside n, who was restrained with a cable tie. I saw another police officer parking my red car in front of the station. My brand-new red hatchback looked dented around the steering wheel area. The body of the car was deeply scratched, which left me feeling disheartened as I walked past it.


    But I couldn¡¯t protest much. Instead, I felt even guiltier because the new car that I should have been able to use now needed repairs. n had just mentioned that the car was delivered by the dealerte this afternoon. It hadn¡¯t even been 24 hours old! My poor baby.


    Fortunately, there were no signs of journalists following us or taking photos as we entered the police station. That gave me some relief.


    n seemed very concerned about my image as his model. If even a hint of scandal reached magazine editors or designers like Oscar, I was sure it would harm both me and n himself.


    n was escorted further inside by one of the officers and promptly handed over to be secured by another. Meanwhile, the officer who had questioned me earlier now gestured for me to sit down in one of the chairs.


    ¡°Wait here for a moment, Miss, while we record this incident,¡± he said to me.


    ¡°Do you have awyer¡¯s number or an emergency contact number for him?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have one. But I could try contacting my agency. He surely has our officewyer¡¯s number,¡± I said, picking up my phone from my bag.


    ¡°Go ahead and make the call,¡± said the officer, nodding before walking away, leaving me alone.


    I quickly called Jessy. Since we had been in the police car, I had tried calling Jessy several times, but he didn¡¯t pick up. It seemed like he was busy having fun with Mike. They hadn¡¯t wanted to leave each other since earlier, and it made me sick to see them together.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    I also tried calling other agents, and it was the same story. No one answered my calls.


    ¡®Jessy, please pick up the phone. This is an emergency!¡¯


    ¡®S. O. S.¡¯


    ¡®Do you have the officewyer¡¯s number or n¡¯swyer¡¯s number?¡¯


    I stared at my phone screen, which had been sending messages to Jessy. But once again, I could only feel disappointed because it seemed like Jessy hadn¡¯t been online for the past two hours. I sighed in confusion and bit my lower lip.


    It was my own fault for relying too much on Jessy. But what else could I do? Jessy always handled everything for me. This was the first time he hadn¡¯t answered my calls or replied to my messages.


    He said he¡¯d always be by my side, even though he¡¯s with Mike. Bullshit!

 SOS

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I tried to find contact information for anotherwyer who had contacted me before, but I only found one. He couldn¡¯t help me either, because he was out of town. He did give me anotherwyer¡¯s contact number, but that person didn¡¯t pick up either.


    Ugh, just when I needed help, no one came to my rescue. While contacting my mother in Boston would clearly be useless and only make her worry, I suddenly realized that I might not have any friends.


    I sat silently, staring at my phone screen. My phone battery was down to five percent. Great! I needed to borrow a charger cable, but the police hadn¡¯t arrived yet. My hands rubbed my throbbing forehead.


    Suddenly, I heard an imaginary whisper urging me to contact Laird.


    ¡°No way,¡± I whispered to myself.


    Would he help me? Besides, since earlier, he hadn¡¯t replied to my messages or answered my calls. I hadn¡¯t tried again, but among all my contacts, he was the only one online ten minutes ago.


    But what would he think if he knew I was at the police station with n? Didn¡¯t he leave earlier because he was angry and disgusted with me dancing with n? If he found out about this incident, he would surely hate me even more.


    I weighed all the options. Once again, I saw Laird¡¯s online status. Even though it waste at night, he hadn¡¯t slept yet. During this week, we had been calling each other untilte at night, but would he reply to my message this time?


    I cleared my throat and straightened up. I took a deep breath and prepared myself before adding another message that might again be read without a reply from him.


    ¡®SOS¡¯


    Done.


    I stared at my phone screen, and Laird¡¯s status was still online next to his profile picture. Yes, he was online. He read my message!


    I waited for a response for a few seconds, but there was still no reply at all. I sighed and leaned back into the ufortable chair.


    That¡¯s it.


    I could just leave n in the holding cell without paying his bail. Another option was to pay his bail from my own wallet, but I wasn¡¯t sure if there was enough money in my ount to cover it.


    Assaulting a police officer and driving under the influence, bail to get out of custody could be more than 500 dors, said the police earlier. Should I be that heartless to leave n and go home alone?


    Suddenly, my phone rang loudly. I jerked out of my seat and was surprised to see my phone screen.


    Laird was calling! After ignoring me at the club earlier, he finally called me!


    I took a deep breath and prepared myself before answering his call. On the third ring, I finally picked up the phone.


    ¡°Hello, Laird.¡±


    ¡°Hello, Fene,¡± said Laird in my ear.


    His voice sounded like a cold ssh of water, drenching my brain. At least it helped me calm down.


    ¡°Oh, thank goodness. Thank you for calling,¡± I sighed with relief.


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Laird asked me.


    He clearly understood my message, even though it was just three letters.


    ¡°Um, I¡¯m sorry for calling you sote like this. I know you must want to go to sleep. I know you might also be disgusted with me after my performance earlier, but I really need your help,¡± I quickly said.


    Laird fell silent, and I could hear him take a long breath. It sounded like he was trying to be patient with me.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked again with a heavy and cold tone.


    ¡°Please, I need your help as awyer. I¡¯m at the Queen¡¯s precinct,¡± I said, my voice trembling.


    Ugh, why did I feel like I was about to be scolded by a teacher after misbehaving?


    ¡°What happened?¡± Laird sounded confused, and I could imagine his furrowed brow.


    I looked around to make sure no police officers were eavesdropping on our conversation. I even covered my mouth carefully with one hand.


    ¡°I went out with n earlier to try my new car. n said I needed to practice driving,¡± I said quietly.


    ¡°Seriously, I told him it was a bad idea. You know, what I mean, the perfect recipe for disaster is alcohol and adding the arrogance of a driver without a license,¡± I said faster, with a smallugh between sentences.


    ¡°But he kept forcing me with his sweet promises and yed my favorite song as a drivingpanion. He said the Queens area would be suitable for practice tonight.¡± I swallowed my saliva.


    ¡°Are you arrested for driving under the influence and without a license?¡± Laird asked me firmly.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I fell silent and pursed my lips. As if I would soon hear his anger after this.


    ¡°Not exactly like that. I¡¯m not drunk. I just had a little martini and a little champagne,¡± I murmured for a moment before continuing my sentence.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that I was careless and crashed into a red light and an iron fence at a park. So, n tried to cover me up and exchanged ces with me. Only he had a driver¡¯s license, and he didn¡¯t want me to have a criminal record scandal.¡± I paused, biting my lip.


    ¡°The problem is, n was heavily drunk and even attacked the police who approached us.¡± I whispered, defenseless.


    I fell silent again after exining my problem slowly to Laird. After a few seconds without a reply from Laird, I finally asked again.


    ¡°Does this sound very bad? Will you help me?¡± I asked hesitantly.


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect you to turn into such a bad woman,¡± Laird said in a low voice.


    Hearing Laird¡¯s response, I could only silence myself. His voice, full of judgment, reminded me that Laird had hated me. He sounded very angry and disgusted with me. Unconsciously, tears welled up again and dripped to the tips of my fingers that were still covering my mouth.


    ¡°Forgive me,¡± I spontaneously apologized with a soft voice.


    Laird remained silent without saying a word. For a long time until my fear grewrger and my crying increased. I couldn¡¯t hold back my sobs froming out until Laird finally took a long breath.


    ¡°You said Queens¡¯ precinct?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied hoarsely.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there. Wait,¡± said Laird, then he hung up the phone.


    I immediately buried my teary eyes in my folded hands on the table.

 Hero of The Night

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I waited at the police station in quite a dreadful condition. People might have found me strange with my smeared makeup. It was a far cry from the morous, sparkling outfit I was wearing.


    The police officer gave me a cup of warm tea, and it turned out to be effective in calming my nerves since earlier. At least I had something to upy my time while waiting for Laird. I could only sip the warm tea slowly while keeping an eye on my phone charging on the table.


    ¡°Miss Baxter, yourwyer is here.¡±


    The officer approached me quietly. I immediately turned and saw Laird standing behind the officer. He hadn¡¯t even changed his clothes. It was as if he had juste out of a club, though I didn¡¯t know where he had been all this time.


    His gaze was no longer as fierce as thest time I saw him on stage. Now his forehead was furrowed with a look that resembled pity. It seemed contacting Laird for help was indeed a bad idea. Now his gaze, full of pity, made me even more embarrassed.


    ¡°Thank you, Officer,¡± Laird said to him.


    ¡°Wait here for a moment while I prepare the documents you need,¡± the officer said, then walked away, leaving the two of us alone at his desk.


    I lowered my head and hesitated to meet his eyes. Shame overwhelmed me to the point where I couldn¡¯t lift my face in front of him. Leaird sighed deeply.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked.


    I just nodded without a word.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°Use this to cover your thighs. Your legs must be freezing,¡± Laird said, handing me his ck bomber jacket.


    Finally, I raised my head to look at his face. Had he just been worried about me?


    ¡°Thank you, Laird. You must be really upset, but you¡¯re the only one who answered my call,¡± I said softly, taking the jacket from him. Then I covered my freezing thighs with Laird¡¯s warm jacket.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Jessy? Isn¡¯t he with you?¡± he asked.


    I shook my head. ¡°No, he¡¯s not. I¡¯ve been trying to message and call him since earlier, but he hasn¡¯t responded.¡±


    Laird nodded in understanding. His lips pursed, and he seemed to be pondering something. Then he pulled up an empty chair belonging to the police officer and sat in front of me.


    ¡°Tell me clearly what happened. So, who was actually driving the car?¡± Laird asked.


    I finally exined everything that had happened since n ushered me to the parking lot until we reached the police station. He listened attentively and asked several times to rify details from my story. After hearing it all, Laird rubbed his forehead.


    ¡°So, you mean, you¡¯re now in a situation where you¡¯re lying to the police? n asked you to lie.¡± Laird asked me.


    ¡°Could that be considered lying to the police?¡± I asked, biting my lower lip.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you distinguish? You¡¯re not a child anymore,¡± Laird groaned irritably.


    ¡°If you¡¯re caught conspiring to lie, you could be charged with obstructing a police investigation, and the penalties for that would be very serious,¡± Laird muttered angrily.


    ¡°But n said-¡±


    ¡°Why do you trust n so much? Do you have a special rtionship with him? Because if that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll get off of your nonsense. I¡¯ll leave you two forever.¡± Laird raised both hands and grew more impatient, facing me.


    ¡°No! Not at all.¡±


    I quickly grabbed Laird¡¯s arm. It seemed like he was really about to leave me, and I didn¡¯t want that to happen. I didn¡¯t want Laird to leave me again.


    ¡°I mean, I¡¯m scared. I really don¡¯t know what to do, and it seems like n is more experienced with this driving matter, so I listened to him.¡± I pleaded with him.


    ¡°Plus, he¡¯s my boss, and I thought he genuinely wanted to protect me from having a criminal record as a model,¡± I rushed to exin.


    ¡°Please, Laird. Help us. This time I¡¯ll follow your lead, and I¡¯ll face all the consequences if you think it¡¯s the best course of action.¡± My fingers squeezed Laird¡¯s arm.


    Laird opened his mouth but said nothing. He looked at my hand, and his forehead creased as if he were considering something important. Then he looked me in the eyes and leaned forward.


    ¡°So, do you think he¡¯s sincere in protecting you for your career? Not because of any special feelings or anything like that.¡± Laird asked.


    I blinked for a moment.


    ¡°No. He confessed to me that he¡¯s gay,¡± I replied hesitantly, recalling n¡¯s words during our dance practice on the first day. Laird sighed deeply after hearing this.


    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll try talking to n first. Hopefully, he¡¯s sobered up by now,¡± Laird said as he got up from his chair.


    ¡°Wait here,¡± Laird said.


    ¡°Yes. Don¡¯t take too long,¡± I said before he actually left me alone again.


    He just nodded briefly in response. As I watched his vague figure disappear behind the steel door, I reflected on tonight¡¯s events and the various consequences I would have to face.


    Then my mind returned to Laird¡¯s earlier question about my rtionship with n. I didn¡¯t expect that Laird would actually think that n and I were in a special rtionship. So, was Laird really jealous of n?


    Even though I didn¡¯t have a definite answer to that question, I felt happy. Hey, it turns out Laird cares about my rtionship with n! This made me feel somewhat proud amidst our uncertain situation.


    It wasn¡¯t until then that I realized that if Laird was indeed jealous of n, it meant that my rtionship with Laird was even more irreparable. Fortunately, n is gay. Although Jessy still suspects that n is actually lying, the possibility of n liking me never crossed my mind at all.


    That¡¯s why I felt rxed doing an erotic dance with him from the start. I knew Jessy always warned me about some men who im to be gay but are actually bisexual, or even straight, just to get opportunities from women to do indecent things.


    But I don¡¯t think n would stoop that low. He¡¯s someone who dislikes injustice and has repeatedly helped me, especially during the incident with Kiarast week.


    For now, I can only wait with a restless heart.

 Secret Talk

    Laird¡¯s POV


    I entered the holding area inside the Queen¡¯s Precinct apanied by an old policeman. At my request to speak privately with n, the officer granted it by allowing n to sit in a small interrogation room without a ss.


    I entered the room and saw n sitting in a chair. A pack of cigarettes and a bottle of mineral water were on the table, both empty. As I entered, n gave me a crooked smile.


    ¡°Wee, Mr. Evans,¡± he said cheerfully.


    ¡°What have you done?¡± I asked through gritted teeth.


    The man just chuckled lightly, a stark contrast to my disgusted expression. Ever since thest time I saw him on stage with Fene, I felt an explosive urge to wipe that smile off his face.


    n intentionally provoked me, and every time he took control of Fene with his whip, he would challenge me with his gaze. Not to mention, when he licked Fene¡¯s ear, it made me immediately annoyed at both of them. If only I knew it would be like that, I certainly wouldn¡¯t have helped with Fene¡¯s charade at the club.


    And now, I felt even more annoyed having to clean up the mess created by him. In my opinion, n was the troublemaker, not Fene. The girl was easily swayed, but n was at fault for continuously inciting and persuading Fene. Just like a devil tempting humans to sin.


    After causing chaos, he wanted to act like a hero in front of Fene by taking all the me. Ha! Don¡¯t be ridiculous.


    I sat in front of n with a fierce look in my eyes. n still appeared rxed, with a slight smile on his lips.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you offered a drink? Shall I call the officers outside to get you one?¡± n asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act up. This is a police station, not your apartment,¡± I snapped irritably.


    ¡°I live in a house, not an apartment. West Vige has three bedrooms and arge balcony for barbecue parties at night. I rented it for two years and paid it off in advance for $690, 000. Isn¡¯t that a good number?¡± n rambled on, still with a smug smile.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. You better answer my questions, as my time is limited,¡± I saidzily.


    ¡°I¡¯m just offering a spare room if you want to join me,¡± n said.


    ¡°You should¡¯ve spared some sanity in your brain,¡± I said, shaking my head firmly.


    ¡°Ah, what a shame. You¡¯ll miss out.¡± n shrugged.


    ¡°Now, tell me that you¡¯re not trying to y the martyr to be praised by Fene.¡± I ignored n¡¯sment and spoke bluntly.


    n¡¯s mouth gaped, and he took a breath in disbelief at my words. His eyes blinked, and he stared at me intently.


    ¡°This is not about being a martyr to be praised by Fene. It¡¯s about protecting Gene¡¯s main model career. Don¡¯t you know she has been working hard for her performance at the Oscar Club?¡± He widens his eyes.


    ¡°After receiving many praises and new project offers, I can¡¯t let any scandals about her spread. I¡¯d rather take the me than let Fene have a criminal record,¡± n said, a hint of emotion showing.


    ¡°If you really care about her, why did you encourage her to drive when you knew she didn¡¯t have a driver¡¯s license?¡± I still didn¡¯t sympathize with him.


    ¡°Yes, I admit I was wrong. But I did it to console her. Initially, this was not what I nned. But, because Jessy was drunk and Fene kept crying, I had to take extreme measures tofort her.¡± He swung his arms weakly.


    ¡°If we trace who¡¯s at fault, you should look in the mirror, Laird.¡± n started to get more agitated, his tone rising.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I spoke again in a heavy tone as my jaw clenched.


    n leaned in, his face contorting fiercely. His eyes red at me. His index finger pressed against the table, and his emotions seemed increasingly uncontroble.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who should take responsibility because you made Fene sad and miserable. You left her alone at the club. As her boss, I had to step in to clean up the mess you caused.¡±


    ¡°Oh, great. Now you¡¯re ming me?¡± I started to get emotional as well.


    ¡°Yes. You¡¯re in the wrong!¡± n snapped at me.


    I whispered loudly with a heavier tone and leaned towards him.


    ¡°In that case, you should be med for provoking my anger. How dare you touch Fene like that with such inappropriate dancing? You disgust me.¡± I hissed at him.


    Of course, I refused to be made a scapegoat. I still firmly believed that n was the troublemaker in all of this. My strained rtionship with Fene was because of n¡¯s behavior, as if he wanted to tempt Fene. Especially when he did those things to her! Suddenly, I despised that man with every drop of blood in my body.


    ¡°I told you. Girls like Fene are willing to do anything to achieve their goals. Ask her yourself how many men she has slept with to get projects,¡± n hissed.


    My eyes darkened instantly. Without much talk, I immediately stood up and grabbed n¡¯s cor. I swung my fist at his cheek, causing him to fall from his chair to the floor. Upon hearing themotion, two police officers rushed into the room.


    ¡°Hey, whoa! What¡¯s going on here?¡± The older officer eximed.


    My breath raced as one officer restrained me. But I just remained silent and stared at n with all the hatred I had bottled up for him. The older officer stood between us, stretching out his arms.


    ¡°Mr. Evans, if you don¡¯t control yourself, I will have to arrest you for causing a disturbance in the precinct and hurting a suspect. You¡¯re hiswyer, for God¡¯s sake!¡± The officer scolded me.


    ¡°I¡¯m done being hiswyer.¡± I growled in annoyance and slowly freed myself from the other officer holding me.


    ¡°You can¡¯t do that because we have already filed the documents and are waiting for a Monday morning schedule. If you withdraw now, we will still have to hold Miss Baxter as a witness and wait until a recementwyeres.¡±


    My breath still racing, I finally ran my hands through my hair in frustration. I groaned irritably and swore repeatedly under my breath as I walked to the end of the room.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°Damn you, demon! n Schmidt, I hate you.¡± I cursed through my gritted teeth.

 Blank Space

    Laird¡¯s POV


    I leaned against the wall with one hand. Several times I assessed the situation and remembered n¡¯s words that kept boiling my blood. I red sharply at n, and the man slowly got up. Unfortunately, he just chuckled and even had time to straighten his shirt.


    ¡°Ignore him, sir. He¡¯s just jealous of me,¡± n still chuckled.


    ¡°Please get my wallet, sir. I need to sign a check to pay this honorable Mr. Evans,¡± n said casually to the older officer.


    The older officer let out a long sigh and nodded at the other officer in the room. The slightly younger officer finally left the room.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°Truly, your service is very satisfying. You protect me, give me painkillers and water, and now you¡¯re going to get my wallet,¡± n said cheerfully as he sat again on the chair.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get cocky, Mr. Schmidt. You¡¯ve caused a lot of trouble tonight,¡± the older officer said patiently.


    ¡°Oh, here it is,¡± n said happily as the officer returned to the room with a ck leather wallet.


    ¡°Do you have the nk check in there?¡± the officer asked as he handed the wallet and pen to n.


    ¡°Of course.¡± n pulled out a rolled but still smooth nk check. He wrote for a minute, then let down his pen.


    ¡°Fill in the amount yourself, Mr. Evans. You didn¡¯t mention your attorney¡¯s fees.¡±


    I observed the check n handed me on the table. My jaw was still clenched from holding back my anger, and finally, I stood up straight again. I shook my head in disbelief at n¡¯s behavior.


    ¡°Thank you, gentlemen. It seems I have to leave a review on the inte that your service is outstanding, even providing a pen before I ask for it. Do you want me to write a check as well?¡± n asked the two police officers.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Mr. Schmidt. It¡¯s time to return to the cell. Return the pen and your wallet.¡± The old police officer then escorted n back out of the interrogation room to the holding cell.


    ¡°Please leave, sir. You have been scheduled for a preliminary hearing with Judge Brown on Monday morning at 10 o¡¯clock,¡± the officer said while adjusting his belt, looking more like he was just casually standing around.


    After calming myself down, I walked slowly to the table. I looked at the signed check by n with the nk amount column. With an irritated sneer, I roughly took the check and almost crumpled it. However, when I thought about Fene waiting outside, I controlled myself and put the check into my wallet in my jeans pocket.


    ¡°You¡¯re very lucky to be an attorney with whatever fee you want,¡± teased the officer as he escorted me out of the room.


    ¡°No, he had to be that man¡¯s attorney because he was thinking about his girlfriend outside. Really childish, fighting over a woman.¡± He snorted.


    ¡°When I was young, I never threw a punch at my love rivals,¡± the old police officer said, following me from behind, chatting loudly.


    ¡°He¡¯s not my rival. He¡¯s gay,¡± I retorted sharply to the officer.


    ¡°Even worse! Then why are you jealous of him? What a waste of energy.¡± The old officer clicked his tongue in pity for me.


    ***


    As soon as we came out, I could see Fene standing up and hugging my jacket. She hurried over, but stumbled in the middle. I was toote and too far away to reach her. Instead, a young male police officer quickly caught her body to prevent her from falling to the ground.


    ¡°Oh, thank you,¡± she said to him.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee, Miss. Are you okay?¡± the officer asked.


    What the hell is he doing? Well, I have to admit his face was quite handsome, and he had dimples that adorned his face. His eyes sparkled, and he smiled broadly at her. I clenched my jaw when I looked at them flirting without a care in the world.


    ¡°If I were you, Rick, I wouldn¡¯t go near her. She¡¯s already caused trouble for two guys tonight,¡± the old policeman said beside me.


    Listening to the old cop¡¯s cheeky remark, I furrowed my brow and scoffed. Why is it her fault? This old geezer didn¡¯t know anything.


    ¡°Haha, troublemaker indeed. Pretty girls always act as they please.¡± Rick, the young policeman, then released his arm from around her waist and winked at her.


    ¡°Only if you want to be pleased.¡± She smirked.


    My eyes widened at their remarks. I felt more ufortable with all of this and quickly walked closer to them. I cleared my throat loudly, making sure that they heard me.


    I walked up to stand right in front of her and then turned to Rick. I stared at him in an urge to punch him. Fortunately, Rick understood and he immediately left her alone.


    ¡°What¡¯s the result? What happened? Do I have to be detained too? How¡¯s n?¡± She asked curiously in a whisper.


    I locked my gaze at her for a long time to make sure she¡¯s fine. Once I was sure, I finally answered softly.


    ¡°No. You can go home tonight. n still has to be detained until the first hearing in the next working hours. That means he has to wait until Monday morning,¡± I said.


    ¡°Is n really going to take on all the responsibilities for me?¡± She asked again in a whisper, so the old policeman wouldn¡¯t hear her.


    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s clearly still not quite sober from being drunk, but he insists.¡±


    I nced at her face, and I knew she had a guilty feeling weighing on her. It wasn¡¯t her fault, but n made it like that with his oh-so-heroic act.


    ¡°Approximately how much will the bail be? And you also need to be paid for yourwyer¡¯s services.¡±


    Upon hearing her words, I raised my brow. She¡¯s clearly thinking hard and worried about it. No, she didn¡¯t have to worry about that at all. She should¡¯ve put more trust in me.


    ¡°Stop thinking about that.¡± I put my hand on her back and guided her out of the police station.


    ¡°Come on, let me take you home. It¡¯s alreadyte.¡±

 A Confession

    Laird¡¯s POV


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Fene stared at me, her mouth agape and her forehead creased. I almost ignored all of Fene¡¯s reactions as I chose to focus on driving to Fene¡¯s apartment. It wouldn¡¯t be funny if we got into another car ident just because of that girl¡¯s shrieking.


    ¡°Are you seriously suggesting that to me? Are you out of your mind?¡± she asked, still in a high voice.


    I nced at Fene, and it seemed like shepletely rejected my suggestion. I knew the girl wouldn¡¯t ept my advice, but I kept trying. I would keep trying until she stopped engaging in some madness with a sociopath named n Schmidt.


    ¡°Trust me, Fene. I know people like n well. He¡¯s not someone you can trust,¡± I insisted to the girl.


    ¡°Yes, but should I stop being a model and leave Gene just because of n? Uh, no, Mr. Great Evans. I will be Gene¡¯s top model, period.¡±


    Her hands were folded, and she stared at me as if I had suggested she do something even more dangerous. Truly, I did it for Fene¡¯s own good.


    ¡°Think logically, Fene. He will manipte your emotions, like he did earlier, by inciting you. You said he¡¯s good at charming, and he yed your favorite song to make you feel safe, even though you should have been panicking because he took a very dangerous path.¡±


    ¡°If you continue to work at Gene and n remains the boss there, then you will definitely be pushed like earlier. You will be persuaded to do something outside yourfort zone, which once again could be dangerous for you, and then he wille as if he¡¯s your hero and use your guilt to support him.¡±


    ¡°How low are you willing to stoop by following n?¡±


    I tried to inject some logic into the girl¡¯s head. After my experiences dealing with various types of clients, coupled with my experiences dealing with two sets of parents who both have personality disorders, I was very sure that n would be dangerous for Fene.


    I didn¡¯t want the girl to be a victim and end up going in the wrong direction. For God¡¯s sake, she¡¯s still very young!


    But it seemed like my words went unheard by Fene. She continued to re at me and fold her arms across her chest. This is very typical of a woman taking a defensive stance.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know anything, Laird. Don¡¯t speak as if you¡¯re a criminology expert or a psychiatrist who can diagnose that n did all that intentionally,¡± Fene defended n again.


    ¡°You said that he did it to entertain me. Humans won¡¯t know when idents will befall them, so I consider all of this just sheer bad luck.¡±


    ¡°Moreover, I only know how to be a model. I¡¯ve been with Gene for seven years, and everything has been fine. Whatever problem arises can easily be resolved.¡± She shrugged.


    ¡°Then why, when you came into my life now, did you act as if you knew my entire journey up to this point? Why do you feel entitled to change it?¡± she asked rhetorically, still rejecting my idea.


    ¡°Because I care.¡± I couldn¡¯t stand Fene¡¯s usations.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°I care about your safety and your future. We¡¯ve known each other for so long, since we were kids. Seven years apart doesn¡¯tpare to the time we spent together from birth until high school graduation.¡± I tried again, with a softer tone, to get her to listen to me.


    ¡°Listen, I can¡¯t bear to see you being manipted by n like this. You deserve better than being n¡¯s puppet.¡± I pleaded with her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not telling you to stop being a model. Do what you want if that¡¯s your passion. But I ask you to stay away from n and stop obeying him. He will only bring disaster to you,¡± I implored.


    ¡°Who says I¡¯m his puppet? I had the right to determine what I wanted to do, and he paid me for it,¡± she said, shaking her head.


    ¡°Now I am very close to achieving my goal and have reached the point of bing the top model at a prestigious mother agency in New York. Are you asking me to throw away that opportunity?¡± Fene stayed with her opinion.


    ¡°Fine, tell me what your goal is. To be a sessful supermodel? You can do that at another agency,¡± I said.


    ¡°No other agency will ept me besides n,¡± she countered.


    ¡°That¡¯s your problem. Why don¡¯t you believe in yourself? In your talent, in your hard work, and in your personality. Why do you feel inferior to switching agencies?¡± I continued to press her.


    ¡°Do you think that¡¯s easy? You don¡¯t know anything about the fashion world. Just one bad opinion about me from n as the owner of Gene, and it¡¯s over. My current position is already critical because my age is considered too old to be a fashion model.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how many new models debuted this year? Hundreds!¡± she retorted.


    She then fell silent for a long time, and I nced at her to observe her face. It turned out she was crying. I could see the glistening teardrops on her cheek reflecting the light from the streetmp.


    ¡°Oh no. Why are you crying?¡± I let out a long breath.


    ¡°Because I really want to be Gene¡¯s top model. I want to be more sessful and continue to be a model. This is my only chance, and only n is willing to ept me.¡± Her voice cracked and hoarse amid her uncontroble sobs.


    ¡°I just want to be your type of girl. I want you to like me. Why are you stopping my dream?¡±


    Upon hearing Fene¡¯s confession, I was taken aback. The corner of my mouth curled as I listened to her words.


    What did she say? Does that mean her goal to be a model is so she can be the type of girl I like? Is all her hard work just for that? Suddenly, my heart raced, and my emotions calmed down as quickly as lightning.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you, you misunderstood. I never remember telling you that my type of girl is a sessful supermodel,¡± I said, still with a faint smile and a softer tone of voice.


    ¡°Yes, you did! You told me you like girls like Charlotte McMillian!¡± Fene suddenly snapped at me again.


    ¡°Who?¡± I asked, furrowing my brow.

 Reject Him

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t know that name at all,¡± He admitted.


    ¡°She¡¯s our school alumna who became a sexy model. You pointed to a school billboard ad with her face prominently disyed. You said she was your type of girl. That¡¯s what you said on prom night.¡± I persisted stubbornly.


    ¡°Me?¡± He pointed to himself.


    ¡°Are you sure that was me? I don¡¯t remember! I don¡¯t even know what Charlotte looks like.¡±


    He chuckled and shook his head. Is he truly didn¡¯t remember at all?


    ¡°But you answered with the same response at the club! You said your type of girl is a sexy girl,¡± I sulked amid my tears.


    ¡°That¡¯s because I was helping you and Jessy. Jessy told me that you were having trouble meeting Oscar¡¯s wishes. He said I had to lure you to perform on stage as a form of spontaneity. That¡¯s why I eventually came up with an idea and asked him to coborate with me.¡± He slowly exined.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t serious when I said that. It was all just an act,¡± He said slowly.


    ¡°Really?¡± I asked, still unsure.


    ¡°Yes. I might have even pointed at the woman on the billboard randomly. Honestly, I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t remember why I pointed at Charlotte.¡±


    Just after saying that, he parked the car on the side of the road near my apartment. Cars lined the street, and only one was left empty, requiring us to walk a few meters to my apartment. It was understandable; it was almost 3 a. m., and people must have returned to their apartments by then.


    It turned out we argued throughout the journey from Queens to the Upper East Side for almost thirty minutes. Perhaps our argument escted due to our physical exhaustion.


    ¡°So, am I wasting my time being a model?¡± I asked after he hadpletely parked the vehicle.


    Gosh! So, it was all just for waste?


    ¡°Nothing in this world is a waste. I think being a model suits you. You¡¯ve proven to be more independent now and look very different from your high school self.¡±


    He turned his body to the side to get a better look at my face. My eyes met his green emerald eyes. Despite his disheveled shirt and messy hair, he still looked dangerously handsome to me. It was no wonder all my friends mesmerized by him.


    ¡°That¡¯s what worries me. You could make a gay man turn straight just by falling in love with you. What if n pretends to be gay to harass you without you realizing it?¡± His question hung in the air, and we just stared at each other. Perhaps his mind was no longer in sync with his mouth.


    Suddenly, I was sure this is the right time to confront his feelings.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re really jealous of n?¡± I asked softly.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Did you really leave me alone at the club earlier because you were angry seeing me dance with n?¡± I asked again.


    ¡°I was angry because he touched you, licked your ear, and dragged you like the sexiest sex ve, arousing all the men in the club,¡± I answered honestly. ¡°Jessy didn¡¯t tell me that you would perform a dance together with n.¡±


    ¡°In that case, do you admit that I am the sexiest girl in the club?¡± I asked, suppressing my squeal.


    ¡°No. You are the sexiest girl in the world,¡± he whispered softly.


    Should I give in to him now? No. I still need to test him. He might change his attitude towards me in a second.


    ¡°You lied,¡± I said to Laird, ring at him angrily.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t lie at all. Why do you think I lied to you?¡± Laird asked, furrowing his brow.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°Because if you really thought that way, you wouldn¡¯t have left me alone at the club. You also didn¡¯t reply to any of my messages, even though I sent many. Not a single one did you respond to!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe Laird¡¯s words right now. He was cold toward me and ignored me at the club. After leaving me, he didn¡¯t give me any exnation. Then, what did he say-I¡¯m the sexiest girl in the world?


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you, haven¡¯t I? I acted that way because I don¡¯t like seeing you with n,¡± Laird said irritably this time.


    ¡°But do you really have to be so angry with me to ignore me like that? Do you think I¡¯m just trash that you can discard whenever you don¡¯t like?¡± I bombarded him with questions.


    ¡°And now you¡¯re praising me when your body is tired and sleepy? Are you hoping I¡¯ll be swayed again?¡± I asked rhetorically.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant. Besides, why do youpare yourself with trash? Who said I was throwing you away?¡± Laird asked, sounding pitiful.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one treating me like trash! You left me just like that without any exnation at the club,¡± I snapped, still annoyed at Laird.


    ¡°Fine, I apologize. Jealousy overcame me to the point where I treated you like that. But, believe me, I had no intention of pushing you away,¡± Laird said slowly.


    ¡°If you didn¡¯t intend to push me away, then why did you just leave me like that?¡± I asked again.


    ¡°Okay, Fene. I apologize. I promise not to do it again,¡± said the blond man.


    I stared at Laird closely, noticing his green eyes. I really wanted to believe him. I wanted to ept his apology, but my heart still felt uneasy. Anxiety continued to gnaw at my heart.


    ¡°You know, Laird. This is the third time you¡¯ve just left me like that. You always do this; every time you face a problem, you choose to leave me alone without discussing it with me first,¡± I said with a high tone this time.


    ¡°Three times?¡± Laird asked, confused.


    ¡°Yes, three times. First, do you remember the day we kissed for the first time in 9th grade? That night your mom was caught cheating, and the next day you asked me to stay away from you. You chose to run and leave me.¡±


    Laird sighed. ¡°Fene, I¡¯ve told you, right? It¡¯s because I didn¡¯t want you to get involved in my problems. I didn¡¯t want to drag you down to my problems. I didn¡¯t deserve to take away what you should have. Without me, you could be freer to do what you want.¡±


    ¡°But what I want is to be with you!¡± I insisted.


    ¡°After that, I didn¡¯t distance myself from you anymore, did I? I encouraged you to study because you were so stubborn about entering the same high school as me.¡±


    We fell silent again to absorb all of this conversation. I still felt thirsty for an exnation from Laird, but it seemed he was really tired. He was unfocused, as was I. But I felt the need to rify this. I felt like this was my only chance to gain recognition from him for everything he had done for me.


    ¡°Leaving me alone repeatedly-that¡¯s not polite, Laird. I don¡¯t need your half-hearted kindness like this,¡± I pouted.


    ¡°Tonight you helped me, praised me, and made me feel important. Thenter, when things don¡¯t go your way or when you¡¯re angry with me, you¡¯ll leave me alone again.¡± I wiped the tears from my cheeks.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can handle a rtionship like that. I don¡¯t want to keep going around on the same issues,¡± I whispered softly.


    ¡°Goodbye, Laird,¡± I said with tears on my cheeks.

 Winning Him

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I opened the car door on my side and quickly got out of the red Ferrari. I mmed the door shut and hurriedly ran towards the door of my apartment. My hands hugged me tightly as the uncontroble tears resurfaced. Then I quickly unlocked the apartment door and entered the stairwell.


    ¡°Fene! Wait!¡±


    Laird seemed to be chasing after me, but I didn¡¯t care about him. I quickly walked up the stairs as fast as I could until I reached the third floor. Apparently, Laird was still following me all the way to the end of the third floor.


    I gasped for breath after climbing the stairs as fast as I could. When I turned around, Laird had caught up to me and grabbed my hand.


    ¡°Fene. Why are you still angry?¡±


    Laird was also out of breath, but he held onto my arm tightly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already apologized, right? So please, don¡¯t be angry again. I swear I won¡¯t leave you again, no matter what problems we may face in the future.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s all just empty promises, you might as well stop,¡± I insisted, pulling my hand back from his grip. I rushed back to the door of my room.


    Laird then chased me to the door of my room. He caught up to me again and held both of my arms this time.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t go. Don¡¯t say goodbye. I don¡¯t want that. Please, I might go crazy if I have to lose you again this time,¡± Laird pleaded, shaking his head.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know I always think of you. I¡¯ve tried to forget you repeatedly, but I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t lose you again after I chased you to New York.¡± Laird hugged me tightly and whispered softly in my ear.


    ¡°You chased me to New York?¡± I asked, stuttering.


    Was that true? Was what he said true? I wanted to believe his words. I wanted to hug Laird back to once again be swayed by his sweet words.


    ¡°Yes. After finishingw school, I went straight to New York to find you. I left home even though my father asked me to stay in Boston. Because I insisted, he eventually opened a new branch office in New York so that I could still be under his supervision.¡±


    Laird still held me tightly and then stepped back. His hands cupped my cheeks and wiped away my tears.


    ¡°That¡¯s why, Fene. I beg you, don¡¯t leave me.¡± He pleaded with me.


    ¡°I was wrong to be jealous of n. I didn¡¯t think it would hurt you this much. I thought you were having fun with that guy and forgetting about me. I was angry and took it out on you. Forgive me,¡± he whispered sweetly.


    ¡°But what if we face problems again? What if you leave me alone again? What if you tell me to leave you again when you¡¯re in trouble?¡± I asked amidst my crying.


    ¡°No. I swear. I won¡¯t leave you again. We will face everything together, like you¡¯ve always wanted since the beginning. Even if I had fallen into poverty, even if I had been in an ident and be disabled, even if I had been sick, I would not have told you to leave me.¡±Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Laird hugged me tightly again and let me cry on his chest. His hands gently and lovingly caressed my head. He kissed my forehead for a long time until I hugged him back tightly as well.


    ¡°So, did I really win you over? Am I truly the sexiest girl in the world?¡± I asked while still hugging him tightly.


    ¡°Yes. You win. You are the most beautiful girl in the world to me. I will never let you go again,¡± Laird said, stepping back and looking into my eyes. His thumbs continued to wipe away my never-ending tears.


    ¡°That¡¯s why, I beg you, don¡¯t say goodbye. Stay by my side,¡± he pleaded with me.


    I gazed into Laird¡¯s eyes and nodded my head. Slowly, a faint smile spread across my face, and Laird immediately kissed the corner of my eye. Then his lips moved down to kiss my cheek, then to the corner of my mouth.


    He then kissed my lips softly. Very gently, as if he would never hurt me again.


    ¡°Do you remember what you said at the club earlier? You said you would be my ve forever,¡± I whispered softly.


    ¡°Ah, yes, of course. Even without you performing that act, I am ready to be your servant forever,¡± Laird said, smiling at me, and I chuckled softly at him.


    ¡°In that case, from now on, you have to obey mymands, Laird. You promised that,¡± I said with a teasing grin.


    ¡°Yes. Whatever it is, just say it.¡± Laird nodded with a wide smile.


    ¡°In that case, now carry me into my room. You will sleep here and spend the night with me. You are not allowed to leave until I give you permission to go,¡± I said with determination.


    ¡°Alright, mdy,¡± Laird then carried me in his arms, bridal style, with both hands.


    I smiled and kissed Laird¡¯s chin. Then, one of my hands unlocked the apartment door by pressing the number buttons.


    ¡°Remember the password so you can enter it by yourself next time,¡± I said.


    ¡°1011?¡± Laird asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Your birthday is indeed a beautiful number that is easy to remember any time,¡± I said with a wide grin.


    ¡°So, you always remember me too,¡± Laird chuckled softly.


    ¡°Yes. How could I ever forget?¡± I asked rhetorically.


    We entered my room, and Laird closed the door by pushing it gently with his body. He walked slowly towards my room as per my instructions, asionally kissing my lips.


    Laird then gently seated me on the bed. Still kissing each other¡¯s lips and tongues, he removed my shoes. He paused briefly to take off his shoes and then immediately climbed on top of me as Iy on the bed.


    He continued to suck on my tongue, and his tongue explored the corners of my mouth. I clenched his hair with my hands, and exerting my strength, I flipped Laird¡¯s body until my hips straddled his. Iid my body on top of Laird¡¯s body and whispered in front of his lips.


    We were staring at each other, sharing the same vision in our hearts.


    ¡°From now on, you are my ve,¡± I said with a victorious smile.

 Flexible Position

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Laird and I were still busy savoring each other¡¯s tongues. I felt sensations with every lick, and it was as sweet as champagne. I still dominated Laird¡¯s body below mine, and he allowed me to crush him.


    ¡°Am I heavy?¡± I asked softly between our kisses.


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Laird replied.


    Then we continued what we had been doing for the past five minutes-kissing. Laird¡¯s hands caressed my back and waist, but I immediately grabbed his hands and firmly held them down on the bed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me. You just need to be silent and enjoy yourself without doing anything,¡± I said with a faint smile.


    ¡°Why?¡± Laird asked with his typical crooked smile.


    ¡°I am repaying a debt,¡± I said before sucking on Laird¡¯s neck.


    Laird restrained a groan and chose to exhale heavily. My tongue yed and twirled on Laird¡¯s neck up to his ear. Laird¡¯s body trembled slightly, and his legs writhed, trapping my legs nestled between his.


    Laird¡¯s hands went back to caressing my shoulders, and he slowly tried to unzip the bolero jacket I was wearing. Without much talking, I straightened my body and removed my bolero jacket. Then I turned my back toward Laird.


    ¡°Help me unzip it,¡± Imanded, amand immediately followed by Laird.


    Laird¡¯s fingers touching my back as he unzipped the jacket sent me a tickling sensation. But tonight was not just about me. I wanted to prioritize Laird as my way of thanking him for always helping me.


    So I took off my dress over my head and tossed it carelessly on the floor. When all that remained was the sexy lingerie set designed by Oscar, I released Laird¡¯s hands from my bra sp.


    ¡°No, sir. You are not allowed to touch me until I give permission,¡± I said with a mischievous smile as I removed Laird¡¯s white shirt.


    ¡°Oh,e on. That¡¯s called tormenting me, not repaying a debt.¡± Laird groaned impatiently, but eventually he lowered his hands as I pushed his body back to lie on the bed.


    Then I resumed nibbling on Laird¡¯s lips, our tongues teasing each other. I sucked on his tongue as if savoring the most delicious candy in the world, the sound of my sucking echoing sensually in my ears.


    Then I turned to explore Laird¡¯s jaw with my lips and tongue. Moving down to his neck, this time on the other side, I left a hickey at the base of his neck. Laird¡¯s hand slowly roamed and squeezed my breasts. The more he desired to cup my chest, the harder I sucked on his neck.


    After satisfying my new ownership mark, I returned to licking Laird¡¯s chest. Strands of his natural hair served as a guide for me to reach the first treasure on Laird¡¯s body.


    My tongue stopped at Laird¡¯s left nipple while my hand yed with his right nipple. Laird once again sighed quickly, his breath bing more hurried. His nipples stiffened, fueling my aggression as I circled them with my tongue, prompting his hand to stroke my neck again.


    Before I could be entranced by Laird¡¯s touch again, I decided to continue tracing down his chest to his notably defined abdominal muscles. I licked his firm abdominal muscles, descending further to the waistband of his ck jeans.


    ¡°Let me help,¡± I said as I undid Laird¡¯s belt and jeans button.


    Slowly, I carefully unzipped Laird¡¯s pants because the bulge beneath his underwear was already protruding. Just seeing that prominent bulge was enough to make me wet. Finally freeing Laird¡¯s erged and erect cock, which towered high from his body, he sighed in relief.


    ¡°Take off your pants,¡± Imanded softly.


    At mymand, Laird rose briefly and obeyed. He pulled off his jeans until he waspletely naked.


    ¡°Lie down, handsome,¡± Imanded once again in a deep tone.


    ¡°Damn, I like being ordered by you,¡± Laird said briefly beforeying himself on my bed.


    I then caressed his firm thighs, but his skin was very sensitive to my touch. My hand dove deeper into Laird¡¯s intimate area. His cock stood tall, as hard as a shrine of worship.


    I licked the tip of his cock slowly, which was starting to moisten with pre-cum. It tasted salty, but I liked it. I continued to lick and swirl my tongue at the tip of his cock until he writhed. His hands once again tried to touch my chest, but I pushed his hands back onto the bed.


    ¡°Cheater,¡± Laird said with a gasp.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have time for thatter. For now, be quiet and be an obedient servant,¡± I said teasingly.


    Without hesitation, I continued to torture Laird by sucking and licking his cock. Then my tongue moved further down and licked his tight balls up to the base. His body writhed again, and his thighs and buttocks tensed. He groaned each time my tongue and lips indulged in his balls.


    As I proceeded to engulf Laird¡¯s entire shaft, from tip to base, into my mouth, Laird groaned. While I pressed the upper part of my mouth up and down with the tip of his penis, my tongue moved to lick his hard shaft. This made Laird groan again in pleasure.


    ¡°Yes, Fene. How can you be so skilled?¡± Laird¡¯s gasping words were interrupted as his erection once again hit the roof of my mouth.


    I twisted my body so that my mouth and tongue could reach every part of his cock to the fullest. My lips folded inward and began to collide with his balls, and now the entire part of his shaft was enclosed within my mouth. Laird continued to gasp and moan as if flying high in pleasure.


    However, I became careless, as I felt I had given him enough pleasure. My pussy grew wetter, and my muscles tensed to fill the void within me. Understanding me, Laird now slipped his two fingers into my tight core, along with his thumb pressing on my clit.


    ¡°Laird!¡± I moaned loudly and automatically stopped sucking his cock.


    For a few minutes, I could only hold my breath while Laird thrust me with his skilled fingers.


    ¡°Yes!¡± I groaned in pleasure.


    He kept pleasuring my core until I screamed when I came. Wait, no, this is wrong. I should be the onemanding him and making him cum, not the other way around.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°Wait, I said not to touch me,¡± I eximed with a gasp.


    After a while, with a gentle pull, my hips were directed towards Laird¡¯s face. But my words were a littlete, as Laird promptly ced his tongue on my clit. The first lick made me jolt and moan loudly.


    The second and following licks made me groan with pleasure as if my body were about to explode. That¡¯s what happened when Laird inserted his tongue deeper into my pussy while his hand busily flicked my sensitive nub repeatedly with an amazing y.


    He did that on and on until the orgasmic explosion made my body tense with loud moans.


    ¡°Uh! Laird!¡±

 A Brat

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Was that the end? No. He acted as he pleased, pushing the actions he took toward me.


    His tongue is still ying between my clit and pussy. I squeezed his thighs tightly to find a grip as he pushed me towards the edge of pleasure, making me feel like I couldn¡¯t go back. But I resisted and had no intention of letting his defiance toward me continue.


    So I took back control of myself and seized control over Laird. I immediately sucked Laird¡¯s cock into my mouth and rubbed the tip against the deepest part of my mouth until I choked for a moment. Laird¡¯s tongue finally stopped licking my soft, red opening, and he writhed in my hands again.


    I started massaging his tense balls and the base of his member. I let my saliva naturally lubricate so I could massage around the base of his cock easily. My head was still busy moving up and down to rub my tongue and mouth over his cock until he groaned again.


    Laird¡¯s fingers briefly pressed on my clit until I couldn¡¯t hold back a moan. My hands then pped Laird¡¯s buttocks hard. Laird winced from the impact on his buttocks, but he retaliated with a hard p on my buttocks as well. I immediately turned my body around and straddled him once more.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a brat. Can¡¯t you just be quiet and obey?¡± I asked in between my gasping breaths.


    ¡°I just want to satisfy you, baby, please,¡± Laird said as he wiped the corner of my wet lips.


    I interrupted his words and kissed his lips again. I let him taste himself and the mixture of my own orgasm on his lips. My hips shifted closer to his.


    ¡°Tell me how much you want to satisfy me.¡± I asked, stroking Laird¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Can¡¯t I show it through actions?¡± Laird¡¯s hand returned to massage my breasts, and he continued to twirl both of my nipples.


    ¡°Only if you don¡¯t rush to end this,¡± I said, interrupted by moans as Laird once again made me cum just from his fingers ying with my nipples.


    ¡°No, baby. How can I when you¡¯re this sensitive? I still want to taste every inch of your body and cleanse every area touched by other men.¡± Then Laird lifted his body and pulled me close.


    Laird then licked my breasts, and slowly his hands removed my bra. I let him undress me, as his sucking on my breasts made me distracted. When the bra finally came off, Laird immediately sucked on my nipples forcefully.


    Our hips moved together to create friction outside of our genitals. No, I didn¡¯t want to rush to end this, even though I knew we were already exhausted. Even though his hard erection now threatens to enter my slick pussy, we didn¡¯t want to stop our little game.


    ¡°Oh, Laird,¡± I moaned in pleasure as he continued to awaken my desires.


    His tongue, mouth, and hands skillfully guided me to the peak of pleasure with suction, teasing, and agile licking. I held onto Laird¡¯s shoulders tightly until, once again, I reached orgasm.


    I eventually became impatient as well. Then I pulled up my hips, and my hand reached for Laird¡¯s hard shaft. Slowly, I inserted it into my pussy.


    We both moaned in pleasure as we finally merged fully andpletely. I rubbed my clit against Laird¡¯s balls. Once again, he groaned from the friction.


    ¡°Do you like it?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Love it,¡± Laird grimaced and moaned.


    Then I straddled him, moving my hips with rotations and thrusts that made him groan again.


    Laird¡¯s hands pulled at my waist, and his body rose to kiss me again. I ced both my hands on his shoulders, but that was a mistake. Laird pushed my body until I rolled over andy back on the bed.


    ¡°Laird. I warned you to be quiet and obey,¡± I hissed in annoyance.


    ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯m cut out to be submissive,¡± Laird whispered in my ear before licking my ear until I trembled.


    ¡°Kneel, Fene,¡± Lairdmanded me firmly in his deep voice.


    Whether Laird was indeed better suited to take over dominance, I immediately obeyed. I turned my body and kneeled. Laird¡¯s hand slowly pushed against my back, and he whispered.


    ¡°Bend over,¡± he said.


    So that¡¯s what I did. I obeyed without protest. I pressed my face and chest into the pillow while lifting my buttocks high. Laird spread my thighs wider and higher. Suddenly, that¡¯s when I screamed.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Laird thrust his cock forcefully into my wet pussy. I moaned as I felt an incredible sensation. It felt so deep, as if touching a part that had never been untouched by any man before.


    I bit my lower lip and tried to contain the scream threatening to escape my mouth as Laird moved his cock repeatedly to the deepest part of my core. I closed my eyelids and felt my eyes roll back in response to the intense pleasure I was experiencing.


    The pleasure was overwhelming. I closed my eyes and felt every tremor created in my body until I realized I had orgasmed again. Laird knew, and he continued to apany me until the entire peak of pleasure subsided.


    But it didn¡¯tpletely disappear because Laird managed to increase the pace of pleasure I was feeling. This time, Laird¡¯s hand wrapped around my waist, and then he rubbed my rosy bud vigorously while his other hand pinched my nipples. All done repeatedly as his cock moved faster, rougher, and deeper.


    ¡°La-Laird!¡± I finally couldn¡¯t hold my scream while Laird growled in a deep voice. I could feel how my explosion urges mixed with Laird¡¯s.


    Everything felt unreal, but the pleasure I felt was much higher than usual. This is insane! This is unreal! Laird continued to move his cock in and out slowly. He pped my buttocks and made my whole body copse onto the bed.


    Breathless, Laird finally withdrew his body and distanced himself from me. He grabbed a tissue from my nightstand, wiped his softened shaft, and then casually tossed the tissue onto my bedroom floor. Hey down on his back next to my exhausted body, lying face down.


    ¡°We are both exhausted. We should sleep now,¡± he said.


    Following his suggestion, without saying another word, I immediately turned my body, pulled the nket up to cover our chests, and closed my eyes next to Laird.

 Flash News

    Jessy¡¯s POV


    It was an emergency. Such a mess!


    ¡°1011,¡± I muttered softly.


    Oh, fortunately, Fene never changed the code to her apartment or her bank ount PIN. If I were evil enough, I would have emptied her bank ount and stolen some of her valuables, even though the girl barely had anything valuable except for expensive fashion items in her closet.


    ¡°Fene!¡±


    I immediately opened the door and entered Fene¡¯s apartment. As I entered, I immediately heard the sound of a running faucet in the bathroom. I walked further into the apartment and knocked on Fene¡¯s bathroom door.


    ¡°Fene, dear? Are you okay?¡± I asked loudly.


    The bathroom door opened from the inside. My mouth fell open, and my eyes widened in amazement at what I saw. I held my breath.


    ¡°Oh, my sweet Lord,¡± my mouth whispered loudly on its own.


    ¡°Uh, Jessy? You know her password too,¡± asked the blond-haired man in front of me.


    ¡°I do, and I¡¯d enter 24/7 whenever you¡¯re here,¡± I said to the man, and then calmed myself by biting my index finger.


    My head immediately started spinning. How could it not?


    Out of nowhere, I saw a handsome man with wet blond hair and sparkling green eyes, bare-chested, with only a towel covering his waist to his knees. Did I not mistakenly see fine, curly hairs peeking from beneath the towel around his chiseled abdomen?


    Oh, Lord, your creations are truly beautiful! His shoulder muscles were strong, his chest broad, his stomach tight, and his arms like sculptures of Hercules! How could I not feel dizzy seeing such a sight right in front of me in the morning?!


    ¡°Jessy?¡± Fene emerged from her bedroom with half-closed eyes. She frowned at her rather minimal outfit: a ck tank top and ck underwear.


    ¡°Oh, well, of course, that little vixen got him first,¡± I said with both eyes rolling upwards.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you just saw my message this morning. Where were you? Last night was really serious.¡± Fene snapped as she stomped towards me.


    Laird walked into the bedroom and closed the door. Damn! No chance to peek!


    Fene then approached me and sat down beside me on the sofa, still grumbling as usual.


    ¡°Yeah, right,st night was really serious,¡± I said sarcastically.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that! Last night was a true emergency. I panicked because I couldn¡¯t reach you,¡± Fene grumbled irritably.


    ¡°Forgive me. Mike wouldn¡¯t let me go and kept me busy all night. He said I shouldn¡¯t disturb you and n. He also turned off my phone and got me drunk.¡±


    ¡°Seriously, I called and texted you right after I read your message this morning. Since your phone was off, I hurried here,¡± I retorted.


    ¡°But hey, surprise! It turns out you¡¯re okay with Laird.¡± I sneered irritably, but Fene shook her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m not okay!¡±


    Then Fene recounted all the events ofst night until she was escorted to the apartment by Laird. The color drained from my face, and my lips went numb. My mouth hung open again after hearing about that extraordinary night.


    ¡°Oh dear, what a mess!¡± I sighed in frustration.


    I massaged my forehead with both hands. This time I was truly dizzy from having to think so hard early in the morning.


    I immediately contacted Robin, Gene¡¯s former officialwyer, who had contracted with Ms. L. I exined the situation to Robin, but he supported Laird taking over as n¡¯swyer for this trial.


    ¡°Robin said Laird¡¯s actions were correct. That¡¯s the quickest way to get n out of custody and ensure you won¡¯t be bothered anymore.¡± I sighed in frustration.


    ¡°And on top of that, n hasn¡¯t signed a contract extension with Robin¡¯sw firm because his contract expired when Ms. L sold Gene to n. This means Gene currently doesn¡¯t have awyer to handle legal matters. What a mess!¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    I groaned, and Fene bit her lip in panic. I pped my own face.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be Gene¡¯s and n¡¯s personalwyer.¡± Laird suddenly joined our conversation as he emerged from the room.


    ¡°Oh, has n signed a contract with you?¡± I asked Laird.


    ¡°He has,¡± he said, handing me a small piece of paper.


    I took the paper and once again could only gape in confusion at its contents. Fene also read the paper in my hands.


    A nk check with n¡¯s signature and his full name already written. The recipient¡¯s line was filled in in n¡¯s handwriting with Laird¡¯s full name.


    ¡°Look on the back,¡± Laird said.


    So I turned over the check. The memo line was filled with the following words: ¡®By this, I appoint Laird Evans as Gene¡¯swyer and my personalwyer.¡¯


    ¡°Can this be considered a valid contract?¡± Fene asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Yes, a simple one. He wanted to tell me that when I cash this check, I be Gene¡¯s officialwyer and his personalwyer for the uing trial.¡± Laird slouched beside Fene.


    ¡°He has also signed the preliminary trial filing documents with me as hiswyer. Your impounded car as evidence is still named under Gene¡¯s office, so I also have to arrange for it to be released from the precinct,¡± he said.


    ¡°Oh my. He¡¯s more messed up than Ms. L,¡± Imented quietly.


    ¡°Say it to his face. He¡¯ll justugh at you as if he¡¯s a sociopath who doesn¡¯t care about anyone else¡¯s feelings,¡± Laird saidzily.


    Finally, we came to the same conclusion.


    ¡°We¡¯ll keep quiet about Fene in the hearing and let n take the me,¡± Laird exined.


    ¡°Only then can he be freed from custody. Then he¡¯ll be scheduled for a first trial, plead guilty, pay fines, andply with whatever the judge decides for him.¡±


    ¡°After that, can we be free?¡± Fene asked.


    ¡°Yup,¡± Laird said firmly.


    ¡°Okay. At least I have to make sure the PR department keeps n¡¯s scandal under control,¡± I said, starting to look for Gene¡¯s PR contact number.


    ¡°So, I won¡¯t get caught?¡± Fene asked again with concern on her face.


    ¡°Yes, dear, you¡¯ll be fine. Trust me and Laird,¡± I said slowly, squeezing the poor girl¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°There¡¯s just one thing bothering me, Laird. Are you really going to take on Gene Talent Management and n as your official clients?¡± I asked again to be sure of the man.


    ¡°No other way. For now, I¡¯ll ept them until n¡¯s trial is over, but after that, I¡¯ll resign. You¡¯ll have to find anotherwyer,¡± he said.


    ¡°Because I¡¯ll also make Fene my personal client,¡± he added.


    ¡°Your personal client? For what?¡± Fene asked, pointing at herself.


    ¡°Of course, to protect you if there are any future legal issues arising between you and Gene because of this case,¡± Laird exined.


    ¡°Can I afford it?¡± Fene asked me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll give you a big discount. No need to worry about that,¡± Laird reassured us with his trademark lopsided smile.


    ¡°Oh, thank goodness. You¡¯ll get more projects as Gene¡¯s main model. So, you really do need a personalwyer, Fene,¡± I said convincingly to Fene.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Fene nodded, greeted with a smile from Laird.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to contact the administrative staff to prepare a proper contract with you, Laird,¡± I added.


    ¡°Ugh, damn! n hasn¡¯t even hired a personal secretary to handle the documents,¡± I grumbled irritably at the man behind bars.


    Really, he¡¯s a mess! I have to start being more cautious with n.

 Bail Out

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°All rise!¡±


    Everyone seated in the courtroom stood up. Jessy, Mike, Laird, and I sat together on the same long bench. In other seats, several people seemed to be observing the open trial as well.


    There were about six long wooden benches filled to capacity in this small courtroom. Most seemed to be family and friends of the defendants who were to be tried this morning by Judge Brown.


    Judge Brown was an elderly woman, perhaps in her fifties or older. Her hair was styled in short, dark brown curls, and she wore brown sses. As she sat in the highest chair in the room, she motioned for the audience to sit back down.


    ¡°The State of New York vs. n Schmidt.¡±


    Laird then stood up and walked forward past the wooden barrier. He stood waiting as the bailiff brought n into the room. Shortly thereafter, n entered the room wearing a white shirt and gray pants.


    ¡°Did he change clothes?¡± I whispered to Jessy.


    ¡°Yes, Mike brought clean clothes for him this morning,¡± Jessy replied.


    ¡°Do you think he looks thinner?¡± I asked Jessy.


    ¡°It seems so. But n told Mike that the police gave him enough food.¡± Jessy frowned in concern.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I winced sympathetically at n¡¯s condition. Yes, he still looked handsome and confident, but it was clear his attire wasn¡¯t as neat as usual. His beard looked longer, and his curly hair was only partiallybed back, not falling perfectly on his face like usual.


    What had the cells done to him in those two days? My guilt towards n grew stronger. I then made a small promise to myself toply with n¡¯s every wish, at least until the final trial was over.


    ¡°Are you here for the pretrial for the bail hearing, Mr. Schmidt?¡± Judge Brown asked n.


    ¡°Yes,¡± n replied shortly.


    Laird whispered something to n, and then n quickly corrected himself more formally.


    ¡°Yes, Your Honor,¡± he corrected.


    Judge Brown herself seemed not to be too concerned with the issue of honorifics. She was more focused on reading the case files on her desk.


    ¡°Your Honor, may I shed some light on this case?¡± Laird requested.


    ¡°Yes, please, Mr. Evans.¡± Judge Brown nodded and looked up at Laird.


    ¡°Mr. Schmidt has been detained in the precinct cell for two days. He has no criminal record, and this is his first DUI case. Mr. Schmidt has only received a few tickets, all of which have been settled a long time ago,¡± Lairdid out the facts he had gathered.


    ¡°So, I hope Your Honor will consider Mr. Schmidt¡¯s good record,¡± Laird requested.


    ¡°What about the assault on the police officer, Mr. Schmidt?¡± Judge Brown asked n again.


    ¡°If I may exin, Your Honor.¡± Judge Brown nodded, allowing n to speak.


    ¡°I was intoxicated and lost control, especially after the police officer who arrested us was suspicious and demeaning towards my friend who was sitting in the car,¡± n exined calmly.


    ¡°She had nothing to do with the ident, but the officer¡¯s words offended me. I only intended to protect my friend. You know how it is when a man is drunk,¡± n chuckled softly. ¡°Your Honor.¡±


    Since no one elseughed, n fell silent again with a tense expression. Laird gave n a sharp look to keep him from speaking further.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Mr. Schmidt. The prosecutor and the arresting officer seem to disagree with your statement. If we want to know the truth about what happened, then we¡¯ll have to hold several examination hearings.¡± Judge Brown appeared unsympathetic toward n.


    ¡°Your Honor, my client will not waste our time and will plead guilty. He assures me he will arrive on time for the next scheduled trial and will notplicate the proceedings.¡± Laird seemed to be negotiating with the judge.


    Honestly, I didn¡¯t understand why the trial could be soplicated. It was as if they had hidden intentions that could only be understood by legal experts up there.


    ¡°I see there are small damages to public facilities due to this ident, so I will prioritize setting his bail amount to ensure the repair of the affected public facilities. Is that eptable, Mr. Schmidt?¡± The judge asked n again.


    Laird whispered to n, and n nodded his head.


    ¡°Yes, Your Honor,¡± n replied.


    ¡°In that case, I set the bail amount for suspended detention at $2, 000 until the next trial date.¡±


    The judge immediately struck the gavel decisively. n was then escorted back by the bailiff to the back door of the courtroom. Laird whispered something to n again, then returned to his seat to join us.


    ¡°That was quite quick.¡± I sighed in relief.


    ¡°Yes. Wait for me outside the courtroom. I¡¯ll handle n¡¯s documents first to pick him up. It may take about an hour,¡± Laird said as he ushered us all out of the courtroom.


    Laird rested his hand on my waist as we walked out. Just before we opened the courtroom door, Jessy suddenly held onto my shoulder.


    ¡°Oh, no, Fene! Don¡¯t go out yet!¡± Jessy drew in a breath as he looked at his phone screen.


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked confusedly.


    ¡°There are many reporters outside. The public rtions department said the reporters are waiting for you and n to give a statement,¡± Jessy said, biting his lip.


    ¡°In that case, what should we do?¡± I asked, also puzzled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say anything. Just go straight to the car and head home. We¡¯ll meet at n¡¯s house,¡± Laird quickly instructed me and Jessy.


    ¡°But won¡¯t n be upset if he doesn¡¯t see us picking him up here?¡± I asked them again.


    ¡°I¡¯ll exin this condition to nter. You guys just go home first. Come on, I¡¯ll escort you to the car,¡± Laird said.


    I then stood closer to Laird¡¯s side. Jessy stood next to me to fend off the reporters. When the courtroom door opened, Mike immediately ran through the crowd to get the car from the parking lot.


    About a dozen reporters greeted us with shing camera lights. They shouted questions at me and didn¡¯t stop until we walked into the courthouse lobby.


    There was even a paparazzi who had deliberatelyid down on the bottom step of the courthouse stairs. Perhaps to photograph the inside of my skirt. When it turned out I was wearing long pants and a dark brown zer, the paparazzi with the camera stood up again, cursing disappointedly at me.


    I didn¡¯t expect to be highlighted in this small scandal. Although I felt guilty towards n, there was nothing I could do but obey Laird and get away from the New York courthouse as quickly as possible.

 Love Arrows

    Laird¡¯s POV


    I waited in front of the temporary detainee waiting room. Afterpleting several document verification processes and paying the bail, I was able to take n home. If only I hadn¡¯t promised Fene to meet her at n¡¯s house, I would have just left him to take a taxi home.


    After waiting for about fifteen minutes, he finally emerged from the door, apanied by two police officers. n might have thanked or said some nonsense to the two officers. I patiently waited for him to finish chatting.


    ¡°Here¡¯s my bestwyer, Mr. Evans.¡± n stretched out his arms sideways with a broad smile.


    Was he going to hug me? I snorted as he walked closer and actually attempted to hug me. I stared sharply with an expressionless face, not interested in his feigned familiarity.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like hugs?¡± he asked, his hands still raised in the air.


    ¡°There is no need for hugs. Come on, let¡¯s go to your house,¡± I said, nodding my head towards the exit.


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re the type who¡¯s a bit hard to get along with,¡± he said with a shrug.


    I remained silent, ignoring n, and chose to continue walking out of the courthouse. n initially continued to analyze my personality like a psychologist, but I ignored him. Eventually, he grew bored with himself and fell silent.


    When we reached the parking area, n immediately voiced his protest, which I could no longer ignore.


    ¡°Wait a minute! Where¡¯s Mike? Where are Jessy and Fene? They promised to pick me up.¡± n frowned, looking around.


    I continued to ignore him, and I unlocked my car. Not a red Ferrari, but a regr silver sedan simr to a dozen other cars in the parking lot.


    ¡°Are they nning a surprise now? Come on, guys, I¡¯m here. Throw confetti and open champagne now.¡± n spoke loudly to himself but received no response.


    I got into the car, started the engine, and rolled down the window on the passenger side. I just smiled awkwardly and let the crazy man drown in his hallucination that there would be many people waiting for him toe out of the cell.


    ¡°Hey, Mr. Schmidt! Are you getting in or not?¡± I asked, leaning my head out of the window.


    ¡°Where are they?¡± n asked, confused.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°They¡¯ve gone home because many reporters were wanting to cover your case,¡± I replied loudly.


    ¡°Then where are the reporters?¡±


    Seriously? Again, I could only furrow my brows with my mouth agape. It seemed this man was indeed attention-seeking.


    Not wanting to engage further, I shook my head and closed the car window. I slowly moved out of the parking lot, nearly brushing against n. Fortunately, he was quick enough to dodge my car.


    I moved slowly, and when it seemed like I wouldn¡¯t stop, n finally shouted at me and chased after me. He pounded on the door, and I finally hit the brakes, unlocked the door, and let him in.


    ¡°Are you crazy for leaving me alone there? What if there were reporters who saw and reported that I was abandoned by my ownwyer?¡± n demanded angrily.


    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want toe with me.¡± I shrugged and began driving towards n¡¯s house.


    ¡°Assumptions will only ruinmunication. Yetmunication is essential to maintaining rtionships,¡± n said, lifting his chin.


    ¡°What rtionship?¡± I askedzily.


    ¡°Any rtionship. In our case, it¡¯s a long-term rtionship between a client and hiswyer,¡± n said confidently.


    ¡°I think our rtionship can¡¯t be categorized as long-term. I¡¯ll quit right after you¡¯re sentenced by the judge next month,¡± I said quickly.


    ¡°Why? Haven¡¯t we been working quite well together?¡± n asked, puzzled.


    Oh, fuck. This man was truly delusional. From the beginning, we¡¯ve always argued, and I¡¯ve clearly shown my dislike for him.


    ¡°I just want to save my mental health,¡± I replied, shrugging.


    ¡°Besides, I only got mywyer¡¯s license six months ago. If you want someone more experienced to handle Gene¡¯s office and all the models in it, I can introduce you to my colleague at a firm specializing in civilw.¡±


    ¡°Oh, nonsense! You already have my trust and Fene¡¯s. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re capable,¡± n insisted, swinging his hands in the air.


    ¡°Tell me, how much is your monthly sry? I¡¯ll give you the equivalent,¡± n pushed.


    I shook my head with a wry smile. My mind was only wondering about the origins of n¡¯s excessive self-confidence.


    ¡°How much? $10, 000? $15, 000?¡± n guessed.


    ¡°Stop it. Whatever you pay, I won¡¯t be Gene¡¯swyer,¡± I said firmly.


    ¡°What if you just became my personal assistant? I need someone who can drive me, manage documents for me, and answer my calls,¡± he grinned widely this time.


    At this point, I realized he was just trying to belittle me. Perhaps he wanted to find out the value of my monthly sry topare it with his. Now, he had clearly underestimated me by offering me a position as his personal assistant.


    I sighed and remained patient, not to be easily provoked by his bad joke.


    ¡°As I said, I¡¯m inexperienced, especially as a personal assistant. You should find someone else who is more skilled in that field,¡± I calmly responded.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that unfair? Mike said you were willing to be Fene¡¯s personalwyer.¡± n raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Mike?¡± I was surprised to hear that.


    ¡°Yes. Mike told me that. Is it true?¡± n insisted.


    Damn. How did he know? Then my mind immediately used the only other person who knew about it besides Fene. Especially if that person had a habit of leaking secrets with his big mouth.


    ¡°That was a special case,¡± I said, clearing my throat shortly.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t tell me you two have made up because of this case.¡± n dug for more information.


    I didn¡¯t answer at all, but it seemed he immediately drew conclusions from my silent attitude towards him.


    ¡°Good then. You two do get along.¡±


    Even though he said words of praise, his tone was t. Not like his usual high-toned speech with added arrogance in every word.


    Okay, he didn¡¯t like me, and I didn¡¯t like him. Even so, I didn¡¯t think I needed to pay too much attention to his opinion, and I was sure Fene wouldn¡¯t hold him in high regard either.


    ¡°Turns out I¡¯m a cupid, while I¡¯ve run out of arrows for myself. The world is indeed unfair,¡± he said, this time with a mncholic tone.


    ¡°Ah, this is Fene¡¯s favorite song,¡± he said.


    He then turned up the radio volume button to fill the silence in the car. n hummed softly, singing the lyrics of a male singer that sounded smooth to my ears. I didn¡¯t know the singer or the song, so I just stayed silent, letting n drown in his own silence.


    Finally, some peace.

 Special Code

    Laird¡¯s POV


    ¡°Wee!¡±


    Fene shouted loudly alongside Jessy and Mike. All three of them popped small confetti until colorful papers scattered at n¡¯s house entrance. n, of course, immediately squealed, his mouth wide open and his eyes fluttering.


    ¡°Oh my, you guys set this up? What a surprise!¡± n eximed as he hugged each of them one by one. Fortunately, he only briefly hugged Fene.


    ¡°Yes, of course, a surprise,¡± I said skeptically, standing behind n.


    ¡°Of course. Sessfully getting out of detention is something worth celebrating,¡± Jessy cheered enthusiastically.


    Mike grabbed a bottle of champagne and two clear sses. Jessy also fetched three clear sses for me and Fene. She epted the ss from Jessy, unlike me, who declined.


    ¡°No, thank you. I still have to go to the office after this,¡± I quickly said to Jessy.


    Though I also wanted to drink the champagne, I remembered I still had to organize n¡¯s documents. Then I had to report to my boss and read the new documents that hade in this morning. I could only understand the three people who didn¡¯t have to go back to the office like me, and I even had a twinge of envy for them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s ignore that stick in the mud,¡± said n as Mike shook the champagne for a moment.


    Mike raised his thumb from the champagne bottle, and a ¡®pop¡¯ sound was heard loud and satisfying. The bottle cap flew into the ceiling, and Mike immediately sprayed champagne on n¡¯s face. They shouted with joy together while I ran backward to avoid the golden liquid spray.


    But, of course, Mike would not let me escape. So Mike sprayed champagne toward me.


    ¡°Stop! I still have to go to the office! Are you crazy?¡± I protested loudly to him.


    My hand was raised to ward off the spray of champagne into my face, but of course, the action was futile. My face and hair were immediately wet and sticky. The suit I wore also became a victim of his mischief.


    Mike was still shaking the champagne and spraying it on everyone with loudughter. Fene, n, and Jessy could onlyugh and shout happily. Yeah, that¡¯s good.


    After Mike stopped shaking, finally the flow of champagne subsided, and Mike began pouring champagne into their sses. n smiled and raised his ss toward us.


    ¡°Thank you to my friends. Your support has been my hope in difficult times in detention,¡± n said.


    ¡°Overacting,¡± I muttered quietly to myself with both hands sped in front of my chest.


    ¡°Toast!¡± n eximed, and they drank champagne together.


    I just watched them from the corner of the door while I removed my sticky and damp zer. I hung the zer on my arm. After they finished their sses, I approached them again.


    ¡°Where¡¯s the bathroom?¡± I asked Jessy.


    ¡°There, at the end, turn left,¡± he replied.


    I quickly walked away from them and entered the toilet. While they still sounded joking, I cleaned myself from the remains of champagne on my face and hair.


    ***


    After making sure my face, hair, and shirt cor were clean again, I left the bathroom. I immediately found all three of them sitting on the living room sofa. They were still chatting when I sat next to Fene.


    ¡°Once again, thank you, n. I promise to work hard to repay your kindness to me,¡± Fene said to n.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll do anything to protect you, Fene,¡± n said with a broad smile.


    The man¡¯s eyes then nced at me, and he smirked arrogantly. I just stayed silent and let the man take credit as Fene¡¯s hero. At this point, I started to not care about him. Moreover, I¡¯m sure Fene still likes me more than n.


    ¡°Forget about this case. I am more interested in Oscar¡¯s opinion and the main model contracts. How about Jessy?¡± n asked Jessy.


    ¡°Oh, yes, as per your instructions yesterday. I have spoken with Oscar, and he is ready to make Fene the brand ambassador for his clothing brand and club,¡± he exined.


    ¡°Also, because public rtions sessfully shifted the issue to you, people are starting to believe again and are willing to continue offering projects to Fene. We just need to give them an answerter,¡± Jessy imed.


    ¡°What about that TV series producer? Do you still want to try for a small role from him?¡± n asked Fene this time.


    ¡°Yes, n. I still want to try it,¡± Fene answered confidently.


    ¡°I¡¯ve contacted him, and he asked to meet Fene again on Thursday,¡± Jessy said.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, then,¡± n said with a short nod.


    ¡°What role?¡± I asked Fene.


    ¡°Oh, that. I want to try acting. Yesterday there was a producer who came to the party and briefly offered me a cameo role in one of the TV series he handled,¡± Fene exined with a shy tone on her face.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that fun? Seeing Fene on TV?¡± n chuckled.


    ¡°Is that possible, n? Ms. L used to say I should focus on my modeling career,¡± Fene asked hesitantly.


    ¡°Yes, of course. I¡¯m not like Ms. L, who likes to categorize things as ck or white. I prefer shades of gray.¡± n then nced at me and stared at my eyes for a long time.


    I just raised my eyebrow in confusion at n¡¯s attitude towards me. Unlike me, Jessy and Fene seemed tough happily. n poured the champagne back into his ss and sipped it.


    ¡°Thank goodness then,¡± Fene said, still with a cheerfulugh.


    ¡°I¡¯ve said, haven¡¯t I? I will give anything my top model wants,¡± n said, crossing his legs on the sofa and smiling.


    ¡°Because of that, Laird, we have to finalize her contract. Is a month enough to finish extending the new contract?¡± n asked me.


    ¡°Even if I refuse and say it¡¯s not enough, you will still force me, right?¡± I askedzily.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes. Moreover, this is about Fene. You said you would be Fene¡¯s personalwyer. So, like it or not, you have to handle her contract,¡± n said firmly to me.


    ¡°Is that right, Fene? You will appoint Laird as yourwyer to negotiate the contract extension with Gene, right?¡± n asked, still smiling.


    ¡°Yes, Laird. You will be mywyer, right?¡± Fene asked me with her eyes wide.

 Wild Drive

    Laird¡¯s POV


    I now understand how n arranges everything to go ording to his wishes. He may have arranged three to five steps ahead so that Fene, who is naive, agrees with him. I, who would not leave Fene, finally had to be dragged along. But, of course, I also have my own way of fighting this man.


    ¡°Sure.¡± I nodded quietly with a thin smile at my girl.


    ¡°Yeah! This should be celebrated!¡± n eximed cheerfully.


    ¡°I think the celebration is enough. You should rest, n. You too, Fene. Let¡¯s go home.¡± I crushed their hope for celebration.


    ¡°Oh,e on, Laird! You are really the party pooper!¡± n protested at me as I got up from my seat.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you expect me to finalize all the contracts between Gene and all your talents? Not to mention the DUI case.¡±


    ¡°How can I handle everything in a month if you keep inviting me to celebrate it?¡± I argued, raising my brow.


    ¡°Okay, but why does Fene have toe along now? Jessy can take herter,¡± n argued with me again.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you get drunk together again. Who knows what crazy ideas you¡¯ll blow on my girl?¡±


    ¡°My girl¡­¡± Fene murmured with a red hue on her cheek.


    ¡°But we still want to discuss the contract offer,¡± n insisted.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, n. Laird is right. You¡¯ve juste out of detention. You need rest. We can discuss it again tomorrow at the office,¡± Fene hurriedly intervened between us and got up from the sofa.


    ¡°Oh, about that, I also remember. I have an appointment to interview your assistant candidate, n,¡± Jessy quickly said, getting up from the couch too.


    Seeing the three of us standing up and insisting on leaving, n then fell silent. He stared at me, and I purposely disyed a smug smile. This time, I won. I guessed Fene would clearly support me.


    ¡°Okay. Go on, all of you,¡± n waved his hand.


    We rushed out of n¡¯s house. Fene even hugged my arm and made me have to keep pace with her while Jessy walked behind us. Fene joined me in my sedan, while Jessy left with his car.


    ¡°Thank goodness everything went smoothly,¡± Fene said with a sweet smile on her beautiful face.


    ¡°Yes. But I hope, next time, you can understand and obey me sooner without me having to mention the code,¡± I said as I started the car engine.


    ¡°What code?¡± Fene asked.


    ¡°My girl,¡± I said with a mischievous grin.


    ¡°Do you consider that a code?¡± she asked with a blush on her cheeks.


    ¡°Yes. The proof is that you immediately defended me after I mentioned that code,¡± I said with a wry smile as I began to reverse the car onto n¡¯s front street.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m not quick to defend you. I should have listened to you,¡± Fene said as she watched me closely.


    I turned to look at her and noticed Fene¡¯s guilty expression. Of course, I felt sorry for her, and I easily melted at her pleading face. My hand cupped her cheek, and I leaned in to kiss Fene¡¯s lips. The girl flinched for a moment, but she did not reject me.


    I nibbled on Fene¡¯s lush, reddish lower lip. Then she opened her mouth wider. My tongue immediately entered her mouth, and I felt her tongue. The sour and sweet taste of leftover champagne immediately intoxicated me.


    Our kiss grew hotter and quickly ignited my passion. Fene moaned and became more aggressive, licking my tongue. Even her hand suddenly reached for the base of my hardening pants and caressed it, making me moan impatiently as well. I stepped back and released the girl from my embrace.


    ¡°I still have to take you back to your apartment,¡± I said quickly.


    ¡°I promise to go slowly,¡± she said as she unfastened my pants.


    Fene¡¯s hand massaged my still-covered erection beneath my pants. Then she slowly unbuckled my belt, unbuttoned my pants, and slowly unzipped them. Once again, she caressed my cock through my boxer, and I squirmed with ticklish delight as the pressure became more pronounced on my member.


    When Fene finally danced down my boxer, I tried to lift my hips slightly so the waistband of my underwear could slide down further. My erection was now exposed to the air for Fene to see.


    ¡°Easy, girl. Our journey is still about 20 minutes,¡± I said, restraining myself to focus on driving the car from n¡¯s house to Fene¡¯s apartment.


    ¡°Uh, huh,¡± Fene murmured just before she licked the tip of my cock.


    The first wet touch made me flinch again. Fortunately, the route I had to take at the moment was just a straight four miles.


    Fene then boldly took the tip of my cock into her mouth, and I immediately felt the arousing pleasure. My hands still gripped the steering wheel firmly, although my hips and buttocks tensed.


    As Fene¡¯s mouth enveloped my entire shaft, my blood felt like it was boiling. I suppressed the groan that wanted to escape from my mouth and pressed my heels to the bottom of the car to restrain myself from stepping on the gas pedal.


    I knew this was very dangerous, but I didn¡¯t want to stop Fene. Her tongue continued to lick the base of my shaft, right at the most sensitive spot. Then she sucked on my balls while massaging the hard shaft, moistened with her saliva.


    My hands grasped Fene¡¯s hair and controlled the movement of her head as she bobbed up and down on my member. I tried to restrain her from being too aggressive because I knew we could have an ident at any moment.


    My thigh and calf muscles tensed to contain the pleasure delivered by Fene¡¯s mouth. Even as her tongue continued to y with my cock, I gripped the steering wheel tightly.


    The car kept moving straight as Fene put in an effort to please me. My thumb stroked Fene¡¯s wet, red lips. God, those lips were so sexy surrounding my cock, and I could see how that sight was driving my desire to uncontroble levels.


    Fene sighed and continued to suck my cock with the sound of her saliva. The slurping, wet sound of her tongue could be heard rhythmically as her head moved up and down. I held back with all my might to keep the steering wheel straight until we reached Fene¡¯s apartment.


    ¡°You¡¯re tormenting me, baby.¡± A low growl escaped my lips.


    Fene seemed unconcerned and continued to massage my tightening balls. I didn¡¯t know where her adoration came from, but she relentlessly made my breath catch as her tongue and teeth gently pressed on my sensitive spots down there.


    For over fifteen minutes, I struggled to keep driving without causing an ident.


    Damn! This truly required extraordinary driving skills. I maneuvered to pull over on the side of the road in front of Fene¡¯s apartment. Once I finished parking the car, Fene straightened up and left my lonely cock getting cold.


    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived,¡± I said with a teasing smile.


    ¡°Let¡¯s finish upstairs,¡± she murmured before kissing my lips again.

 Lunch Break

    Laird¡¯s POV


    My hands quickly locked up my zipper and buttons without bothering to fasten my belt. My pants felt tight, but I endured the difort. Both of us hurried out of the car. With uncontroble passion, we climbed the stairs to the third floor bit by bit, exchanging kisses and caresses along the way.


    This was indeed insane. Both of us seemed like idlers, choosing to have fun in the bright daylight to satisfy our desires. Upon reaching Fene¡¯s apartment door, we became more aggressive in kissing and intertwining our lips and tongues.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Fene said as she turned to the door to enter the apartment passcode.


    I stood behind Fene and hugged her tightly. My hands slipped under her brown zer, and I massaged her firm breasts as I nibbled on her ear. The girl moaned, and the moans disappeared from the third-floor corridor as we closed the door with a loud thud.


    I, who was impatient, immediately removed Fene¡¯s zer while our mouths still sucked on each other. Fene¡¯s hands tried to unbutton my romper, but I stopped her. Instead, I pulled up her white shirt from her pants.


    My desire-driven hands could no longer wait, as I no longer tried to unbutton Fene¡¯s shirt. Both of my hands slipped under her raised shirt, and I immediately unhooked her bra. I pushed up Fene¡¯s shirt and bra, revealing my two favorite plump delights. Without much ado, my mouth immediately sucked on Fene¡¯s nipple, while my other hand teased her other nipple.


    My hand pulled my girl¡¯s back to press her nipple closer to my mouth. She moaned loudly as my mouth sucked hard and my teeth grazed her reddening are alternately. Both of Fene¡¯s nipples felt increasingly erect, and my tongue licked them with quick flicks repeatedly.


    ¡°Laird!¡± she called out with a heavy breath.


    The door knocked and jiggled every time Fene mmed her body and head against it. She groaned loudly as she reached the peak of her orgasm just from the y of my tongue and mouth on her breasts. Her breath was ragged, and her hands gripped tightly, even pulling my hair.


    I continued to help her ride the wave of pleasure until her body slowly weakened. Fene then wrapped both her arms around my shoulders, seeking support. My hands then pulled her hips until both of my hands finally lifted her sexy thighs and buttocks. Her legs were immediately lifted and mped tightly around my hips.


    In a swift move, I turned around and carried Fene to her bed at the end of the room. Our lips met again to share warmth. For an instant, Fene¡¯s kiss seemed to ignite all the desire within me. I had to admit, I was very addicted to my girl¡¯s kisses and suction.


    She even let her shirt crumple and stack up on her chest. I kissed and licked her slender waist. My hands immediately unzipped Fene¡¯s pants and pulled them off. The girl cooperated by lifting her hips into the air and allowing me to remove her pants and throw them on the carpeted floor of her bedroom.


    My mouth quickly sucked on her clit. Consider it a reward for her extraordinary service to my cock earlier. My tongue immediately dove into her pussy and yed along the deepest paths of her core.


    ¡°Laird! Laird, my love!¡±


    She could no longer control her screaming mouth due to the pleasure she was feeling. Her body trembled, and I could immediately taste the salty and sweet fluid spreading on my tongue. After my tongue had its fill ying in her wet opening, I withdrew.


    I stood up straight and unbuttoned my pants. I slowly lowered my zipper again and quickly freed my erection from the boxer. I only pulled down my pants to my knees before retrieving a condom from the nightstand drawer next to her bed. Carefully, I opened the condom and rolled it onto my now-erect and erged member.


    ¡°Insert it now, darling,¡± Fene impatiently requested.


    I snorted and grinned. Once my cock wasfortably wrapped in the thin condom, I immediately lifted her hips high enough. Then I folded a pillow and tucked it under her smooth buttocks.


    My fingertips briefly pressed on her rosy nub. Then slowly, I rubbed the tip of my cock against her clit and the wet surroundings of her pussy.


    ¡°Come on, darling. You¡¯re so wicked,¡± she whimpered.


    ¡°Do you want me to enter now?¡± I asked with a smallugh.


    ¡°Yes, now!¡± She half-shouted themand as her body squirmed with ticklish excitement when the tip of my cock pressed against her clit.


    ¡°What¡¯s the password?¡± I teased her for a moment.


    ¡°Please, Laird. My man, Laird Evans, please give it all to me now.¡± She became more impatient, and her hands gripped my buttocks to push my cock deeper into her core.


    I chuckled, then finally gave her what she asked for. The first thrust felt tight and rough. Fene moaned in pleasure, as did I, gasping deeply.


    Gosh! This was incredibly amazing! The inside of Fene pulsed, massaging my cock in a pulsating rhythm. It was as if she was pumping on her own, even though I just stayed still to feel the sensation of her vaginal muscles pumping my cock vigorously.


    ¡°You¡¯re so aroused. Your pussy is so plump and tight. It feels so delicious.¡± I grimaced and let Fene¡¯s muscles pulsate, trapping my cock inside.


    ¡°Come on, Laird,¡± Fene pleaded once more, her hips swaying, and finally, Iplied.


    I moved my hips back and forth. My cock felt like it was hitting the deepest parts of her, and every time it happened, she moaned. She continued to gasp and whimper as my shaft repeatedly thrust her roughly.


    We deliberately aligned her clit and my balls with rhythmic precision. She impatiently pushed her hips, while I continued to thrust her harder. Again and again, until my hips moved faster with the ever-increasing height of desire.


    Sweat dampened my back and chest, but I didn¡¯t care. My hands returned to twirl both of her nipples, causing the pleasurable moansing from the girl¡¯s mouth to be increasingly uncontroble.


    Seeing Fene¡¯s aroused and sexy expression made me even more impatient with our rhythm. Faster and harder, I keep pushing and pulling, increasing the friction between my hardened cock and her inner tight pulsating wall.


    ¡°I¡¯ming!¡± I eximed as I felt a strong surgeing from within my testicles.


    ¡°Laird!¡±


    The girl screamed my name as, finally, both of us reached the peak of orgasm. My cock thrust deeply into her pussy until I closed my eyelids and furrowed my brow. My face tensed as the stream of semen continued to flow continuously from my shaft like a fast-flowing river.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Our breathing was heavy, and I slowly withdrew my hips from her weak and powerless hips. One of my hands held the wet condom on my shaft to prevent it from soiling Fene¡¯s pink bedsheet. Gasping, I raised my wrist and looked at my watch, ticking steadily towards 2 p. m.


    ¡°I have to go. Lunch break is over,¡± I said with a crooked smile.

 Uncontrollable

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I danced on stage, did a body shot with Mike, and ended up showering under the spray wearing a mini dress designed by Oscar. I did it all to fulfill the contract with Oscar de Ragetti. Now, I have be a brand ambassador for Oscar¡¯s club and have been shootingmercials for his club.


    ¡°Exactly at 8 p. m. Thank goodness the shoot went smoothly without any issues. We can go straight home,¡± Jessy said as he walked beside me.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m exhausted. It seems like my energy has been drained over these 6 hours,¡± I said as I got into Jessy¡¯s car.


    ¡°Really? In that case, I¡¯ll just drop you off at your apartment, okay?¡± Jessy chuckled.


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll just take a taxi myself,¡± I challenged him.


    Jessy and Mikeughed at my antics. They both sat in the front seats, while I, just hitching a ride, had to sit in the back seat.


    ¡°Very funny.¡± I pretended to be annoyed with them.


    They teased me like that on purpose because I asked to be taken to Laird¡¯s apartment. We intended to discuss the extension of my contract with Gene as the main model.


    Well, I couldn¡¯t deny that I was also looking forward to having sex with him. Maybe after the formal discussions were over, we could have some fun, as I hoped.


    ¡°You¡¯re the funny one. You said your energy was drained, but you still want to meet Laird,¡± Jessy retorted. He seemed not to ept myint.


    ¡°Come on, sweetie, don¡¯t tease her anymore. Maybe for Fene, Laird¡¯s apartment is a ce to relieve stress,¡± Mike said with a crooked smile.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure Fene will ask for a massage from Laird. I want one too, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯re tired too, dear. Do you want me to massage youter?¡± Jessy asked, one hand stroking Mike¡¯s thigh while the other hand held the steering wheel.


    ¡°I¡¯m still strong enough to massage you.¡± Mike leaned over to whisper softly in Jessy¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Hello, there are other people in this car.¡± I called out to remind them.


    Once again, they just giggled at my protest. Truly, I never expected to be drunk in love together with Jessy at the same time.


    His rtionship with Mike was getting closer. I was in the same infatuation stage as Jessy, but it seemed Laird was not the type of guy who liked to show affection in front of others.


    Sometimes I envied Jessy. He could disy affection for Mike in front of others casually. Quite different from Laird, who behaved coldly and seemed to avoid me in public. Although there was a hint of anxiety in my heart, I tried to trust Laird.


    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived,¡± Jessy interrupted my thoughts along the journey.


    ¡°Thank you for dropping me off,¡± I said as I opened the car door.


    ¡°Fene, if possible, ask Laird to send his contract to the office tomorrow.¡± Jessy¡¯s voice sounded before I closed his car door.


    ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry,¡± I nodded.


    I waved to Jessy as he quickly drove away. Then, I walked to Laird¡¯s apartment and sent a short message.


    ¡®I¡¯ve arrived.¡¯


    In less than five minutes, Laird¡¯s apartment door opened, and the man appeared to wee me. He immediately shed a wide smile and kissed my right cheek.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hey, baby. Come in,¡± he invited.


    ¡°Hey, handsome,¡± I praised as I saw him in a white shirt without a tie, sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Wow, he looked really sexy.


    I followed him and walked into the private elevator. Several times, my gaze fell on the low-opened buttons of his shirt, revealing a glimpse of his sturdy chest.


    ¡°Did you buy Chinese food?¡± I asked him to distract my thoughts.


    Earlier on the phone, Laird had said he would buy delicious food for us for dinner. He promised that the food he ordered wouldn¡¯t make me gain weight. Combined with all his charming words, I just agreed. I mean, no man had ever seriously thought about my food menu before.


    ¡°Of course. You¡¯ll love it,¡± he said confidently.


    Indeed. When I arrived at Laird¡¯s apartment, he immediately led me to the dining table. On it, several Chinese dishes were served. Roast duck, boiled vegetables, stir-fried pork with soy sauce, and boiled vegetable dumplings.


    ¡°Wow, this is still warm!¡± I eximed in amazement as I held a serving te.


    ¡°Of course. I just bought it after you said the shoot was over,¡± Laird boasted again.


    ¡°You really paid attention to my request,¡± I said, blushing.


    ¡°Of course. Let¡¯s eat right away. Don¡¯t hold back because I already bought this,¡± Laird pointed to a small green box.


    ¡°What is this?¡± I asked, confused.


    ¡°Traditional Chinese green tea. They said it can aid your digestion,¡± he shrugged.


    ¡°Whenever you feel like you¡¯ve eaten too much, you can detox right away with this tea. I heard it¡¯s very effective and popr among women.¡± Laird handed me the tea box.


    My mouth hung open in amazement. Once again, I was impressed by how much Laird paid attention to me. Oh my, that¡¯s the tea I usually drink!


    Okay, I take back what I said about being envious of Jessy. I am so grateful and lucky to have found a man like Laird who gives me so much attention and gifts. I don¡¯t need public disys of affection if my boyfriend already pays attention to me this much.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you very attentive to me?¡± I asked in wonder.


    I hugged Laird and gave him a brief kiss on the lips. Even though it was brief, the kiss was like a spark that immediately ignited our mutual desire. Especially Laird, who became more aggressive in kissing my lips and tongue.


    ¡°Enough.¡± Laird suddenly backed off and pulled away.


    ¡°We should eat first, and after that, we still need to talk about your work,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked to express a bit of disappointment at losing Laird¡¯s lips on mine.


    ¡°Because I won¡¯t be able to control myself if this goes any further,¡± Laird said softly as he turned around to pick up the tes.


    Even though Laird had warned me earlier, I hugged him from behind. My arms wrapped around his waist as I deeply breathed in the scent of his shirt. Truly, I couldn¡¯t control myself. How much I loved him from childhood until now.


    ¡°Let go, Fene. I don¡¯t want you toin if the food gets coldter,¡± he said as one of his hands stroked mine that was tightly wrapped around his waist.


    ¡°Your words don¡¯t match your actions right now,¡± I said softly. ¡°Truly, I love you so much, Laird.¡±


    He then turned around again, his hand caressing my cheek. He looked at me with his emerald eyes sparkling. The next moment, his lips greedily met mine. His lips and tongue didn¡¯t even give me room to breathe properly.

 Clean and Smooth

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Laird¡¯s hands trailed to my thighs and bottoms. Without needing to say a word, I wrapped both of my legs around his waist and immediately felt the hard bulge pressing against my groin. He carried me further to the end of the room while continuing to suck on my tongue.


    Apparently, he pushed open the bathroom door, and in an instant, I found myself in his bathroom. I looked around Laird¡¯s spacious bathroom. I thought he would sit me on the marble sink table in his bathroom, but I was wrong.


    Carefully, he lowered me into the still-dry bathtub. He joined me in the tub and stood near me. Our lips were still locked in a passionate kiss as his hands slowly removed my shirt, forcing me to briefly separate from him.


    ¡°Do you want to shower with me?¡± I whispered softly in front of his lips as my hands began to unbutton his shirt, one by one.


    ¡°Yes. Multitasking makes our time much more efficient, and I don¡¯t want our food to get too cold,¡± he whispered in my ear.


    Laird¡¯s hands then embraced my body and unhooked my ck bra. Finally, both of us stood bare-chested, and Laird¡¯s gaze immediately ignited as he looked at my breasts. His hands continued to unzip the pencil skirt I was wearing. I quickly followed suit and unzipped Laird¡¯s pants until we werepletely naked.


    Laird quickly threw all our clothes toward theundry basket. He gently pushed me to lean against the cold wall in the bathroom, feeling the chill against my back. Then he lifted his knee and rested one foot against the wall.


    Now, my legs were spread wider so he could press his body closer to mine. His hard shaft began to press more sharply against my groin, and I moaned in pleasure, but Laird was still hesitant to enter me. Laird¡¯s lips descended to my neck as one of his fingers yed with my nipple.


    ¡°More, Laird,¡± I begged, gasping loudly.


    I didn¡¯t know why my body was so sensitive and responsive to Laird¡¯s touch. Just a few minutester, I had reached my first climax. I knew this was just the beginning, and Laird would make me orgasm multiple times.


    Slowly, he sat on the edge of the bathtub and pulled me closer. Quickly, he then licked and sucked on my nipples greedily. One hand held my back while the other pressed my clit in quick pinches.


    ¡°Laird! Laird!¡±


    I shouted his name repeatedly as my hands gripped his hair to keep his hot, wet tongue on my pebbled nipple. Combined with my stiffened clit, I was increasingly driven by the desire to arch my body naturally backward.


    My chest was now lifted higher to give Laird more ess to both my breasts, and he took full advantage of his position. His mouth alternated between giving attention to both my nipples while his other hand began to delve deeper into my pussy.


    He inserted his two fingers into my already wet pussy and began to thrust his fingers rhythmically. Goodness! I could no longer hold back the loud moans that escaped along with the tremors in my body from my second orgasm. His fingers, wet with my juices, were then lifted and sucked with a distinct sound.


    ¡°I love how responsive you are, baby,¡± he said.


    ¡°Laird, I also want to suck yours,¡± I pleaded yfully.


    He smiled crookedly. ¡°Another time. For now, we have to finish this quickly.¡±


    Then Laird turned on the warm water from the shower to soak our bodiespletely. Then he pumped some liquid soap from the wall dispenser several times.


    As if knowing what he was thinking, I turned off the water tap. Then he filled his hands with soap and spread it over my body.


    His hands glided easily over every inch of my skin. He massaged and kneaded both of my breasts skillfully. With sensual movements, he caressed and rubbed my back, stomach, and thighs.


    He even slid three of his fingers, slippery with soap, into my opening. I was startled by the thickness and size of his fingers, but because of the slickness, I felt no pain at all. There was only pleasure after pleasure with each of his movements.


    ¡°Laird!¡± I moaned loudly again from the orgasm.


    As if understanding what I needed, he finally stood up and backed me into the corner of the bathroom. I quickly pumped liquid soap into my own hands and applied it all over Laird¡¯s body. I rubbed his body gently, then teased his nipples until he twitched with ticklish pleasure until both of his nipples peaked.


    His hands continued to massage my breasts tightly, but stopped when my hands reached his erection. I immediately took advantage of his distraction and covered hisrge cock with slippery soap. The pre-cum was mixed with scented soap, and I could feel his member growing and hardening.


    ¡°This is so slick,¡± he sighed with his eyes closed from the pleasure-inducing sensation.


    ¡°Are you going to put it in now?¡± I asked softly.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he obediently said.


    Then he turned my body around and pressed my hips lower. His hands pulled on my hips until his cock easily entered my pussy. My chest pressed against the cold wall, making my nipples tingle, but it provided a contrasting sensation with the burning heat in my pussy.


    Laird began to move swiftly, and I realized the soap had provided additional assistance for his huge cock to pound on me. His hips moved quickly, and his shaft slid in and out of my sensitive core effortlessly.


    ¡°Oh!¡± His hands twisted both of my nipples until I screamed in excitement.


    ¡°I want to see your face,¡± Laird said, then turned my body around, and this time he pressed me against the wall in the same position as earlier.


    His still stiff and hard erection then re-entered my core. I could now feel how quickly and intensely my clit was being continuously pleasured by his balls. The slippery soap truly allowed Laird the freedom to give friction after friction in my pussy.


    When the pleasure peaked, that was when our bodies tensed simultaneously. As if driven by explosive desire, Laird and I tightened our embrace very closely. I could even smell the strong scent of sex overpowering the scent of soap.


    Our breaths were ragged, and we rested our heads on each other¡¯s shoulders. We caught our breath for a moment. Then slowly, he stepped back and turned on the shower tap again.


    ¡°Our food must be cold by now,¡± Laird said hoarsely.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s still delicious,¡± I said as I cleaned Laird¡¯s body from all the soap.

 Under Law & Regulations

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I and Laird slowly ate Chinese food in front of the sofa. Wearing Laird¡¯s loose andfortable hoodie jacket, I could think more freely about everything rted to thew.


    ¡°Hm, you¡¯re right. This tastes good,¡± I said after finishing thest piece of vegetable spring roll.


    ¡°Try this one too,¡± Laird said, handing me a piece of browned meat on his chopsticks.


    ¡°Is this pork?¡± I asked quickly before moving to open my mouth.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s very tender, isn¡¯t it?¡± he asked.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    I chewed for a moment and immediately widened my eyes. With my mouth still busy chewing, I eximed and raised both thumbs.


    ¡°Yes, this is really good,¡± I said between bites.


    Of course, I chewed more and drank tea while he exined thew. Actually, I didn¡¯t quite understand what Laird was saying, but he exined slowly and made sure I understood each topic.


    That¡¯s what made me more infatuated with him: he¡¯s handsome, smart, and perfect in bed. He also says things I don¡¯t understand, which I find very sexy.


    ¡°Hm, so basically I¡¯ll get 60% of each job contract?¡± I confirmed.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s thergest percentage for a model at Gene Talent Management,¡± he said.


    ¡°Really? Do you know the percentage for other models besides me?¡± I asked before chewing on boiled vegetables again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he said, shaking his head.


    ¡°Oh,e on. Aren¡¯t you the one drafting all their contracts?¡± I asked.


    ¡°No. n has already drafted their contracts. I just legalize and ensure there are no burdensome uses,¡± he said before chewing meat again.


    ¡°Oh, I thought you were making all the contracts from scratch,¡± I muttered.


    ¡°No,¡± he chuckled and shook his head.


    ¡°But do you know what percentage other models besides me get?¡± I asked again.


    ¡°Fene, even though I know, I can¡¯t tell you. It¡¯s confidential,¡± he gently pinched my nose.


    ¡°Oh,e on, tell me. Am I really the lead model, or is it all just n¡¯s y?¡± I asked again, coaxing.


    This time I moved closer, even pressing my body against Laird¡¯s. I wrapped my arms around his neck to coax him into revealing what I wanted to know.


    I still couldn¡¯t believe I could be the lead model at Gene Talent Management. Jessy also said my requests for projects were steadily declining.


    That¡¯s why I wanted to try acting, because actresses can still have careers until they¡¯re old, at least in cameo roles, but I¡¯ve never been acting before. Thus, I was afraid to try it.


    If I really be the lead model, it means I¡¯ll be promoted more aggressively, and my modeling career mightst longer than I thought. Then, even if my acting was bad, at least they would forgive me and keep giving me some roles, even a cameo.


    Laird embraced my waist and stroked my cheek. He whispered softly.


    ¡°No, Fene. This is all real. Just like my rtionship with you, it¡¯s real,¡± he said.


    ¡°Although I can¡¯t disclose about other models, I¡¯m honest with you. n indeed made you the lead model at Gene.¡± Laird then kissed my temple gently.


    ¡°Thank goodness, I¡¯m so relieved to hear that,¡± I said, tightening my embrace on Laird momentarily with a broad smile.


    ¡°I know how precious this is to you, and I don¡¯t want to burst your bubble of happiness, but I have some concerns about the contract.¡± His forehead wrinkled, and his face turned serious.


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡± I asked.


    He released the embrace and picked up the contract document covered in scribbles again. His hands searched among the stack of contract papers. His gaze was sharp as he read the papers seriously.


    ¡°This one,¡± Laird handed me a contract sheet filled with his notes.


    ¡°What about this use?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Read the article first, then read my notes,¡± he said.


    He continued to finish the remaining pork on his te while I started reading slowly through all the sentences in the contract. I tried hard to read every word there. Indeed, it took about three repetitions for me to fully understand it.


    Even though he had written small notes and highlighted sentences he deemed important, I still didn¡¯t grasp the full meaning. But because I didn¡¯t want to look too foolish, I read those sentences over and over.


    Until I gave up.


    ¡°Laird, help me? I guess I¡¯m not used to all these legal uses,¡± I said.


    ¡°Just say what you understand from those sentences, even if it¡¯s just a little,¡± he insisted.


    ¡°Hm, okay,¡± I sighed.


    ¡°Well, basically, they will give me jobs. Then I have to follow everything in one batch,¡± I finally said after studying each word.


    ¡°Okay, good. Now do you understand what the problem is with that use?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; I think everything¡¯s fine.¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°It¡¯s not fine, Fen,¡± he said, encircling his arm around me again.


    One hand embraced my shoulder, while the other pointed at the contract sentences. His face looked serious with his sharp green eyes, low voice, and how he hugged me affectionately.


    ¡°Do you see this?¡± he asked. I immediately shifted my gaze from my admiration of him back to the paper.


    ¡°You will be given jobs in one group at the beginning between Gene Management and you. Your agent, in this case Jessy, will collect job projects within a certain period, and you mustplete all agreed projects,¡± he exined slowly.


    ¡°From the agreed group of jobs, you mustplete them all. Neglecting to fulfill just one project obligation will be considered unteral contract termination and will result in a penalty,¡± he exined further.


    ¡°So they¡¯re asking me to reallymit to every agreed-upon job?¡± I confirmed.


    ¡°Yup,¡± he nodded.


    ¡°Who will choose the projects?¡± I asked.


    ¡°You will choose and approve them. You have to discuss the project agreements with Jessy,¡± he said.


    ¡°So basically, Jessy will negotiate the project agreements with me?¡± I asked again.


    ¡°Yes, Fene.¡±


    ¡°Well, then everything should be fine,¡± I said with a wide smile.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Laird asked with a furrowed brow.


    ¡°Well, because Jessy will choose the projects for me, I can make sure everything will be fine and safe,¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°So, do you trust him?¡± He raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    ¡°How can you trust him so much?¡± he snorted, genuine confusion evident in his voice.


    ¡°Of course. Why wouldn¡¯t I? He¡¯s been my agent for seven years, and there hasn¡¯t been any problem at all,¡± I said lightly.


    ¡°But this is a new contract with new management, and Jessy also has new responsibilities. If you¡¯re not careful, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be disadvantaged by having to pay a penalty for contract termination.¡± He still frowned, then drank the water in his ss until it was empty.


    ¡°No, Laird. Back in the early days of my career, Jessy handled two to three models at once, but there was never a problem.¡± I exined in confidence.


    ¡°So, I¡¯m sure your worries won¡¯te true. Jessy is very professional in his work, and he can always handle various problems. A clever man, if I may say so,¡± I said as I helped him ce the empty ss on the coffee table.


    ¡°Hm, really? If you trust him that much, I guess I can rx,¡± he stroked my back.


    ¡°If I didn¡¯t know he was gay, I might already be jealous of him,¡± he said, looking into my eyes.


    Hearing Laird¡¯s words, Iughed. Then my hand was raised to pinch Laird¡¯s cheek affectionately. Indeed, he was very funny.


    ¡°You¡¯re jealous of everyone. Even n, who openly admits he¡¯s gay, you¡¯re still jealous of him,¡± I teased with a chuckle.


    He stared at me intently. Then his hand gently stroked my head again. His touch made my heart soar, and I blushed shyly, seeing my reflection in his eyes.


    ¡°How can I not be jealous? You¡¯re so beautiful, and I¡¯m sure everyone¡¯s curious to touch you even a little,¡± he whispered in my ear.

 Great Trust

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°I beg you, don¡¯t let other men touch you with desire.¡± His hand cupped my cheek, then his thumb caressed my cheek.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Laird. I don¡¯t want to be touched by any other man besides you. Even if I have to work with another man, I assure you that it¡¯s all just acting and meaningless to me,¡± I said with a smile.


    ¡°As long as it brings goodness to you, I will fully support you,¡± he said softly, kissing my lips.


    ¡°In that case, we should quickly finalize the contract. I can¡¯t wait to see my photo disyed prominently at Gene¡¯s office,¡± I said with renewed enthusiasm.


    ¡°I am still considering changing some uses in the contract. I want to protect you,¡± he refused.


    ¡°How much longer until it¡¯s finished?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I have to rewrite the articles, then get n¡¯s approval, and negotiations might be quite challenging considering n¡¯s character, who likes to have things his way. So, about a week,¡± he said.


    ¡°Oh, baby, can¡¯t it be faster?¡± I pouted at him.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you wait a few more days?¡± Laird asked while stroking my temple.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait even a day. You know, today I¡¯ve worked on the Oscar project with the promise of being the brand ambassador for all his brands for a year and a contract value of 100, 000 dors,¡± Iined.


    ¡°You worked before signing a contract? I thought Oscar had already signed a contract with you,¡± he furrowed his brow, and his mouth fell open.


    ¡°Yes, we thought there wouldn¡¯t be any issues with the contract.¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°How could you be so careless? Didn¡¯t you ever consider how Oscar could just run off and not pay you for all the photos and videos you¡¯ve taken?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why we need to finalize the contract quickly before he can profit from my work. Besides, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll help me if any issues arise, right?¡± I wrapped my arms around Laird¡¯s neck again and quickly kissed his lips.


    ¡°Please, Laird. I want to receive 60% of the contract money soon. I¡¯m sure after signing the contract, I can get more projects.¡± I kissed his lips again.


    ¡°Yes?¡± I kissed his lips again: ¡°Yes?¡± and again, ¡°Yes, please,¡± and again. Laird tried to seal my lips, but I repeatedly pulled away before he agreed to my request.


    ¡°Well, alright. We¡¯ll go to Gene¡¯s office tomorrow and sign the contract if you really trust Jessy and me,¡± he chuckled.


    ¡°Yeay!¡± I eximed excitedly after sessfully persuading Laird.


    Then I finally kissed Laird¡¯s lips and deeply kissed him. My tongue explored every corner of his mouth. He also caressed the walls of my cheek with his tongue, which became more aggressive when ying with mine.


    Gosh, I really liked Laird¡¯s kiss. He made me feel adored with his sweet-tasting tongue. I started to moan as I ran out of breath, but Laird intensified our kiss into something more thrilling.


    Laird¡¯s hands slipped under his loose hoodie jacket that I was wearing. Then his fingers began to circle and flick my nipples. He continued to y with my breasts and nipples while kissing me passionately. I moaned as pleasure gathered at the center of my groin.


    ¡°Your nipples are very sensitive, darling,¡± he whispered in between kisses.


    ¡°Really?¡± I asked in between rapid breaths.


    ¡°Yes. They harden so easily, and I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll turn red as soon as I suck on them,¡± he said softly as his hands pulled the jacket off my body.


    Now I was only wearing ck thongs while being topless. Laird pulled me to sit on hisp, and then he began to suck on my nipples forcefully. While he sucked on them, his tongue also swirled around my nipples, providing a dizzying sensation.


    I moaned louder when his teeth grazed my nipple. Then, even louder, his other hand suddenly slipped under my thong and pressed on my clit.


    ¡°Oh, Laird. Yes,¡± I moaned loudly from all the pleasure Laird was giving me.


    His mouth sucked on one nipple, his fingers twirled the other nipple, while his other hand pressed and rubbed my clit quickly. It was as if he was working hard to make me climax. I clutched his neck, holding on before being carried away by the peaking desire.


    ¡°Laird!¡± I groaned loudly as I finally reached orgasm.


    I could feel my inner walls pulsating strongly, pumping into emptiness. Laird¡¯s fingers then pulled off my pants until I waspletely naked.


    ¡°God, you¡¯re so sexy,¡± he whispered in his hoarse voice.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Laird¡¯s hands pulled my still-trembling body away from the pleasure. It seemed like I was being directed to climb onto the sofa, so that¡¯s what I did.


    His hands then gently caressed and massaged my waist and thighs. He caressed my whole body and then lifted both of my legs to rest on his shoulders.


    ¡°Why do you keep teasing me? Aren¡¯t you tired of a second round so soon?¡± I asked, followed by gasps as Laird¡¯s tongue licked my pussy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, darling. I¡¯ve had my main course, and now I need dessert,¡± he said right before he sucked harder on my pussy.


    I moaned and gasped with rapid breaths as Laird¡¯s tongue became more aggressive. It was as if he was applying everything he did in my mouth earlier to my core. The sensation was indeed different from fingers because his tongue was soft, wet, and able to move more agilely.


    I reached for the back of Laird¡¯s head, and he also demanded that my hips get closer to his face. I could feel his breath blowing on my groin. His hands then kneaded both of my buttocks.


    It truly made me unable to open my eyes. I moaned, whimpered, and finally exploded for the second time with panting breaths. Laird backed away to lower his boxer shorts. I could see hisrge, hardening, and thickening erection.


    ¡°Laird, I need you,¡± I pleaded amidst the pounding thunder of my chest.


    ¡°Yes, darling. I¡¯m ready,¡± Laird said after putting on a condom.


    ¡°Where did you get that?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Table drawer,¡± he answered as heid me down on his sofa.


    ¡°Do you keep condoms in there?¡± I chuckled lightly as Laird¡¯s hand pushed both my knees to bend towards my chest.


    ¡°My experience with you has taught me to put them anywhere in the corners of the house,¡± he smiled crookedly as he directed his cock towards my wet opening.


    When his hard shaft entered my pussy with a strong thrust, we immediately groaned and stopped talking. There was no more talking; just moans and hurried breaths were heard in the room.


    Laird pushed forcefully multiple times until his balls hit my clit. Even his thumb continued to press on my sensitive nub, causing me to scream with the continuous pleasure I received. Laird groaned as his hips moved faster to create quick, hot friction between his trapped shaft and my tight passage.


    Minutes passed, and the pleasure I felt kept umting. Until finally, I moaned repeatedly because there was nothing else in the world that felt as important as Laird. He then lowered his body onto mine and kissed my lips again passionately. His hips moved faster and rougher.


    ¡°This is so good, Fen,¡± he growled in my ear with closed eyelids.


    ¡°Oh, yes, baby!¡± I finally screamed as I felt the third explosion that coincided with Laird¡¯s release inside my pussy.


    Our bodies piled up, drenched in sweat, and powerless.

 Signed & Sealed

    Laird¡¯s POV


    In the morning, I hurriedly drove Fene to Gene¡¯s office. By the time we arrived, it was exactly nine o¡¯clock.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hi, Laird, Nice to meet you,¡± Jessy greeted, extending himself towards me.


    Perhaps he intended to kiss both my cheeks, but Fene quickly intervened between us. Her face looked stern, her eyes fixed on him.


    ¡°Good morning, Jessy,¡± Fene greeted him with a wide smile, though her eyes clearly red at him.


    ¡°Oh, geez, you scare me!¡± Jessy eximed irritably.


    ¡°Hi, Jessy!¡± I chuckled.


    ¡°Come on, follow me. n¡¯s waiting in his office. Do you have the documents?¡± Jessy asked, turning to walk up the stairs.


    ¡°Yes. They¡¯re printed and paid for,¡± Fene replied.


    ¡°Are you ready to sign them today?¡± Jessy asked with giggles.


    ¡°Yes, I trust youpletely, Jessy. Don¡¯t disappoint me,¡± she said, wagging her finger in front of Jessy¡¯s face.


    ¡°No, darling. I¡¯ve always been able to satisfy you in these seven years,¡± Jessyughed. He nced at me andughed again. ¡°Of course, work-wise, Laird.¡±


    I could only raise an eyebrow. I didn¡¯t know what Jessy had heard about me, but it seemed he was enjoying teasing me this time with his words. Of course, I didn¡¯t take Jessy¡¯s remarks seriously because he clearly wasn¡¯t mypetition.


    ¡°Ah, my beautiful Fene. Good morning,¡± n greeted us as we entered his office. This one is quite the devil.


    He hugged Fene briefly without kissing her cheeks as usual. Perhaps he refrained because I stood right beside Fene, my hand on her waist, ring at n.


    ¡°Oh, hi, Laird. Did youe together?¡± n asked, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yes, we came together from my apartment since early morning,¡± I emphasized the phrase ¡®came together¡¯.


    ¡°Alright then. Coffee, anyone? I have the best coffee machine with the finest civet coffee beans in the lobby,¡± n offered.


    ¡°No need; I¡¯m in a hurry. Let¡¯s get this done quickly,¡± I said, sitting down on the sofa with Fene next to me. Jessy and n are on either side.


    ¡°Oh,e on. Don¡¯t be so stiff. You should try it. I even have a super sexy personal assistant who can make delicious coffee,¡± n said.


    ¡°Okay, if you insist,¡± Fene said with a casual nod.


    I rolled my eyes at Fene, but she seemed oblivious to my annoyed expression. I couldn¡¯t stand this guy for too long. He was irritating, enjoyed mocking me, and for some reason, I felt he harbored an unresolved grudge against me. Crazy!


    But Fene still allowed herself to be served morning coffee by n. Jessy briefly got up to approach n¡¯s personal assistant, who was sitting outside.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need any. Let¡¯s skip the chit-chat because I really need to be at the office by 10, not a minuteter,¡± I emphasized.


    ¡°Oh, really? Where¡¯s your office, then? Is it far from here?¡± n asked me.


    ¡°I said, skip the chit-chat,¡± I said firmly.


    ¡°Alright, Mr. Punctual. Let¡¯s just sign this so you can leave my sacred temple,¡± he said, rolling his eyes.


    ¡°Wait a moment, there¡¯s something I need to rify with you,¡± I said, holding Fene back as she took a pen from Jessy.


    ¡°Funny, you¡¯re the one who said to skip the chit-chat,¡± he snorted.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t chit-chat. It¡¯s important to straighten out before you sign the contract,¡± I concluded.


    ¡°Well, alright. What is it you want to straighten out?¡± n smirked, ncing down at my pants.


    I cursed inwardly. I clenched my jaw to restrain myself. Fene, seeming to sense my difort, immediately intervened. She cleared her throat loudly before speaking.


    ¡°Laird means there are some uses in the contract that seem burdensome to me. So, I hope you can exin them in more detail to us, just to ease our minds,¡± she said.


    ¡°Oh, sure, darling. Alright, ask away. I promise to answer them well.¡± n quickly raised both hands.


    ¡°The use about the bundle of projects agreed upon between Fene and Gene. Can¡¯t you make it into separate work units instead of several projects bundled into one package like a fast-foodbo? You said this office is exclusive and prestigious,¡± I said.


    ¡°Oh, about that. You see, Fene and Mr. Evans, I just needmitment.¡± n began to sound serious.


    ¡°You know, Fene will be Gene¡¯s main model. So, I need to ensure that Fene won¡¯t back out of various major projects that I¡¯m pushing for her,¡± he said, leaning his elbows on his knees.


    ¡°Firstly, I want clients to keep theirmitments. Secondly, I want Fene tomit topleting all her work. Thirdly, I want to show that I¡¯mmitted to giving her plenty of work,¡± n exined, raising his fingers one by one.


    ¡°Not just one or two small short-term projects that are less valuable,¡± he shrugged, crossing one leg over the other casually.


    ¡°Got it so far?¡± he asked to make sure.


    ¡°I feel like this contract is designed to trap Fene into heavy work.¡± I scoffed at him in disbelief.


    ¡°Oh,e on. You¡¯re exaggerating. We want to do business, notmit a crime,¡± he snapped.


    ¡°Excuse me. Here¡¯s your coffee, Miss Baxter.¡± A rather attractive man came knocking on the door, bringing coffee for Fene.


    Our discussion paused momentarily as n¡¯s personal assistant ced the coffee on the table in front of Fene. I snorted as I looked at n¡¯s newly recruited personal assistant. A young man appeared very obedient, with a mncholic expression.


    This is the sexy personal assistant he mentioned? Okay, maybe I was exaggerating in reading n¡¯s intentions. Maybe he really is gay, and I don¡¯t need to worry about him and Fene.


    ¡°Thank you, John,¡± n said to him with a smile. ¡°Please, Fene. You really don¡¯t want to try it, Laird?¡± n asked me again.


    ¡°No thanks,¡± I said firmly.


    ¡°Alright,¡± n shrugged.


    I waited for John to leave and resumed my words.


    ¡°I hope you keep your word, n. If anything happens to Fene, rest assured I will find you, sue you, and put your name on the FBI¡¯s most wanted list.¡± I threatened him with a stern voice and a fierce gaze.


    ¡°Go ahead, Mr. Evans. I¡¯m not afraid, and I assure you, everything will be fine. There¡¯s Jessy too, who will always apany Fene. Right?¡± n looked at Fene and Jessy alternately. They both nodded firmly.


    ¡°Trust everything in me. I¡¯m your trusted hero,¡± Jessy said, puffing out his chest.


    ¡°Yeah! Go Jessy!¡± Fene cheered, pping her hands.


    ¡°Alright,¡± I said.


    ¡°Satisfied?¡± n asked.


    ¡°Yup,¡± I replied shortly.


    ¡°Can we sign the contract now?¡± n asked.


    ¡°Go ahead.¡± I nodded to Fene, who was waiting for my approval.


    ¡°Finally, Fene!¡± Jessy cheered loudly, linking his fingers with Fene¡¯s.


    ¡°Thank you, Jessy. Thank you, n. Thank you, Laird,¡± Fene said, hugging each of us briefly.

 Exclusive For You

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I followed Laird¡¯s steps as he descended to the ground floor of Gene¡¯s office building. Once we were far enough from n¡¯s hearing range, I coyly linked my arm with Laird¡¯s.


    ¡°You seemed quite tense with n. Are you still jealous of him?¡± I asked.


    ¡°No. It seems he clearly prefers super-sexy men,¡± he scoffed.


    ¡°Do you think John is sexier than me?¡± I asked curiously.


    Laird turned his head toward me with a chuckle. Then he gently pinched my nose, causing me to widen my eyes. Luckily, my nose was natural; if he did that to Kiara, she would have screamed as her stic bones shifted.


    ¡°In my opinion, you are far sexier than any man or woman in this world,¡± he said, embracing my shoulders.


    ¡°You smooth talker,¡± I said, rubbing my nose briefly.


    ¡°Only a man in love,¡± he whispered in my ear.


    Listening to Laird¡¯s words, I immediately felt my face heat up with embarrassment. My heart raced, and a wide smile spread across my face. Gosh, I was truly smitten with him.


    We arrived next to Laird¡¯s car. I tiptoed to kiss his lips, but he suddenly pulled back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± he refused, releasing his arms from around my shoulders.


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked, confused by his sudden change in attitude.


    ¡°I told you, I won¡¯t be able to stop myself if we go too far with kissing,¡± he said, his face flushing with embarrassment.


    ¡°Oh, just a moment. Just a little bit, I promise,¡± I said.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    He stared at me intently. ¡°Fine, just a peck,¡± he said.


    So that¡¯s what I did. I leaned in and gave him a brief kiss on the lips. But perhaps Laird was right, because when our lips met and intertwined, I couldn¡¯t let go. Laird¡¯s lips were like an addictive drug that left me craving more.


    I sighed into his embrace to catch my breath. Realizing how much I enjoyed it, he quickly backed away.


    ¡°I told you. This is dangerous,¡± he said.


    ¡°Yes, sorry. You¡¯re right,¡± I coughed.


    ¡°By the way, can you really put someone¡¯s name on the FBI¡¯s wanted list?¡± I asked to distract myself from the nearly overwhelming pleasure I had just experienced.


    ¡°Not really. My father can request it. Something aboutmunicating with high officials and the FBI,¡± he shrugged.


    ¡°Your father has power, money, and fame. If you followed in his footsteps, you¡¯d surely be more sessful than him, Laird,¡± I said, straightening his suit and tie.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe. What do you think?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Well, you could easily get all those esses. Compared to me, who has to hustle to find clients willing to hire me,¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°You make it sound like you¡¯re selling yourself,¡± he said, cupping my cheek with a lopsided smile.


    ¡°You could say that. Jessy sells me like a pimp.¡± I chuckled lightly.


    ¡°You should tell him that you¡¯re already sold out to me,¡± he whispered in my ear.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Laird. I¡¯m yours,¡± I reassured him.


    He smiled softly at me with those dark green eyes I adored. Suddenly, Laird¡¯s phone buzzed. He quickly pulled it out of his jacket pocket and read the notification.


    ¡°You also have me, and you cane to my apartment whenever you want,¡± he said.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked, furrowing my brow.


    ¡°The management has issued an additional ess card for my apartment. Come to my ce tonight to pick it up,¡± he said.


    ¡°Oh.¡± I could only stare nkly upon hearing that.


    Honestly, I don¡¯t know what to say right now. Yes, we¡¯ve been friends since childhood for most of our lives. We lost touch for seven years and immediately reunited as if we had never been apart.


    Our rtionship seemed like it had never ended. I understood and knew Laird like I knew the veins in my own wrist. It was only natural that we were instantly intimate and easy to adapt to.


    But an ess card to his apartment?


    I looked deeply into Laird¡¯s eyes. The blood rushed through my veins. I was sure Laird could guess what was on my mind just from my silent response and facial expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking you to move in with me. I just want to give you more freedom and assure you that I¡¯m not hiding anything from you,¡± Laird said.


    My mind immediately went back to the night I caught Tom, my ex-boyfriend, cheating in his office. Tom had also given me an elevator ess card to his office, which I promptly threw away once I found out it was useless.


    Now, fear has crept into my heart. There was anxiety and fear of a repeat of that night. What if I caught Laird cheating with another woman in his apartment because I used that ess card?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Laird.¡± I hesitated, unsure.


    ¡°Too soon?¡± Laird asked with a darkened gaze.


    ¡°Not really; I¡¯m just a bit traumatized from using personal ess cards,¡± I said, biting my lower lip.


    I briefly averted my gaze from Laird¡¯s piercing eyes. I had already told him about what happened between me and Tom that night. He should understand the trauma I experienced.


    ¡°Are you afraid of catching me having sex with another woman in my apartment because of holding this ess card?¡± he asked with an intense stare.


    ¡°I guess I haven¡¯t quite dealt with my trauma,¡± I said, still looking down.


    ¡°You¡¯reparing me to that bastard ex of yours?¡± he used urately.


    ¡°Forgive me, Laird,¡± I whispered softly.


    Slowly, I looked up and met Laird¡¯s gaze again. His face looked rigid, with a hardened jawline. He seemed furious, and I didn¡¯t know how to fix it. Fear, anxiety, and panic mingled in my emotions.


    ¡°Forgive me. I think I just need a little time,¡± I said, trembling as I gently touched his chest with shaking hands.


    ¡°You know, you¡¯re fucking spitting on my face,¡± he growled.


    I didn¡¯t have a chance to say anything due to shock. He walked away from me and got into his car. The engine roared before he drove away, leaving me standing alone on the sidewalk, petrified.


    What the hell have I done?!

 Key Card

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°Why was your face gloomy?¡± Jessy asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± I replied.


    ¡°This morning, you signed a contract as Gene¡¯s main model. You got Oscar de Ragetti as your first client for the entire fashion brand and his clubs. Just an hour ago, you secured a second client for a cosmetics coboration,¡± he asked quickly.


    ¡°What else is bothering you?¡± he asked irritably.


    I just shook my head and hugged my knees to my chest. It was already 8 p. m. tonight, but Laird had only responded to my messages briefly, seeming reluctant tomunicate with me again. Slowly, my tears started to flow, and I could only bury my face in my knees.


    Seeing my tears, Jessy immediately sat beside me on the couch. He put his arm around my shoulder and rubbed my back, which jerked with each sob.


    ¡°What¡¯s really going on? Tell me,¡± Jessy coaxed softly.


    After holding it in all day, I couldn¡¯t contain my sadness anymore. I let my tears flow after waiting so long for a message from Laird. Now, I felt thankful to be back at Jessy¡¯s apartment instead of crying alone on my bedroom floor.


    Jessy didn¡¯t ask much, but after my tears had subsided, I finally recounted this morning¡¯s events to him.


    ¡°Oh, dear. Poor girl,¡± he said, squeezing me tightly.


    ¡°Truly, I envy you,¡± he said.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m not grateful, but I¡¯m just afraid.¡± I wiped my tears with the tissue Jessy handed me.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, darling. I understand. Sometimes we need time to heal our heartaches,¡± he patted my hand.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t know if I still have time or not. I don¡¯t want Laird to avoid me, but I still feel this trauma. What should I do?¡± I asked between sobs.


    Jessy continued to gently rub my back. He paused for a moment, as if carefully choosing his words.


    ¡°Fen, try talking to Laird calmly. Maybe earlier he wasn¡¯t thinking clearly because he was in a rush to the office,¡± he said softly.


    ¡°One thing I know about fear is that you can¡¯t get over it if you never start facing it,¡± he said, looking at me intently.


    ¡°If you truly like Laird and want your rtionship to work, give him a chance to prove himself. Trust him little by little,¡± Jessy said.


    ¡°If you shut yourself off because of trauma, your rtionship is guaranteed to fail 100%. If you open up to him, you still have a 50% chance to heal all your wounds.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Jess. I want this rtionship to work. I¡¯ve dreamed of being with Laird since high school, and I don¡¯t want to fail. Now that he¡¯s angry with me, I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± I grew more restless thinking about my mistake this morning.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m sure Laird will understand if youmunicate well with him. He might have just been momentarily upset. Try going to his apartment now. He asked you toe, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m afraid he¡¯s still angry and will reject me.¡± I bit my lower lip.


    ¡°Has he already returned to his apartment?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes, he said he¡¯s already home.¡± I nodded.


    ¡°In that case, what are you waiting for? Chop chop! Go now.¡±


    I looked at Jessy, who smiled and urged me to go. I was still hesitant, but I finally gathered the courage to get up from the couch and hurriedly head towards Laird¡¯s apartment.


    ***


    I rang the inte bell at Laird¡¯s apartment. He didn¡¯t reply to my messages, but I could see that he had read them. Even though he didn¡¯t respond, I knew he had arrived at his apartment at this hour. I took a leap of faith.


    Just as I was about to press the bell for the fifth time, suddenly the door to the apartment building opened. I immediately saw Laird at the door. His face was no longer as tense as it was this morning, and the gentle look in his eyes had returned.


    ¡°Laird, forgive me,¡± I said as soon as I saw him.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m sorry, too. I shouldn¡¯t have pressured you,¡± he said with a soft nod.


    ¡°Are youing up?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes. Give me your card.¡± I reached out my hand to him.


    Laird raised an eyebrow as he saw my hand in the air. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you weren¡¯t ready to ept the card because you were scared?¡± he asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I still want to hold it now,¡± I said confidently.


    ¡°So, are you okay if I suddenlye to your apartment without notice?¡± I gave him a little warning, and I¡¯m sure Laird understood.


    ¡°Do you trust me?¡± he asked.


    We stared at each other for a long time. I thought he would be angry, but his gaze didn¡¯t show any hint of that emotion at all. Instead, I saw a hint of fear in the corner of his eyes and tension in his jaw. I nodded in response.


    ¡°Yes, Laird. I¡¯m giving you my trust.¡± I nodded, and my smile widened.


    Slowly, Laird¡¯s smile widened too. He breathed a sigh of relief, followed by a light chuckle. He leaned forward slowly and hugged me tightly.


    ¡°Thank you, Fene,¡± he whispered in my ear, kissing my temple.


    ¡°Er, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll stay here this week,¡± I said softly, feeling embarrassed.


    ¡°Why?¡± he asked, furrowing his brow.


    ¡°I just had my period.¡± I blushed.


    ¡°Oh, that exins it,¡± he murmured with a chuckle.


    ¡°Yeah, I know. My emotions are unstable,¡± I said, covering my face with my hands.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Come in and stay. I gave you the ess card, not just for sex.¡± Then Laird put his arm around my waist and led me into his apartment building.


    ¡°This is yours,¡± he said, handing me a white ess card.


    I touched the ess card to the elevator sensor. Automatically, the elevator selected the second floor, where Laird¡¯s apartment was located. When we finally arrived at Laird¡¯s floor, I immediately touched the card to the apartment door sensor. The door opened with its distinctive mechanical sound.


    ¡°It really works,¡± I said with a fleetingugh.


    ¡°Of course,¡± he said, letting me in and walking ahead.


    After the apartment door closed with the same sound as the door mechanism, I immediately hugged Laird and stood on tiptoe to kiss his lips. In an instant, desire ignited our passion as our lips clung together and our tongues sucked on each other.


    ¡°You said you¡¯re on your period,¡± Laird said as he momentarily leaned back.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I know other ways to satisfy you,¡± I said with a crooked smile.

 Shortcut

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I pulled Laird¡¯s body closer into my embrace. We walked slowly towards the main bedroom at the end of the hallway. Once we reached his room, I immediately pushed him to lie t on the bed.


    ¡°Are we going for oral?¡± he asked with bated breath as I took off his shorts.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s one of them,¡± I said as I removed his boxers.


    ¡°I have lube if you need it,¡± he grinned, and I narrowed my eyes.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°Ah, so is this your method during phone sex?¡± I teased him with a tickle.


    ¡°Don¡¯t judge me because you¡¯re the one who made me use that almost expired lube,¡± he said, handing me the tube of lubricant.


    ¡°So, you¡¯ve had this for a long time? Tell me, who were you thinking of when you used it?¡± I asked as I squeezed a bit onto my palm.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Just for fun while watching a website, urgh!¡± His body tensed as I started applying the cold liquid to both of his balls.


    ¡°Hm, is that Charlotte McMillian?¡± I asked before licking the tip of his rising erection.


    ¡°As I said,¡± Laird held his breath again as my wet mouth began to make firm strokes on his shaft. ¡°I don¡¯t know her.¡±


    I started to lose myself in my new task. My focus was solely on Laird¡¯s thickening and hardening cock. His erection soared higher as my tongue licked and sucked on his hard shaft.


    He sighed, then softly cradled the back of my head. He lifted his body to watch how I satisfied his member down here. Without hesitation, I moved my head up and down to suck and pump his shaft.


    I was intentionally showing him how much I liked his cock. I love his shaft encircled by my red lips, and I knew he liked it too.


    ¡°You¡¯re so skilled, baby,¡± he eximed amidst his rushed breaths.


    Each time my lips hit his balls, his cock head would hit the roof of my mouth. Though I gagged and the wet sounds were painful to my ears, I strengthen my intention to satisfy him.


    Laird¡¯s hips began to move to increase the speed of the friction between my lips and his shaft. I noticed his erection was hardening even more, especially with his balls tensing each time I gently massaged them with the lube. My fingers also yed at the base of his shaft, making him grimace.


    My tongue continued to lick every inch of his cock. Then I didn¡¯t shy away from ying with the tip of his cock, which kept oozing savory pre-cum. I even intentionally turned my head so that the tip of his shaft could hit my soft cheek.


    ¡°Argh, yes,¡± he said, writhing beneath my palm. Massage after massage made his hips continually thrust upwards.


    I let the sound of slurping be heard loudly so that he knew how determined I was to repay all his kindness to me. Then my hands began to massage the base of his shaft rhythmically, while my mouth and tongue kept sliding with his cock.


    Suck after suck with my lips tucked in made him even more uncontroble. I could feel his erection rising high. This time, there was no need to hold back because I knew he would reach climax in my mouth.


    ¡°Fen, just a little more.¡±


    Laird¡¯s deep voice, encouraging me, immediately had a burning effect on me. In response to his request, I quickened my pace and intensified the impact on his balls, which I was still massaging with my hands.


    He was on the verge of pulling my hair, but I let him savor every moment. He kept getting bigger, harder, and thicker until I knew he was about to reach his peak. Both of my hands tightened on his shaft. With the slippery lube, I finally massaged his cock from the base all the way to my mouth at the tip.


    One final stroke was all it took for him to ejacte his cum into my mouth. The scent of sex immediately filled my nostrils, and I savored the savory essence of Laird Evans. He tasted sweet; it must be because of all of the fruits he consumed these days with me.


    My hands still encircled his cock and gently squeezed out all the fluid inside. My mouth retreated from his shaft, but my hands still gripped him. Apparently, there was still some residue left, and one final stroke made Laird¡¯s shaft spray thick white fluid like a fountain onto my hand and his balls.


    ¡°Jeez, darling. That was truly amazing,¡± he praised between his heavy breaths.


    I nodded as I took tissues from the nightstand next to his bed. I wiped my hands and mouth before getting up to go to the bathroom to truly clean up the physical evidence of our oral and hand lovemaking session.


    When I returned from the bathroom, I saw Laird standing and leaning on the balcony with a cigarette in his mouth. I approached him and hugged him from behind. He immediately held me tighter.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you smoke now,¡± I said.


    ¡°Only sometimes, when I feel like it,¡± he said before slipping the cigarette back into his lips.


    ¡°You used to always maintain your physique for the baseball team selection,¡± I said, leaning my head on Laird¡¯s broad chest.


    ¡°Yes. But after realizing my dream of bing a professional athlete was shattered, and my friends at college taught me, I started smoking when I needed to find ideas,¡± he exhaled the smoke away from me.


    ¡°What are you thinking about now?¡± I asked, stroking his chest.


    ¡°Finding a way to lighten n¡¯s punishment,¡± he answered shortly.


    ¡°Are you reallymitted to helping him now?¡± I asked with a small smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to think positively about him,¡± he said, still gazing at the dim night sky.


    ¡°That¡¯s good. Positive thinking will lift our spirits,¡± I said.


    ¡°Yes. Especially since I really need it after reading the court summons that arrived at the office this afternoon. I¡¯m worried that you and n will be devoured by that one piranha.¡±


    ¡°Piranha?¡± I asked, tilted my head to him.


    ¡°Malcolm Golden, the prosecuting attorney. My father¡¯s archenemy.¡±

 Trial and Tribulation

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Three weekster¡­


    I sat in the long chair again with Jessy, Mike, n, and Laird. This time the courtroom was packed with journalists jotting notes in their notepads. Cameras were prohibited, and filming with phones was also forbidden.


    ¡°You look tense,¡± Laird asked me.


    ¡°How could I not be tense? You said this prosecutor is famous,¡± I whispered back.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    From a distance, I noticed the figure of an old man with a full head of silver hair. Such men were often referred to as silver foxes, with their whitened hair yet still energetic bodies.


    What did an experienced prosecutor like him want, anyway? Why bother with such a minor case?


    Laird himself didn¡¯t understand why a veteran prosecutor like that would handle such a small case. He suspected that Prosecutor Golden¡¯s presence was closely tied to Laird¡¯s father.


    ¡°All rise!¡± The bailiff¡¯s voice rang out as Judge Brown entered the room.


    We all stood up, and I gently squeezed Laird¡¯s hand beside me. My heart was pounding uncontrobly, and I couldn¡¯t calm down for this trial. The journalists were waiting outside for n, adding to the emotional pressure on me.


    ¡°Stay calm, dear,¡± Jessy whispered to reassure me.


    n peeked over Jessy¡¯s shoulder to look at my face. Our gazes met, but he didn¡¯t smile at all. I felt n had been acting a bit differently towards metely, but I didn¡¯t confront him directly.


    ¡°State of New York vs. n Schmidt,¡± Judge Brown called out.


    Upon hearing the call, Laird squeezed my hand briefly before stepping forward with n. Prosecutor Golden also took his ce at the front.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin this trial. Mr. Schmidt, on charges of DUI, damaging public property, and assaulting police officers, do you plead guilty?¡± Judge Brown asked, adjusting her sses.


    ¡°Your Honor, may I speak briefly?¡± n raised his hand.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just answer whether you plead guilty or not?¡± Judge Brown asked firmly.


    It seemed Judge Brown wasn¡¯t in a good mood either. The atmosphere in the courtroom felt heavy and tense.


    ¡°I just want to rify something, Your Honor, if I may,¡± n said again.


    ¡°What is it, Mr. Evans? You said you wouldn¡¯t waste my time.¡± Judge Brown seemed irritated by unfulfilled promises.


    ¡°Your Honor, forgive my client, but he admits guilt to all these charges and wishes to stop wasting everyone¡¯s time,¡± Laird spoke, ring at n fiercely.


    ¡°What about it, Mr. Schmidt? What is your plea?¡± Judge Brown asked.


    ¡°Your Honor, I¡¯d like to correct one of the charges against me. I¡¯m certain I did not assault police officers in any way,¡± n directly countered Judge Brown this time.


    ¡°Is the usation too severe, Mr. Golden?¡± The judge turned to the old man, who had been smiling all this time.


    ¡°I¡¯m just following procedure and the applicablews, Your Honor. If Mr. Schmidt insists he did not assault the police, we can call witnesses and open CCTV evidence from the street at the time of the incident,¡± the prosecutor grinned.


    ¡°Oh no, Jessy. It seems he has CCTV footage of me driving.¡± I panicked, whispering to Jessy.


    ¡°Stay calm, darling. I¡¯m sure Laird can handle this,¡± he said soothingly, though his furrowed brow betrayed his concern.


    ¡°Your Honor, may I request a brief recess to confirm this with Mr. Schmidt onest time?¡± Laird pleaded.


    ¡°Mr. Evans, I hope you can make some sense to Mr. Schmidt. The court is adjourned for five minutes,¡± the judge said, pounding her gavel.


    I looked at Jessy with deep anxiety. I gripped his hand tightly, intertwined with mine. The journalists immediately started murmuring.


    From afar, I saw Laird walking out of the courtroom through a side door. I had no idea what was happening.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t n say he was willing to plead guilty to protect you?¡± Jessy asked, worry evident on his face.


    ¡°Yes, Jessy. You heard him say that, right? Why would he suddenly change his stance?¡± I asked, puzzled.


    I couldn¡¯t fathom what was going through n¡¯s mind. Had his conscience finally struck, making him reluctant to sacrifice for me? I bit my lower lip, waiting anxiously for the trial to resume.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± a man walked over to greet us with a smirk.


    Prosecutor Golden extended his hand for a handshake. My heart skipped a beat seeing the prosecutor approaching me in the courtroom.


    ¡°Good morning, Sir,¡± I greeted him, shaking his hand, as did Jessy.


    ¡°It¡¯s rather unpredictable, isn¡¯t it?¡± he remarked.


    ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t understand why he suddenly changed his mind.¡± I restrained myself from revealing anything to the prosecutor.


    ¡°You¡¯re Fene Baxter, who was riding together with him in the car, right?¡± He put both hands in his pants pockets and scrutinized me from head to toe.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right, sir,¡± I replied quickly.


    ¡°I heard you¡¯re a model,¡± he said, still staring intently with a smile that seemed somewhat unsettling to me.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve given my statement to the police, by the way,¡± I replied coldly.


    ¡°Ah, yes. I saw your documents,¡± he nodded.


    ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with Mr. Laird Evans?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Why does this turn into a question about my rtionship with Laird Evans?¡± I raised an eyebrow, challenging him.


    ¡°Because I want to test his integrity as awyer, and I have a feeling you¡¯re in the middle of this case,¡± Prosecutor Golden stared at me intensely.


    His gray eyes sparkled brightly, as if he were stripping me naked with his gaze. He clearly wanted to delve deeper into this case, and I could only imagine myself shrinking in fear inside.


    ¡°Yes, as a witness,¡± I replied coldly, hiding my growing anxiety. The old man snorted and chuckled softly.


    ¡°I just want to warn you, miss. A small mistake could cost Laird Evans hisw license, which would surely anger his father greatly. I won¡¯t hesitate to uncover this casepletely,¡± he threatened with a lopsided smile.


    ¡°We should wait for the trial¡¯s oue, Mr. Golden,¡± I replied firmly, with my fists clenched at my sides.


    ¡°Very well, if you insist,¡± he shrugged.


    Laird and n then re-entered the courtroom. Seeing this, the prosecutor returned to his seat at the front. Judge Brown pounded her gavel again.


    ¡°The trial resumes,¡± she announced.

 Internal Conflict

    Laird¡¯s POV


    ¡°Have you gone mad?¡± I growled under my breath.


    n and I moved to a secluded corner of the empty hallway behind the courtroom. My eyes red as I stared at n¡¯s face, still seeming to view this trial as mere y.


    ¡°Laird, read the prosecutor¡¯s charges to me again. Read them aloud right in front of my face,¡± he said, pointing to the papers I held in my hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s your problem with that?¡± I asked irritably.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you realize the prosecutor is ying games with us? Read through all his charges carefully!¡± n raised his voice.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me to read aloud as if I were a child. I remember perfectly well what¡¯s in there.¡± I clenched my fist and squeezed the papers tightly.


    ¡°If you¡¯ve already read it, why are you telling me to plead guilty to everything?¡±


    ¡°Because that¡¯s what you want. You were the one who said at the precinct that you would bear all the punishments for her. Did you hit your head and get amnesia?¡± I furrowed my brow.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes, but I didn¡¯t expect to be charged with assault. I didn¡¯t do it at all! I didn¡¯t even scratch their skin,¡± he insisted with his confession.


    ¡°All the prosecutor¡¯s charges are nonsense. You know yourself; he¡¯s demanding a $5, 000 fine, a 6-month driving suspension, and 7 days in jail! Imagine that!¡± He gestured wildly.


    ¡°So what? Are you backing out because you¡¯re afraid of spending less than a week in jail? Besides, you¡¯ve already spent two days, right?¡± I asked with a crooked smile.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not afraid, darling,¡± he said, shaking his head.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not afraid. I¡¯m just thinking about my reputation. Having a criminal record from that jail will stick with me for life,¡± he wagged his finger in disagreement.


    ¡°Then why? You knew the consequences from the start, didn¡¯t you?¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°I thought this case could be settled with a fine. Being jailed for 7 days? Oh, no,¡± he chuckled neurotically.


    ¡°Mr. Evans, have you ever been locked up? Two days of it were enough for me. I won¡¯t waste my valuable time in that disgusting cell again,¡± he stated firmly.


    ¡°Listen, whatever you deny won¡¯t be useful now. Didn¡¯t you hear what Prosecutor Golden said?¡± I emphasized.


    ¡°He said he¡¯s going to call witnesses and review the CCTV footage from the time of the incident. That means he has evidence. If we¡¯re caught covering up the truth, the punishment could be much harsher,¡± I whispered, looking around to ensure no one could overhear us.


    ¡°Do you want all of us to be jailed for over a month?¡± I tightened my fists.


    ¡°Yes, but he didn¡¯t immediately charge Fene with any usations, right? That could mean anything. That could mean he doesn¡¯t have clear evidence showing what really happened, right?¡± His eyes gleamed as if he hade up with a brilliant idea.


    ¡°We can still win this with a lighter sentence,¡± he smiled broadly, but the anxiety in his darting eyes was evident.


    Seeing n Schmidt so terrified of jail cells made me chuckle for a moment. Especially with all his absurd ideas.


    ¡°What kind of lighter sentence? Do you think going through months of a full-time trial is worth avoiding a 7-day jail term? Don¡¯t be ridiculous, Mr. Schmidt.¡± Iughed and shook my head.


    ¡°Would it really be that long?¡± n asked confusedly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It all depends on how the case develops in court,¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°Just so you know, Mr. Schmidt, Prosecutor Golden is known as the piranha of the New York courtroom. Do you know why?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Because he¡¯s notorious for tearing apart all his opponents in trial,¡± I growled with a low voice, narrowing my eyes at him.


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me, someone who just got theirwyer¡¯s license six months ago, to go up against that veteran prosecutor for months in trial just to avoid a 7-day jail sentence?¡± I sighedzily.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just kill me now instead of torturing me like this?¡± I growled in a low tone.


    I stared intensely into n¡¯s eyes. Several seconds passed in silence to let my words sink in for him. It seemed he was starting to understand who our opponent was, all the risks involved, and the right actions he should take.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay a hero in Fene¡¯s eyes? Isn¡¯t that what you want? Her praise and devotion,¡± I said coldly.


    Though I disagreed, I felt that was a convincing enough reason to steer n back to his senses. n might indeed be gay, but who¡¯s to say he couldn¡¯t also long for a woman? He might be queer or pansexual. That means there¡¯s still a chance that he likes Fene.


    After much thought and analysis, I came to the conclusion that I kept repeating to myself. He likes Fene.


    I don¡¯t know if his liking is in a sexual context or just tonic admiration. One thing I¡¯m certain of is that n will always find ways to get my girl¡¯s attention, even if it means causing turmoil in today¡¯s trial.


    The bailiff emerged from the side door of the courtroom and cleared his throat loudly.


    ¡°Gentlemen, five minutes are up,¡± the bailiff warned us.


    Upon hearing that, n jerked his head towards the courtroom door. The anxiety on his face hadn¡¯t disappeared. Then he turned to look at me, as if recalling all my words in his mind.


    We re-entered the courtroom. Still in the defendant¡¯s chairs and table, we stood side by side. Prosecutor Golden sat at the prosecution table opposite us on the right. The man¡¯s face showed a smile with sparks of determination in his eyes.


    Fight against him. Ha! I wouldn¡¯t be that fucked up.


    ¡°Let¡¯s continue the trial,¡± Judge Brown banged her gavel again.


    ¡°Mr. Schmidt, I hope you¡¯re not wasting any more time. Do you plead guilty to all charges?¡±


    Judge Brown asked again in a calmer tone. It seemed she hadposed herself to be more patient with n. However, I knew Judge Brown¡¯s patience wouldn¡¯t be much greater than this.


    ¡°n, stop this nonsense. Plead guilty,¡± I whispered to him.

 Punishments

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I stared at the two men standing in the defendant¡¯s ce. Laird¡¯s face looked stern, his eyes squinting at n, while n appeared worried. Opposite them, Prosecutor Golden, standing behind the prosecutor¡¯s table, now wore a smug smile.


    ¡°What¡¯s your answer, Mr. Schmidt?¡± Judge Brown asked impatiently.


    Everyone whispered anxiously, waiting for n¡¯s response. I nced at Jessy, and we exchanged nervous looks. It never urred to me that n would change his mind at thest moment. But apparently, it could happen!


    ¡°Your Honor, I-¡± n¡¯s voice caught in his throat: ¡°I plead guilty.¡±


    My eyes widened as I heard n finish his sentence, followed immediately by a sigh of relief. Reporters scribbled notes, Jessy breathed a sigh of relief, and so did Laird. I felt drained and held Jessy¡¯s hand tighter. Both of us smiled broadly.


    ¡°Everything will be fine,¡± Jessy whispered to me.


    ¡°Thank you, Jessy,¡± I whispered back.


    Upon hearing n¡¯s answer, Judge Brown also seemed relieved. Her smile widened slightly, and she nodded. She wrote something on her desk and cleared her throat.


    ¡°With the defendant¡¯s plea of guilty to all charges brought against him by the State of New York, represented by District Attorney Mr. Malcolm Golden, I hereby decide to impose the following sentence.¡± The judge adjusted her sses momentarily.


    ¡°For the charges of DUI, damaging public facilities, and assault on police officers, the defendant is fined $5, 000, driving license suspension for 6 months, and a jail sentence of 7 days minus days already served at the Queens Precinct.¡± The judge paused to review the document in her hand.


    ¡°This jail sentence is a subsidiary with a fine of $2, 500,¡± the judge continued.


    I saw n look at Laird with a relieved expression upon hearing the judge¡¯s additional decision. Unfortunately, Judge Brown wasn¡¯t done reading her verdict. As her voice echoed again, I could only stand frozen, listening intently.


    ¡°The defendant is also required to undergo monthly sessions of mental health and addiction rehabilitation therapy with a government psychiatrist for 6 months,¡± she said.


    Everyone murmured again upon hearing this additional sentence. n and Laird exchanged looks with furrowed brows. I nced at Jessy, my mouth gaping in astonishment at the judge¡¯s decision.


    ¡°Thus, this decision is read on behalf of the State of New York. My court deres this trial closed.¡±


    The judge pounded her gavel three times.


    Immediately after, n hugged Laird quickly. Jessy and I chuckled as we saw Laird pushing n away. We walked over to them, but before reaching them, myughter stopped when I saw the prosecutor slowly approaching them.


    I walked slowly towards them, trying to listen in on their conversation. What if the old prosecutor really exposed everything? Would there be another trial? I closed my mouth and stood by the wooden fence.


    ¡°You seem happy,¡± the gray-haired man said.


    ¡°Mr. Golden, thank you for sparing the time and effort to handle our small case,¡± Laird said, shaking his hand as a gesture of politeness.


    ¡°I just wanted to get to know you. From this case, I see a lot of simrities with your father, Mr. Evans. But I also see many differences,¡± he smiled wryly.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Keep your judgment to yourself, Mr. Golden,¡± Laird replied firmly.


    ¡°Listen, champ. If you make the wrong decision again, I¡¯ll personally drag you into a cell. I won¡¯t stop, even if old man Evans himself is yourwyer. Remember that,¡± Prosecutor Golden threatened him with a cold voice that sent shivers down my spine.


    Laird stared silently as the man walked away. His face looked grim, and I couldn¡¯t shake off my worry when I saw that dark expression.


    I didn¡¯t know what happened, but it seemed there was a bad history between Laird¡¯s father and that man. Because of that, Laird seemed trapped in the middle of their feud, like he would be a victim.


    To ease the tension, I pushed through the dividing fence. I hugged Laird tightly, causing him to startle.


    ¡°Hey, love. You¡¯re safe now,¡± Laird said, stroking my head.


    I nodded and released my embrace from Laird. Then, I turned to n, standing next to Laird. I held both of n¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Thank you, n. I promise to repay my debt to you,¡± and then I hugged him briefly.


    ***


    ¡°I feel guilty for my carelessness, causing inconvenience to many people. I realize that what I did brought harm to the people I cherish around me.¡± n shook his head.


    ¡°Therefore, please ept my sincere apology.¡± n sped his hands in front of his chest, and the camera shes immediately ovepped.


    His expression was pitiful yet calm. He also showed a concerned look for a few seconds. There was no arrogant smirk, no mockingughter, and no hurtful words.


    n Schmidt was like a saint who had just redeemed himself by speaking in front of the camera outside the New York courthouse. The news of the CEO, who owns several fashion brands, and Gene Talent Management being willing to pay all the consequences for his actions has now been hailed as an angel by the fashion and entertainment industries.


    I then opened somements on the online video news.


    ¡®Thank goodness everything ended well.¡¯


    ¡®At least he has the money to pay the fine.¡¯


    ¡®He didn¡¯t kill anyone, so I guess he can still be forgiven.¡¯


    Suddenly, I saw onementator named Kiara the Greatest. She spammed the samement multiple times. Strangely, I felt like I knew thatmentator.


    ¡®The court is already ruined! Someone like that deserves a 7-year prison sentence, not 7 days! n Schmidt, I hope you die!¡¯


    ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    I turned to Laird, who emerged from the bathroom already dressed in his usual smart suit. He still looked handsome, with a firm jaw, neatlybed hair, and a broad chest outlined in his crisp white shirt.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m ready,¡± I said, rising from the sofa.


    ¡°Are you still watching that news? It¡¯s been three days,¡± he said, looking puzzled at why I kept watching the news video about n¡¯s sentence reading.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it,¡± I shrugged, adjusting his navy blue tie.


    ¡°Why?¡± he asked, furrowing his brow as he wrapped his arms around my waist.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I feel guilty. I should have been in his ce, apologizing in front of the camera while crying,¡± I sighed after Laird¡¯s tie was neatly tied.


    ¡°Don¡¯t feel guilty. From the beginning, n was wrong to incite you to drive while he was drunk instead of being vignt and watching over you,¡± he concluded firmly.


    ¡°Maybe he felt rxed, thinking he could escape thew by paying a sum of money. He almost did something reckless when he couldn¡¯t afford to escape from jail,¡± he snorted.


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect Judge Brown to add the subsidary fine and mandatory therapy. Until now, I didn¡¯t understand the reason behind her decision,¡± I said, walking side by side with Laird out of the apartment.


    ¡°That¡¯s probably because she saw n¡¯s behavior indicating signs of personality disorder and felt he needed therapy more than meeting other inmates. You know how the man behaved during the trial,¡± Laird analyzed as usual.


    I fell silent, pondering all this in my mind. n Schmidt was now more than just a boss. He was my savior. I couldn¡¯t believe how he sacrificed time, money, and effort to save me from punishment.


    Especially the time spent going back and forth to therapy with a psychiatrist once a month. That couldn¡¯t be valued by mere money alone. I just hoped the contracts I worked on would be enough to cover all the losses n bore.


    ¡°Do you want me to drop you off at Gene¡¯s office directly, or do you want toe to my office first?¡± Laird asked, breaking my reverie as we got into his car.


    ¡°Can Ie to your office?¡± I asked, my eyes widening and a smile spreading across my face.

 Bell, McNaught, & Evans

    Fene¡¯s POV


    It turned out that all copies of the contract documents for Gene and the talents were ready. Laird already had an appointment to meet with his paralegal at the office to pick up all the documents.


    Coming to Laird¡¯s office? Of course, I wouldn¡¯t miss this opportunity!


    ¡°Are you sure you won¡¯t bete?¡± Laird asked me.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay; don¡¯t worry. Today, I only have a scheduled appointment at 1 p. m. for a treatment at the sponsor¡¯s clinic,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Are you sick?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No.¡± I chuckled softly upon hearing the question. ¡°It¡¯s a skin and beauty clinic,¡± I said, blushing.


    ¡°But you¡¯re already beautiful,¡± he frowned. Hearing that, my face turned even redder.


    ¡°I still have to take care of it and keep it in the best condition, Laird,¡± I said. He pursed his lips and nodded as if understanding me.


    When we arrived at the lobby of Laird¡¯s office building, I immediately adopted a more formal demeanor. Around me were many office workers in full suits, mostly in ck, gray, and other dark colors. The women also mostly wore formal zer suits or dresses in almost the same earthy and monochrome spectrum.


    I immediately felt out of ce with my current outfit. A brown knit long-sleeve turtleneck shirt with light blue jeans. I also wore a mustard yellow midi crop canvas jacket.


    The atmosphere was also vastly different from, say, the Vogue magazine office building. Or the buildings used for events like New York Fashion Week.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Put this on.¡± Laird handed me a guest ess card, and I immediately hung it around my neck.


    We then took the elevator up to the 18th floor. When the elevator doors opened, I immediately saw arge namete with shimmering acrylic gold letters. Bell, McNaught, & Evans, the New York branch.


    ¡°Wow. How does it feel to see your name disyed as a partner in a majorw firm?¡± I whispered quietly as we walked in through therge ss door.


    ¡°Like crap,¡± he snorted.


    I didn¡¯t quite understand, but from what I knew from the dramas I watched, bing a senior partner with your name disyed in aw firm¡¯s office like this took a lot of effort. Awyer had to have a lot of experience, win many cases, bring in many big clients with contracts worth millions of dors, and y some kind of office politics.


    I knew Laird¡¯s father was a famous and wealthy corporatewyer. But I only realized how great he was after seeing his name clearly disyed on the office wall like this. Maybe it¡¯s simr to a CEO, which means Laird is the CEO¡¯s heir.


    I used to be the daughter of a CEO too, but everything changed after my father died. All that¡¯s left for me and my mother now is a house in Boston that we¡¯ve lived in since I was born. There¡¯s no more Baxter Food Distribution Company.


    ¡°Hey, Laird,¡± a few people greeted him as we passed, but Laird just nodded with a humble nod.


    Laird led me to his office desk. It turned out he shared arge room with about ten other desks. Most of them looked young like him, and they all seemed to be newwyers.


    ¡°Wait at my desk while I fetch the documents. Would you like a cup of coffee while you wait?¡± he asked.


    ¡°If it¡¯s not too much trouble,¡± I replied with a quick nod.


    ¡°Hey, Laird.¡± A brown-haired man approached him before Laird could go to the pantry.


    ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s up?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Dude, I finally managed to ask Mnie out for a date tonight,¡± the guy chuckled with enthusiasm.


    ¡°Mnie, who?¡± Laird furrowed his brow as they began walking away from me.


    ¡°Mnie is a beautiful and sexy girl. I met her on an online dating app. She¡¯s really excited to meet me,¡± the guyughed again.


    Hearing the guy¡¯s loud statement, I couldn¡¯t help but be curious. Instead of sitting at the desk as Laird instructed, I quietly followed them. Call me bold and daring, but they were talking about women!


    ¡°Huh? Are you sure she¡¯s not a prostitute offering herself?¡± I faintly heard Laird¡¯s voice.


    ¡°How dare you? She¡¯s a professional hair stylist at a major salon.¡±


    The guy then talked about his ns with a woman named Mnie. I listened from a distance, but I could still catch bits and pieces of their conversation.


    ¡°Hm. Yup. Then?¡± Laird seemed to respond briefly as he busied himself making a cup of coffee.


    ¡°So, you have to help me out. I don¡¯t want her to think I don¡¯t have any friends. She¡¯s bringing her friend along too. Who knows? Maybe you¡¯ll get lucky with her friend. What do you say?¡±


    What?! My heart pounded as I waited for Laird¡¯s response.


    ¡°You said she really likes you. If that¡¯s true, logically, you won¡¯t fail just because you didn¡¯t bring a friend.¡± Laird still tried to decline.


    ¡°Oh,e on, Laird. Hey, you owe me one. Remember yesterday when you werete to the office after lunch and almost got yelled at by the boss for beingte to the meeting?¡± The guy kept pressing him.


    ¡°I helped you out, buddy.¡± He puffed out his chest.


    ¡°Ah, damn it.¡± Laird grumbled irritably.


    ¡°Let¡¯s call it even after you help me tonight. Deal?¡± The guy extended a handshake towards Laird.


    Uh oh! It seems the guy held Laird¡¯s secret card. Just as I was sure Laird would ept the guy¡¯s invitation, I entered the pantry and cleared my throat loudly.


    ¡°Hey, Laird.¡± I walked into the pantry and interjected between the two men.


    ¡°Can I help with anything? I mean, I¡¯d feel bad if I didn¡¯t help make my own coffee,¡± Iughed awkwardly.


    The guy and Laird widened their eyes. The guy scrutinized me from head to toe and looked surprised.


    ¡°Is she your client, Laird?¡± the guy quickly asked.


    I immediately looked at Laird. He just stared at me intensely, and suddenly my heart raced. Was he going to introduce me as his girlfriend to his colleague?

 His Desk

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Laird stared at me intently and then nced at his friend. Okay, I have to admit, I wasn¡¯t ready.


    If only Laird had chosen to introduce me as his close friend, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to do anything. I mean, I didn¡¯t know whether Laird would introduce me as his girlfriend or not.


    What if Laird didn¡¯t acknowledge me as his girlfriend? Especially now that our statuses are so different. Laird, the son of the firm¡¯s owner, for God¡¯s sake!


    ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s my client,¡± he calmly replied.


    What? My heart sank upon hearing Laird¡¯s answer. A client? Just that? I waited for Laird to exin or add more details, but there was nothing.


    ¡°Wow, nice to meet you, miss. I¡¯m Derek. Laird must be thrilled to have such a beautiful client like you.¡± Derek extended his hand to me with a broad smile.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°Oh, um, I¡¯m Fene,¡± I murmured.


    My heart raced with a forced smile. I shook Derek¡¯s hand, and he gripped it firmly.


    He held my hand for a long time and engaged me in conversation about something I couldn¡¯t quite grasp. However, I couldn¡¯t respond with an empty mind. I was too shocked by the reality that Laird acknowledged me only as a client, not a girlfriend.


    ¡°Fene, your name sounds like vani; very sweet,¡± Derek said with a mischievous smile to tease me.


    ¡°You¡¯re funny, Derek,¡± I said with a small, fakeugh because the man clearly didn¡¯t want to let go of my hand.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough, Derek. Get your hand off of my girlfriend,¡± suddenly Laird patted Derek¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Ouch, she¡¯s your girlfriend?¡± Derek asked, releasing my hand.


    My eyes widened upon hearing Laird¡¯s words. Oh, thank goodness! A shy smile spread across my lips, recing the disappointment that had briefly surfaced.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to make announcements. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t feel like introducing her to you, big mouth,¡± Laird snorted as he finished brewing his hot coffee.


    ¡°Say that you¡¯re embarrassed.¡± Derek nudged Laird¡¯s waist.


    ¡°You¡¯re very lucky, miss. He has amitment and trust issue. You know, he never sticks with one woman for more than a week.¡± Derek leaned toward me and whispered loudly.


    ¡°So, if you change your mind and want someone more faithful¡­¡± Laird pped Derek¡¯s back hard, causing him to jump and grimace while rubbing his own back.


    ¡°Shut up, or I¡¯ll sue you for defamation.¡± Laird slowly wrapped his arm around my waist to turn and walk away from Derek.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m still talking to her, Laird,¡± Derek tried to call out, but Laird still ushered me to leave the pantry with him.


    ¡°Ignore him,¡± Laird grumbled quietly.


    ¡°Is he a youngwyer too?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yeah, we were recruited together,¡± he said.


    Laird and I returned to Laird¡¯s desk. This time, I sat in his chair, and Laird ced a fragrant cup of hot coffee on his desk for me.


    ¡°Wait here; I¡¯ll be right back,¡± he said.


    I watched Laird walk away, but suddenly he turned back to the desk to approach me. He leaned down and whispered to me.


    ¡°Try not to wander alone anymore. Stay here until Ie back. I don¡¯t want you to be approached by perverted people lurking around here.¡± Laird¡¯s face looked serious, and I blinked.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said with a nervous chuckle.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± he said again before he actually walked away, leaving me alone at his desk.


    I looked around and noticed otherwyers were busy with their own tasks. I tried to rx by enjoying the coffee Laird had served me while ncing at Laird¡¯s desk. Piles of documents, boxes under the desk, phone charger cables, and several pens were neatly ced in the corners of the desk.


    Slowly, I began to realize many people were watching me, and everyone who passed by Laird¡¯s desk had to look at me twice. It was obvious I stood out at Laird¡¯s desk. I started to feel like my decision toe to Laird¡¯s office was a mistake.


    Suddenly, a woman walked into the room briskly. She wore a white cropped zer jacket and a tight ck pencil skirt. She wore a decorative belt in white and gold. From top to bottom, her outfit screamed boss status with well-known designer clothes.


    The woman moved from desk to desk around Laird¡¯s desk to ask about work progress. Until she walked to me and didn¡¯t find who she was looking for. She stared at me with a furrowed brow and a condescending look in her eyes.


    ¡°Have you seen Laird Evans?¡± she asked me.


    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s gone to meet his paralegal to pick up some documents,¡± I replied, trying to stay calm.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± She stared at me intently and folded her arms in front of her chest.


    ¡°Are you a client? Because our clients should be properly entertained in the meeting room, not at a cramped private desk,¡± she said with a cold tone while looking at the hot coffee on the desk.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s okay. Laird said he¡¯d be right back, so I¡¯m just here for a moment,¡± I said, ignoring her arrogant attitude towards me.


    ¡°Miss, if you are indeed our client, you shouldn¡¯t wait in this room. Laird should know the rules in this office,¡± she said, speaking firmly as if giving me an order.


    I furrowed my brow in confusion. Okay, I guess I¡¯m still considered a guest, and the ess card I wore clearly states that I am a guest. Maybe I should wait in the meeting room or the lounge, as appropriate.


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t know. Maybe Laird thought I¡¯d befortable waiting here since I¡¯m alone,¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°Come with me; I¡¯ll take you to the meeting room. This isn¡¯t your ce,¡± she insisted, shaking her head.


    Her hand gestured for me to follow her as she stood, waiting for me to walk along with her. Ugh, there¡¯s no other way.


    I guess she¡¯s Laird¡¯s boss, which means I shouldn¡¯t rebel here, or Laird will get in trouble too. So, I walked along with her out of the office to another corridor leading to the meeting room.

 Lady Boss

    Fene¡¯s POV


    The woman walked briskly ahead of me, her shoes cking loudly. The shoes she wore were even Oscar de Ragetti designs. I recognized them because Oscar had shown me his boutique when I signed the contract.


    Upon arriving in the fairlyrge meeting room, I was invited to take a seat. Once again, Iplied with the woman. Her bossy aura was thick, and her charisma made it nearly impossible for me to argue.


    As I was about to sit down, she finally smiled warmly. Though it seemed I was starting to understand the difference between genuine and fake smiles, she resembled more of a sadistic robot who enjoyed rebelling against humans, as seen in movies.


    ¡°Whichpany are you from?¡± she asked sharply.


    ¡°I¡¯m from Gene Talent Management,¡± I replied spontaneously.


    ¡°The model and actor managementpany?¡± she asked with increased interest this time.


    ¡°Yes, exactly.¡± I nodded with a smile, d that someone recognized my name.


    ¡°I thought they had gone bankrupt,¡± she chuckled arrogantly.


    A smile faded from my face. What was that rude question? I thought she¡¯d be a fan of Gene.


    ¡°Of course not. We¡¯ve actually just started with fresh new management,¡± I defended my agency, of course.


    ¡°Well, I heard the new management has been having issues. You hired Laird to handle your problems, didn¡¯t you?¡± She smirked crookedly.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. My boss believes Laird can handle all issues well. He even doesn¡¯t hesitate to pay Laird with a nk check.¡± I stopped myself from sitting down due to her provocative tone.


    ¡°But Laird didn¡¯t even take hundreds of thousands of dors from him,¡± she grunted irritably.


    ¡°Sorry, but how do you know about that?¡± I frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯m his boss. He reports all the cases he¡¯s working on to me. Are you n Schmidt¡¯s assistant?¡± She furrowed her brow.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m Gene¡¯s lead model,¡± I said proudly.


    She then scrutinized me from head to toe. Her brow furrowed again, and her lips curled. Her gaze was invasive and ufortable.


    ¡°You?¡± she scoffed disdainfully.


    ¡°Yes. Is there a problem with that?¡± I started to challenge her more boldly.


    ¡°Sorry, don¡¯t be offended. No hard feeling. I¡¯m just genuinely concerned about Gene¡¯s condition under the new management,¡± she said, raising both hands in the air.


    ¡°You speak as if you know us intimately,¡± I retorted.


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯m a fashion enthusiast, and I won¡¯t let non-branded items touch my body. I often watch fashion shows too, and I know Ms. L, the previous owner; she was an angel.¡± Her voice softened, and she pressed her hand to her chest.


    ¡°Well, in that case, I hope you¡¯ll support me because I¡¯ve been part of Gene for seven years.¡± I lowered my voice now, pointing to myself.


    ¡°Sorry, but I really don¡¯t know you. Maybe you¡¯re still new, not as famous as Yuri Wu, and I don¡¯t know if your fashion taste can match hers,¡± she shrugged, ncing me up and down.


    ¡°I¡¯m the brand ambassador for Oscar de Ragetti. You like it, don¡¯t you? Too bad those shoes were already sold at a discount in the summer.¡± I tilted my chin towards her shoes.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to look away when you find something suitable to stomp on,¡± she said, bing even more disdainful, and her dislike was clear on the surface.


    ¡°In that case, you should wear rubber boots. Oscar would cry if he knew his shoes were being used improperly.¡± I shook my head.


    ¡°Do you have a special rtionship with Laird?¡± One of her hands was now on her hip, changing the subject all of a sudden.


    ¡°Is that important?¡± I scoffed.


    ¡°I just want to maintain ethics between awyer and a client,¡± she said, waving her hand in the air and shaking her head. Her attitude was truly obnoxious.


    ¡°Is there such a thing? Everyone seems to have no ethics these days,¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°Oh, please, miss. We are a respectablew firm, not just anyw firm. Mr. Evans would be very angry to know his son isn¡¯t capable of doing his job,¡± the woman said, stepping closer to me this time.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to doubt Laird¡¯s capabilities. I can assure you, he is very professional andpetent in his work.¡± I also stepped closer to her.


    ¡°Say, are you really defending him like this?¡± She cocked her head, staring at me intensely.


    ¡°I¡¯m his girlfriend,¡± I stated firmly this time.


    Upon hearing my answer, the woman blinked her eyes repeatedly. Her mouth hung open, and her eyelids widened.


    The meeting room fell silent momentarily as we both absorbed what had just happened. Everything we said, everything the woman wanted to dig into, and everything rted to Laird were now clearly exposed.


    What did this woman want? Was she really Laird¡¯s boss? I stared sharply at her.


    Suddenly, sheughed. Sheughed while shaking her head. Her mouth even spat air to mock and dismiss a strand of hair that fell in front of her face.


    ¡°What did you just say? That¡¯s the funniest thing I¡¯ve ever heard,¡± she said, speaking with a high pitch.


    Herughter was now gone, reced by an intimidating gaze, as if she were about to pounce on me with her ws. I didn¡¯t know what this woman wanted or what her business with Laird was. One thing was certain: I wouldn¡¯t back down. I puffed out my chest.


    ¡°That¡¯s the truth. I am Laird¡¯s girlfriend,¡± I said confidently once again.


    ¡°Please say it again a thousand times until I believe you, or it will really hurt my pride,¡± she said, pointing to her chest again.


    ¡°I am dating Laird,¡± I said slowly in front of her face.


    ¡°For how long? One week? Two weeks?¡±Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°It¡¯s been a month,¡± I said with a triumphant smile.


    Ha! Take that!


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± she said, furrowed her brow, and took a breath.


    ¡°Why do you say that? Is there something wrong?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s impossible. Laird is gay,¡± she blinked her eyes.


    ¡°He¡¯s not gay,¡± I retorted with an annoyed snort.


    ¡°He said it himself,¡± the woman insisted, but I stuck to my opinion.

 Slanderous Accusation

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I could only stay silent in confusion as I listened to the woman who imed to be Laird¡¯s boss. My eyes blinked repeatedly as I observed her closely. From her appearance, it was clear she was not a foolish or poor woman.


    So why did she think her earlier statement was a normal thinging from a career woman¡¯s mouth? Why did she seem so confident in what she said? Though I didn¡¯t believe her words, I still felt that something strange had happened.


    ¡°Laird is gay?¡± I repeated the woman¡¯s words slowly.


    ¡°He himself told me that,¡± she said once more. The woman shrugged, as if all her words were sane.


    ¡°Laird is gay? He told you that himself.¡±


    I repeated her words slowly once again, furrowing my brow in confusion. My mouth hung open wide, and I gasped in disbelief. We were like a glitching video due to bad wifi.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± The woman nodded, appearing sure of her words, although I could see a tense expression on her face as if she were lying.


    Gradually, I stared at the woman. The longer I observed her, the more certain I became that something was amiss. Coupled with her clearly false statement just now.


    Yes, she was definitely lying!


    I couldn¡¯t hold back myughter anymore. Regardless of her position or identity in this office, I burst into loudughter in the meeting room. Iughed so hard that I held my stomach in pain from the joke.


    ¡°Why are youughing? He told me himself!¡± The woman grew angrier and started gripping my arms, which were trembling fromughter.


    ¡°Stopughing! What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± She tried to hold onto my shaking body.


    I realized people were starting to look towards the meeting room, and I finally stoppedughing after the woman repeatedly told me to stop. I wiped the corners of my eyes, which were now watery fromughing too much.


    ¡°Oh, this is really funny,¡± I said.


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me? Everyone knows that, and he told me himself,¡± she insisted, now crossing her arms in front of her chest.


    ¡°Sorry, may I know your name again? You¡¯re Laird¡¯s boss, but I really don¡¯t know your name,¡± I said amid the fadingughter.


    ¡°Reba,¡± she said in a snobbish act.


    ¡°Well, Reba, if I may know, when did he tell you this?¡± I have managed to control myughter now.


    ¡°A few months ago,¡± she said.


    ¡°Oh, right, Laird just started working here, right? He got his license only 6 months ago, so maybe he told you when he first joined this office.¡± I nodded.


    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± she pressed irritably.


    ¡°I just want to know, when exactly did he tell you that? Was it when you invited him out for lunch together?¡± I asked with a crooked smile this time, full of triumph.


    When I asked her like that, Reba flinched. She blinks her eyes again. This time she fell silent, then tried to stare at me fiercely as if her intimidation were still effective on me.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do such a thing,¡± she murmured in a low voice.


    ¡°Yes, you did. You invited him out for lunch or dinner alone. You tried to seduce him; that¡¯s why he lied to you.¡± I leaned forward and hissed in a low tone as well.


    ¡°Why would he lie to me?¡± she asked with an annoyed snort. ¡°Besides, I didn¡¯t do any of that. What you¡¯re saying is a serious usation, miss.¡±


    It was clear to me that her defenses were starting to crumble, and I knew I was right. It was not umon for me to hear stories of women or men who considered themselves bosses trying to seduce new recruits with the hope of engaging in sexual harassment.


    Don¡¯t predators always think that newbies are easy targets for them? They think that neers can be easily fooled and will obediently follow the office authorities.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°In my opinion, my guess is correct. He lied to avoid you, his boss, who wanted to tempt and harass him. He lied that he¡¯s gay, so you would stop trying to get close to him,¡± I said without hesitation.


    ¡°I warn you; shut the fuck up, or I will sue you for nder and unpleasant acts,¡± she threatened with narrow, vicious eyes fixed on me.


    A bully? I wasn¡¯t afraid. I had faced bullies and all sorts of unpleasant situations many times before. I was immune.


    ¡°Go ahead; I¡¯m not afraid. I will also sue you for defamation.¡± I shrugged and began to walk away.


    ¡°Just so you know, Laird is not gay, and oh, boy, he¡¯s really good at satisfying women in bed. He¡¯s a sex god,¡± I said with a sigh and a bite on my lower lip.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve had enough of your nonsense. I¡¯m leaving from here and will find my sexy boyfriend,¡± I said, raising both my hands in the air.


    I walked away, leaving the woman feeling embarrassed and alone in the meeting room. It was clear to me how she was caught trying to seduce Laird. I understood why he lied like that because I had been in his shoes before.


    When I first started working, meeting with model clients for the first time, they offered things like that. To climb the careerdder, to gain fame, and such. Nonsense!


    I even dated a man I didn¡¯t really like just because I knew he had the power to make those predators retreat in fear. They no longer dared to touch me when they found out I was dating a mafia guy. Only when the situation was safe enough did I dare to fight alone again.


    I mean, I had to take such extreme steps so that the predators who thought they had power over me would finally stay away from me. That¡¯s why I could immediately figure out what really happened between Reba and Laird.


    I returned to his desk, but it was still empty. There was no sign of him returning to his desk yet. The room was still quite busy, with coworkers around his desk busy with their tasks.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    Reba walked over to me in anger.

 Cat Fight

    Fene¡¯s POV


    The woman approached me with angry steps, her face showing fierceness in the corners of her eyes that arched high. She stood right in front of me, no longer caring about the pairs of eyes now watching us from the tables in this room.


    They all stopped working. There was no phone ringing, no sound of keyboards clicking, and no one talking. The room suddenly fell into a tense silence as Reba stood right in front of me.


    ¡°I am the boss here, and I am a junior partner in this firm. You can¡¯t talk to me like that,¡± she said slowly, emphasizing each word.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    She yelled sharply, her breath uneven. It seemed like her anger had reached its boiling point.


    Not wanting to back down, I finally stood my ground in front of her. I clenched my fists by my sides, leaning forward and ring back at her fiercely.


    ¡°I can do whatever I want, and I am not your employee,¡± I said, raising my voice and emphasizing each word.


    ¡°You bitch!¡±


    The next moment, she picked up the hot coffee from my desk. Before I could dodge, she spilled it on me. I instinctively screamed in a loud shrill.


    The coffee felt like it was burning my shoulders, chest, and legs. My clothes were instantly wet and stained dark brown. Still in shock, I could only stand there frozen, waiting for the seconds to pass like a year.


    ¡°OMG!¡± I held my breath and could only utter those three letters.


    ¡°Your coffee is finished; now get out of here, loser!¡± she said angrily.


    ¡°You¡¯re ruining my clothes.¡± I gasped for breath.


    I was still standing there motionless, watching how my mustard yellow jacket, brown turtleneck, and jeans were now dirty and damp. Not to mention my shoes, which also got sttered with coffee. The coffee now seeped into my clothes and filled my shoes.


    ¡°Besides, your clothes are just trash. Do you im to be the main model in those clothes? It¡¯s ridiculous!¡± Reba continued to mock me loudly.


    Oh, hell no! It¡¯s time for war!


    Without another thought, I immediately grabbed Reba¡¯s thick brte hair. She screamed loudly, and everyone quickly gathered around us.


    ¡°Let go, you bitch!¡±


    Reba retaliated by hitting my hands with all her might. In pain, I released her hair, but my hands nearly scratched her neck. She then became more aggressive, hitting my stomach.


    ¡°You¡¯re the bitch!¡±


    ¡°Loser!¡±


    I pushed on her chest, and she screamed in pain. Then she tried to w and hit my cheeks, but I dove and pushed her down until she fell to the ground. I straddled her and held my ground with all my might.


    Things were out of control and chaotic. I no longer knew who was hitting who. All I knew was that my survival instinct urged me to defend myself from this primitive attack.


    I felt my hair being yanked so painfully, but it didn¡¯t stop me from trying to p Reba¡¯s fierce face. My hands grabbed her hair again, but she bit my hand. I screamed loudly in pain, like a wounded wolf.


    Due to the pain, Reba decided to lunge at my body and hold me down. I punched her abdomen several times while she tried to strangle my neck. With all my might, I then pinched Reba¡¯s thigh until she yelled in pain and fell backwards while clutching her thigh.


    Several men tried to pull Reba away from me. Three men then restrained Reba, and someone also held onto my body before I could lunge at Reba again.


    ¡°Fene! Stop!¡±


    ¡°No! Let go! I have to teach this cunt a fucking lesson!¡± I continued to struggle to free myself from his grip.


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    ¡°Come here if you dare!¡± Reba shouted at me.


    ¡°I will kill you!¡± I yelled louder until my throat felt sore.


    ¡°Fene! Stop!¡±


    The man¡¯s voice grew louder. He held on to me tighter, his hands encircling my waist. Although Reba and I continued shouting from a distance, we were finally separated by the distance and the strength of the men holding us. I even felt like I was floating as the man holding me seemed to carry me away.


    ¡°Fene! Stop! Calm down,¡± the man grumbled in a low voice that I recognized in my ear, and finally I fell silent.


    My hair was messy and disheveled, no longer neatly arranged as usual. My breathing was heavy, and my heart was beating rapidly. My eyes were still ring at that vile woman. Ready to fight at any moment!


    Slowly, the man embraced me tightly, and he whispered in my ear again. ¡°Calm down, Fene, please. It¡¯s me, Laird Evans.¡±


    Hearing Laird¡¯s voice in my ear, I immediately tried to calm myself. I took a deep breath and swallowed hard. Although my breath still came heavy and I panted through my open mouth, I finally returned Laird¡¯s embrace.


    I hugged his body tightly and buried my face in his warm, sturdy chest. It felt as if my body was syncing my heartbeat with Laird¡¯s slowly calming heartbeat.


    ¡°Laird,¡± I whispered softly.


    ¡°Yes, Fene. Calm down,¡± he said, still hugging me tightly while stroking my head.


    ¡°Reba is-¡± I started to speak, but my voice choked.


    ¡°Ssh, ignore her. Come on, let¡¯s just go to the car,¡± he said slowly, still with a heavy voice.


    Slowly, he guided my steps to move away from the woman, who was still screaming hysterically. Laird¡¯s body, now blocking my view, led me towards the main entrance of the office, all the way to the elevator.


    I passed by the same namete as when I arrived earlier. After entering the empty elevator with Laird, I immediately saw my reflection in the elevator mirror.


    Was that really me?! God! I¡¯m horrible!


    ¡°Ugh, I messed up, huh?¡± I asked with both of my hands covering my face.


    ¡°First, calm yourself,¡± Laird said, embracing my shoulders as he let out a long breath.


    ¡°I-¡± my voice caught in my throat once again, but there was nothing more to be said as the elevator doors finally opened and we reached the ground floor.

 Cooling Down

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°I need to clean up in the restroom first,¡± I told Laird as soon as we reached the ground floor of the building.


    ¡°Over there,¡± Laird pointed to a hallway at the far left end of the building.


    I took off my jacket and quickly covered my face and head with it, which was now wet. My steps hurriedly ran away from Laird alone. When I entered thedies¡¯ room, fortunately, there was no one.


    I breathed a sigh of relief and immediately looked at myself in front of the mirror. Quickly, Ibed my hair with my fingers as smoothly as possible. I took out the powder and lipstick and then looked at my entire face.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    I groaned when I saw a few scratches from wounds on my cheeks, forehead, and chin. Fortunately, they were small, but there was a red mark. Quickly, I dampened the tissue with water and gently wiped away the wounds.


    Luckily, I wore a jacket and a long turtleneck, so there were no scratches on my body. It¡¯s just that my jacket and clothes were dirty, wet, smelled like coffee, and added tears and stretches at certain points. With a damp tissue, I cleaned my clothes as much as possible, but this is still not enough.


    I needed clean, new clothes.


    I grabbed my phone and immediately called Jessie. After five rings, he finally answered my call.


    ¡°Jessie, I need help,¡± I told him.


    Then I recounted everything that had happened to him. Naturally, he joined in cursing in frustration after I told him.


    ¡°Oh my, how did this happen? Let¡¯s video call so I can see how bad the injuries are.¡± Jessy requested a video call, and I epted. With my phone camera, I showed him the small wounds on my face.


    ¡°Oh my! That bitch! We were supposed to have the clinic photoshoot today. This clearly won¡¯t be possible now,¡± he sighed irritably.


    ¡°Can¡¯t I just use makeup to cover the scratches?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; I think that¡¯s a bad idea, but we¡¯ll tryter after you get here. I¡¯ll contact the clinic photoshoot department to confirm with the makeup artist. Damn it, we should sue that woman!¡± Jessy cursed angrily.


    ¡°No! Don¡¯t do that,¡± I said, shaking my head.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°Why not? She started it, didn¡¯t she?¡± He asked with a frustrated tone.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to cause more trouble for Laird. After all, she¡¯s still his boss. I should have restrained myself, and now Laird will suffer because of my impulsive behavior.¡± I wiped my face, and tears suddenly flowed.


    ¡°Oh, dear, poor girl. In a professional capacity, I should scold you for not being able to restrain yourself from insults and mistreatment. But as a friend, I think you did the right thing by defending yourself and him.¡± He tried to calm me down during the video call.


    ¡°What should I do? I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve caused trouble for him,¡± I said between sobs.


    ¡°No, dear. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m sure he will understand you. Besides, he didn¡¯t scold you earlier, did he?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I nodded, wiping my tears.


    ¡°Fix your hair and makeup, then hurry out to meet him. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s still waiting patiently for you.¡± Jessy¡¯s voice sounded calming without judging me.


    ¡°But my clothes are very wet and dirty. I look disgusting.¡± I wrinkled my red nose and started to feel choked up.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, dear. You¡¯ll just need to change clothes here. Don¡¯t worry. He won¡¯t be disgusted with you. Just make sure you quickly get into the car so no one else takes pictures of you in that outfit,¡± he hurriedly advised.


    ¡°Okay. Thank you, Jessy.¡± I sighed deeply and promptly hung up.


    Alright, now I just need to fix my makeup. The wounds don¡¯t look bloody, and they¡¯ve dried up. I just need to cover the scars with powder. Suddenly, my phone rang, and I saw Laird calling me.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I answered.


    ¡°Fene, are you done fixing yourself up?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Almost,¡± I replied hoarsely.


    ¡°Step out of the restroom for a moment. I¡¯ve brought a spare shirt that¡¯s still clean. I got it from the car,¡± he said.


    ¡°Really?¡± I blinked in surprise.


    ¡°Yes,e out now,¡± he said.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    I hung up and quickly opened the toilet door. Sure enough, Laird stood in front of the restroom, holding a light blue shirt. He immediately handed the shirt to me.


    ¡°Good thing I still had a spare shirt. Wear this; even though it¡¯s a bit wrinkled, at least it¡¯s clean and dry,¡± he said.


    ¡°Thank you, Laird.¡± I epted the shirt with a thin smile.


    After closing the toilet door, I walked back to the sink. I stared at myself in the mirror and took a long sigh. Right now, I feltpletely disheveled, but Laird continued to be kind to me.


    What now? I must have caused him significant trouble. Reba would surely be very angry with him.


    I worried about various worst-case scenarios that could happen to him because of my fight with Reba earlier. Would he be fired because of me? Wait, could he even be fired, considering he¡¯s the senior partner¡¯s son? It¡¯s possible if he¡¯s seen as bringing trouble like me into the office.


    Ugh, this is so embarrassing. I should have made a good impression at his office. Instead, I caused a scene with his boss, who could determine his fate in the office.


    I ran my fingers through my hair and bit my lower lip. For a moment, I calmed myself and tried to cool my head. After some thought, now isn¡¯t the time to dwell and worry about many things.


    Laird was still waiting outside for me. Jessy must also be busy at the office sorting out the photoshoot issue and my clothes.


    No longer wanting to stay idle, I finally changed into Laird¡¯s light blue shirt. I took off my t-shirt, jacket, and bra because they were allpletely wet. I wiped my body briefly with a wet tissue, and once I was sure I was clean enough, I put on his shirt.


    The shirt was a bright light blue, and I could see the outline of my body under the bright lights. Damn, the cold air and the remnants of water made my nipples stiff and quite noticeable through the shirt. I then tried to adjust the shirt so it wouldn¡¯t cling too tightly to my chest.


    I applied powder, thickened my lipstick, and made sure the wounds on my face were somewhat covered with powder. I wasn¡¯t sure if this was healthy, but these weren¡¯t serious wounds gaping wide open. Just small scratches, so I think there shouldn¡¯t be any health issuester on.


    Ibed my hair with both hands until it waspletely straight again. I styled my hair and brought it forward to perfectly cover my shirt at the chest.


    As I walked out of the bathroom, Laird was indeed still faithfully waiting for me in front of the door. He observed my face and wounds.


    ¡°You look decent. Come on, let¡¯s get out of here,¡± he urged quickly.

 Suppressed Thoughts

    Fene¡¯s POV


    During the ride, I remained silent without saying anything. Laird also seemed reluctant to bring up the issue from earlier. Slowly, Laird cleared his throat after a few nces at my face.


    ¡°So, what really happened earlier?¡± he asked from behind the wheel.


    I was still hesitant to answer and chose to stay quiet. My fingers intertwined, and I squeezed my hands anxiously. Honestly, I was afraid to talk to him about this.


    What if this was a sensitive topic for him? What if he felt his masculinity was challenged? Various anxious questions raced through my mind.


    ¡°Fene?¡± Laird urged me again to speak.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    After taking a deep breath, I finally responded. My hands ran through my long hair again, and I cleared my throat lightly.


    ¡°Is Reba really your boss?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Actually, in thew firm, there is no boss. She¡¯s a junior partner in charge of me, sort of like a mentor,¡± he replied briefly.


    Damn! This was all real! Reba was his mentor!


    ¡°Has she ever said or asked anything that made you ufortable?¡± I asked hesitantly.


    ¡°What do you mean by something that made me ufortable?¡± He nced at me asionally while looking at the road ahead.


    ¡°Like¡­¡± I slowly lost my words.


    ¡°Wait, does that mean you argued with her because of something that made me ufortable?¡± He asked again, shrugging his shoulders while referring to himself when he said the ¡®me¡¯ word.


    My silence was a clear enough answer for him. Laird always knew. He had a strong instinct and sensitivity that made it easy for him to understand the meaning behind words, even without them being said aloud.


    ¡°What exactly is something that made me ufortable? Can you exin more in detail, Fene?¡± He asked again, slowly, as we stopped at an intersection.


    ¡°Well, she lied about you,¡± I said while looking down, idly twirling my fingers.


    ¡°What lie?¡± he persisted, trying to get me to tell him.


    I shut my mouth. My lips turned inward, and I couldn¡¯t bring myself to exin honestly. My chest felt tight, and there was a heavy weight hanging in my heart. Although this was difficult, he continued to push me.


    ¡°Fene?¡± He even leaned toward me to see my face.


    ¡°Ugh, I warned you, Laird,¡± I said, folding my arms across my chest with one hand cupping my cheek.


    ¡°Reba said you confessed to her that you¡¯re gay. That¡¯s why she insulted my rtionship with you,¡± I whispered.


    After hearing my words, he fell silent. He looked at the road, his face serious and focused, although I knew he was contemting my words.


    ¡°Did you do that for the reasons I think? I mean, I can only guess the reason why you lied to her like that. Because you know, to Jessy, someone lies like that for only two purposes,¡± I said quickly.


    ¡°Two purposes? What are they?¡± he asked, still watching the road without turning to me.


    ¡°Firstly, because he¡¯s desperate for attention and wants to take advantage of opposite-sex,¡± I said, remembering n, whom Jessy suspected fell into this category of people.


    ¡°Secondly, because he wants to avoid people who might take advantage of him as a man,¡± then I fell silent.


    After my statement, Laird went silent once again. He simply drove without saying a word. I nced at his face from the side, trying to find various signs in his gaze.


    I didn¡¯t have the sensitivity to read someone¡¯s mind like Laird, but at least I tried to confirm my beliefs. My eyes stayed fixed on the man beside me. He asked me to exin, yet he chose to remain quiet without responding to my exnation.


    ¡°So, which category do you think I fall into?¡± he asked finally.


    ¡°The second. I mean,¡± I licked my lips before continuing. After struggling with doubt, I let out a desperate sigh. I shook my head.


    ¡°Was Reba forcing you to have some intimacy with her? Was she taking advantage of you as a new employee?¡± I asked.


    Once again, Laird fell silent. I noticed his Adam¡¯s apple move as he swallowed. Was my guess correct?


    ¡°Laird, it¡¯s okay. Be honest with me. I mean, my argument earlier with Reba made me realize that. She was angry with me because it seemed like I was getting what she believed she couldn¡¯t have.¡±


    After another moment of silence, Laird finally spoke up.


    ¡°When I first entered the office, she seemed friendly to me. She¡¯s around 40 years old, experienced in the legal world, and was directly appointed as my mentor by Mr. Bell-one of the senior partners in the firm,¡± he slowly recounted.


    ¡°Reba is 40 years old, meaning she¡¯s 15 years older than you.¡± I interrupted his story briefly.


    ¡°Yes, so I thought everything would be fine. Nothing seemed strange. Slowly, over time, I realized she was being too friendly with me.¡± His eyes narrowed, indicating his displeasure.


    ¡°She would often hug me too tightly and once try to bite my ear, iming she was fond of seeing how young I was to her.¡± His voice faltered before he continued his story.


    ¡°She also tapped my thigh too deeply a few times when we sat side by side during meetings with clients. You know, I had to maintainposure in front of clients, so there was nothing I could do at that moment,¡± he sighed heavily.


    Oh no! God, please, no. I covered my mouth with both hands as I listened. My heart raced quickly as he revealed Reba¡¯s actions toward him.


    ¡°Until one night, when I workedte toplete a task she assigned to me, she called me to her office as if she were going to kiss me. So, I spontaneously confessed to being gay to her,¡± he shrugged.


    His face appeared calm, but I could see the sadness in his eyes. He swallowed again, a sign of his difort. It was as if he remembered something he wanted to forget.


    ¡°Since then, she has never bothered me again. I also never opened up to women in the office, so I can convince her,¡± he continued softly.


    ¡°Even Derek helped me create a facade as if we had been in a rtionship, but we made up a lie that our rtionship failed, so we never talked about it in the office. It proved to save me and Derek from her advances,¡± he said.


    He ran his hand through his hair and let out a long sigh. The car moved slowly as he turned into the area near the park to find a shortcut and avoid the traffic jam.


    ¡°That¡¯s why earlier you asked me to stay at the desk and not go anywhere,¡± I murmured.


    ¡°Yes, sorry about that. Usually, sheeste because she has to drop her child off at school first, but I forgot she¡¯s chasing many deadlines and intended toe earlier this morning,¡± he sighed again.


    ¡°So, earlier, she approached you first?¡± he asked.


    I then recounted the entire event to him. Starting with Reba approaching me first, luring me into the meeting room for interrogation, and all the debates we had.


    ¡°Forgive me, Fene. I shouldn¡¯t have let youe up to my office. I think I was too eager to show off to you about my rather insignificant achievements,¡± he snorted ruefully. I shook my head.


    ¡°I should be the one apologizing for forcing you to take me to your office. You ended up in trouble again with her, and your lie was exposed by her,¡± I said, rubbing my head sadly.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay. I should have been braver and refused without having to lie. I was just a coward,¡± he sighed, rubbing his face with a sad expression.


    ¡°Laird, pull over,¡± I said.


    ¡°Huh?¡± he asked, confused.


    ¡°Stop the car and pull over to the side of the road. Yes, park in front of that car,¡± I said, pointing to an empty parking spot on the side of the road in front of the open park.


    ¡°Why?¡± he asked, still puzzled.


    ¡°Just pull over, please,¡± I insisted firmly.

 Me Too

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Although confused, Laird eventuallyplied with me. He pulled the car over to the side of the road and parked it. When the car finally came to a safe stop, he finally looked at my face closely.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not okay,¡± I said, shaking my head.


    He then looked at me with a furrowed brow. The corners of his eyes drooped, and he gazed at me with a mix of sadness and confusion.


    ¡°Sorry, Fene. You must be disgusted with me for lying and being too scared to confront Reba,¡± he said as he gently reached for my hand.


    I shook my head again, and tears slowly began to flow uncontrobly. My tears streamed down my cheeks, and I unbuckled my seatbelt.


    ¡°Hey, Fene, honey.¡± Laird also unfastened his seatbelt.


    His warm embrace weed me without hesitation. He hugged me tightly and let me bury my face in his sturdy chest. I let out all my cries, and he epted them without reservation.


    He tenderly rubbed my back. His lips then kissed my temples and shoulders. I sobbed freely in his embrace, feeling like that was all I could do at that moment.


    The past events could no longer be rewinded, erased, or stopped. I felt like I only had myself to heal all these wounds together.


    Apparently, many people out there have experienced simr instances of sexual harassment. It could be as simple as harassment on a crowded train, at the office, or other ces. It could happen anytime, anywhere, and couldn¡¯t be avoided.


    I trembled and held onto him tighter. My hands hung onto his shoulders as minutes passed and my tears slowly dried.


    ¡°Thank you for sharing with me, Laird. It means a lot to me,¡± I whispered to him in the hug.


    ¡°Thank you for listening to me,¡± he whispered back softly.


    I slowly released my embrace. His hands slowly wiped my damp cheeks and dried my tears. My hands held his, gripping them tightly.


    ¡°I have experienced something simr too,¡± I told him.


    ¡°When?¡± he asked.


    ¡°When I first came to New York, I applied to many agencies before Gene.¡± I swallowed and continued my story.


    ¡°Then, one day, there was an agency office that invited me to join, gave me their business card, and asked me to be photographed for my first portfolio. Of course, I was thrilled because I finally saw a golden opportunity, but it turns out I was trapped.¡± My voice choked.


    ¡°When I was having my photo taken, the photographer suddenly asked me to unbutton my shirt more. They yelled at me to undresspletely and insisted on taking photos of my naked body. They said all models did it and had such photos in their portfolios.¡± I rubbed my temples as I recalled the horrible incident.


    ¡°I was alone without any friends, and I didn¡¯t know what to do at that moment. It turned out to be an agency office for models and adult film actors. I know, I was very stupid for not doing more research about the office beforeing.¡± I chuckled bitterly for a moment.


    ¡°So, what happened next?¡± Laird asked, full of concern.


    ¡°When I was terrified there, suddenly the son of the office owner appeared. It turns out he was the mafia boss¡¯s son, the owner of the adult film production studio, and miraculously, he saved me.¡± I exhaled a long sigh.


    ¡°He said he liked me and didn¡¯t want to share my body with anyone else.¡± I bit my lower lip, worried that this might trigger new anger in Laird.


    ¡°The mafia boss¡¯s son, owner of the adult film production studio?¡± he asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Yes, I know. Things happen unexpectedly in this world, right?¡± I asked rhetorically with a small chuckle.


    ¡°So, he saved you during the photoshoot?¡± he asked again.


    ¡°Yes, when I was scared, he came and stopped the shoot. He freed me, and, long story short, we became lovers. Then he introduced me to Ms. L and Gene. Since then, my career has started to flourish,¡± I recounted slowly.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I told you; it hasn¡¯t been easy for me to be in this position. Gene was the only one who would ept me, an amateur model, despite some pressure from the mafia boss¡¯s son, but Gene epted me. Jessy helped me, and I owe them,¡± I said quietly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Fene. I had no idea about any of this. Apparently, you¡¯ve been struggling all this time,¡± he said, taking my hand and gently kissing the palm.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why, Laird. All of this slowly feels so meaningful to me. I hope you will continue to support me in this career journey,¡± I said softly.


    ¡°Yes, always,¡± he nodded.


    ¡°But you have broken up with the mafia boss¡¯s son, right?¡± he asked suddenly, with a furrowed brow.


    ¡°Of course. It turned out he gets bored easily,¡± I chuckled softly.


    ¡°Does anyone else know about this?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Well, uh, almost everyone at Gene knows, especially close model friends like Greg. While people like Kiara, who don¡¯t know anything about me, spread rumors that I slept with a rich man to boost my career,¡± I shrugged resignedly.


    Laird mumbled as he nodded. He seemed to be thinking about something, but he didn¡¯t disclose it further.


    ¡°Well, at least you have found a ce that you truly like. Thankfully, everything turned out well for you,¡± he said as he stroked my temple.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how Reba will react to you after this.¡± I bit my lower lip, feeling burdened with worry.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I think now I can face her more bravely after seeing you courageously confront her,¡± he chuckled.


    ¡°Oh,e on. Be serious for a bit. What if she sues me? You¡¯re my personalwyer, remember?¡± I nudged his arm gently, and he just widened his grin.


    ¡°As a matter of unwritten ethics, we can¡¯t represent a client to go against awyer from the same firm, and vice versa. Reba wouldn¡¯t be too foolish to sue you because it¡¯s clear she provoked you first,¡± he exined to me slowly.


    ¡°Are you intending to sue her?¡± he asked curiously.


    ¡°Jessy said that should be the case, but I didn¡¯t want to further ruin your rtionship in the office. So I will just swallow it all and heal myself.¡± I shook my head as I touched the scratch marks on my forehead.


    ¡°I told you not to worry about me at the office. Besides, I never really liked being awyer. This job was forced upon me by my father,¡± he said, gazing at me deeply.


    He rubbed the scratch marks on my forehead, cheeks, and chin. Then he kissed them one by one softly, as if his kisses would soon heal my wounds.


    ¡°Even if I skip work every day, he still wouldn¡¯t fire me from the firm,¡± he scoffed.


    ¡°Have you ever imagined that if you weren¡¯t awyer, what would you be doing? I think you would be a pro baseball yerpeting in the MLB,¡± I said.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    He fell silent for a moment, staring at me intently. Then he cleared his throat and positioned himself back in front of the steering wheel. He fastened his seatbelt again and turned to me.


    ¡°Let me show you,¡± he said.

 A Shady House

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Repeatedly, I asked Laird about our destination, but he refused to tell me. It seemed he wanted to surprise me, so I eventually just went along with him. As we drove further towards the edge of Astoria Heights, I could only imagine why he would bother to drive here.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    He parked the car in front of what appeared to be an old house. The house was nestled among rows of other houses with red brick walls. The garage and front yard looked neglected, and I almost thought the house was vacant.


    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± he said as he got out of the car.


    Confused, I could only follow suit and step out of the car. We walked up to the front door, and he rang the bell.


    ¡°Do you still have free time today?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes. I told Jessy, and we might have to reschedule forter,¡± I replied, shrugging.


    ¡°Well, this will only take a moment, I hope,¡± he said, pressing the bell once more.


    We waited for quite some time, but there was still no answer. He frowned, and I waited for any movement or sound from inside the house. None came.


    ¡°Hm, I think she¡¯s in the back. Wait here; I¡¯ll go around and try knocking from there,¡± he said.


    ¡°Laird, I¡¯lle with you.¡± I quickly grabbed his suit from behind.


    ¡°Just wait here; maybe she¡¯lle out through the front door.¡± He shook his head and quickly left me, taking out his phone and starting to call someone.


    ¡°Who is she? Laird?¡± I stared, bewildered, at his retreating back.


    Goodness, what¡¯s going on with him? He¡¯s really leaving me alone here. I was asked to wait for someone I didn¡¯t know without any exnation.


    I turned back and looked at the deserted house. The rows of houses on either side also seemed empty. I wasn¡¯t even sure if these houses were inhabited. Oh well, it¡¯s a workday afternoon; maybe everyone¡¯s out at work.


    Finally, I gathered the courage to ring the bell again. After a few seconds of waiting, I strained my ears. Faintly, I heard a sound from inside the house.


    I know curiosity killed the cat, but I couldn¡¯t just stand in front of the house like a suspicious person. Besides, I clearly heard noisesing from inside. I leaned over to peek through the window but only saw an empty living room.


    Suddenly, I heard a loud thud. It didn¡¯te from inside the house, but from a door on the left side of the garage. I furrowed my brow in confusion and slowly walked towards the door.


    ¡°Hello? Is anyone there?¡± I asked.


    Behind that small door, I immediately saw a staircase leading downward. I knew Laird had told me to wait here, but my curiosity grew stronger upon hearing louder and louder noises. There were nking and thudsing from there.


    Could someone be injured down there? Maybe trapped and in need of help?


    ¡°Hello?¡± I slowly descended the stairs into the basement.


    I knew this was a bad idea. First, I entered without permission. Second, I entered an area that, for most people, is taboo because basements usually hide dirty secrets that others don¡¯t want known. Literally, dirtyundry or old, discarded items.


    ¡°Hello? Is anyone there?¡± I asked once I reached the bottom of the stairs.


    The room appeared dark, with a silhouette of someone shining a shlight into the corner of the room. Suddenly something flew towards my head swiftly. I jumped in panic and instinctively dove.


    ¡°Oh my god! Jeez!¡± I eximed loudly, cursing whatever had just flown by.


    ¡°What is that?!¡± I eximed as something furry brushed past me.


    ¡°Ah!¡± The next moment, someone bumped into me so hard that I almost stumbled, but my body was caught by the dusty wall.


    ¡°Whoah!¡± the person also yelled as they collided with me.


    Luckily, they managed to stop themselves from fallingpletely onto me. The person bent backwards until they ended up sitting on the floor.


    ¡°Oops! I¡¯m so sorry!¡± she said in panic, apologizing profusely.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay,¡± I reassured her, rubbing my racing heart.


    Gradually, the panic subsided. After a closer look, I realized the person who bumped into me was actually a woman. She stood up quickly from the floor without giving me a chance to help her up.


    The woman had short, bobbed, reddish-orange hair. As she stood up fully, I noticed she was shorter than me. Her eyes were round, her face dotted with freckles, and her body curved. She wore a worn-out white t-shirt with green leggings.


    ¡°Uh, sorry, I didn¡¯t know there was someone here,¡± she said timidly, looking at me nervously.


    ¡°I should be the one apologizing for intruding without permission,¡± I said, shaking my head.


    ¡°Rowan?¡± suddenly Laird¡¯s voice came from another door across the basement.


    ¡°Laird?¡± she called out, sounding confused.


    ¡°Laird,¡± I called out as well, simultaneously.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re here. Where¡¯s Dave?¡± he asked, walking closer towards us.


    ¡°He¡¯s out buying cigarettes,¡± she said, scratching her head.


    ¡°I rang the bell multiple times with no answer. Your bad habit of leaving the back door unlocked is remarkably consistent. I wonder why you bother locking the front door.¡± Laird smiled wryly and shook his head.


    ¡°Uh, sorry about that. I was trying to catch Bravo. He ran in here, so I¡¯ve been busy searching for him all day.¡± She scratched her head with a worried crease on her forehead.


    ¡°Is that Bravo?¡± I asked, pointing to the animal that had flown past me earlier.


    A gray sugar glider was now perched on the top-step railing. The distance between the animal and the open door was just a few meters.


    ¡°Oh no. Bravo,e here.¡± Rowan slowly climbed the stairs.


    The animal still appeared calm on the stair railing. We waited in suspense as a woman named Rowan tried to catch her pet. I myself am not a pet enthusiast, but this was my first time seeing such arge sugar glider.


    ¡°Come here, Bravo,¡± she called again.

 Private Little Office

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°Bravo,e here. This is your lunch.¡±


    The woman slowly walked past me and up the stairs. Then, she extended a partially peeled banana to Bravo, and the animal leaped into her hand. Bravo eagerly grabbed and bit into the banana. In Rowan¡¯s hand, the big sugar glider appeared obedient and calm.


    ¡°Thank you for finding him,¡± she said with a wide smile this time.


    ¡°This is Fene, and this is Rowan,¡± Laird introduced us briefly.


    ¡°Good job, Fene,¡± Rowan said with a smile.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything, really,¡± I replied, shrugging modestly with a restrained smile. Truly.


    ¡°Come inside.¡± Rowan invited us to follow her through a door across the room that Laird had entered earlier. We climbed the stairs until we reached a small room.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky that it was me and Fene who found him,¡± she said behind Rowan.


    ¡°Sorry. I think Dave forgot to lock the back door when he left earlier,¡± he muttered softly while stroking Bravo in his hand.


    ¡°Be careful,¡± Laird advised the woman.


    ¡°Yes, Laird. Thank you. Please, have a seat,¡± she gestured for us to sit on the sofa.


    I felt it was a family room transformed into a small office. There were three desks withputers on each. One desk even had three monitors lined up on it. Several stacks of papers andputer spare parts were scattered in front of each desk.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°Would you like me to make coffee?¡± Laird asked me, as if he were hosting guests.


    ¡°You sound like a host, but I think I¡¯ll pass on coffee. I¡¯ve had too much today already,¡± I chuckled while adjusting my hair to cover the front of my shirt.


    ¡°Just water, please,¡± I said with a brief grin.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Laird nodded, chuckling softly.


    The woman named Rowan went upstairs, carrying Bravo. Laird went to the back kitchen to fetch drinks. Now I was alone again in a stranger¡¯s house.


    My unease grew when I heard the roar of a motor from the back door. Soon after, I faintly heard Laird and a strange man. Sure enough, this time, a man followed Laird.


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind an additional guest,¡± Laird said as he walked towards me and offered a ss of water.


    ¡°Oh, wow, you didn¡¯t mention your guest was an angel.¡± The man openly praised me with his bright eyes.


    The man was tall and slender, with reddish-brown hair tied back loosely. His chin was covered with a rather thick beard and mustache.


    ¡°Meet Fene. Fene, meet Dave,¡± Laird introduced.


    I stood up and shook hands with Dave. He smiled broadly, revealing tworge front teeth that protruded like rabbit teeth.


    ¡°Hi, Fene. Wee to our office,¡± he said enthusiastically.


    ¡°Hey, Dave. I¡¯m d to be here, though Laird has been acting mysterious and secretive about this office,¡± I said, ncing subtly at Laird.


    ¡°Really? He¡¯s always been a bit snobbish,¡± Dave concluded with augh.


    ¡°I just wanted to surprise Fene,¡± Laird shrugged defensively.


    ¡°Yes, and Bravo certainly surprised me,¡± I quipped.


    ¡°Oh, how did you manage to meet Bravo before me today? Rowan and I searched for him all morning until I gave up and went out to buy cigarettes.¡±


    Dave walked over to one of the long desks with three monitors on it. He casually lit a cigarette, while Laird sat beside me on the sofa, sipping his water.


    From Laird¡¯s demeanor, I realized howfortable and unabashed he seemed, as if this were his own home. He entered through the back door, fetched two sses of water from the kitchen, and now he was leaningfortably on the sofa beside me. Quite different from his rushed and stiff demeanor at the firm.


    ¡°Fene found him in the basement. Rowan was there searching for Bravo too, so they met.¡± Laird ced his ss of mineral water down.


    ¡°Ah, the basement indeed. I always forget to fix that door,¡± Dave said, exhaling smoke.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you spent the whole day looking for Bravo instead of working on Project Z.¡± Laird grinned lopsidedly.


    ¡°Not entirely. But Rowan couldn¡¯t help me at all because she was busy looking for it.¡± He scratched the back of his head and yed with his tied-up hair.


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t his new cage been finished yet?¡± Laird asked.


    ¡°Uh, yeah. I haven¡¯t had time to go to the hardware store yet,¡± he grumbled.


    ¡°Hey, you don¡¯t mind if I smoke, miss?¡± he asked me.


    ¡°No, go ahead, rx.¡± I shook my head.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± he said before taking another inhale.


    ¡°So, Fene,¡± Laird cleared his throat before continuing, ¡°I hope you¡¯re not surprised, but this is my dream now.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re just starting out, but we¡¯re growing steadily and gaining more clients. It¡¯s slow progress, but we¡¯re consistent in our dedication,¡± Laird exined slowly to me.


    ¡°Yeah, go on.¡± I urged him to exin his dream to me as I sipped my water and ced it back on the table.


    ¡°So, Dave, Rowan, and I were college friends at Harvard. Since college, we¡¯ve been building an indie game developerpany called Rackers Bite. We¡¯re mostly focusing on mobile games, but we¡¯re also developing desktop app versions,¡± Laird exined.


    ¡°Dave and Rowan are the programmers, while I handle administration and finance,¡± he said.


    ¡°More like he¡¯s the investor, Fen. He owns 80% of our shares,¡± Dave interjected briefly.


    ¡°Yeah, making games takes a lot of time and money. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been saving up funds from part of my sry,¡± he sighed deeply.


    ¡°Dave and Rowan also work on side projects rted to IT during their free time. I just hope thispany really grows.¡± Laird sped his hands in front of his mouth.


    ¡°Wow. I think this is amazing, Laird. So, you¡¯re actually juggling two jobs as a CEO and awyer?¡± I batted my eyshes.


    ¡°Think of it as a side business,¡± Laird said with a thin smile.


    ¡°Which will soon not be just a side business because there¡¯s a major studio interested in coborating with us, only if we cane up with a breakthrough game idea before next month¡¯s presentation to them,¡± Dave shook his head and whistled.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s the story.¡± Laird waved his hands in the air to show their small office.

 First Model

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°How do you feel about it?¡±


    Laird asked with a small smile. I was sure he was nervous right now. He looked at me closely with his emerald green eyes, observing every movement of my face.


    Truly, I was starting to understand that my opinion mattered to him. There was a fear that I might criticize him, perhaps, but of course, I wouldn¡¯t shatter his dreams like that.


    ¡°Baby, I think you¡¯re amazing. I¡¯ve always believed in you since we were kids,¡± I said, holding Laird¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I still remember how you were always the star student in school. I¡¯m confident you can do it and will do a great job.¡± I spread a genuine, wide smile on my face.


    He used to dream of bing a professional baseball yer, but now he wants to be a businessman. Well, that¡¯s great. Whatever Laird does, I know he will excel at it.


    Laird held my hand tightly. His thumb gently stroked the back of my hand, and he smiled broadly after hearing my words of encouragement.


    ¡°Thank you, Fene. Your support means a lot to me right now,¡± he said before pulling me into a tight hug.


    ¡°Yes, dear.¡± I hugged him tightly in return.


    After all we¡¯ve been through together since childhood, I feel like I know him so well. I know we¡¯ve changed rapidly in these seven years, even experiencing traumatic events we couldn¡¯t have imagined when we were kids. Now, with this new dream, I feel like I¡¯m getting to know a new and different Laird Evans.


    Interestingly, that just makes me fall more in love with him.


    ¡°Ah, this is so touching. I love this.¡± Dave interrupted our conversation with a wide smile on his face.


    ¡°What about you, Fene? What¡¯s your dream now?¡± Dave asked.


    ¡°From my teenage years to now, my dream has been to be a dream girl,¡± I answered proudly.


    ¡°A dream girl,¡± Dave nodded approvingly, murmuring in admiration.


    ¡°Yes, a girl with many talents and liked by many. A girl who will inspire many women out there with self-confidence and self-respect. You know, Laird came up with that idea for me,¡± I said to Dave.


    ¡°Oh,e on, Fene. I told you, I just threw it out there.¡± Laird grumbled irritably, but I could see a hint of embarrassment in his cheeks.


    ¡°Is that so? So, what do you do now?¡± Dave asked eagerly. Leaning forward in his chair, he gazed at me intently.


    ¡°I¡¯m a model now,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Aha, Laird! I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t just throw it out there. You used to have some sexy female model posters on your bedroom wall,¡± Dave chuckled briefly.


    ¡°Hey, every boy has at least one poster like that hanging in their room,¡± Laird protested, his face turning red.


    ¡°Really?¡± I asked, staring at Laird intently. My lips curled, my forehead furrowed, and a judgmental look might have been clearly visible in my eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to his nonsense,¡± he defended himself.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Laird. At least you made Fene into a beautiful and attractive model,¡± Daveughed again.


    ¡°Thank you, Dave. At least there¡¯s one honest person in this room,¡± I said softly.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s it like to be a fashion model? I¡¯m curious,¡± Dave folded one leg over the other.


    ¡°Mostly showcasing new designs from fashion designers. Runway fashion weeks, cover model for magazines, editorial model in magazines, but my work so far hasn¡¯t been limited to just clothes,¡± I exined as I adjusted my hair.


    ¡°Do you often do photoshoots as a watch or perfume model?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes, like that. Music video models for singers, advertising models for various food products, cosmetics, and beverages, and also modeling for ces like beauty clinics, clubs, gyms, and many others,¡± I quickly borated.


    ¡°Tell me more. It seems like I¡¯ve got a brilliant idea for next month¡¯s presentation,¡± he said, taking out his notebook and pen from his pocket.


    ¡°Really? Are you going to make a game about being a model like me?¡± I asked, my eyes widening in disbelief at this sudden change of topic.


    ¡°Yes, Fene. I know it¡¯s still a rough idea, but you can help me brainstorm,¡± Dave began jotting notes in his notebook.


    ¡°Is it okay, Laird? What do you think? Would a game about modeling be interesting?¡± he asked Laird.


    ¡°We can explore some alternatives for next month¡¯s presentation. As long as Fene isfortable and willing to discuss it, I think there¡¯s no problem.¡± Laird rubbed my arm and looked at me with a questioning gaze, asking if I was willing or not.


    ¡°Yes, of course. I¡¯ll help you with this new idea,¡± I said firmly.


    For nearly an hour, we discussed many aspects of my job as a model. All the portfolio experiences I¡¯ve had, the business models of modeling agencies, and the procedures in the fashion world. Then we also discussed some ideas about the game Dave wanted to create. Shortly after, Rowan joined our small discussion after making sure Bravo was yingfortably in his pen.


    Eventually, Dave¡¯s attention gradually drifted away from the conversation. He seemed to immerse himself in his own world behind theputer screen, typing rapidly with both hands. He read out some alternatives and research results that had formed in his mind.


    Gradually, Dave no longer paid attention to our conversation. Then Laird got up from the couch and approached Dave.


    ¡°Ah, here he is. I think Dave¡¯s entered a semi-conscious state that¡¯s hard to disturb,¡± Rowan remarked to me and Laird.


    ¡°You¡¯re good?¡± Laird asked him.


    ¡°Yeah, Laird. I think I can do this. Yes, I¡¯ve got it!¡± he eximed enthusiastically.


    ¡°Hey, Fene, can I get your contact number? So I can ask you for your opinion and fact-check,¡± Dave asked briefly, shifting his gaze from the monitor screen.


    ¡°Try not to demand a quick response, okay? Be patient and give her time to answer,¡± Laird warned Dave lightly.


    ¡°Sure, Laird.¡± Dave nodded in agreement.


    ¡°One more thing, Dave. She¡¯s still my girlfriend, so I hope you won¡¯tmunicate with her too often.¡± Laird smiled awkwardly and chuckled softly.


    ¡°Meh, alright. Is he really this possessive?¡± Dave asked with a slight furrow on his nose. Weughed for a moment, then Laird walked towards me.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home now,¡± he said, checking his watch.


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go. Dave seems deeply immersed in research and program design mode right now,¡± Rowan said, getting up from the couch too.


    ¡°Is this some kind of artistic phase for a programmer? Like fashion designers getting lost in their designs?¡± I asked, also getting up from the couch.


    ¡°Yeah, I think it¡¯s something like that.¡± Rowan nodded with a small smile.


    ***


    ¡°Wow, I didn¡¯t expect to give you ideas like that,¡± I said as Laird and I drove back to Gene¡¯s office.


    ¡°Well, for artists like Dave, inspiration cane anytime and from anyone,¡± Laird shrugged, apanied by a small chuckle.


    ¡°I thought programmers would be rigid and serious, but it seems they¡¯re considered artists too.¡± I nodded.


    ¡°Yeah, when it¡¯s like that, Dave can hardly sleep or eat. He¡¯ll be researching programming and various other things rted to game development. I don¡¯t quite understand it all,¡± Laird said.


    ¡°Wow. That¡¯s really high dedication. No wonder you seemfortable working with them. Plus, they were your college friends.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and they¡¯ve never been as toxic as thewyers at my firm,¡± he muttered, expressing a hint of anger.


    I observed Laird¡¯s expression. It was clear he didn¡¯t like his job as awyer or the office environment. During our discussion earlier, Laird¡¯s face was brighter and more carefree,pletely different from when he spoke with Derek, let alone Reba.


    ¡°Hey, look. What is that long line over there?¡± I asked, suddenly pointing at a crowd, seeing a queue in front of a restaurant on the roadside.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s the famous street pizza restaurant around here. Want to try it? We could order a vegan cheese pizza,¡± he offered.


    Ah, he¡¯s still attentive to my diet.


    ¡°Sure. Look, many people are carrying their pizzas and having lunch in that park.¡±


    I pointed to someone crossing the street in front of our car with arge pizza box in hand, heading towards the park.

 Distant Memory

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Without realizing it, time passed quickly as we stood in line to buy pizza and ced an order for delivery to Dave and Rowan¡¯s home-a small surprise gift for them. The sky stretched clear without a cloud in sight, with the midday sun shining brightly in early November.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Lunchtime had begun, and most people were enjoying their packed lunches at the wooden tables. Laird and I chose to sit under a shady tree without a mat, letting the grassy ground serve as afortable cushion.


    I was nestled in Laird¡¯s embrace while we yfully fed each other pizza with affectionate giggles. From a distance, I noticed several young children starting to arrive at the small baseball field in front of us, filled with enthusiasm in their baseball uniforms.


    ¡°Hey, look. They¡¯re the Little League team.¡± I looped my arm around Laird¡¯s.


    ¡°Yup. Brings back memories,¡± he said, his gaze drifting over the scene in front of us.


    ¡°Yeah, Laird. You used to be so dedicated to ying baseball. Do you remember when I used to sell snacks every week at your Saturday games?¡± I asked before quickly kissing Laird¡¯s jaw.


    ¡°How could I forget? You sold snacks to earn extra money to buy a birthday gift for the new boy who moved from Ennd,¡± his voice softened, and he squinted at me.


    ¡°Hey, but I was genuinely happy to watch you y baseball every week back then. I even followed your games until you moved to the senior team in middle school.¡± I leaned my body against Laird¡¯s, who leaned against the tree trunk.


    ¡°Yeah, the field for the senior team was farther from the field I used to y on as a kid. I lost my regr supporter then,¡± he said, wrapping both his hands around my waist.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t just you who felt lost in middle school. We went to different schools, and you no longer practiced on the field near our house. I missed you so much then,¡± I said, our arms now resting on each other¡¯s arms.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even remember how I got through middle school without you. Everything felt nd back then.¡± Laird buried his head against my shoulder.


    ¡°But you surely remember our first kiss, right? I think it was something like this under a tree on the edge of your favorite baseball field.¡± I turned my head and looked up at him.


    ¡°How could I forget?¡± he asked, his thumb stroking my lips.


    ***


    Laird and I have always been together since we were kids. We¡¯ve been neighbors since birth in Boston. Our parents had been friends for over fifteen years before we were born.


    I was in the same ss as Laird almost every year in elementary school. However, because Laird was expected by his father to attend a prestigious academic school, I parted ways with him in middle school. He went to an aplished international private school, while I attended a regr private school nearest to home.


    During that time, our rtionship stretched quite thin. We only met a few times a year during summer vacations or Christmas holidays. Until one day, Laird¡¯s only younger brother, Lloyd, asked me out.


    Yes, it was quite crazy.


    Lloyd was in 7th grade at the same school as me, while I was in 9th grade. Somehow, Lloyd asked me out on a date. To make matters worse, in thete afternoon after our date, on my way home, I parted ways with Lloyd and unexpectedly ran into Laird, who had just returned from baseball practice.


    ***


    Nine years ago, at the end of 9th grade¡­


    We chose to sit under the big tree, but without any mats at all. When we were kids, our teacher would bring us here to sit without mats during ss hours. We also often sat under this tree after Saturday matches. Then we listened to Laird¡¯sughter every time he won a match or his disappointment every time he lost.


    ¡°So, has he gone home?¡± Laird asked again.


    ¡°He¡¯s gone home,¡± I replied, still looking intently at Laird.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you twomit to dating right away?¡± he asked again.


    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head. ¡°He wants today to remain a memory of a fun first date.¡±


    Laird mumbled and nodded. We sat in silence for a moment to enjoy the sound of the gentle breeze rustling the leaves.


    ¡°So, how was it? Was your date really fun?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡± I answered honestly.


    ¡°Where did you go?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a secret!¡± I said. ¡°Your questions sound like you¡¯re interrogating me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just a curious spectator because I missed one of your secret episodes.¡± Laird was clearly defending himself.


    ¡°Stop asking. Besides, you¡¯re asking as if you¡¯ve never been on a date with a girl before.¡± I teased him this time.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t.¡± Laird raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Lies!¡± I eximed loudly.


    ¡°Are you judging me?¡± This time, a mischievous smile yed on his lips.


    ¡°A guy like you must be popr at school. I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve never taken any girl out on a date.¡± I hugged my knees to my chest with a jealous and annoyed look on my face.


    ¡°Thank you for your opinion, but I¡¯m not a popr guy.¡± Laird still smiled lopsidedly.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m curious. You, the beautiful and popr cheerleader at school, are willing to go on a date with Lloyd, the bookworm.¡±


    When Laird said that I was beautiful and popr, my face turned red again. I lightly hit his shoulder, and he chuckled.


    ¡°I¡¯m not popr,¡± I protested.


    ¡°So, where did you two go?¡± He persisted in asking the same question with his typical mischievous smile.


    ¡°I told you, it¡¯s a secret.¡± I responded with a mixture of embarrassment and irritation. I buried my head in my knees and insisted on not answering.


    ¡°Well, then, are you hungry?¡± He offered a piece of sandwich wrapped in food paper. ¡°These were handed out by the coach earlier.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head after peeking briefly.


    ¡°Come on, just a little.¡± He persuaded me again.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m full. My stomach can¡¯t hold any more food after the burger and ice cream.¡± I kept my face buried in my knees.


    ¡°Oh, so you went for burgers and ice cream? I guess you went to the shopping area near Fenway Park,¡± he chuckled as he put his sandwich back into his bag.


    I suddenly lifted my head and red at him with a pout. Damn it! Once again, he managed to pull an answer from my mouth. I felt like pinching my own lips for being so easily trapped by his trickery.


    ¡°Stop it, Laird.¡± I groaned and pinched his arm. He justughed again, trying to avoid my pinch.


    ¡°That¡¯s hurt. Why am I not allowed to ask?¡± He again protested, rubbing his pinched arm.


    ¡°Why do you keep asking? Are you interested in me? Are you jealous?¡±


    This time, I asked with a high tone. I knew I was foolish to challenge him with such silly questions.


    There¡¯s no way he likes me. Surely, he¡¯s just asking to tease. Surely, for him, I¡¯m just an entertaining clown.


    ¡°It depends,¡± he said casually, this time with both hands behind his back, supporting his body.


    ¡°Depends on what?¡± I asked with a furrowed brow and a blunt tone.


    ¡°It depends on whether you reject him or not.¡± He said this again without a mischievous smile.


    I don¡¯t know why Laird¡¯s suddenly serious tone made my heart almost jump out. His dark green eyes seemed to prate my mind, searching for answers forcefully.


    ¡°Why do you care?¡± I replied curtly and buried my face in my knees.


    ¡°Come on, tell me. Are you going to date him?¡± He nudged my arm with his index finger.

 Our First Kiss

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I still remained silent, refusing to answer. My heart was beating fast. Laird¡¯s interrogation that forced me to answer was something I didn¡¯t like.


    If he saw my facial expression, I knew he could easily guess my answer. Therefore, even though Laird kept asking, I still covered my face with my knees.


    ¡°Hey, are you going to ept him?¡± Again and again, he forced me to answer.


    His taunting eventually disturbed me. I¡¯m impatient and easily triggered by emotions. So, his voice, the way he manipted words to persuade me, and his mischievous fingers twisting my loose hair now make me even more annoyed.


    ¡°Stop it,¡± I said irritably.


    ¡°Tell me,¡± he continued to persuade me.


    ¡°Stop! I¡¯m going to reject him!¡± Finally, my emotions exploded, and I eximed in frustration.


    ¡°I¡¯ve answered. Are you satisfied?¡± I red at him, expressing my frustration.


    He simply remained silent. It seemed he was surprised by my answer. Laird¡¯s eyelids blinked, then he stared at me intently. Yes, I knew. He read my facial expression, and he knew what was in my heart.


    I stood up in anger. My hands patted my pants hastily.


    I think this is enough, and I don¡¯t want to fall into his game anymore. I know he will only y me again if he knows what¡¯s really in my heart.


    ¡°Why did you reject him?¡±


    Laird also got up from his seat. He even picked up my bag, which was lying on the ground, to prevent me from leaving. Our hands struggled to fight for my bag.


    ¡°Let go. I don¡¯t want to answer.¡± I tried to pull my bag, but his grip was stronger.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t your date fun? Why do you want to reject him?¡± He asked with the same serious expression on his face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be nosy.¡± I still tried to escape his question.


    This time, his hands wrapped around my shoulders and neck. He almost squeezed my neck to keep me from leaving and answering.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I want to know the reason. Why do you want to reject Lloyd? Don¡¯t you like him?¡± His series of questions made me unable to move.


    He¡¯s too good at reading my feelings. He¡¯s too clever to find a way to elicit answers from me. Am I really that tightly gripped by him? Even though he ignored me for years and acted coldly toward me, am I still unable to resist him?


    He hugged me, and unconsciously, both of my hands squeezed the back of his red varsity Red Sox jacket. I buried my fingers tightly into his back.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s hical.¡±


    So evil. I know he knows the answer. Why does he keep forcing me to answer with my own mouth?


    ¡°Why is that hical?¡± His voice sounded loose in my ears.


    I¡¯m losing a lot of time with Laird. I didn¡¯t realize he was taller than me. His shoulders became wide, and his back was so strong. I¡¯m breathing in the scent of his fleece jacket, a mixture ofundry soap, and his typical sweat. It¡¯s strange, but I like the smell.


    ¡°Because he¡¯s your brother.¡± I know he understands the true meaning behind those words. He¡¯s too smart.


    Laird released his arms. His hands covered my cheeks. His sticky eyes looked like he was examining every sign of rejection in my gaze. His face was slowly getting closer, and I could feel his warm breath in the corners of my lips. I closed my eyes and held my breath.


    The touch on my lips feels soft, wet, and warm. There¡¯s no strawberry or other fruit like I always imagined.


    My heart was beating too fast, as if it had exploded. I was able to breathe again when the touch on my lips disappeared. The ck hole in the center of Laird¡¯s iris seemed to swallow me.


    He hugged me tightly and kissed me again. This time, the kiss was longer and deeper, and we were able to feel every slow movement that the suction and bump on our lips created. His finger smoothed my cheek so that his lips still sucked my lower lips.


    I don¡¯t know what pushed me, but I dared to lick his gentle bottom lips. He did, too, carefully licking the corner of my lips. Suddenly, he retreated.


    ¡°Naughty girl.¡± He smiled and licked his own lips. I hit his chest with a shy face.


    ¡°It hurts.¡± He cried out and grabbed my fist. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    It¡¯s weird, I thought. It¡¯s too unreal. It¡¯s hard to believe. Today is incredibly confusing. I didn¡¯t dare ask Laird any further. I¡¯m afraid to mess it up. All the way home, we were just holding hands.


    ***


    Back to the present¡­


    Of course, all of that has been quite a happy memory in the past. Who would have thought that after nine years since our first innocent and naive kiss, we are back together now? There is no more doubt, only the burning love in our hearts.


    I gasped for breath as Laird made me orgasm for the third time this afternoon. Yes, I rescheduled the beauty clinic photoshoot due to the scratch marks on my face, which would clearly look bad for promoting beauty treatments.


    In return, we skipped the remainder of our workday and chose to strengthen our lost love that was once separated by distance and time.


    ¡°Laird, honey,¡± I pleaded with him.


    ¡°Yes, honey? Tell me what you want,¡± he growled in my ear with a low voice.


    ¡°I want you-¡± my words caught in my throat as Laird uncovered my hair to suck on my neck.


    ¡°Say it clearly,¡± he whispered as his lips started leaving red marks on my neck.


    ¡°I want you to f**k me hard,¡± I impatiently whimpered.


    ¡°Do you like it when I get rough?¡± he asked as his lips descended back to my nipples and sucked on them forcefully once again.


    ¡°Yes! Yes!¡± My hands gripped his blond hair, unable to resist all of our hot games.


    Then he bent my knees tightly against my chest. I feltpletely exposed, with the lower part of my body wide open for him. My body trembled in anticipation as Laird¡¯s hard shaft, covered by a thin condom, approached.


    I felt powerless and had no control in any form other than providing him with unrestricted ess. As Laird directed his penis down there, suddenly it prated through my tight opening. I groaned loudly at the rough thrust, as if it were breaking through the deepest part of me.


    ¡°Oh! Laird! Oh¡­¡± His hands held my folded knees.


    I moaned repeatedly each time the tip of his penis felt like it was wedging into the deepest part of my core. It was profound, and I could only moan with pleasure at each sensation Laird created in my body. For a moment, I rolled my eyes up and bit my lower lip, trying to restrain scream after scream that never ceased.


    Of course, it was a useless attempt because he continuously thrust deeply until our sex collided in a fast rhythm. Wet sounds sshed every time he pushed hard into my pussy.


    He pushed and pulled quickly. My hips also automatically moved towards his to seek more depth inside. My thigh muscles tensed, and my core pulsed up and down, pumping automatically. We did it wild, raw, and rough. Far from innocent and naive.


    ¡°Babe, I¡¯m going toe!¡± He eximed with a heavy breath.


    ¡°Yes, babe. Ooh¡­¡± Both of my hands grabbed the sheets under me with the same gasping breath.


    Several minutes passed as our hips still moved automatically and naturally. In the end, I let out a scream with a long breath, simultaneous with the peak of pleasure led by him. My body trembled and writhed for the umpteenth time that afternoon.


    His final thrust was extremely hard and deep at a point of his pleasure¡¯s peak. I moaned repeatedly as I felt my pussy burned like it was going to tear apart any moment. It was painful, but I liked it. His body then weakened, and he released my knees freely.

 Birthday Boy

    Fene¡¯s POV


    On November 10th, it was Laird¡¯s birthday. Of course, we celebrated it together. Laird had already reserved a table at a famous restaurant known for its intimate ambiance and live jazz music.


    Laird said he would be arriving soon to pick me up, so I didn¡¯t want to keep him waiting too long. With my hair neatly tied up, wearing a ck bolero jacket with floral patterns, a sleeveless knee-length ck midi dress, and ankle-high boots of the same color, I stood frozen on the sidewalk in front of the apartment.


    ¡°OMG!¡±


    My mouth dropped wide open, and I immediately covered it with both hands. I held my breath, eyes wide. A red hatchback car with a license te I knew very well pulled up in front of me.


    The car I knew so well and had desired sincest month. Yes, the same red car that I drove crashed into the park¡¯s fencete at night. Laird stepped out of the car with a broad smile.


    ¡°OMG, Laird!¡± I held back a scream with a wide grin.


    ¡°Yup, I know,¡± he said, nodding and approaching me.


    The first thing I did was hug his neck and then kiss his lips. ¡°Is this car finally free to go?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s yours,¡± he nodded with a faint smile.


    ¡°Oh, even the dent is gone without a trace.¡± I leaned over and carefully examined the side of the car. I swore it was still scratched and dented thest time I saw it.


    ¡°Yup, it¡¯s been fixed since it was released,¡± he exined with a small chuckle.


    ¡°When was it released?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Right after n paid all the fines,¡± he grimaced.


    ¡°Oh, hell, that means this car¡¯s value just went up.¡± I straightened up and winced.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay; you already paid for it with Oscar¡¯s contract, right?¡± he asked, putting his arm around my shoulder.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, you¡¯re right, maybe,¡± Iughed softly.


    ¡°Can we go now?¡± he asked, opening the passenger door for me.


    ¡°Are you driving?¡± I asked with a mischievous smile.


    ¡°Of course. We¡¯ll find a better time for you to drive this car, and I¡¯ll rmend the best driving school in New York,¡± he said just before closing the door.


    I giggled at hearing Laird¡¯s words. A few secondster, Laird got back into the car and put on his seatbelt.


    ¡°I feel like you¡¯re giving me a gift, when really, you should be the one getting a gift from me,¡± I said, still filled with happiness.


    ¡°Technically, this car is a bonus gift from your office, not from me. So, yeah, you don¡¯t owe me any gifts,¡± he said with a slight chuckle.


    ¡°But you took it from the police station, fixed it, and brought it here. Thank you, Laird.¡± I hugged him tightly and kissed his lips again.


    ¡°Happy birthday, honey,¡± I whispered in front of his face, and we kissed again. We passionately kissed, sucking each other¡¯s lips and lingering with our tongues.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to bete,¡± he whispered hoarsely.


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s go,¡± I chuckled. I knew we wouldn¡¯t leave and miss our restaurant reservation if we didn¡¯t stop kissing.


    ***


    The Flowsteel Room had an intimate ambiance with dim lighting and one table apanied by a smallmp. Live jazz music apanied the moments inside the restaurant. Laird and I upied a corner table with plush sofas surrounding us.


    The food was delicious, with buttered bread as an appetizer, short ribs for me, and skillet chicken for Laird. For dessert, we enjoyed a dome of chocte, which I only had a taste of and Laird finished. The rest of the evening we let dissolve in conversation, apanied by a ss of exceptional whisky and bourbon.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°How about Reba? Is she still bothering you?¡± I asked, leaning closer to Laird.


    ¡°No. Strangely, she¡¯s been more uptight at the officetely.¡± He put his arm around my shoulder and let my headfortably lean on his shoulder.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I think it¡¯s weird, but I suspect it¡¯s all rted to my control-freak father,¡± he sipped his whisky momentarily.


    ¡°Maybe someone told your father aboutst week¡¯s incident, and he scolded Reba,¡± I said before sipping my Bourbon.


    ¡°Could be. I think it¡¯s Derek who talks too much,¡± he said, lowering his hand to tightly grip my waist.


    ¡°Can Derek contact your father?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m sure Derek talks to his father, and then his father talks to mine. Maybe I haven¡¯t told you, but Derek is a McNaught-one of the senior partners at the firm, if you¡¯ve forgotten,¡± he said.


    ¡°Oh, no wonder then. Does your firm recruit a bunch of firm heirs?¡± I chuckled softly.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be a firm heir if you remember my business,¡± he said, raising an eyebrow with a typical lopsided smile.


    ¡°Just kidding,¡± I teased as my hand brushed his chest, d in a ck shirt.


    ¡°But maybe partly true because Derek still wants to be awyer like his father.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± I nodded. ¡°Well, everyone has different dreams. At least you and he know what you want to achieve,¡± I said.


    ¡°Did Derek also tell his father about Reba¡¯s lewd behavior?¡± I cautiously asked, holding my breath.


    ¡°Hm, it doesn¡¯t seem like it. He¡¯s very concerned about his reputation, especially that of his father,¡± Laird exined.


    Hearing that, I understood that men like Derek and Laird might not tell the world about how they¡¯re being harassed. They keep their feelings and concerns to themselves until they find a friend who at least shares a simr fate or can be trusted.


    I also knew Laird wouldn¡¯t say anything to his father, not even something pleasant. Their rtionship was so bad, as far as I knew.


    ¡°Hey, I have a gift for you,¡± I said with a cheerful smile to change the subject.


    It¡¯s Laird¡¯s birthday, and he already treated me at thisfortable restaurant. It¡¯s time to give him a gift. I reached into myrge clutch bag and pulled out a pink box adorned with a red ribbon.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to give me a gift, babe. Your presence is the best gift for me,¡± he said with a shy smile. Hearing his words, my face immediately felt hot, and I knew my cheeks were blushing red.


    ¡°Just a small gift. Open it,¡± I urged with a shrug.


    ¡°Oh, damn. I remember back in elementary school, you worked hard to buy a gift for the new boy. What was his name again?¡± He murmured with a smile, teasing me.


    ¡°Ugh, stop it. Don¡¯t keep repeating that incident from years ago.¡± I lightly hit his arm, and heughed.


    ¡°Hey, your face is turning red. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re still thinking about that guy. Aren¡¯t you curious where he is now?¡± He teased me again.


    ¡°No! Just open your gift.¡± I was embarrassed, and my face quickly heated up.


    I have to admit, back then I was so silly and childish. The childhood memories I shared with Laird would never end if told. Of course, I didn¡¯t want to discuss it anymore, and today should be all about Laird.


    ¡°Come on, just open your gift,¡± I said.


    ¡°Yeah, okay.¡± Laird¡¯s hand skillfully moved to untie the ribbon while humming along with the gentle melody of the song.


    Laird slowly opened the gift box. As he opened it, he paused for a moment and then chuckled shyly.


    ¡°Fene, this-¡± he choked up and couldn¡¯t speak as he took out the gift from the box.


    ¡°Do you like it? What do you think?¡± I asked.


    He lifted the ck acrylic desk namete with ¡®Laird Evans, CEO¡¯ in white letters. Then a small espresso ss with a bag of various coffee beans, each packaged for a single brew.


    ¡°I already feel like a CEO,¡± he said proudly.


    ¡°Good if you like it. Dave said you¡¯re always too busy and forget to make it,¡± I said.


    Laird ced his gift on the table, then turned to me. He stared at me closely with sparkling eyes. His hand cupped my cheek and caressed it with his thumb.


    ¡°Thank you, Fene,¡± he whispered softly, and leaned in to kiss my lips.


    That night, our kiss felt gentle. Not a passionate kiss like usual. Just a kiss filled with warmth and tenderness. Maybe it was the calming jazz song with the soft piano that caused it, but I immediately realized that our rtionship was now purely moving towards something more serious.


    The thought of it made me tremble as Laird showered me with kisses that made us forget about our surroundings. It felt enjoyable yet thrilling, and I knew our journey was still long ahead.

 Big Projects

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°Well, Fene, dear, please sign here.¡± Jessy handed over a folder containing job contract documents.


    My mouth dropped open as I looked at the stack of documents he ced on the table. I had just finished a magazine cover shoot and decided to take a short break in the cafe outside the studio with Jessy. After this, I still had another appointmentter in the afternoon for a small promotional video shoot on social media.


    I was sure the list of projects I signedst month hadn¡¯t beenpleted yet, and now I was signing another stack of new project contracts. Wasn¡¯t I incredibly lucky?


    ¡°This many more?¡± I asked incredulously.


    ¡°Yes, isn¡¯t it great? You should know n really went all out to promote you to all the agencies and producers.¡± Jessy waved both his hands and emphasized each word, making sure I knew it was all real.


    ¡°Wow, it really feels like being the main model at an agency is starting to make a difference,¡± I said as I began to open one contract title after another.


    ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? This year is your year, and next year, and the year after that, and the one after that until I hope you get tired of working as a supermodel,¡± Jessy chuckled as I read through each contract he handed me to sign.


    ¡°OMG! Is this real? Modeling for Kiky Lingerie¡¯s collection for a year? Thetest Muses perfume, Lady Jinny shampoo, Baby McGee music video, and the list for the Spring/Summer runway shows  for next year just keep going,¡± I eximed joyfully, flipping through the contract pages with a rustling sound of paper.


    ¡°Yes, of course, dear! It¡¯s all real!¡± he eximed, widening his grin andughing gleefully.


    My heart raced, and I suddenly felt like jumping for joy. All those brand names, big names in the fashion world, and all the projects supermodels always dreamed of were now truly in my hands. My emotions surged with happiness, and I immediately reached for Jessy¡¯s hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be a supermodel!¡± I shouted to Jessy, my voice filled with excitement.


    ¡°Yes! You¡¯re going to be a supermodel!¡± Jessy echoed back with the same high-pitched voice.


    We linked all our fingers and jumped with fiery enthusiasm onto our seats. We didn¡¯t hesitate to squeal in joy, though we quickly toned down our voices when we realized we were still in a quiet little cafe.


    ¡°Oh, my goodness. Thank you, Jessy. I¡¯m so happy. Everything I¡¯ve dreamed of, I¡¯m getting it now,¡± I said, hugging him tightly.


    ¡°Oh, darling, sweet girl. Congrattions, Fene. Finally, you¡¯re reaping the rewards of your hard work over the years.¡± Jessy hugged me back tightly, softly speaking into my ear.


    Tears welled up in my eyes. I had never felt this ecstatic. For the first time in my life, I truly felt the joy of achieving these projects. I realized anyone who had ever gotten these projects would be tagged as a supermodel, and now I got it.


    ¡°Sorry, I was overwhelmed,¡± I said, releasing Jessy and slowly wiping my cheek after a few minutes in tears.


    ¡°No problem, dear. This is indeed an incredible piece of good news,¡± the man said, nodding full of empathy.


    ¡°I have to thank n, right?¡± I asked, repeatedly rubbing the corners of my wet eyes.


    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s the godsend for you. I can¡¯t even believe what he¡¯s done to secure these projects for the models at Gene, especially you,¡± he said, shaking his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m so grateful.¡± I sighed deeply.


    ¡°Yes, you should be. Be grateful and work your best to excel in all these projects,¡± Jessy said, patting my arm.


    ¡°Of course.¡± I nodded, then sipped from my paper cup of coffee.


    Suddenly, I noticed Jessy looked different in an instant. He seemed to be contemting something, and it saddened him. He sat quietly with drooping shoulders. His eyes were vacant, unlike moments ago.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Jessy? You seem suddenly down,¡± I asked, furrowing my brow.


    ¡°Oh, well, I just feel everyone handles these things differently,¡± he said as he sipped his coffee with a shrug.


    ¡°Who do you mean?¡± I turned fully to Jessy.


    ¡°Mike,¡± he huffed in annoyance.


    ¡°What about Mike? Is he causing trouble?¡± I asked, furrowing my brow.


    ¡°Oh, never mind. I don¡¯t want to spoil your happy moment,¡± he dismissed his issue to me.


    ¡°Hey, Jessy, it¡¯s okay. I mean, you¡¯re my friend. You can tell me anything. We¡¯re still friends, right?¡± I asked as I began to take a pen and sign each contract on the table.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, you¡¯re right. It¡¯s just that Mike¡¯s not just trouble; oh, boy, he¡¯s a nightmare.¡± Jessy¡¯s eyes widened, and he immediately rubbed his temples.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°You know, he¡¯s been acting crazy. He showed upte to meetings-more than an hourte. He damaged property and clothes-identally, but it made us pay the designer,¡± he inhaled sharply.


    ¡°Not to mention he swore at the valet, argued with waiters, and came to the photo studio in a drunken state several times.¡± Jessy¡¯s voice choked, and he shook his head with his hands still rubbing his temples.


    ¡°Oh, my God. You were right when you said he would bring problems,¡± Imented before continuing to sign the contract.


    ¡°Yes. The worst part is, I can¡¯t reprimand him professionally because he¡¯s my boyfriend.¡± Jessy groaned desperately at me.


    ¡°Have you tried to warn him subtly?¡±


    ¡°I have. Very subtly, even. He got furious. Then he did various naughty things to make me forget my anger,¡± he sighed, his hands clutching his chest.


    ¡°Oh, damn. He¡¯s already taken advantage of your weakness and diverted it well enough to distract you.¡±


    I tapped the pen on the table and pursed my lips.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s bad. It¡¯s getting messier, and I can¡¯t control it well anymore professionally as his agent,¡± he said.


    ¡°Have you talked to n about Mike? They live together, so he should be able to warn him, right?¡± I furrowed my brow and returned to focusing on the contracts with my pen.


    ¡°That¡¯s the problem. I feel like n is ignoring Mike¡¯s behavior. I think he¡¯s too wild to be controlled by anyone, even me.¡± Jessy sighed irritably and took another sip of his coffee.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m ruining your happiness with my issues,¡± he said, his lips pursing with difficulty.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay; take it easy. Are you going to request a recement agent from n?¡± I suggested it casually.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tryter, but I¡¯m sure Mike will be mad again.¡± Jessy¡¯s legs moved quickly, full of anxiety.


    ¡°No other way, right? Try it first, so you can really separate your personal issues from your professional capacity as an agent,¡± I said as I tidied the contract documents and handed them to Jessy.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll tryter.¡± Jessy took the stack of documents and put them back in his bag.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, I almost forgot,¡± he rummaged in his bag again and pulled out a piece of paper.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± I asked as soon as I received the paper.


    ¡°Tickets to Mexico; I¡¯ve printed them for you,¡± he said.


    ¡°Mexico?!¡± I blinked.


    ¡°Yes! Don¡¯t tell me you forgot about Jemima Hors¡¯ Cruise collection show this weekend,¡± Jessy said.


    ¡°Oh, damn,¡± I cursed at my own foolishness.


    ¡°I thought it was still next week,¡± I said, biting my lower lip.


    ¡°Oh no, wait a moment. Did I forget to tell you about the schedule?¡± Jessy asked me.


    We hurriedly checked our agendas on our phones. Through a daily nner app, Jessy and I usually set our shared schedules together online. Once again, I reviewed my schedule at the end of the third week of November.


    ¡°It¡¯s empty,¡± I whispered.


    ¡°Oh no. It¡¯s my fault. I messed up your and Mike¡¯s schedules. I¡¯m sorry, honey. It won¡¯t happen again. I promise,¡± Jessy squeezed my arm.

 Sharing Joy

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°So, I was going to be busy with a packed schedule until February next year,¡± I said before biting a grape, its juice staining my fingers.


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s fantastic. Are you really going to carry the title of supermodel now?¡± Laird asked as he peeled and sliced an apple with skillful knife cuts.


    ¡°Well, I have to finish all the projects properly before earning that title,¡± I replied before popping the remaining grapes into my mouth.


    ¡°Hm, so does that mean you¡¯ll be crowned as a supermodel in February?¡± He asked with a lopsided smile, cing the knife safely on the table.


    ¡°Not automatically. Seriously, you know it takes patience and extra work to truly be branded a supermodel,¡± I chuckled.


    ¡°For me, you¡¯re automatically a supermodel in my eyes,¡± he said, reaching for my grape-stained hand and bringing my fingers to his mouth. Laird sucked dry all the red liquid from my fingers.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite skilled at seduction behind closed doors,¡± I said with a gleeful smile, letting him wipe my fingers with a tissue.


    ¡°I¡¯m d to make it exclusive for myself,¡± he chuckled softly.


    ¡°Oh, damn,¡± I suddenly eximed.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°It seems I¡¯ve stained your shirt again.¡± I grabbed a wet tissue and started to dab at a small spot of red on Laird¡¯s gray t-shirt.


    ¡°Well, let it be. I¡¯ll take it to theundry along with your shirt tomorrow.¡± Laird took a piece of apple for himself and leaned back on the couch.


    ¡°Oh, well, okay then,¡± I said after making sure the stain had faded enough.


    ¡°Are you aware that you¡¯ve been leaving more of your clothes here? Every time you take them to theundry with mine, you never bring them back to your apartment,¡± he chuckled before chewing on his apple.


    ¡°Ugh, yeah, sorry. I keep forgetting and bringing new clothes here. You must be ufortable seeing your wardrobe filled with women¡¯s clothes, right?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. In fact, I see it as a little progress. It¡¯s like you¡¯re slowly moving your stuff from Jessy¡¯s apartment to here, and I like that,¡± he concluded before finishing his apple slice.


    ¡°Oh, damn. I even left my toothbrush, face wash, and sunscreen here. I hope that¡¯s not a problem for you,¡± I grinned.


    ¡°No, you could even move in here anytime. Save on transportation and rent,¡± he shrugged.


    ¡°Hm, is this an invitation to move in?¡± I tilted my head.


    ¡°Too soon?¡± he said, raising an eyebrow.


    Of all the men who had been in a rtionship with me, Laird was the fastest toe up with the idea of living together. In less than two months, he had already asked me twice. Strangely, with Laird, I didn¡¯t feel bothered at all. But there was still a bit of hesitation surfacing in my heart.


    ¡°Well-¡± I cleared my throat and adjusted my sitting position on the couch to sit up straighter.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay. Don¡¯t force yourself. Take it slow; it¡¯s fine with me. Just one item moving in each time you¡¯re here is enough for me,¡± he interrupted me and sat upright on the couch.


    I stared at him for a long time to search for emotions behind his words and tone. There was no hurt or emotional response, just hope and concern. Laird was so kind and attentive to me. His attitude had never changed since we were kids; he always paid attention to my opinions, no matter how silly they were.


    I have forgiven his antics on prom night. I considered all old wounds unnecessary to reopen and, as advised by those motivational speakers, let the past go. Now, Laird seemed to relentlessly pursue me, so possessive that he kept asking me to move in with him.


    Wasn¡¯t that good? Yes! But I still wasn¡¯t ready.


    ¡°Well, then I¡¯ll pick up theundryter. When can I pick it up?¡± I asked, grabbing a slice of apple.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be done this weekend, but I¡¯m off because I have to go out of town from Friday to Saturday. Dave and I have a presentation in Los Angeles.¡±


    ¡°Really? You¡¯re starting the presentation this weekend for the client? The game about the model that Dave mentioned will be one of those promoted?¡± I asked, my eyes widening at the news.


    ¡°Yes, wish us luck,¡± he grinned broadly.


    ¡°Oh, of course, honey. I hope the game gets approved and seeds.¡± I kissed Laird¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Thank you, babe,¡± he smiled broadly.


    ¡°Oh, wait a minute! I¡¯m also going to Mexico City this weekend.¡± I suddenly remembered the schedule Jessy informed me of earlier today.


    ¡°Why so sudden?¡± he asked, furrowing his brow.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, Jessy forgot to put it on my agenda. This afternoon, he suddenly gave me the ne ticket, and I could only stare at it,¡± I eximed, shrugging.


    ¡°Since when did he be forgetful like you?¡± he asked with a crooked smile.


    ¡°Yeah, very funny, Laird. But your surprise is quite understandable. He has never been this messy at work. I think these are tough times for him,¡± I chewed on my sweet apple.


    ¡°Is he in trouble?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, a huge problem. Mike keeps messing up at work, and Jessy can¡¯t do anything about it because of their personal rtionship,¡± I quickly told Laird.


    ¡°Oof, I guess that can be quite confusing for some people. At least he didn¡¯t forget to give you the ne ticket and remind you of the schedule. Problem solved,¡± he nodded.


    ¡°Uh huh,¡± I murmured as I finished my apple slice.


    We fell silent for a moment, lost in thought, while enjoying the sweet apple slices in our hands. I pondered all the new information in my mind, and suddenly an idea sparked in my mind.


    ¡°Hey, Laird. Isn¡¯t LA close to Mexico?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Your geography knowledge has always been poor, from school until now. Los Angeles is 4 hours away from Mexico City by ne.¡±


    ¡°What if you follow me to Mexico after your presentation? You said your schedule ends on Saturday, right? My schedule also ends on Saturday,¡± I invited him enthusiastically.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t I be messing up your schedule?¡± He asked uncertainly.


    ¡°No! Think of it as our first holiday as a couple. We can return to New York on Sunday night. What do you think?¡± I asked, sitting up straight on the couch again.


    Oh yes! That¡¯s a great idea! I hope Laird thinks the same as me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; I¡¯m not sure if our schedules will align. I don¡¯t want to disturb your time,¡± he said, still looking hesitant, as if calcting the time in his mind.


    ¡°Of course it won¡¯t. If you arrivete or if I¡¯m too busy on Saturday, we can still go sightseeing on Sunday. Come on, Laird,¡± I persuaded him, squeezing his shoulder.


    ¡°So we¡¯re only vacationing for a day?¡± He asked, still with a tone of uncertainty in his voice.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes, just a brief staycation. It¡¯ll be getting colder here next week, but I¡¯m sure Mexico City will feel warmer and more fun. One day off won¡¯t suddenly ruin our schedules. What do you say?¡± I urged him again.


    ¡°Come on, Laird, baby.¡± I persuaded him once more with small kisses on his cheek.


    ¡°I¡¯m not promising to book a flight to Mexico City, but I promise to consider itter,¡± he replied softly.


    ¡°Do I need to improve my persuasion skills?¡± I asked as I took off my shirt, exposing my breasts openly.


    ¡°Do you think I will be swayed by your charms?¡± he asked with bright eyes and a low voice.


    ¡°Oh, of course.¡± I picked up a grape and bit it in half.

 Taste of Grapes

    Fene¡¯s POV


    The sweet and tangy taste of the grape immediately filled my pte. Half of it dropped red juice from my lips to my chin. Drop by drop, it stained my skin down to my groin.


    I still held the gaping grape in my hand and brought it to my neck. I applied the grape piece to the base of my neck and then slowly down to my breasts. I did all of this while my eyes remained fixed on Laird¡¯s eyes, burning with desire.


    Intentionally, my fingers squeezed the grape onto my left nipple. The juice immediately reddened and moistened my are. Not stopping there, I also applied the fruit to my right nipple.


    ¡°I¡¯m very hungry now,¡± he growled, licking his lips.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°How about it? Do you feel wild enough to venture to Mexico with me?¡± I asked, then slid the grape down to the inside of my thong.


    ¡°I think I need a tester first. I don¡¯t want to get stuck there without getting a proper reward,¡± he said as he leaned forward.


    ¡°Uh huh. I¡¯m sure after tasting the tester, you will immediately buy everything,¡± I whispered as I removed my thong, leaving myselfpletely naked.


    My hands then brought the drying grape to my clit. Slowly, I squeezed out thest remaining drops of the reddish fruit juice and let the drops ssh around my clit.


    Then Iy back on the sofa, spreading my legs wide towards Laird, with one footfortably hanging off the back of the couch. I then ced thest grape piece on my groin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t doubt your loyal customer. I will buy up everything you offer me.¡±


    Those were Laird¡¯s final words before he leaned down and licked the grape on my pussy with slow movements that made my body tremble. His tongue moved to lick up all the juice sprayed on my pussy. I moaned as his tongue greedily sucked on and savored every inch of my sensitive area.


    ¡°It tastes so sweet. Perfect,¡± he whispered with heavy breaths above my clit.


    His warm breath felt like it was burning my nub. It only took a moment to make me extremely aroused by his tongue, which kept entering my core. All while his fingers spun around my reddened and juice-covered nipples.


    ¡°Oh, yes, perfect,¡± I moaned, praising his skills in satisfying a woman.


    Everything Laird did to me seemed to affirm that I was aplete woman. From the way he reached my sensitive spots with his tongue down there to his fingers ying with both of my nipples as if I were his favorite game console, it all had a powerful effect on my body.


    The sounds of sucking and licking filled the room. The more I heard, the more aroused I became. As a woman¡¯s nature, I instinctively moved my hips to meet Laird¡¯s soft and wet tongue.


    Time and time again, I could only moan. I tried to keep my sanity, but reason had flown far above the sky, and all I wanted now was pleasure.


    ¡°More, Laird,¡± I whispered, breathless.


    At my request, the man became more agile and sucked my clit even harder, while his fingers remained faithful to stimting both my nipples as an extra turn-on. I tried to hold back, but it was useless. My body trembled and writhed, and I immediately released my juices, mingled with the tangy taste of grape.


    ¡°Yes. Just like that, sweet and refreshing,¡± he murmured.


    His breath became more rapid as he finally removed his clothes until he was fully naked. Then he crawled up to lie on top of me, our skin intimately touching. He continued to suck all the juice from my nipples until I groaned loudly once again.


    It didn¡¯t take long for me to reach my second peak. Laird let my body tense as his kisses and tongue teased my neck. Then he moved higher up to my chin and lips, licking and sucking until my mouth no longer had the sweet-tangy taste of grape. I didn¡¯t know how he was so skilled at it, but his hard shaft was now covered with a condom and beginning to rub against my pussy.


    ¡°My sweet Fene,¡± he whispered in my ear before thrusting his erection into my core.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± I moaned deeply as hepleted my body perfectly.


    As Laird moved, pulling his cock out slowly only to thrust it back hard into me, I squealed in excitement. The friction felt stronger and harder. So high that our bodies sweated and stuck closely skin to skin.


    Minutes passed, and we were not finished. He withdrew from me and instructed me to turn around. His hands pulled my hips high, bending them in the air. Without warning, he thrust his cock straight into my deepest core.


    My eyes rolled back. He sighed with closed eyes, and his head jerked back in pleasure.


    ¡°Yes, oh, yes,¡± I groaned with a loud moan.


    ¡°Damn, this is really-¡± His words choked as I realized his cock was pounding my pussy even deeper.


    His movements became more rapid as Laird now stood behind my body, leaning against the back of the sofa. His hips moved quickly to push and pull his cock deeply into my core. Suddenly, his fingers moved in hard, tweaking my pebbled nub repeatedly, as if pressing hot buttons.


    ¡°Ah! Laird!¡± I moaned loudly as two sensations built my climax.


    ¡°Yes, babe?¡± he murmured softly between pleasurable moans.


    ¡°I!¡± My voice choked and was reced by a loud scream as my body tensed when Laird pushed extra hard with one final thrust into my tight opening.


    Our breaths were heavy, and Laird wiped my sweaty back. His hands then hugged me tightly and massaged every part of my body. Our skin touched, and the sweat between us made it very slippery for Laird to rub all over my body as he wished.


    ¡°Laird,¡± I mumbled as he started to retreat.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°So, are you going to Mexicoter?¡± I asked with a breathless voice and a weak body on the sofa. Hearing this, he chuckled briefly.


    ¡°Gosh, Fene. Are you really looking forward to my answer?¡± He asked as he cleaned his softened cock.


    ¡°Of course.¡± I stood up and caressed his incredibly strong chest. Laird smiled widely, holding back hisughter, then shook his head.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe how determined you are to pursue what you want,¡± hemented.


    ¡°Of course.¡± I hugged Laird and let my soft chest press against his until our racing hearts beat closely together.


    Laird looked at me and then briefly kissed my forehead.


    ¡°Yes, Fene. I will book the ticket on Saturday from LA to Mexico City. Deal?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes! Finally!¡± I cupped both of his cheeks and kissed his lips for a long time.


    ¡°You made a promise,¡± I said with a wide smile.

 Ticket to Use

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I sat on the ne next to Jessy. We weren¡¯t too far from the cockpit, but we were still seated in the economy ss section. To my left was one of the female models from Gene, while on my aisle side was Jessy.


    The ne was still preparing for takeoff, but Jessy seemed restless. I figured he might need to use the restroom urgently, so I gave him some privacy in his agitation. Seriously, he kept looking back multiple times, his legs shifting ufortably, and I had to pretend to adjust the music on the screen in front of me.


    ¡°Fene,¡± Jessy called out.


    ¡°Finally. Yes, Jessy, dear?¡±


    ¡°Um, can I switch seats to sit next to Mike? I¡¯ll convince n to move to this seat if you don¡¯t mind,¡± he whispered.


    I sighed irritably and rolled my eyes. For Jessy¡¯s sake, I got up from my seat and turned around. Sure enough, I saw Mike a couple of rows back, directly across from our row. n himself lookedfortable, reclined in his seat as if he were ready to doze off with a sleep mask.


    ¡°If n doesn¡¯t mind, then I won¡¯t mind,¡± I said with a long sigh as I sat back down in my seat.


    Sometimes Jessy could be so insistent. I didn¡¯t me him, really. If Laird were on the same ne as me, I¡¯d probably insist on sitting next to him too.


    ¡°Thanks, dear.¡± He giggled excitedly and quickly left me before the captain issued the seat belt warning.


    Shortly after, n stood in our row. He stood in the aisle and smiled crookedly at me.


    ¡°I thought he wouldn¡¯t ask,¡± n teased with his usual yful tone.


    ¡°Sometimes Jessy can be very shy.¡± I shrugged with a resigned smile.


    ¡°Can I sit here instead?¡±


    ¡°Of course, please, take the seat.¡± I lifted the seat cushion that Jessy had left to make room for n to sit.


    I always remember him, no matter how much he was my boss. Let¡¯s just say I was quite impressed with n¡¯s humble demeanor and his choice to sit in economy ss with his models. Ms. L usually asks to sit in business ss, but I guess it¡¯s more about her health condition.


    The man sat beside me with a wide smile. He repeatedly adjusted his sitting position to be morefortable. And with the same sleep mask as I had seen, he started pulling it out of his pocket, but he didn¡¯t wear it right away.


    I started to realize how close we were-even more, our arms were close together. n¡¯s tall,rge body made him sit on my side. Whether I was crazy or overthinking about it, I feel n has entered my personal space with his perfume scent. I felt like I was being trapped in my thoughts, and it was difficult to feel the presence of anyone else on my right side.


    ¡°Chewing gum?¡± n gave me a pack of gum.


    ¡°Oh, thank you,¡± I said as I took one and chewed it.


    ¡°This is definitely not your first flight, right?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Of course. I just don¡¯t like the ufortable buzz in my ears, and gum helps me,¡± he replied as he fastened his seatbelt.


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡± I nodded.


    The captain warned us to fasten our seat belts, and we prepared for takeoff. After the ne took off, several minutes passed until we finally reached a stable flight altitude.


    I began to realize that n often nced at me from the side. He seemed unwilling to disturb me while listening to music, so he didn¡¯t dare speak to me, even though he seemed to want to. Until I was finally more disturbed by silence and finally removed my headphones.


    ¡°You¡¯re not sleeping?¡± I asked when he didn¡¯t wear the sleep mask like he did earlier while sitting with Mike.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; I can¡¯t sleep.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to talk?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Pfft, a silly question, but yes, of course,¡± he chuckled.


    ¡°Have you had the therapy sessions requested by the court?¡±


    Really, I asked because I was curious. n blinks when he hears my question and then sneers.


    ¡°Yes, already. Only once, but I already feel like being imprisoned,¡± heined.


    ¡°Hm, but it must be better than going to real jail, right?¡± I asked with a shrug.


    Although n didn¡¯t tell me, Laird told me how n was scared of going back to jail after being detained at the precinct for two days. I even remember how Jessy and Imented that n looked slimmer because of it.


    ¡°Well,pared to that, yes. At least I have a robot-like conversation friend. Really, I don¡¯t know what the use of a psychiatrist is,¡± he said, shaking his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, n. If I could rece you and actually be the one to carry out the punishment,¡± I whispered with guilt.


    ¡°Hey, there¡¯s no need to feel guilty. I shouldn¡¯t haveined to you about this, right?¡± He chuckled, trying to cheer me up.


    ¡°No, really, I¡¯m curious and have always wanted to ask you about it. We rarely meet, so I¡¯m d I finally have the chance to talk to you now.¡± I smiled thinly.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ve also received the car you bought; it has been repaired by Laird, and so far it is still safe with Jessy, who drives me around ces.¡± My body is now tilting to face him better.


    ¡°Well, didn¡¯t you say you would pay for it by working hard?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I still don¡¯t know if that would be enough. Besides, you also work hard to get a lot of projects for me. I feel like you have sacrificed a lot for me,¡± I said, folding my lips in and exhaling a long breath.


    n stared at me for a long time. His gaze seemed different, and I felt that our conversation was leading to something that I could not clearly describe, but it was there. There was something about n¡¯s heart that I couldn¡¯t express and couldn¡¯t reach.


    ¡°Do you really want to return the favor, hm?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. I feel guilty, and somehow, until now, I still feel not enough to pay you, even though I have done all the projects you have given me withoutining at all,¡± I said.


    He was silent again before speaking again. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Fene. I¡¯m not greedy. I sincerely want to save your reputation. But if you do intend to return the favor, anytime I need you, I¡¯ll ask without hesitation.¡±


    ¡°Really? Is there anything else you have thought of so that I can return the favor better?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Oh, hm, actually there¡¯s too much in my mind, but I want to keep it for the future. Just assume I want to keep my golden opportunity ticket to be used someday.¡± n squeezed my hand for a moment.


    ¡°Yes, of course. Anytime,¡± I nodded and squeezed his hand back.


    Throughout our trip, we talked a lot about work. I also just knew that he was actually the same age as Laird. n¡¯s parents also apparently live in Andover, just two hours drive from Boston. Even more surprisingly, it turns out he¡¯s a graduate of the same high school as me.


    Really, I didn¡¯t expect the world to be this small. Although I feel we are not the same age because I don¡¯t remember him at all, at least I feel a new closeness to him.


    ***


    ¡°H!¡± n eximed with cheerfulughter.


    He woke me up from my sleep after a 5-hour flight. We arrived in Mexico City and were immediately greeted by instant busyness. There was no more time for rxed chatting or sleeping.


    Ugh, I started to miss my leisure time with Laird.

 Cruising

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Since arriving in Mexico City on Friday afternoon, our schedule has been packed to the brim. We checked in to the hotel immediately to drop off our luggage. I had booked an extra hotel room for a future vacation with Laird and Jessy, opting to pay for the additional room myself.


    After that, we headed straight to Jemima Hors¡¯ studio for a fitting. This was followed by a pre-party dinner, rehearsal, and early morning preparations for the photoshoot before the runway show began.


    Despite the whirlwind pace, I loved every moment of it. In fact, Jemima herself appreciated my work ethic and performance during my time in Mexico. She truly valued me as the lead model.


    ¡°Okay, next up.¡±


    The stage manager signaled for me to walk out onto the runway. With practice and careful preparation, I smoothly strutted on the runway. I changed outfits three times as nned, and everything went off without a hitch.


    ¡°Fene,e apany me to the stage,¡± Jemima said to me.


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    I linked my arm with Jemima¡¯s, and we walked together, followed by all the models who had strutted in the Cruise collection for next year. It was an honor to walk arm in arm with the designer herself, feeling recognized as a key model for the show.


    After bidding farewell and a brief acknowledgment to the audience, I returned backstage. After changing, I was greeted by Jessy and n, who were waiting for the models.


    ¡°Hey, great job!¡± n praised me with a wide smile.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I nodded with an equally wide smile.


    ¡°You know, Jemima can¡¯t stop singing your praises. She¡¯s eager to extend the contract for all her collections next year,¡± Jessy chirped happily.


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s fantastic news!¡± I rejoiced along with them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s head back to the hotel now. There¡¯s still plenty of celebration ahead,¡± n directed us as we left backstage.


    ¡°Fene.¡±


    I turned toward the voice calling my name from a distance. I thought I was dreaming, or maybe my eyes were deceiving me. Laird stood at the end of the room with a bright smile.


    ¡°Laird?!¡±


    Overjoyed to see him, I ran towards him and melted into his embrace. My hands wrapped around his neck, and I kissed his lips briefly.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you wereing. Did you watch the show?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yup, from start to finish,¡± he nodded with a slight smile.


    ¡°Are you done with your presentation? How did it go?¡± I asked eagerly.


    ¡°It went well, but wait-¡± Laird stepped back, and I noticed he was hiding something behind his back. He then pulled out a bouquet of beautifully arranged flowers in autumn colors.


    ¡°Oh, Laird, thank you, honey.¡± I epted the bouquet and kissed his lips again briefly.


    ¡°Hey, lovebirds. You really have the guts to ignore us, huh?¡± Jessy interrupted as he approached us, followed by n and Mike.


    ¡°Sorry, I was just too excited about this surprise.¡± I blushed in embarrassment.


    ¡°Hey, Laird. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re extending today into a holiday together.¡± n furrowed his brow.


    ¡°Yup, guilty as charged,¡± Laird said, opening his arms.


    ¡°Great way to mix business and pleasure,¡± n teased.


    ¡°Hey, ask Jessy; he might be better at mixing that.¡± Laird nodded towards Jessy.


    ¡°Very funny. I thought you were stiff and would never be able to make a joke,¡± n countered annoyedly.


    ¡°Hey, you two, no need to argue, okay? Laird, n is our school alumni, and he¡¯s your age.¡± I tried to mediate their ongoing debate.


    ¡°Seriously? He¡¯s a senior who¡¯s too young in his ss.¡± Laird raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Consider me a genius, and now I can achieve more at the same age as you guys,¡± n grinned smugly.


    ¡°Since when did you make this apetition?¡± Laird asked sharply.


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough. n, I¡¯m leaving now. See youter.¡± I nudged Laird to turn away for a moment while I waved to n, Jessy, and Mike.


    ¡°Fene! Don¡¯t forget toe to the after party tonight!¡± I vaguely heard Jessy¡¯s voice.


    ¡°I won¡¯te!¡± I replied as I hurriedly guided Laird out.


    ¡°What?!¡± Jessy gaped, but I ignored them.


    Laird and I walked through the hallway of the building until we finally stepped out into the courtyard. My arm was still linked to Laird¡¯s, while my other hand held onto the bouquet of flowers tightly.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that n guy? Is he really our school alumni?¡± Laird asked, his brow furrowing irritably.


    ¡°Yes, he is. He told me on the ne. It seems he¡¯s a senior,¡± I replied.


    ¡°You talked on the ne? Were you sitting next to each other?¡± Laird¡¯s voice carried a hint of frustration.


    ¡°Uh, yes. Jessy asked to switch seats with him so he could sit next to Mike.¡± I murmured softly, realizing once again that I had inadvertently made Laird jealous.


    ¡°Out of all the seats, he had to choose the one next to you.¡± Laird scoffed at me.


    ¡°Well, he only knew n well enough to swap seats next to Mike.¡± I released my arm from his embrace as we reached the taxi line.


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±


    Laird¡¯s voice sounded cold as he hurriedly circled around the car and got into the taxi without opening the door for me first. Ugh, once again, I misspoke. I got into the taxi and sat down in the passenger seat with Laird.


    ¡°Really, I didn¡¯t do anything strange. We just talked,¡± I defended myself after Laird mentioned our hotel¡¯s name to the driver.


    ¡°You talked for the entire 5-hour journey on the ne?¡±


    ¡°No. I slept for the rest of the journey.¡± I began to be desperate to fix this.


    ¡°Oh, good. You slept next to him,¡± Laird rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Laird, oh my god. We didn¡¯t do anything. Sleeping side by side in a seated position can¡¯t be romanticized. It¡¯s not a big deal.¡±


    ¡°For you. We don¡¯t know what n was thinking. How many times have I told you to stay away from him and be careful around him?¡± Laird¡¯s voice was now firmer with a low growl.


    I fell silent after hearing his words. My conscience told me something was wrong with Laird. I tried to think positively: maybe he was just too possessive and couldn¡¯t judge n objectively.


    Really, I didn¡¯t do anything with n. We¡¯re just friends. I don¡¯t understand how Laird keepsing up with the idea that n likes me, but I also don¡¯t have enough evidence to refute it.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m sorry for my mistake. I guess I got a bit carried away with the excitement of being abroad,¡± I whispered as I gently rubbed the rose petals.


    Hearing that, Laird remained silent and refused to look at me. He chose instead to stare out the window at the passing scenery. Tears welled up in my eyes, and I feltpletely wrong. Throughout the taxi ride, we remained silent, a stark contrast to the atmosphere when we first met earlier.


    I could only sigh deeply until we arrived at the hotel. Even when we got to the hotel room, we were silent as a thousand words. I ced the bouquet of flowers on the table and took a shower. When I came out of the bathroom, Laird switched to me and went into the bathroom.


    ¡°Laird.¡± I dared to stop him by catching his arm and holding it.


    ¡°What?¡± he asked sharply.


    ¡°Are we still going to have dinner as nned?¡± I asked hesitantly. ¡°I mean, we already booked the table and the menu. If you feel ufortable now-¡± I stopped myself.


    My voice choked, and I couldn¡¯t continue because I was too afraid of the worst-case scenario.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess. I just want to rest for a bit first,¡± he said quietly, then he entered the bathroom with a m of the door.

 Panic Attack

    n¡¯s POV


    My steps paced back and forth in the hotel room. I couldn¡¯t concentrate at all, and I hated this situation. Ah, damn it! My well-thought-out n hadpletely failed. I never expected Laird toe here too.


    How could this happen? Fene must have invited him. Ah! I should have set an unwritten rule against bringing partners or additional rooms to maintain professionalism at work.


    I sat on the leather sofa in the hotel. My hands naturally rose, and I impatiently bit my nails. My feet fidgeted restlessly.


    Fene was right across the hall from my hotel room! I heard the sound of her entering, but when I peeked through the peephole, Laird was there. They had returned, and my mind could only think of one thing to answer my curiosity about what they were doing inside the room.


    Sex. Yes, they must be having sex. Would Fene moan loudly like other women? Could Laird give her an orgasmic peak?


    No! I had to stop thinking about them. I couldn¡¯t linger alone in the room, tormented and directionless.


    To ward off the restlessness I felt, I finally decided to go to the gym. In front of Fene¡¯s door, I stood motionless, observing the unopened brown door that never invited me in. I crept up and pressed my ear to the door, but I didn¡¯t hear any sounds of pleasurable moans.


    Suddenly, the elevator dinged, and someone exited into the hallway. Not wanting to get caught, I quickly walked towards the elevator and headed to the hotel gym area.


    Some time passed as I used various avable workout equipment. They were quiteplete and, at least, could distract me from Fene and Laird. Sweat poured down my body, and my clothes were wet in an instant. I couldn¡¯t differentiate between the sweat from physical exercise and the sweat from anxiety.


    ¡°Hey,¡± a woman greeted me. ¡°I saw you were good at using this equipment earlier. Can you teach me how to use it?¡±


    I observed the woman who wore a tight and sexy fitness shirt from the Fit U sportswear brand. My brand.


    It was clear from her muscle tone that she was a professional who trained regrly. In an instant, I could sniff out a lie from her. Maybe she thought she could deceive me and get some attention from me, but I wouldn¡¯t be fooled.


    ¡°No, thank you,¡± I refused with a frustrated grunt.


    I hated these women. They were all hypocrites, liars, and bullies. Men were the same-selfish, cruel, and bullies.


    In this whole world, I only needed Fene Baxter. Only she would never lie. She was the only living creature that could still be considered human.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    My angel, Fene.


    I walked into the bathroom. In there, I was alone, busy showering in the shower room on thiste evening. Perfect.


    I chose the bathroom in the farthest corner of the room. In an instant, I took off my clothes and hung them on the door. My hand turned the water knob, and the warm water immediately flowed over my entire body.


    My hands began to rub my body slowly. My thoughts wandered back to my initial anxiety about how Fene and Laird might still be having sex now. It had been over thirty minutes; they might have finished forey and been ready toplete the game.


    I exhaled deeply, then turned off the water tap and poured soap into my hands. Slowly, I rubbed my body, and the slipperyther began to wrap my entire body. My restlessness guided my hands to rub and y with my hardening shaft.


    Fene, my dear. I want to touch you more than Laird touches you. I can make you feel more loved than Laird. I can do anything better than him.


    ¡°Please,¡± I whispered as my hands became more aggressive in rubbing my cock and balls.


    My breath grew heavier, and I closed my eyes. I imagined how Fene would moan as I drove her crazy with each thrust of my cock.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I hissed while biting my lip.


    I couldn¡¯t resist it. I needed Fene so much, and only her. As my heart pounded faster and my breath grew shallower, I began to reach the pleasure of my imagination as the most beautiful angelic girl in the world.


    ¡°Yes, gorgeous, do you like that?¡±


    I asked about the image of Fene in my mind. She spread her legs on the bed, breathing heavily, her eyes closed, her blonde hair disheveled, and moaning repeatedly with her mouth open.


    ¡°Yes, you like that! Yes!¡± I eximed loudly as I reached the peak of pleasure.


    My body trembled as the thick, white cum sttered on the walls and floor of the bathroom. I gasped for breath and immediately turned on the shower to wash away all my sins.


    After showering, I wrapped myself in the avable white bathrobe and walked to the locker. Hastily, I took my phone from the bag and called Mike.


    ¡°Mike, have you left the hotel?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. Do I need to hurry?¡± Mike¡¯s foolish question made me angry instantly.


    ¡°Of course! Don¡¯t waste time! Leave the hotel immediately and take Jessy out,¡± I roared.


    ¡°But he wants to go to Jemima¡¯s afterparty,¡± the man argued.


    ¡°No! Listen, I gave you an unlimited credit card, so you have to put it to good use. Take Jessy around the city, to restaurants, or even to the mountains; I don¡¯t care. Don¡¯t let him go to the after party,¡± I hissed in anger.


    ¡°Ok, ok, boss.¡±


    The call ended abruptly. I growled irritably and pounded the locker door loudly. Sometimes he couldn¡¯t be relied on at all! Next, I dialed the secret number of an international pop singer.


    ¡°Hey, Mallory, how are you?¡± I asked cheerfully and enthusiastically.


    ¡°Hey, n. I¡¯m fantastic!¡± The voice on the other end of the phone sounded excited as well.


    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that. You must be continuing this fun night at Jemima¡¯s after party, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course! I can¡¯t wait.¡± Mallory¡¯s distinctive voice on the phone made me smile broadly.


    ¡°Perfect! Are you going to bring Roger along?¡± I asked yfully, teasing her. The womanughed, and herughter sounded exactly like one of her popr songs.


    ¡°Of course. I guess I will win again this time, right?¡± she asked with a chuckle.


    ¡°Oh, no, sweetheart. This time I will bring my partner,¡± I said with a teasingugh.


    ¡°Really? That¡¯s great news to celebrate!¡± She sounded enthusiastic about the news I shared.


    ¡°Of course! Shall we celebrate with the usual golden champagne?¡± I asked with a yful murmur.


    ¡°Yes, if you really bring your date to the afterparty. I¡¯ll treat you,¡± Mallory promised.


    ¡°Agreed. See you at the party,¡± I said with the same level of enthusiasm.


    The call ended immediately after Mallory bid farewell with the same cheerful tone to me. I tapped my phone in my hand and grinned happily.


    ¡°This time it has to work,¡± I muttered softly.

 Date Night

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I waited alone in the room. I had thought tonight would be fun with Laird before we went to the restaurant. But reality struck; we ended up arguing, and now Laird has gone out to smoke while I finish getting ready.


    I wore a knee-length red dress with a low neckline and ck high-heeled shoes. My hair was curled into sexy waves using a curling iron, quite different from my usual straight look. My lips were rosy, and my makeup was wless.


    It was silly of me to think tonight would be enjoyable. Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect Laird to be so jealous, especially of n. This was the first time a man had been so possessive of me. It made me happy in a way, but I didn¡¯t like it if Laird became furious.


    A notification beeped. It was Laird¡¯s message. I swallowed nervously, afraid he might cancel our dinner ns.


    ¡®I¡¯m in the lobby. Come down.¡¯


    Oh, thank goodness.


    With that message, I grabbed my small ck purse. I sprayed perfume on my wrists two more times before heading down to the lobby.


    When I arrived in the lobby, I easily spotted Laird sitting on one of the single sofas. As our eyes met, he immediately rose from the sofa. He looked very handsome in a white t-shirt, jeans, and a ck leather jacket.


    I made my way across the lobby, my heels clicking, to approach him. A slight breeze swept through as the hotel lobby doors opened. As Laird looked at me with a sparkle in his eyes, I felt the world slow down. Step by step, my only destination right now was Laird Evans.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I said awkwardly when I reached him.


    ¡°Hey,¡± he replied awkwardly.


    His hair was slightly tousled naturally. The scent of tobo mixed with his favorite sandalwood cologne. His bright green eyes gazed deeply into mine as we searched for the right words to make up.


    ¡°You look stunning tonight,¡± he praised me softly.


    ¡°But you hate me because of my mistake with n,¡± I retorted softly.


    ¡°What else can I do? Jealousy consumes me, Fene. n must be curious to taste you, just like all the men here who¡¯ve been drooling over you,¡± he said, raising his chin.


    I nced around and saw several men openly staring at me. Their seductive gazes felt intense, and I shook my head.


    ¡°No one matters except you, Mr. Evans,¡± I said, embracing his arm.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± he muttered softly.


    He cupped my cheek and kissed me on the lips in public. His tongue was aggressive, iming my lips and tongue. It seemed like he wanted to show all the men in the hotel lobby that I belonged to him.


    I did belong to him.


    ***


    We arrived at a famous restaurant in the Juarez area of Mexico City. The restaurant was unique and unlike any I had visited in New York or elsewhere. It turned out to be somewhat secluded from the main street.


    ¡°Wow. This is really beautiful,¡± I murmured, tilting my head up to take in the atmosphere and the decor of the restaurant.


    Its walls were made of natural stones, crafted to resemble a sand-colored y cave. Tall trees grew in the restaurant¡¯s side yard, creating a refreshing outdoor area. We found ourselves in a corner of the restaurant, dimly candle-lit with a very romantic ambiance.


    ¡°This is amazing,¡± I said with a broad smile.


    I looked at Laird, and it turned out he had already been looking at me. His gaze was fixed on me, and he smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you like it,¡± said Laird, guiding me to sit next to him.


    Dinner, with a mix of Mexican and Mediterranean cuisine, was delicious. I couldn¡¯t pronounce most of the dishes correctly, but the restaurant¡¯s waiter patiently helped me mimic their pronunciation. One thing was certain: the food we ordered was incredibly delicious. Not to mention the brilliantly made cocktails.


    Overall, I felt that tonight was very enjoyable. Laird and I easily made up. A few pecks on the lips, and we were back to cuddle on thefortable sofa chairs.


    ¡°I¡¯m d we didn¡¯t miss out on this restaurant,¡± I said, stroking Laird¡¯s neck gently.


    ¡°Yeah. We still have many ces to sightsee tomorrow,¡± Laird said, stroking my crossed thigh over my other knee.


    ¡°Uh-huh. Did you end up booking the private tour car you mentioned yesterday?¡±


    ¡°Yes, for two people. The driver will pick us up in the lobby at 7 a. m.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t wait to explore together. Let¡¯s make sure to take lots of photos. Later, we can share them on social media. I also shared the bouquet of flowers you gave me on my social media and got a lot of positive responses.¡± I opened my phone and showed Laird my social media page.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t tag my name, right?¡± he double-checked.


    ¡°No,¡± I reassured him.


    Laird had made it clear he didn¡¯t want the spotlight of fame. As a result, I never mentioned his name on social media. My followers only knew I had a boyfriend, but they didn¡¯t know who, despite their begging.


    ¡°Look, your name isn¡¯t on it.¡± I pointed out the photo of the bouquet of flowers from this afternoon.


    He nced briefly at the photo, but suddenly my phone screen changed in an instant. A phone call from n, and it immediately messed everything up again.


    ¡°Ugh, damn it. What does he want now?¡± He grumbled irritably.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay. I won¡¯t answer it. He won¡¯t bother us.¡± I hurriedly tried to calm him down and put my phone back in my bag.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Oh no. I only turned off the ringtone on his phone without rejecting or epting his call.


    I didn¡¯t want us to argue again. Not for tonight, at least until we return to New York and beyond. I really wanted to enjoy our vacation in Mexico.


    I straightened up from leaning on Laird and picked up my cocktail again. One quick sip to calm down, but my phone rang again from n¡¯s call.


    ¡°Just answer it or turn off your phone,¡± he said coldly to me.


    ¡°I won¡¯t pick it up,¡± I replied as I silenced his phone again.


    ¡°Fene, he keeps calling,¡± he grumbled angrily.


    ¡°Ugh, I¡¯ll just turn off my phone.¡± I sighed in frustration.


    Just before I declined n¡¯s call, his call stopped. Then, this time, a short message came in from n.


    ¡®Where are you? Why didn¡¯t youe to the after party?¡¯


    ¡®Pick up my phone and let¡¯s talk.¡¯


    ¡°He keeps pushing,¡± I sighed, running my fingers through my hair in frustration.

 Guilt Trip

    Fene¡¯s POV


    The ringing of the phone has now ceased. Only silence remains, weighing heavily on my chest. n sent me a short message. Just a few words, but it swiftly made my guilt surge.


    ¡°What did he say?¡± Laird asked softly.


    ¡°He wants me to pick up the phone,¡± I answered honestly, showing n¡¯s message to Laird.


    Laird nced at the message briefly. ¡°Just answer it; it seems like it¡¯s work-rted,¡± he muttered under his breath.


    I knew, despite Laird acting nonchnt, that his subdued tone was enough to make me realize he was annoyed and had been since earlier.


    Oh,e on. I just finished making up with him!


    I wanted to curse n, but it seemed my boss insisted I hear what he wanted to say over the phone. Finally, when n called me back, I answered.


    ¡°Yes, n,¡± I replied quickly.


    ¡°Where are you?¡± he asked, with a noisy background.


    ¡°I just finished dinner in the Juarez area.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to miss Jemima¡¯s after party,¡± he scoffed.


    ¡°I thought it wasn¡¯t mandatory,¡± I concluded.


    ¡°Of course it is mandatory. It¡¯s part of Jemima¡¯s events, and she¡¯s waiting for you toe. Even Mallory West is waiting for you.¡± His voice was firm andmanding.


    ¡°Really? Hello, Mallory West, the famous pop diva? Why is she waiting for me?¡± My heart suddenly raced with excitement.


    ¡°Yes. She¡¯s curious about you. Who wouldn¡¯t be? Jemima keeps praising you. So,e now; Juarez isn¡¯t too far from the club.¡±


    I nced at Laird¡¯s face and saw a look of annoyance. He sipped his whisky and chewed on an ice cube for a while. Ugh, what should I do? I don¡¯t want to interrupt our date tonight for work, but this is about Jemima Hors and Mallory West!


    ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t know, n. I already have ns of my own tonight.¡± I bit my lip.


    ¡°Hey, Fene, darling. Listen to me. You can go on dates any time after this event is over; there are plenty of opportunities. But your chance to meet and talk directly with Mallory West is once in a lifetime.¡±


    ¡°I know, but-¡±


    ¡°No more ¡®buts¡¯, Fene. Mallory wants to find a new friend, and she¡¯s also offering a music video project for her next album. I think you¡¯re perfect for it.¡± n continued to persuade me, but I remained silent.


    ¡°I¡­¡± My heart pounded, and I never expected to get such a big opportunity just when I had to calm Laird.


    ¡°Here¡¯s the thing, Fene. You said on the ne yesterday that I had a special ticket to pay off your guilt, right? I¡¯ll use it tonight.¡± n¡¯s words felt like a cold shower over my head.


    ¡°Are you really going to use my guilt card tonight?¡± I asked, almost disbelievingly.


    ¡°Yes, darling. I need you toe to the after party right now and charm Mallory into bing your best friend starting tonight.¡±


    n sounded desperate and panicked, but I really didn¡¯t expect him to use the ticket I offered yesterday. Ugh, I regret promising him that. Now, I feel like I have toply with n, even if it means making Laird angry again for the umpteenth time.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you know,¡± I stammered.


    I hung up the phone and took a deep breath. My eyes were fixed on the phone screen, showing n¡¯s urgent messages.


    Yes, I understand what n wants. Mallory West is an international diva; she doesn¡¯t wait for anyone because people beg her to pass on a bit of fame and work with them. That applies to me too, and Mallory won¡¯t wait for me any longer than tonight.


    ¡°Uh¡­, Laird,¡± I called softly and swallowed.


    ¡°So you¡¯re going to follow n?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t want to mess up our date. Tonight is still young, and there are still many ces I want to visit with you that can only be done at night.¡±


    I dragged on the conversation, trying to find justification for the decision I was about to make. My voice started to fade, and suddenly Laird snorted in annoyance.


    ¡°Stop your nonsense,¡± he said bluntly.


    ¡°I said from the beginning that our schedules wouldn¡¯t match. For me to chase after you tonight is futile. I would only hinder your work,¡± Laird muttered lowly and stood up.


    ¡°Forgive me, Laird. I thought it was just another afterparty, but Mallory West is waiting for me.¡± I hurriedly got up and exined as much as I could.


    ¡°Mallory West? Wow, yeah, I forgot you¡¯re a celebrity now. Silly me,¡± he gritted his teeth.


    ¡°Laird, forgive me for ruining our night. Please, however, I still want you to apany me. I need you,¡± I pleaded.


    ¡°No, Fene. What you need is n. He can give you many things that I can¡¯t.¡± After saying that, Laird walked away to the cashier and paid all our bills.


    ***


    I entered the club where the afterparty was being held. I was not alone; I came with Laird, who was still reluctant to hold my hand. He seemed to distance himself from me and refused even to put his hand on my waist as a sign of possession.


    The atmosphere between us felt grim and heavy. Though I really wanted to cry in this situation, I strengthened myself and stepped into the club area. The bouncer crossed my name off the guest list, and I went straight in.


    At the door, the paparazzi photographed me freely. Laird, as usual, distanced himself from me as if we were strangers. At least the red cocktail dress by Jemima saved me instead of my usual casual turtleneck. I widened a thin smile in front of the camera and hurriedly entered the club.


    At least Laird still agreed to apany me to the afterparty, even though he still refused to talk or even look at me.


    ¡°Hey, n,¡± I said, greeting n, who stood behind one of the high tables.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Hey, Fene! Finally! Thank goodness you still have the sanity toe here,¡± n breathed out with exaggerated relief.


    ¡°Hi, Laird. Are you apanying her?¡± n turned to Laird and disyed a fake smile that was clearly visible with pursed lips.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m kidnapping her,¡± Laird replied curtly.


    ¡°Well, that won¡¯t happen under my watch.¡± n grinned.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± Laird concluded.


    ¡°This will only take a little time,¡± I reassured Laird once again, also convincing myself.


    ¡°Yes. Come on, Mallory has been curious about you since the runway show.¡± n directed me to follow him.


    Several times, I turned to Laird to ask for his understanding. The man sneered, but he nodded, trying to encourage me. The man then turned to the bar, while I followed n¡¯s steps into the VIP area.


    ¡°H! Look who¡¯s finally here!¡±


    ¡°Oh God! You really brought her!¡±


    Mallory West, wearing a twinkling Oscar tank top and her hair tied high in a ponytail, rose from her seat and shrieked when she saw us.


    Was I mistaken? Shouldn¡¯t I feel starstruck and scream out loud? It was the opposite; Mallory stretched out her arms and hugged me. Iughed wide, with a blush on my cheeks, and returned her hug.


    Oh my, the pop diva really waited for my arrival! What dream did I havest night?

 After Party

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Jemima Hors also stood up from her seat and hugged me tightly. ¡°Thank goodness you came. Thank you, Fene,¡± Jemima smiled at me.


    ¡°Yes, of course I woulde,¡± I replied with the same enthusiasm.


    I was invited to sit next to Mallory on the sofa. Never before had I sat this close to an international pop diva. Oh my, I must be dreaming. Lord, even her body smelled so good with vani and floral perfume.


    Damn, I really didn¡¯t anticipate this. If only Laird had joined us, I wouldn¡¯t feel guilty like this. At least my worry about leaving him alone to have fun with myself would be lost.


    No, wait. I can¡¯t entirely me myself, but I regret all of this. I should have followed Laird¡¯s advice and not forced our schedule. Now I feel even more guilty towards him.


    There was a sense of awkwardness creeping in, but Mallory¡¯s bodynguage seemed open and weing. n sat next to me, trapping me between him and Mallory. I looked around and realized there were many celebrities and famous models nearby. My eyes nearly popped out when I saw all these famous people up close.


    I didn¡¯t see Jessy nearby, but I assumed maybe he wasn¡¯t invited to the VIP area. So, now I¡¯m alone with n.


    Alright, Fene. This is all business as usual. After everyone¡¯s done chatting and assessing my pleasant and easy-to-work-with personality, I can go straight back to the hotel with Laird.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re the main model at Gene now?¡± Mallory asked me.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied enthusiastically.


    ¡°How does it feel? n must really spoil you, huh?¡± she chuckled.


    ¡°Oh, hush hush! That¡¯s a secret,¡± n waved his hand quickly.


    ¡°Oh,e on, you said we could talk and open that incredibly expensive gold champagne bottle.¡± Mallory pouted and nudged n¡¯s shoulder softly.


    ¡°I said you could talk to her, but you still can¡¯t pry into our rtionship details,¡± n said loudly around us, and the people on the sofaughed hearing it.


    ¡°It¡¯s kind of hard to meet the demands of a CEO, huh?¡± Mallory again invited me to chat with a cheerful tone.


    ¡°Yeah, he insists I be greedy and take all the job projects avable,¡± Iughed.


    ¡°I suspected! He did that to me too,¡± Mallory said dramatically.


    ¡°Have you known each other for long?¡± I asked with my mouth agape in disbelief.


    I mean, n is indeed a pretty sessful CEO at his young age. His name soared after he opened many fashion and fitness branches in just a few years. However, I didn¡¯t expect n to be so great that he had celebrity friends.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t tell anyone, but we had a thing. Well, like a summer fling,¡± Malloryughed again.


    ¡°What? Wow, that¡¯s really surprising and new to me!¡± I eximed, wide-eyed.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    n and Mallory had a summer fling. Did I hear that wrong? So, he¡¯s not gay after all?!


    ¡°Nothing serious, really. Don¡¯t be jealous, okay?¡± Mallory giggled again.


    ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± Iughed along with her.


    I still didn¡¯t quite understand the meaning behind her words. My surprise still revolved around the fact that n could have a rtionship with an international pop diva! Does this mean he really isn¡¯t gay? Where¡¯s Jessy when I need him to talk about this?


    ¡°So, where¡¯s my gold champagne?¡± n asked Mallory with a shout.


    ¡°Oh, alright. Bring out the gold champagne!¡± Mallory called a waiter standing in the back corner of the VIP area.


    ¡°Gold champagne!¡± the waiter shouted, which was immediately followed by simr shouts of the same words.


    ¡°Whoops, do they do that for all customers ordering gold champagne?¡± I asked in amazement. What is gold champagne anyway?


    ¡°Yeah! Watch, it¡¯ll get even more lively after this,¡± Mallory said enthusiastically.


    Shortly afterward, several people came out in procession from behind the VIP area. About three uniformed waiters came dancing and singing, apanied by small, loud bells. They sang Mallory¡¯s song acape while carrying arge champagne bottle wrapped in gold paper. Apparently, this was meant to be the most expensive champagne bottle in the club.


    ¡°Oh my,¡± I said, still in disbelief.


    ¡°Their service is unique.¡± Mallory winked at me.


    The people around us started cheering with joy and stood up, pping to encourage the performers. ss cups were distributed to everyone in this VIP circle seating. Mallory¡¯s friends, Jemima, and the members of ¡®Mallory¡¯s friends¡¯, who were famous from various walks of life, circted sses around the sofa.


    After the dance and song, the waiters opened the champagne, and its bubbles popped for a moment. Then they poured the golden liquid into every ss, including mine.


    ¡°To Jemima Hors¡¯s sess. I pray our careers will soar with her this year and next year,¡± Mallory said, raising her ss.


    ¡°And also to our new friends, n and Fene. Congrattions to you two, cute, sweet couple! I wish your rtionship was smooth and full of excitement and happiness,¡± she said this time.


    What?! Once again, I was shocked to hear Mallory¡¯s words. My eyes widened in horror, but everything happened quickly.


    ¡°But¡­¡± my voice drowned in the midst of the crowd.


    ¡°Cheers!¡± everyone shouted enthusiastically. Even n didn¡¯t say anything; he joined in with heartyughter.


    Oh my! What is this? This is really messed up!


    My hands were shaking as I raised my ss. n didn¡¯t give me any guidance on this at all. Even Jessy didn¡¯t tell me anything. I could only toast along, caught up in confusion.


    I couldn¡¯t do anything in front of all these people. They¡¯re all celebrities, and it would be ridiculous if I refused to toast. I could argue this misunderstanding, but it would just make me the butt of their jokes.


    Caught up in this confusing flow, I finally sipped champagne from my ss. It tasted sweet and refreshing on my tongue, clearly upholding its name, but I couldn¡¯t enjoy it at all. As I lowered my ss again, my eyes fell on a figure with blonde hair.


    ¡°Laird?¡± I whispered softly.


    A few meters away from me, I saw Laird standing frozen. His face looked angry, with hardened jaws and clenched fists at his sides. Illuminated by moving lights, I could clearly see veins pulsating on Laird¡¯s arms, or was it all just my imagination?


    Oh no! As I was about to run to him, n immediately caught my arm.


    ¡°Just wait a little longer. Trust me, just follow along for now. I¡¯ll exinter,¡± he whispered in my ear.


    Right after n whispered to me, Laird turned and walked away with a grim face. I could see his back starting to move away and being covered by people. My chest felt tight, and I felt like I had messed everything up.


    My eyes felt hot, with tears threatening to flow from the corners of my eyes. n still held me with his arm tightly around my waist.

 Publicity Stunt

    Fene¡¯s POV


    This is such a mess! I don¡¯t know how this could happen or why Mallory would think n and I were a couple. I know Laird is mad at me, but I bite down hard on the inside of my mouth and hope we can resolve this misunderstanding in the end.


    I mean, I want to chase after Laird as soon as possible, but Mallory West herself is holding me back! She keeps engaging me in conversation with her cheerful demeanor.


    ¡°You know, I think you¡¯d be perfect as the model for the music video of my title track. You¡¯re the perfect match!¡± Mallory excitedly exined her new project to me.


    ¡°Really? Haven¡¯t you always been the actress in your own music videos?¡± I asked with a pounding heart.


    ¡°Yes, but I feel like you¡¯d be a better fit. After n showed me your photos andmercial videos, and then I saw you walk on stage myself, I immediately said, ¡®She¡¯s the one; I want her¡¯ to n,¡± Mallory flicked her fingers.


    ¡°The concept album for next year is already set, and only a handful of people will know. Imagine a castle, then you running in its vast courtyard, then another scene where you stab your ex¡¯s cheating portrait with a knife,¡± she demonstrated the scene with a fist jabbing her other palm.


    ¡°Ugh, if only I could do that in real life. My ex also cheated, and I could only throw beer cans at him,¡± I growled in frustration.


    ¡°Oh my gosh! Tell me more!¡±


    Mallory and I talked about Tom. About how he left me for his secretary, how he messed up my party because of misunderstandings, and everything.


    ¡°Well, n won¡¯t cheat. He¡¯s just emotionally cold, but if he¡¯s with you, he might warm up,¡± she shrugged.


    ¡°Anything about n always surprises you, huh?¡± I chuckled sarcastically.


    ¡°Yeah, true,¡± sheughed.


    ¡°Are you guys talking about me behind my back?¡± n asked, sitting back next to me.


    ¡°Of course! You love it, don¡¯t you?¡± Mallory asked him, and weughed again.


    Ugh, really. I feel like this is all fake.


    I held on as long as I could to entertain Mallory. Although my mind often wandered to Laird, who was looking at me disappointedly, I wouldugh again at every joke Mallory made.


    This is Mallory West! She even considers me her best friend now! We took photos together, and she promised to post themter after she got home-she never wanted to disclose her real-time whereabouts to avoid fans.


    About an hour and a halfter, Mallory felt like she had had enough fun. She went back to the hotel with her boyfriend after making sure I would make time to discuss her music video projectter, when we returned to New York.


    After Mallory left, I immediately left the club and ordered a taxi.


    ¡°Fene!¡±


    Ugh, son of a bitch. n chased after me and grabbed my arm tightly.


    ¡°Where are you going? The party¡¯s not over, and Jemima¡¯s still inside,¡± he yelled loudly.


    ¡°Let go of me. You¡¯re hurting me. I want to go back to the hotel,¡± I growled, restraining myself from being rude to him.


    ¡°You can¡¯t go back!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I can. Let me go.¡± I struggled to break free from him.


    n is taller and stronger than me. The muscles in his arms are not just for show. He pulled me with all his might and pushed my body to the side of the club building, into a quieter and darker parking area.


    ¡°Let go of me, n!¡±


    The man wouldn¡¯t listen to me, and he restrained me. He trapped me between his body and the club wall. Both of my hands were firmly gripped beside my head and pressed hard against the wall.


    ¡°Why are you doing this? After everything I¡¯ve done for you, are you just going to ghost me?¡± n hissed with a fierce look in his eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know how hard I worked to persuade Mallory to like you? I did all of this for your sess.¡±


    Oh, hell no.


    ¡°Yeah, thanks! But you should¡¯ve told me before you made a public lie about us. You know I¡¯m dating Laird!¡± I finally dared to voice my disappointment to n, no longer caring about his sacrifices for me or my debt to him.


    This is beyond outrageous!


    ¡°To hell with Laird! I only did what I thought would catch Mallory¡¯s attention, and that¡¯s what matters now. Every girl dreams of getting into Mallory¡¯s circle of friends, and when you¡¯ve made it, you¡¯re going to mess it up just to keep up with Laird¡¯s feelings?¡± n wrinkled his nose.


    ¡°Besides, you just need to exin all of this to himter. He shouldn¡¯t be angry, and he should support you. This is all just pretend.¡±


    ¡°n, I appreciate you, and I know I owe you, but you¡¯ve just messed up my private life. I love Laird, and I don¡¯t want to lose him.¡± I stopped resisting and just stared at n.


    ¡°If entering Mallory¡¯s circle means losing him, then I would never dare to think about jumping into it,¡± I hissed.


    ¡°Now, let me go.¡±


    n looked at me in fury. He clenched his jaw and gritted his teeth. Really, I was scared in my heart facing him. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen n like this.


    ¡°A good man wouldn¡¯t stand in your way to shine. If he truly loves you, he¡¯ll understand,¡± n growled in a low voice this time.


    I shook my head. ¡°I think this is too much, n. This is such a mess. So stop all your messy persuasions and let me go right now.¡±


    We stared at each other for a long time, as if silently battling. His breath was rushing, and I could feel his cold breath looming. A notification on my phone rang loudly, interrupting our thoughts-a sign that the taxi I ordered had arrived to pick me up.


    He took a deep breath with his lips tightly closed. Then he stepped back and released my hands. I hurriedly walked away and headed to the taxi queue area that was waiting.


    ***


    I was panting, and my heart was pounding fast. I ran as fast as I could to reach my hotel room. When I opened the door to the room, I immediately looked around for Laird but found nothing.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    I saw his backpack was no longer on the shelf. There was only my small suitcase there. I paced around the room, looking for clearer signs. Finally, I realized he had left, taking everything with him.


    ¡®Laird, where are you?¡¯


    ¡®Give me a chance to exin it. n trapped me.¡¯


    I tried several times to call him, but he didn¡¯t pick up. My messages were left unread too. I ran my hands through my hair in frustration. Several times, I sighed in panic.


    Without further thought, I quickly packed my things into the suitcase. As I went to the bathroom to grab all my cosmetics and skincare, my phone rang with a message notification.


    I hurriedly went to the table under the TV and read the message. Sure enough, it was from Laird.


    ¡®Off to NYC.¡¯

 Off to NYC

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I checked out of the hotel and took a taxi to the airport. Clearly, I was now so anxious because I didn¡¯t know if Laird was still at the airport or not-he hadn¡¯t responded to my messages!


    The taxi drove slowly while he tuned the radio to Spanish songs that I didn¡¯t understand. I thought I would reach the airport in half an hour, but the taxi slowed down due to roadwork ahead.


    My taxi got stuck in traffic for over fifteen minutes. When we finally reached the construction site, the driver rolled down the window and spoke to the construction workers in their orange safety vests. They spoke a while, and after the driver closed the window, he suddenly turned the car around.


    ¡°Uh, what¡¯s going on?¡± I asked in English.


    The taxi driver just nced at me through the rearview mirror without giving any answer. I opened the online map app on my phone and saw that the route we had abandoned was indeed experiencing severe traffic. Once my taxi finally moved away from the congestion, I saw my map update the route to the airport.


    Damn, this was a much longer route than it should have been. I checked the estimated arrival time at the airport-still another hour and a half to go! If we had stayed on the same route, my phone¡¯s estimated travel time would have been only 45 minutes, which was shorter despite traffic.


    ¡°Sir, please take the route back to the airport earlier,¡± I said to the Spanish trantor app.


    I yed back the trantion to the driver and pressed the trantor¡¯s response button. The driver spoke back, and I listened to the English trantion.


    ¡°No. I can¡¯t do it. Roads are closed due to severe traffic. Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll get to the airport,¡± my phone replied.


    Then the driver continued speaking.


    ¡°Road¡¯s closed tonight. Only onene. We¡¯ll go through another route. Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    I wasn¡¯t sure if he genuinely intended to take a less congested route to the airport or if it was just a ploy to rack up the taxi fare.


    It waste at night. I was a lone woman in a foreign country I didn¡¯t know, and I didn¡¯t want to take the risk of getting out to change to another taxi willing to push through that route. In the end, I just sighed and sat back in the rear passenger seat.


    I continued trying to call and text Laird, but he still didn¡¯t respond. Didn¡¯t he promise not to leave me alone again? Didn¡¯t he promise to go through this rtionship with openmunication?


    My hand rested on the car window, and I massaged my forehead. Really, I didn¡¯t want to end up like this again. Whatever happened, I had to exin the misunderstanding earlier, and if Laird still didn¡¯t ept it, then maybe I would have to ept our breakup.


    ***


    ¡°Please, just one ticket. I know my boyfriend is in there,¡± I begged and pleaded with the flight ticket counter seller.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss. Ourst flight tonight is already boarding and ready to take off. We can¡¯t sell tickets anymore,¡± the woman said, shaking her head.


    ¡°Please, I¡¯ll pay double.¡± I begged again for the umpteenth time. It usually works out in movies.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Miss. The only option I can offer is to reschedule your flight to the earliest one tomorrow morning. You¡¯ll arrive in New York around 10 a. m. local time.¡±


    This couldn¡¯t be happening to me. I hoped this wouldn¡¯t happen to me! The entire chain of events tonight made me lose Laird, the person I loved and cared for.


    I knew, and I shouldn¡¯t me anyone. It wasn¡¯t Jessy¡¯s fault or n¡¯s. It wasn¡¯t Laird¡¯s fault either, because I understood this was confusing and anyone in his position would be angry.


    I am a bitch! I¡¯m an ambitious bitch!


    My tears finally flowed. After four hours, I restrained myself since Mallory invited everyone to toast to my rtionship with n. I finally burst into tears in public. My hands rubbed my tears repeatedly, and I tried to hold back tears.


    ¡°Miss, my deepest sympathy is with the situation you¡¯re going through. Would you like me to reschedule you for the earliest flight in the morning?¡±


    I took a deep breath. The ticket agent was kind enough to give me tissues to wipe away my tears and runny nose. Finally, I nodded and spoke hoarsely.


    ¡°Yes, please reschedule. Thank you.¡±


    I paid an additional fee to reschedule my flight. Because I didn¡¯t want to deal with the streets of Mexico City anymore and was afraid of beingte if I slept in a transit hotel, I ended up just sitting in the waiting area and staying awake all night at the airport.


    I curled my knees up on the waiting chair and buried my face in them. The most crushing part of it all was hearing the final boarding call announcement for the flight that I believed Laird was on and not being able to do anything. It was all beyond my control.


    ***


    ¡°H! Fene!¡±


    Jessy¡¯s voice sounded cheerful right after I picked up his call upon arriving in New York.


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re still alive?¡± I replied sharply, walking briskly while dragging my suitcase on the airport floor.


    ¡°Hey, why are you being mean? Mike took me to a beautiful vi in Puerto Vartast night, and my phone had an ident falling from the balcony into the sea, so I had to buy a new one.¡±


    ¡°Oh, wow, great,¡± I said, still skeptical.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Where are you now?¡± he asked.


    ¡°New York.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were extending your vacation in Mexico until Monday?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re so annoying, Jessy. You swore to me that you would always watch over me and take care of me, even when you¡¯re together with Mike, but you weren¡¯t there when I needed you the most.¡± I stopped beating around the bush and started scolding him in a raised voice.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s your problem? I heard from n that you¡¯re now counted in Mallory West¡¯s circle of friends. So why do you have to act like a bitch?¡±


    I groaned irritably and told Jessy everything. Of course, I wasn¡¯t sure if Jessy could solve my problem with Laird now, but I was really disappointed in him.


    ¡°Oh, gosh. That¡¯s really bad. I¨C¡±


    ¡°Just save your apologies because now I don¡¯t know if I can still rely on you since you¡¯ve been so busy with Mike, with your vacation while I failed a vacation, and you¡¯ve been ignoring me.¡± I huffed in annoyance.


    ¡°Hey, you know what? Congrats! You¡¯ve earned yourself a lifetime silent treatment ticket from me. Enjoy it.¡± I said it firmly.


    I immediately hung up and turned on silent mode. I was fed up with Jessy and n today.


    ***


    With a private ess card, I took the private elevator specifically for Laird¡¯s apartment residents. I also opened the door with the same ess card. As I opened the door slowly and brought my suitcase inside, I immediately realized something was wrong.


    It was already 11 a. m., and the sun was shining brightly outside. Today was slightly cloudy, but any apartment in the Mercer Street area should be getting enough sunlight, but not inside Laird¡¯s apartment. It was dark, with thick curtains still covering the windows in the room.


    The only light visible came from the open bathroom. I didn¡¯t hear any sound or noise, but this atmosphere reminded me of when I found Tom cheating with his secretary.


    Slowly, I moved towards the bathroom. My heart was pounding fast, afraid of seeing the same scene as before. I swallowed hard and finally dared to peek into the brightly lit bathroom space.


    Huh? There was nothing.


    I entered the bathroom further and finally realized there was someone lying in the bathtub.


    ¡°Laird?!¡±

 Red Bites

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°Oh fuck! Laird!¡±


    I quickly squatted down and shook Laird¡¯s body. His condition was pitiful.


    Laird was asleep in the bathtub, both his hands tightly hugging a nearly empty,rge bottle of whisky on his chest. His body was folded in an ufortable position. I pressed the back of my hand to Laird¡¯s forehead, and his body temperature felt hot.


    ¡°Laird, wake up.¡±


    I took the whisky bottle from Laird¡¯s embrace and ced it on the sink table. The blond man seemed deeply asleep with steady breathing. I put all my strength in my hands to lift and pull Laird out of the bathtub.


    My hands pulled on Laird¡¯s body and supported his shoulders. He was still too heavy for me to drag alone.


    I groaned and lifted his limp body enough to hug his waist tightly. He murmured and mumbled for a moment, but I truly did my best to get him out of the bathtub. His feverish body could worsen, considering he hadn¡¯t even turned on the room heater.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Ugh,e on,¡± I groaned loudly. I gasped for breath as I finally managed to lift Laird out of the bathtub.


    I gathered my strength again to support him on my shoulders. Fortunately, he was only wearing a thin t-shirt and boxers, so it didn¡¯t add much weight to carry him. His longer legs than mine were now being dragged slowly.


    ¡°Fene?¡± Laird¡¯s voice sounded in my ear.


    ¡°Yes, Laird. Help me toy you down on the bed,¡± I said with a trembling voice and shortness of breath.


    Slowly, Laird seemed to try to stand on his own. His limp legs began to move forward, even though he was stumbling around. After a few minutes passed, we finally reached the bedroom, and I sessfullyid him on the bed.


    ¡°Gosh,¡± I let out a relieved long breath as he finallyy prone on the bed. Well, my job wasn¡¯t finished yet. I got up and turned on the room heater.


    I also went to the kitchen to pour water into a ss and get medicine for him. When I returned to the room, Laird seemed to be mumbling and sitting quietly on the bed with half-closed eyelids.


    My mind went to his whisky bottle, which still had more than half left from thest time he left it in the fridge. With the bottle now almost empty, I was sure he had been heavily drunk all night.


    ¡°Hey, Laird. Take the medicine first.¡±


    I then ced two pills in his mouth. My hand raised the ss to his lips while my other hand cupped his cheek to make him take the medicine. Laird obeyed me and swallowed them.


    ¡°Fene,¡± he murmured softly after taking his medicine. I quickly ced the ss and pills on the table.


    ¡°Yes, Laird. I¡¯m here. Go back to sleep; you¡¯ll be fine,¡± I said as I wiped his still-feverish forehead.


    Suddenly, he hugged me tightly. Then he kissed my shoulder, and itsted a long time. I hugged his body, hoping the fever would transfer to me so he could recover quickly. He then buried his head in my neck.


    ¡°Fene,¡± his hoarse voice sounded.


    ¡°Yes, Laird,¡± I replied softly.


    Without warning, he kissed my neck. Of course, I was surprised by this action. Laird didn¡¯t just give gentle kisses; he kissed, sucked hard, and even nibbled gently.


    ¡°Uh, Laird?¡±


    I couldn¡¯t lie. My body was too ustomed to his kisses. When he sucked on my neck vigorously, I knew my body immediately reacted naturally, whimpering. This time, even his hands aggressively and quickly massaged my breasts.


    Everything escted quickly. The smell of alcohol stung my nose, but I couldn¡¯t hate it because of that. In fact, I became more aroused as he now truly kissed my lips with a tongue that sucked hard and deep. His hands moved even more wildly, squeezing my breasts mercilessly.


    ¡°Ugnh, Laird, you¡¯re drunk.¡± I tried to speak between our kisses, but Laird seemed too drunk to make any sense of it all.


    He locked our lips tightly once again. His hands roamed even more wildly on my breasts until I groaned in pain. Pain and pleasure are mixed together.


    He stripped off all my clothes as he also took off his shirt. In an instant, we werepletely naked.


    Even with his eyes still closed, his alcohol-scented lips and tongue refused to let go of my mouth. His lips now moved back down to my neck, sucking hard once again. Then he bit my chin, kissed it, and sucked on it mercilessly.


    His lips moved down to my shoulder, into my cleavage, and into my nipple. His bites and sucks felt rough, strong, and merciless. All the while, he continued to squeeze my breasts with a pressure I had never felt before.


    ¡°Ah! Laird!¡±


    Laird seemed to be punishing me with his bites, sucking, and hand squeezes. This was serious. My body trembled greatly from this unexpected sensation. Clearly, this was not the gentle Laird Evans I usually knew.


    Like a devil, he repeatedly made me scream from the pain and pleasure mingled as one. His fingers also moved, demanding my attention. Regardless of how aroused or in pain I was, he continued to do what he was doing, punishing me.


    After minutes passed in rough torment and pleasure, Laird finally directed his cock to my wet pussy. Regardless of the condom, he inserted his cock.


    My body convulsed as hisrge and hard shaft also demanded my pussy submit to him. Hey on top of me, pressing me down, and almost all of our skin touched. Then his hips moved to fuck me very intensely.


    I winced and groaned almost simultaneously. What was happening? This felt wrong, but if it was Laird doing it, I didn¡¯t mind at all. Not at all.


    I bit my lower lip to stifle my scream. Laird also didn¡¯t stop groaning, and his eyes remained closed. When his eyes opened, both eyeballs looked red and wild. He stared as his hips moved fast and very hard, mming into my pussy.


    His lips once again locked mine under his tongue¡¯s control. His hands were still busy squeezing my breasts. His body pressed tightly against mine, and we both seemed to be fusing to be one.


    Perhaps due to the influence of alcohol, his cock showed no sign of weakening. It even became harder and thicker, causing painful friction after friction in my tight pussy. Eventually, I reached the climax, but he was far from finished.


    Minutes continued to pass. This time, he returned to sucking and biting my neck. Then my chest, nipples, stomach, and almost my entire body. All this was done while he began to slow the pace of his cock while increasing the strength of each thrust.


    ¡°Laird!¡± I shouted his name as he bit my waist hard.


    With one final thrust, his body tensed, and his face grimaced. He growled for a few seconds and then finallyid back on top of my body. His body went limp, and I was exhausted after nearly a sleepless day. In an instant, we fell asleep without caring about the spinning world around us.

 Love Trauma

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I woke up with my eyelids still half-closed. I felt like I was still in a state of jetg. Or maybe all of this was just the effect of theck of sleep sincest night.


    Forcing myself to get up, I finally saw that the bed next to me was empty, and the gap in the window curtains showed themp light from the neighboring apartment building.


    A thick nket covered my body, and I gazed at my reddened body in some spots with small bite marks. Setting aside the painful fact, I immediately picked up my clothes from the floor in the corner of the bed. I walked out of the room while rubbing my eyes and blinking to see more clearly in the darkness.


    The atmosphere in Laird¡¯s apartment was not much different from thest time I saw it. It was almost entirely dark, with only two bright sources of light: the bathroom and the balcony. My eyes nced at the clock on the living room table and were surprised to see the time.


    Eight o¡¯clock in the evening? Does that mean I slept naked and entwined with Laird for more than 6 hours?!


    Then I turned to the balcony, where the door was slightly ajar. I stepped out and slid open the door. Sure enough, I immediately saw Laird sitting on his wooden chair with a cigarette between his index and middle fingers.


    He looked up and gazed at me for a long moment. Without saying anything, he looked back at the nighttime view of New York City and took a deep drag of his cigarette.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Laird, you¡¯re breaking your own promise,¡± I said softly to break the silence.


    ¡°What promise?¡± he replied coldly.


    ¡°You said you¡¯d face everything together. You said you wouldn¡¯t leave me,¡± I demanded his promise.


    ¡°Oh, you forgot one thing, Fene. In any agreement, both parties must fulfill it equally.¡± He didn¡¯t even look at my face as he spoke.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t leave you. Didn¡¯t I keep inviting you to sit with me, but you didn¡¯t want to?¡±


    ¡°Yes, then go suck their asses for fleeting fame?¡± he scoffed.


    ¡°That¡¯s called marketing strategy. Doing a presentation for investors can also be called sucking up to them.¡±


    I crossed my arms in front of my chest and stared at the man in annoyance. How dare he criticize me after leaving me high and dry in Mexico? And now, after leaving so many bite marks on my unconscious body, he¡¯s protesting against me.


    ¡°Please listen to me. n set everything up so I could enter Mallory West¡¯s circle of friends. This is Mallory West! You understand that, right?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, I understand. I clearly heard how that pop diva raised a toast for everyone for you and n, the cute and fun couple. Congrattions.¡± Laird shook his head with a sardonic smile on his face.


    I stepped closer to his chair. This time, I sat in the chair on his side.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m also angry at n for lying to the public like that and not telling me beforehand. I had no other choice, and it was all just an act, nothing more,¡± I said.


    Laird gazed at me for a long moment before shaking his head. He kept smiling. His index finger was raised, and he waggled it in front of me.


    ¡°No, Fene. Everyone can choose, and you chose to follow your ambitions. Maybe what n told me before is true; you¡¯re just like the other girls.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll choose more money, more fame, and a man who can give you more. Foolishly, I believed you were still the good girl I used to know,¡± he said as he slipped the cigarette back between his lips.


    I held my breath and blinked. My hands were raised in the air, and I really had to restrain myself from shouting at him in anger. Eventually, I groaned irritably with my mouth agape.


    ¡°You have no right to judge me. You know how much this means to me, just like your dream of building a business. We¡¯re talking about Mallory West, and oh boy, I definitely can¡¯t pass up that opportunity,¡± my voice now higher and firmer.


    ¡°Why do you have to make everything so difficult for me? We should be able to work together to make this rtionship work,¡± I exined.


    ¡°Ha! Working with a cheater? No, thank you.¡± Lairdughed at me.


    ¡°Hey, I can ept if you insult me as stupid, crybaby, bitch, or whatever you want to call me, except a cheater. In this case, I didn¡¯t cheat on you and betray you,¡± my voice rising even more.


    ¡°We never know what the future holds. Just yesterday, you clearly betrayed me by choosing n,¡± he shrugged.


    ¡°You know, you¡¯ve done this to me multiple times. You¡¯ve always chosen other men over me for as long as I can remember,¡± his voice now resembling a low growl.


    ¡°What do you mean? Did I have a misunderstanding? This is the first time something like this has happened, and in the past, it has always been you who left me without a clear reason.¡± I furrowed my brow.


    ¡°Oh,e on, Fene. Stop acting like you¡¯re the victim here.¡±


    ¡°You know, I even think I have trust issues with you because of my trauma from prom night.¡± This time, Laird flicked the cigarette butt into the ashtray. I snorted.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this the other way around? I was the one traumatized by your rejection! You know I pursued a career as a model and the type of girl you like with all my might. Did you really forget?¡± I stood up from the chair in anger.


    Laird also stood up from his chair. Now he faced me directly, his face right in front of mine. He hissed, gritting his teeth in anger.


    ¡°I will tell you straight. I rejected you because I was already heartbroken by your act of leaving me alone on the dance floor,¡± he expressed.


    ¡°My rejection and all about the type of girl I like are just bullshit, I said out of anger and disappointment towards you, who betrayed me.¡±


    His jaw tensed, and his heavy breathing told me how hard he was trying to restrain himself.


    My heart clenched upon hearing that confession. My heartbeat quickened. Everything seemed ridiculous, and our memories seemed to have no coherence about all the events during high school.


    ¡°How dare you say that to me? I never once betrayed you. You should know all the sacrifices I made during my teenage years to be with you,¡± I whispered.


    My eyes felt hot, and tears gathered in the corners of my eyes. Where did all this nonsense Laird was sayinge from?


    ¡°Oh, yeah? Then tell me, Fene.¡±


    ¡°Tell me honestly how you dumped me like trash during prom night. Tell me everything and show me where it differs from your bad acting out with n yesterday,¡± he whispered fiercely, narrowing his eyes.

 Who Loves Me?

    Fene¡¯s POV


    End of 9th grade, 9 years ago¡­


    ¡°Would you go out with me, Fene?¡±


    Huh? I blinked in disbelief as I looked at the figure in front of me.


    What did he just say?


    I pondered in front of the soda vending machine. The 7th-grade boy just grinned, although I could catch a hint of redness on his cheeks. He adjusted his sses and seemed to wait for me to respond to his question.


    ¡°Lloyd, you¡¯re kidding, right?¡±


    I had to be honest; my heart was pounding. This was the first time I¡¯d been asked out on a date. What girl wouldn¡¯t be thrilled to be asked out?


    But,e on! It¡¯s Lloyd Evans! He¡¯s Laird¡¯s little brother!


    ¡°Would you prefer it if I joked about this?¡± Lloyd asked, raising an eyebrow.


    Flustered, I didn¡¯t know where to look. Several times, I nced back and forth between Lloyd¡¯s eyes, my shoes, or the corridor door between buildings.


    I truly didn¡¯t expect a boy of Lloyd¡¯s age to have the courage to ask me out. After all, I¡¯m his senior. I¡¯m in 9th grade, and Lloyd shouldn¡¯t be asking a senior like me out. Either Lloyd was maturing too quickly, or I was being childish.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s just pretend I was joking. So, I¡¯ll take you out for some one-on-one friendly hangouts tomorrow, Saturday. How about that?¡± Lloyd asked.


    ¡°Friendly hangout?¡± I was still stuttering, but I tried to calm myself. After all, I was trying to be a good big sister to him.


    ***


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that wrong?¡± Cath, my best friend, burst intoughter.


    ¡°Ha ha. Yeah, yeah, funny, huh? Go ahead andugh, but I¡¯ll still be going on a date before you do.¡±


    I straightened up the books on my desk. However, Cath and I didn¡¯t immediately go home. We were still lingering around in ss, choosing to chat first. Especially about today¡¯s hottest topic: Lloyd¡¯s date invitation.


    ¡°How could he even think of asking you out? I thought he was a bookworm.¡± Cath widened her eyes, still amazed at my news.


    ¡°I have no idea. Maybe I¡¯m just so charming and charismatic.¡± I flipped my hair back dramatically, and Cath burst intoughter again.


    ¡°Come on, Fene. What did you do to an innocent boy like Lloyd?¡± Cath interrogated me, and I sucked my cheeks in.


    ¡°Seriously, I don¡¯t know. Lloyd just joined our school this year. At the beginning, I thought he was bullied by the 8th graders. So I defended him and scared away those bullies.¡± I sped my hands together.


    I remembered the incidents fromst semester. Lloyd just joined the 7th grade, and for some reason, he seemed to be bullied. Maybe because he was just too snobby, he was harassed by the older kids.


    ¡°Since then, I¡¯ve been keeping an eye on him. His attitude is, you know, arrogant. I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll get into trouble again.¡±


    I sighed after recounting how Lloyd and I have be quite closetely. After hearing my story, Cath shook her head and sighed.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had a heroic side like that.¡± Cathughed teasingly again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tease.¡± I said this with annoyance at Cath and started to get up from my seat, carrying my books to the locker.


    ¡°Not teasing, really. I just can¡¯t believe it. What would Laird think if he knew about this?¡± Cath chuckled, and I elbowed her.


    Yeah, right. That¡¯s what I¡¯m worried about. I can¡¯t even guess what¡¯s on Lloyd¡¯s mind, let alone Laird, who hasn¡¯t talked to me in a long time.


    I opened my locker and looked inside. A photo was printed on the day of elementary school graduation. Laird and I stood side by side, posing funnily. I pretended to be sweet, while Laird made a funny face.


    I missed those days.


    Too bad. Laird and I have had a wide gap since we entered junior high school. He was busy with school and the baseball senior league, whereas I was busy with cheer squad and hanging out with my friends. ording to Lloyd, their father forced Laird to take extra sses in exchange for permission to continue ying baseball.


    ¡°Hey, Fene. You¡¯re spacing out.¡± Cath nudged my arm.


    I turned to Cath. My friend tilted her chin as a sign for me to look behind. I followed Cath¡¯s indication and saw Lloyd standing at the end of the school corridor, waiting for me.


    ***


    I walked alongside Lloyd to our houses. We were silent at school until we hopped off the bus. I really observe him now. Lloyd¡¯s hair was dark blond, just like Laird¡¯s. His haircut was shorter than Laird¡¯s. He was taller for his age, as we were both about 5 feet, 2 inches tall.


    ¡°You¡¯re not usually silent all the way home. You¡¯re usually chatty about various things.¡± Lloyd broke the silence as we neared our homes.


    ¡°Really?¡± Iughed awkwardly.


    Yeah, he¡¯s right. In the past few months, we¡¯ve been going home together often. Whenever I¡¯m free, have no ns with my ssmates, or don¡¯t have cheerleading practice, I¡¯ll go home with Lloyd. Come to think of it, Lloyd always asks me to go home together when there¡¯s no scheduled practice.


    ¡°Are you not happy with me because I¡¯m asking you out on a date?¡± Lloyd asked.


    I nced at his grim face. There was no way I could bepletely honest, even though that¡¯s how I felt at the moment. I truly didn¡¯t know how to act towards Lloyd. We walked back in silence until we reached my house.


    ¡°Lloyd, I¡¯m sorry.¡± I began, but Lloyd cut me off.


    ¡°Listen, Fene. For a long time, I¡¯ve known and observed you as Laird¡¯s friend. I¡¯ve always referred to you as my brother¡¯s friend. But, since you helped me out earlier, I realized my brother isn¡¯t at the same school as us.¡±


    The boy then stared at me intently. His body faced me directly, so I involuntarily faced him as well. I tried to contain the thumping in my chest, and I faced him boldly.


    Lloyd¡¯s words seemed sincere and serious, so I didn¡¯t want to be rude by underestimating what he said. Nobody likes to be underestimated, even if they¡¯re younger.


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to see you more as Fene Baxter, not just as my brother¡¯s friend. I hope you¡¯ll give me a chance tomorrow and see me as Lloyd Evans, not just Laird¡¯s little brother.¡±


    ¡°Can you do that?¡± Lloyd tried to look into my eyes from behind his sses.


    He¡¯s right. Until now, I still saw him as Laird¡¯s brother. It would indeed be strange if suddenly I had to see Lloyd as Lloyd Evans, not just Laird¡¯s brother.


    I should¡¯ve acted more maturely, ording to my age. The way Lloyd sees all this, it¡¯s like he¡¯s 14 years old too, not just 12 years old. I finally nodded firmly.


    ¡°Yes, Lloyd. I¡¯ll try.¡± I said.


    ¡°See you tomorrow at 10 a. m. I¡¯ll pick you up.¡± Lloyd smiled and then crossed over to his house.


    I took a deep breath to control my unstable emotions. How strange. This is my first experience going on a date. It seems to have sparked a little bit of excitement in me.


    Not long after, I felt someone else near me. I turned, and my eyes widened.


    ¡°Laird?!¡± I eximed in surprise and immediately held my breath.


    ¡°What was that?¡±


    He asked with a puzzled frown on his forehead. He seemed as surprised as I was. His eyes blinked a few times, and I quickly ran into my house.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.

 Evans Brothers

    Laird¡¯s POV


    I didn¡¯t expect to hear all of that. It¡¯s not like I wanted to eavesdrop, but I couldn¡¯t resist listening to their entire conversation. I hid behind the thick foliage on my neighbor¡¯s house fence.


    ¡°What was that all about?¡± I asked, frowning.


    Fene didn¡¯t answer and instead ran into her own house. I hurriedly walked to her front door and saw Fene mming it shut with a loud thud. Funny.


    I went inside my house and knocked on Lloyd¡¯s bedroom door. His room was right in front of mine, and I knew he was already inside.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Lloyd said from inside the room.


    I opened the door as Lloyd was putting on a gray t-shirt and cargo shorts.


    ¡°Did you ask Fene out on a date?¡± I asked cautiously.


    ¡°What? I didn¡¯t know you were into eavesdropping,¡± Lloyd said casually, grabbing his newly bought game console.


    ¡°Cut the crap,¡± I retorted.


    Lloyd¡¯s seemingly indifferent expression made me realize that he may have known about my presence from the beginning. He knew I had overheard their conversation. Yet Lloyd still expressed all his feelings to Fene, a sign that he didn¡¯t care about mine.


    I cursed my ability to read someone¡¯s mind through their facial expressions. Especially those close to me. I just realized he was challenging me.


    ¡°Change your clothes first. Come y with me.¡± Lloyd handed me a game controller.


    ***


    I don¡¯t know how many rounds we yed. All I knew was that when I lost, I asked for a rematch. Then, when Lloyd lost, he also asked for a rematch. We kept ying until the evening. After our spirits started to wane and we began to feel tired, I finally brought up Fene again.


    ¡°So, where are you guys going tomorrow?¡±


    I asked while my hands were still busy controlling the controller and my eyes were still focused on the fast-reacting basketball game. Lloyd didn¡¯t answer immediately. I thought he wouldn¡¯t tell me anything, and he did.


    ¡°Curious? Come along if you want to know,¡± Lloyd said.


    I snorted and smiled crookedly. I didn¡¯t realize it, but it seemed Lloyd learned from me how to be an annoying guy.


    ¡°No, I have a weekly match tomorrow.¡±


    Maybe I was so dedicated to baseball that I forgot what it was like to hang out with friends on Saturdays. Before I got into baseball, I used to go with Fene and other friends to the ice cream shop.


    Now I mostly yed matches on Saturday mornings, then slept from noon to afternoon out of exhaustion. Then, on Saturday night, I had dinner with my family.


    I always thought Lloyd would spend Saturdays in his room reading fantasy and horror novels. I never expected the day woulde for Lloyd to go on a date with a girl. Especially with Fene Baxter.


    Why Fene? I didn¡¯t care about their age difference. If it weren¡¯t for Fene, I wouldn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Fine. Don¡¯t tail me,¡± Lloyd said.


    ¡°Do you really like her?¡± I swallowed my spit after asking.


    The referee in the game blew the whistle loudly, and our match paused for a moment. A scene in the game highlighted the yers in slow-motion. The Miami Heat yer I controlled seemed to bump into Lloyd¡¯s SA Spurs yer.


    ¡°That¡¯s a foul,¡± Lloydmented on the game.


    But somehow, I could understand that thement was directed at an answer to my question.


    ¡°What about you? Do you still like Fene?¡± Lloyd¡¯s question made meugh uncontrobly. It was spontaneous, but I didn¡¯t expect tough.


    ¡°Still like Fene? Since when did I like her?¡± I asked, slowly stopping myughter.


    ¡°Are you still denying it?¡± Lloyd narrowed his eyes at me.


    I snorted and pretended to focus back on the game. Until it turned out, our initial round of the match was over. The cutscene in between rounds yed, and I saw cheerleaders dancing on the sidelines.


    ¡°She joined the cheerleading club and dances like those girls.¡± Lloyd nodded towards the TV.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know that, did you? She¡¯s been trying hard, and now she can do that split move,¡± Lloyd said as one of the girls in the game spread her legs wide on the floor.


    ¡°I appreciate your taste in girls. But does it have to be Fene?¡± I tried to remain indifferent.


    ¡°Well, to me, she looks the prettiest and coolest. She always manages to boost our school¡¯s sports team¡¯s morale when the game seems impossible to win. She always cheers me up when I feel messed up.¡±


    I clenched my jaw tightly. I knew Lloyd was deliberately provoking my emotions. I knew my heartbeat was getting faster, and my ears felt hot. This time, Lloyd seemed to have sessfully read my attitude.


    I hated hearing about Fene, whom I didn¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t like hearing her name being praised. The fact that she had now ignored me and was no longer my cheering squad; instead, she unted herself for someone else.


    ¡°I especially like it when she wears those short cheerleading skirts. All the guys at school praise her slender and smooth thighs.¡±


    Unconsciously, I let go of the game controller I was holding. My hands clenched, and I pulled Lloyd¡¯s shirt. My breath quickened, and I stared fiercely into his eyes.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you hit puberty, Lloyd. It seems like I¡¯ve missed a lot all this time,¡± I whispered angrily, trying to hold back my rage between my words.


    ¡°Why do you care? Didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t like her?¡± Lloyd smiled crookedly.


    It was only now that I really looked at Lloyd. His green eyes resembled mine. His facial lines and forehead were simr to mine. His hair is the same color as mine. I didn¡¯t expect his way of looking at Fene to be simr.


    ¡°Maybe you see her as a new toy for you, but not for me. She¡¯s an important friend to me. If you mess with her-¡± I tried to threaten, but Lloyd once again defeated my words.


    ¡°If I did mess with her, would you tell her your feelings?¡±


    Lloyd¡¯s smaller hand gripped my wrist. Slowly, I began to realize again that Lloyd was my own brother. I began to realize that my body was still taller than his, and my hands were stronger than his. His t-shirt has be wrinkled and stretched in the chest area.


    ¡°Enough. It¡¯s up to you guys. I won¡¯t interfere.¡± I released my grip on Lloyd¡¯s t-shirt and headed out of the room.


    ¡°I won this time, Laird,¡± Lloyd eximed as I opened the door, but I still mmed his bedroom door.

 What Magazine Said

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I opened a teenage magazine and saw one of the articles I had read before. It was from three months ago, but I thought it was still relevant to me. The article¡¯s page discussed several tips for a sessful first date.


    ¡°Wearing appropriate attire for the date location while stayingfortable.¡± I read the first tip for myself.


    But I didn¡¯t know where Lloyd would take me. He didn¡¯t say. I thought about just wearing somethingfortable. I opened my wardrobe and started choosing clothes for tomorrow. From one top to another and various pants from long to short.


    A dress? I nced at the dress but immediately shook my head. I still vividly remember thest time I wore a dress for a boy, and it didn¡¯t end well. Laird said I looked ugly, like a clown.


    Fortunately, now I¡¯m quite good at dressing up after following tips from magazines and YouTube videos. At least better than a birthday clown.


    My heart raced as I stared at myself in the mirror. I never thought Lloyd would ask me out. No boy has ever asked me out. Of course, I¡¯m excited.


    ¡°Hi, Lloyd. Your outfit looks cool.¡± I rehearsed greeting andplimenting my date ording to tip number two.


    I felt weird imagining Lloyd¡¯s face. He seemed more mysterious and harder to understandpared to Laird.


    ¡°Hi, Laird. You look unusually tidy today.¡± That¡¯s what I might say if I were dating Laird.


    ¡°Good morning. Come on, let¡¯s hurry, Laird.¡± I simted several times as if I were going on a date with Laird.


    I sighed after five minutes of practicingpliments for boys. Somehow, it feels easier to mention Laird¡¯s name than Lloyd¡¯s.


    ¡°Enough.¡±


    Izilyy on the bed. I continued reading the magazine article from the third tip to thest one.


    ¡°You can choose to kiss him or just hug him after the date ends?!¡±


    My eyes widened, and I swallowed hard. I had no idea there was an option like that after a date. Truly, I couldn¡¯t imagine getting my first kiss tomorrow. Imagining it with Lloyd felt wrong, and I screamed in panic.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ***


    ¡°Thank you, La-Lloyd. The flowers are so beautiful.¡± My heart pounded as I smiled broadly.


    This is weird. I almost called him Laird. Surely this is becausest night I practiced calling Laird¡¯s name too much. I quickly shook my head to get rid of all of Laird¡¯s names in my mind and on my lips.


    I have to focus on Lloyd because my date is him. Like the third tip written in the magazine, focus on him.


    ¡°Not as beautiful as you.¡± Lloyd smiled as he looked at me.


    Upon hearing thepliment, my face immediately felt hot. I felt so embarrassed. This is the first time a boy has thrown such apliment at me. Well, maybe Dad often says that, but it feels totally different.


    He¡¯s only 12!


    In my heart, I panicked hysterically. Nevertheless, I tried to stay calm by taking deep breaths several times in silence.


    How can a younger boy be so disturbing?


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Lloyd asked.


    ¡°Where are we going? You didn¡¯t say the destination, so I¡¯m confused about choosing clothes. Would my outfit be wrong?¡± I asked, casting a nce back at the clothes I was wearing this time.


    An oversized white long-sleeved T-shirt tucked into tight blue jeans. ck belt with arge golden buckle. A navy crossbody bag was an additional essory to my outfit.


    Oh, and I also wore white sneakers as the safest choice in various situations. I also tied my long hair high to look fresher, unless Lloyd turned out to be taking me to an expensive restaurant.


    ¡°Your outfit looks cool. It¡¯s not the wrong costume.¡± Lloyd praised me again, making me feel conceited.


    This is dangerous, I thought. I might really be addicted to hispliments.


    We walked to the subway, took the train for 5 minutes, then walked again. After that simple journey, I was amazed when I saw the ce Lloyd chose for our first date.


    ¡°Why? Come on, let¡¯s go in.¡± Lloyd reached out his hand for me to hold.


    Hesitantly, I took his hand. It was very different from Laird¡¯s rough hand; Lloyd¡¯s was smoother. Laird¡¯s fingers were longer and could engulf my whole hand, but Lloyd¡¯s fingers fit mine. Lloyd¡¯s hand felt cold, unlike Laird¡¯s warm hand thest time I remembered.


    Again, I felt guilty forparing the brothers in my mind.


    I immediately followed Lloyd¡¯s steps into one of Boston¡¯srgest arcade game venues. I knew this ce very well. Me, Laird, Lloyd, and our parents often came here after Red Sox games at Fenway Park.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this.¡± I said to Lloyd, still a bit confused.


    ¡°Why? Doesn¡¯t it meet your expectations? Too bad it¡¯s not an expensive restaurant, but I guarantee we¡¯ll have fun.¡±


    ¡°No, not about that,¡± I said, shaking my head.


    ¡°Then?¡± Lloyd arched his brow.


    I couldn¡¯t put up to let out my word to him. I mean, the magazine said that the first date is all about romantic venues. It didn¡¯t have to be a fancy and expensive restaurant. I thought we were really going on-I don¡¯t know-maybe something sweet and simple like a pic in the park and sitting around under the big tree.


    ¡°Never mind that. Let¡¯s go now.¡±


    I walked beside him to the arcade. If it¡¯s to the arcade and bowling alley, it¡¯s the same as usual when the three of us went with Laird. The only difference this time is that I¡¯m alone with Lloyd. At least it calmed my nerve that we went to our familiar ce.

 Fun Memories

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Initially, I thought it would be boring, but it wasn¡¯t. Lloyd challenged me in every arcade game. We even bet our tickets every time we win a game. Starting from the dancing machine game-even though I was the only one ying this game-skee ball, basketball, pinball, fighting games, and various other games.


    We also yed bowling, even though we weren¡¯t very good at it. No one managed to make a strike. Especially me, who ended up putting more balls into the gutter than knocking down pins.


    Almost two full hours passed as we yed games, then Lloyd took me out for lunch. He said the food there was bad, so he took me to another restaurant within walking distance.


    We shared a burger for two because I knew I wouldn¡¯t be able to finish one portion alone. I ordered a S¡¯mores shake, while Lloyd ordered a chocte milkshake.


    After I thought we were stuffed with all the delicious food, Lloyd dragged me to an ice cream shop right next to the burger restaurant. We both agreed that there¡¯s always room for dessert.


    Our conversations throughout the day were quite enjoyable. Mostly about school subjects, gossip about seniors or juniors, embarrassing moments of teachers, and our hobbies. For some reason, it seems we avoid the topic of Laird.


    Around 2:30 PM, we both walked home from the train station, passing the park again. I thought we would go straight home, but Lloyd took me to an area near the baseball field.


    We sat on a park bench under a shady tree. I could see the baseball field quite closely; I used to attend almost every Saturday to watch Laird¡¯s Little League games.


    ¡°Do you watch Laird often?¡± Lloyd asked.


    ¡°Yes. Almost every week. Did you really never watch him?¡± I asked Lloyd to confirm Laird¡¯sints about his brother.


    ¡°Yeah. I prefer to read books, and Dad wouldn¡¯t be happy if I followed in my brother¡¯s footsteps to y baseball.¡± He replied, still staring at the field.


    ¡°Does Mr. Evans really hate baseball?¡±


    ¡°He hated everything he considered useless. If he knew I read novels or went on dates, he would definitely be angry. Lately, his temper has been getting worse.¡± He narrowed his eyes momentarily.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What about Mr. Baxter? Did he get angry about us going out today?¡± He turned to me.


    ¡°No. He¡¯s strict about behavioral habits, but he never screens who I go out with.¡± I chuckled and shook my head.


    ¡°Thank goodness. Then I¡¯ll just wait for your answer to ept the invitation to go steady with me.¡± He smiled sweetly, and I responded withughter again.


    ¡°You¡¯re so cute; do you know that?¡± I teased him.


    ¡°I know.¡± He smiled confidently.


    I then fell silent, staring at the small bouquet of flowers in my hand. I¡¯ve been carrying it around all day, tucking it into my bag.


    ¡°Thank you, Lloyd. You¡¯re very kind and friendly. You even let me spend almost all of your savings to take me out on a date today.¡±


    It seems everyone has their struggles. Lloyd struggles to treat me entirely, even though I insist on paying half of every game and meal. It reminded me of when I used to save money to buy an expensive game for a boy I liked in elementary school.


    Although I¡¯m confused, I have to face Lloyd. He¡¯s serious as a boy, so I¡¯ve got to respond seriously as a girl. I stared intently at him, then turned my seat towards him.


    ¡°Girls will surely be crazy about you, but, anyway, I-¡± I trailed off, bing clearer.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you until tomorrow. Don¡¯t answer now.¡± He suddenly got up from his chair.


    He stared at me for a long time, and it made me nervous again. I lowered my head, looked away, and let him look at me, which must have looked strange.


    ¡°Sooner orter, you¡¯ll hear it. Shouldn¡¯t you hear my answer now? I¡¯m an impatient girl.¡± I said to him. I finally dared to look up and stare at Lloyd again.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re impulsive. You¡¯re impatient, while I¡¯m a nning and calcting person. I like to prepare for things. That¡¯s why I want to prepare myself after striving for so long.¡±


    Lloyd looked at me closely and then slowly stepped back. It seems he really didn¡¯t want to hear it now. ording to my experience, forcing something never works out well for me.


    ¡°I want to prepare myself before hearing your answer, whatever it is.¡± He spoke slowly.


    ¡°I just want today to end here. I want my first date to end smoothly.¡± This time heughed, and it made me understand his wish a little.


    ¡°Yes, Lloyd. See youter.¡± I said it with a small smile.


    He nodded and then turned away. He walked alone through Boston Park. While I didn¡¯t know where to go, I remained seated in the park chair, watching the baseball field be more golden under the sunset.


    I stood up and walked towards the baseball field fence. My hand grabbed the fence in between as memories of every Laird¡¯s game there during Little League flooded back. Now he¡¯s joined the Senior League to prepare for pre-MLB selection, so the field he uses is no longer this small field.


    ¡°Why are you alone there? Where¡¯s your date?¡±


    I turned around and saw Laird standing near me. Close enough that I could recognize his face even though he was wearing a baseball cap. He carried a baseball equipment bag and walked closer.


    Damn it! Why did we have to run into each other today?! I was stuck by the fence, so I couldn¡¯t run anymore.


    ***


    We chose to sit under the big tree, but without any mats at all. When we were kids, our teacher would bring us here to sit without mats during ss hours. We also often sat under this tree after Saturday matches. Then we listened to Laird¡¯sughter every time he won a match or his disappointment every time he lost.


    ¡°So, has he gone home?¡± Laird asked again.


    ¡°He¡¯s gone home,¡± I replied, still looking intently at Laird.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you twomit to dating right away?¡± he asked again.


    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head. ¡°He wants today to remain a memory of a fun first date.¡±

 Dream Crusher

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I still can¡¯t forget about Laird this afternoon. It could be said that I was head over heels for him. If this is all just a dream, I don¡¯t want it to end quickly. If this turns out to be true, I want to confirm it again and again until I am truly convinced that this afternoon was not a dream.


    Laird and I, kissing?! It was my first kiss!


    I bury my face in the pillow, feeling hot. My hysterical scream might have reached my mother¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Fene? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    My mother entered the room and opened the door. Her eyes widen in confusion as she sees my messy hair and flushed face. I could see my own embarrassing appearance in the mirror!


    ¡°Oh, nothing, mom. I just can¡¯t wait to see thetest music video.¡±


    I quickly opened a rock band¡¯s online video streaming page on myptop screen. My mother let out a long sigh as she slowly walked to my room¡¯s window. From the second floor, my mother could see something on the street in front of the house.


    ¡°You should be studying.¡± My mother frowned, and suddenly I heard amotion outside.


    I hurried to peek through the curtains. Outside on the street, I saw Laird on the side of the road banging on the door of a ck car. I remembered it was Mrs. Evans¡¯ car. I could faintly hear Laird¡¯s panicked shouts.


    ¡°Come on, mom!¡± Laird shouted.


    ¡°Mom, isn¡¯t that Mrs. Evans¡¯ car?¡± I asked my mother.


    ¡°Yeah. It seems like there¡¯s a problem.¡± My mother furrowed her brow as her gaze remained fixated on the street in front of their house.


    Mrs. Evans¡¯ car slowly drove away, leaving Laird alone, although he seemed determined to catch up. My heart ached as I watched. All the happiness from earlier evenings vanished, reced by a sense of pain after seeing him in distress.


    Without saying much, I immediately ran out of my room, down the stairs, and opened the door to my house. Even though my mother called out to me, I insisted on helping Laird with whatever he needed.


    ¡°Laird! What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    I ran to where he stood on the sidewalk, his face looking troubled. His hands covered his mouth as his eyes remained fixed on Mrs. Evans¡¯ car, slowly turning away.


    ¡°Laird, what¡¯s the matter? Why are you crying?¡±


    I asked again, my hand reaching up to wipe the tears from his wet cheeks. He lowered his head and gripped my shoulders so tightly that it felt as if he were seeking help. My shoulders ached, but my heart hurt even more.


    I hugged his head, letting it rest on my shoulder. He cried for quite some time, enough for my pajama top to get wet on the shoulder. He raised his head and released his grip on my arms.


    ¡°Sorry, Fene. Go back to your house. Forgive me.¡±


    Laird turned around and walked back to his house¡¯s open door. He said nothing else and didn¡¯t stop talking to Lloyd, who was standing at the door. He disappeared into the house, while Lloyd stood silently, looking at me with a grim expression.


    ¡°Lloyd, what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Of course, it would be futile to ask. I shouldn¡¯t interfere, but I still felt worried about Laird¡¯s condition.


    ¡°Get back to your house, Fene,¡± Lloyd said coldly as he adjusted his sses on his nose.


    ¡°But, Lloyd-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not wearing a bra at home? How fortunate,¡± he said, smirking.


    After hearing that, I immediately covered my chest with my hands. I pursed my lips and huffed in annoyance.


    ¡°Get inside. We¡¯ll talkter at school.¡± After saying that, Lloyd went back inside his house and closed the door.


    ¡°You-¡± I was about to scold him, but decided to turn back and enter my house.


    ***


    Early in the morning, around 6:30 a. m., I was already sitting outside Laird¡¯s house, waiting for him. True to his schedule, the boy came out of the house at that time. When he saw me in front of his house, he looked surprised.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± he asked.


    I examined his swollen and reddened eyes. I thought he must have been crying all night. He also didn¡¯t reply to my messages. Although I didn¡¯t know what the issue was with Mrs. Evansst night, at least I wanted to support him.


    ¡°I want to go to school with you,¡± I said with a friendly smile.


    ¡°Whatever.¡±


    He didn¡¯t refuse me. I took his response as permission, and we walked together to the bus stop. We were silent the whole way. This silence wasn¡¯t like the awkward silence after a kiss, but a somber one.


    We sat in the same row of seats. He sat by the window, resting his chin on his hand at the edge. He didn¡¯t look at me, but it seemed like he was staring at me through the reflection on the window. When I caught his eye, he turned.


    ¡°What?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing,¡± I said, shaking my head.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    For some reason, he smiled slightly. His other hand reached around my shoulder, then he ruffled my hair until it became messy. Despite that, I remained silent and let his hand rest on my head.


    ¡°Are you not angry? Your hair is all messy,¡± he grinned widely.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I said softly.


    ¡°Good girl.¡±


    Suddenly, he kissed my cheek. I jerked back in surprise. My voice stuttered, and now my cheeks felt burned inside. I didn¡¯t know he would dare to do that on the school bus. The high and mighty Laird Evans would never do that.


    Then I realized that maybe we¡¯re really on a higher level of friendship, though the pain is still hanging on my chest.

 A Promise

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°Laird!¡±


    I eximed, yfully squeezing his thigh. This time, he burst intoughter. Oh, how relieved I felt to see himugh again. I joined in theughter. My fingers then tickled him, and we both giggled on the quite crowded bus.


    Shortly after, the bus arrived at my school¡¯s bus stop. I squeezed his hand and gathered the courage to kiss Laird¡¯s cheek. He immediately blushed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go first.¡± I waved my hand at him, and he waved back at me with a shy smile.


    I got off at the still-deserted school bus stop. I couldn¡¯t believe that I managed to wake up earlier just to catch the same bus as Laird. He attended a higher-ranked private school that was farther away from mine. As I reconsidered everything, I realized that I was walking to my school alone.


    I wondered how I could get through the days that felt empty without Laird. Our situation was vastly different from our elementary school days. Everything seemed lighthearted at first, but now I feel a heavy cloud above my head.


    ***


    ¡°Mom was caught cheating.¡±


    Lloyd and I were talking on the school field¡¯s sidelines. We spent our lunchtime today trying to make sense of things. I sat next to Lloyd, sipping on cold yogurt, while he chewed on a sandwich.


    ¡°Mrs. Evans?¡± I asked again, holding my breath.


    I couldn¡¯t believe it, but Lloyd nodded. In my eyes, Mrs. Evans was a cold, hardworking woman. She was a corporatewyer just like Mr. Evans, and ording to my father, they founded arge firm together. I often saw her car pulling into her garage after 9 p. m., almost every night.


    She often wore expensive designer zers with various stylish outfits, apanied by jewelry and bags that matched her clothes¡¯ luxury. In my view, she always appeared impressive with her seemingly modern and independent career.


    In stark contrast, my mother spent more time at charitable foundations. She always chose simple clothes without overly shy essories.


    ¡°What happenedst night?¡± I asked, stuttering.


    ¡°From what I know, Dad and Mom were yelling at each other. Dad was shouting about Mom cheating. Mom was furious and left in the car, as you saw. Laird tried to stop Mom, but she left anyway.¡±


    Lloyd gazed at the boys ying ser. He still casually chewed on his sandwich.


    ¡°I think Laird is the most hurt. It seems he knows more about Mom and Dad¡¯s rtionship than I do. Still, he won¡¯t depend on me.¡± Lloyd then turned to me.


    ¡°He has always been like that. He always cares for me, supports me, and sees me as a younger brother who needs to be protected by him. He won¡¯t rely on me, let alone talk about his feelings to me.¡±


    ¡°But I think you can.¡± Lloyd straightened up and looked at me intently this time.


    ¡°Will you apany him? No matter how difficult it is, even though he¡¯s very stubborn, will you still be there for him?¡±


    I pondered his questions. I reyed all the moments with Laird since we were little. This time, I didn¡¯t want to run away during tough times with him. I didn¡¯t want to regret leaving Laird like we did in elementary school. I didn¡¯t want to abandon him when he needs me.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be there for him. I won¡¯t leave him, so he doesn¡¯t feel alone. I promise.¡±


    I knew I was a proud girl. I didn¡¯t even know how tough it would be, but I dared to promise Lloyd such a thing.


    ¡°In that case, please stay by his side. You¡¯ve made a promise. If you break your promise, I¡¯lle back to you and ask you out again.¡±


    I was shocked and panicked immediately. I was worried that Lloyd would find out about my first kiss with Laird. My face turned red, and I stuttered, searching for the right words.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Without knowing the details, I already know about you two.¡± Lloyd smiled mischievously, much like Laird.


    ¡°From his expression when he came home that afternoon, I knew something had happened. I hope he has been honest with you.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything.¡±


    Technically, he didn¡¯t say anything. Laird didn¡¯t utter any words of love or affection. I felt like I had to interpret his actions myself.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lloyd.¡± I apologized to him.


    I was in a mess. I went on a date with the younger brother during the day, and in the evening, I was kissing his older brother. Although it should have been clear that I am not a cheap girl, there I went back and forth with the Evans brothers.


    ¡°Well, here you go.¡± He then handed me a small, folded brochure from his pants pocket.


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± I asked as I took the blue brochure from him.


    ¡°The high school he chose. It was actually our father¡¯s target, but Laird agreed because they have a baseball team that supposedly has good connections with college coaches.¡±


    I read the brochure and opened it more clearly. My mouth dropped open, and I immediately stuttered.


    ¡°I know. Dad hopes he will enter through the academic submission from this school, but for Laird,ing in through the athletic way is just as good as long as he can get into Harvard.¡±


    ¡°But this is the number one private boarding high school in Massachusetts.¡± I still gaped wide while reading the brochure.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    ¡°Yes, but you promised to apany him, right?¡±

 The Special Girl

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Today, Laird had a friendly match. Of course, I watched to support him. I brought the cheerleading pom-poms that I usually use for school pep squad practice. Although everyone was watching me, I didn¡¯t care.


    I was guiding the supporters to prevent them from getting tired quickly. That¡¯s indeed the pep squad¡¯s duty. Wearing a red shirt and white skirt, I cheered every time Laird¡¯s team hit the ball, even though his team still lost in the end.


    After the match ended, I approached him, who had finished showering. His hair was still wet, and he sat alone in the front row of the yers¡¯ changing room. I sat down next to him, but we remained silent.


    ¡°Did youe?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Of course. Didn¡¯t you see me jumping around with these pompoms?¡± I lifted both the red, blue, and white pompoms that were distinctive to his team.


    ¡°Oh. That¡¯s nice,¡± he replied, rubbing the pompoms briefly.


    We sat silently again in the quiet hallway. I didn¡¯t know what he was waiting for, and he didn¡¯t say anything either.


    I just knew he was disappointed, and he tended to withdraw like this when he was upset. Not wanting to leave him alone, I eventually sat quietly while passing the time browsing social media on my phone.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡±


    I put my phone back in my bag and followed his steps out of the stadium. During the ride back home, I tried to start conversations on various topics, but none seeded in catching his interest. He only replied with short words.


    I knew this was his habit when he was disappointed, but I didn¡¯t protest. I understood he was preupied, especially about his parents.


    Of course, I didn¡¯t bring up his parents. Although I was sure that someone should have a ce to vent all the worries they felt, it would be better to talk about it than to keep everything to themselves. If it is not properly channelled, it will eventually explode.


    After we got off the bus in front of our residential block, I dared to talk about serious topics again. I could only guess his reaction when he heardter that I would try to enter the same school as him. I was sure he would be shocked.


    ¡°Hey, Laird. I heard from Lloyd that you¡¯re going to apply to the boarding academy. Is that true?¡± I asked directly.


    ¡°Do you talk a lot with Lloyd?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Just asionally during lunch breaks.¡±


    I exined slowly. He was silent, and it seemed he was thinking about something before finally answering.


    ¡°Yes, I will apply there.¡±


    He replied in a low tone. His gaze also seemed more gloomy, and I started to worry. He was clearly thinking about something, and he was stubborn about keeping everything to himself. His face looked very sad.


    In front of my house, our steps stopped. I faced him directly. I wanted to surprise him with my high school choice.


    ¡°I bet you¡¯re surprised. I¡±


    ¡°Forgive me, Fene.¡± He cut off my words. ¡°Right now, I feel like I can¡¯t focus on anything other than my own personal life. It¡¯s hard enough for me to bnce academics, baseball, and my parents¡¯ problems.¡±


    He looked confused at me, then he bowed his head. His gaze seemed to be searching for something on the ground. Confusion was clearly evident in his behaviour, and I couldn¡¯t even understand all the things he was facing.


    ¡°I feel guilty towards you. You shouldn¡¯t have been trapped with me and my problems. You should go on dates with a guy who can make youugh freely on Saturday afternoons, give you flowers, and buy you sweet ice cream. You don¡¯t have to wake up early just to go to school with me when you usuallyete.¡±


    ¡°Laird, it¡¯s okay.¡± Hearing his words made my voice hoarse. He shook his head vigorously.


    ¡°I¡¯ve made a mistake. I already knew I shouldn¡¯t have dragged you into my hell. Forgive me, Fene.¡±


    He hugged me tightly. His body trembled, and I was carried away by his mood since we were on the field earlier. I cried in his embrace. Once again, my hands gripped his jacket on his back.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I would be happy if you still wanted to apany me, but I can¡¯t see you hurting too.¡± He released his hug. His hands briefly wiped my wet cheeks, then pushed my hair back behind my ear.


    ¡°I¡¯lle to you again when I start feeling better. For now, I don¡¯t want to trouble you. I¡¯d rather see youugh cheerfully than witness my downsides.¡±


    Then I nodded, even though my tears still felt warm, flowing down my cheeks. ¡°Sorry, Laird. I want to be useful for you, but I¡¯m just a stupid girl who¡¯s useless.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. In my eyes, you¡¯re still the special girl,¡± he said.


    His fingers were still gentlybing through strands of my hair and tidying them up as if I were his favourite doll. He wiped away the tears that were flowing.


    ¡°Laird, I¡¯ll apply to that academy too. I will wait for you and apany you. Promise me that when you feel ready, you have toe to me immediately.¡±


    He stayed silent for a while, then eventually nodded with a thin smile.


    ¡°Stop crying. Why are you such a crybaby?¡± He wiped my tears again. Then he kissed my lips quickly. Surprised by the kiss, I finally stopped crying.


    ¡°Thank you, Fene.¡±


    I nodded and hugged him again, as tightly as possible. He hugged me back, caressing my head with tenderness. If only our hugs would erase his heavy heart, I¡¯d do it every day. I didn¡¯t care about anything else. I just need him to be strong enough to get through this together with me.


    ¡°Go home. Rest first.¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    I nodded again and obeyed him. I waved to him, and he waved back quickly with a smile on his lips. Without looking back, I went back into my house.

 New Resolution

    Fene¡¯s POV


    That night, I cried uncontrobly. I rewatched the tragic teen romance movie with a sad ending that wasunched on cable TVst week. The movie made me cry continuously, and I allowed my tears to flow as camouge. My mother thought I was really crying because of the movie, not because of Laird.


    ¡°Fene, it¡¯s 10 p. m. When will you go to sleep? Still watching the movie?¡± My mother came to my room.


    ¡°Yes, just a moment.¡±


    I hugged my knees and kept staring at the TV screen in my room with red eyes. My mother didn¡¯t leave immediately. She tidied up my scattered magazines on the bedroom floor to put them on the bookshelf.


    ¡°Mom, do you know about Mrs. Evans?¡± I asked amid my sobs.


    My mother looked at me for a long time, then she sat next to me. She took a deep breath, and she hugged my shoulder. I knew my mother knew about what happened regarding Mrs. Evans. The mothers in our neighbourhood must have gossiped about the Evans family.


    ¡°Yes. I feel sorry for the boys.¡± My mother knew how close I was to the Evans siblings.


    ¡°Is there anything I can do to help them?¡± I asked.


    I didn¡¯t know anything about adult issues. I was just a weak little girl, afraid of various things, andcked the superpowers to help Laird, despite his suffering. I wish I could help them in any way.


    ¡°There are many things you can do for them.¡± My mother whispered as she hugged me and leaned her head on my shoulder.


    ¡°What can I do?¡± I kept staring at the TV screen.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to change Mrs. Evans¡¯ decision to leave. You won¡¯t be able to reconcile their parents or change the circumstances as they want. But you can apany them so they don¡¯t feel alone.¡± My mother whispered in my ear.


    ¡°You can show them that you support them and are ready to provide all the help they need, and your attitude won¡¯t change towards them even though the situation is not as normal as before.¡±


    Hearing that, I hugged my mother tightly and shed my tears. She rubbed my back and assuring me that everything will be just fine.


    ***


    ¡°Come on, dear, choose one.¡±


    My father lined up many school brochures on the dining table in front of me. It was time for me to make a firm decision about school. Furthermore, it would help my parents prepare for interviews and assist me with various registration requirements. Of course, the school fees were not a problem for my father.


    ¡°This one.¡±


    Without hesitation, I immediately grabbed the blue brochure. The same brochure that Lloyd gave me. My parents immediately drew in their breath. They were shocked when I chose that school.


    ¡°This? But this is a boarding school two hours from Boston.¡± My mother still stumbled in disbelief at my choice. I nodded.


    ¡°This is the number one school in Massachusetts. They have high standards for admission and graduation. The school fee is almost 70 thousand dors per year.¡±


    My father also stammered when I handed him the school brochure. I nodded firmly.


    ¡°I know my capacity, Dad. So, when will you call a private tutor for me? The nearest SSAT test is in May, and the school registration deadline for the second admission is in July.¡±


    ¡°Have you found out about the school?¡± my father asked again, still shocked about my decisions.


    ¡°I have aptop and inte.¡± I shrugged and waited for their reaction.


    ¡°Thank God! Hallelujah! Fene, you¡¯re finally serious about your academics! Thank you, God!¡±


    ¡°Fene, don¡¯t say you¡¯re following Laird,¡± my mother said. My silence was a clear response, understood by them.


    ¡°To hell with the reasons. What matters is that you¡¯re going to the most prestigious school!¡± My father cheered happily that night.


    My days began to be filled with preparing for school entrance exams. There was no day to rx.


    Every day after school, I immediately had private lessons at home until night. Sometimes my buttocks and stomach hurt from sitting too much, but I remained enthusiastic about it after receiving encouraging messages from Laird.


    Laird himself had been epted through the first round of applicationsst February. While the second round of applications in July consisted of a waiting list for vacancies, my parents were actively seeking assistance from various individuals who could facilitate my admission to the school.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    For the first time, I felt grateful to be born into the wealth and power of the Baxter family. At least my family¡¯s name yed a significant role in fulfilling my desires. Coupled with my own efforts, helped by the best teachers, I felt confident.


    ***


    ¡°Congrattions, Fene.¡±


    Laird smiled broadly at me in the summer. He shone like pure gold under the morning sun. I hugged him tightly and hoped everything would go ording to my wishes.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said to him withughter.


    ¡°Thank you, too.¡± He still hugged me tightly.


    ¡°Thank you to me? For what?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Thank you because you made efforts to apany me throughout high school. I was actually very lonely when I was in junior high school without you. I thought this time you wouldn¡¯t go to the same high school as me.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m really stupid and won¡¯t go to that prestigious school?¡± I asked, pretending to be angry.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡± Heughed, and we hugged each other tightly.


    Happy? Of course. But if someone asked what our rtionship status really was, I couldn¡¯t answer. He also never confirmed, and I didn¡¯t ask much.


    I was afraid that something we had would be ruined just because of one silly question about our rtionship status. However, I didn¡¯t expect that one question about our rtionship would be the most important determining factor for the following years of my teenage life.


    For now, I will set aside that issue. At least I want to enjoy these moments. The time when I finally became a student at a prestigious school and experienced it with Laird Evans.


    Oh, for once, I felt like a cool kid.

 Freshman

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°So, Fene, what was your rtionship with Laird? Were you guys dating?¡± The girl asked me bluntly. Without any hesitation, without any shame, she felt entitled to ask.


    ¡°A secret,¡± I replied to avoid answering Amy¡¯s question.


    ¡°Hey, there shouldn¡¯t be any secrets between us,¡± Amy said, backed up by the others.


    They then resumed polishing their nails. I followed suit, buffing my nails until they gleamed, and then they pressed me again.


    ¡°Just childhood friends. We were neighbors in Boston,¡± I said softly.


    ¡°Cool!¡± they eximed.


    ¡°You still had a chance, Amy!¡± Sophie eximed excitedly.


    ¡°Of course. All the girls at school were after Laird, but they would lose to me. I would be the cheerleading captain and date him,¡± Amy said confidently, flicking her hair back.


    There was a pang in my chest hearing that, but I didn¡¯t show it to them. I just closed my mouth andughed silently. Ha! Let them hope for whatever they want, but Laird won¡¯t just switch his heart to Amy that easily. I was sure of that.


    ¡°By the way, Fene, you should bring someone from your ss to mentor us.¡± Amy raised her hand to examine her newly polished nails under the room¡¯s light.


    ¡°For a study group?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡±


    ¡°I thought our study group was going to find senior mentors to help us.¡± I frowned.


    ¡°No, I think we¡¯d be morefortable with mentors of our own age. Besides, we won¡¯t really study.¡± Amy chuckled.


    ¡°We¡¯ll gather the mentors¡¯ assignments, then modify them to submit to our teachers. Sophie has already found someone willing to help as an editor.¡±


    ¡°By modify, do you mean cheating?¡± I confirmed again.


    ¡°Of course not! giarism is a serious offense in our school. We¡¯ll just study their assignments as references,¡± Amy said slowly, then they burst into giggles again.


    ¡°You know, we won¡¯t have time to actually do the assignments from scratch, let alone study with a mentor. Our time will be spent on cheer practice and having fun.¡±


    I could only nod in agreement. Maybe they had a point.


    ¡°Oh, and you should dye your hair, Fene,¡± Amy spoke up again.


    ¡°Why?¡± I furrowed my brow in confusion once more.


    ¡°You know, every member of a group has their own uniqueness. Since I¡¯m going to be the cheerleading captain, I¡¯ll be the blonde girl. We can¡¯t have two blonde girls on the same team.¡± The other three nodded in agreement.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be the redhead,¡± Sophie said.


    ¡°And I¡¯ll be the one with ck hair,¡± Nicole chimed in.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be the one with dark skin,¡± Meg added.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be the brte. We don¡¯t have anyone with brown hair yet,¡± Amy concluded.


    ¡°If Fene has brown hair, our group will lookplete! It makes me want to watch this movie again,¡± Meg eximed, pointing at a ssic teen-life movie.


    ¡°But there¡¯s no one of Chinese descent like me there,¡± Nicole pouted.


    ¡°In that case, let¡¯s watch teen musical series instead,¡± I suggested.


    They all turned to me simultaneously, then fell silent. They shook their heads and started scoffing at the TV show. They gave various reasons, but their words were too nosy for me to catch.


    ¡°This one has two blonde girls,¡± I quickly said, and they protested louder. Then I rattled off all the ssic teen drama movies I¡¯ve ever watched.


    I guess that¡¯s the only thing that unites us all. Every Friday night, we would sit in the lounge and watch ssic teen movies together while pampering ourselves. However, we always argued about which movie to watch.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Amy yelled hysterically, cutting off all arguments. We all fell silent, staring at Amy.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just watch my choice of movie,¡± Amy said, pressing the remote. She always had the final say.


    That¡¯s more or less how social life was at my school. Whitehill Academy was indeed the most prestigious school in the region. They had over a thousand students, as well as a housingplex that served as a dormitory.


    My four friends and I lived in the same house. ording to Amy, we had received special treatment. We could live more privately and freely because our parents had providedrger donations than those of the children living in the 3-story dormitory building.


    Well, maybe that was true. We each got our own rooms without having to share with others. Our housemaster also rarely visited, and our prefects were softer than those in other houses.


    Amy was the daughter of a hotel and mall chain owner. Sophie was the daughter of an international charity organization¡¯s leader. Nicole was the daughter of a multinational bank owner. Meg, the daughter of a renowned music producer, concealed her father¡¯s identity to evade paparazzi scrutiny.


    We all joined the cheerleading team as freshmen. When I joined the cheerleading team, my goal was to always support Laird at every game. I also volunteered to be the person in charge of leading the baseball game supporters.


    Amy initially wanted to be in charge of leading the baseball supporters, but fortunately, she didn¡¯t fully grasp the game¡¯s rules, so they assigned her to the basketball team instead.


    I thought it was normal for us to form groups and take our respective positions at school. Amy insisted that we wouldn¡¯t bully other kids. She said that even though our positions were higher than theirs, she had another way to leverage our social status.


    This academy was the number-one academic and sports school. There was no time to rx and becent because they demanded good grades from every student. They also didn¡¯t hesitate to expel anyone who fell behind academically, even if their extracurricr achievements were outstanding.


    And, oh God, our schoolwork was heavy!


    Moreover, they posted all the exam and assignment results for each ss on the school¡¯s internal website. That was the only way to know our grade. ording to our teacher, it was meant to motivate us.


    For me, the situation had the opposite effect on my mental state. I was always in panic mode because my grades were always among the bottom five in almost all my sses, and Laird knew. He was worried, too, and he tried to offer himself to teach me, but I didn¡¯t want to take away his rest time.


    One day, Amy came up with an idea. The five of us formed a study group to recruit mentor friends willing to discuss school assignments with us.


    Our study group became my hope, whether I liked it or not, given my condition, Iplied with Amy and stayed in our small group. I didn¡¯t want Laird to use me of not keeping my promise to always apany him if I got kicked out of school.


    Moreover, our rtionship was now running smoothly, enough to make Laird more open to me about all his feelings and all the events he experienced. His parents¡¯ divorce had dragged on because of property disputes and theirw firm¡¯s dissolution, and it was likely to continue for the next two years.


    My determination would not waver to stay at this school to apany Laird. For that, I would do whatever it took.


    Dyeing my hair and eyebrows brown? Pfft, child¡¯s y. Although it was silly, it wasn¡¯t difficult. Approaching a smart kid to be our study group mentor? Easy.

 Study Group

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°Amy, let me introduce you. His name is rk Thomson; just call him rk. He was always the number one in chemistry ss and some of our other sses. rk, this is Amy,¡± I said besides rk.


    ¡°Oh no, not always. There were still Jason and Matt, who were more aplished than me.¡± rk blushed and offered his hand. ¡°Hi, Amy,¡± he said.


    ¡°Amy.¡± She only waved her hand, reluctant to shake his hand.


    Amy observed rk from head to toe. rk¡¯s curly hair was reddish-brown. He wore small, round-shaped sses that looked smaller than hisrge, round face. His skin was pinkish-white and sweaty. He was chubby and tall, and his posture was almost always slouched, as if rk was too aware of his size.


    ¡°What extracurricr activities do you do?¡± Amy asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m on the Lab Rat team,¡± rk said excitedly. ¡°We¡¯re going topete in a sciencepetition next month.¡±


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough.¡± Amy raised her hand to cut off rk¡¯s speech.


    ¡°Alright, see youter, rk. I¡¯ll call youter,¡± Amy said with a friendly smile, her hands sped in front of her chest.


    ¡°Will we discuss the chemistry assignmentter? I heard Mr. Bergen and Ms. Mitchelle assigned the same thing in our ss, so I thought they made the same grading matrix score,¡± rk quickly and nervously told Amy.


    ¡°Oh, yes, of course. Thank you, rk; I¡¯ll contact youter.¡± Amy smiled again.


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°I saidter,¡± Amy said slowly, her gaze turning fierce.


    ¡°Of course.¡± rk immediately ran out of our house.


    ¡°Why did you act like that towards him?¡± I tried to protest to Amy, but she ignored me.


    ¡°We¡¯re in a hurry, Fen. We have a bowling date with Chris and his friends. The football team is celebrating their victory from yesterday. Come on, hurry up and get dressed, or I¡¯ll leave you behind,¡± Amy said as she walked into her room.


    Tomorrow is still Thursday, and we have a curfew at 8 p. m., but of course, we¡¯re not really worried because we now have assignment references from our sources. Although my stomach was slightly cramping because I was on my period, Amy threatened not to take me out again if I didn¡¯t go just once.N?velDrama.Org (C) content.


    So I followed our group to the bowling alley instead of doing assignments. That¡¯s how it goes almost every night. We spend our time going out, having fun with groups of boys, practicing cheerleading, and cheering at weekly games. On certain nights, we exchange assignments by modifying some words and sentences from our friends¡¯ assignments, a. k. a., our mentors.


    Of course, I¡¯m having fun too. I have to admit, Amy knows best how to have fun. This is the teenage life I¡¯ve always dreamed of, just like the movies we watch every week.


    Until one day, I realized it wasn¡¯t fun anymore.


    ***


    End of the 10th-grade year¡­


    ¡°Fene? What¡¯s wrong with you?! Are you okay?¡± Sophie asked, startled, as she saw meing out of my room in the morning.


    I shook my head and walked to the kitchen to get some water. After gulping down a full ss, I sat down weakly on the dining chair.


    ¡°Chemistry final project,¡± I replied.


    Damn it. Last night, we all went to the billiards venue with the theater team until almost past curfew. Ipletely forgot about the chemistry final project! It¡¯s almost 30 pages thick, and I don¡¯t have much time to revise all the pages.


    Meg also came out of her room and drank a ss of water next to me. She sat down weakly and sighed deeply.


    ¡°Meg, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Sophie asked, even more concerned about seeing us.


    Meg replied with an empty stare, ¡°Chemistry final project.¡±


    ¡°Oh, thank goodness I¡¯m in thenguage course.¡± Sophie sighed with relief.


    I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll pass the giarism check or if Ms. Mitchelle will bother to look it up. Amy assured me, Meg, and Nicole that we¡¯re out of time. At exactly 7 in the morning, we must submit the assignment by uploading it to the e-learning website.


    There¡¯s no time to revise all pages. There is no time to rewrite all the forms, diagrams, and mathematical calctions. I uploaded the assignment file almost as it is, just like rk¡¯s assignment.


    ***


    ¡°Fene, I¡¯m so scared.¡± rk bit his thumb while pacing back and forth.


    ¡°Stop it, rk. You¡¯re making me dizzy,¡± I said with the same anxiety.


    We waited in the hallway in front of the teacher¡¯s room. Not long after, Amy walked out calmly.


    ¡°It¡¯s your turn,¡± Amy said calmly.


    ¡°What did you say, Amy?¡± rk asked, panicking, gripping Amy¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°You hurt me!¡± Amy looked angry and pushed rk¡¯s hand away.


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°I said you shouldn¡¯t look so scared. Do it as we nnedst night,¡± Amy whispered fiercely, alternating her intense gaze between rk and me.


    ¡°Listen, rk. If you mess this up for us, I won¡¯t hesitate to drag you down to hell. So, stand tall and answer those questions with confidence. I want your acting to be convincing enough to save us. Got it?¡± Amy asked.


    ¡°Does that mean I¡¯ll be your hero?¡± rk asked, ncing at me.


    Amy walked behind me. Her hands slowly squeezed on my shoulders. She hissed to rk, and I could hear every word in my ear.


    ¡°Yes, of course. Fene is here, and she¡¯ll dly make you our hero. She¡¯s also ready to apany you to the dance partyter. I guarantee you¡¯ll have fun.¡±


    Right after Amy stopped talking, Nicole and Meg came out of the door too. They looked exhausted and tired.


    ¡°How did it go? Did you do as I instructed?¡± Amy whispered to Nicole.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Nicole replied quietly. Amy turned to Meg, and she nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s your turn now. Break a leg,¡± Amy said to me and rk.


    With a wildly beating heart, I turned to rk. He looked unsure and scared, but I squeezed his palm for a moment. I nodded to reassure him, and he nodded back.


    rk walked to the left door, where Mr. Bergen was waiting for him. I walked to the right door, where Ms. Mitchelle was waiting for me.


    I knocked on the door. When I heard Ms. Mitchelle¡¯s voice inviting me in, I entered. I pushed the door open and saw a fairlyrge room with a square conference table and four chairs facing each other. After Ms. Mitchelle gestured for me to do so, I sat in front of her.


    ¡°How are you, Fene?¡± Ms. Mitchelle asked.

 Friend or Foe

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I sat leaning back on the couch while repeatedly taking deep breaths. We gathered again in the living room that night. I thought we would reflect on our mistakes, share stories about how frightening the teachers¡¯ interrogations were, and express concern about the case spreading to our parents.


    Turns out, not.


    Amy paced back and forth on the coat rack with Sophie, Meg, and Nicole. They were more focused on what they would wear to the end-of-year dance party on Saturday night than on thinking about our fate at school. Everyone seemed calm and cheerful, except for me.


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided to wear this pink dress. What do you think? It looks more suitable for me, right?¡± Amy twirled her body so that the short satin skirt she was wearing would flutter in the wind.


    ¡°Yeah, I think it suits you. I¡¯ll stick to wearing ck,¡± Sophie said, smoothing out her tight ck dress at her slender waist.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that too tight? It¡¯ll be hard to dance in such a tight dress,¡± Nicole said, waving the knee-length white tulle skirt that puffed out.


    ¡°Who cares about dancing? The end-of-year party is all about winning the title of the most popr girl,¡± Meg said. She admired herself in front of the full-length mirror, wearing a long, glittery gold dress.


    I just sat there, hugging my knees to my chest, watching them. I guess I could say my face was pretty grim, and I¡¯m sure they all could see my worried expression.


    ¡°For Fene, it seems she needs a blue dress because she¡¯s feeling blue.¡± Amy made a joke, and they all burst intoughter. Although they teased me, I stayed silent.


    ¡°Why are you so sad? Isn¡¯t the chemistry project problem solved?¡± Sophie asked me with her usual high-pitched voice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re sad because you have to go on a date with rk.¡± Meg rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Gosh, that must be really annoying. Laird is much better than rk,¡± Nicole sneered.


    ¡°Of course, Laird is better than any boy in this school. Fortunately, he¡¯s more suitable to apany me as a dance partner,¡± Amy said with a confident smile in front of the mirror. Amy nced at me from the mirror, and she smiled smugly.


    I bit my lower lip. Seriously, I tried to hold back. I didn¡¯t want to argue or raise issues about Laird or rk, but I felt their treatment of me wasn¡¯t fair. They punished me by forcing me to go with rk.


    ¡°Why do I have to go with rk? Why can¡¯t I go with Laird?¡±


    I finally dared to speak up. I got up from the couch and stared at Amy. My breath caught, but I felt angry. I should be going with Laird. I knew for sure he would ask me. What do they know about Laird?! They don¡¯t know anything about him.


    ¡°It¡¯s up to you what color dress I should wear, but why do I have to go with rk to the dance party?¡± I demanded answers from Amy again.


    Amy turned around and looked straight at me. She still had a smug smile and slowly walked towards me. She sped her hands in front of her chest. I knew she was trying to show her power.


    My father supplies food stock to Amy¡¯s father¡¯s hotel chain. Upon discovering this fact, Amy¡¯s arrogance towards me increased significantly. She always felt she had the highest position among us, and she expected that we would obey her, especially me.


    Amy now stood in front of me. Her eyes were staring sharply at me, and once again, she looked malicious. Then she spoke slowly. She always thought this way of speaking would make me scared, but her shrill voice only annoyed me.


    ¡°You have to follow rk to the party this year because that¡¯s the condition he set as a return favor for protecting us. If he had demanded our giarism, then we would have been expelled from this school. Is that what you want?¡±


    From the corner of my eyes, I could tell that the room was darkening. At the same time, they began to approach me. They were crowding around me, staring at me with judgment and mockery in their giggles.


    ¡°Why am I the one sacrificed to rk? Why not Nicole? Or Meg?¡± With my reckless mouth, I again questioned Amy¡¯s decision.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°We wouldn¡¯t have been caught if it weren¡¯t for you and your stupid brain!¡± Suddenly, Amy shouted loudly.


    My breath raced, and I was so shocked. We were all silent. I could only hear my own breathing while the pop music from the TV yed as background music.


    ¡°If only you hadn¡¯t forgotten to work on the assignment, if only you hadn¡¯t sent it carelessly, our study group wouldn¡¯t have been caught.¡±


    Amy red at me, her voice sounding very annoyed as it came out of her lips. She let out exasperated hisses from between her teeth, revealing her intense anger towards me.


    ¡°Even though I wasn¡¯t directly involved, I¡¯m willing to testify that we did the chemistry project together with rk. That¡¯s why Mr. Bergen and Ms. Mitchelle believed.¡±


    ¡°I saved you. I told you to confess like that. I warned you not to believe when they said one of us confessed about what we¡¯ve actually been doing all this time. I motivated you to stick to the same story without changing at all.¡±


    ¡°So, isn¡¯t it reasonable for you to repay rk¡¯s favor ording to his terms? Isn¡¯t it reasonable for you to keep quiet and give me a chance to go with Laird without bothering us at all?¡±


    I swallowed hard. My eyes felt hot, but I held back my tears. I didn¡¯t want my tears to make them believe I was weak.


    ¡°Or would you prefer to be expelled from school? Would you prefer I tell Laird about this? Is that it?¡±


    I opened my mouth soundlessly. I wanted to object or oppose again, but I didn¡¯t know what to say. Part of me was angry, but another part cursed myself for how easily I submitted to Amy. My mind went nk, not knowing what solution I should take to face this situation.


    ¡°Moreover, you brought rk as our mentor. It¡¯s only natural that you are responsible for his request.¡±


    After she was done talking, Amy walked to the coffee table. She began to match essories and jewelry. The other three girls immediately left me alone and followed Amy to find essories that matched their dresses.


    And me? In the end, I could only run back to my room like a coward.

 Good in Bad

    Fene¡¯s POV


    The end of the school year had arrived. Starting this Sunday, we will all return to our respective homes for the summer vacation. Of course, all the kids were excited about it, especially with the end-of-year dance party before we left. Everyone was enthusiastic, except for me.


    Without wearing my cheerleader uniform, I sat with my chin in hand. Today, I didn¡¯t feel like doing anything, so I only sat still in the bleachers of the baseball field. I watched thest baseball team practice of the school year. After this, Laird would be attending a baseball camp throughout the summer.


    I watched until the end. He knew I was watching him, and he ran over to me immediately after the practice ended.


    ¡°Are you free right now?¡± He asked me as he sat down next to me.


    ¡°Yeah, you could say that.¡± I nodded wearily.


    We sat in silence as I regretted many things in my mind. He was understanding enough to let me sit silently on the sidelines of the field whenever I was feeling down.


    He wouldn¡¯t ask too many questions unless I decided to talk to him. He¡¯d just sit quietly with me until I asked him to go home together. When he was feeling down, I treated him the same way.


    Suddenly, his fingers stroked my hair and tucked it behind my ear. I looked at him in surprise, and he grinned.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since you dyed your hair brown, but I¡¯m still not used to seeing it until now,¡± he chuckled.


    ¡°Why¡¯s that? Is it weird? I don¡¯t look good, huh?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m just not used to it. Although whatever hair color it is, it¡¯s still you, Fene Baxter, but I¡¯m too used to your blonde hair,¡± Laird shrugged.


    ¡°Amy said brown hair suits me better,¡± I said more gloomily, remembering her words at the beginning of our school year.


    ¡°Oh, right. Amy is your roommate.¡± He seemed to recall something, but then he fell silent.


    ¡°Has she asked you to be her dance partner for the end-of-year party?¡± I asked awkwardly.


    He turned to me, and we stared at each other. I wasn¡¯t sure what he was thinking, but I wouldn¡¯t stand in their way, as Amy had asked me tost night.


    ¡°How about you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m going with rk,¡± I said, bracing myself.


    ¡°rk? Who¡¯s that?¡± he asked, furrowing his brow.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°A ssmate in chemistry. He helped me study chemistry a lot yesterday, so I want to repay his kindness.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see. I thought you didn¡¯t need anyone¡¯s help because you said you could study on your own. It turns out there¡¯s another boy who helped you.¡±


    His voice grumbled in a low tone, causing a sudden pain in my fingertips. Somehow, I felt like I was cheating on him. I quickly and breathlessly exined my reasoning.


    ¡°He often gets bullied by ssmates because of his bigger physiquepared to others. They often tease him and make negative remarks about him in ss. I treated him well in ss, and in return, he generously provided me with numerous study materials.¡± I took a quick breath.


    ¡°So when he begged me to be his dance partner, Amy said I had to ept it as a favor.¡± Not entirely urate, but I wasn¡¯t lying.


    He grunted irritably. ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you¡¯re so obedient to Amy.¡±


    I shut my mouth tight. I didn¡¯t know why I felt guilty. Until now, I was restless because I couldn¡¯t exin to him what had actually happened. Even Amy proudly used my guilt towards Laird as a weapon to threaten me.


    ¡°Whatever. I actually feel sorry for rk; he¡¯s probably going to be really annoyed with youter. Besides, can you even dance? What if you mess up on the dance floor and make some people stumble, like in cartoon movies?¡± Heughed at me. Hisughter sounded too loud for the bad joke he made.


    ¡°If you¡¯re afraid I¡¯ll mess up, I¡¯ll stay away from you and Amy.¡± I grumbled.


    He shrugged and got up from his seat. He stretched his body and then put his hands on his hips. ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡±


    Hearing his answer, I widened my eyes in surprise. My heart was pounding as if it were about to burst with joy.


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked, trying to contain my excitement.


    ¡°My dad told Mr. Hoff to pick me up after work on Friday night. He didn¡¯t want his weekend time to be disturbed just to pick me up, while Mr. Hoff would never work on weekends.¡±


    Mr. Hoff is the Evans family¡¯s driver. He¡¯s been working as Mr. Evans¡¯ personal driver since we were in elementary school, and he frequently ims that he holds many of his master¡¯s secrets. Apparently, now Mr. Hoff¡¯s strong position makes him brave enough to refuse weekend duties.


    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll be going home earlier?¡± I asked to confirm again.


    ¡°Yup. My dad got permission from the housemaster. He called this morning.¡±


    ¡°So you turned down Amy¡¯s invitation? Did she know?¡± I asked, trying hard to contain my joy.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll tell her if she asks again. If not, then that¡¯s fine. You could be the one to tell her that,¡± he said, shrugging his shoulders.


    I immediately shook my head vigorously. Informing Amy of his rejection after what happenedst night would be like dering war.


    ¡°You should do it. Who knows? You might change your mind and take the bus home just to join the party with her.¡± I teased him.


    ¡°What a nosy girl! Just say you¡¯re afraid of disappointing Your Majesty.¡± He teased me as he messed up my hair with his hands.


    ¡°Amy¡¯s not My Majesty, Mr. Know-it-All.¡± My hands tried to hold his fingers, but he was stronger and faster, and he ended up tickling my waist too.


    ¡°Stop it!¡± Weughed and tickled each other. There were a few small punches here and there, but weughed freely because of our childish behavior.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go back to the dorm. I want to pack my bags,¡± he said.


    My anxiety suddenly disappeared without a trace. I felt like the sea¡¯s waves had erased the traces of whatever was written in the sand. I was so relieved that I finallyughed freely and went home with small jumps along the way.


    Heughed at my antics, but he didn¡¯t protest. In fact, he escorted me home until we reached the front gate of the girls¡¯ dormitoryplex.


    ¡°See you at home.¡± I waved my hand enthusiastically and said it loudly. He nodded briefly, then turned around and walked away.


    I don¡¯t know whether to thank Mr. Evans or pity Laird for missing out on one high school moment. One thing I know for sure is that Amy will never be able to capture his heart.


    ***


    ¡°Fene, I¡¯m sorry. I know you were forced to apany me,¡± rk murmured, and he nced at me in fear several times.


    He wore a ck tuxedo and a red bow tie. He had his hair neatlybed and slick, with some curls still peeking out. People teased him, but I didn¡¯t care anymore.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t worry.¡± I smiled broadly at him.


    Of course, I no longer felt anxious. My debt to rk was paid off, I wasn¡¯t kicked out of school, and I passed with just a mild warning from the teacher. My parents weren¡¯t angry, and Laird didn¡¯tbel me negatively. What more could I ask for?


    Oh, yes, especially one important thing. Amy failed to invite Laird.


    That fact nearly brought me to tears of joy. Even when Amy shouted angrily, upset, and used me of messing it up, I almost made a yfulment. Luckily, I managed to restrain myself and pretend not to know anything about his early return.


    I insisted and acted, just like Amy taught me yesterday when facing Ms. Mitchelle¡¯s interrogation. Fake it till you make it.


    ¡°Thank you, Fene. I never even dreamed ofing to a high school dance party. Thanks to you, I now have a beautiful memory. Especially with a gorgeous and popr girl like you.¡± His face flushed with embarrassment as rk¡¯s voice trailed off.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, rk. Come on, let¡¯s just dance. Let¡¯s make this a fun night for you.¡± I pulled his arm so we could go straight to the dance floor.


    I didn¡¯t care if people thought I was weird for willingly dancing with rk. Also, this blue dress that was chosen by Amy? Pfft, yeah, the dress was ugly and looked pathetic, but I didn¡¯t bother to change it.


    In the end, I felt victorious because Laird sided with me. He didn¡¯t mock me with rk, and he even admitted he didn¡¯t remember that Amy was my roommate, let alone her existence.


    I felt like I had won against Amy, and it made me jump in joy.

 The Senior Year

    Fene¡¯s POV


    End year of 12th grade¡­


    Graduation is one step away! I still remember vividly the end-of-year dance party during 10th grade. The pattern hadn¡¯t changed by the end-of-year party in 11th grade either.


    Back then, I had deliberately gone home early with Laird. The dance party felt dull without him as my partner. Plus, Amy had insisted that I wear an ugly dress again, not wanting to be outdone by me.


    Even now, Amy is still chasing after Laird. She tries various methods to win his attention. Amy seems relentless in her pursuit.


    She began by attending all his sses, participating in the selection process for the baseball team¡¯s assistant manager (though herck of focus led to her rejection), and, in the most extreme case, taking over my role as the team leader for baseball games.


    I somewhat understood Amy¡¯s actions. She was driven by her own ego; she doesn¡¯t even truly like him. She couldn¡¯t ept the fact that Laird ignored her, feeling challenged instead.


    If I were to be overconfident, I would im her actions were solely intended to make me miserable. Actually, I was miserable because of everything Amy did. I often locked myself in my room, crying over how Amy and the other girls treated me in the dorm.


    I had to keep quiet and let Amy do whatever she wanted to avoid triggering her anger. I knew if her pride was hurt, she would do something bad to bring me down. Plus, I still needed to join the cheerleading team, and Amy was the captain.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Our study group was still ongoing, but I quietly never copied assignments like Amy did. I chose to study diligently with Laird, rk, and friends in ss. After much consideration, I found it was more peaceful to earn grades through my own efforts rather than by cheating.


    Even now, I can say I have a true friend besides Laird. Her name is Skye. We met in the same physics ss the previous year. She¡¯s a good person and fits well with my personality, so we got along easily. She was willing to be my friend despite other kids in school wronglybeling me as equally annoying as Amy, simply because I lived in the same house as her.


    Well, I couldn¡¯t openly show my friendship with other kids besides Amy, Sophie, Nicole, and Meg. If I did, I was sure Amy would feel betrayed and bully Skye. So, I continued to pretend to be friendly with them and maintained a public distance from Skye. Fortunately, she understood.


    Since the incident with rk in 10th grade, I have consistently declined Amy and the girls¡¯ invitations to hang outte on school nights. Only on weekends, when Amy pressed me, did I ept her invitations. I knew what Amy wanted-she needed rich and powerful kids to make our group seem exclusive.


    For two years, I had been like a parasite living in the dorm. The dorm was just a bed, and I often asked the prefect for permission to stay in Skye¡¯s room. Our school rules allowed staying overnight in a friend¡¯s room once a week, with strict permission, of course.


    To avoid Amy¡¯s suspicion, I pretended that Skye was my mentor, using that as a reason to stay in her room. I had to give my assignmentspleted through my own efforts-to Amy as if Skye had done them.


    It wasn¡¯t that I never tried to move to another dorm, but the school imed there were no empty rooms in a private dorm like ours. Although I didn¡¯t mind, my father refused to let me share a room in the regr building.


    I alsoined to the prefect, but she felt Amy¡¯s attitude towards me was still eptable-no violence, no bullying. There was no physical abuse or cursing, but they mocked me constantly.


    My anxiety increased every time Amy boasted about being affectionate with Laird after ss. I repeatedly asked him about Amy, and he only responded indifferently, but I remained anxious that he might eventually give in.


    Honestly, I felt guilty for being jealous, even though Laird and I were just friends. Yes, we were still just friends. We had kept our distance for years because I knew Laird had family problems. He had said he couldn¡¯t focus on anything other than academics, baseball, and his family.


    But now he said the divorce process wasplete. The asset division had been finalized, the firm split, and the custody of the Evans siblings was approved by the court to stay with Mr. Evans until they graduated from high school. Although technically, Lloyd and Laird didn¡¯t live with their father daily because they resided in the school¡¯s dorm.


    At least his mental burden had decreased significantly. He should have enough space for other things now, right? Maybe he could start thinking about going to prom.


    This year, being our final year of high school, made me particrly anxious about prom night next week. Of course, Amy wouldn¡¯t want to lose to me.


    ***


    ¡°Oh God, your dress is so beautiful and elegant,¡± Sophie praised as she saw Amy try on her dress.


    Amy boasted, ¡°This white dress is exactly like Lucy Rander wore at the Met Gst month.¡±


    ¡°Really? Lucy Rander from the Thrones y series?!¡± Nicole grabbed her phone and searched for photos fromst month¡¯s Met G. ¡°You¡¯re right! Oh my God, how did you get the same dress?¡± She then cheered enthusiastically.


    Meg, Sophie, and I immediately crowded around Nicole. I could see photos of the famous actress in the exact same dress that Amy is wearing now.


    Honestly, I feel the dress is still more suitable for the actress than Amy. The dress should make the wearer look like a pure goddess, but when worn by Amy, well, her eyes look more evil. Of course, I can onlyment on that in silence.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure Laird will be very impressed with you, Amy,¡± Meg said.


    The mention of Laird¡¯s name instantly made me sit up, and my ears got bigger.


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll make sure Laird will be my dance partner at prom night this year,¡± she said confidently, with her hands on her hips and a wide smile full of conviction. ¡°I even signed up for the new special session this year.¡±


    ¡°Special session?¡± I asked, and my forehead wrinkled in confusion.


    ¡°Confessional Stage,¡± Amy exined.


    ¡°Oh! Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to confess your love to Laird there! Oh, Amy, I¡¯m so proud of you. I hope that you¡¯ll seed!¡± Sophie hugged Amy with excitement.


    ¡°Finally, you can achieve your happiness with Laird.¡± Nicole and Meg also hugged Amy¡¯s shoulders.


    While I stood awkwardly watching them. My mind was filled with the desire to say something rude. I mean, even if Amy deres her love to Laird a thousand times, he might not ept Amy¡¯s feelings, right? His indifferent attitude until now proves it. So why are they so sure about his feelings?


    ¡°Fene, you support Amy in confessing her love to Laird, right? Won¡¯t it be so nice to see your two friends dating each other? Come on, don¡¯t be shy;e here.¡±


    Is she kidding me? I don¡¯t know if Sophie said that consciously or drunk; I heard she often drinks alcohol outside the dorm. I nced at Amy. She tilted her head as if questioning my attitude.


    If I make a mistake, I will undoubtedly face bullying once more this year. Who knows what she¡¯ll do to ruin my prom night?


    ¡°I wish you all the best, Amy.¡± In the end, I hugged them, too. We hugged each other like toddler cartoon characters for a few moments.


    ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough.¡± We immediately dispersed as soon as Amy spoke with her typical annoyed tone.


    ***


    ¡°Confessional Stage? Yes, that¡¯s the new special session introduced by this year¡¯smittee chairman. They want to hold some kind of quiz show,¡± Skye exined while munching on corn chips.


    Skye was one of themittee members this year, serving as the decoration team¡¯s head. She oversees the junior teams that will produce the decorations. That¡¯s why I stay at her dorm tonight.


    ¡°A quiz show?¡± I asked with a puzzled frown.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Skye nodded firmly.

 Fever

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°In summary, each participant would share a story. Then other students had to guess whether the story was true or false. If they guessed wrong, the participant would receive some money. If their guess was correct, the contestant would get nothing.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± My mouth rounded, and I nodded in understanding.


    ¡°The moneyes from voting tickets that can be bought by the students. Because it¡¯s covered up under the guise of a quiz show, the faculty just agreed to that crazy idea.¡±


    ¡°Imagine that if a student votes incorrectly, half of the money goes to the contestant and half to themittee. If a student makes a correct guess, they will receive twice as much voting money back. It¡¯s like gambling, right?¡± Skye grumbled irritably.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s more like a game for rich people who just want to find ways to waste money,¡± I said, joining in the annoyance.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I said themittee head this year is really bad. They¡¯ve got many sponsors, but they still want to squeeze the students through this special session.¡± Skye rolled her eyes upward and huffed.


    The whole school knew that this year¡¯smittee head was Chris from the football team. Everyone also knew how annoying that bully was. One and the same with Amy.


    ¡°I think Amy wants to make a lot of money. I can already guess she¡¯ll brag about her rtionship with Laird. The gullible students will support Amy and guess that it¡¯s true. Amy knows Laird will reject her, so she¡¯ll get a lot of money.¡± Skye exined her hypothesis, then sucked up her strawberry smoothie.


    ¡°You mean she¡¯s doing all this just for money? How much money do you think she¡¯ll get? Isn¡¯t she already crazy rich?¡± I asked again, seeking a more detailed exnation.


    ¡°The wealthy are actually greedier than you think,¡± she suddenly added, ¡°except for you. You don¡¯t care about the value of money,¡± she said.


    Skye pulled a pen from the table and a piece of used taco wrapper she had finished eating earlier.


    ¡°One vote per person is bought for one dor. Statistically, in thest three years, the number of students attending prom night has been more than a thousand. If half of them vote and half of those who vote guess wrong, then Amy will get a minimum of 250 dors.¡±


    ¡°Not to mention if one person votes more than once. Did you understand it so far?¡± She exined while sketching out the calction scheme.


    ¡°So, basically, she wants to make money by exploiting Laird?¡± I asked hesitantly.


    ¡°Bingo!¡± Skye eximed.


    ¡°I¡¯m absolutely sure my guess will hit the mark. Amy is such a cunning fox.¡± She sighed while slurping her smoothie.


    ¡°I think I should register for that special session too,¡± I said.


    ¡°Huh? Are you crazy?¡± Skye looked at me strangely, but I nodded firmly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about the money, but I won¡¯t let Laird be the object of ridicule in front of the whole school because of Amy.¡±


    ***


    Prom night was just around the corner. I was supposed to register with the eventmittee to participate in the confessional stage session. Initially, I wanted to register right after ss, but I felt feverish.


    ¡°You should ask the doctor for medicine. It must be because you stayed up all night,¡± Skye said after checking my temperature by cing the back of her hand on my forehead.


    ¡°What else can I do? I can¡¯t sleep thinking about what Amy will do to Laird in the special sessionter.¡± On the table, Iid my head on my folded arms.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°You know, yesterday was just my hypothesis. What if I¡¯m just overthinking it?¡± Skye shrugged.


    I raised my head and looked at Skye.


    ¡°I trust you more as a secret agent than an ordinary student. Your guesses have always been right for the past two years,¡± I said with a weak smile.


    ¡°Thank you. No need to praise me,¡± Skye chuckled.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m going to the infirmary,¡± I said, getting up from my chair.


    ¡°Do you want me toe with you?¡± Skye asked.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I know you¡¯re busy with prom stuff. I¡¯ll just take a moment to get medicine.¡± I waved my hand weakly and slowly walked to my locker to retrieve my bag.


    I walked through the school hallway, crossed the courtyard and lounge area, and finally arrived at the infirmary. The room was quite far from the main entrance of the school building, but it was indeed quiet and cool, with trees surrounding the area. Perfect for solitude and rest.


    After gently knocking on the door, I quietly slipped in. I moved slowly so as not to make noise. I didn¡¯t want to disturb the kids who might be sleeping.


    I felt the room lights weren¡¯t as bright as usual, whether it was due to my headache, blurry vision, or because the room was dark. I also couldn¡¯t find the doctor at his desk.


    Then I heard faint voices from behind the furthest curtain. I still hoped to find the doctor in that booth now, because my head was getting more painful and my body felt like it was burning. Now I needed medicine, or maybe some intensive rest on one of the beds.


    I walked slowly and peeked behind the curtain. I really never had bad thoughts. I heard a girl¡¯s voice, and she sounded breathless. There was also a man whispering, and I thought he was the doctor.


    ¡°Excuse me, doc,¡± I said softly, pulling the curtain aside and peering in.


    I immediately covered my mouth with both hands, but it was toote. A girl sitting on the bed turned her head back and saw me. As if under a spell, I froze in ce.


    ¡°What are you doing here?!¡± Amy hissed angrily at me.


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t know,¡± I said, stuttering.


    ¡°Hey, girl. Do you want to join us?¡± The boy lying on the bed peered at me with a confident grin.


    ¡°That¡­ isn¡¯t Laird. That¡­ is Chris?¡± With my mind still struggling to think, I whispered softly.


    Amy slowly stood up beside the bed. Amy didn¡¯t even bother to straighten her unkempt shirt before she began walking towards me. I couldn¡¯t even divert my gaze from Amy¡¯s sharp eyes.


    Amy raised her hand and pushed me out of the curtain, cornering me against the wall behind me. She gripped my shoulders, near the neck area, as if she wanted to strangle me hard. I writhed in pain.


    ¡°What do you care, bitch?¡± Amy hissed with wide, ring eyes.

 Something Urgent

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°Only fools like you dare to open the curtain. Other kids are smart enough not to disturb us.¡±


    I was so weak and helpless. Coupled with my body¡¯s weakness from a fever, I could only grimace. My back ached from the pressure of my backpack¡¯s contents pressed between my body and the wall.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Stop it, Amy. You¡¯re hurting me.¡± Both of my hands gripped Amy¡¯s wrists as hard as I could. I tried to release her grip on me, but Amy was stronger.


    ¡°Why? Do you feel like you can¡¯t be hurt when you¡¯ve already hurt me? Do I not know you¡¯re a two-faced traitor? You act like you support me, but you always undermine me in front of Laird.¡±


    Amy hissed right next to my face. I could even feel her breath in my ears, and I shivered because of it.


    ¡°I despise losers like you. I hate traitors like you. You make me sick!¡±


    Amy pushed me again until I staggered back to the wall. My breath felt heavy, and my ears were ringing after hearing Amy¡¯s threats. I tried to stand as straight as possible, even though I was already bent over weakly.


    Amy kicked my shinbone hard, and I immediately groaned. I fell to my knees, and my hands immediately grabbed my right leg. I bit my lip to suppress the pain, then my eyes felt hot and my vision was getting blurrier from tears.


    ¡°Oh, and one more thing. If you dare to report me and Chris, I won¡¯t hesitate to ruin your life.¡± Amy turned her body around and walked back to the curtain.


    ¡°Does that mean¡­?¡± In the silent room, I stopped her from leaving with my words. ¡°Does that mean you won¡¯t ask Laird to prom? Does that mean you won¡¯t be running in the special session?¡±


    Amy looked back at me. ¡°Whatever, bitch. Just go away now!¡±


    Amy closed the curtain roughly. Faintly, I heard whispers from Amy and Chris.


    ¡°Can we continue now?¡± Chris¡¯s voice sounded slow, and I couldn¡¯t possibly stay frozen there to be their spectator.


    I forced myself to walk as fast as I could towards the baseball field immediately after leaving the infirmary. With slightly limping steps, I dragged my numb right foot.


    After a journey that felt incredibly exhausting and draining, I arrived at the baseball field. My breath was heavy, my head was hurting, my feet were bruised, and my body felt like it was burning under the sunset. I reached for the field¡¯s boundary fence and walked along it to reach the entrance.


    With all my strength, I struggled to the yer¡¯s seat and looked for Laird. Fortunately, he was getting a drink in his seat.


    ¡°Laird.¡± I called him softly.


    ¡°Fene?! Why are you here? This is a special seat for team members; if the coach sees you here, he¡¯ll be angry.¡± Laird immediately approached me and nced several times at his coach, who appeared to be busy with the pitchers.


    I was grateful to have made it here. Meeting Laird-that¡¯s what I needed. My hands reached for Laird¡¯s hands. We held hands up to our elbows, and unconsciously, I leaned my body against his.


    ¡°Laird, will you go to prom with me? Will you be my dance partner?¡± I asked gently, even though I felt like I couldn¡¯t speak anymore after holding back all the pain.


    ¡°Are you kidding? What¡¯s going on all of a sudden?¡± Laird furrowed his brow in confusion.


    I couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. My vision wentpletely dark.


    ***


    I blinked my eyes several times. The first thing I saw was the white ceiling with long white lights. Because the ceiling was too high for me, I realized this wasn¡¯t my room.


    Slowly, I lifted my body to sit up. Then I turned my head to the side and found Laird sleeping. His head was resting on my bed, and he folded his hands into a pillow. I raised my hand to stroke his straw-colored hair.


    ¡°Laird,¡± I called out. ¡°Laird.¡± I called his name again. On the second call, the boy finally woke up and lifted his head.


    ¡°Oh, damn.¡± He wiped the drool at the corner of his lips with the back of his hand before speaking properly.


    ¡°Hey, Fene, you¡¯re awake. Hooray.¡± He eximed hoarsely, as if he still wasn¡¯t fully awake.


    ¡°How long have you been here? Did I pass out on the baseball field? What about your practice? Was your coach mad?¡± I hurriedly asked everything that crossed my mind.


    ¡°Whoa, easy girl.¡±


    Lairdughed as he rubbed his face with both hands. He fell silent for a moment as I noticed his cheeks were red from being pressed by his own hands for a long time.


    ¡°I know you have a lot of questions in your head, but I can only answer with one sentence.¡± He stared at me intently and took a deep breath.


    ¡°I assure you, there¡¯s nothing for you to worry about.¡± With a wide grin, he raised his thumb in front of me. ¡°Clear?¡±


    Though I wanted to protest, he got up from his seat before me and patted my shoulder gently. ¡°Wait, I¡¯ll call the doctor first.¡±


    He hurried to call the doctor, and they both approached me. The doctor asked me a few questions, checked my blood pressure, and then gave his diagnosis.


    ¡°These are symptoms of anemia. Your blood pressure is also low. I¡¯ll call the kitchen to send a blood-boosting dinner menu for you. After eating, you can take the medicine I¡¯ll give you.¡± The doctor spoke softly, and he smiled kindly at me.


    ¡°Just have the food delivered to the dorm, if you may, doc,¡± I requested.


    ¡°Just stay here tonight. You¡¯re still too weak to walk to the dorm.¡± Laird suggested, but I shook my head.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve also asked for permission from the housemaster.¡± The doctor also insisted, but I remained firm in shaking my head.


    The incident this afternoon with the corner infirmary beds traumatized me, and I didn¡¯t want to catch anyone else again. Of course, I didn¡¯t mention the real reason.


    ¡°I just want to sleep in my room. I feel morefortable there.¡± I insisted.


    ¡°In that case, let me drive you with Mr. Evans. It¡¯s almost 6 p. m.; the wind will feel too cold for you if you walk.¡±


    ¡°Um, doc, one more thing. I slipped earlier. My foot seems to be bruised. Is there any medicine that can help reduce the swelling?¡± I asked after realizing that my foot still throbbed in pain.


    The doctor examined my foot and furrowed his brow.


    ¡°Where did you fall? Does it hurt when pressed like this?¡± he asked.


    The doctor¡¯s hand pressed my right shinbone slowly, and I winced in pain. He again pressed a few points in the bone area.


    ¡°Other points aren¡¯t as bad,¡± I nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a cream to reduce the bruise and apply it tonight. If it doesn¡¯t get better by tomorrow morning and swells more, we might have to go to the hospital for an X-ray of your bone. Just in case there¡¯s a fracture in the bone.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much, doc.¡± I nodded with a weak smile.

 Plan Ahead

    Fene¡¯s POV


    The doctor then drove us back to the dorm using an ambnce without sirens. He dropped us off in front of my dormitory. After expressing many thanks, I entered the house with limp steps supported by Laird.


    The house was still quiet. The front lights were still off, and the door was still locked. It seemed like Amy and the other girls had gone out for dinner as usual.


    ¡°Where did you fall?¡± Laird asked after helping me sit on the edge of the bed.


    ¡°Uh, that, um¡­ I fell on the stairs. I was feeling very weak earlier, and I identally slipped in a puddle of water.¡± There was a momentary pause as I tried toe up with an excuse to lie.


    ¡°You¡¯re not good at acting; you know that, right?¡± He snorted with his usual crooked smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± I insisted, although I felt my heart pounding faster.


    He sighed heavily and ignored me. He seemed to know but didn¡¯t press the matter anymore. Suddenly, the doorbell rang, and he immediately went out to open the door.


    I opened my bag, which he had ced next to me, and took the bruise cream from the doctor. I applied it to the area of my right foot that was swollen. A whileter, Laird came back into the room carrying a tray with both hands. There were tes of food, a bowl of soup, and a clear ss filled with mineral water.


    ¡°Is that food from the school kitchen?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°Yup. The school staff delivered it. They¡¯re quick to send food; excellent service for a private dormitory.¡± He said this with a crooked smile as he ced the food tray on the bedside table next to my bed.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to bother to prepare it like this.¡±


    ¡°Just eat; don¡¯t be fussy. So you can take the medicine soon.¡± He retorted.


    ¡°Thank you, Laird. I¡¯m sorry for bothering you.¡± I smiled weakly at him.


    ¡°Eat, take your medicine, change your pajamas, and go to sleep soon.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to eat this with me?¡± I hurried to detain him.


    ¡°Who wants to eat sick people¡¯s food?¡± He chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There must be food in my dorm too,¡± he said as he put on his backpack and his ck baseball cap.


    ¡°You should eat too, so you won¡¯t get sick like me.¡± I lectured him in return for my gratitude. He just nodded with a small smile.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go home now. I¡¯m afraid the school staff will use me of something if I stay here longer than this.¡± He chuckled for a moment, then quickly raised his hand to show that the staff was indeed watching him from outside the house.


    ¡°There is no need to escort me to the door. You just eat here.¡± He slowly walked backward towards the door of my room, leaving.


    ¡°Yeah, thanks, Laird. Take care on the way.¡± I said to him with a smile.


    He nodded with a wide smile. At the door, he stopped walking.


    ¡°Oh, yeah. About prom night.¡±


    He scratched his nose. It seemed he was struggling to express his feelings about it. I sat up straight when I heard him mention prom night. I waited to hear what he would say about my invitation.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go together,¡± he then said, looking into my eyes, ¡°as a couple.¡±


    ***


    The next day, early in the morning, before sses started, I met Skye in front of her locker. I couldn¡¯t wait to tell her about Laird epting my invitation to go to prom together. As a couple!


    Isn¡¯t that exciting?


    I felt on top of the world. Skye immediately cheered with a falsetto tone and hugged me tightly. We hugged tightly and giggled together in the crowded school hallway as students entered their ssrooms.


    Oh, the hell with other people! Laird and I were going to prom together as a couple!


    I even felt instantly refreshed. My fever disappeared, my appetite increased, and my head felt light with happiness. My right foot also miraculously didn¡¯t swell anymore and immediately felt better, although the dark redness still lingered.


    It was a sign that there might not be any broken bones, and I could go to prom with a foot ready to dance. There was only one thing left for me to do to ensure everything went smoothly.


    ***


    ¡°Oh,e on. It¡¯s just adding one more person; it won¡¯t take too much time. I promise. Please, please, please, Leo,¡± I said to Leonard.


    He was in charge of the event supervisorymittee. He was my friend in math ss and Skye¡¯s ssmate in English literature. Skye agreed that he was an arrogant boy and would surely use his current position to act cocky.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to hinder and ruin all the schedules I¡¯ve made, Fene!¡± Leo grumbled as he walked away from me into a small meeting room in the auditorium, which was used as the mainmittee room.


    ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± A boy emerged from inside themittee room, meeting us.


    ¡°Hey, Chris. This annoying girl insists on joining the special session,¡± Leo said, pointing his head towards me with annoyance.


    Oh, great! I forgot Chris was the head of the prommittee, and he was equally fond of ying people like Amy. After yesterday¡¯s incident in the infirmary, I now regard him as a sex-hungry boy. How dare he and Amy do such indecent acts in public?


    If he¡¯s indeed a wealthy and powerful businessman¡¯s son, why didn¡¯t he just rent a five-star hotel room instead of using the school¡¯s bed? Or maybe he was so desperate that he couldn¡¯t wait for a few hours until school was over. I swear, he must be very stingy and horny.


    ¡°Where is it? Let me see the form.¡± Chris grabbed my application from Leo¡¯s hand and read it quickly.


    ¡°Well, well. Fene, I didn¡¯t expect you to dare to confess your love to Laird in public. It¡¯s just like what Amy applied.¡± Chris smirked cunningly.


    ¡°Amy applied confessional stage for Laird, too?¡± I asked, making sure with a panicked heart.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay; we can adjust the schedule, but your time is limited, Fene. Only five minutes.¡± Chris said.


    ¡°Put her in the special session after Amy¡¯s.¡± Chris roughly mmed my application form onto Leo¡¯s chest. Leo groaned softly and walked into themittee room, holding the form in his hand.


    ¡°Why are you helping me? Don¡¯t you like Amy?¡± I asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly it. If Laird chooses you, Amy will be embarrassed in public, right? She¡¯ll refrain from mentioning Laird¡¯s name on her pink lips ever again. Ugh, this anticipation excites me.¡± Chris smirked maliciously and walked away, chuckling.

 Let鈥檚 Go to Prom!

    Fene¡¯s POV


    The doorbell rang, and I immediately ran out to open the door. Laird stood before me in a dark gray tuxedo, matching gray pants, ck shoes, and a cream-colored tie. He slicked back his dark blonde hair. He carried arge bouquet of roses for me, like a prince.


    Good gracious Lord! He was so handsome!


    ¡°Hi, Laird!¡± With a rapidly beating heart, I grinned widely at him.


    ¡°Hi, wow, Fene.¡± Laird smiled, and he gazed at me for a long moment. Was he captivated? Maybe.


    ¡°Your blonde hair is back.¡± He spoke with a broad smile and fixed his gaze on my face.


    ¡°Yeah, I wanted to look a little different than before.¡± I blushed shyly.


    ¡°It suits you so well. Just like the Fene I used to know in a more mature version.¡± He chuckled, and my face grew warmer with embarrassment.


    ¡°Oh, this is for you.¡± He handed me the bouquet of roses.


    ¡°Oh, my goodness, Laird. It¡¯s so beautiful. Thank you.¡± I took the bouquet with a wide smile and examined each pink-white petal.


    ¡°You¡¯re prettier than the bouquet. It seems like you¡¯ve really taken makeup sses. So different from when we were in 4th grade.¡± Laird chuckled softly.


    My mouth dropped open, and I lightly punched his arm. ¡°Stop bringing up 4th-grade incidents!¡± Lairdughed briefly.


    ¡°Wait, let me put the flowers in my room first.¡±


    I went back into my room and ced the bouquet of roses on my desk. Before leaving the room, I checked my appearance in front of the mirror.


    I made sure my sleeveless pastel pink dress looked perfect. White high-heeled shoes, a set of silver nes, bracelets, and earrings, and straight light-blonde hair that resembled my natural hair. A sparkling white clutch with glitter and a silver chain draped across my body. I looked like a Barbie doll or Amy back in 10th grade, but I didn¡¯t care.


    After the prom night event ended, I would be free from Amy. I didn¡¯t even care if Amy got angry with me for looking like this. I wouldn¡¯t see them again after graduating high school. Besides, I heard she and her friends nned to sleep with their boyfriends outside the dorm tonight. So, they wouldn¡¯t bother me.


    I didn¡¯t know if Laird and I would take our rtionship further than just being best friends. I hoped so, especially after I got into the special sessionter. Iughed giddily at the thought of Laird¡¯s amazed expression when I confessed on stage, of course, after he rejected Amy.


    I walked back to the front door and got ready to leave with Laird. He was waiting for me at the door, and he turned to me as I approached.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Laird asked, raising his elbow.


    ¡°Just a moment.¡± I took out a small pink artificial flower brooch that matched my dress color. I pinned the brooch to Laird¡¯s tuxedo pocket.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were so prepared.¡± He chuckled softly.


    ¡°Of course. Tonight has to be perfect. Well, now I¡¯m ready.¡± After neatly pinning the pink flower to Laird¡¯s tuxedo, I wrapped my hand around his elbow.


    We walked, arm in arm, along the street towards the school auditorium. asionally, we exchanged nces andughed softly. I was so nervous that I didn¡¯t know how to start a conversation. Until Laird broke the nervous tension by asking me.


    ¡°I feel like we¡¯re going on a date. Is the first date always this nerve-wracking?¡± After clearing his throat, he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It feels so different from my first date.¡±


    I remembered my first date with Lloyd back when I was in 9th grade. It felt more casual and rxed, like just ying around. With Laird, it was so different that it made me unable to calm down.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, you went on a date with Lloyd.¡± Laird suddenly seemed to remember, and the embarrassed smile disappeared from his face instantly. His voice sounded cold, and I felt awkward again.


    ¡°Will Lloyd be there? Is he bringing a dance partner?¡± I hurriedly changed the subject.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, and I don¡¯t care. Do you want to be his dance partner?¡± He stared sharply at me, his tone bing very low.


    ¡°No! Of course not! I¡¯m already happy to be your dance partner.¡± I immediately tightened the hands that were holding his arm.


    Really, I didn¡¯t want anyone but him to be my dance partner. I had bravely asked him. My ns for tonight would be in vain if I went to prom, not with Laird Evans.


    ¡°Good then.¡± He smiled and patted my hanging hands on his elbow.


    We walked to the auditorium more rxed this time, chatting about many things. Laird and I probably both didn¡¯t want to ruin the atmosphere tonight. We seemed careful not to discuss sensitive topics like our parents¡¯ issues, Amy¡¯s, or our different university choices.


    Yes, Laird had been epted to Harvard College, while I was at a regr private university in Boston. I understood I would never be able to match him in terms of achievement. Even though I tried, my capacity still couldn¡¯t impress the panels from that prestigious university.


    Of course, I had expressed my disappointment. He knew, and he didn¡¯t know what to say either. We were so young, so naive, and so clueless. Maybe that¡¯s why he was so kind to me tonight-tofort me.


    We arrived at the auditorium with wide smiles. Tomemorate tonight, we took photos together in the photo booth with a Proid camera. We tried almost all the food served, praised Skye¡¯s decorations,ughed at funny incidents throughout high school with friends, and danced to the songs yed by the DJ.


    ¡°I can¡¯t dance. You go ahead by yourself.¡± He wrinkled his forehead.From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Oh, shut up and dance with me.¡± I forcefully pulled his arm, and finally, heplied.


    ¡°Just follow the rhythm. Like this.¡±


    My hand held his grasp. I swung his hand, hoping my energy would flow through his body and make him dance. He finally followed me, and we danced together. Starting from slow songs to fast-paced ones.


    I knew he also wanted tonight to be a perfect night. Without any sadness or disappointment. I knew we¡¯d make it this time. Suddenly, loud background music sted, and the host stood up on the stage.


    ¡°Next, we will watch together the first contestant in tonight¡¯s special show! Here it is: the confessional stage!¡±


    Oh, God! Here it is!

 Surprise!

    Fene¡¯s POV


    The host suddenly announced the start of the special session. The music red, and everyone cheered loudly.


    ¡°Everyone can buy voting tickets at the ticket booth! Vote as much as you can to support your friends!¡±


    Finally, the special session arrived. This was the moment I had been waiting for. Despite being thest in line, I felt that it was best to start as soon as possible. If necessary, I wanted to overtake Amy¡¯s session so that Laird wouldn¡¯t have to bother answering her anymore.


    ¡°Hey, Laird, I have a surprise for you.¡± I said this to Laird as we rested at the edge of the dance floor.


    ¡°What surprise?¡± Laird asked curiously.


    ¡°I can¡¯t say it now, but will you wait for me?¡± I asked Laird with pleading eyes.


    ¡°Are you going to leave me alone here?¡± Laird raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Just for a moment. I promise.¡± I assured Laird.


    ¡°Whatever. I don¡¯t guarantee I¡¯ll still be at this event if you leave me.¡± Laird grumbled irritably.


    ¡°Hey, Laird. Trust me. I promise, I won¡¯t leave you. Just wait for a moment.¡±


    I firmly held both of Laird¡¯s hands. I looked at him with a pleading gaze. ¡°Just a moment.¡±


    He looked at me just as intently. His gaze seemed to be searching for lies, but in the end, he sighed heavily.


    ¡°Go ahead.¡± He nodded his chin.


    ¡°Wait for me, okay? Don¡¯t go anywhere. I¡¯lle back soon with my surprise.¡± I waved to Laird with a wide smile.


    Quickly, I crossed the crowded room towards the backstage area. I looked for Leo and finally found him chatting with the first participant. Right after the first participant went on stage, I approached Leo.


    ¡°Hey, Leo. Am I still on for thest session?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Leo appeared to be busy scribbling on the papers on his clipboard.


    ¡°What time is my turn? Can I overtake someone to perform earlier?¡± I pressed Leo.


    ¡°Oh,e on, Fene. You¡¯ve caused me enough trouble with your session. Your turn will start in 40 minutes.¡± Leo sighed irritably at me.


    ¡°Hey,e on. Won¡¯t it be more chaotic if someone who was supposed toe didn¡¯t show up on time ording to your schedule?¡± I tried again.


    ¡°Fine. Wait here, and you¡¯ll go first if the participant doesn¡¯t show up five minutes past their schedule.¡± Leo finally gave in and rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Sure!¡± I eximed happily and stood there, waiting.


    People like Leo really didn¡¯t like it if something didn¡¯t go ording to their nned schedule. The changes made them nervous. Therefore, they were always happy to have backup ns to ensure everything went smoothly.


    ¡°Hey, Fene.¡± Someone tapped my shoulder, and I turned.


    ¡°rk? Hey.¡± I greeted him with a little confusion. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you wereing tonight.¡±C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    I looked at rk, who looked like he was attending the dance party two years ago at the end of 10th grade. I could swear even his ck tuxedo and red bowtie were simr. But what did I care, right?


    Now I no longer owed anything to rk, and we had established a healthy friendship. A real friendship, even though only in the library.


    ¡°Oh, yeah. I came. I¡¯m taking part in the third session tonight.¡± rk said it nervously.


    ¡°Oh, yeah? What do you want to confess about?¡± I tried to make small talk.


    Oh, God. Why did I have a bad feeling?


    ¡°I¡­¡± rk hesitated and fell silent for a moment. His eyes looked scared as they stared at me. He swallowed and then spoke.


    ¡°I want to confess my love to you.¡±


    My eyes widened in horror, and my mouth fell open. ¡°What? Say that again.¡±


    ¡°I want to confess my love to-¡± I immediately cut off rk¡¯s words, covering his mouth with both of my hands.


    ¡°Don¡¯t! Follow me now.¡± I pushed rk, spun him around, and pulled his arm away from the backstage area.


    ¡°Fene? Aren¡¯t you waiting?¡± Leo called out to me with a furrowed brow.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right back!¡± I panicked, then reassured him.


    ¡°Hey! That¡¯s my contestant!¡± Leo protested and cursed, but I still pushed rk away from the backstage area.


    I dragged him out, even though rk seemed confused and reluctant to leave. We exited through the nearest side door to a dimly lit corridor between buildings. There were some couples there, shamelessly making out.


    ¡°rk, are you serious about that?¡± I asked again to make sure.


    ¡°Yes, Fene. I am serious. I like you.¡± rk reaffirmed his determination.


    I pulled and exhaled multiple times. I felt like I was having a panic attack and needed to take deep breaths to calm down. Seriously, it seemed like I was really having a panic attack.


    ¡°Okay, rk.¡± I held on to my temple to think for a moment.


    Calm down, Fene Baxter. Think, you silly brain!


    ¡°Does that mean you like me too?¡± rk asked, a smile slowly spreading across his face.


    ¡°Let¡¯s say you truly have feelings for me. But how could you even think about saying it in this special session? Why didn¡¯t you say it directly to me?¡± I asked, still disbelieving of this new fact.


    ¡°Because you went to prom with Laird! I missed my chance to ask you out. I didn¡¯t know the right time to say it other than in that special session.¡± rk looked annoyed, and I swore I saw tears welling up in his eyes.


    ¡°Also, Amy said that if I said it on stage, you wouldn¡¯t have the heart to reject me.¡± rk bit his lower lip, and his face turned red.


    ¡°What? Amy?¡±


    My whole world seemed to spin quickly. Suddenly, I wanted to explode with anger towards that girl. How dare she use me as a joke! She even dared to do it to this good rk.


    Egging rk on to go on stage so she could embarrass me and rk in front of everyone? How could there be someone so wicked?!


    ¡°Amy said you¡¯d ept my confession. I-¡± rk became more restless, and his voice sounded panicked. Tears streamed down rk¡¯s cheeks. I could even see beads of sweat on almost every part of his face.


    ¡°rk, I¡¯m sorry.¡± I cut off rk¡¯s words.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you, but everything Amy said is not true. Amy just wants to y you.¡± I said it slowly. My anger was clearly audible in my voice.


    ¡°But I do like you. I¡¯ve liked you since you greeted me in chemistry ss. I did everything I could to make you happy. I let you and Amy copy my assignments.¡± He choked for a moment.


    ¡°We studied together, didn¡¯t we? We went to parties together, didn¡¯t we? Don¡¯t you like me too, after all I¡¯ve done?¡±


    Damn, I didn¡¯t have the heart to crush his heart like this! For fuck¡¯s sake!


    ¡°I really like you.¡± rk sobbed between his words.


    Oh, Lucius. What have you done to rk? What has Amy done to him?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, rk.¡± I hugged rk tightly.


    Maybe what Amy said to rk was true. I wouldn¡¯t have the heart to see rk like this on stage. I knew I could have epted rk, if only he had said it in a situation like this.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±

 Amy鈥檚 Tilted Stage

    Fene¡¯s POV


    While whispering those sorry words in his ear, I still hugged him tightly. rk¡¯s hunched posture made it easy for me to whisper in his ear. He hugged me tightly, as if I were going to leave him forever. He was still crying, and his tears wetted my shoulder.


    I don¡¯t know why, but I understood rk¡¯s feelings. Just like Lloyd, who also hoped to be treated seriously, even though he was younger. Just like me, who really liked Laird.


    We tried various ways to get attention from the person we liked. We fought for many things to be able to continue being with that person.


    Some time passed. I faintly heard rk¡¯s name being called by the host for the third session. Leo seemed panicked, and finally the fourth participant stepped forward to rece him.


    Gradually, his tears subsided. He released the hug and stood up straighter. He wiped his tears from his cheeks several times.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Fene. I was careless. I should never have listened to Amy.¡± He looked down, tears still lingering in the corners of his eyes.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay. Amy is the one at fault here. You¡¯re not wrong. I¡¯m also in your position. I know what it¡¯s like to pin hopes on every opportunity that arises.¡± I said it softly.


    He still cried asionally. His breath was heavy, and his nose kept running. I took out a small packet of tissues and handed him a few sheets. He took the tissues, said thank you, and wiped his nose.


    ¡°Listen, I have to apologize because I can¡¯t ept your feelings. But I feel really grateful to have met you at this school.¡± I rubbed his arm.


    ¡°You know how much I stink at academics. Especially back in 10th grade, you helped me. Without you and the other friends, I wouldn¡¯t have survived until graduation like this. It¡¯s all thanks to you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± I smiled, and he pondered for a moment. ¡°Hey, we can be good friends. You¡¯ll always have a friend when you need me.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Fene. You¡¯re my good friend at this school. No girl wants to be friends with me except you. That¡¯s what makes me like you. You¡¯re different from Amy and the other popr girls.¡±


    He hugged me again, and I hugged him back. My hands patted his back until he calmed downpletely. I gave him a small kiss on the cheek and smiled at him.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll go back to the dorm. I¡¯m tired and need rest.¡± He said it wearily.


    ¡°Okay. See youter, rk.¡± I squeezed his hand for a moment, and he nodded. After that, he turned around and walked away through the school hallway.


    Slowly, I returned to the auditorium, where the event was still ongoing. Just as I entered, I could see Amy going up on stage. I walked towards Leo at the side of the stage, near the stairs to go up.


    ¡°Oh, damn! You made me so angry, Fene! What about rk?¡± He grumbled. I shrugged my shoulders.


    ¡°He¡¯s gone home.¡± I said.


    ¡°Ugh, I have to have an emergency meeting with Chris and the host.¡± Leo then left me.


    ¡°My name is Amy Schmidt, and I have a confession.¡± Amy¡¯s voice sounded like embarrassedughter.


    I immediately focused on Amy. My heart was pounding, and I felt uneasy about what Amy was going to say. She didn¡¯t say anything to me, even though she knew I went with Laird. She didn¡¯t protest or get angry with me, but that only made me extremely restless.


    ¡°Laird Evans and I, our baseball star, are a couple. We rarely show our affection in public, but all my housemates know about our rtionship. I stand here to thank him.¡±


    I snorted in annoyance. How dare she lie like that!


    ¡°Laird has been my best friend in times of trouble and joy while I¡¯ve been at this school. He¡¯s been very kind to me. He carried me to the dorm when I sprained my ankle. He studied with me for all the subject exams.¡± Amy sighed with her charming eyes.


    ¡°I became a cheerleader to support him in every game, so he knows that I¡¯m always there for him.¡±


    Skye ran towards me, to the side of the stage. She squeezed my shoulders, her mouth agape like mine. She was also surprised.


    ¡°Did I hear that wrong? Why does it sound like your story?¡± Skye asked in confusion.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Skye. I¡¯m confused too. That should have been mine. Why does it seem like she knows about me and Laird? Why does it seem like she stole my story?¡± I whispered loudly to Skye.


    Seriously, what kind of game is Amy ying with me? How could this happen?


    ¡°Oh, Laird Evans. I know I shouldn¡¯t be telling this to the students here, but I can¡¯t help it. I want everyone to know about you. I want to brag about you to the whole world.¡± She inhaled in long breath.


    ¡°You¡¯re so handsome. You¡¯re so smart and great. And, oh, even the y of your fingers and lips when we¡¯re intimate-it¡¯s so fantastic!¡± Amy sighed deeply.


    The people cheered andughed. They whistled teasingly at him when they heard those lies.


    ¡°That evil witch.¡± I gritted my teeth upon hearing all that nonsense.


    ¡°I know! How could they believe her words?¡± Skye sighed irritably.


    ¡°Once again, I want to thank you, Laird. Thank you so much.¡± Amy then concluded her confession and stepped away from the microphone.


    People cheered. They seemed very supportive of Amy and were taken in by her words.From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It seems like Amy is really trying hard to earn all that money. Look at the kids cheering for her! That¡¯s Amy¡¯s cash cow.¡± Skye hunched over her chest, then tilted her chin at the audience.


    ¡°So hot, Amy! Wow! I¡¯m also excited to listen to that!¡± The host fanned his face with one hand.


    ¡°Thank you, Amy. You can step down now and wait for the voting,¡± the host said. Amy obeyed and descended the stairs on the opposite side of the stage from me.


    ¡°All right, for ourst session tonight on the Confessional Stage, we have a special session.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± I asked Skye. We looked at each other with confusion.


    ¡°Unlike the previous two sessions, this time we won¡¯t use your votes to guess whether Amy¡¯s statements are true or false. We¡¯ll spend all the voting tickets we have tonight. Let¡¯s have some fun!¡±


    The audience¡¯s voices began to stir. This time, they seemed confused by the change in the program. Although confused, they still cheered loudly like they were possessed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do the voting first! Call Laird Evans!¡± some male audience members shouted at the host.


    ¡°I know, I know, you should do the voting. I should call Laird Evans up on stage to give his testimony about Amy¡¯s confession earlier. But, for this time, hold on! Hold onto your voting tickets because I have one more participant who needs to be heard from their confession.¡±


    ¡°Oh, damn. Don¡¯t tell me.¡± Skye grimaced at me, and I became even more panicked.


    ¡°Our participant this time also has a confession about Laird Evans.¡± The host smiled widely.


    ¡°Oh, my God. I¡¯m not ready.¡± My voice trembled as I spoke. ¡°Amy stole my story. I¡¯m not ready.¡±


    Skye¡¯s hands cupped both sides of my face. She forced me to look into her eyes.


    ¡°Hey, listen. It¡¯s okay, Fene. Just follow your heart. Say everything you want to say to Laird from your heart. Don¡¯t think. Just do it.¡± Skye whispered to me, like a boxing coach on the edge of the ring.


    ¡°Let¡¯s listen to the next confession, Fene Baxter!¡±

 Confessional Stage

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I stepped onto the stage with a pounding heart. My hands trembled as I reached for the microphone hanging on its stand. From the corner of my eye, I could see that Amy looked annoyed. I could also see hundreds of pairs of eyes staring at me under the bright lights.


    ¡°Hey, everyone. I¡¯m Fene Baxter,¡± I said nervously.


    Suddenly, the spotlight moved, this time illuminating Laird. Now I could see him clearly from the stage. His gaze outshone all other gazes, and for me, there was nothing more important than him at that moment.


    ¡°Hi, Laird. You must be wondering why I¡¯m here. Surprise!¡± Iughed nervously, but no one else joined in.


    ¡°Uh, okay.¡± I took a deep breath and calmed myself. I gazed thoughtfully at Laird, who was also looking back at me from the front of the stage.


    ¡°I¡¯m so d to be with you, Laird. Since childhood, we¡¯ve always been together in Boston. We were always together throughout elementary school, and I consider those times to be very memorable.¡± I chuckled softly as I remembered.


    ¡°At first, it never urred to me to attend this prestigious school, but because I wanted to apany you, I struggled.¡± I gulped for a second.


    ¡°Even though I wasn¡¯t good academically, I fought. It was all because I wanted to always be by your side, to go through all the difficulties and then forget them with ourughter at bad jokes.¡± I took a breath.


    ¡°I want our teenage years to be filled withughter like when we were kids. I don¡¯t want to miss any more moments, to lose you, because it¡¯s so difficult to be away from you.¡±


    ¡°Life is not always easy. I realize that now. You taught me that, hey, it¡¯s okay not to be perfect; it¡¯s okay to be hurt. You remain yourself, and people aren¡¯t judged by their appearance.¡±


    Tears slowly streamed down my face as I remembered how difficult it was for Laird to deal with his family problems. I remembered sitting together on the morning bus.


    My chest felt tight again as I remembered Laird¡¯s gloomy face, his sad gaze, and his slumped shoulders. Memories of our first kiss and all of Laird¡¯s words to keep a distance flooded back.


    ¡°I know I can¡¯t do anything to solve your problems, but I will offer the only thing I have: myself. Even though I can¡¯t help you, I will apany you through it all. When everything around you looks dark and everyone is against you, I will hold your hand so you know that you are not alone.¡±


    Even though I was bullied by Amy and my housemates throughout my high school years, I could get through it all because I knew Laird would always be there for me. He never judged me, not even when I dyed my hair brown because Amy forced me or when my grades dropped. I thought I was the one who had been with him all this time, but in reality, he was always the one by my side.


    ¡°That¡¯s why, Laird, I don¡¯t want to be separated from you anymore. After this, we will go to different universities. I¡¯m so afraid that I won¡¯t be able to see you again; I won¡¯t be able to hear your jokes or your scolding when you teach me calculus-God, I¡¯m so bad at that subject.¡±


    I sighed in frustration amidst my tears. The audience thenughed at me. I bowed my head and shook it. I bit my lower lip and then looked back at Laird.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go through empty days like when we were separated in junior high.¡±


    I wiped my tears away. I swore I could hear some sobbing in the room. But only one has caught my attention right now: the dark-blond boy who was under the spotlight.


    ¡°So, let me stay with you longer, Laird. Even though we will go to different universities, I am sure that, with a strong bond, we will still be closely connected. Let fate still intertwine me with you.¡±


    ¡°I like you, Laird Evans. I love you.¡± My voice echoed loudly in the now-silent room.


    ¡°Let me stay with you a little longer.¡±


    Laird and I still locked eyes from a distance. I had poured out all the honesty in my heart. Without a script, without an exaggerated story, without memorization, just the honesty of my feelings. All the fears, anxieties, and hopes I had expressed.


    Someone pped loudly. Then the apuse grew louder, and they cheered. I looked at the audience around the stage and smiled slightly. They cheered my name with full support.


    ¡°Oh, Fene! This is so touching! I even cried in the corner of the stage when I saw you cry like that.¡± The host came and hugged my shoulder.


    ¡°Although this is very touching, remember, we are still in a special session. Now it¡¯s time for you to give your votes!¡±


    The host then walked to the side of the stage with a mboyant demeanor. His red tailcoat waved as he walked from one side of the stage to the other.


    ¡°Who told the truth? Who will be chosen by our famous Mr. Evans?¡± The host whispered to create more tension.


    ¡°And most importantly, who will take home the voting prize money from you all?!¡±


    With a loud roar, the host shouted the question. The audience immediately cheered enthusiastically. They pped their hands loudly, and their voices echoed throughout the auditorium.


    ¡°Whoever Laird chooses, the voting money he receives will be given to the participant! Isn¡¯t that great?¡± The host smiled widely, and the audience cheered even louder.


    ¡°For the participant who is not chosen by Laird, the voting money will be donated to the charity chosen by the participant. Aren¡¯t we all angels? Apuse for Whitehill Academy!¡±Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Come on, vote as much as you can! Your time is only ten minutes to buy your voting tickets at the ticket booth.¡±


    The whole room roared, then the lights dimmed again. The host escorted me off the stage. There, Skye, my best friend, immediately hugged me tightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you, Fene. I¡¯m sure your honesty will reach his heart,¡± Skye said with an encouraging smile.


    ¡°Well, well, well, look who¡¯s here? Fene Baxter.¡± Amy walked up to me with the same sly smile as when we first met.

 A Thin Piece of Paper

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°A very touching confession. Congrattions, Fene. You¡¯ve just admitted to everyone that you¡¯re a traitor,¡± Amy hissed.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a traitor, Amy.¡± I stepped forward in front of Skye and bravely confronted Amy.


    ¡°For years, I held myself to give you the chance you asked for. But what is the truth? You¡¯re the one ying with your own feelings and selling yourself cheap to many boys in school,¡± I said, squinting at the bitch.


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you hold yourself this time? Why did you have to ruin myst moment in high school? Why do you always, always, again, and again, disturb me and Laird from being together?¡±


    Amy¡¯s voice grew louder with each emphasized word. Her teeth chattered, and I knew she was trying to control herself to maintain her image in front of people.


    Oh, damn! She¡¯s so angry, but I don¡¯t give a fuck!


    ¡°I¡¯m done lying to myself, Amy. I won¡¯t apologize if Laird chooses meter,¡± I said.


    I am still firm in my stance against her.


    ¡°What? So you still think Laird will be touched by your words? Do you still believe Laird will choose you?¡±


    Amyughed with her shrillugh. She pped her hands as sheughed. Skye and I frowned as we watched her antics.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could be this funny. You¡¯re fit for a career as a stand-upedian.¡± Amy¡¯s fakeughter was clearly exaggerated.


    ¡°Wake up, Fene. A girl like you is not worthy of him.¡± Amy nced at Skye, smirked crookedly, and then walked away, leaving me behind.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I feel like she¡¯s nning something bad,¡± Skye whispered, and I could only stare at Amy¡¯s back.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Before long, I saw Laird walking onto the stage, apanied by Leo, the stagemittee.


    ¡°Laird.¡± I called out to him, but Leo resisted by raising his hand.


    ¡°Stay away from her, Baxter. I don¡¯t want to lose my show¡¯s contestant again.¡±


    ¡°But-¡± I looked at Laird, but his face was serious, without a smile at all. I began to feel suspicious, but I didn¡¯t know what was wrong.


    Ten minutes felt like a very long time for me. Leo and the host kept Laird tightly in the backstage corner, so I didn¡¯t have a chance to speak to him first. Amy also kept watching me from her seat at the auditorium¡¯s edge.


    What made me even more anxious was the fact that Laird didn¡¯t want to look me in the eye at all.


    ***


    ¡°Here it is, the moment of truth! Ten minutes have passed! Once again, whoever is chosen by Laird will be the one to take your voting money! Maybe for a date?¡± The host returned to the stage.


    Amy and I stepped onto the stage from opposite sides at the same time.


    ¡°I will announce the voting results now. Amy received a total of 120 votes, while Fene,¡± he paused his speech. ¡°The voting for Fene is as follows.¡± Once again, he paused his speech to increase the tension.


    ¡°Fene received votes from all of you, in total of 710 votes! Fantastic!¡±


    The audience cheered and roared. I covered my mouth with both hands. Did I win the vote? These students support me more than Amy. My hands became cold, and I trembled with nervousness.


    ¡°But, of course, that¡¯s not all we want to hear, is it? Who has won Laird¡¯s heart with their confession? Who spoke honestly? That¡¯s what makes us excited and curious!¡± The host roared again to ignite the audience¡¯s excitement.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear the testimony. Let¡¯s wee Laird Evans!¡±


    The host stretched out one hand towards Laird. Laird stepped onto the stage, slowly walking to the center as directed by the host.


    ¡°Please, Mr. Evans. This microphone is yours.¡± The host handed his microphone to Laird with a mysterious smile.


    I could see Laird¡¯s back in close range. My heart was beating fast. I realized something was very wrong. Laird didn¡¯t look at me; he was unwilling to talk to me, and now he didn¡¯t even show his usual mischievous smile.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Laird said calmly.


    ¡°I¡¯m actually in a dilemma right now. I can¡¯t decide which is true, which is honest, and which is a lie. I might not even care anymore about who is telling the truth.¡± He paused and then continued his sentence.


    ¡°One thing I know. Trust is like a thin piece of paper. Once you crumple it, it¡¯ll be broken. And for me, I don¡¯t know how long or how much effort it takes to make it smooth again.¡±


    Lairdughed bitterly, then took a deep breath.


    ¡°I know this might sound ridiculous, but I choose honesty. I value it more than anything else. I know what it feels like to be lied to and betrayed, and I don¡¯t want that to happen to me again.¡±


    Why did Laird say that? I became more restless because of his words. The drum beats sounded like background music.


    Suddenly, Laird stepped forward.


    No, he didn¡¯t step closer. He moved away from me.


    He walked until he stopped, right next to Amy. His hand embraced Amy¡¯s shoulder and then squeezed it.


    ¡°I choose honesty,¡± Laird said.


    Everyone fell silent, except for a few of Amy¡¯s friends. I could see all of my housemates, along with their dance partners, cheering and apuding. Chris, Amy¡¯s secret boyfriend, muttered. Amy disyed a wide smile. Skye covered her mouth with a horrified look.


    A sense of shock spread throughout my body. I covered my mouth with both hands. My body felt weak, and I felt like I was about to copse. With all my strength, I stood up straight. I waited for Laird to say that it was all just a lie, that he was just joking, and that he actually chose me.


    But, no. He truly showed a serious face while his hand embraced Amy¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°What? This is ridiculous!¡± some of the audience grumbled.


    They couldn¡¯t believe Laird, and they protested here and there. When Laird didn¡¯t respond to them, they immediately believed that I had lied.


    ¡°You tricked us!¡± They looked very angry, and they shouted at me.

 The Cold Night

    Fene¡¯s POVC0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I-¡± I tried to speak up to defend myself, and the host immediately handed me the microphone.


    ¡°Where will you donate the donation money, Fene? Do you have any idea?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying! I¡¯m telling the truth! It¡¯s all from my heart, Laird!¡± This time I defended myself, but he still refused to move away from Amy¡¯s side.


    ¡°Okay, calm down, Fene.¡± Leo stepped onto the stage and immediately led me down.


    ¡°No! This isn¡¯t true! I spoke the truth, Laird! Laird!¡±


    I tried to resist Leo and reach for Laird, but Leo¡¯s body was bigger and stronger than mine. After I descended the stairs, some of themittee members also held me back. They dragged me to themittee room.


    ¡°Stay here! Okay? Don¡¯t mess around anymore!¡± Leo scolded.


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°Fene, I¡¯m very disappointed in you. I thought you would embarrass Amy. You said that Laird would choose you over her, but it turned out the other way around.¡± Chris sighed.


    ¡°But I told the truth! Laird went to prom with me! He picked me up!¡± I yelled.


    ¡°That¡¯s not important!¡± Chris roared, then kicked one of the chairs in the room to my side, and almost hit me.


    ¡°The most important thing is Laird¡¯s opinion now.¡± Chris hissed in a low, threatening tone. His eyes red angrily with a furious expression.


    ¡°You lost,¡± Chris said slowly.


    Then they closed themittee room door and locked it from outside. I pounded on the door while shouting.


    ¡°Hey! Let me out! This isn¡¯t fair! I spoke the truth! Laird! Trust me! Amy lied! She doesn¡¯t love you!¡±


    Even though I banged on the door and yelled loudly, no one opened it. Faintly, I could hear the loud cheers of the audience. I didn¡¯t know what was happening out there anymore.


    Unable to fight, I finally sat down weakly behind the door. I hugged my knees to my chest, then hugged them tightly. I cried bitterly, and I continued to cry.


    ***


    I don¡¯t know how long has passed. Suddenly the door opened, and my body immediately jumped up due to the gentle push.


    ¡°Laird?!¡±


    It turns out it¡¯s not Laird.


    ¡°Sorry, Fene.¡± Skye peered through the door she opened.


    ¡°Skye! Where¡¯s Laird? What happened? Is the event over?¡± I asked hurriedly.


    ¡°Yes, the event just ended. Amy and Laird have left. I asked Leo for the key.¡± Skye spoke with a concerned expression.


    ¡°Thank you, Skye.¡± I hugged her tightly, and she patted my back.


    ¡°No problem. I think you can still catch up with Laird. He said he wanted to go straight back to the dorm.¡± Skye released the hug. Then, with a tissue, she wiped away my tears. She also wiped away the eyeliner marks on my cheeks and eyelids.


    ¡°Thank you, Skye. I have to go now.¡±


    I hurriedly ran with my pointed heels. Sure enough, prom night was over, the auditorium started to get empty, and I could easily overtake the other kids to exit the building. My eyes searched among the many blond-haired boys.


    ¡°Oh, Fene. It turns out you¡¯re here.¡± I stopped and turned around. Then I saw Amy standing behind me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for you, Amy,¡± I said.


    Before I could leave, my housemates surrounded me and blocked my path. They grinned at me.


    ¡°You must be surprised to find out that I was chosen by Laird. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve been too busy preparing your stage,¡± Amy said, moving closer to me again. I then turned to face Amy directly.


    ¡°I said, I don¡¯t have time for you,¡± I said impatiently through gritted teeth.


    ¡°But you should apologize to me first before we part ways,¡± Amy said in a sweet, pretending tone.


    ¡°I don¡¯t owe you any apology.¡± I raised my voice.


    Suddenly, I felt water ssh from behind. My mouth was agape as the cold water ran from my hair down to my dress. The water flowed into my shoes.


    It was fragrant, sweet, and sticky. I could even see some fruit slices, various colors, the size of a thumb, sticking to the decorations of my pink dress.


    ¡°For all the humiliations you¡¯ve inflicted on me, you¡¯ve ruined my ns, you¡¯ve taken voting money from me, and you dared challenge me on stage. You know, I¡¯ve liked Laird since 10th grade,¡± Amy roared.


    ¡°You dare to im you are part of our group, but you betray me,¡± Amy hissed while I could only stay silent, staring at the leftover ice cubes from the fruit punch at the tip of my shoe.


    ¡°Stupid bitch,¡± Amy grumbled while walking past me.


    After getting bored because I didn¡¯t fight back, they finally left me alone. I certainly wouldn¡¯t cry. Although some other kidsughed at me with their cameras raised to record my pathetic state, I didn¡¯t cry.


    No, I had to focus on my main goal right now. Without thinking about Amy¡¯s and my housemates¡¯ treatment anymore, I took a deep breath.


    I took off the shoes I was wearing and then ran with bare feet on the asphalt road. Regardless of the taunts and angry shouts from other kids who saw me, I ran as fast as I could to Laird¡¯s dormitory.


    I ignored the pain and kept running until I reached the male dormitory cluster. As I got closer to the alley leading to Laird¡¯s dorm, I finally found him.


    ¡°Laird!¡± I shouted from afar, and Laird turned slowly.


    As soon as Laird stopped walking, I dragged my feet to rush towards him. His forehead wrinkled. He might be confused with me walking barefoot in a damped dress. Each shoe was crushed in both hands, and I kept approaching him.


    ¡°Laird! Tell me it¡¯s not true! Are you involved with Amy? Did you really choose Amy? What¡¯s wrong with me?¡± I asked quickly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like you.¡± Laird said it coldly.


    ¡°What? You¡¯re lying, right? I know you¡¯re lying. If you¡¯re lying, maybe you¡¯re just teasing me as usual. If so, it¡¯s okay, but why are you joking like this?¡± I asked quickly.


    ¡°Enough, Fene. I¡¯m sick of you.¡± Laird¡¯s voice was still low, and there was no smile on his lips at all. His green eyes stared at me with anger.


    ¡°Why are you saying that? What did I do wrong? Why don¡¯t you like me? Give me a clear reason.¡± Tears started to fall again on my cheeks.

 All This Time

    Laird¡¯s POV


    Fene and I were still sitting on the balcony. Even as night fell, we devoted our time fully to understanding each other. I was already on my third cigarette.


    At first, I thought I wanted to bury all the bad memories from high school, but it turned out that those feelings kept piling up. Resentment and trauma remained. So, I gave Fene and myself the chance to talk about it. There was no need to avoid or hide the frustrations I¡¯d been holding onto for so long.


    Now, I felt certain that we wouldn¡¯t be able to maintain this rtionship if we didn¡¯t openly confront our emotional wounds.


    ¡°That¡¯s how I¡¯ve felt all this time, Laird. In my view, you have always disappointed me. You always chose to distance yourself and leave me when things got bad.¡±


    ¡°I think I want to face my feelings properly. I want our rtionship to seed, so I know now it¡¯s time to resolve all the grudges and mistrust I have towards you.¡± She looked at me as I processed everything she had said.


    ¡°If after this you still think my ambitions bother you, or if you feel you can¡¯t face me anymore¡­¡± her voice choked.


    I let Fene express everything she felt. Everything she thought about me and uncovering the things we had been hiding. It turned out those bad memories were quite heavy.


    It had never crossed my mind that Fene experienced such bad things in high school. She always showed a cheerful impression. She didin once or twice about Amy, but I ignored it, thinking it was just her jealousy.


    Now that I knew everything, I felt stupid.


    ¡°Laird?¡±


    I snorted and chuckled softly. I could only shake my head in disbelief at everything she had just told me. If everything Fene said was true, then I was the dumbest man ever.


    I thought I was good at reading people¡¯s hearts, but when it came to Fene, I was blind. I never expected someone would take advantage of my feelings for her. Worse, that person was Amy, Fene¡¯s bully.


    ¡°Oh, God, Fene. Honestly, I don¡¯t even know what to say anymore.¡± I rubbed my face and neck repeatedly, feeling ufortable.


    ¡°Why? Is something wrong?¡± she asked, furrowing her brow.


    ¡°Yes. All of this is wrong. Now I know why you¡¯ve always med me, while I was also traumatized and always med you,¡± Iughed as my wrist wiped the corner of my watery eye.


    I felt ridiculous.


    ¡°Laird? Are you crying?¡± She asked, leaning closer to see me better.


    ¡°Yes, I think so.¡± I took a deep breath.


    God, save me.


    ¡°Really?¡± she asked in disbelief.


    I could onlyugh at my own foolishness and shake my head again. My mouth moved from rising frustration to swearing.


    ¡°Why, Laird? Tell me,¡± she urged.


    ¡°Oof, how do I even say this to you?¡± I took another strong drag on my cigarette while she could only long-stare at me.


    ¡°Uhm, Fene, I might need to tell you what I¡¯ve believed all this time.¡± I prepared myself to tell everything from my perspective.


    ¡°Are you going to tell me how much you hated me for confessing my love to you in front of everyone at prom night?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly like that, but I think you should know,¡± I said, staring at her intently.


    ¡°It seems I¡¯ve misunderstood you all this time.¡± I propped my elbows on my thighs and cradled my face with frustration.


    ¡°Misunderstood?¡±


    My heart sank upon hearing the confused and scared tone in Fene¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Misunderstood about what?¡± she asked again.


    Oh, damn! How could I confess to her now? I shook my head. It felt hard to tell her everything.


    ¡°Listen, I think I¡¯ve been manipted by your friend, Amy,¡± I confessed slowly.


    The atmosphere grew tense. I could almost hear my own heartbeat in front of Fene. Fear pierced my heart at that moment.


    How could I tell her that I was so foolish to be easily manipted? Maybe I was too arrogant because I have often been praised as a prodigy since childhood. It weighed me down, and now it turned out to be false.


    Damn it! I was the one who messed up my rtionship with Fene. All because of the jealousy that consumed me.


    ¡°I have a bad feeling. Has she been the reason you rejected me back then?¡± she asked me.


    I stared at her for a long time before finally nodding. At that silent answer, her eyes widened, and her mouth gaped. My heart pounded.


    ¡°What did Amy actually do at prom night?¡± she asked me.


    ¡°Before I tell you, I just want to make one thing clear. I want our rtionship to work,¡± I said, as if setting a condition for her not to be angry with me.


    ¡°Yes, I do too,¡± she nodded.


    ¡°I hope after this, we can stop being suspicious of each other,¡± I said.


    ¡°Yes, I hope so too,¡± she nodded again.


    ¡°And after this, I think I should do my own investigation,¡± I said cautiously.


    ¡°Investigation?¡± she asked, widening her eyes and gaping.


    ¡°Amy, your housemate, is the source of our ongoing problem. I know I shouldn¡¯t me her, but what she did to me was a severe blow, and I think to this day, her shadow continues to haunt us.¡±


    ***


    Prom night, the end of twelfth grade¡­


    I stood silently watching as Fene¡¯s back grew further away from me. She left with a broad smile, as if assuring me that everything would be fine and I didn¡¯t need to worry. Unfortunately, the more she asked me not to worry, the more worried I became.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    How could I not? Fene was impulsive. She could do anything unpredictable when faced with a pressing situation. Now, I didn¡¯t know what she was going to do, but I had a bad feeling.


    I chose to walk to the table where the fruit punch was served at the drink counter. Just as I was about to grab a ss and fill it with sweet fruit punch, someone called my name in a tone I never liked.


    ¡°Laird¡­¡± her voice dragged on, and she sighed.


    My body turned, and I raised an eyebrow as I saw the girl. Amy is Fene¡¯s housemate. Not that I wanted to be cocky, but that girl was persistent. She kept inviting me to do various activities together that I didn¡¯t like.


    Go to a billiards ce? Not if it meant I had to y against her. Ice skating, roller skating, bakery, and amusement park? I never had time for that.


    For years, I focused my mind on academics and baseball to distract myself from the issues of my parents¡¯ divorce, even though I really wanted to spend time with Fene. I had decided back then that I would let Fene have fun with her friends. Unfortunately, she chose to be friends with Amy.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I replied briefly.


    ¡°Oh,e on, why so stiff?¡± she asked, trying to wrap her arm around mine, but I backed out.


    ¡°Er, sorry, I forgot your name.¡± Of course, I was lying.


    ¡°You¡¯re so funny, Laird. It¡¯s me, Amy Schmidt.¡±

 The Fake One

    Laird¡¯s POV


    Come on, even if she said her name multiple times, I would still try to forget it. I didn¡¯t know why she thought I would wee her feelings. Again, I didn¡¯t want to be full of myself, but she always bothered me, whether in sses or on the baseball field.


    Well, I have to admit, she was physically attractive. I even thought she looked a bit like Fene. Her hair was bright and straight blonde, just like Fene¡¯s. However, her lips were too thin for my taste. Her blue eyes were darker, unlike Fene¡¯s bright irises, like a summer sky.


    In terms of bodynguage and personality, I never liked Amy. If I had to write down all the differences between Amy and Fene, it would probably take me at least 24 hours to finish.


    Even so, I still tried to be nice to Amy because she seemed to be Fene¡¯s best friend. Although I didn¡¯t know why she insisted on being friends with Amy, I respected her decision.


    ¡°Laird, I didn¡¯t know you were alone. Would you like me to apany you to dance?¡± she asked me.


    ¡°No, thank you. I already have a dance partner.¡± I declined as curtly as if rejecting a salesperson.


    ¡°Oh, yeah? Then, where¡¯s your dance partner?¡± She asked, looking around me.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Er, well, she has something to take care of.¡± I shrugged. Something about a surprise that I felt would be another of Fene¡¯s silly ideas, but I chose to be patient.


    ¡°I think I know what it is. Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± She asked softly in a low voice. She smiled at me with a hidden meaning behind her lips.


    ¡°Oh, yeah? Tell me if you know.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I don¡¯t know. I feel like you¡¯ll forget it right after I tell you. It seems you have memory issues since you always forget my name,¡± she said, crossing her arms and pouting.


    I squinted my eyes as I looked at her now. She might be trying to trade something for information that I still doubted the truth of. I didn¡¯t know what she wanted, and I thought it wasn¡¯t a good idea to follow her request.


    ¡°Alright, if you don¡¯t want to tell me, it¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll just wait for Fene,¡± I said skeptically.


    My hand reached out again for thedle in the fruit punch bowl. Suddenly, Amy leaned closer to me and whispered in my ear from behind.


    ¡°Laird, what if I told you that Fene has been lying to you?¡±


    Hearing that whisper, I stopped reaching for thedle. This time, I started feeling increasingly ufortable with her presence. I ced the empty ss on the counter and turned to face her directly.


    ¡°Can you stop doing this? You¡¯re making me ufortable with your lies,¡± I said harshly with a furrowed brow.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯ve made you ufortable by telling the truth,¡± she blinked while twisting a strand of her blonde hair.


    ¡°Listen, Amy.¡± I finally said her name through gritted teeth.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you want, but I hate two-faced liars. Hasn¡¯t Fene always been kind to you and considered you her friend? Why are you doing this to her?¡±


    I really didn¡¯t know what this girl wanted. It seemed she enjoyed provoking my anger.


    ¡°Oh, Laird. Please don¡¯t be angry,¡± she said with a fake expression of sadness.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to deceive you at all. I¡¯m really sincere about wanting to help you. You know I like you, so I can¡¯t bear to see you being yed by your best friend.¡± This time her brow furrowed deeply, and she bit her lower lip. She then nced nervously to the right and left.


    ¡°Okay, how about this? You follow me, and I¡¯ll show you that what I said is the truth. After that, I won¡¯t bother you anymore. Besides, we won¡¯t see each other again after tonight.¡± She raised both her hands.


    ¡°What do you say?¡± she asked, still trying to persuade me.


    ¡°Seriously, Amy. What exactly do you want to tell me?¡± I asked, squinting my eyes.


    ¡°I just feel like you can help me, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll refuse unless you see the truth about Fene,¡± she exhaled deeply.


    I stared at her intently. I swore I didn¡¯t want to be deceived by this snake of a woman, but she seemed so confident in her information. Damn it, anything concerning Fene Baxter always made me curious. Especially since I was standing here alone, waiting like an idiot.


    I waited a bit longer, weighing Amy¡¯s words while hoping Fene would show up and send Amy away. But she didn¡¯te, and I started to doubt my faith in her.


    ¡°If you pull any tricks, I¡¯ll leave immediately,¡± I said coldly.


    ¡°Trust me, you won¡¯t regret following me,¡± she tried to reassure me again with a smile spreading across her lips.


    ¡°Lead the way.¡± I nodded.


    Amy grinned and raised her index finger. Then she gestured for me to follow her. She turned her slender body, and I followed her. We navigated through the crowd of students filling the auditorium until we moved further from the drink counter.


    I furrowed my brow even deeper. Curiosity began to surround me. Amy led me further away from the crowd, toward the backstage area. Again, I didn¡¯t want to be cocky, but I wondered if she just wanted to seduce me in a secluded ce.


    The backstage area seemed restricted to the prom nightmittee. There were also a few people lining up, seemingly waiting to go on stage for some quiz show nonsense.


    Amy stopped walking. She told me to peek through a small door into the hallway beside the auditorium. We pressed our bodies against the wall. I stood behind Amy because I was taller than her. Then she pointed toward the dim hallway.


    ¡°There, you can see for yourself. That¡¯s Fene and her boyfriend,¡± Amy whispered.


    Hearing Amy¡¯s words, my mind was blown away. My heart raced, and my eyes widened. I looked closely into the dark, almost empty alley.


    I could clearly see a blonde girl in a pink dress. She moved, and for a moment, her face caught the light. My chest pounded erratically, and suddenly, I felt an overwhelming anger.


    Fene stood there, hugging someone. The hallway was too dark for me to see the person¡¯s face, but his tall frame convinced me it was a boy, not a girl. Then she kissed the boy.


    I felt blind with rage. A faint ringing echoed in my head as I took a step back. My face felt hot, and I didn¡¯t want to ept the reality in front of me. I swallowed hard, trying to resist punching the wall even though my fists were tightly clenched at my sides.


    Fene kissed that boy affectionately. Damn it! Is this what heartbreak feels like? I had nned to ask Fene out once we returned to Boston. But this was something I never imagined.


    ¡°See? I wasn¡¯t lying, right?¡± Amy brushed the cor of my jacket and stopped me from moving backward.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Information alwayses with a price, doesn¡¯t it?


    ¡°I just want your support. Nothing more,¡± she said.


    ¡°Support in what?¡± I asked, bing increasingly impatient with narrowed eyes.


    My head throbbed, and anger had burned my heart to ashes. My heart instantly felt numb.


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out when the timees. Just stay at this event until your name is called on stage,¡± she patted my chest.

 Ghost from The Past

    Fene¡¯s POV


    My mouth hung open in disbelief at everything Laird told me. So, Amy was behind all my bad luck all this time? My bully was the one who had been the wall between Laird and me.


    I had suspected Amy for a long time that she was the cause of my n¡¯s failure at prom night. But I never expected her to use me like that in front of Laird.


    ¡°So, is that the real reason you rejected me back then?¡±


    He sighed deeply. His cigarette was finished, the story had been pieced together, and now all that was left was regret that came toote. Laird shrugged.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been a jerk, Fene. My mistake all this time was jumping to conclusions too quickly and getting angry without confirming things with you. Even now, I admit my anger still leads me to make irrational decisions.¡±


    ¡°So, about the type of girl you like being a model or Charlotte McMillian-¡±


    ¡°It was all nonsense that blurted out. I told you, I just randomly pointed at a billboard.¡± Laird cut me off.


    I pressed my lips tightly together. My breath felt heavy, and I struggled to digest all these revtions. The truth really is hard to swallow, especially when it makes you realize you¡¯ve wasted seven years chasing after an empty validation.


    The worst part was that validation could have been gained much sooner by just having an honest, heart-to-heart conversation! My ego and pride, which I¡¯d held so high all this time, now make me feel incredibly foolish!


    ¡°I feel so ridiculous,¡± I murmured.


    ¡°Don¡¯t. I¡¯m the ridiculous one. Even now, I¡¯ve treated you poorly. I just can¡¯t control my jealousy.¡± He clenched and tugged at his hair.


    ¡°I can¡¯t control it. Since prom night, I¡¯ve always thought I would be betrayed by any woman. I don¡¯t want to end up like my father.¡± His hands trembled as he gripped his blonde hair tightly.


    ¡°Especially by you. I can¡¯t lose you again. If you chose another man while I am still deeply in love with you like this, I-¡± His voice choked, and tears welled up in his eyes.


    Seeing him so vulnerable, my heart ached too. His heartache must have been so deep since his teenage years. My mind shed back to memories of us sitting on the morning bus, his usually strong and firm shoulders slumping and weakened.


    ¡°Laird.¡± I moved closer to him.


    I kneeled down to meet his gaze. My hand reached for his hand, still clenched tightly on his head. My tears flowed gently down my cheeks.


    ¡°Forgive me. Maybe I¡¯m just half a man. I¡¯m a mess and not as great as you¡¯ve always imagined. In truth, I¡¯m the one who needs saving, and I¡¯m the ridiculous one,¡± he squeezed my hand.


    Without thinking much, I hugged him. I let his head rest on my shoulder so he could find some peace. A man as tough as him could still cry at this age. He was scared, and so was I.


    ¡°Hey, Laird, it¡¯s okay. We can get through this together,¡± I said, hugging him tightly as my vision blurred with my own tears.


    He hugged me tightly, as if he never wanted to let go again. I kept whispering the same words-that everything would be okay-in between my sobs. Just like before, I would always be by his side, and we would get through this together. This time, for real.


    After a while, he released me. He cupped my face and looked at me for a long time, as if searching for sincerity in my expression. Without warning, he kissed my lips gently. Our wet cheeks added a salty taste to our lips.


    All the misunderstandings were gone. All the negative thoughts had been resolved. The anxiety and restlessness in our hearts were revealed clearly, with nothing left unsaid.


    We learned to express all our feelings honestly, no matter how bad they might be. I think that¡¯s the only way to eliminate misunderstandings between us. Communication is what we needed all this time to save our love.


    ***


    ¡°Hey, Fene.¡±


    Laird whispered in my ear. We stood on the balcony, enjoying the view of the clear night sky. He hugged me from behind, warming me while I wrapped my arms around his to give him warmth.


    ¡°Yes, Laird.¡±


    ¡°I think I really need to investigate n¡¯s background after this. If necessary, I¡¯ll hire a private detective,¡± he said softly.


    ¡°Huh? Did I hear that right?¡± I blinked.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m serious,¡± he replied with a stern voice.


    I knew he still didn¡¯t like n. Even though he hade to understand my selfishness about Mallory, which had made him furious, we both agreed that none of this would have happened if it hadn¡¯t been for n¡¯s reckless behavior in spreading lies about our rtionship.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know; I feel like we should slowly distance ourselves from him. I don¡¯t want to cause too much trouble, Laird. I¡¯ll start looking for ways to leave Gene.¡± I shook my head.


    ¡°Besides, he hasn¡¯tmitted any crimes. It¡¯s just a publicity stunt that might attract reporters,¡± I shrugged.


    I really didn¡¯t want to cause any more problems. My career was still at stake, with n, my boss, being the one controlling my way. One wrong move, and I didn¡¯t know what would happen to me.


    Even though I was starting to lose motivation to pursue a career as a model, I still wanted to find new opportunities around me. At the very least, my modeling career still gave me money to survive.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m going to investigate it thoroughly until I¡¯m satisfied. I need to know what the rtionship between n and Amy is. I can¡¯t let him keep bothering you and our rtionship,¡± said Laird.


    ¡°Why did he show up when we met again? Why does he keep bothering you?¡± Laird squinted his eyes, furrowing his brow deeply.


    ¡°Wait a minute, what exactly is the connection between n and Amy?¡± I asked.


    Laird stepped back and looked at me with a confused expression. He studied my eyes, which clearly didn¡¯t understand what he was saying.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t realized it?¡±


    ¡°No. What is it?¡± I asked. Uh, yeah, maybe I was too slow to notice something.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you, and don¡¯t be surprised,¡± he said slowly.


    Hearing that, I took a deep breath. ¡°Alright, I¡¯m ready,¡± I said firmly.


    ¡°I just realized it now after confirming our stories. n and Amy have the samest name, Schmidt. n is an alumnus of our school, and he said he was our senior, right?¡±


    Hearing that, my heart felt like it was jumping out of my chest. I covered my open mouth with both hands. My breath caught, and I felt my brain buzzing loudly as if an rm was ring. I came to the only conclusion I could draw from Laird¡¯s exnation.


    ¡°Are they siblings? Does it mean n is Amy¡¯s elder brother?¡± My voice stuttered.


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    ¡°But that didn¡¯t make sense. n is charismatic, has a lot of talent, and he¡¯s popr and handsome. Amy should have been showing off n as her proud brother.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I still need to investigate whether they have a biological rtionship or if their sharedst name is just a coincidence. What¡¯s clear is that I need to investigate this with all the contacts I can ask for help.¡± His eyes gleamed with determination.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.

 Biting the Bait

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°Please, Fene. Stop with this silent treatment.¡±


    Jessy begged me. I hadn¡¯t spoken to him for over a week, hadn¡¯t responded to his messages, and hadn¡¯t answered his calls. Maybe I was being immature and should have been more professional, but I was still upset with him.


    I had learned that the key to a good rtionship ismunication. That¡¯s what I learned with Laird. But honestly, that advice only applies to people I really want to keep in my life.


    Toxic people like n, or those who im to be friends but are never there when I need them, like Jessy, are the kind of people I need to cut out of my life.


    Unfortunately, Jessy was still my agent, and n was still my boss. Nothing had changed, even though I wished it would.


    ¡°Fene,e on. It¡¯s been a week,¡± he said firmly, trying to intimidate me like he always did when we argued. Of course, I still ignored him.


    I had just finished recording and shooting themercial for Muses perfume. Jessy had chased me into the dressing room after the shoot ended. He confronted me as soon as I changed my clothes.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Fine, if you don¡¯t want to talk to me, you at least have an obligation to sign the contract and tell me whether you¡¯re willing to take the acting sses,¡± he said quickly as he followed me.


    ¡°What? Acting sses?¡±


    I stopped in my tracks. I turned to face Jessy and looked at him intently.


    ¡°Finally! Thank God!¡± Jessy sighed in relief.


    ¡°What do you mean by acting sses?¡± I demanded coldly, ignoring his joyful expression.


    ¡°If you¡¯re curious, you¡¯ll follow me to the cafe across the street; we¡¯ll talk more over coffee, lift our spirits, and we can discuss your projects for the rest of the year.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, Jessy! You know I¡¯m still mad at you!¡± I narrowed my eyes and groaned in annoyance.


    ¡°Yeah, I know! But we still have to settle this professionally,¡± he insisted.


    ¡°Fine!¡± I huffed, and I walked towards the cafe across from the studio.


    ***


    ¡°n is opening enrollment for talent at the office to take acting sses during the winter break. The sses start in early December and run until the 20th,¡± Jessy exined as he handed me my hot coffee.


    ¡°Just three weeks?¡± I asked, unsure.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just three weeks. These sses will run every day, intensively. n is only offering this opportunity to a few models and some new actors.¡±


    ¡°Let me see the brochure.¡± I reached out to Jessy, and he handed over the introductory brochure for the acting sses at a Broadway theater.


    ¡°If you¡¯re interested, sign the form, and I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± Jessy ced a ck pen on the table.


    ¡°This looks good,¡± I said as I examined the brochure.


    It was a real acting ss, the kind that actors often take to improve their skills. The theater was well-known, and the price per person wasn¡¯t cheap.


    No, wait. This is fishy.


    ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m not interested anymore. I know this is just another trap n set for me.¡± I tossed the brochure gently onto the table.


    ¡°Hey! That was rude! Besides, you¡¯re being very unprofessional if you turn down this opportunity because of personal issues with me or n.¡± Jessy protested loudly, but I kept a cold face.


    ¡°My issue with n and you is a professional one. n didn¡¯t inform me about the marketing and publicity strategy, so I got caught up in the lie about my rtionship with him.¡± I shook my head, frowning.


    ¡°You see how all my fans on social media now think I¡¯m really dating n!¡± I pressed my palms against the table.


    ¡°So what about me? You¡¯re mad at me because I couldn¡¯t be a good friend to you, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m mad at you because I can¡¯t rely on you as my agent. You weren¡¯t even there at the afterparty when it happened,¡± I protested loudly.


    ¡°Oh,e on, Fene. How many times do I have to tell you that Mike forced me?¡±


    ¡°Aha! Mike! Now it¡¯s clear who¡¯s the most unprofessional here,¡± I eximed.


    Jessy froze, and so did I, as I kept breathing quickly from my nearly exploding emotions. He stared at me with a sorrowful expression, then rubbed his temples.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll admit it now. I¡¯ve been unprofessional with you. I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said with tears in his eyes.


    ¡°Oh, hell, no. Are you going to cry now and expect me to be moved?¡± I scoffed and rolled my eyes.


    Even though I knew I¡¯d easily forgive Jessy when he cried, this wasn¡¯t the first time we argued. We¡¯ve been through this for over seven years, and Jessy knew my weakness.


    Ugh, damn! I can¡¯t stand tears! I might cry too when I see someone else cry.


    ¡°No, really, I¡¯m sorry, Fene.¡± His voice was getting hoarse.


    ¡°No need to apologize, Jessy. I think I¡¯ve had enough of all this. I want to leave Gene,¡± I said firmly.


    ¡°What do you mean leave?¡± Jessy¡¯s mouth gaped, and his eyes widened.


    ¡°Leave. Resign. I¡¯m going to look for a new agent or a new job,¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°You can¡¯t leave. You¡¯ve signed contracts for work as the main model. You¡¯re exclusive to Gene, and only Gene could make a deal with another agency for your name.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I can. I¡¯m going to resign from Gene. Then I¡¯ll look for new opportunities and a new career.¡± I crossed my arms in front of my chest.


    ¡°Fene, I know you¡¯re impulsive, but you can¡¯t make decisions when you¡¯re angry. It won¡¯t be good for you or your career in the future.¡±


    ¡°No, Jessy. This isn¡¯t just an impulsive decision. Laird and I have talked about this for a long time. Plus, with this incident, I think it¡¯s myst push to leave Gene,¡± I said firmly.


    ¡°But you¡¯re so close to being entitled to be a supermodel afterpleting all the projects you signed up for. You could be hit with a hefty penalty fine if you break your contract as the main model.¡±


    Jessy pinched the air between his thumb and index finger to show how close I was to the title of supermodel. I sat silent, considering the issue of paying a fine. I kept a defensive posture, sitting firm in front of Jessy.


    ¡°I guess I don¡¯t need that title anymore. If having that title means losing Laird, I¡¯m willing to throw it all away.¡±


    Jessy shook his head. He sighed deeply, still in disbelief at my sudden decision. ¡°Fene, you¡¯re blinded by your love for Laird.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but that¡¯s what drives me to be a model, gives me the energy to find myself, and makes me realize I don¡¯t need any more nonsense from you or n.¡±


    Jessy paused, and now tears really fell down his cheeks. ¡°No, Fene. Please don¡¯t leave me. I can¡¯t lose anyone else.¡± He sobbed, and my hands went limp at my sides as I watched him.


    ¡°Oh,e on, Jessy. I¡¯m not dead,¡± I said with wavering determination.


    ¡°Yeah, but you¡¯re leaving me alone at Gene. Mike even broke up with me.¡±


    What?! He cried with a high-pitched voice, making his nose stuffy. I forced myself not to feel touched, but eventually, my heart weakened quickly.


    ¡°Oh, Jessy. I¡¯m sorry to hear that.¡±


    In the end, I hugged him, and he nodded as he continued to cry. Guilt overwhelmed me, and I let Jessy cry on my shoulder. Slowly, I started to shed tears too, and a few minutester, Jessy finally stopped crying.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go back to your apartment so you can calmly tell me more about it. We can also discuss my decision to leave Gene further. We can talk it over with your favorite wine. How does that sound?¡±


    Jessy wiped his tears dry with a tissue. His nose was red, and he tried to breathe deeply several times to clear his airway. After he calmed down enough, he pursed his lips and nodded.


    ¡°But I need to go back to the office first to give these contract documents to n. He needs an answer today,¡± he said, wiping his tears.


    ¡°Ugh, alright. I¡¯ll sign these contracts, but I won¡¯t take the acting sses. Consider these projects as myst ones at Gene.¡±


    I quickly signed the pile of contracts. I still trusted Jessy as my agent. Maybe yesterday he really needed time alone with Mike to resolve their issues, which ended in a breakup?


    Well, no one¡¯s perfect. Damn! Now I feel like I¡¯ve been selfish and a jerk as a friend to Jessy.


    As for my professional decision, I¡¯m firm. I¡¯m going to resign and won¡¯t sign any more projects with Gene starting next year.


    ¡°Come on, Jessy. Let¡¯s get out of here,¡± I said as I handed the contract folder to Jessy.

 Resignation Letter

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°I want to quit,¡± I said as I ced the white envelope on n¡¯s desk.


    n looked at the envelope and raised one eyebrow. I had prepared myself for n¡¯s possible outburst, knowing how he could be extremely temperamental when he was angry. Everyone knew how n could be very vtile when upset.


    I swallowed hard, bracing myself for n¡¯s reaction, but he simply remained seated in his chair. He tapped his pen on his hand. n just sat there, staring at the envelope, with both elbows resting on the armrests of his chair.


    After a while, he finally swiveled his chair to face me directly. He uncrossed his legs and propped both elbows on the desk.


    I tightened my fingers around my small white bag. My body was stiff in the chair, waiting for n¡¯s reaction as if I were awaiting a judge¡¯s verdict. He then looked at me coldly.


    ¡°Is this an April Fool¡¯s joke?¡± He asked, frowning with a raised eyebrow, dismissing me.


    ¡°It¡¯s December 1st, n, not April 1st. This is not a joke,¡± I said quietly, emphasizing that I was not making a prank.


    ¡°Then why are you handing over this nonsense letter?¡± he asked as he opened the envelope and quickly read the letter.


    ¡°Because I want to resign from Gene.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t quit Gene, not ever.¡± He ced my letter down as if disgusted by it.


    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense, n. I can quit,¡± I insisted, leaning in closer.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t quit. I know you didn¡¯t read the contract, but I¡¯m sure Laird should have informed you before you submitted your resignation.¡±


    ¡°Uhm, I haven¡¯t told him yet. I wanted to surprise him; I know he will be very pleased to hear it,¡± I said with a shrug.


    ¡°Aha! No wonder. If you had told him, he would have been shocked to receive this bad news from you, and he would immediately suffer a severe migraine.¡± n¡¯s hand massaged one side of his temple as if he were actually suffering a migraine due to my resignation letter.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know that,¡± I said, shaking my head.


    ¡°Yes, I do. Because I know the contract states that you will work at Gene for five years, and if you choose to terminate the contract before the term, you have to repay all the money and bonuses that have been given to you.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± I asked, my eyes widening and taking a quick breath. ¡°How could you do this to me?¡±From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°That¡¯s what you signed. It¡¯s a standard contract for lead models.¡± n pointed his chin.


    ¡°This is fraud, and I can sue you with Laird.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯m sure Laird understands this better.¡± n leaned back in his chair.


    I remained silent for a long time, reflecting on my own foolishness. Ugh, yes, I had never read the entire contract. How could I digest all those legal uses? My confidence began to wane with the reality nid out.


    ¡°Why do you want to quit? Are you still angry about what happened with Mallory, hmm?¡±


    ¡°Exactly. n, you¡¯ve ruined my rtionship with Laird. You don¡¯t know what I¡¯ve been through to make up with him.¡± I spontaneously voiced the feelings I had been holding back for a week.


    I had tried repeatedly to meet with n but only had the chance today. In truth, my decision was not solely based on frustration with n¡¯s attitude. It was more than that!


    n Schmidt might be Amy Schmidt¡¯s brother and my biggest bully in high school. No wonder he did all these things to me, and he might even be sabotaging my career and my rtionship with Laird. He was like a male version of Amy!


    One word that came to mind when I realized n might be rted to Amy was ¡®run¡¯. I should have run away from them as far as I could!


    n sighed deeply. He folded his lips inward and then spoke again.


    ¡°Okay, fine. I admit it was my fault for not exining it better to you and forcing you to follow my scheme. The problem was, yesterday I ran out of time to exin it to you because you left in a hurry after the fashion show and you didn¡¯te earlier to the after-party.¡±


    ¡°Oh, great! Now you¡¯re ming me? For some reason, you seem to be defending yourself now.¡± I cut him off.


    ¡°If you keep pretending to be the victim and being defensive, I won¡¯t be nice anymore. I don¡¯t care if you sue me, but I will be your biggest enemy and leave here holding a grudge against you, your family, and all your descendants.¡±


    My words began to get out of control, and I was gasping for breath. My hands were raised, gripping the air as if I were trying to restrain myself with all my might.


    n remained silent, blinking repeatedly. Maybe I was acting like a mad woman, but I was truly desperate to leave Gene. I was utterly fed up with dealing with n and all the maniption he had done!


    ¡°Wow. I¡¯m shocked, Fene. I did all that to boost your career. I worked hard, but if you despise me that much, I will give up.¡± n raised both hands in surrender.


    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll let me go?¡±


    ¡°Yes, if that¡¯s what you want. Consider it as if I fire you, and in that case, you won¡¯t have to pay anypensation.¡± He spoke coldly with his hands clenched on the desk, as if trying to suppress his anger.


    ¡°But?¡± I knew there would be additional conditions he would ask for.


    ¡°Complete all the projects you¡¯ve signed, and don¡¯t ever expect Mallory to give you any attention again.¡±


    I swallowed hard. Everyone knew how Mallory West was the cruelest grudge-holder in the entertainment industry. She once made an entire album about her cheating ex, and that album won her various music awards. She had also made life difficult for everyone she considered a betrayer until they werepletely sunk in the fashion or entertainment industry.


    I began to doubt my decision. Did I really want to be on the opposite side of Mallory West? But it shouldn¡¯t be that bad as long as I don¡¯t attack her directly, right? It wouldn¡¯t be that bad.


    ¡°Alright. Anyway, I¡¯ve only met Mallory once; she might not even consider me a friend.¡±


    There was indeed a small feeling of disappointment, but I maintained my resolve.


    ¡°You really prefer Laird over your career, don¡¯t you?¡± n snorted, and his lopsided grin clearly mocked me.


    ¡°Yes. My decision is final,¡± I said coldly.


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    ***


    I tasted my own bolognese sauce from the tip of the spoon. Yes, it was indeed unusual, but I thought cooking dinner for Laird would be a good distraction from all my bad thoughts.


    Just earlier this afternoon, I was determined to quit Gene, but by tonight, I was beginning to feel that I had made the wrong decision. My mind kept imagining various negative oues that hadn¡¯t happened yet, but they made me anxious.


    I knew it was my anxiety and overthinking acting up, but all the online articles mentioned that a new hobby would help us forget our worries.


    ¡°Yuck!¡± I grimaced and stuck out my tongue.


    The taste of my sauce was sour and too spicy on my tongue, even though I followed the recipe he sent this afternoon through the messaging app. I didn¡¯t understand how Laird could make his instant spaghetti sauce taste so amazing.


    Suddenly, the door opened, signaling that Laird had returned. Sure enough, Laird appeared with a wide smile on his face.


    ¡°Fene!¡±


    He hugged me tightly and swept me off my feet. Then he kissed my cheek and my lips repeatedly with quick pecks.


    ¡°What¡¯s up, Laird?¡± I chuckled, amused by his behavior. This was the first time I saw Lairdugh so broadly and look so happy.


    ¡°We did it! A major developer from LA just told us that they want to coborate with us!¡±

 My Supermodel

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°Is that so? That¡¯s incredible, baby!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Heughed.


    My eyes widened, and a wide smile spread across my face. My expression mirrored Laird¡¯s, who also appeared delighted by this joyful news. We embraced tightly, and Laird even spontaneously lifted my body. He even spun us around for a moment with our enthusiasticughter.


    When Laird seemed to starting down from his excitement, he gently set me back down. He was panting, his face flushed, and his lips curled into a joyful smile.


    ¡°Congrattions, honey,¡± I whispered softly and then kissed his cheek.


    ¡°Thank you, hun. It¡¯s all thanks to you,¡± he stroked my cheek with his thumb.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s all because of your hard work, Dave, and Rowan. You¡¯ve done an incredible job,¡± we said, looking into each other¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°In that case, you are still my lucky charm because the game they epted is a game about you.¡± Hearing that, my eyes blinked, and my mouth fell open.


    ¡°A game about a model?¡± I asked in astonishment.


    ¡°Yup. The game is called ¡®My Supermodel¡¯,¡± he grinned broadly.


    ¡°Oh. Well, Laird. That¡¯s amazing news,¡± I told him.


    My heart sank upon hearing it. His career was flourishing, while I had just submitted my resignation from Gene¡¯s office. Ironically, he was developing a game about a supermodel, while I might have just thrown away my chances to earn that title.


    Of course, I couldn¡¯t tell him now. I would maybe reveal this surpriseter, when he was more rxed. I didn¡¯t want to ruin his joy for the moment.


    Laird greedily kissed my lips. Our adrenaline seemed to overflow, making our kiss ecstatic. Luckily, I had turned off the stove, so I felt safe when Laird picked up my body again and had my thighs sping his waist as support.


    He seated my bottom on his sturdy wooden dining table. Our lips were still locked in a passionate embrace, tasting each other¡¯s tongues. His hands began to slip under my shirt, unfastening my bra. He briefly paused our kiss to remove all of them while my hands pulled off his jacket and shirt.


    His hands started to squeeze my breasts and gently pinch my nipples while his lips continued exploring mine. I moaned in pleasure, feeling the sensation spreading from my chest down to my core. Warmth pooled down below. He held me tighter, his hard bulge pressing against my thigh.


    His lips moved down to my neck, sucking forcefully. His tongue yed, licking my neck, causing me to groan. Then he attempted to suck on my nipples, still cupped in his hands. But due to the height difference, he had to bend down.


    ¡°Lie down on the table,¡± he murmured.


    Iplied andy on the dining table. The cold and hard surface gave an unpleasant sensation to my back, but Lairdpensated with the pleasure he delivered through his tongue. He then pulled off my pants until I waspletely naked and spread out on the table.


    ¡°Wow, Fene. This is incredible. This sight¡­¡± His voice trailed off in admiration.


    Laird gazed at me, lying atop his dining table. My face and body felt flushed with embarrassment because it was the first time Iid on a dining table. His eyes roamed as I held my breath.


    ¡°L-Laird¡­¡± I tried to cover my face, but Laird pushed my hands to the sides of my head so I could remain open for his gaze.


    ¡°You are the most delectable and sexiest dish in my life,¡± he whispered.


    The next moment, he sat in a chair. Then his hands flipped me over to lie on my side. With this position, his mouth easily sucked on my nipples. One hand toyed with my nipples with his nimble fingers moving swiftly, while his wet tongue did the same on my other nipple.


    I whimpered and moaned with pleasure. I bit my lower lip to stifle a moan as my hips started moving automatically. Aware of this, Laird¡¯s free hand now pressed my clit. Pleasure now tingles in every sensitive spot of my body.


    ¡°Ah! Yes!¡±


    I groaned loudly as his fingers began entering my pussy. His palm pressed on my clit, while his two fingers pressed on the deepest sensitive spot in my pussy. Thebination of all these sensations felt incredible.


    Minutes passed, with Laird taking me higher and higher. Until I reached the peak of incredible pleasure, groan after groan escaped my mouth. Even though he knew I had achieved my orgasm, he maintained his position on my body.


    His mouth alternated between sucking on my nipples as if findingfort there, while his fingers continued their nimble movements in my pussy. My hips kept moving continuously to fill the emptiness in them. His thumb then flicked my clit while his two fingers skillfully pushed and pressed.


    ¡°Laird!¡± I groaned loudly as the push of the second orgasm shot desire into Laird¡¯s fingers.


    ¡°Suck it,¡± he ordered.


    He brought his wet fingers to my mouth, and I sucked them. The taste of salt and sweetness instantly cleansed my tongue. Laird then stood up. He bent down and turned my body back, lyingpletely on the table.From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Gosh, Laird. I need you,¡± I pleaded with a still-gasping breath.


    ¡°Patience. Just a bit more.¡±


    The next moment, he sucked on my neck before reaching the tip of my cleavage. His mouth and tongue sucked almost all over my firm white breasts until I bit my lower lip again to stifle a moan. Then he sucked and licked my stomach and waist, continuing down to my hips and thighs.


    ¡°Wow.¡± He sighed in front of my pussy before his mouth and tongue teased my pussy.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    I groaned loudly at the insatiable jolt sensation in my pussy. His wet and soft tongue shamelessly explored inside my tight pussy. Again and again, with each lick, I moaned at the rush of pleasure. It didn¡¯t take long for me to reach the third orgasm.


    ¡°Laird, please. I think I¡¯m going to pass out.¡± The little death I had never felt before.


    He removed his pants, put on a condom he took from the kitchen drawer, and began teasing the entrance to my pussy with his cock. I tried to lift my body by supporting myself on my elbows, but Laird shook his head.


    ¡°You should hold on because I won¡¯t finish quickly,¡± he said just before his cock finally prated into my pussy.


    ¡°Oh, yes,¡± he hissed, and so did I.


    His hard shaft prated, and I felt like it filled every core of my body. We were truly the perfect pair. Then he moved back and forth to create friction that made my eyes close and open.


    ¡°Yes, baby, like that.¡± I grimaced.


    His hips moved faster and harder. He pounded me hard. Our breaths were heavy with each pleasurable thrust.


    ¡°Baby, turn around,¡± hemanded me again, and I felt his voice sound very sexy with a low growl.


    I turned around and held onto the side of the table. His hands gripped my hips. Then he inserted his cock back into my pussy from behind.


    ¡°Oh! Gosh!¡± I groaned loudly as the tip of his cock felt so deep, thrusting inside me.


    I groaned, moaned, and whimpered very loudly every time Laird thrust hard. Plus, my clit pressed against the hard, polished wooden table, so I was truly trapped in incredible pleasure.


    ¡°Yes, baby.¡± He groaned at the same time as my orgasmic moans, which I lost count of.


    We fell silent for a while, breathing heavily. Then Laird slowly went to the sink to wrap up the used condom and throw it in the trash can. I got off the dining table and hurried to the bathroom to clean up.


    Right after that, my phone, whichy on the sofa, rang loudly. The ringtone sounded distinctive enough to let me know that the caller was Jessy.

 For Safety Measure

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°Hello, Jessy.¡±


    I picked up the call from my agent. Yes, up until now, he was still my agent, and I still had to answer his calls. He was still my friend because we had made amends, and I had forgiven him for the incident in Mexico.


    In the end, I swallowed my pride and became a good friend to him again. He was struggling with his rtionship with Mike. Honestly, I couldn¡¯t bear to leave him when he needed my help.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Fene, forgive me.¡± His voice was hoarse, and he sounded like he had been crying.


    Oh no. What¡¯s happening now?


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Jessy?¡± I asked, furrowing my brow.


    ¡°It¡¯s an emergency. It¡¯s a mess, and you were right; it¡¯s all my fault,¡± Jessy whimpered with tears in between his words.


    ¡°Jessy, what is it? Tell me.¡± I knew this would be terrible news.


    I sat on the sofa, preparing for all the bad news that was about to hit me this time. My heart was pounding fast, and Jessy slowly stopped crying. I sat up straight, sharpening my ears.


    ¡°n said you had submitted your resignation, so he asked me to arrange all your schedules only until all the new contracts werepleted. Then, when I scheduled everything for your agenda-¡± his voice choked, and he started crying again.


    ¡°Go on, Jessy,¡± I encouraged him while my body remained tense.


    Jessy cleared his throat loudly. Then I heard the sound of him blowing his nose into a cloth, and he struggled to continue speaking.


    ¡°Remember the contracts you signed a couple of days ago? I just realized you had a contract to model for amercial for this brand.¡± His voice trembled.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Fene. My mind has been a messtely. Mike has distracted me, and in a short time, I didn¡¯t read all the projects submitted yesterday. n has been constantly angry with me, rushing me.¡± He spoke very quickly, almost too fast for me to understand.


    ¡°Jessy, what have you done?¡± I groaned.


    ¡°I got you to sign to a new condom brand advertisement project.¡± Fear crept into his voice over the phone.


    ¡°Oh, no, that¡¯s bad.¡± I bit my lower lip.


    My eyes immediately nced at Laird, who seemed still busy in the kitchen, continuing to make the spaghetti bolognese dish I had only just started. If he found out about this, he wouldn¡¯t be happy.


    ¡°The initial concept proposed was amercial scene with actors acting as if they were having sex naked as a couple.¡± Jessy whispered again.


    ¡°Oh, my goodness. That¡¯s terrible!¡± I hissed and stood up.


    In a situation like this, it was not just a possibility anymore; Laird would definitely be angry. He would be furious and then give me the silent treatment again. I couldn¡¯t go through something like that again now.


    ¡°n was specifically chosen to be the modeling partner because he¡¯s a shareholder of thepany along with Mallory West!¡± Jessy wailed now.


    My mouth dropped open, and my breath caught. Now this has turned disastrous. Oh, no, that was awful! I started pacing back and forth in the room, biting my nails.


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t do it.¡± I whispered in panic.


    ¡°You have to do it, or you will bebeled as Mallory¡¯s enemy. She is asking all her friends to support the HIV/AIDS prevention campaign through this advertisement and her new condom brand.¡±


    Listening to that, my heart raced erratically. My breath seemed to stop, and I groaned. My eyes felt hot, and tears quickly welled up. My vision became blurred by tears, and I finally sat back down on the sofa.


    ¡°Jessy¡­¡± I said his name in disappointment and pain.


    ¡°I know. I am going to mess up your life again. I tried to cancel this contract with n, but his mood is still unstable.¡± The man cried again.


    ¡°He said he would fire me if I messed up this project with Mallory. I can¡¯t be fired; I need money to pay for my mother¡¯s medical treatment at the hospital. I-¡± Jessy wailed again while I could only listen in silence.


    I knew Mallory indeed wanted to recruit me as her model, but it was for a music video! Clearly, I couldn¡¯t back out now. If I backed out and didn¡¯t fulfill the contract, it would be the same as rejecting Mallory.


    Rejecting Mallory¡¯s invitation to a social campaign specifically for her circle of friends means dering war on the worst revengeful pop diva in entertainment history. My career in the fashion and entertainment world would go up in smoke without a chance to rise again. There have been many examples of this, and I didn¡¯t know if I wanted to live my life like that until old age.


    ¡°Ugh, everything feels wicked now. It¡¯s all n¡¯s doing, not yours.¡± I rubbed my temples and groaned in annoyance.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked.


    ¡°n might have nned everything. He brought me to meet Mallory and got me into her circle. After Mallory showed interest in me, he recruited me as a model for his condom brand.¡± I sighed deeply as my hands continued to massage my temples.


    ¡°n knew I wouldn¡¯t be able to refuse his project. Also, I resigned, and it only made matters worse. He got a chance to force me toplete all the projects unless I paid a hefty penalty.¡± My body slouched, and eventually, my weak head leaned back on the sofa.


    ¡°I¡¯m doomed, Jessy. n has ruined me.¡± My voice weakened.


    Right after I hung up the phone, Laird approached me with a raised eyebrow. He ced arge te of spaghetti with bolognese sauce and two empty tes on the coffee table.


    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± He furrowed his brow and looked at me, confused.


    My eyes stared at the man in front of me for a long time. His emerald green eyes looked bright this time, and I knew those eyes would look at me disgustedly with overflowing anger if he knew about this. But we had promised to be honest with each other, right?


    Communication is the key to sess in a rtionship, no matter how bad the conversation we are about to have. Although my heart ached to ruin the happy atmosphere we had just gone through, and although I didn¡¯t want to break the bad news to him, I eventually told him everything.


    Sooner orter, I felt I would need his help as my personalwyer. After I told him everything, he clenched both his hands on his thighs. Clearly, he was angry, but he seemed to restrain himself.


    ¡°Can we sue n for fraud or breach of contract?¡± I asked him.


    ¡°Fene,¡± he rubbed his face several times. He fell silent for a long time, as if thinking hard.


    ¡°Legally, you are more likely to lose if you fight against n. The court will me you for not reading the entire contract. He has ruined you.¡±


    He shook his head. I didn¡¯t know what to say until the silence engulfed us. Not long after we fell silent, he stood up, went out to the balcony, and smoked.


    I cried with a heavy feeling weighing down on my chest. Slowly, I bent my knees to my chest and buried my face there. Crying was all I could do to vent my emotions at the moment.

 Alan鈥檚 Tilted Stage

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°Is this how you treat me? You said you would protect me.¡±


    I barged into n¡¯s office first thing in the morning. My steps thudded, and I nearly mmed his desk if I hadn¡¯t restrained myself. Jessy stood behind me, trembling with fear.


    ¡°Good morning, Fene. Tea?¡± n asked with a smile, raising his teacup.


    ¡°Cut the act.¡± I scowled and red at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m just acting normal, as usual. It¡¯s you who¡¯ve been out of controltely,¡± he shrugged and sipped his tea casually.


    ¡°Why did you have to mess up my life and career?¡±


    ¡°No, Fene. You¡¯ve messed up your own life and career. I¡¯m actually trying to save you from ruin,¡± he said, setting his teacup back on the desk.


    ¡°Oh, right, you¡¯ve cornered me into a dirty project I can¡¯t avoid. Thanks for trapping me,¡± I hissed, leaning over the desk and propping my hands on it.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re the one who signed the contract, not me. No one forced you to sign it, did they? Did I kidnap you and threaten to cut off your pinky if you didn¡¯t sign?¡±


    ¡°What about Jessy? Did you force Fene?¡± He asked, ncing at Jessy.


    ¡°No, of course not. I-¡± he squeaked in fear.


    ¡°See? No one trapped you into a dirty project. In fact, there¡¯s nothing dirty about Mallory¡¯s social campaign. It¡¯s all for the good of the world.¡±


    Hearing n talk like that, my mouth fell open, and I sighed in frustration. The good of the world? Maybe I¡¯m the crazy one, but his reasoning didn¡¯t align with his actions.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have signed it if I knew the project was like this.¡± My fists clenched, and I spoke slowly.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you read the contract that was offered to you? Not even one?¡±


    ¡°How could I read it when you shoved a stack of documents with dozens of pages in front of me?¡± My voice rose.


    ¡°That¡¯s what Jessy did, not me. I didn¡¯t give it to you.¡± n raised his hands in the air and shook his head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t me Jessy. I know it¡¯s all your fault.¡±


    ¡°Ask Jessy yourself why he handed you a stack of documents without letting you read everything first. Did Jessy even read it himself?¡± n pointed at Jessy, who flinched in panic.


    n knew he was right. Jessy had indeed admitted that he hadn¡¯t had the chance to properly read all the contracts. His mind has been a messtely, he said. Even so, I still didn¡¯t want to me him.


    ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re the one who slipped that contract onto me.¡±


    I still insisted on using him, though now my strength was waning and my courage was fading. n seemed to notice and stood up from his chair.


    ¡°I already told you, didn¡¯t I? If youplete all the contracts well, I won¡¯t demand a penalty. In fact, if you continue working with Gene, I could make you the most sessful supermodel in the world.¡±


    ¡°If I have toply and do things your way, I don¡¯t want to.¡± I clenched my jaw.


    There was still some courage left in me to defy him. n bit his lower lip. He seemed to be growing impatient with me. His eyes narrowed.


    ¡°Listen, Fene. I¡¯ve done my duty as the agency owner. I¡¯ve found and given you projects, opened connections for you, and even agreed to fund acting sses for you because that¡¯s what you asked of me before. Don¡¯t you remember?¡±


    He walked with long strides, circling the desk until he stood right in front of me. His tall frame loomed over me as he leaned in, allowing me to clearly see his dark eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one failing to fulfill your duties. First, you wanted to leave Gene before the contract ended, and now you say you don¡¯t want to work on the project you signed up for yourself.¡± He snorted and gave a crooked smile.


    ¡°Grow up and be a responsible woman like an adult should be.¡±


    He whispered in front of my face. His breath was warm with the strong scent of mint tea, contrasting with his voice, which sounded cold and piercing. I trembled because I knew I had lost as well. n smiled and straightened himself.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Now, if you¡¯vee to your senses, you should act professionally and finish what you¡¯ve started. I have an online meeting.¡±


    n put his hands in his pants pockets and returned to his usual rxed demeanor. I bit the inside of my mouth, holding myself back from humiliating myself any further.


    ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with Amy Schmidt?¡± My voice was sharp, and my eyes were squinting to scrutinize any expression that might give me a clue.


    He fell silent, and his smile momentarily vanished from his face. Then he shrugged. ¡°We have the same surname. Does that matter?¡±


    ¡°Are you siblings?¡± I pressed further.


    ¡°Who knows? That name has nothing to do with all this,¡± he sneered. n¡¯s phone on the desk rang, signaling an iing call. ¡°I really need to go to this online meeting now.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, I can¡¯t believe this,¡± I groaned, shaking my head as I walked out of his office.


    I knew n had a family connection with Amy. Theirst names were the same, and now he was bullying me in the same way. No sexual harassment, no physical violence, no outward insults-he was destroying my spirit in his own way.


    My eyes felt hot, but I restrained myself from crying in front of everyone. The Gene office was quite crowded today, and I didn¡¯t want to make a bigger scandal about myself. I ran down the stairs and into the rtively quieter ground-floor restroom.


    ¡°Fene, wait!¡± Jessy chased after me, but I mmed the restroom door shut.


    My body weakened. I leaned against the door and crouched on the floor. My hands covered my mouth, and I could no longer hold back my tears. Tears streamed down my cheeks, and my chest felt tight.


    ¡°Fene, I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Jessy¡¯s voice sounded faint.


    ***


    After crying for a while, I finally left the restroom. When I came out, Jessy was still sitting in the lobby chair, his elbows resting on the table and his hands holding his head.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± I suggested.


    ¡°What should we do?¡± he asked.


    I reached out and squeezed Jessy¡¯s hand. We held hands, our eyes both red and swollen. John, n¡¯s personal assistant, came down to the lobby and looked at us with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°Would you like me to make some coffee? I¡¯ll make some for the guests too,¡± he asked as he walked over to the coffee machine.


    ¡°No, we¡¯re fine,¡± I said quietly. All of a sudden, my phone rang from a message notification. I read it and quickly pulled Jessy¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Come on, Jessy, let¡¯s get out of here. We need to catch Mallory.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Catching Mallory West?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Jessy. We¡¯re going to persuade her to cancel this contract.¡± I puffed out my chest and took a deep breath.

 Chasing the Way Out

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°Do you have her manager¡¯s number?¡± Jessy walked quickly beside me, matching my pace.


    ¡°Yes. I sent him a message and asked for a meeting with Mallory,¡± I replied as we hurried to my red car.


    ¡°When did you get his number?¡±


    ¡°At the after-party, he gave me his number and invited me to meet him at the bar in New York.¡±


    ¡°Ah ha! Was he handsome?¡± Jessy¡¯s face lit up, and I snorted.


    ¡°That¡¯s not important.¡±


    We both quickly got into the car. Jessy, at the wheel, started the engine while I opened the navigation app to find directions.


    ¡°We need to catch Mallory at her studio. Her manager said they¡¯ll be heading to the airport for an international trip in half an hour. The studio is about a twenty-minute drive, so we have only a little time.¡±


    ¡°Okay, step on it!¡± He squealed.


    Jessy immediately took the road at an rming speed. Other cars behind us honked loudly, but he didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Whoah!¡± I eximed, gripping my seatbelt tightly.


    ¡°I can cut the time down to fifteen minutes!¡± Heughed loudly.


    My eyes widened as I watched him drive with such enthusiasm. The car sped and maneuvered left into a narrow alley. Within a few meters, the car turned again and again into ces I had never visited before.


    ¡°Jessy! Are you crazy? You¡¯re not following the map route!¡± I shouted, my heart racing. A few times, he nearly sideswiped motorcycles, bicycles, and pedestrians in front of the park.


    ¡°Rx! Trust me!¡±


    ***


    We arrived in front of Mallory¡¯s studio in Greenwich Vige exactly fifteen minutester. I wasn¡¯t sure if gaining those five minutes was worth all the madness Jessy had put us through while driving. At least no police ticketed us for speeding in the city.


    Jessy and I rushed inside and were immediately greeted by a woman sitting behind a small wooden desk. Aptop was open in front of her, and she greeted us with a smile.


    ¡°Hello, how can I help you?¡±


    ¡°Hi, I have an appointment with Mr. Roger, Mallory¡¯s manager,¡± I said quickly, slightly out of breath.


    ¡°Oh. Follow me.¡±


    The woman walked away from the desk, and we followed her through a door into a narrow hallway. The hallway was somewhat dark, lined with various photos of the studio¡¯s founders and small paintings on the walls. The woman led us to a closed door.


    She knocked, entered first, and we followed her into the room. My eyes widened momentarily as I saw that the room was actually a spacious studio. There was another door leading to a smaller room that seemed to be a recording studio.


    As we entered, I instantly saw Mallory and Roger. They looked up at the receptionist¡¯s call, and Mallory¡¯s face immediately brightened when she saw me.


    ¡°Hey, Fene! It¡¯s great to see you again!¡±


    Mallory smiled widely and opened her arms. We hugged briefly, exchanging kisses on the left and right cheeks. I also shook hands with Roger, the manager.


    ¡°Hey, Mallory, Roger.¡± I returned their greetings with the same wide smile. ¡°Let me introduce you; this is Jessy, my agent.¡± Jessy enthusiastically hugged Mallory and Roger in turn.


    ¡°Oh, hello,¡± Mallory greeted Jessy. ¡°Where¡¯s n?¡± the pop diva asked me.


    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s still in an online meeting, so I came ahead,¡± I said, blowing my hair out of my face and shaking my head, pretending to be annoyed with n.


    ¡°I see. I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t spend more time with you, even though I¡¯d love to chat like we did yesterday. You could have called me withouting here.¡± Mallory squeezed my arm gently.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I feel morefortable meeting in person, and it¡¯s only fifteen minutes from the office. I appreciate you making time for me,¡± I chuckled softly.


    ¡°So, is there something I can help with?¡±


    ¡°Uh, yes, I wanted to ask about the new condom product ad and your social campaign.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes! I heard from n that you¡¯ve signed the contract! Aren¡¯t you excited? I¡¯ve been working really hard to prepare for the productunch, and I¡¯m thrilled that other friends are also supporting the campaign.¡± Mallory¡¯s smile was broad, and her eyes sparkled with enthusiasm.


    God, she¡¯s already this excited about me joining her campaign! Now I feel guilty.


    ¡°Here¡¯s the thing, Mallory. Is it still possible for us to rece the model?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? You want to back out of the project?¡± Mallory¡¯s voice immediately rose, and her forehead creased with a sharp look.


    Oh, crap! I broke into a cold sweat, seeing how she reacted to my question. Just seeing her made my heart race uncontrobly under normal circumstances, let alone now with her offended expression. I felt like I was going to be shot on the spot!


    ¡°I mean, I¡¯ve seen the ad concept, and I have a new friend who¡¯s also very enthusiastic about being the model. I thought she could rece me.¡±


    My voice trailed off as Mallory bit her lower lip and red at me. My mouth opened, and I stammered, unsure of what to say to her. I sighed in defeat.


    ¡°Mallory, the truth is, I¡¯m having issues with n. So, I think it would be very awkward for me to be in intimate scenes with him.¡±


    Technically, that was true, and I wasn¡¯t lying. Oh God, save me!


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± After hearing that, her anger faded momentarily. Her mouth rxed, and her eyes were no longer as harsh. Her gaze was now sympathetic.


    ¡°So, can you consider hiring someone else for this ad?¡±


    My heart pounded as I waited for her response. My body straightened, and I unconsciously held my breath, feeling sweat trickling down my back.


    ¡°Oh, dear. You¡¯re my friend, and I know what it¡¯s like to have a messy rtionship. I know it¡¯s going to be very hard for you, but we have a contract, and everything has already been prepared.¡±


    She took both my hands and squeezed them. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to go through with it as nned and endure it. I can still control the concept and other aspects, but I¡¯ve already persuaded the management, music director, producer, and others to include you as the model. I don¡¯t think it can be changed unless you pay a penalty.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there another way?¡± I asked, tears welling up in my eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, dear. Unless you really mess up the set or get involved in a major scandal, I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll fire you. If they do fire you, you won¡¯t pay the penalty, but your reputation will suffer.¡±


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t back out of this project and can resolve your issues with n soon. I want you to support my campaign. We need many people. I need you on my side.¡±


    She squeezed my hands while I still fought to keep my tears from falling. I could only stare at her forehead to avoid bursting into tears right there because the pop diva¡¯s concerned gaze made me feel small.


    She still thought I was upset because of my messy rtionship with n, but it was because I had finally realized I truly had no other choice but to finish the project.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mallory. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on my concerns,¡± I said softly.


    ¡°Yes, dear. I hope everything eventually works out for you.¡± She hugged me and patted my back.


    ¡°Mallory, we¡¯re done here. We need to leave now.¡± Roger interrupted us, and Mallory let go of the hug.


    ¡°See youter, okay?¡± They left, leaving Jessy and me with a few other crew members in the studio.


    I turned to Jessy and stared at him in a daze. My lips turned downward, and I struggled to keep from crying again today. I thought I had the strength to change my fate, but it seemed God wasn¡¯t on my side.


    ¡°At least we tried,¡± Jessy sighed, rubbing my back.

 Toughen Up

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to give up,¡± I said on the sofa.


    ¡°Yes, I know,¡± Jessy whispered softly.


    Although I said that I wouldn¡¯t give up and that I would fight to avoid the project, my current body posture was not convincing at all, not even to a child. I sat on the sofa with both knees bent to my chest. My hands caressed my toes, while my chin rested on my knees.


    Honestly, I wish I had the strength to turn back time. Everything that happened in my life was misfortune that I wished I could avoid. In reality, regrets came toote. I had already put my signature on those damned contracts.


    Jessy himself sat beside me. He massaged his forehead and admitted to having a severe migraine despite taking a painkiller. Everything worsened because now Mike asked for a break from their rtionship.


    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand what he means by taking a break from the rtionship. What do you think it means?¡± I asked Jessy with a furrowed brow.


    ¡°Oof, I wish I knew. Maybe he wants to keep his distance from me for a while.¡± Jessy shrugged and shook his head.


    ¡°You¡¯re keeping your distance, but your statuses are still exclusive.¡± I turned to Jessy with a stern look this time.


    ¡°Yes, maybe. I really don¡¯t understand either.¡±


    We fell silent again and pondered on our own. Guilt immediately consumed me until my chest felt tighter. I only knew that this was all n¡¯s doing.


    Maybe this is his way of pressuring me and Jessy-good Lord, Mike even lived with n, so he probably listens to him. Plus, with the threat that n will fire Jessy if our project fails,.


    ¡°I tell you, you should be firm with n. Just cancel the contract and return the car and money,¡± Laird walked in from the balcony after putting out his cigarette.


    ¡°As for the money, I¡¯ve spent about 30% of it to buy new clothes and other things.¡± I bit my lower lip and realized I wouldn¡¯t have enough money to pay the fine.


    ¡°You can borrow some money from me first.¡± Laird shrugged.


    ¡°Oh, no. You need money to build Rackers Bite. I don¡¯t want to mess up your coboration project with the big developers,¡± I shook my head. I knew how hard he saved to fund hispany.


    ¡°Rackers Bite won¡¯t go bankrupt just because I lend you 50, 000 USD.¡±


    ¡°No, Laird. I don¡¯t want to burden you, Dave, or Rowan. You¡¯re already strict enough with your expenses.¡±


    ¡°I can borrow from my dad.¡±


    ¡°No! That¡¯s even worse!¡± I firmly rejected it. Laird¡¯s rtionship with his father was already bad enough, plus, with what happened with Reba, begging for help would only add fuel to the fire!


    We fell silent again, lost in our own thoughts. Laird had read through the contract between Gene, me, and Mallory¡¯s condom brand several times. There was only a chasm in front of me and a pack of hyenas behind me. There was no escape route, and any move, other thanpleting the contract, would harm me.


    I gazed at Laird, sitting on the floor, leaning against the balcony door. His eyes narrowed, looking at the clock on the table, and his hands fiddled with a cigarette box. I turned to see Jessy beside me. His condition was even worse, with migraines and anxiety gnawing at him, causing him to bite the edge of the sofa cushion like a madman.


    ¡°What are we really afraid of?¡± My question suddenly echoed in the room. My sharp voice immediately snapped the two men out of their reverie.


    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s just an ad, nothing more. No matter what the product is, I¡¯m just a model showcasing the item and following the script.¡±


    ¡°How can you say that? The ad concept is extremely vulgar. Do you want me to see you acting out a scene of you having sexual intercourse with n in front of the whole world?¡± Laird growled.


    ¡°It¡¯s all just acting, and I don¡¯t actually have real sexual rtions with n.¡±


    ¡°You said earlier that you wouldn¡¯t give up. So, what¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no other way! Do it once, finish it all, and then move on. I cane out fine in February. My reputation remains intact, Jessy doesn¡¯t get fired, and you don¡¯t have to see the ad.¡± I spoke quickly.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Do you think n will let you go that easily? You¡¯re too naive, Fene. I¡¯m sure he has nned many things even before you realized that you fell into his trap.¡± He hissed as a warning.


    ¡°Who knows what he has nned if you really work on this project with him? After this, what¡¯s next? He may have devised another n for you to have actual sexual intercourse with him.¡± He snorted and once again hit the cigarette box against his palm.


    ¡°Yes, Fene. This is not worth defending.¡± Jessy nodded repeatedly while wiping the corners of his watery eyes.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you think of something to avoid all the ns he hasid out? Come on, Laird, you¡¯re smarter than me.¡± I pleaded desperately with him.


    The man fell silent again and continued to y with his cigarette box. I sighed deeply and reclined back on the sofa. What Laird said had some truth to it. After interacting with n several times and tracing all the events up to now, I felt n had indeed nned everything meticulously.


    Somehow, he knew that Jessy and I would not read the contract in detail. He knew I would be torn between the temptation of maintaining a good reputation and continuing my career in the fashion world or sacrificing everything to preserve my rtionship with Laird. He also knew that, no matter what, I wouldn¡¯t be able to fight him.


    Moreover, I still couldn¡¯t sacrifice or neglect Jessy! He was my friend and my agent, and his mother was undergoing cancer treatment in the hospital. I couldn¡¯t let Jessy be fired without a decent ie. How could n know that Jessy has also be my strongest weapon now?


    ¡°Alright, if you want to finish the project, I won¡¯t resist and won¡¯t watch it as you said. I¡¯ll just suck it up, as they say.¡± Laird¡¯s voice broke the calm in the tense and gloomy room.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± I asked, and my forehead wrinkled.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who requested it? Just do it once, finish it, and then move on. Jessy won¡¯t be fired, and you won¡¯t have to pay any fines.¡± He nodded his head.


    ¡°But?¡± I knew Laird wasn¡¯t done.


    ¡°Do you know why n is so good at nning and reading your movements? I think it¡¯s because he has been secretly investigating you. He knows your personalities and habits well.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying he¡¯s been stalking us? How can that be?¡± Jessy¡¯s mouth hung open at his analysis.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that yet. At least now, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s applying ancient warfare philosophy. Know your terrain to win the war.¡± He stood up, his eyes now shining brightly.


    ¡°All this time, we¡¯ve been pped around by him. He knows everything about us, but we know nothing about him. We don¡¯t even know if he really has a family rtionship with Amy, right?¡± He asked me.


    ¡°I¡¯ve tried asking him, but he dodged the question.¡± I puffed out my cheeks and sighed irritably.


    ¡°Of course, he won¡¯t admit it so easily.¡± He snorted.


    ¡°We will investigate him, his family, how he runs his business, his circle of friends, and everything about him. After we gather that information, then we will strike back.¡±


    He walked to the middle of the room, his hand cutting through the air as if he were giving a persuasive speech to convince me and Jessy. He was selling his idea, and I was intrigued.


    ¡°How will we strike back?¡± I asked.


    ¡°We can find any information to use against him so that he won¡¯t act up again.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying we¡¯ll ckmail him?¡± Jessy took a deep breath.


    ¡°But he also holds my secret about the unauthorized driving incident from yesterday. What if he threatens to report it, and I get jailed because of it?¡± I asked as I clenched my fists into the sofa cushion.


    ¡°If he admits that in front of Prosecutor Golden, then he will be dragged to jail for the longest timepared to all of us as the mastermind. The coward he is, he won¡¯t dare to do that.¡± Laird shook his head firmly.


    ¡°So, what should we do?¡± I swallowed nervously.

 Private Investigator

    Laird¡¯s POV


    I visited a small office in one of the office building rows at the edge of Brooklyn. The office building had three floors and was divided into several small offices. I walked up the stairs of the old building to the top floor.


    One of the offices had a rusted door and dirty ss covered by yellowed blinds. ¡°Private Investigator: Matthew Logan¡± was written on a white namete with blue lettering next to the door.


    I knocked on the door and entered without much greeting or pleasantries. As I entered, a man with ck hair immediately lowered the newspaper he had been reading onto the desk.


    ¡°Ah, Laird!¡±


    ¡°Hey, Matthew,¡± I said as I sat on one of the shabby sofas with cracked and torn leather on the edges.


    ¡°On time. I just finished reading the lottery announcement in the newspaper.¡±


    ¡°Did you get it?¡±


    ¡°Not yet. I guess I still need time to map out the counter with the highest winning odds,¡± he sighed deeply and sat down on the same worn-out sofa in front of me.


    ¡°Certainly, that doesn¡¯t mean you need more time for my request, right?¡±


    Matthew looked at me with slightly widened eyes and then chuckled.


    ¡°¡®Nah.¡± He took a brown envelope from a drawer under the coffee table. ¡°See it with your own eyes-a miracle brought to life thanks to my brilliant investigative skills.¡±


    His chest puffed out, his chin lifted, and he smiled broadly as he handed me the brown envelope. I reached for it, but Matthew¡¯s hand moved faster to pull the envelope back to his chest.


    ¡°Money?¡±


    Hearing his words, I snorted. I reached into my pants pocket and took out my wallet. I pulled out three hundred-dor bills and handed them all to him.


    ¡°Are you just going to spend it on buying lottery tickets?¡± One of my eyebrows was raised.


    ¡°That and a few other things.¡± The money then moved into his shirt pocket.


    ¡°You know that the lottery is just a scam, right?¡±


    ¡°I know, but the excitement of getting it after mapping it out sounds more impressive to me. Think of it as an investment.¡±


    ¡°You know you¡¯re fooling yourself by calling it an investment that will be profitable, right? There¡¯s nothing good in a monkey business like that. It¡¯s as simple as gambling.¡± This time, Matthew finally handed me the brown envelope.


    ¡°This is more than that, Laird. Trust me.¡±


    I had known Matthew since we were in Harvard Law School, specifically in the criminalw ss. Funny enough, Matthew was more interested in bing a private detective than in staying a young prosecutor. He always said that his brilliant analytical skills could even crack the lottery system, but I called it gambling addiction.


    Anyway, Matthew was indeed an expert in analysis and digging up information. To put it bluntly, he was good at tailing people and finding information gaps. He had a knack for influencing people to give him information, and he used his eyes urately and meticulously.


    Now, once again, Matthew Logan¡¯s renowned skills among New York Citywyers were evident. I looked at several photos of n, some official letters, and several court documents.


    ¡°Is this what I think it is?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The man you¡¯re asking about has had a new identity for the past six years. Hisst name does seem rted to Schmidt¡¯s hotel group, but n¡¯s name itself is not listed among the shareholders or heirs.¡±


    ¡°So, the options are either he¡¯s using a fake identity or he¡­¡± I furrowed my brow at the possibility that crossed my mind.


    ¡°Changed his name; that¡¯s the most likely scenario. A person with a fake identity wouldn¡¯t dare to publicly own several active legalpanies. Besides, he passed the court check in his DUI casest month.¡±


    ¡°What about the Schmidt hotel group data? Is there any connection to Amy Schmidt?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no news or article. Their family is quite closed off, and since the pandemic crisis, all shares have been sold to others, and Amy herself is now married to a rich big senator in Massachusetts. Her husband is twenty years older than she is, if you want to know.¡±


    ¡°Too much information, pal.¡± I scoffed at the information about Amy¡¯s husband. ¡°What about his previous name before it changed?¡±


    I opened the printed online article from the local newspaper that Matthew had provided. The news about the Schmidt Hotel Group shareholders meeting briefly discussed the changes in share ownership in an article that was probably written in no more than a thousand words. It seemed like they made the article just for formality to meet thepany¡¯s legal obligations, not for real journalistic news.


    ¡°Well, there it is. I haven¡¯t had a chance to go to the Andover census office. They don¡¯t make their data public.¡± Matthew clicked his tongue.


    ¡°Of course, it would be covered up, but you know other ways to track it, right?¡±


    ¡°I could check the legal name change court records, but I¡¯d need about three weeks for an intensive approach.¡± He raised both hands and bent two fingers slowly at the word intensive that he said.


    ¡°Hmm, how intensive is your approach?¡± I reflexively raised one eyebrow.


    ¡°Lodging, gas, three meals a day, and entertainment expenses for the staff; I¡¯d estimate around a thousand dors.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you three hundred now and the rest once you get the previous name.¡± I reopened my wallet.


    ¡°Hey! That¡¯s not enough for my amodation.¡± He frowned and protested with an annoyed tone.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I suggest you save and not squander money on buying lottery tickets anymore. Trust me, two weeks with six hundred dors should be enough to survive in Andover.¡±


    I handed him three more hundred-dor bills. He scowled, but his hand quickly took the money and put it back into his shirt pocket. Our rtionship was primarily transactional, but I still worried about his lottery gambling addiction as a good friend. Not close enough for me to recruit him into mypany, but close enough to be concerned about his mental health.


    ¡°If you need additional leads, maybe you could check the Whitehill Academy student records, my alma mater. Look for graduation years between seven and nine years ago. See if there¡¯s any matching data with birthdate, address, and other ID details.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re from the same alma mater?¡± His eyes blinked momentarily.


    ¡°Yup.¡±


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t recognize that name from school?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yup. I guess I never heard that name in school except for Amy Schmidt.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, interesting. I¡¯ll go thereter to find out.¡± Matthew rubbed his smooth chin.


    ¡°Alright, let me know again when you¡¯re ready to receive the remaining payment.¡± I put all the documents back into the brown envelope.


    ¡°Yeah, as soon as possible.¡± He clicked his tongue and stood up. He walked to the desk and then suddenly turned back to me.


    ¡°Oh, right, Laird. There¡¯s one more thing that might be important or not to you.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked as I got up from the sofa and buttoned my suit.Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Prosecutor Golden also seems to be looking into n Schmidt. Yesterday, I met his assistant at the census office, and the officer was surprised to see me carrying the same name as his assistant that day.¡±


    ¡°Recently?¡±


    ¡°Yes, recently. And the DUI case was already sentencedst month, right?¡±


    ¡°What else could he want?¡± I asked, frowning.


    ¡°Remember the name Prosecutor Golden; you know it¡¯s because he¡¯s looking to tear someone apart down to the bone. I suggest you cooperate with him to match the data you both have on n.¡±


    ¡°Cooperate with him?¡± I immediately scoffed. ¡°Never.¡±


    After saying that, I opened the door of Matthew¡¯s office and nearly mmed it shut. Although his intention was good to catch n, I didn¡¯t think I could cooperate with that old geezer. Especially if my father found out, he¡¯d surely kill me.

 Written in Script

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Shooting this condommercial was myst project this year before we go on winter break. After this, we can move on quickly, finish other projects at the beginning of the year, and then I can be free from Gene. So, I just had to endure for a little while.


    ¡°Fene, wee,¡± n said, stretching out his arms as if to hug me when he saw me entering the meeting room. I didn¡¯t pay attention to him, of course.


    ¡°Hey, n,¡± Jessy greeted him.


    I remained silent, not responding to his greeting. I still didn¡¯t want to talk to him, thinking he deserved to get my cold shoulder. Besides, whether I was friendly to him or not, I still had to finish this darn project.


    ¡°You¡¯re not saying hi to me?¡± he yfully asked me again.


    I persisted in walking away from him, entering the meeting room. The three of us were going to meet with the director and the producer for the shooting preparations. But before I could even sit down and wait for them, n grabbed my arm tightly.


    ¡°What the-¡± my mouth hung open, and I nearly yelled.


    Seeing n¡¯s tense jaw and piercing gaze, I quickly shut my mouth. His hands gripped my arm firmly, and then he whispered to me.


    ¡°I demand your respect. Even if you¡¯re reluctant and you¡¯re going to leave Gene, I¡¯m still your boss. Do you understand?¡± He hissed in front of my face.


    ¡°Answer me.¡± Although he whispered softly, there was firmness in each of his voices that came out between his gritted teeth.


    My knees trembled momentarily. I felt he was bing more aggressive, almost feral. It was as if he was dominating the room, and I felt it wasn¡¯t good to continue ignoring him. He would only push me and make me look weak.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Yes, n,¡± I finally whispered in response.


    I swallowed it. All of this will soon end. Repeatedly, I whispered those words to myself in my head.


    ¡°Good,¡± he said, slowly releasing his grip on my hand.


    The three of us then entered the meeting room and sat down to wait. Not long after, two women and a man entered the room. n stood up immediately, and I followed suit. They introduced themselves, and we shook hands with smiles on our faces.


    ¡°So, you are going to be the models, right? I hope you can rx, make yourselvesfortable, and believe in me,¡± Martha, the female director, said with augh.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Martha, we trust you one hundred percent,¡± n added withughter in the room.


    ¡°Gosh, I didn¡¯t expect you to hop on to be the star of thismercial,¡± Lorenzo, the producer, chuckled as he looked at n with widened eyes.


    ¡°Anything for Mallory, right?¡± n shrugged and responded with the same heartyughter.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. Besides, it¡¯s also your brand, and this personal approach makes everything more emotional,¡± Lorenzo nodded.


    What did he say? ¡®Your brand¡¯?


    ¡°Oh, really? I didn¡¯t know 4U was yours, n.¡± I asked loudly, turning my body to face n immediately.


    ¡°Half of the shares are mine; the rest belong to Mallory. I haven¡¯t mentioned that yet, have I?¡± n shrugged once more.


    ¡°Surprise!¡± I raised both of my hands cheerfully, apanied by fakeughter. Everyone in the room thenughed as well.


    Damn it. I¡¯ve been trapped by him. No wonder he easily slipped in the contract documents and demanded the project bepleted as soon as possible.


    ¡°Alright, I guess now you need to read the script, and you can ask me anything that catches your attention.¡± Martha pped the hands of the female assistant beside her, and the woman immediately handed out a small, roughly bound book to each of us.


    The three of us received one book each. Immediately, I started to read the script. The dialogue was brief, but the setting was detailed as if reading a short story.


    ¡°Wow, this is very funny! I¡¯m sure this ad will attract a lot of attention,¡± n smiled while reading the script.


    Set in a minimarket, a couple was confused about choosing a condom at the pharmacy. The pharmacist exined the advantages and disadvantages of the 4U condom brand they were considering while the couple tried it on directly at the store in front of everyone. Once they found the condom they werefortable with, they bought a box.


    ¡°Er¡­ will there be any nudity?¡± I swallowed hard.


    ¡°Hm, a little. But most likely, it will be n¡¯s body that will be more exposed, while I n to cover your chest with your long hair to make it look more natural,¡± Martha exined to me, swinging her arms in the air and showing how excited she was about the project.


    ¡°So, there won¡¯t be any sensual scenes or lips kissing?¡± n asked suddenly.


    ¡°No kissing, but maybe just movements and gestures as if engaging in sexual activity. I will position the camera to block the lower areas,¡± Martha exined enthusiastically.


    ¡°Hmm, so our bodies might still touch in the lower area and move around?¡± I asked again to make sure.


    ¡°Yes. Is that okay?¡± Martha turned to n and Lorenzo.


    ¡°Yes, I heard from Mallory that you are indeed a couple. So, this shouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?¡± Lorenzo asked, looking at me and n. I stood silent, stunned, but n immediately interrupted whatever I was about to say.


    ¡°Well, there was a little problem in paradise, and she was sulking at me, but everything will be fine. I will practice this scene with herter,¡± n winked, and they allughed.


    Of course, I could only pretend tough. I was already dipping my toe, so I might as well just swim all the way. Besides, it seemed like it wouldn¡¯t be as bad as I initially thought. It was all make-believe.


    ***


    The meeting concluded, and we walked home together, leaving Lorenzo¡¯s production house office. I walked to the car with Jessy, but n stood right in front of my car door. I sighed, forced a smile, and looked up to stare at him up close.


    ¡°Yes, n?¡±


    What else did he want now?


    ¡°How about it? I think you¡¯ve agreed to work with me, right?¡± He asked, anticipation evident on his face.


    ¡°Like it or not, you¡¯ll still force me, won¡¯t you?¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°I heard you met Mallory at the studio yesterday. Do you really think you have a chance to cancel the project?¡±


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t just give up. Now that we know it¡¯s failed, I have no choice but to continue it. Now, move aside. I want to go home,¡± I said in a cold voice.


    ¡°I told you, Fene. You just need to follow my directions, and I will make you the most famous supermodel in the world. Why do you insist on throwing it all away for a man?¡±


    ¡°If you did it honestly, didn¡¯t disturb my personal life, and respected my privacy boundaries, I might still be enthusiastic about being part of Gene.¡± I shook my head, folding my arms across my chest.


    ¡°You¡¯re too naive, Fene. Sometimes things like that are what lead us to sess.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I don¡¯t want to achieve sess with you. I will find my own way. Now, please, step aside.¡± I narrowed my eyes sharply.


    n snorted and chuckled softly. Heughed to belittle me, but I didn¡¯t care. Seeing my determination, he finally stepped back and opened the door for me.


    ¡°Please, mdy,¡± he said.


    I entered and sat in the seat. n closed the door slowly. He stepped back, and Jessy immediately hit the gas pedal, leaving n alone on the roadside. I nced at the side mirror and saw his figure looking pitiful, but I immediately convinced myself that he was an evil force-as wicked as his sister, Amy.


    ¡°When did Martha say the shooting would start?¡± I confirmed with Jessy.


    ¡°Next week.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I should show this script to Laird?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, honey. Don¡¯t do that. He could go ballistic and turn n upside down at the Statue of Liberty.¡± Jessy shook his head and quickly advised me against it.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. He promised not to look at the ad. Besides, it¡¯s unlikely he¡¯d see it, right?¡± I rested my chin on the car window as my fingers twirled my hair.


    ¡°Yeah, of course. Don¡¯t worry, most condom ads are aired in a limited manner.¡± Jessy nodded in agreement.

 Action!

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Several days after our meeting, I was already sitting in the makeup chair in front of the mirror. Wearing a long-sleeved ck knit sweater and jeans, I looked like an ordinary woman. Indeed, that was the concept of today¡¯s ad: just a couple going shopping to prepare for a winter vacation abroad.


    ¡°Okay, all set,¡± the makeup artist said to me after doing my face with neutral tones.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I replied softly with a small smile.


    She then left to report to the director. I sighed and waited in my makeup chair, looking at my phone. There was a text message from Laird, and I read it immediately.


    ¡®Hey. Has the shooting started yet?¡¯


    Since yesterday, he has sent me multiple messages and called me several times. I knew he was trying to restrain himself from being jealous, but the tone and anxiety in his voice couldn¡¯t lie.


    Laird and I decided not to inform him about the shooting details because we believed Laird might go crazy hearing the detailed story behind the scenes. Besides, I didn¡¯t know the detailed mechanisms until I spoke to the makeup artist earlier this morning.


    ¡®Not yet. I just finished my makeup.¡¯


    ¡®Is your meeting over?¡¯


    Shortly after, he replied directly.


    ¡®Are you wearing clothes to cover your body?¡¯


    ¡®I just finished and will proceed to the next meeting.¡¯


    ¡°Fene, we will start shortly. Gather for rehearsal with the director,¡± Jessy called out to me from the door of the makeup room.


    ¡°Oh, yes. I¡¯ll be right there,¡± I said as I rose from the chair.


    ¡®For this first scene, I will still be wearing clothes. A warm sweater and jeans.¡¯


    ¡®Good luck! I have to go now. Shooting will start.¡¯


    After waiting a few seconds, he replied briefly.


    ¡®Ok.¡¯


    That¡¯s it? Ugh, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s worried about my shoot with n today. I couldn¡¯t deny that I had trouble sleepingst night because I was anxious about today.


    I took a deep breath and exhaled. It was time to truly test my acting abilities. The dialogue was minimal, but I was afraid of forgetting it while shooting. Previous ads were easier, just with simple movements and big smiles.


    I walked out of the makeup room and immediately spotted n in a gray long-sleeved sweater and trousers. We really looked like a couple you could meet every day. For the first time, I appeared in an ad without morous dresses or heavy makeup. This unusual situation made me even more nervous.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I approached Martha and her assistant, who were surrounding n.From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hey, Fene. Are you ready?¡± Martha squeezed my arms.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m ready.¡±


    We listened to the style and expression directions for our first scene. After preparing for some time, n and I finally walked to the set. The room had been set up to look like a small drugstore. We stood in the middle of the store, facing the shelf disying 4U condom products.


    Near us, an older-looking female model had also gotten ready, wearing a whiteb coat. Her hair was neatly tied up as if she were a professional pharmacist. She smiled at me and raised both thumbs.


    ¡°You can do it,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Break a leg,¡± I replied with a wide smile and two thumbs up.


    I prepared for the first scene. Everyone said I didn¡¯t need to be afraid of making small mistakes, but I was too scared of not being able to do it perfectly. I didn¡¯t want to disappoint everyone, and I hoped not to waste their time. One take was my hope.


    ¡°Nervous?¡± n asked softly.


    ¡°A bit,¡± I said, exhaling through my mouth repeatedly.


    Suddenly, n grabbed my hand. My eyes widened momentarily. This was definitely not in the script. I tried to pull my hand back, but n tightened his grip and pulled strongly.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Just act natural, like an intimate couple shopping at a supermarket. It will look better on camera. Trust me.¡±


    Although hesitant, I ultimately followed his lead. Maybe he was right. We were a couple looking to choose a condom, so physical contact should be normal.


    Ugh! It all felt wrong! I exhaled once more to settle my thoughts. This was just acting, nothing more.


    ¡°Alright. Everyone is in position! Everyone quiet,¡± the assistant¡¯s voice came through the megaphone. Everyone immediately fell silent and stood in their respective positions.


    ¡°Action!¡±


    My heart was racing! I immediately searched for the disyed product shelf ording to the script. My voice murmured loudly, as requested in the script.


    ¡°Hi. Can I help you?¡± the pharmacist asked.


    ¡°Hey. I¡¯m looking for a condom that suits us,¡± I said as n picked up one box.


    ¡°Do you know your size?¡± she asked calmly, as if inquiring about a shirt size.


    Both n and I were puzzled. ¡°Maybe a standard size?¡± n asked, blinking rapidly.


    ¡°Do you want to try to find the right one first?¡± she asked.


    We all fell silent, as our dialogue had already finished. After a few seconds, the assistant director finally spoke loudly through the megaphone.


    ¡°Cut!¡±


    The studio immediately buzzed with noise again. We all turned to the director.


    ¡°Fene, rx; we want to see more smiles. Loosen your grip on each other¡¯s hands, and that¡¯s good. Pump up your spirit a bit more!¡±


    Oof, my bad. ¡°Yes! Sorry.¡± I kept bowing repeatedly to the people around me, as it seemed I was the reason for this scene having to be repeated. We repeated the scene over and over. It wasn¡¯t until the fifth try that the director was satisfied with the result.


    ¡°Cut, okay!¡±


    Okay? Finally!


    The shooting continued by jumping to thest scene in the script. With the same clothes, we went straight into the scene where n and I waved to the pharmacist, holding a paper bag full of condoms. Our hair was styled messier, and we walked off the camera screen with big, satisfied smiles.


    One hourter, I sat waiting in the makeup room. A satin robe covered my body, while I only wore a breast patch covering the front of my chest to conceal my ares. My hair was arranged to be more voluminous, thick, and long to cover my chest. I was almost wearing nothing for the second to all through thest scenes!


    I only had on a skin-toned G-string, and my body was quite exposed. The director said he would ensure no vital areas were highlighted by the camera, and he would adjust the screen positions to not be too revealing. However, I still felt embarrassed after seeing how minimal the fabric I was wearing was. It could be said that I was almost naked.


    ¡°Fene, you cane out now,¡± Jessy said, opening the door.


    ¡°Oh, yes,¡± I said nervously. Perhaps he noticed my tense jaw, so he approached me.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± His hands squeezed my shoulders.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve never worn this minimal clothing in front of so many people. Even the bikinis I¡¯ve worn during photoshoots have never been this revealing.¡±


    I never wanted to be photographed naked again because of the harassment I experienced at the beginning of my career. Now, although not entirely, it could be said I was half-naked in front of dozens of pairs of eyes at the shooting location. This was on a level higher than when I danced striptease at the Oscar club!


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Fene. I know, even bikinis usually have colors that differentiate between your skin and the bikini fabric.¡± Jessy squeezed and massaged my shoulders and arms to calm me down.


    ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t feel confident enough.¡± I grimaced as I looked at Jessy.


    ¡°Fene, you are very beautiful. You have to be proud of your body, and everyone should know that you are also proud of and love yourself. Trust me, only words of praise will you hear after all this is over,¡± he reassured me.


    ¡°Rx; you are in the hands of professionals.¡± He held both of my hands and squeezed them tightly.


    ¡°Oof, okay.¡± I exhaled deeply.


    We then left the makeup room for the prepared set. After this, I would truly be doing a steamy scene with n! Even though it was just acting, our hips would still touch, and everyone would think it was normal for us as a couple.


    God, save me.

 Shake It Hot

    Fene¡¯s POV


    n and I approached the director again as she gave instructions for the second scene. We both wore the white satin robes provided by our makeup artist. Now, our hair was styled slightly more tousled than in the previous scene.


    ¡°Okay, Fene. I want you to stay calm and rxed. The concept is that you are choosing a condom as if you were choosing a shirt that fits n because condoms can be considered a daily necessity for a couple like you, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded softly.


    ¡°Stay calm and rxed, okay? You are choosing a shirt,¡± Martha repeatedly indoctrinated me to not be nervous.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said, portraying a calm face.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get ready!¡± The assistant director issued themand through the megaphone.


    n and I opened our satin robes and handed them to Jessy. The first time we saw each other¡¯s outfits, my heart beat faster. n was not wearing any clothing except for a skin-toned thong. I saw n also look surprised, his eyes widening as he looked at me.


    ¡°Wow, you look magnificent.¡± He whispered softly.


    ¡°Thank you. You look hot too,¡± I whispered back in the same soft tone.


    How could he not? Okay, I couldn¡¯t lie; I was truly in awe. n¡¯s chest was broad and solid, with sharp contours. His shoulders were wide and generous. His stomach was tight, with six-pack abs.


    With a body like that, which woman wouldn¡¯t be aroused by him? Furthermore, as I nced briefly at the bulge behind his underwear, gosh! Damn it! I could see dark, fine curls disappearing behind his pants towards the towering bulge.


    Ugh, I waspletely messed up. How could I avoid sin if I looked at a sexy body like that?! No, no, no. It¡¯s all just biological hormones-a woman¡¯s nature. However, my heart and mind still drifted to Laird, who would be disappointed if I didn¡¯t maintain my professionalism.


    ¡°Over here. Watch your step,¡± a staff member guided us up a small staircase to climb onto the pharmacy counter.


    ny on the counter while I straddled him. Oh, crap! Crap! I kneeled on the wide white counter. n¡¯s body lying beneath me seemedfortable. His elbows were supported on the counter, so his body was halfway up. However, his eyes stared at me as if caressing every inch of my skin through his gaze.


    ¡°Get ready in position! Everyone be quiet.¡± At thatmand, the room fell silent immediately.


    ¡°Action!¡±


    When that word was uttered, I immediately moved my body as if riding n. However, I had to keep my face calm and rxed. The female pharmacist asked me.


    ¡°How does it feel with this one?¡±


    ¡°Well, I think this one is good enough,¡± I said with a few nods and a thin smile as my body and hips moved up and down with my hands holding n¡¯s hips as directed by the director.


    ¡°Hmm, I think I¡¯d like to try arger size,¡± n retorted to the pharmacist with a frown on his forehead.


    I continued moving up and down for a few seconds. ¡°Cut!¡±


    We repeated the scene several times before the director finally dered that the result was good. Thank goodness the scene wasn¡¯t repeated too many times because I swear I felt n¡¯s hard shaft pressing against my pussy! Was he aroused by me?


    Anyway, the director let us step down. We watched the footage on the director¡¯s screen. Indeed, their shots looked amazing.


    On screen, I could see my head, back, n¡¯s upper body, and n¡¯s legs. While our touching hips were covered by the body and head of the female pharmacist, my body movements were also quite rhythmic.


    ¡°Alright. Shall we go straight to the third scene?¡± Martha asked us.


    ¡°The sooner, the better,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Alright! I love your spirit, Fene! Come on, let¡¯s go!¡± Martha eximed enthusiastically.


    The makeup artist quickly styled my hair and n¡¯s hair to be more tousled and voluminous than in the previous scene. Now, I truly looked like I was being f**ked up. After being satisfied, the makeup artist and Jessy nodded to indicate that the scene was ready to begin.


    ¡°Get in position!¡± Martha called out, and everyone immediately moved to their positions.


    ¡°Third scene! Ready?¡± The voice from the megaphone sounded loud.


    I ced both of my hands on the edge of the condom shelf. My body pressed against the shelf while n¡¯s hands held my back in the upper area near the armpits. n¡¯s hands felt hot, burning my skin, and I shivered because of it.


    ¡°Are you cold?¡± n asked from behind me.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can still do it,¡± I replied curtly to cover up the fact that n¡¯s touch had somewhat sparked desire building up in my pussy.


    ¡°Okay,¡± n said, as his body was very close to mine from behind.


    After ensuring the studio was quiet, the video recording began. ¡°Action!¡±


    n started moving his body, and I followed suit with quick movements. As if we were engaging in doggy-style intercourse.


    Gosh! How is this possible?! n¡¯s erect penis was really poking into my pussy from behind and was only hindered by his underwear, which was as thin as tissue. I nearly went crazy trying to resist moaning due to the stimtion in my pussy.


    ¡°Cut!¡± The assistant director called out.


    Oh, crap! I forgot my line.


    ¡°Forgive me! Please let me repeat that.¡± I nodded to them.From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Okay, get ready! Action!¡±


    n and I resumed moving our bodies for a few seconds. Then I delivered my lines with a calm face.


    ¡°Hmm, this one feels too big,¡± I said to the attentive female pharmacist looking at me.


    ¡°Cut okay!¡±


    Okay? After that word was spoken, I immediately stepped away from n. I nced at his underwear, and indeed, I saw a hard bulge there.


    ¡°Stop staring, Fene.¡± n¡¯s voice snapped me out of my reverie.


    ¡°What?¡± I pretended not to understand as I walked to Jessy to put on the robe.


    ¡°You¡¯re turning me on. If you keep staring at me like that, I might take you to the dressing room,¡± he teased.


    ¡°No, thank you,¡± I replied curtly as I put on the satin robe, tightening its sash firmly around my waist.


    No, I must not get further involved with n. This is all wrong, and I am definitely not a cheater.


    ¡°We will have a one-hour break,¡± Martha made an announcement, and then everyone dispersed.


    I retrieved my phone from Jessy¡¯s care. When I looked at the screen to check the time, I widened my eyes in surprise. Unnoticeably, it was already noon-time for a lunch break. I checked the message from Laird, and he seemed quite calm waiting for me.


    ¡®How is the shooting going?¡¯


    I then replied to the message while gripping my phone tightly. Laird must not know how I was slightly aroused by n.


    ¡®Smooth. Maybe I cane to your office to go home together and have dinner outside.¡¯


    A few secondster, Laird replied to my message again.


    ¡®Of course. Just let me know when you arrive at my officeter.¡¯

 Dangerous Zone

    Fene¡¯s POV


    The break had ended, and the shooting was about to start again. n and I sat on the pharmacy floor. We listened to Martha¡¯s instructions before starting the shoot, and when we were ready, we took off our robes and handed them to Jessy.


    My hair was now messy and tangled, a deliberate hairstyling by the makeup artist. These were thest two scenes before we could go home. I just hoped the shooting would end soon so I could be free from this torment.


    I got into position. My body was lying on the slightly itchy, carpeted floor. n kneeled in front of me with both of my legs spread wide. My knees were supported on n¡¯s elbows and waist.


    Gosh! Even though this was fake, I still felt very exposed in front of n. I unintentionally-or well, intentionally-peeked at n¡¯s underwear, which was clearly visible to me. The prominent bulge was clearly visible to me.


    Damn! Was he really still aroused?


    ¡°Fene! Move closer to n so your legs are more visible,¡± Martha¡¯s voice sounded again through the megaphone.


    I moved a bit closer as directed. ¡°Again!¡± So I leaned my butt closer to n¡¯s hips. God, help me. ¡°Again!¡± I didn¡¯t know what my facial expression was like now, but our hips were truly almost touching. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough! n, lift Fene¡¯s legs higher.¡±


    ¡°Gosh, Martha,¡± I growled softly, truly annoyed with her.


    ¡°Yes, okay! Perfect! Hold that position.¡± People immediately got ready for their positions.


    ¡°Why do you look upset?¡± n asked with a lopsided smile etched on his handsome face.


    ¡°You told me that you were gay,¡± I hissed between gritted teeth.


    Fortunately, the filming of this scene didn¡¯t focus on my face. They would only highlight my legs, n¡¯s face, and half of his body. The rest was covered by the shelves.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Does that bother you?¡±


    ¡°I was just surprised you could get a boner when you¡¯re with me.¡± I widened my eyes as he actually pressed his hard bulge against my pussy.


    ¡°It¡¯s a biological instinct.¡± n shrugged.


    ¡°But you¡¯re supposed to be gay!¡±


    ¡°I can like whoever I want, and I can put my dick wherever I choose.¡± n¡¯s hands gripped my knees tighter, making my heart race.


    ¡°That¡¯s not-¡±


    ¡°Everyone quiet!¡± The assistant director silenced everyone, including me, making me finally stop talking.


    No, no, no! This is dangerous!


    n smiled crookedly at me, and it made my whole body feel like it was burning under his aroused gaze. His grip felt like it was scorching my knees, and my thighs tensed as I tried to hold back the moisture pooling in my groin. In our position, with n¡¯s gaze and words, I was sure that he desired me.


    Worse, I was tempted by him as well. I could clearly see his firm muscles. Our touching skin at my knees and our position made this scene feel even more real. It was as if I truly wanted to grip his waist and feel those frictional sensations.


    ¡°Action!¡±


    My heart was pounding as n¡¯s hips began moving back and forth rapidly. He acted extraordinarily, almost too real. His head tilted back, his back arched, and his lips pursed as he grimaced with pleasure.


    I couldn¡¯t look! My hand quickly covered my mouth. I was afraid people around us would realize how aroused I was too, as his covered bulge repeatedly grazed against my pussy.


    Seconds felt like an eternity. The pharmacist woman watched us act, observing us from different angles. She nodded approvingly.


    ¡°This is good,¡± n said.


    ¡°Cut, okay!¡±


    Ugh, thank God! I breathed a sigh of relief. However, n didn¡¯t immediately release my legs. Instead, he leaned forward and whispered in front of my face.


    ¡°How about it, Fene? It¡¯s not a sin if you want to try with me. I promise to keep it a secret from Laird,¡± he chuckled softly.


    ¡°Stop it.¡± I pushed n¡¯s body, but I was still lying on the floor.


    n chuckled mischievously. Despite my rough push, he pulled my hand up and helped me stand up.


    ¡°Okay, onto the next scene,¡± Martha shouted through the megaphone before walking over to us.


    After giving us some brief instructions, we changed positions again. This time, n and I sat facing each other with my buttocks on his thighs. Although our bodies weren¡¯t too close, n ced both of his hands on my waist.


    This time, the camera angle changed to focus on us from above the shelf. The lower parts of our bodies were covered by the shelf, so only our heads were visible this time. I ced one hand on n¡¯s shoulder, while the other held the phone.


    ¡°Okay, everyone, get ready in position!¡±


    n and I looked into each other¡¯s eyes. We could feel each other¡¯s warm breaths. n smiled at me and whispered, ¡°I know you want me. You¡¯re curious, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    My chest continued to rumble. I couldn¡¯t deny that I was nervous about it. But once again, I maintained my loyalty to Laird. This was just a temporary temptation, and it wouldn¡¯t mean anything to me.


    I swallowed my saliva and lied, ¡°No. You won¡¯t be able to trap me again.¡±


    ¡°Honesty is your best friend,¡± he whispered again.


    ¡°But you don¡¯t have that. You¡¯re rotten to the core.¡± I narrowed my eyes to resist all these temptations.


    ¡°Everyone quiet! Action!¡±


    n and I started moving again. Our bodies moved up and down, and I lifted the phone to my ear.


    ¡°Hey, Dad. No, I¡¯m just trying out this new condom with Jason,¡± I said ording to the script. By the way, Jason was a made-up name.


    ¡°Yeah, it feels amazing,¡± I added calmly, as ifmenting on a shirt.


    ¡°Hey, this soap is half off,¡± n added to my lines as he turned to another shelf and took something from it.


    A few seconds passed as we kept moving. ¡°Cut!¡± The director asked us to redo the scene several times until he was truly satisfied.


    ¡°Cut, okay!¡±


    Ugh, finally, it¡¯s okay. Before I could get up, n suddenly held onto my back. He gripped my body tightly with his big, sturdy hands.


    ¡°My offer still stands, Fene. You can give it a try before deciding anything. Let¡¯s see if we¡¯re a good match,¡± he whispered lowly in front of my face.


    His breath felt warm, and his gaze was unwavering. n was not messing around. He was serious about offering me a hookup with him. I swallowed hard, slightly tempted by the attractiveness that women always praised about him.


    It turned out he could truly be aroused by women. Mallory had testified to n¡¯s prowess in bed. I couldn¡¯t lie to myself; I was a bit tempted by him.


    Yes, honestly, I was curious to taste it. His face leaned in, and our lips almost touched.

 Benefit of the Doubt

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°No.¡±


    I quickly got up, pushing n¡¯s shoulder away. With swift steps, I approached Jessy and put on my satin robe.


    God, help me!


    I sealed my lips, holding back the red blush burning my cheeks, and walked into the dressing room. I stood leaning against the door, my heart racing. What was wrong with me?


    I have to admit, n was a man who knew how to charm. He knew how to make a woman feel special, and he made everything seem beautiful.


    No, wait a minute. I still didn¡¯t know anything about him or Amy. I also didn¡¯t know if he could be trusted or not, considering how easily he had lied about many things so far.


    ¡°Are you ready to change?¡± the makeup artist asked me with a puzzled look.


    ¡°Oh, yes, sorry. I was feeling cold,¡± I sighed deeply.


    My mind continued to oscite between n¡¯s continuous sweet talk and Laird, whom I knew was waiting for news from me. Once again, I tried to calm myself. I tightened the robe¡¯s straps with both hands and rubbed my arms, which shivered from the cold.


    I removed the plestered cups from my chest and the G-string under the dressing room curtain. With a ck turtleneck knit top and a knee-length pencil skirt, I sat back in the makeup chair. The stylist rearranged my hair back to its original straight and smooth style with a styling iron and gel.


    After half an hour, the hair stylist finished styling my hair. I looked at my phone screen. It was past 3 p. m. Laird had left a short message, and I hurriedly read it.


    ¡®Baby, sorry. It looks like I¡¯ll be workingte because of tomorrow morning¡¯s hearing.¡¯


    ¡®Rain check for tonight?¡¯


    No, this was not good!


    Whether it was my overflowing hormones that made me so aroused or n messing with my mind, one thing was certain: I needed Laird now. Even the skin-colored G-string I wore earlier was clear evidence of how wet my pussy was.


    ¡®That sucks. Can I drop by the office and bring you dinner?¡¯


    As I waited for Laird to reply to my message, I left the dressing room. I came face-to-face with n, who stood chatting with Martha and Jessy. He was wearing a neat ck suit,plete from head to toe. No more exposed skin is to be seen.


    Unconsciously, I nced at the bulge in n¡¯s pants. The hard erection was now covered and no longer visible. It seemed n had managed to restrain his desires. I truly didn¡¯t want to think that he might have taken care of it through masturbation in the bathroom.


    The notification sound of a message from Laird rang again. n, noticing the sound, now turned to me and looked into my eyes. As our gazes locked, I quickly looked down at my phone screen.


    ¡®You¡¯re an angel.¡¯


    ¡®Come whenever.¡¯


    I breathed a sigh of relief. With calm steps, I approached Martha and cleared my throat.


    ¡°Hey, Fene. Thank you for today. You did a great job.¡± The woman smiled broadly and hugged me for a moment.


    ¡°Thank you, Martha.¡±


    We chatted for a while, with Jessy and n also joining in to liven up our conversation. I nced at n several times, noticing from the corner of my eye that he kept looking in my direction with a wide smile on his face.


    After a satisfying conversation, we bid farewell to Martha. I walked alongside Jessy, hurrying to get away from n.


    ¡°Fene! Wait, don¡¯t leave yet,¡± n said just before we went into our car.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I furrowed my brows. What more did he want?!


    ¡°Wait for a moment. I have something for you.¡±


    n hurriedly ran towards his car parked across the building. He took out severalrge shopping bags from the back of his ck SUV. After that, he crossed the street and approached us.


    ¡°This is for you,¡± n said slightly out of breath as he handed over the shopping bags held in both his hands.


    ¡°What is this?¡± I asked as Jessy and I received the shopping bags, peeking our heads in to see the contents.


    Shoes box with thebel Oscar de Ragetti, clothes box with thebel Jemima, Baumer, perfume box Muses, and many more.


    ¡°Ooh. If you add up the prices of these branded items, it could amount to over a hundred thousand dors,¡± Jessy eximed, impressed.


    ¡°Gifts,¡± n replied with a wide smile.


    ¡°Gifts from whom?¡±


    ¡°From all your clients. Oscar, Jemima Hors, Baumer, Muses, and many others. Oh, Mallory also gave this.¡± n handed over a small square box from inside his robe pocket.


    ¡°What is this?¡± I asked suspiciously, furrowing my brow.


    ¡°A friendship bracelet.¡±


    n opened the box, and inside, I immediately saw a white gold bracelet with several pendants bearing Mallory West¡¯s distinctive logo. As far as I could remember, this was an exclusive bracelet specially ordered by Mallory for her circle of friends, and it was significantly expensive.


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t think I can ept this.¡± I refused, with my mouth agape in astonishment.


    ¡°No, you must ept it. Look, your name is engraved on the back of the bracelet.¡± n lifted the bracelet from its box and showed me the engraving inside. Sure enough, my name, Fene Baxter, was carved there.


    ¡°What is all of this really about, n? Bribes to stop me from resigning?¡± I snapped.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°No! Of course not. These are just tokens of appreciation from your clients,¡± he insisted, and I could only snort in response.


    ¡°For seven years as a model, rarely did any client give me gifts of their own designs. I¡¯m sure you pressured them to give gifts, or worse, you bought them yourself.¡±


    ¡°Why do you rarely receive gifts? That¡¯s because you¡¯re not the main model. Now you¡¯re Gene¡¯s top model, a supermodel, so it¡¯s only natural for them to give you friendship gifts,¡± n persisted with his fast-paced exnation.


    I shook my head. ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean anything, n. No matter how many gifts you give me, I will still resign from Gene.¡±


    ¡°No problem. I just want to convey a thank-you message from your clients.¡± n then ced Mallory¡¯s friendship bracelet into one of the bags Jessy was holding.


    ¡°n! Stop. I can¡¯t be persuaded with this gift!¡±


    But the man ignored me. Once he made sure all the bags were in mine and Jessy¡¯s hands, he turned and walked away. His hand waved as he crossed the street.


    I stepped forward to try to catch up with him, but a delivery truck honked its horn, making me jump back. In an instant, n¡¯s car was already driving off with John behind the wheel.


    I turned around and looked at Jessy. ¡°Can you believe that?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s okay, dear. Just trust him, and besides, Mallory has asked you to wear the bracelet and t-shirt for the social campaign next week.¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, the ad will also be aired that day, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The campaign is like a big announcement of the names of Mallory¡¯s friends who support her. You¡¯re included, and the ad will be shown thereter,¡± Jessy exined, putting the shopping bags into the car.


    ¡°Hey, why are you bringing them in? I don¡¯t want to ept them,¡± I said, holding the back door of the car so Jessy wouldn¡¯t open it.


    ¡°Then what should I do? I can¡¯t leave these shopping bags lying around. Even if you don¡¯t want them, you can give them to someone elseter. The important thing is, let¡¯s secure them in the car for now.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, I really hate that man.¡± I cursed his name as I opened the passenger door in front.


    ¡°But you were tempted by him earlier, right?¡±


    ¡°Me? Not at all!¡± I argued with an annoyed shout.


    ¡°Sorry. My eyes must have deceived me,¡± Jessy giggled as we got into the car.


    ¡°Whatever you imagine about me and n, it¡¯s all wrong. You know very well I have issues with him, and he¡¯s probably the brother of my high school bully.¡± I mmed the car door shut.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know that, do we?¡± Jessy shrugged.


    ¡°Oh, so now after I finish this cursed project and your job is secure, you¡¯re back on n¡¯s side?¡±


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I mean, Fene. I just want to give him the benefit of the doubt.¡± Jessy started the car engine and turned on the heater.


    ¡°Fuck that! He can lie about our rtionship and his sexual orientation like it¡¯s no big deal. He¡¯s a mess, I tell you now,¡± I said with an annoyed shout.


    ¡°Well, everyone has weaknesses,¡± Jessy shrugged.


    ¡°Oh, shut up now! I don¡¯t want to hear anymore about n! You better take me to the nearest Chinese restaurant before I hit you on the head with that Muses perfume box.¡±


    ¡°Are you nuts? You never ate that kind of food before,¡± Jessy furrowed his brow.


    ¡°I want to bring food for Laird.¡±

 Cater to My Needs

    Fene¡¯s POV


    At exactly 5 p. m., Jessy dropped me off in front of Laird¡¯s office building. One hand sped arge bag of Chinese food. Honestly, I didn¡¯t know what he would like, so I ordered the menu items he often ordered and a few other dishes that looked delicious in the menu book pictures.


    I entered the lobby, which was crowded with employees leaving work. As I walked in, everyone stared at me as if I were an alien. Perhaps it was because I was the only one walking against the flow as everyone headed towards the exit doors.


    ¡°Hey, Fene.¡± Laird walked toward me with a faint smile. As he had informed me through a text message, he was waiting for me in his office.


    ¡°Hi, dear.¡± I quickly pecked his lips, but Laird quickly moved back before our lips touched.


    ¡°Why?¡± I asked, puzzled.


    ¡°This is the office,¡± he replied, clearing his throat and looking around.


    ¡°Oh.¡±


    I looked around and saw that most desks were already empty. There were only a few people left, but it seemed like Laird still didn¡¯t want to attract too much attention.


    ¡°Has your boss left?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, she left at 4 p. m. Had a meeting outside with clients,¡± Laird nodded as he took the food bag from my hand.


    I sighed in relief. I thought I could rx now without having to meet Reba, but that didn¡¯t mean I could linger here. The sooner I left, the better.


    We walked towards Laird¡¯s desk. The newwyers¡¯ dedicated space was empty, with only the light on Laird¡¯s desk shining.


    ¡°Are you going to workte alone?¡±


    ¡°Yup. No paralegal wants to help me because this is a pro bono case,¡± he said as he opened the bag and peered inside.


    ¡°Pro bono?¡±


    ¡°The free legal services. It¡¯s a kind of social responsibility in thepany.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± My mouth formed an ¡®O¡¯ again after hearing his exnation.


    ¡°You bought a lot. Do you want me to stay overnight in the office?¡± He raised an eyebrow with a half-smile after seeing what was in the bag I brought for him.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d be workingte into the night and wouldn¡¯te home to the apartment with me,¡± I blinked.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. There¡¯s a lot I need to prepare for tomorrow morning,¡± he chuckled softly.


    ¡°Let me help you serve the food.¡± I promptly offered to go to the pantry to get tes, but Laird stopped me.


    ¡°No need. I¡¯ll just open it when I get hungry.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I thought you wanted to have dinner with me at the office now.¡± My mouth agape briefly, surprised by the difference in ns between me and Laird.


    I mean, Tom and I used to have dinner together at his office. I was used to apanying Tom during his overtime, and I thought Laird would also ask me to apany him duringte hours. Of course, this was my mistake. I shouldn¡¯t have equated Laird with Tom.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m still full,¡± he said, shaking his head.


    ¡°Hmm, alright then. I¡¯ll head home,¡± I uttered softly. I swallowed my pride and disappointment, a mix of shame engulfing me.


    ¡°Why in such a hurry?¡± Laird gently held my wrist.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Just stay for a while.¡± Laird leaned forward, and slowly he wrapped his arm around my waist possessively.


    ¡°I miss you. I¡¯ve been going almost crazy all day thinking about you shooting with n. Did he touch you?¡± He whispered in my ear, his nose inhaling the scent behind my ear.


    Hearing Laird speak like that, my heart instantly raced. I finally turned around to face Lairdpletely.


    ¡°That¡¯s not important. Everything was make-believe. This is real to me.¡± I kissed his lips.


    This time, Laird didn¡¯t reject me. Perhaps he knew there was no one else in the room, and it was just the two of us. So, he weed my kiss with an open mouth. His lips passionately met mine, and his tongue intertwined with mine.


    Damn it! I felt the desire that had been bothering me during the shoot was still ongoing. Quickly, the passion overtook me, and I gave in to my desires. At least I satisfied them with Laird, not with n.


    Although guilt lingered in my heart towards Laird, I felt like this was my redemption. In the end, I managed to suppress my desire to ept n¡¯s invitation. Instead of being seduced by that man, I remained faithful to Laird.


    I sighed as Laird¡¯s kiss became more ravenous inside my mouth. His tongue explored the depths of my cheek, and the sound of sucking grew louder in my ear. Before long, Laird groaned and broke our kiss.


    Our breaths werebored, and he gazed at me with heat and intensity. His hand then guided me by the waist to walk with him to the end of the room. He opened a small wooden door that was closed, ushering us inside and locking the door from the inside.


    ¡°Archive room. Do you use it often?¡± I teased him while holding onto his suit and walking backward, following his steps.


    ¡°Other men in the office said it¡¯s the perfect ce to maintain privacy, but I¡¯ve never used it.¡± My back pressed against the sturdy archive shelf leaning against the wall.


    ¡°So, this is your first try?¡± My hands circled around Laird¡¯s neck as our lips met.


    ¡°Yes. I was afraid others would find out,¡± he said amidst our kiss.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t fear add tension and pleasure?¡± I whispered softly as Laird¡¯s lips slowly descended to lick my neck.


    ¡°Yes, but let¡¯s do this quickly,¡± he whispered in a low voice as his hands now slipped under my sweater.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I moaned as Laird¡¯s hands unhooked the bra I was wearing. His lips immediately sucked on my nipple as his hands squeezed my breasts. His tongue licked and flicked my nipple, quickly igniting my entire body.


    With hunger, he sucked forcefully on each of my nipples in turns. My hands gripped his blonde hair, and I writhed a few times each time his teeth grazed my nipple pleasurably. I bit my lower lip to stifle the moans that threatened to escape my mouth as his fingers started twisting the nipple that his mouth wasn¡¯t sucking on.


    Struggling to contain my pleasure, Laird then pulled up my pencil skirt, exposing my butt. He shamelessly slipped his hand into my pants and pulled them down to my heels.


    His fingers teased my clit and explored my pussy. I kicked off one of my heels, freed one foot from my pants, and spread my thighs wide while the other foot supported my body.


    ¡°You¡¯re already so wet, baby,¡± he whispered as his hand propped one of my legs high on his waist.


    ¡°Oh! Yes, Laird. I¡¯m ready. I need you now.¡± I hissed as Laird¡¯s fingers brought pleasure with deep fingering inside my pussy.


    I was even sure my pants had been wet since n had been teasing me relentlessly on set. Damn it! I begged Laird as if I were a hypersexual whore.


    ¡°Yes, baby.¡± He took a condom from his pants pocket and ripped it open quickly.


    ¡°When did you prepare that?¡± I asked with a crooked smile.


    ¡°Since you said you wereing to the office, I felt the need to host you well, and I wanted to erase any traces of n from your body.¡± He whispered softly while putting on his condom for his towering, hard shaft.


    ¡°I swear, he didn¡¯t touch me intimately.¡± Technically, I wasn¡¯t lying. n¡¯s hand never once got the chance to touch my pussy.


    ¡°However, he did touch you.¡± Right after he said that, his cock entered my pussy.


    ¡°Yes! This feels so good.¡± I threw my head back, hitting the shelf as Laird thrust deeper.


    His hips then moved rapidly back and forth. This was simr to the scene during the shoot earlier, but this was all real and truly happening.


    Laird¡¯s hand pressed against my clit quickly as his cock continued to rub against the walls of my pussy. Laird¡¯s mouth sucked on my breasts and licked them to enhance the pleasure.


    My hips moved automatically, pressing and seeking more pleasure from his erection. His movements became rougher and faster, with an increasingly erratic rhythm. I suppressed moans as much as I could, though I sighed softly multiple times.


    As minutes passed, faster and harder, I began to feel an extra strong thrust from his hips. The clinking of the metal shelf colliding with the wall grew louder.


    ¡°I¡¯ming,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°Yes, baby!¡± I moaned softly.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    We reached the peak of orgasm simultaneously, and the strong thrusts made the metal shelf rattle. The sound of the metal grew softer until the archive shelf stood, solidly supporting our bodies. Our breaths were heavy, and our bodies trembled uncontrobly, especially my legs, which were now tingling from being lifted.


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind this quickie,¡± Laird said as he kissed my cheek.


    ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m just one call away to cater to your lust anytime, Laird.¡±


    ¡°So, n really didn¡¯t touch you intimately?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head.


    ¡°Good.¡±

 Social Campaign

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°We are here to voice our rights.¡± Mallory¡¯s voice echoed through the speakers mounted on either side of the stage.


    ¡°The right to get protection, the right to form healthy rtionships with others, and the right to livefortably in our environment.¡±


    ¡°We cannot achieve any of that if we continue to close ourselves off from what can protect us. Avoiding the topic because we consider it taboo will only lead to misunderstandings. By spreading knowledge about the subject widely, I¡¯m confident we can protect ourselves from the diseases affecting ourmunity.¡±


    ¡°Wow! Yeah, I¡¯ve always felt that sexual education should start as early as possible. I really appreciate this movement you¡¯re advocating.¡± The host eximed, pping to encourage a round of apuse from the audience.


    Since 8 AM until now, which was 10 AM, I have stood on stage with dozens of celebrities, models, and actresses in Mallory¡¯s circle of friends. We were wearing matching white shirts with a red ribbon logo on the chest, beneath our cardigan, in support of the HIV/AIDS awareness campaign. n, Jemima, and Oscar were also present, standing beside me and wearing the same friendship bracelets.


    It felt strange. Over time, Mallory¡¯s circle of friends seemed more like a cult, with Mallory as the holy figure at its center. However, I was aware that they were all famous celebrities, while I was just a neer to this group.


    I didn¡¯t know if the people gathered in Times Square saw us that way or not. One thing was clear: They idolized these celebrities. They cheered and pped loudly after hearing Mallory¡¯s speech.


    ¡°Alright, the moment we¡¯ve been waiting for has arrived. We will now witness theunch of thetest condom that will protect us all from HIV/AIDS. Please, Miss Mallory West and Mr. n Schmidt, step forward to lead the countdown.¡±


    My body tensed as they both moved to the center of the stage in front of the microphone. My fingers felt numb, and anxiety had haunted me for several days. I raised my sunsses with my fingers, hoping these people wouldn¡¯t recognize me on therge screen behind our stage.


    Gosh, the screen was enormous! I was sure that if any part of my body was exposed, it would be clearly seen. Imagining my nostrils visible, my pores, or my messy hair-ah, damn, my hair was such a mess in the ad!


    ¡°Let¡¯s start! 10! 9! 8!¡± The countdown began as Mallory and n shouted.


    Each count made my breath ache in my chest. The production of the ad had taken only two weeks to meet today¡¯sunch date. Everything felt too fast, and I wasn¡¯t ready.


    ¡°4! 3! 2!¡± The smile on my face felt stiff.


    Thick smoke sprayed, and colorful lights shed rapidly. The screen behind it went ck and then slowly showed product videossting less than 20 seconds. After this, the ad featuring n and me was supposed to y with a total duration of 40 seconds.


    The product video paused for a few seconds. Sweat began to dampen my back despite the cold December morning weather. There it was!


    ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ My face appeared on the screen with a loud mumble.


    ¡®Hi, is there anything I can help with?¡¯ The voice of the woman ying the pharmacist was also clear, and she was now standing beside me, watching the ad on the screen behind us.


    ***


    I sat stretched out on the sofa in my apartment. Jessy was still busy with his phone, answering various questions from reporters. He had also been upied with various posts on my personal and office social media ounts.


    The condom brandunch event was over, and the response had been overwhelming. It was normal for people to see someone buying condoms openly at a pharmacy. The ad was intentionally made to make buying condoms seem as routine as buying vitamin C pills.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Did the ad capture attention as expected? Yes! The ad quickly went viral on social media, and celebrity gossip articles always mentioned Mallory West as the brain behind the idea. Of course, not everyone reacted as the ad creators had hoped, as it began receiving criticism.


    The videoments were flooded with condemnation, insults, and verbal bullying. Our supporters were now battling haters on social media. The most sensational controversy became the trending topic of the day in the online world.


    ¡°Oh no.¡± Jessy sat down beside me on the sofa.


    His body slumped, and he held his temples as if his head might explode at any moment. He turned off his phone and ced it roughly on the coffee table.


    ¡°Is it that bad?¡± I asked Jessy.


    ¡°They¡¯re all crazy! I can¡¯t deal with it anymore! They¡¯re calling for a boycott!¡±


    ¡°Oh, damn.¡± My voice was weak, and I was at a loss forforting words.


    ¡°Give that to me.¡± Jessy extended a hand, asking for an unopened can of beer.


    I handed him what he asked for. He opened it hastily and drank its contents, coughing immediately.


    ¡°Hey, take it easy,¡± I said, rushing to the kitchen to fetch a bottle of warm mineral water and patting his back.


    Jessy set his beer can on the table and drank the mineral water to clear his throat. Once he stopped coughing, I sat back down on the sofa. I took another swig from my second can of beer and began to feel tipsy.


    Yes, getting drunk was better to escape all this pressure and madness. The condom ad had been out for less than 24 hours, but it had already received mixed reactions. I knew there was nothing I could do except drink beer to calm my nerves.


    Now, I felt high, and slowly, I didn¡¯t care about the fate of the ad anymore. Hey, isn¡¯t it good if the ad gets boycotted? No one would see it anymore. The ad would vanish in the blink of an eye, buried by threats and criticism about public sexual conduct.


    Of course, I didn¡¯t express my true feelings in front of Jessy. He had been doing his best to maintain my public image. This might be the biggest blow to his career as my agent. His head must be full of thoughts, and I didn¡¯t want to provoke his emotions any more than they were.


    Besides, most importantly, Laird wouldn¡¯t be able to see it again-hell, he had promised not to look into it. I nced at the wall clock in the room. It was now 5 p. m.; Laird should have finished work by now. I wondered if he had seen the ad or not, as I hadn¡¯t even dared to check my phone since I returned to the apartment.


    At least for today. Let me rest for a moment and avoidmunication with others after the exhaustion and cold from the Mallory campaign. I grabbed a thick jacket and curled up on the sofa to warm myself.


    ¡®The ad is receiving bacsh. I¡¯ll be holed up in the apartment and drinking beer with Jessy if you want to find me.¡¯


    That was myst message to Laird.

 Eureka!

    Laird¡¯s POV


    I nced at the message from Fene that she sent yesterday. All night, she didn¡¯t reply to my messages and only answered my call once. From her voice and way of speaking, she sounded tired.


    Jessy was also hit by the negative reactions flooding Fene¡¯s personal social media and Gene¡¯s office. After some considerations, they decided to stay away from the public eye until the ad dropped.


    It seems like the adunch is facing major issues. Yes, I promised not to ask about that ad, even though I¡¯m curious. I have intentionally given her space to calm down, and maybe I¡¯ll visit herter in the evening after work.


    I think it¡¯s not going to be a problem. Moreover, next week is the start of the winter holidays. We will go back to Boston to celebrate Christmas with our families. After the chaos and dilemma with n, maybe calming down with her mother is the right decision.


    I rubbed my chin and considered canceling my winter holiday ns with Fene. Initially, I wanted to take her on a vacation, but I wasn¡¯t sure if she would agree.


    ¡°How did it go? I thought you had already obtained the file.¡±


    This was the third time I sent a message to Matthew without a response. He promised to send me the important document file about n, but until the end of today¡¯s lunch break, he still hadn¡¯t replied to my messages. What is actually happening to him?


    Suddenly, the phone rang. I looked at the screen. Matthew was calling, and I immediately answered.


    ¡°Hello!¡± The man on the other end was greeted withughter.


    ¡°Hey. Have you gotten the file?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Uh huh. You won¡¯t believe what I found!¡±


    ¡°Send the file now,¡± I impatiently said.


    ¡°Pay the remaining bnce first.¡±


    ¡°Oh, typical materialistic person. Since when did our rtionship turn into such a stiff transaction?¡± I grumbled, but the manughed again.


    ¡°I just want to be professional. Besides, I feel more skilled in my job now.¡±


    ¡°You arrogant jerk. Fine, I¡¯ll send the money now.¡± I was ready to hang up, but Matthew shouted to stop me.


    ¡°Hey, hey, hey! Wait a moment. There¡¯s one more thing I need to tell you.¡±


    ¡°What else?¡± I asked with a furrowed brow.


    ¡°I met Prosecutor Golden¡¯s assistant at the courthouse building here. We talked, and I applied my expertise to decipher the code through a sophisticated, structured psychological approach in interpersonal rtionships.¡±


    Tsk. He always talks too much. I know he intends to slow down his speech just to annoy me.


    ¡°Cut the crap. I know you¡¯re just stirring up old memories with that guy about how miserably you failed as former Prosecutor Golden¡¯s assistant. What did you find?¡±


    ¡°You damn guy.¡± Matthewughed heartily.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the information?¡± I urged, growing more impatient.


    ¡°Get ready.¡± He paused and took a breath. ¡°They¡¯re investigating n in connection with a major criminal case.¡± Matthew whispered.


    ¡°A major criminal case?¡± My eyes widened, and my mouth gaped slightly.


    ¡°They have been investigating that man for a long time, and even Prosecutor Golden¡¯s name was caught by n. He managed to evade andy low for some time, but after he reappeared in public, Prosecutor Golden immediately pursued him again.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s really bad. No wonder he was terrified when he met Prosecutor Golden during the DUI case trial yesterday,¡± I muttered, thinking about all these connections.


    ¡°It seems like n didn¡¯t think that Prosecutor Golden would chase him again, even for a minor case like DUI. Really unfortunate,¡± Matthew snorted.


    ¡°Well, maybe Prosecutor Golden is looking for reasons to deepen the investigation into n openly through the DUI case yesterday.¡±


    ¡°Everything is possible,¡± Matthew murmured.


    ¡°Hey, send the file now.¡±


    ¡°I told you, pay first.¡±


    ¡°You jerk.¡±


    I quickly hung up the phone. Hurriedly, I opened my mobile banking app on my phone and sent the remaining payment to him. No tip because he was such an annoying prick.


    I sent the payment proof to Matthew. Some timeter, the file he sent finally arrived on my phone. Without waiting any longer, I immediately opened it. My eyes quickly scanned through all the pages. One by one, until my reading speed slowed down as I knitted the final conclusion from Matthew¡¯s investigation results.From N?velDrama.Org.


    I fell silent for a moment. My mind wandered back to our high school days at Whitehill Academy. My chest tightened after learning the truth behind n and Amy.


    ¡°Goddamnit, that¡¯s the son of a bitch.¡±


    I grumbled with a stiff jaw. Then I quickly printed the document. Fene had to know, and that n guy had to be interrogated.


    ¡°Hey, buddy.¡± Derek walked over to me with his yful demeanor.


    ¡°Not now, Derek,¡± I said without looking at him. My hands moved swiftly on myptop keyboard to print the document to my printer.


    ¡°Hey, so blunt. Just because you¡¯re heartbroken doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll tolerate your rough attitude,¡± Derek snorted and smiled lopsidedly.


    ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m not heartbroken.¡± I finally stood upright to face him while waiting for all the documents to finish printing.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t lie. Just say if you need to find a recement. I have many model friends I met through my dating app.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still faithful to my girlfriend and not looking for a recement.¡±


    ¡°Meaning, you¡¯re still dating?¡±


    ¡°Yup. Steady and firm.¡±


    ¡°Then what¡¯s with this ad? This is Fene, right?¡± Derek showed me his phone.


    Oh damn. It was the controversial ad video. Derek yed the video in front of me. I promised not to watch it, but fate seemed to insist that I immediately see the ad.


    I fell silent as I watched n and Fene seemingly having sex in nude. Some parts of their bodies were intentionally covered by racks and other people, but they were shaking and moving as if they were indeed pounding each other.


    ¡°I find this quite funny, but people are already furious. What¡¯s wrong with those short-fused people out there?¡± Derek shook his head.


    I remained silent, still, as I digested the less-than-a-minute ad video in my mind.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the truth because everyone ismenting that this man and Fene are dating. I hope it¡¯s not true.¡±


    My heart was pounding fast, and I could feel a sudden rush of blood flow in my neck. I clenched my hands at my sides. My jaw began to ache from grinding my teeth.


    What the fuck?! In an instant, only red and ck colors were ying in my vision. My hands roughly crumpled the freshly printed papers.


    ¡°That son of a bitch.¡± I growled, trying to contain my uncontroble trembling body.


    Fene said n didn¡¯t touch her intimately. She said it was all the same as usual. How could she dare to lie to me like that?! How could that bastard touch my girlfriend like that?!


    Enough is enough. I will no longer hold back. I will expose all the filth in that man!


    I quickly put the documents into a brown envelope. My hand opened the desk drawer and took the motorcycle key from inside. The next second, my feet were already running towards the parking building.


    ¡°Hey, Laird! Where are you going?!¡± Derek called out to me, but I ignored him.


    I felt like a bull seeing red cloth. Right now, I have only one objective.


    ¡®I know everything. You¡¯re a dead meat.¡¯


    My message was sent to n.

 Highest Boiling Point

    n¡¯s POV


    ¡°Oh, yeah, I don¡¯t know why people have been so easily offendedtely, but really, no one is harmed, right?¡±


    The man on the other end of the phone rambled on about general ethics, social norms, and various other nonsense. I stayed silent, swallowing all of his unhelpful lectures. My eyes rolled upwards every time he recited sections about advertisement broadcasting.


    ¡°Alright, sir. I understand. How about we meet to discuss this matter, hm? Talking in person will surely feel different, right?¡±


    Usually, this trick works with some hush money. What else did they want but money? Moreover, in my opinion, this controversy waspletely groundless.


    ¡°No, no. I¡¯m not trying to bribe you, sir. I just want to discuss and find clues to resolve this controversy.¡±


    The high-ranking official continued to rant loudly on the phone. My head throbbed just hearing the nonsense he spewed. Why did they seem to hate me? I should have been praised for airing a funny and creatively engaging ad. Our team might have even won the annual advertising trophy!


    ¡°Alright, alright. I understand. ording to your instructions, I will write again officially as soon as possible.¡± I hung up the phone irritably.


    My teeth gritted fiercely, and I threw my phone against the wall. Damn it all! Everything¡¯s a mess! Mallory or Roger didn¡¯t even pick up my calls. Fuck!


    My phone rang again, indicating another iing call. Before one problem was solved, another one arose.


    I truly couldn¡¯t understand why they were scrutinizing the ad that had only been broadcast briefly on a rented LED screen. Clearly, no children attended the event yesterday.


    These journalists also wouldn¡¯t stop calling me. For exposure, of course, I will entertain them. I picked up my phone from the floor and answered it.


    ¡°Hey, how are you?¡± I greeted him enthusiastically over the phone.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, have you seen the ad? What do you think?¡±


    The man on the other end of the phone began confirming various things. Patiently, I exined everything while asionally sipping my tea.


    ¡°Yes, Fene is amazing. She can be very professional towards me regardless of whatever personal rtionship we have at the moment.¡±


    I scratched my head after hearing all the silly suggestions from this man. He even wanted to do more controversial projects with us. Was he crazy?! That¡¯s opportunistic!


    ¡°Hey, listen. Right now, Fene and I are still dealing with the ad issue. We haven¡¯t decided to take on another project yet. Rain check?¡±


    The reporter was furious. He ranted and started threatening me with all kinds of threats he could think of on the spot. Hoaxes and bad news about me and Fene?


    ¡°Please do as your heart¡¯s content, sir. I understand because most of the articles you write are such garbage.¡±


    I hung up the phone on him. My lips pressed tightly together, and finally, I switched off the ringer and set my phone to silent mode.


    Oh, what¡¯s this? Laird sent me a message.


    Laughter burst loudly from my mouth this time. Was he threatening me or what? Damn it! How dare he threaten me? What does he know about me?! He knows nothing!


    I called Mike. ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°At home.¡±


    ¡°Call Jessy and make sure she¡¯s with Fene or not. If she¡¯s with Fene, drag them far away from Gene¡¯s office,¡± I said as I started packing my things into my bag.


    ¡°For what?¡± he asked in his usual stupid tone.


    ¡°Someone is threatening to kill me.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know if he was serious or not, but we never know when someone will lose their temper to the breaking point. It is better to be cautious, be prepared, and run away as far as possible.


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t want Jessy and Fene to see you die?¡±


    ¡°Urrgh! For God¡¯s sake, Mike! Stop your foolishness right now!¡± I yelled at him.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point if I die?! Will they pity me if I die or get hurt?! Do you think that¡¯s funny, Mike?!¡±


    ¡°Uh, ok. Sorry, I thought they would pity you. I will call Jessy to meet with them as far away from the office as possible.¡± Mike stuttered.


    ¡°Wait a minute!¡±


    Suddenly, I felt an extraordinary inspiration. ¡°You¡¯re right, Mike. Women like to pity others, especially Fene.¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    I narrowed my eyes. A wide smile now spreads across my lips.


    Yes, yes, yes! I could seed this time. Let me die. If I die, they will pity me and report Laird to the police, and they will break up!


    ¡°Hello, n?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mike. Just make sure theye to the office now and see it all,¡± I said with a calmer smile this time.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sure. Call them and tell them that Laird Evans has gone crazy due to blind jealousy.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    The call ended. I set my phone to block all iing calls. Once again, I stared at my phone screen, showing Laird¡¯s name as the sender and the message he sent. I took a screenshot and sent it to Fene.


    ¡®Please help me. It seems like Laird is going to kill me.¡¯


    Now, I just had to wait.


    ***


    ¡°Bastard.¡±


    Laird burst into my office. Seeing the man, I shed a wide smile. It seemed Laird Evans was truly furious this time. His eyes red at me, his breath ragged, and he strode towards me with wide steps.


    ¡°Wee,¡± I greeted him.


    ¡°Stop your pretense.¡± Laird mmed a brown envelope on my desk.


    ¡°What is this?¡± I asked, furrowing my brow.


    ¡°Don¡¯t y games, n. I know who you really are.¡± His jaw tensed, and he advanced to intimidate me with his piercing gaze.


    I then rose from my chair casually. Curious, I opened the envelope, took out the crumpled documents inside, and quickly read through each page.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m impressed. I didn¡¯t know you were such a big fan of mine topile these clippings for me.¡± I ced the document back on my desk as if it meant nothing to me.


    I slipped my hands into my pants pockets. I nced at Laird¡¯s hands, but there seemed to be no knife or gun there. So, was it all just empty threats?


    ¡°I will tell Fene everything. You¡¯re screwed,¡± he growled in a low voice.


    ¡°So, you haven¡¯t told her yet?¡±


    ¡°I want her to see the truth for herself.¡±


    ¡°The truth is that it means nothing to her or to me.¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s important to her. She will know your lies, and she will hate you forever.¡±


    ¡°So what if she hates me forever? Besides, she already hates me now. You¡¯re just wasting your time.¡± I sneered, but he continued to re at me with hatred in his green eyes.


    ¡°Enough, Mr. Schmidt. I¡¯m sick of all your games. Just admit if you really like Fene.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re barking up the wrong tree, Laird.¡± My smile widened lopsidedly.


    ¡°No. I know that I¡¯m right. I know you¡¯ve liked her for a long time, since high school.¡±


    Once again, he cornered me. Laird Evans was indeed a smart man; I had to admit that. I was just curious-could he beat me? I nced briefly at the openptop screen on the desk. The CCTV footage showed Fene and Jessy entering Gene¡¯s office through the door.


    ¡°Listen, Laird.¡± I redirected my attention to the man.


    ¡°How many times do I have to tell you to believe that I¡¯m gay? How can I prove it to you?¡±


    I took long strides around the table. This time, I stood directly in front of him. Laird¡¯s face remained stern, and there was not a hint of fear in his expression.


    ¡°You could lie about your sexual orientation.¡± He growled.


    ¡°Like you did in your office?¡± I smiled at him.


    His eyes widened in shock at hearing me. Aha! It seemed he just realized that I had found out about him. Laird roughly grabbed the cor of my shirt with both hands. He growled low between his gritted teeth, holding back his anger.


    ¡°Listen, you scoundrel. You have proven yourself to be a big scammer. Now I¡¯m going to kill you.¡±


    ¡°I am gay, Laird. You just turn me on with your rough attitude towards me. Don¡¯t you realize that you¡¯re actually quite cute?¡± I chuckled and didn¡¯t mind our close faces breaking the privacy barrier. His warm breath swept over my face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t give a fuck aboutbels anymore. One thing I¡¯m sure of is that you like Fene regardless of your sexual orientation, and you disgust me with all your deceit.¡±


    ¡°My, my, what a sick bastard you are.¡± Iughed heartily.


    Then I stoppedughing, pulled his neck, held his head with both of my hands, and kissed his lips powerfully. Wow, that felt fantastic! Just for a moment, that¡¯s all I needed.

 Killer Mode

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡®She was such a mess!¡¯


    ¡®What was Mallory thinking when she approved an ad like that?¡¯


    ¡®I thought the ad was pretty funny and creative.¡¯


    ¡®She and her friends and her models should have died and gone to hell!¡¯


    I sighed as I read thements on Mallory West¡¯s official social media page. The inte was still buzzing with arguments about the ad that was released yesterday for the HIV/AIDS prevention campaign. Driven by intense curiosity, I finally opened my own social media page.


    ¡®Why did you ept a job like that? The ad only ruins your reputation as an elegant model.¡¯


    ¡®I thought she was getting more famous, but it seems she¡¯s running out of work.¡¯


    ¡®Isn¡¯t it her agent who chooses the jobs?¡¯


    ¡®No excuses! She should have refused if she didn¡¯t want to. This shows that she was okay with doing the ad.¡¯


    ¡®I don¡¯t know. I thought the ad was pretty funny and creative.¡¯


    ¡®People are reacting as if it¡¯s the first time they¡¯ve seen something like this. You can see more scenes like that in Hollywood movies.¡¯


    ¡®She should have died and gone to hell!¡¯


    I groaned in frustration as I read thements on my social media page. The posts about the productunch ad had been deleted, but people were still leavingments on unrted posts. On top of that, my follower count had dropped drastically since yesterday and continued to decline over time.


    Honestly, it was a terrible idea to open social media. I put my phone back on the floor andid it face down. I propped my chin up with both hands andid my head down weakly.


    I thought that by following n¡¯s advice, my reputation as a professional would be maintained, as Mallory expected from me. In reality,pleting the project only led to public outrage and my reputation being destroyed in an instant.


    My bodyy on the carpeted floor. Beside me, Jessy was asleep on the sofa after getting drunk and taking painkillers. After much persuasion, he finally set his phone to silent mode without vibration and was able to sleep.


    This was also Jessy¡¯s first time as an agent handling a controversy of this scale. He couldn¡¯t manage his stress and lost his efficient and wiseposure.


    Furthermore, he kept receiving bad news that my early next-year projects were in danger of being canceled by other agents and product owners. Some had even already canceled my participation in next year¡¯s fashion shows.


    Don¡¯t ask how often I cried. My eyes have been swollen and puffy since yesterday. My hair was messy, rotten half-fruit was just lying on the te on the floor, a pizza box was open with leftover pizza inside, and empty beer cans were scattered all over the floor.


    Suddenly, my phone rang with a distinctive tone, indicating it was Laird calling. I answered the phone in a weak voice.


    ¡°Hi,¡± I greeted.


    ¡°Fene, I know you didn¡¯t mean to lie to me about n. I know he pressured you into keeping quiet about that vulgar ad.¡± Laird¡¯s voice was low, a sign that he was holding back anger behind his words.


    ¡°Did you watch the ad? Didn¡¯t you promise not to watch it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know I promised! It¡¯s just that everyone at the office had seen it, and they showed it to me. They were wondering if I had broken up with you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Laird. I know you¡¯ll be angry, but I hope you understand my situation, and you know I didn¡¯t like the ad either.¡± I let out a long sigh.


    After seeing the ad, all my fans were specting more wildly that n and I were really dating. The ad only confirmed their suspicions, which werepletely wrong. Overwhelmed by the ad issue and rumors about my rtionship with n, I once again chose to distance myself from everything.


    Laird was silent for a moment, then he sighed deeply. ¡°Yeah, I understand. Let them say what they want; only we know the truth.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Laird.¡± Tears welled up in my eyes again.


    ¡°By the way, my investigation seeded. Now I know who n really is.¡±


    Laird¡¯s voice was breathless, and I could barely understand what he was saying. My brain didn¡¯t seem to be functioning well enough to process his words.


    ¡°Uh, you mean about his rtionship with Amy? Is that still important? Because honestly, I don¡¯t care about him anymore,¡± I repliedzily.


    ¡°You need to care. You need to know why he did all this to you and us. Meet me at n¡¯s office, and we¡¯ll make him confess everything. If necessary, we¡¯ll torture him until he admits it.¡±


    ¡°But, Laird-¡±


    ¡°I have to go now to drive my motorcycle. Meet me there, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    He hung up. I stared at Laird¡¯s photo in his profile picture on my phone screen. Maybe I was truly lucky to have a boyfriend like Laird. He once again proved to me that he was serious about supporting and protecting me without too many sweet promises.


    I started to feel that whatever n¡¯s reason or his rtionship with Amy, it no longer mattered. Yes, maybe he managed to mess up my career, but he couldn¡¯t ruin my rtionship with Laird. That¡¯s what matters to me now.


    That¡¯s what I should convince myself of. So why was I still sad about my career failure? Laird didn¡¯t care whether I was a famous celebrity model or just an ordinary girl, but somehow, I didn¡¯t feel good enough without my career.


    My phone vibrated again, indicating a new message from a number saved in my contacts. I saw that it was from n. My eyes rolled. For the past two days, he hasn¡¯t said anything to me. He had only sent one message yesterday, asking me not to leave the apartment for a while.


    Now, what nonsense did he want to tell me? I opened his message.


    ¡®Help me. Laird is going to kill me.¡¯


    I frowned as I read the message. Then, a screenshot from n was also sent to my phone. I looked at it, and sure enough, it seemed Laird had indeed threatened n. I knew we were going to pressure n to stop all his madness, but I didn¡¯t think Laird was serious about threats of murder and torture, right?


    Right?


    I bit my lower lip. Then, I finally stood up and woke up Jessy. I shook his body until he groaned and blinked his eyes.


    ¡°Wake up, Jessy! Laird already knows who n really is! He asked us to meet him at n¡¯s office now!¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Jessy scratched his neck with his face scrunched up in confusion.


    ¡°Can you drive? We have to get to n¡¯s office quickly. Laird might lose his temper with him!¡±


    Suddenly, everything changed quickly. I felt it was an emergency to get to the office, and right now, only Jessy could take me there quickly. I put on my jacket without bothering to change my clothes. I wore long jeans and quickly grabbed my bag. Jessy, who seemed to be waking up, washed his face at the sink and hurriedly took the car keys.


    We crossed my apartment building and braved the cold wind to get into the car. Just as I sat in the car, another message came from Laird. A fairlyrge file was sent, taking a while to download.


    I read it slowly and gasped in shock. My breath caught in my throat, and my mouth hung open. I clenched my phone and pressed it to myp. My other hand covered my mouth as I cursed in a loud whisper.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Fene?¡± Jessy asked in confusion as he kept ncing back and forth between me and the road to maintain the car¡¯s speed.


    ¡°He¡¯s my friend. n used to be my ssmate.¡±C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    I felt short of breath and felt like I was going to faint.

 All Hell Loose

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°Who? Are you sure you didn¡¯t read it wrong?¡±


    Jessy was still speeding down the road, maneuvering sharply to avoid other vehicles. He also drove through alleys and side streets to avoid the city¡¯s traffic in New York.


    I repeatedly checked and read the document Laird had sent me. Reading a document on my phone while in a recklessly speeding vehicle was a bad idea. My head started throbbing,pounded by the movement of the car.


    I reflexively gagged from nausea but managed to hold back from actually vomiting. I briefly opened the car¡¯s dashboard, grabbed a small stic bag from it, and covered my mouth before finally throwing up.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I said, wiping my mouth with a tissue after my stomach calmed down.


    ¡°Are you okay? Maybe we should stop for a moment and take it easy,¡± Jessy suggested as he slowed the car down.


    ¡°No! Keep going, Jessy. We have to stop Laird from going too far.¡±


    ¡°Alright. But you need to stop reading that document. Reading it over and over won¡¯t change anything,¡± he said, trying to calm me down.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡± I put my phone back into my bag and stopped reading the document.


    After fifteen minutes, we arrived in front of Gene¡¯s office building. Jessy and I hurried out of the car. Honestly, I felt a sense of deja vu. The difference this time was that I saw Laird¡¯s motorcycle parked on the street in front of Gene¡¯s office.


    ¡°Laird is here already,¡± I said.


    ¡°Oh, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s his motorcycle.¡± I pointed to Laird¡¯s motorcycle, and Jessy nodded.


    ¡°In that case, we should go straight up to n¡¯s office.¡± We half-ran into the office building.


    ¡°That¡¯s Fene! Look over here, Fene!¡±


    ¡°Oh, damn it.¡± Jessy cursed.


    Some paparazzi and reporters swarmed around me as I reached the entrance of Gene¡¯s office. But Ss, the office boy, and John, n¡¯s personal assistant, helped me get into the office and shielded me from the reporters. They snapped photos of me with their camera shes as I was walking into the office.


    Once inside, Ss and John immediately held the door and locked it. Jessy and I hurried up the office stairs.


    ¡°Ugh, going to the office was a bad idea,¡± I said between pantings.


    ¡°What did I tell you? Fortunately, your clothes are decent enough.¡±


    ¡°Are you still concerned about my outfit and reputation? What does it matter? I¡¯m already ruined.¡± I quickened my pace up to the second floor.


    ¡°Hey, Jessy! Fene! You¡¯re here!¡±


    ¡°Oh, no.¡± I muttered in frustration when I saw Jessy¡¯s ex-boyfriend.


    Mike stood at the top of the stairs on the second floor. He was grinning broadly. Nevertheless, his behavior seemed a bit odd as he stood at the top of the stairs leading to the third floor, as if he were blocking us from going up.


    ¡°Not now, Mike. We¡¯re in a hurry,¡± Jessy said firmly to him.


    ¡°Listen, Jessy, please hear me out.¡± Mike was nowpletely blocking Jessy with his body.


    ¡°I said, not now, Mike. We¡¯re in a hurry!¡± Jessy shouted loudly enough that several employees stopped what they were doing and looked at us.


    ¡°Why are you acting like this? Did you juste here to cause a scene like her boyfriend?¡± Mike asked in a high-pitched voice, clearly confronting us.


    ¡°Fuck off, Mike.¡±


    ¡°You fuck off, Fene. Do you think the world revolves around you? Look around! We all work hard while you whine andin after taking all the projects for yourself.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± I frowned.


    ¡°Do you want to me n for the condom project? Aren¡¯t you being ungrateful?¡± He preached at me.


    ¡°Shut the fuck up, Mike!¡± Jessy shouted louder this time, drawing even more attention from people.


    ¡°Go, Fene. Go upstairs. I¡¯ll knock some sense into Mike,¡± Jessy said firmly.


    ¡°Finally, you¡¯re talking to me now.¡± Mike smiled crookedly.


    I groaned in frustration. I shook my head while quickening my pace up the stairs to the third floor. Honestly, I had no idea what Mike was talking about, but it seemed to have gotten Jessy¡¯s attention.


    Whatever it was, I could ask Jessy for further exnationter. For now, Laird and n were the top priorities.


    Laird! Please don¡¯t do anything stupid!


    The third floor was quite empty. Only n¡¯s office door was slightly ajar. I quickened my pace until I burst through the door and entered n¡¯s office.


    ¡°My, my, what a sick bastard you are.¡±


    The next moment, I saw the most disgusting thing I had ever seen. This was worse than Tom being naked with his secretary on his desk. n was kissing Laird.


    The world seemed to stop turning. My heart pounded in my chest, and my heart sank. Instantly, blood rushed through my veins. Both of my hands covered my wide-open mouth.


    No! This isn¡¯t happening!


    Laird stood still, and so did I. Meanwhile, n¡¯s mouth was sucking Laird¡¯s lips, with both hands holding Laird¡¯s neck.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Get the fuck off me, you psycho!¡± Laird pushed n hard and punched him.


    n staggered and twisted, falling onto the sofa. He looked at Laird with a small, crazy chuckle. Laird wasn¡¯t satisfied with just one punch. He grabbed n¡¯s shirt again and punched him on the cheek again and again.


    ¡°Stop! Stop all of this, you two!¡± I shrieked.


    I finally managed to make a sound, although my body was shaking violently from shock. Laird stopped hitting n immediately. Both of them turned to look at me.


    ¡°Fene,¡± Laird¡¯s voice was faint, drowned out by the sound of my sobbing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡±


    My index finger rose in front of my face. My hands trembled, and I could feel a panic attack making my emotions uncontroble. My body trembled, apanied by uncontroble sobbing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say my name with your filthy mouth!¡± I gasped for air, and my gaze was sharp as it pierced into Laird¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough! I¡¯m so tired of dealing with your jealousy and emotions. I¡¯m sick of having to protect your feelings while my own heart is fucked up because of you!¡±


    nughed.


    ¡°And you!¡± I snapped at him and pointed at him.


    ¡°What do you really want from me?! Do you truly want to destroy my life?!¡±


    I screamed like a madwoman. I didn¡¯t know what was happening to me anymore. My emotions were overflowing, my body kept shaking uncontrobly, and my breathing felt painful with each breath.


    ¡°Do you want revenge on me, rk?! Are you really rk Thomson?¡±


    My voice choked. I stood still as if waiting to hear the real answer from him. Only, it seemed he was also frozen in shock like me. The room felt too quiet, and a ringing pain filled my ears.


    ¡°OMG.¡± Jessy¡¯s voice was faint, and his breath caught with a painful sound.


    Apparently, Jessy had caught up with me. He stood behind me, his eyes wide open, witnessing the chaos in n¡¯s office, followed by Mike.


    Laird slowly released his grip on n¡¯s cor and stood weakly. He put down his gaze, and n straightened his shirt. The man cleared his throat and looked at me fearfully.


    ¡°Fene, calm down, okay?¡± n said.

 Broken Pieces

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°How dare you tell me to calm down?! How could you do this to me? Goddamnit!¡±


    I yelled again, both of my hands clenching the air. My eyes red at n. He swallowed as I continued to curse him with harsh words.


    ¡°Fene, darling,¡± Jessy said, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and squeezing them tightly to help me regain control of my emotions.


    ¡°Tell me, rk. What makes you hate me so much?¡± I ran my fingers through my hair as tears kept streaming down my cheeks.


    I never thought that the man I believed was always helping me would turn out to be my schoolmate. The one I rejected before, the one bullied by Amy, is now part of Amy¡¯s family?


    ¡°Is it true that Amy told you to ruin me?!¡± I asked him again in a high-pitched voice.


    There was no answer. The man just stood there, frozen, watching me lose control of myself. Jessy kept squeezing my shoulders, and slowly I started to feel the physical pressure, helping me stay on my ground.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that at all, Fene. Just calm down first. I can exinter when you¡¯re calm and the time is right.¡±


    Hearing those words again, my eyes widened. n took a step forward, but my hand went up again. I shook my head repeatedly.


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t bear to hear any more of this. Enough is enough.¡±


    My feet were restless. I paced back and forth and then turned to face them. Laird seemed to be holding back his anger, while n looked panicked. Our emotions were all over the ce, and I knew I wouldn¡¯t be able to think. I shook my head again.


    ¡°Come on, Jessy.¡±


    I turned around and walked away from that cursed office. The only thing I wanted to do right now was get as far away as possible from here so I could cool my head, which felt like it could explode at any moment. My head and neck ached, and my eyes felt hot.


    Maybe I was being childish, maybe I was a coward, but I couldn¡¯t face all of this anymore. I might really explode and shatter into pieces if I don¡¯t calm down soon. My breathing was still heavy, and tears continued to flow in an endless stream down my cheeks. My hands wiped my cheeks over and over again.


    I walked down to the second floor, and I immediately saw people staring at me in shock. This was the first time I cried in front of so many people, and it made me look weak.


    Urgh, damn it. Their stares were piercing, and I hated the sympathetic looks that pitied me.


    I took my sunsses out of my ck shoulder bag and put them on. With the sunsses on my face, I hoped no one would notice how miserable my life was right now. Especially since there were paparazzi still waiting outside the office.


    ¡°Fene, wait.¡±


    When Jessy and I reached the lobby on the first floor, Laird grabbed my arm. He was panting and looked like he had tried hard to catch up with me.


    ¡°Let go of me.¡± I pulled my arm away from him.


    ¡°Fene, please listen to me first.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing more to hear, Laird.¡±


    I tried to move away from him, but he insisted on gripping my arm and pulling me into his embrace.


    ¡°No! Stay away from me!¡± I pushed him away, though he insisted on hugging me.


    ¡°Laird, please. Give Fene some space. She¡¯s not mentally stable right now.¡± Jessy held Laird¡¯s body back to keep him away from me.


    ¡°Jessy, please help me. Fene, you know this is all n¡¯s trap.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know, Laird. We all know, but please give me time and space. I can¡¯t think clearly right now. Please,¡± I pleaded, and despite his resistance, he let go of his embrace.


    The next moment, I walked out of Gene¡¯s office. I didn¡¯t look back because I knew Laird would only be looking at me with sadness and disappointment. No, honey, please don¡¯t look at me like that. I hate that look.


    ***


    ¡°Thank you, Jessy. Sorry, I¡¯m always troubling you.¡±


    I stood at my apartment door. Jessy had taken me back to my apartment. Throughout the journey, we were silent, and Jessy didn¡¯tment on anything. It was such a bad day.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Fene. Are you sure you¡¯ll be alright alone, darling? You can stay with me for a while if you want.¡±


    I shook my head. Both my hands squeezed Jessy¡¯s hands tight, seeking a littlefort.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I think I really need some time alone to calm down. Besides, you have to be with your mom in the hospital.¡±


    During the ride home, the hospital called Jessy toe and sign some consent documents for her mother. I couldn¡¯t rely too much on Jessy anymore.


    Besides, maybe Mike¡¯s words were right. Not everything revolves around me as its center.


    ¡°My apartment is always open for you anytime, honey. You know the password. If you need me, you can call me, okay?¡±


    I nodded and gave a weak smile. She hugged me tight, and I returned his hug tight as well. I held back from crying again because I knew it would only make him feel more guilty, even though I had repeatedly assured him that it wasn¡¯t his fault.


    ¡°Take care, Jessy,¡± I said as he waved and hurried away.


    I closed the apartment door. My steps dragged as I walked to the kitchen and opened the fridge. Inside, I saw cans of cold beer. I took one can and opened it with satisfaction.


    With a craving to quench my thirst, I gulped it down quickly. My throat immediately felt burned, and my head ached. It was painful, but I¡¯d rather feel this physical pain than my messed-up feelings.


    I opened another can and drank it until my stomach was bloated. I crushed the now-empty beer can. My knees felt weak, and I curled up on the kitchen floor. My body couldn¡¯t seem to handle the outburst of emotions anymore.


    What am I doing?!


    Tears streamed down my cheeks again. My breathing was interrupted by sobs, and I wailed. Both my hands then hugged my arms amid my unstoppable crying.


    I folded my knees, curling up on the floor. I tried to get up, but my chest was too tight to even catch my breath. I imagined myself drowning in water, and it felt suffocating.


    Maybe if I died, I could escape all the problems weighing on my head and heart. If I die, maybe it will all be done.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    My phone rang loudly from inside my bag. The ringtone was familiar to me, but I almost forgot who the caller was. The ringtone rarely sounded. I let the call go unanswered.


    This time, I grabbed another can of beer and was ready to drink it again. But once again, my phone rang, stopping my hand in the air. I ced the beer can on the floor. My hand reached for my bag and rummaged through it to get my phone.


    When I saw the caller ID on the phone screen, my heart sank. It felt like a bucket of cold water was poured over my head. I bit my lower lip and waited for the phone to stop ringing. When the call went unanswered, I sighed in relief.


    Then the phone red again. It seemed the caller was persistent in talking to me. After wiping my tears and blowing my nose off, I answered the call.


    ¡°Yes, mom.¡±

 Calling All Angels

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I hadn¡¯t called my mother in a long time. Thest time I called her was at the beginning of the new year. My mother wasn¡¯t too interested in my career as a model, and she often worried about me. She worried about me so much, in fact, that I ended up distancing myself from her.


    My father had passed away for five years. During my first year in New York, my father was still paying for my tuition and living expenses. When he died in my second year, I began looking for a job to pay for everything on my own.


    He didn¡¯t leave much of an inheritance for us. Thepany he had built over his lifetime with hard work had to be sold to someone else to cover thepany¡¯s debts. Even his life insurance money had to be sacrificed to pay off the bad debts.


    From riches to rags. I was forced by circumstances to be more independent. That¡¯s why I insisted on working while studying, even though my mother disagreed. But I felt that was the only way to support myself, and I didn¡¯t want to burden my mother more than this.


    ¡°Yes, mom.¡±


    I dragged myself across the kitchen floor to sit, leaning against the fridge. The pain in my head was still there, and my throat ached until I coughed.


    ¡°Hey, honey. Are you okay?¡±


    My mother¡¯s voice sounded as gentle as usual. She was a sweet angel to me. That was what always made me feel guilty, so I avoided her. I didn¡¯t want to disappoint her and make her say, ¡®I told you so.¡¯


    ¡°Yup, mom. I¡¯m okay. I just choked on a drink.¡± I wiped my wet nose and mouth with my sleeve.


    ¡°Oh, thank goodness.¡± She sounded relieved with a sigh.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, honey. I just wanted to know when you¡¯reing home.¡±


    I was speechless. It had been more than a year since Ist went home due to my busy schedule. This time, I knew my mother was hoping to spend the winter holidays and Christmas at home with her.


    ¡°I know you might be busy, but I hope you¡¯lle home this year and celebrate Christmas with us. You know, this year I am on themittee for a social fundraising event and opening a second-hand bazaar in the park. I hope you can join us.¡±


    My mother was still the administrator of a charity foundation for children with cancer. She felt it was her calling in life, and she hoped I would have a job as noble as hers.


    I remembered when I ended up donating the prom night voting money to my mother¡¯s foundation. Around $600, and my mother insisted that I hand the money directly to the hospital. In addition to ying and spending the day with them, my mother said it would calm and heal my broken heart. And yes, it worked quite well for me.


    ¡°Uhm, do you think I could be useful there?¡± I asked, hesitant.


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Her voice sounded more enthusiastic now.


    ¡°If you want to donate, you can sell the used items in your room here. I swear, I¡¯ve never touched your stuff, and I just hope you will organize it every now and then.¡± She spoke in a hopeful tone, almost begging.


    ¡°You know, people say that organizing used items at home is great for¡­¡± she mumbled for a moment. ¡°For cleanliness and tidiness.¡±


    I wiped my nose again and held back my sobs. My mother might have seen the ads and news about me. I guess she wanted tofort me, but I just couldn¡¯t confirm it with her.


    ¡°Okay, mom. I¡¯lle home for Christmas this year.¡± I then tucked my knees back into my chest.


    ¡°Oh, thank goodness; praise the Lord. I¡¯ll be waiting for you at home, honey. You¡¯d better book a ticket now before they sell out,¡± she said.


    ¡°Yes, mom. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll let you know,¡± I whispered.


    ¡°Let me know so I can prepare your favorite bread pudding.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mom.¡±


    The call ended. I rested my head on my knees. Once again, I cried after hearing my mother¡¯s voice on the phone. Sometimes I wondered how a loving mother like her could live in this world. Wasn¡¯t I very lucky?


    I took deep breaths. My head leaned against the fridge door to reduce the effects of the beer. I closed my eyes for a long time to calm myself down. Both of my hands wiped the tears from my cheeks.


    Something then pushed me to open the online ticket booking app. Then I booked a flight ticket to Boston that very day at 7 p. m. After booking the ticket, I stood up, threw the beer cans into the trash bin, and walked to my room.


    I opened the closet, took out my clothes, and put them in arge suitcase. Next, I went to the sofa. The gift items given by n had been lying there since we finished shooting the adst week.


    I took the items out of the bag, then put everything in the suitcase. Along with various clothes and branded items I had stored, I put everything in the suitcase. It didn¡¯t take long for me to get ready, catch a taxi, and ride to the airport.


    ***


    ¡°Oh, honey! You weren¡¯t kidding when you said you¡¯d be home before 10 p. m. today!¡±


    My mother eximed in amazement and extreme joy. She hugged me in a tight embrace. The warmth of her embrace relieved my heart in a tremendous way. In an instant, I cried again as I hugged her body, which now felt more frail than mine. Iid my head on her shoulder and cried for a long time.


    She hugged me while stroking my back. ¡°It¡¯s okay, honey. Everything will be alright. I¡¯m here, always here for you.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    She said that to me in her still-soft, soothing voice. I realized that I was back home. I knew I might just be sulking and being pampered by my mother like a child, but I just realized how much I missed my mother.


    ¡°I missed you, mom,¡± I said in between sobs.


    ¡°Yes, honey. I missed you too,¡± she whispered patiently in my ear.


    ¡°Forgive me for being ungrateful. I know I¡¯m not a good child, and I made you lonely.¡± I released my hug and looked at her with my eyes blurred with tears.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, honey. You will always be my one and only beloved daughter. Besides, you¡¯re busy. I can understand that.¡± She stroked my hair with tears in her eyes.


    I sighed in relief and hugged her again. ¡°Thank you, mom.¡±


    ¡°Wee home, honey,¡± she said as she tightened her embrace.


    I cried and cried until the cold wind blew into the house. The cold wind made me realize that I had to close the door to bad things at night. Therefore, I closed the front door, went inside to warm up by the firece, and curled up on the sofa in my mother¡¯sp.


    Just for a while. I just wanted to rest for a while.

 Home Sweet Home

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°Fene! Come on, it¡¯s time to wake up.¡±


    My body was shaken, and I blinked my eyes because of it. I rubbed my eyes, and then I realized that my mother had woken me up. I got up and smiled slightly at my mother. Honestly, I was happy to see my mother¡¯s face again when I woke up in the morning.


    ¡°Hey, mom,¡± I mumbled.


    ¡°Hey, dear. It¡¯s time for breakfast. I made your favorite cinnamon bread pudding,¡± my mother said as she tidied up the table and my bookshelf.


    ¡°Okay, thanks, mom.¡± I got up from bed and tied my hair into a ponytail.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, don¡¯t forget to sort out the items you want to sell at the bazaar after breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± I gave my mother a quick hug. She chuckled for a moment and returned the hug.


    After showering, I sat at the dining table and enjoyed my bread pudding. This was the first time I finished a bowl of bread pudding since starting my career as a model. I was supposed to eat an apple and a ss of mineral water for my daily breakfast, but this time, I didn¡¯t care about my diet.


    I don¡¯t know. I guess I wanted to really enjoy the holiday. Maybeter I would go to the gym nearby to burn off the calories, but for now, I felt satisfied and full.


    After stuffing myself, I went to my room as I promised my mother. I sorted through the items in my room while my mother sorted through items throughout the house.


    I took out the necessary items from my suitcase. Only clothes and undergarments that I would wear daily while I was here. The rest I left in the suitcase because I would sell everything at the bazaar.


    Oscar¡¯s shoes, Jemima¡¯s clothes, Baumer¡¯s, and those from other designers. I had already given the Muses perfume to Jessy, by the way, so these were all the leftovers he didn¡¯t take.


    I took out the box containing Mallory¡¯s friendship bracelets and put it in my desk drawer. At least this was a memento to remind me that the celebrity world wasn¡¯t as morous as I first thought. Even the pop diva had washed her hands of the advertisement and insisted that all the controversy was the production house¡¯s fault. She didn¡¯t even speak up to defend her ¡®friend.¡¯


    With azy sigh, I started taking out the old books I had. I also took out the dolls I had kept in the closet and nned to wash them before wrapping them up as presents for the children. Next, I opened my study desk drawer and took out the trinkets I had collected with my childhood friend.


    My hand then froze in mid-air when I saw a console game CD. I carefully took it out and dusted off the square box. Oh, this brought back so many memories!


    My heart raced as I looked at the ser game CD box. I immediately remembered the times I spent in elementary school with Laird. God, I had been with him my whole life!


    Maybe to others it wasn¡¯t important, but this game CD was precious to me. This was what made me first realize something that could be called a first love.


    Shit! That¡¯s fucking cringe af!


    Even though it was silly, that was how it was. Laird Evans was the first boy who made me understand what it meant to care, be concerned, and regret losing someone who mattered. Seriously, that was such a silly moment.


    ***


    The Baxter family and the Evans family were neighbors in an elite area of Boston. My father, Robert Baxter, was the CEO of a national chain of food suppliers and distributors. Hugo Evans, Laird¡¯s father, was one of the best corporatewyers in the United States.


    Our fathers were friends from the same alma mater, business partners, and neighbors. It was only natural that Laird and I would be close. Since we were three years old, we had been ying back and forth at each other¡¯s houses.


    Our fathers used to joke that they would arrange a marriage between us when we grew up. Of course, I didn¡¯t understand what they meant, but at that moment, I was happy to have a close friend whom I could call a brother. Laird was a few months older than me, but our birthdays made him a year older than me.


    I was an only child, while Laird had a younger brother. Of course, we were as close as siblings, and we often yed together. We both attended the same school, and we were always in the same ss.


    I think I started to notice boys around the fourth grade. On the first day of fourth grade, our homeroom teacher introduced a new transfer student, a boy named Adam.


    ***


    14 years ago, at the beginning of fourth grade¡­


    ¡°My name is Adam O¡¯Neal. I¡¯m 10 years old. I moved from Leeds, Ennd. Nice to meet you,¡± Adam said with a stiff smile.


    Adam had dark brown hair and freckles on his pale face. He spoke with a thick English ent.


    ¡°What are your hobbies, Adam?¡± our teacher asked.


    ¡°My hobbies are ying console games and ser.¡± The boys in ss immediately became enthusiastic when they found out that Adam also yed the same console games.


    ¡°Alright. It looks like you¡¯ll fit right into the gamer¡¯smunity.¡± When our teacher joked with a fake annoyed expression, the boys burst intoughter.


    The teacher allowed Adam to sit next to Laird. I, who sat next to Laird on the left, could only catch a glimpse of Adam. If only Laird hadn¡¯t blocked between us, I could see the new boy in better view.From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Laird snapped at me.


    ¡°I just wanted to greet him. Why? Is there a problem?¡± I retorted curtly.


    ¡°You¡¯d better not greet him. He might get traumatizeding to school.¡± He grinned mischievously, and I responded by sticking out my tongue in annoyance.


    During lunch break, my friend and I whispered in the cafeteria while observing Adam. Catherine, my best friend, whispered in my ear.


    ¡°What do you think about Adam?¡± asked Cath.


    My eyes examined the new figure in the cafeteria. He sat next to Laird, and the boy was effortlessly forming a new friendship.


    ¡°I think he¡¯s cute. Did you hear how he talks? So cool!¡± I giggled with Cath.


    ¡°But I still think Laird is cooler than Adam. I heard Laird got back into the Little League Boston team this year.¡± Cath propped her chin up while watching Laird. I swear, she almost spilled her strawberry milk.


    ¡°What¡¯s so special about that? Laird gets into the Little League team every year like clockwork,¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s an achievement. My older brother never made it into the team, not even as a reserve. We don¡¯t even know if Adam has achievements as remarkable as Laird¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Listen, someone can¡¯t be considered cool just by looking at their achievements,¡± I said to Cath.


    ¡°Really? Then how do you see it?¡± Cath asked, puzzled.


    ¡°By their ent,¡± I chuckled gleefully. Cath still looked confused.


    ¡°Just watch, and you¡¯ll soon see that Adam is cooler than Laird.¡± I immediately stood up after finishing my drink.


    ¡°Where are you going, Fen?¡± Cath cleared her tray and followed me.

 Puppy Love

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I ced my tray and dirty tes down. I immediately approached the table where Laird, Adam, and a few other boys were eating. When I arrived at Adam¡¯s table, I cleared my throat. I knew Laird looked startled, but I ignored him.


    ¡°Hey, Adam. Do you collect a lot of console games?¡± I asked Adam with curious, wide eyes.


    ¡°Uh, yeah.¡± Adam looked confused, but he nodded.


    ¡°Can Catherine and Ie to your house this Sunday? Maybe we could trade thetest games. I really want to buy a new game, but I¡¯m still not sure which one to get.¡± My eyes blinked clearly, and I made a request to him.


    I hoped my face and eyes would resemble a cute cat begging with sparkling eyes. Unfortunately, maybe only I thought that way.


    Instantly, all the boys at the table tried hard to hold back theirughter. Unfortunately, Laird let out a heartyugh. He didn¡¯t hesitate to mock me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t force Adam to trade games with you. He won¡¯t be interested in ying silly games like your favorite dancing game.¡±


    Of course, Laird had to make a meanment. He was so annoying!


    The boys at the table thenughed in satisfaction. They allughed as if I had made the best joke of the year. Although I could feel my face heating up and turning red, I stuck my tongue out at Laird.


    ¡°Shut up! Besides, you also like ying that dancing game with me.¡±


    Theyughed louder. Cath came over and stood beside me, wrapping her arm around mine. I knew she was trying to support me.


    ¡°It¡¯s because you keep forcing me,¡± he retorted, even though I knew he was also embarrassed in front of his friends.


    ¡°Come on, Laird! Just admit you¡¯re jealous of Adam.¡± Another boy chimed in, and this time he became the butt of the joke. The boys at the table immediately cheered mischievously.


    Adam, who didn¡¯t know what was going on, was just chuckling. I knew he felt out of ce in the conversation, probably not understanding the dynamic between me and Laird, who had been close friends since childhood.


    I snorted, ignoring Laird and his noisy friends. I chose to focus on Adam.


    ¡°So, Adam, how about it? Can wee to your houseter?¡± I asked shamelessly.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Adam turned to look at me again. He observed me and Catherine, who was standing beside me. It seemed he was judging both of us, then he nodded.


    ¡°Sure. Come over. My little sister also likes to y dancing game, by the way. I enjoy ying with her too.¡± Adam spoke, supporting me, and the boys immediately stoppedughing.


    ¡°Oh, so you also like apanying your sister to y silly games like dancing game?¡± Feeling victorious over Laird, I raised my voice and spoke, turning my head towards Laird. He snorted and turned away.


    ¡°In that case, we¡¯lleter.¡±


    ¡°My name is Fene, and this is Catherine. We¡¯re ssmates, remember?¡±


    Adam nodded and smiled at me and Cath. I smiled back at him. I turned to Cath with a wide smile, and she responded with a shy smile.


    ¡°Alright, see youter,¡± I said with a quick wave.


    Then I walked away with Cath,ughing. Laird¡¯s and his friends¡¯ughter could still be heard behind us, but I ignored them.


    ¡°You¡¯re so brave, Fen! Are you crazy?¡± Cath asked,ughing in disbelief.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just wanted to prove to you that my theory is correct. Adam is cooler and better than Laird.¡± I said this with one hand, brushing my hair back.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a flirt. Is this what they call puppy love?¡± Cathughed and poked my cheek. Weughed together and returned to ss as soon as the bell rang.


    It turned out we didn¡¯t wait until Sunday; Adam invited us to his house on Friday. In the afternoon, Laird and I rode our bikes towards Adam¡¯s house, which turned out to be only a few blocks away from our house.


    ¡°Why are you acting so silly?¡± Laird asked from beside me.


    ¡°This is not silly at all. Besides, what¡¯s wrong with going to a friend¡¯s house?¡± I defended myself.


    ¡°Why are you so eager to go to Adam¡¯s house that you¡¯re forcing yourself to ride a bike? Clearly, you¡¯re not good at riding a bike. Look, even your bnce is still unstable.¡± He teased me again.


    ¡°What should I do then? Walking is too far. Taking the bus takes too long, and I still have to walk from the bus stop to his house.¡± I spoke while still trying to bnce my awkward bike ride.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he replied skeptically.


    ¡°Why did youe with me anyway? You could have just sped off ahead of me.¡±


    Since we left our house until now, he has been matching his bike pace with mine. We were remarkably slow on the road.


    ¡°I¡¯m just being cautious. Who knows, you might fall off your bike and faint on the road,¡± he said.


    ¡°If that¡¯s really the case, would you call an ambnce for me?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll take your bike to sell it. It would be a shame if someone else took it.¡± He grinned mischievously.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°What? You¡¯re so annoying,¡± I replied irritably, puffing up my cheeks. I should have known he would never take my question seriously. He justughed at me.


    ¡°Is Cathing too?¡± He redirected my annoyance toward him.


    ¡°Yes, we promised to meet at the nearest bus stop from Adam¡¯s house over there.¡±


    Not long after, we arrived at the residential bus stop area. We stopped near the bus stop, watching the road. I hadn¡¯t seen Cath at all. Instead, there were several teenagers gathered in front of a house not far from the bus stop.


    The teenagers were probably around sixteen years old. Clearly, they seemed to be celebrating their friend¡¯s new car. They sat around the gray VW Passat sedan, which was the center of attention.


    One of the teenage girls in the group looked at us. She then walked over to us with a small smile.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Specifically, the girl was addressing Laird.

 Foolish One

    Laird¡¯s POV


    A girl approached me. I guessed she was around sixteen years old. Her style was trendy hipster, with a t-shirt, skinny jeans, and a gray beanie. She looked cool, and I never expected such a cool girl to greet me.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I replied with a brief nod.


    Of course, I tried to look cool too, but who knows? Fene and I got off our bikes and leaned them against the edge of the bus stop.


    ¡°Can you help us take a photo?¡± The girl grinned widely.


    ¡°Sure,¡± I nodded.


    I nced at Fene and whispered softly to leave my bike with her. ¡°Hold on.¡±From N?velDrama.Org.


    Suddenly, Fene pulled my t-shirt. She whispered anxiously at me. ¡°Don¡¯t take too long, Laird. They seem like troublemakers.¡±


    Hearing that, I snorted. ¡°If you want to join, just say so. Cath also hasn¡¯te yet.¡±


    I immediately sauntered over to the group of cool teenage kids. The girl with the beanie handed me her phone. They quickly faced me, preparing to pose for a photo.


    From their clothing style, the refurbished, shining old car, thetest model of the phone, and the ssy neighborhood, I knew Fene¡¯s intuition was wrong. They weren¡¯t troublemakers, and they seemed to be having fun.


    ¡°1, 2, 3.¡± To make them aware of posing, I counted. After taking the photo three times, I returned the phone to the girl with the beanie.


    ¡°Hey, this is great. Thank you.¡± The girl smiled happily at the photo.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re wee.¡±


    ¡°Hey, wait. I feel like I know you.¡±


    This time, a teenage boy approached me enthusiastically. I looked at his face, and it was clear he was a stranger to me. He appeared to be the car¡¯s owner.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I remember! You¡¯re a Little League yer for the Boston team, right?¡± The boy became more enthusiastic, pointing at me. ¡°Number 7, right?¡±


    Of course, I never expected someone to recognize an amateur athlete like me. Especially in a ce like this. I grinned broadly at the facts.


    ¡°Yes. Do you follow the Little League Boston team?¡±


    ¡°I used to be an athlete too. Because my brother is on the team, I still watch him. Do you know Brad Atkins?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Number 23.¡± I lightly fist-bumped the boy as a sign of camaraderie.


    ¡°My name is Josh, and this is Samantha.¡± Amidst the noise of their friends around the car, the two teenagers introduced themselves.


    ¡°My name is Laird. Nice to meet you guys. Say hi to Brad for me,¡± I said to Josh.


    ¡°Sure.¡± Josh nodded.


    ¡°Do you want toe in and hang out? This is my house, by the way,¡± Samantha pointed to her house, where Josh parked his car in front of it.


    ¡°Maybe another time.¡± I politely declined.


    ¡°I already promised to visit our friend¡¯s house today. His name is Adam O¡¯Neal; he just moved from Enndst week. Do you know where his house is?¡± I took out a scrap of paper with Adam¡¯s address written on it and showed it to Samantha.


    ¡°Yeah, Block F is straight ahead. See the brick-colored house there? The one with a white car parked in front of it. Block F is next to it.¡± Samantha pointed into the distance, bending down to match my gaze.


    ¡°Yes, I see it. Thank you.¡±


    I bid farewell and headed back to Fene. I nced asionally at Fene, who seemed impatient to leave for Adam¡¯s house. Cath had already arrived, and it was clear that she couldn¡¯t wait to go to Adam¡¯s house.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hang out at my house sometime. Brad would be happy too,¡± Josh offered, and I just nodded. After waving, I quickly approached Fene.


    ¡°It took you long enough. What were you talking about over there?¡± Fene asked, investigating as she began to mount her bike.


    ¡°Hey, Cath. Did you wait for long?¡± I ignored her question and chose to greet Cath first.


    ¡°Not at all. I just came,¡± Cath replied.


    ¡°Do you know them?¡± She asked again after we started cycling.


    ¡°No. We just met,¡± I replied frankly.


    ¡°Oh, I thought you were so cool chatting with those teenagers.¡± Cath giggled.


    ¡°So, did you guys get acquainted? What did she say? What did you talk about?¡± Fene asked again without pause.


    ¡°It turns out he¡¯s the brother of one of my teammates. Then I asked the girl for directions to Adam¡¯s house. Nothing more.¡±


    I rang the bike bell to say goodbye to Josh and Samantha. They waved in response. Slowly, the three of us began to cycle away from them.


    ¡°What are their names? Do they live there? Is their car new? Does the car belong to the girl or the boy?¡± As if interrogating me, Fene continued to ask.


    ¡°So nosy.¡±


    I began to feelzy when responding to Fene¡¯s questions. Sometimes I want to praise myself for being so sensitive to other people¡¯s emotional conditions. I realized Fene felt threatened by the stranger who had befriended me. She had always been like that, afraid that I would ignore her and choose to be friends with someone else she didn¡¯t know.


    So clingy.


    I pedaled my bike faster and began to leave the two girls behind. Especially Fene, who was now at the back.


    ¡°Hey, Laird! Wait!¡± They shouted loudly, but I continued to pedal faster, leaving them far behind.


    Instead of dealing with Fene¡¯s random questioning, it was better to find Adam¡¯s house first. I continued to pedal my bike until I reached Block F, ording to Samantha¡¯s directions.


    After verifying Adam¡¯s house address, I entered through his front yard and pressed the doorbell. It wasn¡¯t long before Adam came out and opened the door for me.


    ¡°Hey, Laird.¡±


    ¡°Hi,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Where are Fene and Catherine?¡± Adam asked in confusion.


    ¡°Behind. They¡¯re cycling like grannies, taking forever,¡± I chuckled.


    Adamughed at my joke. ¡°Come in. Let me wait for them outside.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll wait for them,¡± I said as I arranged the bikes in front of his house.


    A girl came out of the house. She peeked, and our eyes met. I waved and smiled at her, but she remained shyly behind the door.


    ¡°That¡¯s my sister, Mary.¡± Adam introduced his sister to me. ¡°Mary, this is Laird, my friend.¡±


    ¡°Oh, this is your little sister you mentioned yesterday. How old is she?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Six years old,¡± Adam replied with a chuckle.


    ¡°Is she the little sister you mentioned who loves to y dancing game with you?¡± I asked in amazement.


    ¡°Yes!¡± he replied with augh.


    Adam and Iughed together. It was funny how Fene waspared to a six-year-old girl by the boy she liked.


    Ha! Poor thing!


    ¡°Hey, Adam!¡±


    Fene and Cath finally arrived. I immediately covered my mouth with both hands and controlled myughter.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Fene red at me, but I didn¡¯t care. Cath lightly tapped my shoulder in annoyance for leaving her behind, but she didn¡¯t demand much anymore.


    Adam invited us all in. His mother also entertained us with a variety of sodas and chips. It didn¡¯t take long for us to feelfortable at Adam¡¯s house. We yed games together until the sun went down.

 Monkey Business

    Laird¡¯s POV


    Now Fene and I were cycling back home. Along the way, Fene chattered about how nice Adam and his family were to us. Also about how we yed games such as ser and dancing games with excitement.


    ¡°Laird, you said you have a ser game, right?¡± Fene, who was cycling next to me, asked again.


    ¡°Yes, I do, but I rarely y it,¡± I replied softly.


    ¡°In that case, may I borrow it? I want to practice so I won¡¯t keep losing to Adam.¡±


    Once again, she came up with a foolish idea. I nced briefly, with a furrowed brow, at Fene.


    ¡°Why are you so eager to beat Adam?¡±


    ¡°No, I just want to at least be able to match him in a ser game. You know, I want to be a fun friend to y games with. ying games seems more exciting if you have an evenly matched opponent.¡±


    Hearing that, Iughed again.


    ¡°So, you just realized you¡¯re not fun to y with?¡± I teased her again. ¡°I even got bored apanying you in the dancing game. It¡¯s good that you want to learn. You should also practice ying the shooting war game.¡±


    Fene loved ying the dancing game. She was even considered very agile, following the arrows to dance. Her feet would dance skillfully on the pink and blue electronic carpet.


    Several times I tried to teach her other games, but the girl proved that her feet were more agile than moving her fingers on the console.


    ¡°Shooting war?¡± Fene asked uncertainly.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    We stopped by the roadside in front of the Baxter family¡¯s house. We got off our bikes, and I was ready to walk to my house.


    ¡°In that case, lend it to me now. Come on, let¡¯s go to your house first.¡± She started to be impatient again, while I could only sigh.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you tomorrow morning. Besides, you probably won¡¯t be able to y it tonight anyway. Friday night, you have a family dinner, remember?¡± I said itzily and started walking, leaving her alone.


    ¡°Hey, Laird, wait.¡±


    Fene chased after me. She parked her bike carelessly on the sidewalk in front of her house. She followed me, walking beside me while I led my bike across the street to my house.


    ¡°Did you hear his mom say that Adam¡¯s birthday is next month? How about I give him thetest ser game as a gift?¡±


    Once again, I could only sigh at her foolish idea. From one foolish idea to another.


    ¡°Do you have any money?¡± I said, underestimating her.


    ¡°I still have some old savings. I can also save my allowance for next month.¡± She spoke confidently, but of course, I immediately shattered her fantasies with the facts.


    ¡°You only have a month to save money, and your monthly allowance is only half the price of a new CD game. Add it to your savings-do you have up to $60?¡±


    I remembered her monthly allowance. Her family was rich, but her parents were stingy and raised her in a strict manner. The average student in our school, including me and my brother, received a monthly allowance of $50, while their only daughter received only $30.


    ¡°No. But I have an idea!¡± She smiled confidently.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me.¡± I stopped in front of my house and narrowed my eyes warily.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to start a business!¡±


    ***


    ¡°Come on! Come on! Buy everything! Last stock! Get it now! Don¡¯t miss out!¡±


    Fene¡¯s voice echoed loudly in the Little League spectator seating area at the field. With strict rules to sell in an orderly fashion, she got permission from themittee to be one of the hawkers in our small field. With a cross-strapped box hanging on her shoulder, Fene turned into the most active and youngest roaming hawker.


    Every Saturday, Little League baseball games ran from the morning until noon. This moment provided an opportunity for her to make a profit. She seemed diligent and hardworking enough to sell under the hot midday sun.


    ¡°Hotdogs! Cracker Jacks! Lemonade! Iced tea! Buy thest stock!¡±


    I sat amidst the crowd of spectators. Wearing the minor team¡¯s varsity jacket, I blended in with the spectators of the major games for teenagers. Most of them were family members and friends of the yers.


    The minor-level game had ended earlier, at 10 o¡¯clock. It was now showing 11 o¡¯clock plus 50 minutes. If the Major Boston team could lead by just one score in thisst inning, then the game could end soon, and everyone would leave. Meaning, Fene would lose out if she didn¡¯t manage to sell out her goods soon.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s a shame. Why was that number 12 hit so weak?¡± Joshined while watching the game.


    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s tired,¡± Brad, my teammate and Josh¡¯s brother, replied.


    ¡°You guys were like that too. In thest few minutes, it was obvious that you were exhausted. Your runs were slow, and your hits weren¡¯t focused,¡± Joshmented again on our morning friendly match against the team from Vermont.


    ¡°I wonder too. We¡¯ve been losing for three consecutive weeks in this early autumn season. Why, I wonder?¡± Brad asked, his lips pouting.


    I could only sigh. Of course, we were all frustrated, but we just had to train harder. Afterst summer, when Brad and I didn¡¯t make it into the Major U-12 team, it felt like our performance had been declining ever since.


    ¡°Hey, Brad, Josh, aren¡¯t you hungry? Aren¡¯t you thirsty from yelling since morning?¡± I asked the brothers sitting on my right. I intentionally diverted the conversation from our gloomy mood.


    ¡°Yeah, I am. My water¡¯s run out,¡± Josh said, examining his tumblr.


    ¡°Do you have any ideas for a tasty lunch?¡± Brad asked me.


    ¡°You brought money, right? Just buy iced tea or hotdogs.¡±


    ¡°Do you want a hotdog?¡± Josh asked Brad.


    ¡°Sure,¡± Brad replied casually.


    ¡°Fene! Over here!¡± Josh raised his hand to get the attention of Fene, who was standing near the stairs.


    Instantly, the blue-eyed girl followed Josh¡¯s hand gesture, and Fene hurried over to us. I immediately counted the remaining stock in Fene¡¯s basket. Three hotdogs, a pack of crackers, three iced teas, and two lemonades were the goods left.


    ¡°We¡¯ll buy everything.¡± I quickly cut off Josh, who was about to choose his food.

 Cheering Squad

    Laird¡¯s POV


    Josh just looked confused, while Fene smiled broadly and cheered happily.


    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re so lucky! Just a littlete, and you would¡¯ve missed out.¡±


    Once again, I knew she was just cheering herself up. She also considered it a marketing tactic so that customers wouldn¡¯t regret buying her goods and would try to buy faster next time. I¡¯ve watched her sell three times already, and her words are almost always the same at the end of the game.


    ¡°Laird?¡± Josh looked at me, seemingly surprised.


    I whispered quietly to Josh, ¡°I¡¯ll pay you backter. Just consider it a treat for Sam.¡±


    Hearing that, Josh smiled after understanding something. He nodded with a gleeful chuckle and took out his wallet, paying for all of her goods until they were sold out.


    ¡°Thank you, handsome and cool big brother. Thank you, Brad. Thank you, Laird,¡± the girl eximed joyfully as she received Josh¡¯s money.


    Fene handed each of us a hotdog, a pack of crackers, and several small drink bottles soaked in melted ice in the small iron bucket. A wide smile spread on her face. She quickly disappeared through the nearest exit door, perhaps to return the box and deposit the money.


    Josh suddenly teased me quietly, ¡°Oh, you flirt. You womanizer.¡±


    I looked at him in surprise. I almost choked on my iced tea. Josh smiled, disying a mischievous expression to tease me.


    ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you?¡± I asked embarrassedly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed how you¡¯ve always paid attention to her. Even during the match, you¡¯ve looked at her several times. You like her, don¡¯t you? You little flirt!¡± Josh chuckled, and Brad did the same.


    ¡°Did you say that I like her? You¡¯re ridiculous.¡± I took another sip of my iced tea to cover my possibly blushing face.


    ¡°No need to pretend. We can keep it a secret, you know,¡± Brad said, his hand moving to pretend to zip his lips.


    ¡°Outrageous.¡± I turned away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to pay me back,¡± Josh continued to tease me gleefully.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay for what I eat,¡± I said with a crooked grin.


    ¡°In that case, one hotdog, one iced tea, and one lemonade. That¡¯s a total of 7 dors,¡± Josh quickly calcted.


    ¡°I¡¯m not taking the lemonade,¡± I said confidently.


    ¡°I bet you will. In a moment, you¡¯ll take one of these lemonades.¡± Josh nodded his chin toward me.


    Sure enough, I saw Fene walking toward me, bowing to ask permission from other spectators. She sat right beside my empty seat, which I had intentionally left for her at her request.


    Sweat trickled down her temples. Her ponytails were also damp under her pink baseball cap.


    ¡°Ah, such a relief!¡± She stretched her arms and rotated her shoulders.


    I nced at Josh. It seemed the boy could already guess what I wanted from him. Immediately, Josh handed me a bottle of lemonade. Without much ado, I finally handed the lemonade to Fene.


    ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t this what you bought earlier? Why are you giving it to me again?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Josh thought he was really thirsty earlier, but it turns out he¡¯s full now,¡± I said, blushing.


    ¡°So, do I need to return the money?¡± She began to look worried.


    ¡°Nah, Josh treated us. Here, take it quickly.¡± She obediently epted the lemonade from me.


    ¡°Thank you, Josh. I¡¯ll pay you back next time,¡± she said to Josh.


    I red at Josh to prevent him from saying anything weird about the usation that I liked that stupid girl. Josh gave me a quickugh and then nodded to agree with my viewpoint.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Josh said to her with a wide grin.


    We returned to focus on watching the game before I quietly asked Fene. ¡°How much did you earn today?¡±


    ¡°Today¡¯smission totals $10. So, next week, I won¡¯t need to work anymore,¡± Fene said after quickly drinking the lemonade.


    ¡°So you won¡¯te next week?¡± I nced at Fene on my left side.


    ¡°Yeah, it seems like it. It turns out it¡¯s tiring toe to the field every week. If it wasn¡¯t for the extra money, I¡¯d nevere here,¡± she said,pressing her forehead with the cold lemonade bottle.


    ¡°What?¡± My hands folded across my chest.


    ¡°Oh, but of course, it¡¯ll be different for you. You really like ying baseball, so it won¡¯t be tiring at all for you to do this hobby you enjoy every week.¡±


    Actually, the girl didn¡¯t need to try to cheer me up. Somehow, I interpreted her words as a sign that she didn¡¯t like baseball at all and wouldn¡¯te if it weren¡¯t for necessity. Even after years in the league, she only came to watch the games I yed a few times.


    I suddenly realized that maybe I haven¡¯t really had any supporters to pursue baseball all this time. Brad has Josh, but I¡¯m alone. My parents don¡¯t like me ying baseball because they think it¡¯s a waste of study time. Lloyd, my younger brother, isn¡¯t interested in baseball either.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Now Fene, the girl I thought would always support me, also doesn¡¯t seem to care much about me. The disappointment umted again with my consecutive losses and my failure to make it onto the major team this year.


    ¡°Well, maybe you¡¯re right.¡± I suddenly felt a strange sensation in my tongue. ¡°Good then. You don¡¯t need toe anymore. Your shouts while selling were so distracting that we kept losing every time you came.¡±


    Right after I said that, the Major Boston team managed to score the deciding point. The game ended immediately with Boston¡¯s victory. I stood up abruptly.


    ¡°What did you say? Are you angry about what I just said? It wasn¡¯t my fault.¡± Her voice also rose. She couldn¡¯t ept being used of being the reason our team lost.


    ¡°See you next week, Brad, Josh,¡± I said, ignoring Fene as I patted Brad on the back. I took out 7 dors and handed it to Josh.


    Brad and Josh exchanged nces, then shrugged. They seemed puzzled by my sudden change in attitude. But they didn¡¯tment; perhaps they were toozy to get involved. So, Josh just took my money and gave me a light punch to say goodbye.


    ¡°Hey, Laird.¡±


    Fene called my name again, but I quickly excused myself to leave the stadium, ignoring her. She followed me, but I continued to avoid her.


    ¡°Laird, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to insult your love for baseball. I mean, everyone has their own interests, right? But I think it¡¯s unfair if you use me of being the reason your team lost.¡± Fene argued to defend herself, and I simply nodded.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right,¡± I replied shortly.


    It¡¯s true; it wasn¡¯t Fene¡¯s fault. If she doesn¡¯t support me in baseball at all, I shouldn¡¯t be angry with her. It¡¯s her prerogative, right?


    I shouldn¡¯t me her for myck of skill in baseball, a sport I should¡¯ve enjoyed. Still, there was an ufortable pain in my chest after realizing this truth so clearly.


    Throughout the bus ride, even until we got home, Fene kept apologizing. Her apologies went unanswered until she got tired herself.


    ¡°Laird!¡±


    Fene still tried to catch up to me, but I remained silent. I hurried my steps into the house and mmed the door shut with a loud bang.

 Loser Like Me

    Laird¡¯s POV


    Today is thest Saturday of September. The practice match with the opposing team from Rhode Ind just finished at 11 o¡¯clock. The match was dyed for an hour due to rain in the morning until 9 a. m.


    I had changed my clothes before heading home. Of course, I wouldn¡¯t be able to go home with wet and dirty clothes because of the mud. Plus, because earlier I did a slide to reach the base, almost all of my blue and white uniform was covered in brown stains.


    I entered my house carrying a bag containing dirty clothes and shoes. I stepped into theundry room and took out my dirty clothes and shoes from the bag. Aunt Myers would probablyin again when she saw these. Therefore, I decided to rinse them with water for a while before she came.


    I turned on the water from the faucet to the bucket containing my clothes. My gaze was nkly focused on the strong stream of water. I swallowed nervously.


    How could I not? Our team lost again, for the fourth time!


    The coach was disappointed, the manager was disappointed, and even the supporters, consisting of friends and family, vented their disappointment by booing the opposing team yers as they walked home earlier. It was embarrassing, but I couldn¡¯t protest much considering my poor performance today.


    I don¡¯t know why, but we always failed to score at third base. Everyone was stuck and couldn¡¯t move by the fielder in thest area. Yet he was only a year older than me.


    ¡°Damn!¡± I eximed angrily, hitting the wall.


    ¡°Laird?¡±


    My father¡¯s voice called out. I was startled and turned around. Hugo Evans was standing there in aplete golf shirt and khaki pants. He looked annoyed with both hands sped.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± my father asked.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± I replied quickly.


    ¡°I can see you watering the bucket. Are you going to wash your clothes?¡± He smiled wryly, his eyes gleaming.


    ¡°My clothes got dirty from mud during the game earlier. Aren¡¯t you going out to y golf today?¡± I tried to change the subject quickly.


    ¡°Golf?¡± My father looked out the house¡¯s window.


    ¡°Are you expecting me to go out and y golf in bad weather like this?¡± He tapped the window pane lightly with scornful lips.


    ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s true. Some of my friends don¡¯t care about the weather and still y golf. They let their clothes get wet and dirty for as long as they could still score birdies.¡± This time, he turned to me.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t like it. You know that, right? I¡¯m sensitive to bad weather. I¡¯m not like my friends, who are crazy about their hobbies.¡± He paused for a moment, looking straight at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m not like you, Laird.¡±


    He walked slowly toward me. Then he squatted down to look at me from below.


    ¡°I prefer to think rationally and avoid fanaticism about something that doesn¡¯t benefit me. You know I y golf just to entertain clients, right?¡±


    I nodded. Hugo¡¯srge hand held the back of my neck as he leaned closer. I bowed as much as I could while my father stared intently.


    ¡°I hope you can obey me, Laird. I¡¯ve said it many times: leave useless things like baseball. I¡¯d rather you study or take extra courses on Saturdays.¡± My father didn¡¯t release his gaze from my eyes, and I didn¡¯t dare divert mine from his.


    ¡°But, of course, you¡¯re just a kid. I¡¯ll still give you leeway.¡±


    My father released his grip on my neck and stood up again. He smiled warmly, as if there had never been a tense atmosphere at all. Nor with the way he looked at me with disappointment. The fake smile, typical of the Evans family¡¯s cold corporatewyer, concealed everything.


    He walked out of theundry room, and I sighed in relief. I quickly turned off the tap when the water in the bucket started to overflow. The muddy water soon flooded the bucket. Without dy, I immediately rinsed my uniform before my father came back.


    About ten minutes after I finished cleaning my jersey and shoes, I went to the room and passed Lloyd, who was reading a book in the living room.


    ¡°Hi, Lloyd.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Laird,¡± he replied, looking up from his book.


    I approached him, seated on the couch. My hands carefully pinched the corner of the book, and I tried to read its title.


    ¡°What are you reading?¡± I asked curiously about the cover of Lloyd¡¯s book that I had never seen before.


    ¡°Just a vampire story.¡±


    Of course, I just nodded because reading storybooks wasn¡¯t my hobby. Unlike me, my eight-year-old brother preferred to read storybooks. Most of them were fantasy horror stories, and I avoided genres like that. Actually, I avoided all genres of stories, except for textbooks.


    I yawned for a moment. Today was quite tiring, plus the loss. Therefore, I walked back to my room after patting Lloyd on the back. Before I could reach my room, the house¡¯s bell door rang.


    ¡°Open it, Laird. Aunt Myers and mom are still out to the supermarket,¡± Lloyd said without looking away from his book.


    When I opened the door, I immediately saw Fene¡¯s figure in an overdressed outfit. Her appearance raised both my eyebrows in surprise. She hadn¡¯t shown up at the field this morning. What kind of dream was she having when she showed up with an excessive appearance, like a birthday clown?


    ¡°Fene?¡± I asked to make sure, and the girl nodded.


    She wore a pink dress with a floral pattern. Because her face looked very white, it seemed like she had applied too much face powder. In contrast, her lips looked purplish-red, a strange color. She tied her slightly curly hair on the right and left sides of her head, but I could see it was curlier than usual.


    ¡°Hi, Laird!¡±


    Sheughed awkwardly with awkward footwork. She raised both her hands and waved enthusiastically. If only she were more shameless, she might have hugged me with such enthusiasm.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I asked coldly.


    Throughout this week, I ignored her. I only spoke with her when necessary, mostly about ss assignments. Sometimes, I spent the whole day just asking her to move her chair when she blocked my path from the table.


    I was certainly still disappointed in her. Plus, she didn¡¯t show up at the field this morning. It seemed like her savings were already enough to buy a gift for Adam.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to pick you up,¡± Fene said confidently with a wide smile.


    ¡°Pick me up for what?¡± I asked suspiciously, raising an eyebrow at her.


    She grinned broadly with a falsely sweet voice. ¡°To the toy store.¡±


    ¡°No, thank you.¡± I was about to close the door, but Fene¡¯s hands stopped it immediately.


    ¡°Hey, wait. Just wait a minute.¡±


    Both of her hands pushed the door, and of course, I couldn¡¯t bear to close it.

 Seeking Forgiveness

    Laird¡¯s POV


    ¡°Why do you act like this again? Why are you still angry? Come on, don¡¯t be angry anymore.¡± She held her breath while persuading me.


    ¡°I¡¯m not angry at all.¡± It was a lie, and she knew it.


    ¡°Apany me to the toy store to buy a game. Besides, fresh air would be effective in dispelling bad moods. Didn¡¯t the Boston team lose the match earlier, too?¡± She asked, like she knew everything.


    ¡°Just go away, Fene.¡± I tried to close the door one more time, but she pushed it anyway with her strength.


    ¡°Wait! Going to the toy store might cheer you up. Maybe you¡¯ll find a fun game to yter.¡±


    With enthusiasm, Fene persuaded me at length. Even I thought she would run out of breath from talking so much.


    ¡°Go to the store by yourself. Aunt Myers and my mom are out, so there¡¯s no one at home except me, Lloyd, and dad. I¡¯m exhausted.¡±


    I tried to dismiss her, but her hands insisted on pushing the door.


    ¡°You have to apany me, Laird. Today is Adam¡¯s birthday, so I have to give him his present today. I¡¯m afraid to go alone.¡± She pursed her lips.


    ¡°Hm, especially to hand it over to Adam. I don¡¯t think I have enough courage toe alone without you.¡± She pleaded again.


    ¡°Whether I apany you or not, will there be any difference? I bet you¡¯ll be rejected by him, so you¡¯d better abandon your intention to buy that expensive gift for Adam. Just so you know, you¡¯re a selfish girl.¡±


    Damn my mouth! I knew that was outrageous, and Fene would surely be sad after hearing that. My tone of voice was very cold, and I didn¡¯t care about the consequences. I just wanted her to leave immediately, without having to meet my father.


    Fene finally fell silent. She lowered her hands and no longer blocked the door.


    ¡°Have you looked yourself in the mirror? Your face is so ugly. You should wipe it all off first before you be theughingstock of the entire city.¡±


    I firmly closed the door without any further objection from Fene. The atmosphere was still quiet, and I took a long breath. My body leaned against the door, and I waited until she left. My hands rubbed my hair, and my eyes felt hot.


    Fene no longer cared about me. No one cared. I felt alone.


    ¡°You¡¯re so annoying, Laird! What a jerk!¡± The door was kicked so hard that I flinched back.


    ¡°You¡¯re smart and good at sports. But do you know your weaknesses? You¡¯re just a coward who always runs away and stays silent when things don¡¯t go your way!¡±


    I could hear her footsteps running away. She also cries. I wouldn¡¯t be wrong to assume that she was hurt by my words and was crying because of them.


    ***


    Ten minutester, I got up from my bed. My feelings worsened. The cold, overcast weather also failed to make me fall asleep. I convinced myself that I was just tired and couldn¡¯t sleep.


    Finally, I walked out of my room and opened my house door.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Lloyd asked, still sitting in his original ce. His head peeked out from behind the book.


    ¡°To babysit.¡±


    I got on my bike and immediately pedaled to the nearest toy store.


    ***


    I leaned my bike against the toy store¡¯s parking lot and hurried inside. Bob¡¯s Toys sold a variety of toys, including CD console games, cards, board games, and dolls. I headed to the aisle where regr CDs were usually disyed, but there were only a few kids and teenagers I didn¡¯t recognize.


    Fene wasn¡¯t there. I walked around the cashier area but still couldn¡¯t find her. Before asking, I waited until the cashier finished serving a boy who was buying an RPG game.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Hi. Did you see a girl with blonde hair, wearing a pink dress, and buying thetest ser console game?¡± I asked, gesturing at Fene¡¯s height, slightly above my head.


    ¡°So specific, kid. But yes, I served her earlier. She left not long ago,¡± the red-haired cashier replied.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    I hurried back out of the store, breathing heavily. It seemed the girl had indeed mustered the courage to buy the CD game on her own. I grabbed the handlebars of my bike before mounting it.


    I wondered for a moment whether I should also follow her to Adam¡¯s house. Suddenly, I remembered Fene¡¯s words when she begged me to apany her.


    ¡®I don¡¯t think I have enough courage toe alone without you.¡¯


    Those words had been bothering me since I left home. Her expression when she said it made me sick to my stomach. Plus, her words after I closed the door. The memory weighed heavily on my chest.


    I sighed and quickly hopped on my bike. This time, I pedaled quickly to Adam¡¯s house, feeling increasingly worried. If she was indeed rejected by Adam, she might actually cry.


    Why was I so sure? I had chatted with Adam several times, and he expressed to me his difort with her acting so clingy to him.


    Yes, I knew exactly about her over-the-top attention-seeking behavior. It made everyone ufortable. She always wanted to be a hero, even though she was just a spoiled girl.


    So I knew that crybaby wouldn¡¯t be able to handle rejection from Adam. It was funny, actually, to see her chasing after boys. She was such a naive girl who didn¡¯t understand anything about love.


    I also should not have paid any attention to that girl. Had Adam refused his gift, the worst that would have happened to Fene was that she would have cried from a broken heart. It would have taken just a week to make her as cheerful as she was before. I was sure of it.


    Even so, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to leave her. Her face kept haunting me, and I was moved to speed up my bike. I pedaled until my calves started to ache.

 Silent Supporter

    Laird¡¯s POV


    I arrived at the bus stop in front of Samantha¡¯s house. As I passed by, I saw Josh and Samantha justing out of the house. As soon as they saw me, they waved and greeted me. Josh seemed particrly excited.


    ¡°Hey, Laird! Are you okay?¡± That was the first question Josh asked me.


    ¡°Hey, Josh, Sam. Not bad,¡± I said, stopping my bike by the roadside without getting off.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m sorry to hear about your game this morning,¡± Sam approached me together with Josh.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m still confident we¡¯ll win next week,¡± I said confidently, contrary to my unenthusiastic gestures.


    ¡°Good if you¡¯re still spirited. The winter season games will be tougher,¡± Josh nodded.


    ¡°Yeah, I understand.¡± I epted the advice from our team¡¯s supporters graciously.


    ¡°Did you happen to see Fene pass by here, Josh?¡± I asked Josh.


    ¡°Fene? I don¡¯t know; I just got here too. Maybe you saw her?¡± he asked Sam.


    ¡°Who¡¯s Fene?¡± Sam asked, confused.


    ¡°Oh yeah, you¡¯ve nevere to the field, so you wouldn¡¯t know. She¡¯s the blonde girl who often goes to her friend¡¯s house in Block F with Laird,¡± Josh attempted to exin. ¡°That girl Laird likes,¡± Josh added teasingly.


    ¡°Hey! Who said I liked her?!¡± I grumbled at Josh to deny it, but they didn¡¯t believe me.


    ¡°Really? So, is she your first love? You naughty boy!¡± Sam teased me this time.


    ¡°No! That¡¯s not true! Josh is just talking nonsense.¡± I still denied it, even though I felt my cheeks heating up.


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t pretend. If it weren¡¯t for you being so attentive to her, how could you look for her all the way here on this slippery street?¡± Josh wrapped his arm around my neck while his other hand ruffled my hair.


    ¡°Shut up! You also go to Sam¡¯s house now. Do you like Sam?¡± I intentionally asked Josh to retaliate.


    After hearing the question, Josh fell silent and released me awkwardly. They both nced at each other. He cleared his throat, and I smirked, sessfully retaliating.


    ¡°Answer it! Don¡¯t just stay silent!¡± Iughed while nudging his shoulder.


    ¡°Okay, okay, don¡¯t fight. You two are ridiculous!¡± Sam pretended to scold us and intervened.


    ¡°So, how? Did you see Fene passing by here, Sam?¡± I asked again.


    ¡°Yeah, I think I saw her pass by while I was waiting for Josh. Earlier, I was sitting on the porch chair in front of the house. She was riding a pink bike, right? She looked striking, so I remember.¡± She provided the information.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, she must have looked striking. I told her not to dress up like that if she didn¡¯t want to be the joke of the town.¡±


    I chuckled ufortably, trying to cover up how much I regretted saying that. It was probably her first time trying to dress up on her own, and the result was a mess. She must have been disappointed to find out it didn¡¯t impress anyone like she hoped.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, you¡¯re right! I wonder why she dressed up like that,¡± Josh confirmed andughed.


    ¡°She dressed up like what?¡± Sam was still confused.


    ¡°Yeah, she came to the field this morning wearing a dress. You should¡¯ve taught her how to use makeup, Sam. Her lips were so red.¡± Joshughed again.


    ¡°What did you say? Did shee to the field this morning?¡± I asked Josh with confusion.


    ¡°Yes. Didn¡¯t you see her?¡± He furrowed his brow. I shook my head.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s understandable. She didn¡¯t sell snacks anymore. She wasn¡¯t even yelling like usual. I thought it was because she wore a skirt.¡± He chuckled.


    ¡°She greeted me, but since the seats were full, she stood among the parents outside the fence. I thought there was no way she could watch the game from that position, especially since she¡¯s shorter than the adults. Anyway, it turns out she still watched until the end of the game.¡± He shrugged his shoulders.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Did you guys have a fight? Howe you didn¡¯t know she came to the field?¡± Josh chuckled again while I was dumbfounded.


    This was new information that I didn¡¯t even know about. What¡¯s more, this fact made me realize that I had been mean to her. I regretted all my words.


    ¡°By the way, it¡¯s not about the red lips and skirt that made her stand out,¡± Sam said, hesitant.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Josh asked.


    ¡°She stood out because of her bad biking style. The way she rode the bike was wobbly; she fell and cried,¡± Sam said.


    Sam then walked to the puddle on the road. Her hand pointed to the puddle, then she exined while mimicking as if she were riding a bike passing through the water puddle.


    ¡°She passed by here, struggling to control the bike. Then, she identally rode over this puddle, fell, and got her dress wet. She got angry, stood up, and yelled.¡± She imitated as if she were Fene.


    ¡°Ugh, damn annoying puddle!¡± She yelled. ¡°That¡¯s what she said.¡± Samughed about it.


    ¡°You¡¯re great at imitating her.¡± Josh pped andughed. ¡°Yeah, yeah. I think she often yells like that. So it must be Fene Baxter.¡±


    ¡°Ha ha. Shameless girl. How could she yell in front of someone¡¯s house?¡± I forced augh and could only mutter quietly.


    Once again, this was a new fact that made my heart even more irritated. What sin had Imitted against her? I ran my hand through my hair. My eyes suddenly felt hot, and my forehead instantly felt painful.


    I bowed my head and looked at my dirty shoes. I felt like Fene had truly punished me for being a coward. It turns out she did a lot of things, and her behavior could never be predicted. She was too impulsive, but I should have read her signs from the beginning. I should have been more empathic toward her.


    ¡°There she is!¡± Josh suddenly shouted and pointed into the distance.


    ¡°Fene!¡± Josh called out to the girl, and I immediately turned in the same direction.


    Fene rode her bike unsteadily. Although she wasn¡¯t skilled at riding a bike, she insisted on pedaling in a hurry. She looked very determined to pedal faster.


    I looked at her and immediately realized it as she approached us. She was crying.

 My First Love

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I climbed onto my bike and immediately pedaled as fast as I could. I never expected Laird to be so mean and cruel to me. What did I do wrong? I tried to find the reason several times, but the more I did, the less I knew.


    He was such an annoying jerk! That arrogant boy should have drowned his head in a pool of ice water!


    That actually made me sad. Since we¡¯re in fourth grade, I¡¯ve felt Laird¡¯s attitude toward me has changed drastically.


    From childhood until kindergarten, Laird has always been kind and attentive. He always obeyed me and apanied me wherever I wanted. He even admitted that he preferred ying with me over Lloyd, his own brother.


    So what has changed now? It was as if she no longer wanted to be friends with me and preferred to be friends with the boys.


    Now he¡¯s so harsh and grumpy. He doesn¡¯t want to y with me anymore; he even ignored me as if I were nothing for a whole week. Just because I said I didn¡¯t want to watch the baseball game?


    Fine, I understand. Maybe he¡¯s sad becausest summer he failed to make the Majors team selection for the second time. Plus, he¡¯s been losing continuously for four weeks straight.


    Then why am I the one getting scolded by him? Even though I cheered him on every week, yes, even while selling snacks, he kept being a jerk. Even now, knowing he¡¯s sad, I try to cheer him up. What¡¯s wrong with inviting him out for a bike ride? Isn¡¯t it better than just sulking in his room?


    Ungrateful jerk! Laird is really annoying!


    I kept cursing him all the way to Bob¡¯s Toys. The unfriendly weather also contributed to my worsening vision, which was blurred from crying. I tried hard to focus, but several times I almost hit poles and sidewalks.


    I entered Bob¡¯s Toys and went straight to the rack where yStation game CDs were disyed. I quickly found thetest edition of the FIFA game that Adam wanted. I nced left and right; most were boys busy choosing other games. Without much talk, I paid for the game at the cashier.


    ¡°Hey, little girl. Do you want to buy this ser game?¡± The red-haired man at the cashier counter asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I just nodded.


    ¡°Do you want it as a gift?¡± he asked again.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m not good at ying it,¡± I said with a shy smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s $60. Do you have the money?¡± I don¡¯t know why, but I felt like he was underestimating me.


    ¡°Sure. Here you go!¡±


    I took out my small wallet and pulled out the bills in small denominations: 6 pieces of $5 bills and 3 pieces of $10 bills. I smiled proudly. This was the first time I bought something with my own hard work.


    ¡°Alright. Do you want a fancy bag and ribbon, too?¡± he asked again, this time with a friendly smile.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Add another $5,¡± he said.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    Ugh, I was not expecting this. How can I forget about budgeting for bags and ribbons? I bit my lip and searched for more money inside my wallet. I rummaged for pennies and dors.


    Thank God! I still had some left. I took out coins and a dor bill. He smiled and took my money. The cashier neatly wrapped the game and handed it to me.


    ¡°Here you go. Have fun,¡± he said with a big smile.


    I immediately took the gift for Adam and put it in the bike basket. Then I looked up at the sky and started to worry about the rain again. The raindrops were starting to fall, so I quickly pedaled my bike again to Adam¡¯s house.


    ***


    ¡°Ugh, damn annoying puddle!¡±


    I yelled in annoyance as I saw my dress getting wet and dirty from the puddle. Once again, I wasn¡¯t focused and failed to ride the bike smoothly.


    I had been annoyed with myself because, no matter how much I wanted to ride the bike smoothly, I still couldn¡¯t. Plus, my mind kept going back to Laird¡¯s angry face. The boy¡¯s words also made me very upset.


    My determination was firm. I would prove to Laird that Adam wasn¡¯t as bad as he thought. Adam wouldn¡¯t ridicule my makeup or this beautiful dress. Adam wouldn¡¯t kick me out and m the door like Laird did earlier. I was sure Adam would be happy with this gift, as well as impressed with me.


    I finally arrived at Adam¡¯s house. Of course, I felt nervous, but I dared to ring his doorbell. I would prove to Laird that I could do it!


    ¡°Hey, Fene?¡±


    Thank goodness, it was Adam himself who opened the door. If his mother had opened it, I would have been even more embarrassed.


    ¡°Hi, Adam.¡± I smiled.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Adam looked confused, examining me from head to toe. ¡°What did happen to you? Your dress is wet and dirty. Were you hurt?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m okay. It¡¯s nothing to worry about.¡± I waved andughed.


    ¡°I just want to give you a gift. Happy birthday!¡± I quickly handed him a sparkling blue bag decorated with a red ribbon.


    ¡°Wow, I didn¡¯t expect you to remember.¡± Adam smiled widely. ¡°Thank you, Fene.¡±


    I nodded with a big smile.


    ¡°Can I open it?¡±


    With enthusiasm, I nodded again and let him carefully open the bag and the ribbon that tied it. As soon as he saw what was inside, Adam¡¯s mouth widened. He took out the game CD box and took a breath when he saw it.


    ¡°Fene, this is amazing! This is really great! Did you buy it yourself?¡± He asked with a big smile.


    ¡°Of course! I saved up and worked hard to buy it.¡± I showed off my hard work again.


    ¡°Oh, yeah. This must be expensive.¡± He suddenly murmured.


    ¡°Adam?¡±


    I called his name, as he seemed lost in thought. I, too, frowned, confused by his sudden silence.


    ¡°Sorry, Fene. I think I can¡¯t ept this.¡± Adam shook his head and ced the CD game back in the bag.

 Silence

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°What? Why?¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    I was confused when he handed the gift back to me.


    ¡°I¡¯m pleased with your gift, but I think it¡¯s too expensive for a regr gift. I feel guilty for burdening you.¡± Adam exined it to me with a sad smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay, really. I sincerely wanted to give it to you.¡± I said it hesitantly because his reaction didn¡¯t match my expectations.


    ¡°No, Fene. I can¡¯t ept this gift from you. I don¡¯t want you to sacrifice your savings to buy me this expensive gift. I can still ask my dad for it.¡± He looked away from me. ¡°Sorry, Fene. You should return it to the store and get your money back.¡±


    Everything around me felt dark. I couldn¡¯t think, and it felt like the sky was getting darker. I didn¡¯t understand. But it felt like I was just rejected.


    With tears held back, I bit my lower lip hard. Embarrassed by his rejection, I quickly returned to my bike. I put the gift back in the basket and immediately pedaled my bike away without saying anything else.


    It felt so embarrassing. I cried silently. I didn¡¯t want Adam to know that I was crying, so I pedaled my bike as quickly as possible.


    Foolish girl! Foolish girl!


    I cursed myself. What Laird said was true. Although I had tried so hard, it seemed like the world still didn¡¯t support me.


    I struggled to hold back my tears while pedaling the bike. Until, at a safe distance from Adam¡¯s house, I finally burst into tears. My vision became blurry, and my eyes felt hot. Tears flowed incessantly, not stopping until I thought the rain had fallen.


    ¡°Fene!¡±


    Someone called my name. I looked up from the road and saw Josh. Then a beautiful teenage girl who asked for Laird¡¯s help yesterday stood there looking at me with furrowed brows. Then, beside Josh, I clearly saw the figure of the dark-blonde boy.


    As soon as I saw Laird, I turned away and pretended not to see him. I kept pedaling my bike. As I passed by them, Josh greeted me again.


    ¡°Hey, Fene! Why are you crying?¡±


    I ignored the question and kept trying to pedal my bike. Unfortunately, Josh ran after me, and with my poor bike speed, he managed to hold onto my bike until it stopped.


    ¡°Let go!¡±


    I shouted loudly, but he didn¡¯t let me go. His hands were stronger; he held onto my bike¡¯s handlebars until I almost fell.


    ¡°Hey, why are you crying? Laird is really worried about you, and he followed you here.¡±


    I remained silent and stared at the road. I felt so embarrassed and didn¡¯t want to meet Laird¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Let her go, Josh. She just got rejected by her crush.¡± Laird¡¯s voice suddenly sounded again.


    My feelings became chaotic. There was anger mixed with embarrassment that I couldn¡¯t control. I cried uncontrobly while my hands covered my wet face.


    ¡°Really?¡± Josh asked again, making sure of my feelings.


    My tears seemed to be the answer for him. Unfortunately, the boy didn¡¯t want to leave me alone. With his teasingughter, Josh kept talking and joking.


    ¡°Ah, forget about that boy. Let him reject you; you still have Laird. He likes you a lot.¡±


    Hearing Josh¡¯s words, I immediately flinched. The irritation surged even more, and I couldn¡¯t think clearly anymore.


    ¡°Hey, who said that?! No! Stop it, Josh!¡± This time Laird pulled Josh¡¯s body and tried to silence him.


    ¡°Come on, Laird. It¡¯s okay. Just say that, so she won¡¯t be sad anymore.¡± Josh continued tough with his teasing.


    I felt even more annoyed as Josh¡¯s jokes began to seem unfunny. He was annoying and really rude. The girl next to Josh tried to intervene and restrain him.


    ¡°Stop it, Josh. Leave them alone. Don¡¯t tease them anymore.¡±


    Yes, that¡¯s right. Stop all this mischief. Stop all this nonsense. What did he say? Laird Evans likes me. Ha!


    After everything he did to me and after all his words that belittled me, even I couldn¡¯t fight back because his words about Adam rejecting me were proven true. I felt so embarrassed.


    ¡°Hey, Baxter. You like Laird, right? He likes you too, so don¡¯t waste it,¡± Josh said again, and I became even more irritated.


    ¡°Stop!¡± I shouted as loud as I could.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like Laird! I hate him!¡±


    Instantaneously, I could only hear silence. But strangely, Josh, the insolent one, slowly opened his mouth again.


    ¡°Hey, why did you say that? That¡¯s so mean. Look, Laird is crying now.¡±


    ¡°Because of you! Stop it, Josh!¡± The girl hit Josh and quickly pulled him away.


    I couldn¡¯t believe it, so I turned to Laird. The sight I saw now was strange, but real. Laird was crying loudly, like a toddler who had just lost his candy. His face was red, and tears flowed freely.


    My mouth gaped in amazement. Not knowing what to do, I chose to pedal my bike away from there. I didn¡¯t look back anymore.


    When I arrived home, I cried loudly. I buried my face in the pillow and cried for a long time.


    How could this happen? Why did everything be so messed up?


    ***


    Since that day¡¯s incident, I have never spoken to Laird again. There was a lingering sense of shame that kept haunting me, deterring me from even just greeting him. It was the same for him. We didn¡¯t speak to each other for a long time.


    Due to the mess of my feelings and my embarrassment toward those two boys, I asked to switch seats with Cath. I ended up sitting by the window in the second front row, while Laird and Adam were in the back row with Cath. That way, I didn¡¯t have to see them, not even their backs.


    Sometimes I wonder why I was so hurt by that incident. I thought it was all because of my ego and pride. But after reading some books about teenage romance, I realized maybe this was what they called being a coward.


    Back then, I used to call Laird a coward for running away from problems. It turns out now that I¡¯m the coward. I¡¯m avoiding them, not intending to mend the rift between Laird and myself.


    A few times, Laird tried to greet me, but I just responded by turning my face away. The same was true of Adam, who seemed fine without being bothered by me anymore.


    I didn¡¯t spend Christmas break with Laird either. I asked my parents to stay at my grandparents¡¯ house for the entire Christmas break. As a result, my family only managed to give a Christmas hamper to the Evans family via Aunt Myers.


    Sometimes I stille to watch Laird¡¯s baseball team y. However, I dress up in disguise as a boy. I intentionally wearrge ck-framed sses, tuck all my hair under a red baseball cap, and wear arge ck jacket. That way, I can still cheer Laird on silently without having to meet Laird or Josh, the dumb chatterbox.


    During the summer break, Laird finally made it onto the Majors team after turning 12. Upon closer observation, it seemed like he was more focused on baseball. But that didn¡¯t mean his academic grades dropped; quite the opposite. He was always the star student, shining even brighter.


    Seeing that actually made me sad. I felt like Laird no longer cared about me, but I suppose that¡¯s fair. All in all, I ignored him.


    As we entered 5th grade, our rtionship became more distant. We were in different sses, and I started to lose track of how Laird was doing. I only heard about him asionally when my mompared me to the impressive Evans brothers.

 Last Day

    Fene¡¯s POV


    The day of elementary school graduation arrived. The students would move on to the junior high school of their choice. The schoolyard buzzed with excitement after the graduation ceremony. We shook hands and congratted each other.


    I stood in a corner of the schoolyard. My body leaned against an oak tree as my eyes nced at Laird, still shaking hands with the boys. We exchanged nces from afar, and I was immediately startled. I turned my back and looked down.


    No, I still don¡¯t think I can forgive myself. I still don¡¯t have the courage to face Laird. Even though two years have passed, I still feel haunted by that memory. Truly, I¡¯m just a kid who doesn¡¯t understand my own feelings.


    I sighed and got ready to go home. There¡¯s no point in waiting for someone who¡¯s ignored me for so long. But as I turned back, I saw Laird walking towards me.


    ¡°Hey, Fene.¡± He smiled awkwardly with a stiff wave.


    ¡°Oh, hey.¡± I replied awkwardly.


    ¡°How are you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Okay, I guess. How about you?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Not bad.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know Laird looked different. His face seemed unfamiliar, and he also appeared taller now. Yet, I used to be taller than him.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to attend the International School of Boston for junior high. My dad insisted.¡±


    Laird wrinkled his forehead. He looked at our school building carefully, as if engraving every corner into his memory.


    ¡°Oh, yes, I heard from my mom,¡± I replied, looking down and ying with the small gravel at the end of my shoe.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going there. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to pass, so I chose a more rxed private school,¡± I exined to him.


    He might have already heard from his mom or Aunt Myers, but I still wanted to tell him. How different our worlds are. I had to retake school exams because of my poor grades,pared to Laird, who was considered the top graduate in school.


    What else could I do? Since 1st grade, Laird has always helped me study. Without Laird, I would lose both a teacher and a friend who motivated me to study. I was toozy to study on my own.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s okay. Just rx. Don¡¯t force yourself,¡± Laird said. He seemed to beforting me.


    ¡°You know, Josh is just like you. He almost didn¡¯t graduate, but he made it. He said he didn¡¯t want to force himself with his brain capacity.¡± Laird chuckled softly.


    ¡°Then won¡¯t he try to get into Harvard or MIT?¡±


    All teenagers want to go to those two colleges. First, because they¡¯re close to where we live. Second, because, of course, they¡¯re the best colleges in the world. Everyone in the world wants to get into Harvard or MIT.


    Laird shook his head. Well, maybe Josh, the dumb-chatterbox one, was an exception to everything.


    ¡°He¡¯s studying midwifery at Boston College. Can you believe it?¡± Laird asked with augh.


    ¡°Huh? Midwifery?¡± I repeated.


    My mouth fell open in disbelief, but Laird¡¯s confident nod made me realize that he wasn¡¯t joking. Josh, a rude guy who liked to meddle, became a midwife. Not to mention the jokes he often cracked weren¡¯t funny at all.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it either, but that¡¯s love for you. He doesn¡¯t want to be separated from Sam,¡± Laird said, shaking his head.


    ¡°Sam is his girlfriend?¡± I immediately remembered the cool girl who lived near Adam¡¯s house. Laird nodded again.


    ¡°They¡¯re weird, aren¡¯t they?¡± Laird scratched his head.


    ¡°Yeah. Rtionships like that aren¡¯t necessarily smooth, right? They might fight and stop talking to each other.¡± I chuckled softly.


    But I immediately stopped my silly remark. I saw Laird raise his eyebrows in surprise. Only then did I realize I was talking about us. I sighed deeply topose myself.


    How foolish! Why did I say that?


    ¡°Sorry,¡± I muttered softly.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Laird might also be trying to control his emotions. He nodded and shrugged as if what I had just said didn¡¯t affect anything.


    We were trying to fix our rtionship, weren¡¯t we? Ugh, I¡¯m so pathetic.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    Laird¡¯s hand went up. I thought he was going to ruffle my hair as usual, but he changed his mind. We fell silent, and he lowered his hand. He switched to offering a handshake, and I stared at his hand.


    ¡°Congrattions on your graduation.¡±


    This time, I looked into his green eyes. My heart raced, and I felt something was wrong with me. I missed him.


    I epted the handshake, and we shook hands. I felt enchanted, staring dumbfoundedly at Laird¡¯s wide smile. Laird¡¯s hand felt warm, although I could feel the rough and calloused edges of his fingers from constant baseball practice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Fene. We¡¯re still neighbors, so we can still meet often. Feel free to visit my house anytime; I promise to host you very well.¡±


    Laird still smiled broadly, and I finallyughed.


    ¡°Yeah, Laird. Thank you.¡±


    I thought this distance hade to an end. I thought we had reconciled and forgotten the events of yesterday. No longer looking back.


    ***


    In reality, our distance remained wide. Laird attended an international school a bit far from our area, so he had to take an earlier bus than me. He was also busy with baseball practice and extracurricr activities after school. On weekends, I hardly ever saw him at home.


    Simrly, I had made more friends. Cath, me, and a few other girls joined the cheerleading club at our junior high. Our days were filled with extracurricr activities and weekend events.


    Apart from Sunday service, Laird and I practically never met again. We only asionally bumped into each other at church. Sometimes I visited the Evans family Christmas party, but there were usually too many guests for us to talk for long.


    This conditionsted throughout my school days until 9th grade. The days I spent without Laird felt increasingly dull. I didn¡¯t know how my days had gone over thest four years.


    When we reached our final year in junior high, everything changed direction again. At the beginning of the second semester of 9th grade, our destinies intertwined closely once more.


    ¡°Would you go out with me, Fene?¡±


    Huh? I blinked in disbelief as I looked at the figure in front of me.


    What did he just say?

 Catching Wind

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Back to present day¡­


    ¡°Oof,¡± I exhaled from my mouth after cing the boxes containing used books that I would sell at the bazaar this time. I wiped a drop of sweat from my forehead.


    Since about 9 in the morning, I have been helping my mother prepare our bazaar stand for fundraising. The air still felt freezing cold, but we were determined to raise money to hold a Christmas celebration at the hospital for children. This was onest effort to get donations for Christmas gifts and medical expenses.


    ¡°I think that¡¯s all, Mom,¡± I said to my mother.


    She rearranged the pretty trinkets for home decor on the table, covered with a red tartan cloth. ¡°Thank you, dear,¡± she said with her characteristic smile.


    My mother was indeed not young anymore, but there was still some beauty left on her face. Her skin was porcin white but is now adorned with ck spots as a sign of aging. Her facial skin had be wrinkled, and her blonde hair had mostly turned white. I imagined that when I grew up, I would be like her someday.


    Honestly, I didn¡¯t know how she could manage all by herself this time. She said it was all thanks to the children and the foundation¡¯s administrators, who kept herpany. I said it was all thanks to her resilience and patience, which had been tempered very well.


    ¡°Hey, Mom. If it¡¯s okay, I¡¯d like to take a walk to the park over there,¡± I asked for her permission.


    ¡°Yes, dear. Go get some fresh air. Usually, customerse during lunchtime, so there¡¯s still some time,¡± she said with a nod and a motherly smile.


    ¡°Thanks, Mom. I¡¯ll be back shortly,¡± I murmured.


    After getting permission, I walked through the park. Not much has changed since thest time I wandered around here. There were just a few additions: garden lights, upgraded park benches, and frozen fountain statues.


    I walked closer to the baseball field, full of childhood memories. When I was in elementary school, I came to the field almost every week to watch Laird¡¯s games. Now, the field felt strange to me.


    My hand gripped the wire fence. This was the ce where Laird and I kissed for the first time. Too many memories flood my mind at the moment. I didn¡¯t know whether it was because of the cold air or my sadness, but I cried.


    My tears fell as I looked at the empty baseball field, with no activity at all. Honestly, I didn¡¯t want to lose Laird. No matter what, I had depended on him too much.


    All I want is to be with him. Why is that so hard?


    Sometimes, the world is unpredictable. In every happiness, there is always sadness behind it, and vice versa. When I thought I had achieved everything I wanted-the person who loves me and a career I could be proud of-I ended up facing this mess.


    I wiped the tears from my cheeks. It seemed like I had been crying too muchtely. My head felt like it was about to explode from all the pressure I was facing. When I thought bing a model would get me Laird, I was wrong. When I had Laird, I could lose him anytime with this career of mine.


    No, wait.


    My career was already not doing well. I could be kicked out anytime as I got older, but n took me back. He gave me the opportunities I needed. He made my dream of being a dream girle true. However, the career n gave me was like poison that would ruin my rtionship with Laird.


    I took a deep breath. Honestly, nothing was going my way. Even so, I tried to rebuild my spirit again to be stronger like my mother. Now was not the time to wallow in useless sadness. I¡¯d better go back to the stand and not leave my mother alone for too long.


    ***


    ¡°Fene!¡±


    ¡°Hello, dear!¡±


    The mothers immediately crowded around me when I arrived at the bazaar stand. One by one, they gave me hugs and little kisses on both cheeks.


    They all turned out to be my mother¡¯s friends who were also involved in this social foundation. Most of them were old widows, and it seemed they were quite united, considering that this fundraising bazaar was also their idea.


    ¡°Youdies have arranged your stand so beautifully!¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Oh, my goodness! Are these original Oscar de Ragetti shoes?¡±


    ¡°This bag! Oh, no, this dress would be perfect for a wedding party!¡±


    ¡°Do you think it will fit you?¡± Then theyughed and teased each other.


    ¡°Are these all genuine branded items? Are these your old clothes?¡±


    Their eyes blinked, and one of them looked at me. She waited for me to confirm her question right away.


    ¡°Uh, yes.¡± I nodded with a faint smile.


    ¡°Gosh, I don¡¯t know if I can afford them. Their original prices are in the thousands of dors.¡±


    ¡°You must be happy to have a daughter who is a famous model.¡±


    ¡°Where have you been hiding Fene all this time?¡±


    They giggled and chatted in a friendly tone. It seemed that none of them had seen that cursed advertisement.


    ¡°Oh, no. I had to call her multiple times to make here home and help me set up the bazaar stand.¡±


    My mother chuckled, but the blush on her cheeks couldn¡¯t be hidden. She seemed happy and proud. Well, thank God. If she had seen or if these mothers knew about the condom ad, I¡¯m sure they would wrinkle their noses in disgust at me.


    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t just stand there. You guys have to try my eggnog.¡± My mother took out some paper cups she had prepared.


    ¡°She shoulde home more often and share the expensive clothes she got from the designers.¡±


    ¡°Remember, this is for fundraising.¡± My mother cut off their words, which were immediately met with groans of disappointment.


    ¡°No one will be able to afford it.¡± Theyughed.


    ¡°How much are you going to sell these for, Fene?¡± They turned to me and again waited for my answer. Their breaths seemed to hold in tension.


    ¡°Uh, well, since this is for fundraising, I¡¯m selling everything for $100 each.¡± I shrugged, and they immediately screamed with excitement.


    ¡°Are you crazy? Dear, you should use an auction system to sell them.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my money won¡¯t be enough if I have to fight in an auction against you!¡±


    ¡°What if I buy them for $200 each? Take whatever you like, and I¡¯ll happily pay for it to be donated.¡±


    Instantaneously, all the women around us stopped talking. They fell silent as a tall man approached us with a charming, wide smile. He clearly offered an attractive deal that was hard for the widows to refuse.


    I frowned and wrinkled my nose as I saw the man. How dare hee here!


    ¡°Stay away from me,¡± I whispered firmly to him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so cold, Fene. The air is already cold enough for me to stay here,¡± he smiled crookedly while the mothers were still mesmerized, staring at his face with their mouths open like dead fish.


    ¡°Hello, are you Fene¡¯s friend?¡± My mother asked him.


    ¡°No!¡± I refused to acknowledge n as my friend.

 Thrift Shop

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°Is it true that you¡¯re going to pay for the items to be given away for free?¡± An elderly woman gasped, asking for confirmation.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true. Take whatever you like, and I¡¯ll pay for it.¡± n nodded quickly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him!¡± I tried to hold them back, but the older women were getting more and more excited.


    ¡°Even this book, will you pay $200 for it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, anything.¡± n nodded confidently again.


    ¡°Oh no, that¡¯s cheating. We are selling them at standard used-item prices,¡± my mother shook her head.


    ¡°Yes, but this is my form of donation. Please don¡¯t hesitate. Consider it a Christmas gift from me.¡±


    ¡°No, just ignore him! Go away,¡± I pushed n¡¯s body with both hands, but he didn¡¯t move from there. The older women also took my words lightly, as n seemed to have won over all their hearts.


    ¡°God bless you, son.¡±


    ¡°What a kind-hearted angel,¡± the women praised n.


    ¡°Hey! Why are you taking things first? That¡¯s cheating!¡± Someone apparently took the opportunity while they were all distracted. She jumped ahead, and suddenly everything got out of control.


    ¡°Uh,dies, I still need to note down the items you are taking, honestly. Please don¡¯t push,¡± my mother tried to calm the crowd ofdies at our stand.


    Hearing the words ¡°free¡± and ¡°take as you like¡± from n¡¯s mouth, everyone around our stand rushed in without thinking twice. Chaos erupted at the stand, drawing even more people toe and grab things.


    ¡°What have you done?!¡±


    I scolded n, but the man onlyughed like an evil spirit. Our small stand now looked like it had been looted!


    ¡°Stop!¡± I shouted, but they didn¡¯t listen to me.


    The women swarmed into the stand, grabbing whatever they liked. They fought and yelled at each other. The devil seemed to have possessed their hearts, recing theirmon sense with greed.


    ¡°Mom!¡± I screamed in shock when my mother fell because someone pushed her.


    ¡°Oh my God!¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    ¡°This is your fault! You pushed me!¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t my fault! I was pushed from behind!¡±


    They kept arguing while I struggled to squeeze between the items. The women didn¡¯t care as I crouched to help my mother up. Then, finally, I couldn¡¯t support my mother anymore and couldn¡¯t withstand the pushing from the crowd.


    ¡°Ouch!¡± This time it was my turn to fall, and I nearly hit the table with the eggnog thermos on it.


    I thought I would be injured, but I wasn¡¯t. n caught me as I was falling. He willingly pushed the table roughly to break my fall. Unfortunately, his heroic action ended with the eggnog thermos falling to the ground with a thud, and its lid popped open immediately.


    ¡°Aargh!¡± n groaned loudly in pain as the hot eggnog spilled onto a part of his leg.


    ¡°Stop! Everyone, stop!¡± I screamed, shouting like a madwoman.


    Everyone stopped immediately. Sanity returned to their heads. Someone had been hurt in the chaos, and they froze in ce.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Everyone slowly backed away from the stand. However, their hands still held onto the items they had taken.


    ¡°Hey, Fene. It¡¯s okay,¡± n reassured me, squeezing my shoulders.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine! But please, you all need to line up in order! Only one item per person!¡±


    n shouted until everyone finally obeyed him. They lined up in a long queue. Why did they listen to n so easily? I couldn¡¯t understand it!


    ¡°Are you okay, son?¡± My mother came up to n and looked at him with concern.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Mom.¡±


    ¡°Mom?¡± I furrowed my brow as n called my mother ¡°Mom¡± as well.


    ¡°Fene can handle me. You just focus on the customers,¡± n chuckled as he leaned on my shoulder.


    ¡°Thank you, son. What¡¯s your name again?¡±


    ¡°Just call me n,¡± the man smiled, though a hint of pain was visible at the corner of his tense eyes.


    ¡°Oh, forgive us, n.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Please, deardies, you must queue, or I¡¯ll cancel the donation.¡±


    The women nodded. A few still muttered apologies as I supported n away from the stand. We sat at a pic table under a tree that was now bare of leaves.


    I ran to the water faucet with whatever cloth was avable at the stand. I soaked the cloth in the cold water, then ran back to where n sat waiting. He had rolled up his pants to his knees and taken off his shoes.


    ¡°That was so horrible,¡± I sighed as I wiped n¡¯s leg with the wet cloth, cleaning andpressing his reddened skin.


    ¡°I know. Luckily, everything could be handled,¡± n smiled at me.


    ¡°Ugh, but you also started it! If only you hadn¡¯t suddenlye up with that idea without warning, they wouldn¡¯t have gotten so wild.¡± I groaned and gently hit n¡¯s leg, causing him to wince and clutch his leg.


    ¡°Hey, I just wanted to do something good, Fene. What¡¯s wrong with donating and doing something good for those olddies?¡±


    ¡°You should have looked at the situation and the conditions first! Why do you always act like this? You always start something bad and thene in as the hero.¡± I argued with him.


    ¡°Was that also your n with that ad? Were you nning to be the hero in saving the ad scandal?¡± I interrogated him with strong suspicion.


    ¡°Listen, there was no such n at all. However, it¡¯s my responsibility to save it. If not me, then who?¡±


    ¡°Ugh, I really hate you.¡± I groaned in frustration and finally sat down in the chair facing him.


    We sat in silence while I pouted. I shouldn¡¯t have paid attention to him, but he was injured now, and I couldn¡¯t bear to leave him alone. Besides, he had dared to rush into the crowd and let his leg be burned by hot eggnog just to prevent me from falling and being trampled.


    ¡°Thank you, n.¡± I looked at him briefly, still with a sullen face. ¡°Or maybe I should call you rk.¡±


    He looked at me for a long time. I returned his gaze because I realized he wasn¡¯t answering me.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since anyone called me by that name,¡± he said softly with a wry smile on his face.


    Oh no, why is he bing sentimental? I sighed. I was still angry about all the tricks and deeds he had done to me and Laird, but after this incident, I couldn¡¯t stay mad at him!


    ¡°How did you know I was here?¡±


    ¡°I asked your neighbor. Don¡¯t tell me you forgot that I have your mother¡¯s address as an emergency contact in the employee data.¡± He smiled crookedly at me.


    My lips still pouted in disapproval at him. I had to admit that he was clever, just like a sly fox.


    ¡°Are you really going to pay for all those items at $200 each?¡± I asked, feeling a heaviness in my chest. My emotions were a mix of anger, guilt, and gratitude towards him.


    ¡°Yes, of course. Besides, all those items were given to you by clients for free. Why are you selling them as if they are secondhand items that mean nothing to you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s for charity. Besides, one woman¡¯s trash is another woman¡¯s treasure. I thought others would be happier to receive them.¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°Oh, yeah. Looking at the long line over there, I¡¯m sure that saying is true.¡± n gestured with his chin towards our stand, which was now calmer with an orderly line.


    ¡°Can you keep Jessy with Gene and not throw him away?¡± I asked.


    Hearing that question, n took a deep breath. His hands moved away from his leg, and he ced his elbows on the table. His body leaned towards me, though his position was awkward with one leg stretched out on the bench.From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t dump us into your trash.¡± He grinned at me.

 Up and Down

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Hearing n¡¯s statement, my mouth dropped open. I huffed and shook my head in annoyance.


    ¡°How could I not do it? You made me fall too deep into the grave you dug for yourself.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it the other way around? I built a staircase framework for you, but you were the one who knocked it down.¡± He shrugged. His eyes blinked, and it was clear he didn¡¯t want to be med.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, n. I know you¡¯re trying to provide me with a lot of projects. Even yesterday, Mike said that I was taking on too many projects. Was that your doing?¡±


    I squinted at him, and he fell silent. Seeing his reaction, I huffed again and rolled my eyes. Without needing a response from him, I already knew my suspicions were correct.


    ¡°Hey, Fene, just calm down.¡± n hurriedly tried to stop me from getting angry, but I was already far too annoyed with him.


    ¡°How could you do that to them? They are all my friends, including Mike. You said you didn¡¯t want any toxic people like Kiara in your sacred temple, but you yourself became the raider, taking others¡¯ shares and making me hated by everyone.¡±


    ¡°No, no, wait. It¡¯s not entirely like that. I didn¡¯t steal anything from anyone. Listen to me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you see thements from people on my social media? They insult me, using me of theft. Now they say I¡¯ve been arrogant, acting up, and justifying all sorts of means to achieve this sess.¡± I spoke quickly, cutting off n¡¯s words.


    ¡°Fene, I did all of this for you. I want to see you seed and achieve your dream of bing the dream girl. Isn¡¯t that what you want?¡±


    ¡°Oh, n, or should I call you rk? I want to do it the right way.¡± Slowly, tears rolled down my cheeks.


    ¡°People hate me, rk. Even now, Laird hates me.¡±


    I cried with sobs, making it harder for me to breathe. My nose was runny, and I felt increasingly worthless. My hands wiped my wet cheeks.


    n then raised his hand. He intended to wipe my cheek as well, but I pushed his hand away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me.¡±


    I hissed at him. He immediately tucked his hand back under the table. His forehead furrowed, and his head bowed.


    Good, now he was just starting to feel guilty? That was nothing. I took out my phone and turned my inte back on.


    In an instant, the notification sounds bombarded my phone until it made a noise from the sheer volume of iing messages. The social media notifications chimed in repeatedly until my phone startedgging. Once it calmed down, I opened my social media and handed my phone to n so he could see for himself.


    ¡°Now, see for yourself. Everyone is insulting me, and no one likes me anymore because of your actions. They are wishing for me to die by suicide.¡±


    n then stared at my phone for a long time. He slowly swiped the screen to read thements on my post that weren¡¯t even relevant to the ad from yesterday.


    ¡°You see? My career is ruined, all thanks to you.¡± I raised both my hands with a sarcastic tone in my voice.


    ¡°Laird hated me, fans abandoned me, and Mallory, who imed to be my friend, didn¡¯t defend me at all. Thankfully, my mother didn¡¯t watch that ad and still wanted to ept me.¡±


    I crossed my arms over my chest while waiting for n to finish reading the painfulments. He rubbed his forehead and huffed. Then he handed the phone back to me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Fene. I didn¡¯t mean any harm to you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you did! Stop pretending you don¡¯t know what terrible consequences will befall me when you force me toplete that damned ad project!¡± I shouted at him.


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I wanted, Fene. I didn¡¯t expect this to happen at all.¡± n was still defending himself, and I was starting to grow weary of facing him.


    ¡°Alright, so what do you really want? It¡¯s clear that there¡¯s another motivation behind all your ns. Do you want to destroy me? Did Amy send you?¡±


    n raised his index finger. ¡°That is not true at all.¡±


    ¡°Then what? Do you want to take revenge on me for rejecting you before?¡± I asked, getting more impatient as I faced him.


    ¡°No, Fene. It¡¯s not like that. Calm down-¡±


    ¡°Aurgh! Enough! I¡¯m sick of you, rk. I¡¯ve given youpassion, but you¡¯ve taken too much of it!¡± I stood up and started to walk away from him.


    ¡°Wait, Fene!¡±


    I no longer cared about him. I continued walking towards my mother¡¯s stand, but n was apparently following me. My head turned back several times just to check what he was going to do.


    He stood up from his chair, put on his shoes, and then walked, limping, after me. My mouth dropped open, and I huffed in displeasure at the sight of him.


    How could he do this? Has he gone mad?!


    ¡°Stop, Fene! I can exin!¡±


    I quickened my pace, nearly running, but n insisted on trailing behind me. He walked awkwardly with one red foot. His face grimaced in pain until, suddenly, he stumbled over his own improperly worn shoe.


    n fell to the ground and groaned in pain. There was no grass to cushion him, and he rolled on the slick ground, howling. People began to turn and point at n.


    One second, two seconds, three¡­ He still hadn¡¯t gotten up and was groaning in pain on the ground. Honestly, I was truly annoyed with him.


    I turned around and approached him. Hastily, I helped him get up and walk.


    ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯te to help me,¡± n chuckled, although his face immediately contorted in pain.From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You always do this! You always take advantage of mypassion for your own gain. You¡¯re so selfish, don¡¯t you know that?¡± I snapped at him.


    ¡°Yes, I know,¡± he winced as I helped him back onto the pic table seat.


    Our breaths were heavy in the cold weather. I could see the warm vapor from our mouths. Honestly, n was a handful. He was so troublesome with his reckless antics.


    ¡°Wait here. I¡¯m going to get you some burn ointment.¡±


    I was afraid he would get an infection, and then he would ask for my responsibility again. Well, I didn¡¯t want to owe him again.


    ¡°Please, Fene. Just listen to me first. The medicine can wait.¡± n grabbed my wrist. He squeezed it tightly and looked me in the eye.


    ¡°Please sit down for a moment. I need to exin your misunderstanding.¡± He pleaded, looking at me earnestly.


    I scoffed and finally sat back down in my chair. Damn! He was a seasoned actor! If this was indeed an act, he had sessfully deceived me, and the pity that had resided in my heart now poured out for him.


    I took a deep breath. This time, I resigned myself and didn¡¯t want to create another cringe-worthy scene that would beughed at by onlookers. Especially the gossiping mothers who had been watching us since earlier.


    ¡°Alright, now exin everything to me. Do not hide a single thing, or I will leave you here alone,¡± I hissed, threatening him.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t do that to me. You wouldn¡¯t have the heart to, would you?¡±


    ¡°Believe me, I would.¡±

 You are the Reason

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it to turn out like this. I really wanted to help you, Fene. Please trust me.¡±


    n pleaded with me in a soft voice. His body was now fully facing me, and his legs were no longer propped up sideways on the table.


    No matter how many times he said that, I couldn¡¯t believe him. Maybe if another woman were sitting here facing n, she might believe him. His handsome, charming face, dark eyes that glittered seductively, and the stubble on his jaw that gave a modern impression-all of it screamed the word ¡®charmer¡¯.


    After various heated debates and bad soap opera dramas, it seemed we were starting to reach some calm. I hoped this was enough to soothe my emotions and speak calmly. Although I wanted to treat the burn on his leg, n insisted that the coldpress on his leg was enough. He said he would endure it until all my questions were answered.


    ¡°Alright, if you want me to trust you, answer all my questions honestly.¡± I demanded answers firmly.


    ¡°I will answer anything.¡±


    ¡°Is it true that you took on other models¡¯ projects to give them to me?¡± I asked slowly.


    ¡°It¡¯s not true.¡± Then he fell silent for a long time. I blinked, waiting for more from him, but there was nothing.


    ¡°Then what is true? Why did Mike say that to me?¡± I pressed him further. n licked his dry lips and answered me as I demanded.


    ¡°Mike is just jealous of you. He hoped to get more projects, but the designers and clients chose you. Mike¡¯s unprofessional behavior has spread among the agencies. No one wants to take him on.¡±


    ¡°What about the other models? Are they also unprofessional?¡± I narrowed my eyes, still not trusting his words.


    ¡°Fene, you have to distinguish between stealing a project and legally obtaining one. Stealing a project means recing another model who may have already been pitched by the agent. It¡¯s different from the way I¡¯ve been working to get your projects.¡± n exined slowly.


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference with your method?¡±


    ¡°Gene is contractually tied to you as the main model. It¡¯s only natural that I promote you more and rmend you to clients. They trust my pitch and your portfolio, and that¡¯s why they chose you.¡± n shrugged.


    ¡°So, you didn¡¯t give other models a chance to get projects?¡±


    ¡°I still promote them along with you. Although I can¡¯t deny that I prioritize you, thepany has invested a lot in you, so we want to reap as much profit as possible. It¡¯s all just business.¡±


    I was silent, listening to his words. Once again, n managed to convince me with his philosophies and ways of thinking. He was indeed smart, and I began to doubt myself.


    ¡°Are you really going to fire Jessy?¡±


    ¡°I told you. If you don¡¯t resign from Gene, I¡¯ll continue employing him,¡± he said to me in a calm tone.


    ¡°Why does Jessy¡¯s job depend on my decision?¡± I frowned, not epting n¡¯s reasoning.


    ¡°Because Jessy¡¯s professional performance has declined. I tried to pair him with another model, like Mike. He ended up dating him. Don¡¯t tell me you haven¡¯t noticed Jessy¡¯s change in behavior toward youtely.¡± He reassured me with precision once again.


    ¡°I see that even now he depends more on you than the other way around. So, I feel that if you¡¯re not at Gene, I can¡¯t keep him.¡± Once again, n¡¯s words began to influence me.


    ¡°But please don¡¯t use this as a weapon to threaten me. Jessy needs his job to pay for his mother¡¯s treatment.¡± I pleaded with him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to threaten you. I just hope you¡¯ll stay at Gene. We¡¯ll fix that scandal together. I already have a way.¡±


    He continued to persuade me with his sweet promises. Honestly, this was all so bad. I didn¡¯t know if I could trust him anymore. On one side, my logic said he had a point. But on the other side, my heart told me he couldn¡¯t be trusted and would only drag me down again.


    I scratched my eyebrow, which felt itchy from the cold wind. Although I wanted to trust n, the lies seemed to have gone too deep. He was clearly still hiding something about his rtionship with Amy.


    Maybe I needed to hear the truth about Amy.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to change so much, rk. Are you really rk Thomson?¡± I crossed my arms in front of my chest and looked at him closely.


    ¡°Yes, guilty as charged.¡± He spread his arms in the air.


    ¡°My chemistry ssmate? My dance partner at the year-end dance in 10th grade?¡± I asked again, still in disbelief.


    ¡°Yes. You must be amazed because I¡¯ve changed so much, right? Do you like my new look?¡± Now both his elbows were resting on the table. His face leaned toward me with a wide smile etched on his lips.


    I stared at his appearance closely. Yes, his hair was the same curly as rk¡¯s, just cut and styled more suave. His hair was also dyed ck and no longer reddish.


    The fat on his cheeks was gone, reced by a strong jawline. His body was still tall and big, but his posture was now upright. His muscles had reced the fat that used to umte in his chest and neck. Yes, he had clearly changed his physical appearance.


    ¡°Why did you do all this, rk?¡±


    With all those changes, what did he really want from me? Why did he keep bothering me?


    ¡°I love you, Fene.¡±


    My mouth dropped open, and my eyes widened at his answer.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Did I hear that right?¡±


    He shook his head. I looked at him in astonishment, in silence. I couldn¡¯t deny that my heart was beating faster.


    ¡°But I already rejected you. You can¡¯t possibly still like me after seven years since I rejected you. Besides, you¡¯ve changed your appearance so much that you could even date Mallory as a summer fling. Why me?¡±


    I stifled theughter that threatened to escape my lips. What came out was a scoff of disbelief at his statement.


    ¡°Yes, I might be able to do that. And you could too.¡± n chuckled.


    ¡°Even though Laird rejected you and broke your heart, you still liked him for seven years. Even after you became a model who could get any man, you still liked Laird. What¡¯s the difference with me?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s different.¡± I blinked. ¡°We love each other.¡±


    ¡°No. I love you more than he loves you. I¡¯m willing to do anything for you.¡± n raised his index finger in the air to counter me.


    ¡°We¡¯re childhood friends, rk. I lived my life with him first. Maybe it¡¯s just a matter of dyed fate.¡±


    ¡°No, no, no! Love doesn¡¯t care who meets first.¡±


    He waved his index finger again. He seemed adamant about his own beliefs. My eyelids fluttered once again. Yes, I¡¯d often heard such phrases in women¡¯s magazines.


    I really didn¡¯t expect this. All of n¡¯s arguments were very convincing and managed to break my defenses. How could he be so insistent on me? I mean, I didn¡¯t want to be full of myself, but this was indeed mind-blowing. Was this what it felt like to be Laird Evans when I paid attention to him?


    Oh my God, does he think the same way I do? Does he want to get back at me by wooing me, making me fall for him, and then rejecting me? Is that true?


    My heart started pounding because of it, but I still couldn¡¯t ept his feelings. However, my anger seemed to evaporate into thin air. I tightened the jacket I was wearing and fidgeted restlessly.


    ¡°So, you did all this not because you wanted to make me miserable? Not because Amy told you to do it.¡±


    ¡°No. In fact, Amy has always bullied me.¡± n shook his head firmly. There was no doubt in his answer, and maybe it was true.


    ¡°So, you two are really siblings? That doesn¡¯t make sense. You only met in the first year. Remember when I introduced you two? You seemed genuine when you met her.¡±


    ¡°Yes, the first year of high school when you introduced us was indeed the first time I met Amy. But for our parents, that first year was also the beginning of my mother¡¯s rtionship with Amy¡¯s father.¡±


    n exined slowly. There was a hint of sadness in his eyes, and I unconsciously held my breath. My eyes widened as I realized the truth.


    ¡°We¡¯re step-siblings.¡±

 Siblings

    n¡¯s POV


    The senior year, winter holiday, 7 years ago¡­


    This year was myst year at Whitehill Academy as a senior in the 12th grade. Isn¡¯t that great?! I smiled widely at myself in the bathroom mirror.


    ¡°Ouch!¡± My cheek got nicked by the razor. ¡°Oh, no, no. Damn.¡± I quickly dabbed at my bleeding cheek with a tissue.


    ¡°rk! Get the hell out of there! It¡¯s almost 7 p. m.!¡± My mom banged on the bathroom door.


    ¡°Yeah, Mom! I¡¯ll be out in a second! Just a little ident!¡±


    ¡°Hurry up and put your clothes on! We¡¯re going to bete!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mom!¡±


    Following her orders, I rushed to finish shaving, asionally pressing the cut on my cheek. When I was done, I stepped out of the bathroom, dried off, and put on my shirt and ck suit, not forgetting my favorite red bow tie.


    ¡°Katching! You look cool!¡± I shot finger guns at myself in the mirror. Doesn¡¯t it look great? My curly red hair matched perfectly with the red bow tie I was wearing.


    ¡°rk! It¡¯s already 7! Get down here now!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mom!¡±


    My mom yelled at me again from downstairs. I wasn¡¯t sure why she was so excited about taking me out for Christmas dinner. Ever since Dad passed away, we usually just celebrated Christmas at home, just the two of us, without any kind of party. It was strange that she was taking me out this time.


    I hurried downstairs and found my mom by the front door. She red at me, her jaw clenched.


    ¡°You¡¯re taking forever like some kind of old bitch!¡± she snapped.


    ¡°Wow.¡± I was used to my mom scolding me, but I wasn¡¯t used to seeing her in a red dress with a low neckline, her hair done up with a few strands of long curls falling over her face. She was even wearing red high heels!


    ¡°Mom, you look amazing,¡± Iplimented her as she put on her coat.


    ¡°Save your ttery. We need to leave now,¡± she huffed.


    ¡°Where are we actually going?¡± I asked, confused, as I followed her to the car.


    ¡°Oh, for God¡¯s sake. I¡¯ve told you several times that we¡¯re going out for dinner at a fancy restaurant.¡±


    ¡°Wow, Mom. Did you win the lottery or something?¡± In all my life, my mom has never taken me to a fancy restaurant.


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s just say that.¡± She chuckled, patting my shoulder hard.


    ***


    ¡°Listen, don¡¯t talk too much. Answer if asked, but otherwise, keep your mouth shut.¡± My mom whispered in my ear as we walked into the restaurant.


    ¡°Who exactly are we meeting?¡± I frowned, starting to feel ufortable with my mom keeping this a secret.


    ¡°Oh, for God¡¯s sake, stop talking, please.¡± My mom groaned. Just then, we arrived at a table where a waiter had led us.


    My eyes widened in horror. My mouth dropped open, and I hupped instantly. Amy?! The blonde-haired girl¡¯s eyes also widened when she saw me.


    Beside the annoying blonde girl, an older man smiled at us. He even kissed my mom on the cheek and briefly wrapped his arm around her waist. What was going on?! My head was suddenly filled with imaginary chaos, as if a bookshelf full of my school books had exploded into mes.


    ¡°rk?¡±From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Oh, yeah? Hick.¡±


    God, I couldn¡¯t stop huping. We ate delicious steak, but I had trouble savoring it because of technical issues with my knife and fork that kept falling to the floor. Plus, the meat was tough to cut.


    ¡°You and Amy go to the same school, right? Have you met before?¡± Mr. Schmidt asked me.


    ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve been study partners in a chemistry study group since the first year. Hick.¡±


    Oh, God, this was really making me ufortable. We were now in Q&A mode, but I was still huping, and it was annoying! I drank a lot of water from my ss to try to get rid of the hups.


    ¡°rk got caught up in a giarism case with one of my roommates on a final project, but I convinced the teacher to forgive them.¡±


    What?! Did I hear that right?


    Hearing Amy¡¯s words, I somehow choked. Water went up my nose, and I started coughing, spraying water out of my mouth.


    ¡°Ugh, gross,¡± Amy hissed, wrinkling her nose.


    ¡°rk, are you okay, honey?¡± My mom grabbed a napkin and wiped the water from my chin and suit. She also attentively patted my back.


    ¡°Yeah, Mom.¡±


    I wiped my nose and mouth. I coughed a few more times, but eventually I managed to get control of myself. Now that I was in a safe condition, Mr. Schmidt smiled again.


    ¡°Are you okay, son?¡± Mr. Schmidt asked me.


    ¡°Yes, sir. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Dad, wasn¡¯t I so nice to him? Ever since then, I¡¯ve always helped rk with his chemistry studies.¡± Amy cut in and tried to get her dad¡¯s attention.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, Amy. It¡¯s a noble thing to do. Everyone can make mistakes, but they just need forgiveness and a second chance.¡± The man patted Amy¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m so relieved and happy that you two are already getting along. This will make things much easier.¡± The manughed heartily.


    I sat up straight. It seemed like they were about to make an important announcement.


    ¡°We met during your school¡¯s early enrollment. Her high heels broke, and she fell in front of me while crossing the principal¡¯s office lobby¡­ One thing led to another, and we fell in love.¡±


    Oh, my God! Is this really happening?


    ¡°We¡¯re getting married!¡± My mom announced it joyfully with augh.


    ¡°Oh, honey, you ruined the surprise.¡± The man alsoughed.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, dear. They probably figured it out by now anyway.¡±


    In my whole life, I¡¯d never seen my mom so happy. Her cheeks were flushed, her smile was wide, and she was giggling. She was fucking giggling!


    My mouth hung open. My eyes then shifted to Amy. Uh oh, she didn¡¯t look happy. Her eyes narrowed, and her lips pursed. But it all happened in a split second because, after that, Amy cooed.


    ¡°Aww, that¡¯s such good news. I¡¯m so happy for you, Dad, Mom.¡±


    Amy hugged her father. She also squeezed my mom¡¯s hand and looked at her warmly. I rubbed my eyes for a moment, thinking I might have seen it wrong.


    ¡°rk, say something. It¡¯s rude not toment on good news like this,¡± my mom prompted me.


    ¡°Oh, oh, yeah. Congrattions! I¡¯m happy to hear that.¡± I stammered for a moment, but I finally managed to congratte them.


    ¡°When will you get married?¡± Amy asked her father.


    ¡°The first week of spring, right before you two go back to school,¡± Mr. Schmidt said shyly.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not fair! You¡¯re going on your honeymoon while we¡¯re away.¡± They allughed at Amy¡¯s joke, while I could only watch them, holding back the panic in my heart.


    Oh my God! Amy and I are going to be step-siblings this spring?!


    ¡°Hick!¡±

 Say Cheese!

    n¡¯s POV


    The screen of myptop still disyed a long-haired blonde woman riding a man, her breasts bouncing. The woman resembled Fene. Perhaps when she grew up, she would look like the woman on myptop screen.


    In truth, I didn¡¯t need to be afraid of getting caught because Mom and Dad were on their honeymoon. As for Amy, well, she seemed to have been out with Chris since the morning. However, there was still the housekeeper in the Schmidt household.


    I peeked out of my window. It turned out Mrs. Greta, the housekeeper, was sweeping the dry leaves in the front yard. The house felt quiet that afternoon, so I thought I could watch more freely now. Besides, my ears were starting to hurt, and I couldn¡¯t move freely because of the headphone cable.


    ¡°Shit.¡±


    The headphones slipped off my ears again. Just as I was about to adjust them, that damn broken headphone interrupted my fantasy once more. I looked down from my bedroom window again. There was no sign of Chris¡¯s car, and Mrs. Greta was still sweeping the yard.


    Feeling safe, I unplugged the headphone cable from myptop and set it on the desk. I pulled my pants down to my ankles because my butt was starting to sweat, which made me increasingly ufortable.


    Then I reyed the video on myptop. I turned down the volume, but I could still hear the woman¡¯s moans. My hands began to squeeze and massage my hard dick.


    ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± it felt fantastic.


    ¡°Yes, baby, that¡¯s it. Cum for me.¡± The woman coaxed with her moans.


    Again and again, I fixated on the woman¡¯s body and her contorted expression. It appeared she had orgasmed, and I began to feel greater pressure building in my cock.


    ¡°Urgh!¡± I groaned uncontrobly as I finally reached climax.


    Thick, white cum immediately stained my hands and cock. I closed my eyes, squeezing out everyst drop until I felt a delicious throbbing pain. I bit my lower lip, trying to suppress the howl that might escape if I didn¡¯t hold back.


    ¡°rk! Where the hell are you, you bastard?!¡±


    Suddenly, Amy mmed the door open. Behind her, Chris followed her in. I screamed in shock and quickly grabbed my pants to cover myself. My dirty, wet hands hastily pulled my pants back up.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, naughty boy!¡± Chrisughed and immediately pulled out his phone.


    ¡°What the hell?!¡± Amy also screamed in shock before bursting intoughter.


    In my panic to cover myself, one of my feet got caught in my underwear. I fell hard to the floor with a loud thud. Amy and Chris, stillughing, recorded me. I struggled to pull my underwear up, but Amy was faster. She stomped on one of my hands with her heel to make me stop wearing my pants.


    I howled in pain. Tears streamed down my sweaty cheeks. ¡°Please, Amy, please! Stop it!¡±


    ¡°Eww! Is that your cum? Gross!¡± Amyughed again while Chris continued recording me.


    ¡°Stop!¡± I tried to free my hand from Amy¡¯s foot.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me, you freak!¡± Amy yelled, jumping back to avoid my dirty hands.


    ¡°That must be fun, dude.¡± Chris was stillughing while he kept filming me in my half-naked state as I struggled to cover myself.


    ¡°Get out! Get out of my room!¡±


    I cried and shouted at them while pulling on my shorts tightly. My body hunched over as if they could still see my cock, even though I had already put my pants on.


    ¡°What¡¯s your problem? I just want to know where you hid my wallet.¡± Amy roared angrily at me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about any wallet! Get out of my room!¡± I yelled back through my tears.


    ¡°Hey, stop acting tough! Just wait and see if you¡¯re the one who took my wallet. I will spread that video!¡± Amy threatened me.


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t! Amy¡­¡± Hearing her threat made my heart race. My heart sank, and panic flooded over me until tears flowed continuously down my cheeks.


    Amyughed, watching me tremble. She then crossed her arms over her chest and looked at me maliciously.


    ¡°One more thing: next week we start school again. Don¡¯t you dare spread any information about our family situation. You also cannot im that you are my stepbrother.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt me, you stupid jerk!¡±


    Amy yelled at me loudly. I shook in response, with the cum starting to dry and stick to my hands. The smell was overwhelming, making my head spin, paired with Amy¡¯s shouting, which made my vision blur even more.


    ¡°If news about us gets out, I assure you that your video will also be spread. Do you understand?¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Yes, Amy,¡± I answered softly.


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Amy and Chris then left me alone. They didn¡¯t even bother to close my room door, as they left as quickly as the wind blew.


    ***


    ¡°rk.¡±


    My body jolted when I heard that voice from behind me. I turned around and immediately saw Amy intercepting me in front of the soda vending machine.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± I said it curtly to her.


    Since returning to school in the fall until now, as we were about to graduate, Amy had never once acknowledged me at school. She continued to bully me at every opportunity. It was clear she didn¡¯t see me as a brother.


    Her attitude waspletely different when at the Schmidt family home. She yed the role of a kind and loving sister in front of Mr. Schmidt. When Mr. Schmidt wasn¡¯t looking, Amy would torment me in her own way.


    I had pleaded with my mom to get divorced so we could return to our old home, but of course, my mom refused. She had won the lottery, while I suffered alone.


    ¡°Do you want me to tell you something about Fene?¡± Amy asked with a sly smile.


    Hearing her name from Amy made my heart tremble. My heart raced, and my ears seemed to sharpen. Of course, I was curious!


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°She said she would ept anyone who confesses their love to her during a special confessional stage tomorrow at prom night.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean the special session for that truth or lie quiz?¡± I asked, blinking in disbelief.


    ¡°Yes. She said she liked seeing people who were brave enough to confess their love in front of a crowd.¡±


    ¡°Really? Why did she say that?¡± I frowned, still in disbelief.


    ¡°Because she is jealous of me, rk. I told her that I would step up during the special session to confess my love to Chris and that we would date on prom night. She said she also wanted someone to confess their love to her so she could date.¡± Amy smiled at me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure if you stepped onto the stage, she wouldn¡¯t reject you.¡±


    ¡°What about Laird? Don¡¯t they like each other?¡± I asked hesitantly after learning that they had been close friends since childhood.


    ¡°Laird doesn¡¯t like her. He just enjoys ying around with Fene, treating her like a fan. You know, the school baseball star sometimes acts like a celebrity.¡± Amy shrugged and pouted sadly.


    Maybe Amy was right. All this time, I frequently saw Amy chatting with Laird in ss. It seemed Amy had indeed be close friends with Laird and heard hisints.


    ¡°I feel sorry for Fene. Don¡¯t you feel sorry for her?¡± Amy blinked her eyes with a tone full of concern.


    ¡°Uh, yeah, Amy. It must be hard to hear painful news about your best friend.¡± I mumbled.


    ¡°Yes. You know Fene is too kind and weak. I feel sorry for her. She needs someone who will take care of her wholeheartedly.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I will try, Amy. Wish me luck, I guess.¡± My voice was still restrained, like that of someone who didn¡¯t care. Then I turned to leave and started looking for the prom nightmittee room.


    Finally, the moment I had been waiting for hade! I was going to be a hero for Fene once again. She would surely be surprised and touched. After prom night, we would date and unite our long-hidden love!

 Personal Transformation

    n¡¯s POV


    A week after prom night¡­


    This summer was the worst!


    Mom went on vacation with her husband, Amy went with Chris, and I was left home alone. My friends were all busy with their own family holidays. I never thought I would say this, but I missed my mother. At least, she would nag me when Ized around all day in my room during the summer.


    I had told my mother many times that remarrying was a bad idea. I was forced to move and lost my fun neighbor friends. Several times, I begged my mom to divorce Mr. Schmidt ande back to our old home.


    Of course, my mother rejected it. She had won all the lotteries she wanted, while I was left isted and alone.


    I stared at the photo from my graduation ceremony with Fene just before prom night. That morning, Fene still had a bright smile, like a sweet angel. In this photo, I stood next to her, and I had to admit we looked good together!


    I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration. I took a deep breath, staring at the photo for a long time.


    ¡°rk!¡±


    My bedroom door swung open. Amy and Chris barged in with heavy footsteps.


    ¡°Amy?! You can¡¯t just walk into my room like that!¡± I protested, but she ignored me.


    ¡°You should thank me for delivering this document. It¡¯s from Dad.¡±


    Amy tossed a brown envelope onto my desk until it knocked into themp. I quickly got up from the bed and half-ran to the table.


    ¡°You can¡¯t just throw it like that!¡± My hand immediately grabbed the envelope. My mouth dropped open again.


    ¡°Why is this envelope not sealed?¡± I furrowed my brow.


    ¡°You¡¯re so picky.¡± Chris smacked my back hard, making me wince.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t touch that!¡± I snapped at Chris, who was now ying with my action figure collection on the table.


    ¡°I wonder why,¡± Amy said with a mumble as she examined my room.


    ¡°Did you open it?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Why did you open it? This is a confidential document.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please. We¡¯re siblings. There should be no secrets between us.¡± Amy shrugged.


    I pulled out the documents sent from my dad¡¯s office. The documents were quite thick-some kind of form filled out in pen. There was a small note attached to the documents.


    ¡®I have filed for your name change to use the name Schmidt. Please sign it and send it back to your father¡¯s office so thewyer can file it in court. From now on, your name is n Schmidt. Happy 18th birthday! Love, Mom.¡¯


    ¡°Oh, no.¡± I whispered, my heart racing. What did Mom mean by changing the name?


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s this?¡±


    I turned my head toward Chris¡¯s voice. My mouth dropped open, and my eyes widened as Chris stared at my graduation photo with Fene. Amy snatched the photo and looked at it too.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch that!¡±


    I rushed to grab the photo back, but Chris tackled me with his body. ¡°Who said you could do that?¡± Then he punched my face. My body staggered, and he immediately shoved me onto the bed.


    He pinned me down and held my back with his knee. His hand pressed my head down into the mattress. I thrashed around, but Chris pped my back hard once again, making me groan in pain.


    Then Chris pulled my hands behind my back and tied them with a cable tie. From my tilted perspective, I saw Amy locking the door to my room.


    ¡°Let me go!¡± I roared.


    ¡°Your body is big, but you¡¯re so weak.¡± Chris chuckled.


    ¡°What can I say? He¡¯s just a useless lump of fat.¡± Amy giggled.


    Suddenly, Amy pulled off my pants. ¡°Hey, what are you doing? Let me go!¡± I kicked and struggled, but Chris held my legs with both hands. Then they rolled me onto my back, exposing me once again.


    ¡°Please, stop. Let me go.¡± I begged, tears streaming down my cheeks.


    ¡°You should be quiet, rk. Oops, I should call you n.¡± Amy red at me.


    Were they going to take photos of me again this time? What more did they want from me? Why was this happening to me?


    ¡°Help! Mrs. Greta, please!¡± My voice grew hoarse as I called for the housekeeper, but Amyughed.C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I told Mrs. Greta to take a vacation starting tonight. Oh, n, there¡¯s no one else in this house besides us.¡± Amy wiped my photo across my face to dry the tears on my cheek.


    ¡°If you behave and stay quiet, we won¡¯t make you suffer.¡± Chris picked up one of my action figures.


    ¡°No! Not that! Please, I¡¯m begging you.¡± I shook my head, still crying.


    ¡°You¡¯d better shut up, or I¡¯ll break everything like this.¡± Chris snapped the head off the action figure he was holding, and I cried even louder.


    ¡°Not the head! Please, stop it. Please.¡±


    ¡°Then shut your mouth!¡±


    Amy yelled at me, and finally, I held back my sobs. My skin prickled, starting from my exposed thighs and spreading across every inch of my skin, and I felt powerless against them. My body trembled, my wrists hurt, and my shirt was soaked with the sweat that poured down.


    ¡°Calm down, n; we won¡¯t hurt you.¡± Chris threw my figurine back onto the table roughly, causing the others to fall to the floor.


    ¡°Yeah, n. We just want to relieve your stress. We can¡¯t stand to see you heartbroken and constantly masturbating to pictures of Fene. It¡¯s really sad, honestly.¡± Amy stepped onto the bed.


    ¡°My name is not n, and I don¡¯t need your pity. Please, let me go.¡±


    I struggled to free my hands from the cable tie. Unfortunately, Chris had tied it so tightly that my wrists felt like they were being sliced every time I tried to break free.


    ¡°Ssh¡­ It¡¯s okay, n. We¡¯re going to help you get Fene. All you need is a diet and the gym. Trust me.¡± Amy patted my shoulder.


    ¡°There you go. Be quiet and stay silent, and we will help you find happiness. I¡¯ll even be your personal trainer at the gym. In no time, you¡¯ll transform into a handsome man who will attract any woman.¡± Chris chuckled as he too approached my bed.


    Then they both started to undresspletely. Now they were naked in front of me, and I could only stare at them one by one in disbelief.


    ¡°What are you going to do? Why are you doing this to me?¡± My tears continued to wet my cheeks, but I couldn¡¯t deny that there was something pushing a spark of determination inside me.


    ¡°Because you are going to carry the Schmidt family name! But look at you; you¡¯re sore to my eyes! I hate you with every fiber of my being! I hate it when Dad praises you! You and your whore mother destroyed my happiness.¡±


    ¡°For years, I lived as an only daughter. I watched Dad with his mistress countless times. I didn¡¯t mind; I didn¡¯t protest. But ever since you and your mother came, everything became too real!¡± Amy ran her fingers through her hair in frustration.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t anything go my way?¡± Amy howled in annoyance.


    ¡°And now Dad is changing your name! I can¡¯t let you carry the Schmidt name and pretend to be my brother looking like that!¡± Amy roared loudly. Her breath was ragged, then slowly a thin smile crept onto her lips like that of a madwoman.


    ¡°So, just rx, n. Enjoy tonight as your initiation into the Schmidt family. As my stepbrother.¡±


    The next moment, Amy and Chris kissed. That night, I watched a real-life scene from a porn movie up close. I couldn¡¯t say I didn¡¯t like it. Even my cock couldn¡¯t lie and even participated as their sex toy.


    From that point on, my days went by with Amy and Chris as my jailers. They transformed me entirely, both physically and in personality. They molded me to match Amy¡¯s desires like a y doll.


    Goodbye, rk Thomson.

 Crazy Rich Investor

    n¡¯s POV


    A year after college graduation¡­


    Everything may have passed in the blink of an eye for others, but not for me. I spent four years attending the same university as Amy and Chris. Those times were a long torture for me. They made me their sexual ve, and itpletely changed me. Both psychologically and physically, I was no longer rk Thomson.


    I had to endure the forced suffering for more than four years.


    How could anyone influence another person to change their entire identity like this? I used to love eating, but Amy forced me to change my eating habits and turned me into a clean-eating enthusiast. I used to watch cartoons while snacking, but now Amy has driven me to be obsessed with working out at the gym.


    Maybe it was better for me. Perhaps it was what I needed, even if I had to suffer. It was what transformed me into someone who was valued like I am now.


    I walked toward the altar. A small box containing a gold ring was safely tucked in my ck tuxedo pocket. As I walked along the red carpet, the women turned their heads toward me. Their mouths fell open, they held their breath, and their cheeks flushed when our eyes met for a brief moment.


    Look at me! I was n Schmidt, the charismatic one!


    When the time came, Amy emerged from the door, walking slowly to the harmonious music of a string quintet. She wore a luxurious white wedding dress designed by a famous bridal designer. In her hand was a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Amy Schmidt smiled widely, and her appearance resembled the image of the princesses that little girls dreamed of.


    Well, peeps, you were all fooled by that demon.


    I smiled as Amy finally stopped in front of the altar. Mr. Schmidt, our father, let go of Amy¡¯s hand with a shaky step. Though concerning, our father managed to fulfill the only task he had at this wedding.


    Amy forced him to walk her to the altar, even though it was an activity he could hardly do since suffering a severe strokest year. For Amy, everything had to be perfect. If only no one recognized Mr. Schmidt, Amy would have hired a handsome, slim elderly man to entice the girls into making him their sugar daddy.


    I knew it was all chaotic. But after dealing with Amy for several years, I began to tolerate everything she asked instead of causing a scene and being found tied up naked in a public park. That was what happened to me when I refused to do her college assignments.


    The pastor gave a brief speech, followed by the exchanging of marriage vows. Amy and her husband recited promises that I sensed were surely fake and would not be kept by Amy.


    ¡°Now you are husband and wife. You may exchange the rings,¡± the pastor said.


    I performed my duty as expected. My hand reached into my pocket. I pulled out the velvety square box and opened it to reveal a pair of gold rings, one of which was set with a huge diamond.


    Amy¡¯s husband, a senator from Massachusetts, was twenty years older than Amy. This was his second marriage, but for Amy, it was her first. Even though our father disagreed, he couldn¡¯t refuse the wishes of my mother and Amy, who prioritized money-oops, correction, wealth, and power. Dad couldn¡¯t do anything because he had no better options, with debts and the bankruptcy of his hotel chain looming over him.


    So here we were, kissing the old man¡¯s ass with friendly smiles and Amy¡¯s fake bombshell body. I watched as Amy was finally adorned with a diamond-studded chain on her ring finger. Then everyone in the church pped and cheered, including me, except for Chris.


    The young man red at Amy and her husband fiercely. I couldn¡¯t me him, really. He was just unfortunate in business. At least Amy still kept that man for her sexual satisfaction. Though somehow I knew it, Amy and Chris truly loved each other.


    It was sad, indeed.


    ***


    ¡°How¡¯s your business, n?¡± Peter Morgan asked before sipping his champagne.


    ¡°Pretty good. I hope you remain my loyal customer. That fiber drink is excellent for your digestion after this reception party.¡± I chuckled at Amy¡¯s husband.


    ¡°Of course, n. You know, I even talked to Amy about your business. I think I could help you take it to the next level. Are you interested?¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? I¡¯m all ears, please.¡±


    Peter beckoned me closer with his fingers. I scooted my chair toward him and leaned in to see and hear him better amidst the crowd.


    ¡°I have idle money. I thought instead of keeping it in the bank with low interest, I would invest it.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to invest in mypany?¡± My eyes blinked in surprise at the exciting news.


    ¡°Yes. Just tell me how much you need.¡± Peter nodded.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m short $200 thousand to start production of my new product line. I was nning to wait until the first variant sold out,¡± I said enthusiastically.


    ¡°That¡¯s a small amount. What could you do if I gave you $500 grand?¡± Peter raised an eyebrow with a crooked smile.


    ¡°Oh, quite a lot. I could build a new business line that¡¯s still closely rted.¡±


    ¡°Is it rted to the retail business?¡±


    ¡°Membership gym with personal trainers.¡±


    ¡°Ah, interesting. We could invest in machines used by the members without too many production transactions.¡± Peter nodded his head again with a broad smile.


    ¡°Yes. Fewer headaches by avoiding the trial and error of production machines and raw materials, as well as workers constantly protesting for raises.¡± I groaned in frustration as I recalled the condition of the small factory that worked with mypany.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Perfect. Come to my house next week after I return from my honeymoon. We can talk more there.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    ¡°Darling, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re offering n your business.¡± Amy sat on Peter¡¯sp and immediately wrapped her arms around her husband¡¯s shoulders possessively.


    ¡°Just a bit. Besides, I¡¯m just fulfilling your desire to help your brother.¡± Peter chuckled softly and hugged Amy¡¯s waist.


    ¡°Oh, darling, you¡¯re so sweet. n really needs that investment from you. He needs a lot of money to achieve his dreams.¡± Amy kissed Peter¡¯s cheek and stroked his face.


    ¡°What exactly is his dream?¡±


    ¡°True love,¡± Amy whispered, then giggled, which was soon met with Peter¡¯s heartyughter.


    ¡°Alright, you got me. That¡¯s exactly what I strive for to win you over.¡±


    They made out in front of me. One eyebrow of mine was raised, but I quickly adjusted my expression to smile widely in support of their rtionship. After all, Amy was right. I needed all that money to buy the connections Fene needed as a model.

 New Purchase

    n¡¯s POV


    ¡°Hey, mdy. Was everything good for you?¡±


    ¡°Everything was fine until you came over to greet me.¡±


    Mallory West, the pop diva, did not look at me and responded to my greeting with a dismissive tone. I chuckled softly. Unfortunately, the woman truly seemed uninterested in engaging with me. She continued her workout on the leg press machine.


    ¡°Is that so? I thought you might need some extra guidance, Miss West. I could give you the tricks you need.¡± I kept smiling.


    ¡°Oh, yes, I suppose I need this branch manager to get you to leave.¡±


    ¡°What if I offered for the owner of the entire chain to hear all yourints?¡±


    Her legs stopped moving, and she looked at me. I widened my smile and spread my arms out to the sides.


    ¡°I¡¯m here. I heard from the staff that you were looking for me.¡±


    Mallory huffed and shook her head. She got up from the machine and wiped her sweaty body with a small towel. Then she looked at me for a long moment before grabbing her water bottle.


    ¡°Damn it. Why didn¡¯t you just say so from the start?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I enjoy teasing people.¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°Why doesn¡¯t the owner of the national gym chain dress like their positiontely?¡± Mallory took a sip from her drink.


    ¡°Did you expect me to wear a glittery tuxedo and a bow tie at the gym? The only suitable attire for my gym isfortable sportswear. For that, I¡¯m creating a brand of clothing that surpasses expectations about sportswear; just wait a little longer.¡±


    She then smirked. ¡°You¡¯re actually funny. Mallory West, you can call me Mallory.¡± She finally extended her fist for a greeting. I responded with a gentle fist bump, as requested.


    ¡°n Schmidt. So, what can I help you with, Mallory?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to praise you. You opened this exclusive gym branch right in front of my housingplex, making it easy for me toe here back and forth. I see it as a special service for me because, let¡¯s be honest, no one would be crazy enough to open a gym in such a quiet area.¡±


    ¡°I was just looking for a market opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Well, thank you for your effort.¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°What about the staff? I heard you praise the personal trainer I specifically recruited for you.¡± I smiled with one eyebrow raised.


    ¡°It could be better. I know you can make it better.¡±


    ¡°I can serve you to the utmost satisfaction if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking me.¡± I squatted near the machine, and she sat back down on the machine.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not in need of that kind of service. I¡¯ve been hit by a lot of gossiptely.¡±


    ¡°I can keep secrets, and I wouldn¡¯t mind being just your summer fling. We¡¯ll just have fun, I promise.¡± I gently guided her foot up onto the machine¡¯s footrest.


    ¡°Please, just be easy on me.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ***


    ¡°n, meet Tiana.¡± Mallory introduced one of her friends.


    ¡°Hey, Tiana. Nice to meet you.¡± I shook hands with the woman.


    ¡°Nice to meet you too!¡± she chuckled.


    ¡°I see you¡¯re ready to slide down this giant slide. Nice bikini, by the way.¡±


    ¡°She knows branded stuff, Tiana.¡± Mallory added to myment when she saw doubt in Tiana¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Oh, yes. I also love this bikini, my favorite brand.¡± Tianaughed happily.


    ¡°Oh, someone is ying favorites with the brand they represent,¡± I teased, creating a bit ofughter and light debate as we climbed the stairs to reach the top of the giant slide on the ferry cruise ship. It didn¡¯t take long to find out that Tiana, the model, had just left her old modeling agency.


    ¡°Why did you have to move?¡±


    ¡°Hm, I don¡¯t know where to start. The gist of it is that my old agency¡¯s owner was no longer fit to be the leader. He was too restrictive with my movement.¡±


    We three reached the top of the giant slide. Mallory chose to go down first, and her screams immediately triggered ourughter.


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a shame. She needs a new job if she can¡¯t see your potential.¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°Unfortunately, that¡¯s not possible. Ms. L is old and rumored to have dementia. I don¡¯t understand why she¡¯s so stubborn and doesn¡¯t just retire at home.¡± Tiana sat at the top of the slide and waited until she was sure Mallory had moved away from the slide¡¯s entrance.


    ¡°Hm, I guess she just needs a little push.¡± I pushed Tiana¡¯s body, and she slid down with screams and joyfulughter.


    ***


    A yearter¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for troubling you, sir.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no problem, ma¡¯am. Think of me as someone who enjoys seeing others get the attention they need.¡± I escorted the elderly woman to the front of her house.


    ¡°You¡¯re an angel. I¡¯m sorry for my negligence. If you hadn¡¯t taken the initiative to bring me back home, I would have been wandering the streets like a drunken beggar.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all I could do for you. Besides, this summer has been particrly harsh. Last year, I could still enjoy the giant slide on the big ferry cruise ship with my friends, but this year I didn¡¯t even dare go out without applying fiveyers of sunscreen lotion.¡± I spoke quickly, shaking my head and rolling my eyes upward.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. Maybe it¡¯s all because of the heatwave.¡±


    ¡°Oh,e on, mom. You can¡¯t keep ming the weather.¡± The younger woman, probably her daughter, helped her mother into the house, greeted by a servant.


    ¡°Thank you, sir.¡± She expressed her gratitude with a sigh of relief.


    ¡°n Schmidt. Just call me n.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, n. We¡¯ve been panicking all day searching for her and were about to report it to the police.¡± The woman frowned and bit her lower lip.


    ¡°Yeah, sometimes I curse my observational skills. I saw your mother on the side of the road and realized she looked as lost as a stray cat. I couldn¡¯t bear it, so I apologize for intruding and using her phone.¡±


    ¡°We need more people like you in this world, n.¡± The woman hugged me for a moment.


    ¡°Ah, well, maybe this is a form of atonement for my sins.¡± I gave a slight smile. ¡°Is your mother still working? She kept mumbling about signing an ad contract.¡± I sighed deeply.


    ¡°Yes, she insists on working. I swear, she won¡¯t let go of her modeling agency.¡± The woman shook her head.


    ¡°She has a modeling agency? It¡¯s no wonder she still looks beautiful. Has she ever been a model?¡±


    ¡°Oh, n, I can assure you, she¡¯s not a former model or anything like that.¡± The womanughed and covered her blushing face.


    ¡°I can tell you about it.¡± Suddenly, Ms. L peeked from behind the woman.


    ¡°Oh my God! Mom, you need to go inside and rest.¡± The woman looked shocked, but Ms. L just gave a wide smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine! Come on, sir,e in and sit down with me.¡± Ms. L grabbed my arm and pulled me into the house.


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t know, ma¡¯am. I think I should leave now.¡± I chuckled as I slowly pulled my arm away, but the elderly woman¡¯s grip was stronger and held me back.


    ¡°Yes, mom, he must be busy, and you¡¯ve already taken up a lot of his time.¡±


    ¡°Ah, nonsense! Come in. I¡¯m baking chocte chip cookies that I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll like.¡± The woman insisted, and Iughed at her persistence.


    ¡°Alright, ma¡¯am, but I must warn you that I have quite a sweet tooth.¡±

 Golden Ring

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Back to present day¡­


    My mouth hung open after hearing all of n¡¯s story. His life journey from the time he met Amy until now could be described as a curse. I hadn¡¯t realized that there was someone more unfortunate than me dealing with Amy.


    Imagine your own identity being stolen by someone you despise. Just because of a fleeting moment of desire, rk Thomson disappeared, reced by n Schmidt. I found too many differences between rk and n. That¡¯s why I never suspected they were the same person!


    But what¡¯s worse than all this is the reality that n had prepared everything! He changed himself and then started a business just to attract my attention. I didn¡¯t want to be full of myself, but this was obsessive!


    My heart pounded, and I stared at n intently. I knew there were no more lies he was hiding. Everything had been exined in detail by him-even too detailed!


    So now what?


    I moved awkwardly in my seat, unsure of what to say about all these revtions. My hands were still in my pockets as I tightened my jacket to find more warmth.


    Truly, this was not part of my n at all. I thought I would scold n and send him away because his exnation would be uneptable to me. I imagined myself insisting that n was a psychopathic, evil, and cunning person. But now, I didn¡¯t know how to act toward him.


    All that remained was pity.


    Unknowingly, my body had tensed up while listening to his story. Now, my back ached from the tingling and had frozen after more than an hour of listening to his story. After everything n had been through, it was truly iparable to my own efforts. He had done more than I could ever do.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be full of myself, but are you sure you did all this for¡­?¡± I lost my words.


    ¡°For getting your attention,¡± n whispered with his eyes locked on me.


    ¡°But n, Laird, and I-¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know. He was the only one not in my calctions. I didn¡¯t expect Laird to meet you again just before I entered Gene. I didn¡¯t expect Laird to confess his feelings to you.¡± n sighed deeply and rested his temple on his hand.


    Hearing that, my cheeks warmed. My mind immediately went back to Laird, wondering if he had ever done anything to get me. Oh, yes, I remembered he said he moved to New York right after graduating fromw school to find me and left his father in Boston.


    Suddenly, I felt that everything I had done, everything Laird had done, could notpare to the effort n had made. I mean, had he gone mad?


    ¡°Why me? I¡¯m not as great as you think,¡± I said softly, my brow creased.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Fene. Maybe it¡¯s because your appearance is simr to my anime idol from childhood. Maybe it¡¯s because you were the only one who was willing to talk to me in ss. Maybe it¡¯s because you are the only one I could never let go.¡± n¡¯s forehead wrinkled, and a look of sadness appeared on his face.


    ¡°You were the only hope I clung to during my dark times. I endured facing Amy because I believed that one day I could stand before you with confidence. I changed for the better because of you.¡±


    Once again, my face warmed upon hearing that. My heart raced, and the cold wind blowing couldn¡¯t stop the warm pounding in my chest. Perhaps I was lulled by the fanatic devotion n had poured out for me.


    ¡°I think this is the time. Fene, I know this isn¡¯t ideal, but I promised myself.¡± n stood up from his seat. With his limp leg, he walked towards me.


    Then he kneeled with one healthy leg, supporting his body on the wet ground. While his injured leg was bent towards his chest, supporting his hand.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°n? What are you doing?¡±


    Oh no!


    ¡°Fene, I promised myself. When I told you all the truth, that¡¯s when I would reveal everything in my mind and heart to you.¡±


    n reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a small red velvet box. My hands covered my gaping mouth. Oh no, no, no! n opened the box, and a diamond ring with a famous jewelry designer¡¯s logo stamped in gold ink was inside the box.


    This is crazy! This one ring could cost tens of thousands of dors!


    ¡°Fene, will you marry me?¡±


    My mouth hung open with a loud gasp. My eyes widened, and I blinked repeatedly to make sense of everything in my head. Not a single scene in my mind imagined that a man with a limping leg from a burn injury would propose to me in an open park in the winter.


    ¡°n, I-¡±


    My words were cut off when I heard amotion from afar. I turned towards the bazaar stand and saw my mother standing in front of the stand with her mouth wide open. Women were chattering, and the bazaar visitors were now watching us as if we were a cheap street theater. They raised their phones as if they were recording or photographing us.


    ¡°Just ept it! Kiss him!¡±


    ¡°Say yes!¡±


    I huffed, rolled my eyes upward, then blinked. What do those people know about us?! Ugh, I hated the idle women who liked to meddle in other people¡¯s affairs like this!


    ¡°Fene.¡±


    n called me again. I then cleared my throat slightly because my throat had suddenly dried. Maybe it was because I had left my mouth wide open. All because I was shocked by this increasingly chaotic turn of conversation!


    ¡°n, please. Don¡¯t make me the bad woman again. Wasn¡¯t it enough that I rejected you at prom night?¡± I put my hands on my hips, paced back and forth, then brushed my hair.


    If I were Amy, the materialistic one, I might have jumped into n¡¯s arms by now, but I wasn¡¯t Amy Schmidt! I was just an ordinary, naive girl who believed that true love stories could still be trusted in this modern age.


    ¡°Fene, I can wait. Just take this ring for now; I promise I won¡¯t ask for it back.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not serious, n.¡±


    ¡°I am serious, Fene. ept this ring, and don¡¯t return it to me. Whenever you¡¯re ready, you cane to me wearing this ring. But if you don¡¯t want to ept it, you can even sell it at any donation bazaar.¡±


    ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Fene. I¡¯m out of my mind. I just want you to ept this ring and keep it. That¡¯s all.¡± n remained kneeling on one knee. Everyone still thought this was a touching romantic movie scene, but for me, it felt more like a horror movie full of nightmares.


    ¡°So what? If I take this ring, you¡¯ll wait for me until death. Is that it?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± n nodded with a steady gaze.


    ¡°No. Stop all this madness, n. I can never ept it. I love Laird Evans.¡± I shook my head with the same firmness as his.


    I knew n¡¯s efforts might be greater. Maybe he would love me as vast as the world and as deep as the ocean, as people sang about true love.


    Unfortunately, my heart had made its choice.


    ¡°Sorry, n. I can¡¯t ept it.¡±

 Pep Talk

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Maybe I couldn¡¯t bear the burden anymore. I went to Boston hoping to find a bit of peace from all the mental strain about everything. Ugh, who would have thought n would chase me all the way to Boston?


    I no longer cared about anything. At that moment, I neededplete peace, which is why I went home and left n behind.


    When I got home, I realized I had also left my mother alone in the park with all those things. There was the trolley; my mother must still be strong enough to push it from the park to here, but it made me feel guilty.


    No, I couldn¡¯t see n again.


    Guilt gnawed at me bit by bit. How could he endure for so long to reach this point? How could he do everything with me as his main goal?


    I went into the house, up to my room on the second floor, andy down on the bed. The back of my hand covered my eyes, and I remained motionless for a long time, thinking about everything.


    ¡®Even though Laird has rejected you and broken your heart, you¡¯ve still liked him for these seven years. Even after bing a model who could get any man, you still like Laird. What¡¯s the difference with me?¡¯


    ¡®Fene, will you marry me?¡¯


    ¡°Aah! No, no, no!¡±


    I pounded my fists on the bed. I whined like a baby having a tantrum.


    How could all this happen?!


    I curled up on my bed. My eyes were shut to block out all the painful light. My breath came fast, and I cursed my misfortune alone.


    ***


    The biting cold eventually woke me up. I sat up and turned to my open-room window. The orange sun looked darker than the day before. I got out of bed and walked to the end of the room. I turned on the heater and then went to the window, intending to close it.


    Outside the house, I could see n and my mother walking along the sidewalk. n was pushing my mother¡¯s trolley, which was filled with things, and helping her into the house. I kept watching n as he began to walk away.


    It seemed he realized he was being watched. Suddenly, he looked up, and we made eye contact. n raised his arms high in the air, and I heard his loud voice.


    ¡°Fene! I will wait for you!¡±


    My eyes widened as he saw me. I quickly hid behind the wall with my heart racing. I thought he would leave soon, but he continued shouting impolitely in our residential area.


    ¡°Fene! I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll ept my feelings! I¡¯ll wait for you until youe to me! Did you hear that?!¡±


    I groaned and covered my face with my hands. My body trembled, and I sank down until I was crouched on the floor.


    ¡°I love you, Fene Baxter!¡±


    I didn¡¯t dare to move an inch from where I was. My knees were tightly bent, and I rested my head on my knees. In my heart, I kept praying for him to leave soon. I waited a long time, straining my ears to catch n¡¯s voice again.


    When I no longer heard his voice, I finally dared to peek out from the window. My head peeked from the lower edge of the window. I looked for n outside, but his silhouette was no longer visible. I sighed deeply and stood up to close the window tightly.


    ¡°Fene,¡± my mother said, knocking on the door.


    ¡°Yes, Mom.¡±


    My mother came into the room, and I immediately turned to find her looking tired. She sighed deeply and sat on the edge of my bed.


    ¡°It seems you came home early.¡±


    ¡°Hm, yes. Sorry, Mom. I left you alone in the park.¡±


    I bit my lower lip, my body still awkwardly leaning against the window. Unconsciously, I covered the window as if hiding my embarrassing secret about n. Even though I hoped my mother hadn¡¯t heard n¡¯s words, it was clear she must have heard n¡¯s shouting.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m used to doing things alone.¡± My mother nodded with an understanding tone.


    I lowered my head. Again, I felt guilty for not being able toe home more often and for leaving my elderly mother to live alone. Even though I hoped she would want to move to New York with me, she didn¡¯t want to part with this house. And there were thousands of other reasons that made my mother stubborn about staying alone.


    ¡°How many did we get from the bazaar?¡±


    ¡°We sold $4230. Can you believe that?¡± Sheughed.


    ¡°Was it all n¡¯s money?¡± I asked in a low voice.


    ¡°Mostly, but not all. A couple bought my dinnerware set for $30.¡± She sighed with a small smile. We froze in silence until my mother asked me.


    ¡°Was that n, your boss?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve resigned from his agency,¡± I replied quietly. My mother mumbled, trying to understand.


    ¡°Is it because you didn¡¯t want to be seen as dating your boss?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, Mom. You got it all wrong. I¡¯m not dating him.¡± I quickly shook my head.


    ¡°Then why did he leave this ring box with me?¡±


    My mother took out a red velvet box from her jacket. She ced the box on the bed, and I just stared at it. I was even reluctant to touch it, as if it were burning charcoal that would hurt me.


    ¡°He insisted.¡± I muttered softly.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like him?¡±


    ¡°No. I already have a boyfriend,¡± I said quickly.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Laird.¡±


    My mother fell silent upon hearing Laird¡¯s name. She stared at me for a long time and then sighed deeply.


    ¡°Some things never change.¡± She chuckled for a moment.


    ¡°I can¡¯t change my feelings for him.¡± I lowered my head with flushed cheeks.


    ¡°Then where is Laird? He usuallyes home a day before the Christmas Eve party.¡±


    ¡°Does the Evans family still hold a Christmas Eve party every year?¡±


    ¡°His father enjoys bragging about his achievements and his two sons. His work colleagues and neighbors are invited to their home every year.¡± My mother sighed deeply and rolled her eyes upward. ¡°Didn¡¯t Laird tell you when he would be returning to Boston?¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    I sighed deeply and sat next to my mother. ¡°There¡¯s a big problem.¡±


    Then I told my mother everything. About my meeting with Laird, about n, and about mytest scandal. When I reached the part about what happened this afternoon in the park with n, my tears began to flow.


    ¡°Sorry, Mom. I can¡¯t make you proud.¡±


    ¡°No, Fene. You will always be your father¡¯s and my pride.¡± My mother shook her head.


    ¡°But if you saw that advertisement-¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen it. I think it¡¯s quite funny and creative. So, don¡¯t think about it too much.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen it?¡± I blinked my wet eyes. ¡°OMG. That¡¯s embarrassing.¡± I covered my face with my hands.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, dear.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all because of n. He trapped me. And after he did all that to me, now he says he¡¯s loved me all along. I can¡¯t ept it.¡±


    My crying began to break, and my voice grew hoarse. Tears streamed down my cheeks. My mother immediately hugged me tightly, and I buried my head on her shoulder.


    ¡°I don¡¯t love him, but this guilt is killing me, Mom. My heart is so messed up right now.¡±


    My mother gently stroked my temples. She embraced me and patted my back lovingly. Suddenly, once again, I became a spoiled little girl who knew nothing about the world.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, dear. Follow your heart. Love cannot be forced.¡±


    ¡°What about n? My heart aches knowing the sadness he¡¯s been feeling all this time.¡±


    ¡°But you can¡¯t sacrifice your own feelings to make someone else happy. The guilt and pity you show him will only torment him more.¡±


    I straightened up and pulled away from my mother¡¯s embrace. I looked at her, and she wiped the tears from my cheeks.


    ¡°Is it allowed? Can I be that selfish?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to make everyone happy. You should prioritize your own happiness first.¡±


    My tears subsided as I listened to my mother¡¯s calm voice.

 Desperate Measure

    Laird¡¯s POV


    I walked further into the building, passing wooden doors along the corridor. I stopped right at the second door at the end of the dead-end corridor. However, doubt momentarily held my hand back in the air.


    Was I really going to do this? Was this the right thing to do?C0ntent ? 2024 (N/?)velDrama.Org.


    A few times, I carefully weighed my decision. Come on, I had made it this far. It wouldn¡¯t be funny if I had to turn back just because of personal grudges. I should finish this as quickly and professionally as possible.


    I cleared my throat before finally summoning the courage to knock on the enemy¡¯s door. I stood waiting, repeatedly adjusting my tie and quickly rotating my shoulders. My forehead furrowed as no one opened the door, even though the receptionist had clearly said that Prosecutor Golden was confirmed to be inside his office. I knocked three more times, just to be sure.


    ¡°Go away, Evans!¡±


    A harsh, deep voice came from inside the room. I snorted after hearing the prosecutor¡¯s rude dismissal. I looked up at the top corner of the door and saw a small CCTV camera mounted there, observing my movements. Instead of giving up and leaving, I pressed my body closer to the door with both hands resting on its edge.


    ¡°This is about n Schmidt,¡± I grumbled at the closed wooden door.


    I waited in silence. There was no sound for a few seconds. When I raised my hand to knock again, the door suddenly opened. Prosecutor Golden stood before me with a fierce gaze and a scowling mouth.


    ¡°If you want toin about that scandal, you should go to the police station.¡±


    ¡°I want you to arrest him, so I brought information for you.¡±


    The man raised an eyebrow. Slowly, he stepped back and gave me some room to enter his office.


    Prosecutor Golden¡¯s office wasn¡¯t veryrge, but it was sufficient to amodate visitors with a long conference table, several chairs, and three sets of assistant desks. At the end of the room was arge ck wooden desk with a small namete reading ¡°Prosecutor Golden¡± on it. There were also piles of documents and cardboard boxes on the floor. Metal cabs lined the other end of the room.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have coffee for you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine with me. But at least, may I sit?¡±


    ¡°As you please.¡±


    The man then took a seat at one of the chairs opposite me at the conference table. His gaze was probing, but I didn¡¯t immediately falter. This time, I had to face my own demon and conquer him to make him my weapon.


    ¡°I see all your assistants have gone home.¡±


    ¡°I only have one assistant, and he is in Andover with your hired snitch.¡±


    ¡°Oh,e on. He¡¯s your former assistant. No need to belittle him with such harsh terms.¡± I snorted with a smallugh.


    ¡°I can call anyone whatever I want. If you don¡¯t like it, leave.¡±


    ¡°I thought you would be interested in cooperating on n Schmidt.¡±


    ¡°It depends on what you have.¡± He shrugged with his lips twisted again, showing how much he enjoyed belittling me.


    ¡°I have direct ess, an insider who can get what you want, and a history you might not know.¡±


    ¡°What made you change your mind?¡±


    ¡°I want to remove him from my life. He¡¯s been bothering me, so I will retaliate.¡±


    ¡°Huh. So you¡¯re not a ruthless shark chasing around your prey like your father. Apparently, you¡¯re just a snake enjoying your cozy nest.¡± The man¡¯s elbows rested on the table now. His body leaned forward. I knew he was starting to be interested in what I had to offer.


    ¡°I¡¯ve learned not to be like my father.¡±


    Hearing my words, the man burst outughing loudly. It was quite excessive.


    ¡°Seems like Old Evans failed to raise his heir properly.¡±


    ¡°He failed long before I was a child. He just got worse at covering up his mistakes since you stole my mother.¡±


    Malcolm Golden fell silent. He stared at me with a stiff jaw. We stared at each other until he finally snorted and shook his head.


    ¡°Alright. Consider me indebted to you. Tell me what you need from me.¡±


    ¡°Concrete action.¡±


    ¡°An arrest? On what basis? We don¡¯t have evidence.¡±


    ¡°He is Amy Schmidt¡¯s stepbrother. They lived together for six years before Amy married Peter Morgan.¡±


    ¡°Nothing new. My assistant already knows that now.¡± The man shrugged.


    ¡°What about his business operations?¡± I ced a thick stack of documents on the table. ¡°Business contract copies. You can track his transactionwork, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find something there.¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey, wait a minute, kid.¡± The man pressed down on the stack of documents with his palm. It was as if he was pushing the documents back toward me.


    ¡°You know yourwyer¡¯s license could be revoked if it¡¯s found out you gave this to me, right? After all, aren¡¯t you his personalwyer? Are you going to bite the hand that feeds you?¡±


    My neck tensed, and my temples twitched at his words. I grated my teeth and hissed at him.


    ¡°One, I¡¯m not a dog, and I don¡¯t take food from him. Two, I¡¯d be grateful if he got my license revoked.¡±


    ¡°Hm, do you have a side business? A recement candidate for Peter Morgan, perhaps?¡± He pulled his face back and looked at me sternly as if suspicious.


    ¡°My business is legitimate, and it has nothing to do with their shady business. In fact, you can easily see all the data about my business online.¡±


    He nced at the documents on the table. Then he looked at me again before finally pulling the stack of documents to his side of the table.


    ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to ess their data.¡±


    ¡°At least you know where to look.¡± I took out another stack of documents for him. ¡°In fact, I started seeing a pattern before investigating these documents.¡±


    ¡°Tell me more.¡±


    The man leaned forward again.


    ¡°This is just my analysis and wild guesses.¡±


    ¡°No, Mr. Evans. Please, go ahead. I¡¯ll listen.¡±


    I gazed at him in silence. He mightugh at me, but maybe it might be useful for investigation.


    ¡°n has built a mutually beneficial businesswork and calls it a circle of celebrity friends. I call it a mafia group. The designers involved refer to their clothes and brands as art.¡± I leaned forward andid out my analysis clearly.


    The man blinked. He frowned and looked at me again as if I were a madman inventing a story about the apocalypse. He shook his head several times.


    ¡°You mean priceless art?¡± His forehead furrowed, and he remained silent, pondering all I had said.


    ¡°I told you, it¡¯s all just my wild guesses. You might have more ess and resources to form your own analysis.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t expect me to search for all the data myself, do you? What¡¯s your n for this coboration?¡±


    ¡°As I said, an insider who can pull information.¡±


    I straightened up in my chair again. He stared at me for a long time, and I just hoped he didn¡¯t know that I was still betting on getting that information. I swallowed to ease the tension in my neck. Finally, the prosecutor nodded with his lips pursed.


    ¡°Well, Mr. Evans, if only you had chosen to be a prosecutor first, I¡¯m sure we¡¯d make a spectacr team.¡± His lips curled into a thin smile.


    ¡°You know I would never have a choice in the legal field.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Is that why you want to leave the legal field and switch to entrepreneurship?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just one of the millions of reasons.¡± I stood up and straightened my suit.

 Christmas Eve

    Laird¡¯s POV


    Nothing had changed. Year after year, my father would host a Christmas Eve party, inviting a few colleagues and close neighbors. The line of cars along the street in front of our house confirmed that the party had long since started and guests were arriving just as my father had hoped.


    I tightened my coat and cleared my throat. My steps led me to the house across from ours. Not for the party, but to persuade and reassure my girlfriend that I still loved her.


    The green and red wreath on the white door hung neatly. In contrast to my house, the Baxter home looked quiet. There was nomotion, no line of cars in front of the house, and no staff walking back and forth serving guests with drinks or coats.


    I pressed the doorbell once. The chime sounded faintly from inside the house. It didn¡¯t take long before someone opened the door.


    ¡°Merry Christmas, Mrs. Baxter,¡± I said with a wide smile.


    ¡°Oh, Laird! Merry Christmas!¡± The woman immediately hugged me tightly with a cheerfulugh.


    ¡°A Christmas gift for you,¡± I lifted a bouquet of romance novels with artificial flowers wrapped in green ribbon and red glitter paper.


    ¡°Thank you! Oh, you tease! Come in, you naughty boy.¡±


    Mrs. Baxter yfully tapped my arm. I chuckled as I entered the house. Just as I ced the bouquet on the living room table, the beautiful woman descended from the second floor.


    Yes, her hair was tied messily. Her face was covered with a green mask instead of makeup. There were no nes, just a small, worn towel hanging. Instead of a sexy red dress, she wore a long-sleeved pink bunny-patterned shirt and pants.


    Gosh, I missed her.


    ¡°OMG. Laird?!¡±


    When she realized I was there, her mouth fell open in panic. She hurriedly turned and went back upstairs. Seeing Fene, I could only chuckle. Truly, I missed her and all her silly antics. I would even hug her right now if she hadn¡¯t run away first.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t youing to my dad¡¯s Christmas party?¡± I asked Mrs. Baxter.


    ¡°Later. It¡¯s rare for Fene to be home on Christmas Eve. She hasn¡¯te on Christmas Eve at home for more than five years, so I want her to savor this moment as much as possible.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you shoulde anyway. My dad will surely look for you and be upset when he finds out you didn¡¯te. He mighte here tomorrow morning and demand an answer why you didn¡¯t attend his party.¡± I gave a lopsided smile, but Sharon Baxter only waved her hands dismissively.


    ¡°Let him be. After all, what¡¯s the point ofing just to hear him ranting about lies about you, Lloyd, and his young mistresses?¡± Sharon shook her head and walked toward the kitchen.


    ¡°I thought he had already made up his mindst year about¡­¡± I muttered for a moment. ¡°What¡¯s her name? Mary? Alicia? Ginny?¡± Too many to remember.


    ¡°This time her name is Riley. She¡¯s 20 years old.¡± Sharon returned from the kitchen with a ss of warm eggnog.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°She¡¯s a new nurse working at the hospital where your father regrly goes for his heart check-ups. They metst summer, and your father said he immediately rented her a luxurious apartment near the hospital for a year.¡± Sharon ced the steaming ss on the table.


    ¡°A year? I¡¯m not sure she¡¯llst that long.¡± I snorted as I sat on the sofa.


    ¡°Tell that to him. I¡¯d even bet Lloyd often gives her rides home with his car.¡± She cradled her tray.


    ¡°That¡¯s just the way Lloyd gets rid of those women.¡± I shrugged. Sharon sighed and shook her head, not believing the dynamics of our family rtionships.


    ¡°Drink up, Laird, while it¡¯s still warm. And be careful, because I don¡¯t want another man¡¯s skin burned by this eggnog.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really? Who¡¯s the unlucky man?¡±


    ¡°A guest named n.¡±


    Sharon spoke to me with a meaningful tone. Her eyelids fluttered slowly. It seemed she wanted to tell me that the man hade but didn¡¯t intend to provide more details.


    ¡°Oh, let it be then. He deserves it.¡± I carefully lifted the mug and sipped Sharon¡¯s eggnog.


    That bastard. He apparently thought Fene and her mother would be easily approachable. Maybe he brought expensive gifts and unted his money, but I was sure they wouldn¡¯t be swayed by that.


    I then sipped enough eggnog to calm myself. The sweetness of the rum, the spice of the seasonings, and the smooth cream filled my mouth. The warmth immediately soothed my throat and stomach. My body shivered for a moment as the cold air was swept away.


    ¡°How does it taste?¡±


    ¡°Still delicious as always. Perfect!¡±


    ¡°d to hear it,¡± the old womanughed.


    The next moment, Fene descended into the living room. This time her face was clean with no traces of the mask. Her hair was neatlybed, and she wore a sweater that was tidier than the shabby pajama. I even suspected she was wearing lip balm that made her lips look plump, moist, and ripe for a kiss.


    ¡°You seem familiar with my mom,¡± Fene asked rhetorically with an arched eyebrow.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be surprised. You nevere home on Christmas Eve, so Laird is the one who always visits here. I¡¯m even amazed at which of my children is actually mine.¡± Sharonined before turning and walking into her room.


    Fene scowled. I was sure she felt guilty toward her mother now.


    ¡°Hm, do youe to Boston every Christmas Eve?¡± Fene cleared her throat and began to sit on the sofa next to me.


    ¡°Yup. There¡¯s an attendance requirement if I still want to be recognized by my father.¡±


    ¡°Does my mother also check your attendance every year?¡± She asked, ncing at the eggnog in my hand.


    ¡°Yup. She rewards my presence by recing you with the world¡¯s most delicious eggnog.¡± I lifted my ss for a moment before taking another sip.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Fene now curled her knees to her chest. ¡°I thought you came to see me.¡±


    I blink at her words. Only then did I realize what she was thinking. How could I have not noticed? She must be disappointed because I was familiar with her mother and assumed my only reason foring was to see her. She was so easy to read!


    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t want to see me and asked for some space.¡± I gave a crooked smile as I remembered what she had said to me at Gene¡¯s office thest time I saw her.


    Since that day, she hadn¡¯t responded to my messages, hadn¡¯t answered my calls, and had only sent one text saying she was in Boston. At least she kept me updated. So that¡¯s what I did. I respected her desire to calm down and sort out a few things before returning to Beacon Hill.


    ¡°Yeah, but-¡± she huffed. ¡°Forget it.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow at her plea this time. Not wanting to tease her too long, I set my eggnog ss on the table. Then I moved closer to her and gently touched her cheek with my thumb.


    ¡°Are you still mad at me?¡±


    Fene curled up even more in herp, but that didn¡¯t make me give up. I gently tilted her chin to look at me with my finger.


    ¡°I missed you.¡±

 Web of Business

    Laird¡¯s POV


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you mad at me?¡±


    She turned towards me this time. Her eyes were tearful, as if she were about to cry at any moment, but she still had the determination to narrow her eyes at me.


    I frowned when I heard Fene¡¯s question. I shook my head.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t mad at you.¡±


    Hearing my answer, she immediately lowered her knees and sat cross-legged on the sofa. Her posture was rigid. Then she began a string of judgmental remarks.


    ¡°Yes, you were. You saw that ad at the office, and you got mad. Then you started blowing rampage at Gene¡¯s office and beating up n because of it.¡±


    ¡°Wow, wow. Slow down, baby. Take a breath.¡±


    I raised both of my hands in the air. ¡°Calm down,¡± I said in a deep voice slowly, hoping she would listen to me calmly.


    ¡°Alright, I admit it. I saw that ad at the office. I was angry, and then I threatened n. But didn¡¯t you say you would give me more trust and build bettermunication between us?¡±


    Fene¡¯s forehead furrowed and her lips pressed tightly. She was waiting for me to exin everything to her. So that¡¯s what I did. I calmly exined my defense. I didn¡¯t want us to argue again.


    ¡°Maybe my adrenaline spike got the best of me, but one thing is for sure: I¡¯m not the one who has been lying to you all this time. I was jealous of n, and now we know more about him. Don¡¯t you see how that son of a bitch kissed my lips to provoke my anger like a sociopath?¡±


    Fene¡¯s eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open. She scoffed.


    ¡°Well, maybe you¡¯re the one with the problem with your possessive behavior and anger issues. You¡¯re the one who said he was tailing us to learn everything about us, and now he clearly knows how to provoke your anger. Can¡¯t you control yourself?¡± She blinked her eyes.


    ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to get involved in bigger problems. You know how n is. He could use you of assault. He-he could get you imprisoned. Maybe you¡¯re awyer, but that doesn¡¯t mean you can escape the court.¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t happen. He wouldn¡¯t dare report it. He¡¯ll avoid the police at all costs.¡± I shook my head with my arms crossed in front of my chest.


    ¡°How the fuck can you be so sure?¡±


    ¡°Because he¡¯s being investigated by Prosecutor Golden for moneyundering.¡±


    My calm, low voice immediately closed our debate. She was stunned. When the sound of a car horn was heard in front of the house, Fene blinked her eyes again. Her voice faltered as she began to speak.


    ¡°What do you mean, moneyundering?¡±


    ¡°You know what it means. He¡¯s suspected of involvement in major criminal activities. That¡¯s why Prosecutor Golden is targeting him through the DUI case.¡±


    ¡°So, Prosecutor Golden isn¡¯t pursuing him because of personal revenge against your father?¡± She still stared at me in disbelief. I shaken my head confidently.


    ¡°He¡¯s actually being professional and seizing every little opportunity. That¡¯s why n was also scared and acted strangely during the trial, remember? I¡¯m sure he didn¡¯t expect a criminal prosecutor like Malcolm Golden to really go after him from the DUI case.¡±


    ¡°I still don¡¯t understand the connection. So, you mean, the prosecutor actually wants to investigate the moneyundering case but wants to investigate it through the DUI case?¡± She tilted her head with horror in her eyes.


    ¡°Exactly. If the DUI case were to proceed to further investigation, Prosecutor Golden could legally investigate n¡¯s entire background and business operations. Especially if n were sentenced to prison because of that, he could interrogate n more thoroughly.¡± I exined in a clear tone.


    ¡°Unfortunately, the judge didn¡¯t seem interested in that. Maybe she didn¡¯t believe it, didn¡¯t want to bother, or simply didn¡¯t give a fuck about it. That¡¯s why she allowed n to pay a fine to rece his jail sentence.¡±


    Her mouth formed a round shape, and she slowly covered her mouth with both hands. Her face became increasingly pale. Then she began to rub her temples.


    ¡°It couldn¡¯t get worse,¡± she said with a long sigh. ¡°This is too much. My head feels like it¡¯s going to explode.¡± She whispered softly and held her temples.


    ¡°Why do you look so distressed hearing this? Don¡¯t tell me you care about him.¡± My forehead furrowed deeply.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that. I just-¡± she then groaned. ¡°He came here earlier.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Yeah, your mom already told me. What did he say to you?¡±


    Her tongue quickly licked her upper lip. After being silent for a while, calming herself, and catching her breath, Fene finally opened her mouth. She then recounted rk Thomson¡¯s past until he changed his identity to n Schmidt.


    I analyzed all of her story. If I had a notebook, I would have written it down by now. I might even have recorded her story. When names were mentioned and Peter Morgan¡¯s involvement in investing in n¡¯s business, I became more convinced that my suspicions were not wrong.


    Forget about n doing all this to attract Fene¡¯s attention. Besides, it was nothing new. From the beginning, the man had made his intentions clear about wanting to be her daddy¡¯s long legs. Although, once again, I felt disturbed by the enthusiastic tone and the bright, admiring gleam in Fene¡¯s eyes as she talked about how n had done so much for her.


    ¡°Alright, this confirms Peter¡¯s involvement in n¡¯s business. The flow of funds from Peter is what the FBI and Prosecutor Golden are targeting.¡±


    ¡°Is it that bad?¡± Fene bit her lower lip.


    ¡°It¡¯s worst. Corruption, illegal transactions, arms dealing, and involvement with international mafia groups revolving around that Peter Morgan.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute. Are you making this up? Isn¡¯t this excessive for an usation against a normal person?¡±


    I pursed my lips. Fene might have never been exposed to the criminal world before. She didn¡¯t understand the legal world and the people behind the scenes. She was just an outsider caught in the middle of this criminal whirlpool, confused, lost, and having to deal with someone as cunning as n and his cronies.


    Meanwhile, I was well-versed in all of this. During college, during my internship at the prosecutor¡¯s office and at thew firm. My world was quite different from Fene¡¯s. That¡¯s why I wanted to leave this legal world. It was too dirty, too dark, and I wasn¡¯t interested in being a corporatewyer defending unscrupulous businessmen.


    It was too contrary to my ideals.


    ¡°Fene, I know this is hard for you to face. The fact is, people like that exist. Don¡¯t you remember the mafia guy who saved you from a career as a porn actress?¡±


    Whether from fear or cold, her body immediately shivered. Fene hugged herself.


    ¡°Yes. I remember. I guess he was involved in criminal activities, but he never exined the details to me. How could I be so ignorant about that world?¡±


    ¡°Now you understand, right? n is a dangerous man. That¡¯s why I want you to stay away from him. My feelings are no longer just ordinary jealousy.¡±


    I cupped her face. She turned and looked at me closely. Then she nodded her head. It seemed she understood my concerns.


    ¡°Regarding that, I want to get rid of n from our lives forever. I don¡¯t want to continue living with insecurity in our lives. Besides, he and Amy have been the source of our problems all along. They¡¯ve trapped us, deceived us, and now n is disturbing your life, right?¡±


    ¡°Do you mean kill-¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll imprison them. Let¡¯s take our revenge on them.¡±

 A Plan

    Laird¡¯s POV


    Fene¡¯s face grew even paler. It seemed she understood how dangerous and serious this situation was. We were going to face those devious mobsters and catch them.


    ¡°Can we?¡±


    An eyebrow of mine lifted when I heard the doubt in her voice. How different her tone was nowpared to when she had spoken earlier with admiration about n, who had endured so much to win her over. Now, her enthusiasm had vanished, reced by a soft, uncertain voice.


    ¡°Why are you so doubtful?¡±


    ¡°I mean, Peter Morgan, Amy¡¯s husband, is a respected senator in Massachusetts. Amy is a socialite active on the board of social foundations throughout the state. And n,¡± her voice suddenly faltered when discussing n.


    Fene looked at me nkly. She turned away and sighed deeply. Her hand stroked her smooth, blonde hair.


    ¡°n is a scheming, ambitious sociopath who won¡¯t stop bothering us anytime soon. You can¡¯t let him ruin your life, can you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but are you sure we can win against them? You¡¯ve seen for yourself how he can orchestrate so much to cover his tracks. Even veteran prosecutors struggle to catch him alone and have to meddle in trivial DUI cases.¡± Fene raised both her shoulders as she expressed her doubts at length.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you see how easy he could beat me? My power is so smallpared to his.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why we won¡¯t be acting alone, Fene. You, me, Prosecutor Golden, and the police or FBI will work together to bring him down. We still have a chance.¡±


    I grabbed Fene¡¯s arm and pulled her to face me fully. We looked at each other, and I stared at her seriously. Still, she only murmured uncertainly and bit her lower lip.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re scared, but if we don¡¯t act now, he will have an easier time covering his tracks.¡±


    ¡°But Laird, what can I do? I¡¯m not sure I can change the current situation.¡±


    ¡°No, Fene. You¡¯re wrong. Even without realizing it, you¡¯ve already helped a lot in resolving this case.¡± I shook my head with a small smile.


    She furrowed her brow. How could she belittle herself so much? Even if she didn¡¯t realize it, she had many talents and qualities that couldn¡¯t be underestimated. From there, the idea had emerged since this case opened that Fene could be key to solving it.


    ¡°You just provided information that confirms n and Peter¡¯s involvement, right? Why do you think you got that information?¡± I smiled with eager eyes.


    ¡°Hmm, it¡¯s because n told me.¡± She shrugged. She still didn¡¯t see the advantage she had. How could she say it as if it were a minor thing?


    ¡°So why would n be willing to share such detailed information with you?¡±


    She murmured and thought of an answer to my question.


    ¡°Because I asked him, and he answered.¡±


    ¡°Think again. Why would he be willing to answer all your questions?¡±


    Once again, Fene mumbled for a long time. Her eyes nced around the room. Now, it was as if we were doing a quiz, but I wanted Fene to understand how important she was in getting rid of n and his gang.


    ¡°Alright. I guess¡­¡± Her face then flushed with a red hue on both cheeks.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s because he wants to seek forgiveness from me and gain my sympathy.¡± Her voice was soft, and she slowly looked down. Seeing her awkward demeanor, I chuckled.


    ¡°Bingo.¡±


    Hearing that, she immediately looked up and stared at me. Her eyes widened, and her mouth opened wide.


    ¡°So how will that help?¡±


    ¡°I, and Prosecutor Golden, have a n.¡± I leaned in closer to her.


    ¡°At the moment, he and the FBI are investigating various data rted to n¡¯s business empire to understand how they operate and various financial transactions, but he needs a bit of inside help. The judge won¡¯t order the bank to open data without sufficient evidence.¡± I paused to let Fene absorb what I said.


    ¡°So¡­¡± she whispered, looking still unsure about my direction.


    ¡°So what we can do to facilitate the investigation is provide inside information. Someone trusted by n.¡±


    ¡°OMG. No. You don¡¯t mean-¡±


    ¡°I know it¡¯s not ideal, but think about it. Don¡¯t you want to get revenge on them? If you ask me, I¡¯d love to keep them as far away from our lives as possible.¡± I raised both my hands in the air.


    ¡°Yes, Laird. They have separated us for these seven years with their dirty tricks. And now he¡¯s destroying everything. What I wonder is, he even dares to deal with these criminals just to get my attention.¡± She rubbed her temples.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°Exactly. We will never know when he will stop bothering us. I¡¯m fed up with having to keep facing him. As long as he¡¯s still roaming freely around us, he¡¯ll find other ways to keep us apart. I don¡¯t want that.¡±


    Fene got up from the sofa and began pacing back and forth. Her hands went to her mouth, and she bit her nails this time. There was something she was contemting.


    ¡°Actually, I also believe he won¡¯t just go away. He seems determined to cling to me forever.¡±


    ¡°Forever?¡± I asked with a furrowed brow.


    I picked up a ss of eggnog and started drinking the now-cooling liquid. Fene continued pacing in the middle of the room while I drank Sharon¡¯s homemade eggnog.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I haven¡¯t told you, Laird.¡±


    She now stood still. Her posture was slightly bent, and she seemed scared. Something was making her anxious and restless.


    ¡°Just tell me, Fene. I promise I¡¯ll listen. Didn¡¯t we promise to have openmunication to make this rtionship work?¡±


    I knew Fene could have a panic attack. It was something I didn¡¯t want to provoke. All the information and discussion about n had already made her mentally unstable. She wouldn¡¯t be able to handle more pressure than what we were currently discussing.


    Therefore, I was calm, ready to listen, and promised myself not to unleash my anger in any form. She didn¡¯t deserve to feel the effects of my bad temper.


    ¡°Promise me you won¡¯t get angry, but I have an idea.¡±


    ¡°I promise.¡± I nodded.


    ¡°Erm, wait here.¡±


    Then she went upstairs. Her steps quickly traversed the staircase with a sound of swift footsteps. She disappeared from my view. I then took the ss of eggnog from the table and drank it slowly.


    Momentster, it didn¡¯t take long for Fene toe back down the stairs. She walked quickly until she stood in front of me. A small red velvet-covered box was clutched tightly in her hand.


    She held the box up in front of her face. Slowly, she edged back down onto the sofa next to me. Then she handed the box to me.


    ¡°This is from n. He said he would wait for me forever.¡±


    My chest pounded with blood rushing faster through my veins. Somehow I knew what was inside the box. My ears and face felt hot.


    ¡°That son of a bitch.¡± I growled through clenched jaws.


    ¡°You promised not to get angry, Laird.¡± She warned me with a long breath.


    I looked at the box in my hand with mounting anger. If I could, I might have destroyed the box just with my gaze.


    He proposed to Fene?


    ¡°Laird,¡± she called my name softly to bring me back from my anger. I then looked at her again and took a deep breath. I squeezed the box tightly to hold back the rage that might explode if Fene hadn¡¯t warned me.


    ¡°What¡¯s your idea?¡± I opened the box and immediately saw arge sparkling diamond ring.


    Ha! So pretentious! This is outrageous!


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get engaged to him,¡± that¡¯s what I heard from Fene¡¯s mouth.

 Key Target

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I felt sorry for n. After hearing n¡¯s story about the seven years he had spent with Amy, I became sympathetic and reluctant to hurt n any further. Guilt overwhelmed me.


    However, what Laird said was true. I had to muster the courage to take action to keep n as far away from my life as possible.


    One could say I was the center of this mess. Consider me taking responsible action to deal with n. Therefore, I didn¡¯t want to stay idle. I would contribute to solving this case as best as I could.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Laird tly rejected my idea. I knew he must have been angry. I was sure he wouldn¡¯t want to give in and follow my crazy idea. We knew what happened when he followed my suggestions-a freaking mess.


    ¡°But, Laird. Think about it. How can I gather more in-depth information if I¡¯m not close enough to his circle? I need to dive into it to get all the information we need, whatever it takes.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious. You don¡¯t have to ept his proposal. You could pretend to be his girlfriend without actually getting engaged.¡±


    ¡°Laird, we are dealing with Amy and her husband. They are the masterminds. Simply approaching n won¡¯t be enough to dig as deep as we need. Remember what you said about the philosophy of war yesterday?¡±


    I urged Laird with renewed enthusiasm. My hand lightly nudged his arm. ¡°Remember? Say it with me.¡±


    ¡°Know the enemy to win the battlefield,¡± I said simultaneously with Laird.


    ¡°Know the battlefield to defeat the enemy,¡± Laird said.


    One of his eyebrows raised as he heard what I said.


    ¡°Am I wrong?¡± I asked with a small mumble.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just the same,¡± he chuckled softly.


    Gosh, that was so embarrassing! I groaned in annoyance. Then I crossed my arms over my chest and cleared my throat.


    ¡°The point, Laird, is that I need to deeply immerse myself in their family circle to know more details. Amy and her husband will be more cautious when there¡¯s a new person brought by n. But if n convinces them that I will be part of their family and circle, they will trust me more, right?¡± I spoke quickly to rify my idea. He remained silent and thoughtful.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess that makes sense.¡± Gradually, he mumbled. ¡°It¡¯s just that Amy might not ept it easily, given your history with her.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not trying to boast, but it¡¯s likely that n will continue to push for me to join. Remember what he did to get me into Mallory¡¯s social circle?¡± I shrugged.


    Again, Laird remained silent, listening to me. He was still grumbling about my idea but eventually exhaled a long, resigned sigh.


    ¡°Fine. Just remember, no touching, no kissing, or any intimate physical contact with him.¡±


    ¡°Deal. So, what should I do?¡±


    Laird then opened his phone. He looked at iing messages from Prosecutor Golden¡¯s assistant.


    ¡°The main thing we need is information about the flow of funds from his business. To legally check the flow of funds, they need evidence showing that n is indeed involved in suspicious transactions.¡±


    ¡°Erm¡­ So I need to look for transaction evidence from n¡¯s ount? Maybe stealpany financial reports? Jessy might be able to help with that.¡±


    ¡°Although they keep financial reports secret, I¡¯m not sure he¡¯ll give them to you just because you¡¯re engaged within days.¡±


    Laird mumbled, rubbing his chin. He seemed to be running out of ideas. He sipped his warm eggnog while I thought hard toe up with a solution.


    Suddenly, Laird called someone. The call went unanswered for a while and was finally picked up. He put the call on speakerphone and ced his phone on the table so I could hear as well.


    ¡°This is Matthew Logan, your trusted investigator!¡±


    The man on the other end of the line spoke enthusiastically. Heughed loudly, and I could hear faint music in the background.


    ¡°Hey, Matthew. Are you drunk?¡± Laird asked with a wry smile.


    ¡°Oh ho! Good question! I¡¯m just sitting in front of the TV, watching a special Christmas party coverage at Mallory West¡¯s house, and drinking beer.¡±


    I stifled augh as I listened to the man ramble. Laird stifled a smallugh as well.


    ¡°I just want to ask a little, Matthew. What can you do to get information on someone¡¯s bank ount using an expensive diamond ring?¡±


    ¡°Is this a prank call?¡±


    ¡°No, Matthew. This is business.¡± Laird insisted sharply.


    ¡°Ah, business.¡± The man named Matthew mumbled for a moment before continuing. It seemed he only became interested when he heard that word.


    ¡°Well, you can sell the ring, get the money, and put it in an ount, then buy arge amount of online gambling tokens or lottery tickets. It¡¯s a sure way to attract those nasty cyber investigators to block your ount because, oh boy, I tell you from experience, they are ruthless.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. I got it now.¡±


    ¡°d I could help you. 100 dors, by the way.¡±


    Laird rolled his eyes in annoyance. ¡°You¡¯re charging for a phone consultation now?¡±


    ¡°I need to buy a new lottery ticket!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll call you backter.¡±


    Laird ended the call.


    ¡°Is he some sort of private detective?¡± I blinked.


    ¡°Yup. Now I have an idea.¡±


    ¡°Am I really going to sell the ring?¡± My mouth fell open at the idea.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s a bad idea. We want the FBI to get evidence from n¡¯s ount, not from ours.¡±


    Laird picked up the ring box and opened it.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Fene, I want you to take n to the jewelry store tomorrow. Ask to buy a new ring, iming the current one is too big or that you don¡¯t like it. Then, while he¡¯s distracted, note down all the information on the front and back of the card. The name, card number, expiration date, and CVV code on the back.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean I¡¯ll be stealing card information?¡± My eyes widened at the n.


    ¡°Yup. Then afterward, I¡¯ll have Matthew buy online gambling tokens and lottery tickets in bulk with that card.¡±


    ¡°And n¡¯s ount will be blocked and investigated by the FBI and the prosecutor.¡± I continued outlining our n to confirm with him.


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I think I can do it. That¡¯s easy, I guess.¡±


    I took a nervous breath. After all, I had never been this close to the criminal world. Now I was about tomit a criminal act to take down a criminal.


    ¡°You need to act.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know.¡± Again, I took a deep breath and exhaled several times.


    ¡°You need to act like you love him, or he¡¯ll be suspicious.¡±


    He wore a grim expression as he said it, as if he had just swallowed a sour lemon. I then cupped his cheeks. My gaze was fixed on his beautiful emerald green eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s all just an act. You are the one I truly love,¡± I said seriously.


    ¡°Yes, act like this.¡±


    He looked at me with lingering doubt. His lips were turned down. I understood. He got anxious about this idea. n was someone we should avoid, but instead I was the one who was going to ept his marriage proposal.


    ¡°You have to trust me. I love you, Laird.¡±


    He remained motionless.


    ¡°Will you return my trust and love me too?¡± I asked him.

 The Question

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Laird stared at me in silence. His face was calm, illuminated by the warm glow of the firece. The sound of Christmas carols floated softly from the Evans family home, contrasting with the quiet atmosphere of my house.


    ¡°Yes, I do. I have always been and will always love you.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you lying?¡± I asked softly.


    ¡°Why would I lie about that?¡± He whispered gently.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you angry about the ad?¡±


    ¡°How many times do I have to tell you that I¡¯m not mad at you, Fene? From the beginning, we agreed to let the ad go and move on, right? Besides, the ad has already been taken down.¡± He shrugged as if the ad meant nothing to him anymore.


    ¡°What about the people¡¯s criticism of me? Don¡¯t you see my social media?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn about that. I¡¯ve always told you, even if you weren¡¯t a famous model, I would still love you.¡±


    Yes, it was true. Laird had told me that countless times. He had exined it. Even though insecurity haunted me again, slowly creeping in with a pile of fears, I wanted to be loved by him, and he had already given me his heart.


    ¡°So, do you love me?¡±


    Once again, I asked as if never satisfied with his answer.


    He sighed andughed softly. My face heated up, and my lips pursed to hide my embarrassment in front of him. Gosh, his sweetpliments easily left me stunned. Time and time again, I found myself jumping into his arms like a moth to a me.


    That was what happened now. Laird held me tightly, even lifting me onto hisp. The next moment, Laird¡¯s lips were on mine, kissing me fiercely. His tongue traced the line of my lips and around the edges of my tongue.


    He sucked on my tongue, gently bit my lower lip, and sealed it with a strong pull on my bottom lip. I tried to take a breath, but he wouldn¡¯t allow it. His hands only tightened their hold on my body.


    ¡°L-Laird.¡± I called his name amid my moans. ¡°I-¡±


    It seemed he finally realized I was running out of breath. He stopped, pulled back, and his eyes moved slowly to examine the contours of my face. His thumb brushed my cheek softly.


    ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m more into action than talking. Besides, I¡¯m tired of convincing you with words. You wouldn¡¯t believe it anyway.¡± His soft whisper felt soothing and reassuring.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t give up so easily with words. I want to hear it more often,¡± I said between my hurried breaths.


    ¡°Then you have to be ready to hold back the sore on your pussy because I¡¯m sure all those words will turn us on.¡± He kissed the corner of my lips while whispering.


    ¡°God, get a room, you two!¡± My mother coughed and shouted to shoo us away.


    ¡°Mom?!¡±


    I hurriedly jumped off Laird¡¯sp. Unfortunately, my leg bumped into the table with a loud thud. Ugh, damn it! I winced in pain and rubbed my leg with both hands.


    ¡°Ouch, that must hurt.¡± Laird held back augh and helped me sit back down on the sofa. He then began to rub my leg with hisrge, cold hand.


    ¡°This is still my house, Fene. I want to get out of the room, and you two have been dilly-dallying on the sofa for the past minutes.¡±


    My motherined as she walked quickly in her neat clothes and makeup. She crossed the room to the kitchen and grabbed arge thermos identical to the one that had broken at the bazaar yesterday.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± I asked, furrowing my brow as I watched my mother grab her coat.


    ¡°Where else? To the Evans family Christmas party. Aren¡¯t you going?¡± My mother then stared at Laird with wide eyes, as if he were an alien in our home.


    ¡°I have an important job, Mom. Please don¡¯t say anything to my dad.¡±


    My mother rolled her eyes upward and groaned in annoyance. ¡°If only I could use that excuse, but all the neighbors expect me to bring this eggnog. Your father even ordered it days in advance. I told him I couldn¡¯t bring too much to satisfy all of their guests¡¯ appetites, but he wouldn¡¯t ept a refusal.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sorry about that. He really is selfish.¡± Laird smiled wryly.


    ¡°And you need to manage your anger and deal with your ugly jealousy. Honestly, I don¡¯t understand you men.¡± My mother put on her coat neatly.


    ¡°Mom, that-did you overhear us?¡± I blinked in surprise at how blunt and nosy my mother could sometimes be.


    ¡°And you, youngdy, you need to deal with your insecurities.¡± My mother pointed at me while shaking her head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to lock the door. I¡¯ll be ying poker with thedies. We¡¯re betting on discount coupons for cakes at the store.¡± My mother draped a scarf around her neck and then left the house, mming the door behind her.


    ¡°Oof, she doesn¡¯t seem happy with me.¡± Laird grimaced as his gaze shifted from the door back to my eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s bullshit. She likes you more than she likes me, her own daughter.¡± I pouted, and heughed.


    ¡°That¡¯s even more bullshit. She cares for you so much that it makes me jealous.¡± He yfully pinched my nose.


    ¡°Gosh.¡± I lightly hit his chest, and he exaggeratedly winced.


    ¡°But, yeah, maybe you¡¯re right,¡± I said softly.


    I suddenly realized that Laird might finally be getting the mother figure he had always longed for in my mom. Since childhood, Laird¡¯s mother has always been cold and demanding of him. After he hit his teenage years, he lost his mother, and now his father was fooling around with women even younger than Laird!


    ¡°It¡¯s true. You don¡¯t even know what she¡¯s done all this time to support you,¡± he held back a smile on his lips.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Oh, never mind that,¡± he kissed my lips quickly.


    ¡°No, I want to know. What has my mother done to support me all this time?¡± I cupped Laird¡¯s face in my hands, and he just widened his amused smile.


    ¡°No, I made a blood pact with her. Sorry, Fene.¡± He shook his head quickly.


    ¡°What? Please tell me.¡±


    ¡°Na¡¯ah.¡±


    ¡°Oh,e on. Please,¡± I kissed his lips quickly. Just before the kiss deepened, I pulled my body away just for a second. ¡°Please,¡± I kissed his lips again.


    ¡°I swear you¡¯ll be the death of me, Fene,¡± he said between my small kisses on his lips and cheeks.


    ¡°Then give me some hush money for this top secret,¡± he smiled crookedly, his eyes sparkling mischievously.


    ¡°You just want to have sex.¡± I lightly hit his shoulder.


    ¡°Not just sex, but make-up sex.¡±


    He then kissed me deeply and passionately. His tongue slipped in, coaxing me to open my mouth. That was exactly what I did for him. I let our tongues intertwine. I could even taste the remnants of the sweet eggnog in his mouth, sending me into a blissful daze.


    ¡°We need to lock the door first,¡± he said, pulling away from our kiss.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll wait for you in my room.¡±


    In an instant, we scattered to finish our tasks. Laird hurried to lock the door while I dashed up to my room on the second floor. Once I arrived in my room, I turned off the light and quickly stripped off all my clothes until I waspletely naked. Iy facing the door, supporting my head with my elbows, and waited for Laird to enter the room.

 Make Up Kisses

    Fene¡¯s POV


    The door to my room swung open, and Laird¡¯s face was the first thing I saw. His eyes widened as he took in the sight of me on the bed. His gaze didn¡¯t shift from my body; instead, it became more intense, examining every curve in the dim light from outside.


    His green eyes darkened and sparkled with enthusiasm. A crooked smile spread across his lips as if he were looking at a feast that made him hungry. Meanwhile, I reveled in every second as he devoured my presence.


    I sat up with my knees on the bed. My legs opened wide, strong enough to support my body while disying all of me to him.


    ¡°Are you asking for make-up sex, honey?¡± I asked with a sultry tone in my voice.


    ¡°Yes, and everything that is you.¡± He spoke low.


    ¡°Then take me. Take all of me.¡±


    Laird closed my bedroom door and locked it from the inside. He strode closer to my bed with a smirk on his lips. When he stood directly in front of me, his head dipped slightly while mine tilted back because of our height difference. The next moment, our lips met in fervor.


    Laird¡¯s hands cupped the sides of my face while the other supported my back. His cold hands electrified me in a sensuous way. As our lips and tongues melted together, his other hand slowly moved from my back to my breast.


    With slow movements, he began to caress and gently squeeze them. His thumb moved in rapid twitches over my nipple until I couldn¡¯t hold back my moans of pleasure. I slowly felt my knees and neck weaken from the waves of sensations he gave with his fingers on my nipple.


    Laird understood me. He could always read my mind.


    He gently pushed me back onto the bed. His hands cradled my body,ying me down softly. Then he joined our lips again in a gentle kiss, alternating with rougher bites. I gasped for breath, and he paused. Not for long, as his lips traveled down to my neck.


    ¡°Tell me, do you love me?¡± He asked in a low whisper.


    ¡°Yes.¡± My moan escaped uncontrobly as he sucked, licked, and nibbled at my neck.


    ¡°Then show me, Fene.¡±


    His lips then trailed to the peaks of my hardened nipple. The touch of his warm, wet tongue ignited pleasure throughout my body, gathering at my core.


    I moaned, increasingly unable to resist the waves of pleasure crashing over me. Minutes passed as he savored thefort of my breasts. His tongue licked at my left breast just as his thumb flicked my other pebbled nipple. There was nothing I could do but grasp his blonde hair as he clouded my rational thought.


    ¡°Laird,¡± I called out to him yfully.


    ¡°Yes, darling?¡± His eyes opened now, locking onto mine while his mouth and tongue continued to suck on my breast.


    Gosh, he was too fucking hot.


    My body¡¯s defenses finally surrendered. After minutes of being tossed around in high waves, I finally plungedpletely into a sea of pleasure. He gave it to me, and he was not done yet.


    ¡°Uhng,¡± I moaned as the tension in my thigh muscles gradually eased.


    ¡°I bet you taste so good right now.¡±


    Laird turned his body. His hair brushed against my skin, sending a shiver down my spine.


    ¡°Can I taste you?¡±


    His tongue lightly licked my skin. My heart raced with intense anticipation for his next move.


    ¡°Answer me, baby.¡± His tongue shifted, now licking my groin, teasing me.


    ¡°Yes, Laird. Yes, you can.¡±


    My brain seemed unable to form coherent words. Perhaps my nerves could no longer synchronize with the addictive happiness hormones. The temptation of his tongue around my intimate area scrambled my thoughts and my ability to speak in proper sentence structure.


    ¡°Then cum for me, will you?¡±


    In an instant, his tongue moved quickly to lick my clit. The first touch felt suddenly electrifying, and I was hit by a surge of instant pleasure.


    ¡°Ungh! Laird! Laird!¡±


    My moans grew louder as his soft tongue circled my clit, sucking it like a child savoring their candy with loud slurping sounds. My body trembled. I covered my mouth with my hand to stifle the screams threatening to escape my throat. My second orgasm of the night came in a fantastic moment.From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes, baby?¡±


    This time, his tongue shifted back to the outer skin surrounding my pink, swollen pussy. He was teasing me!


    ¡°Why do you keep teasing me?¡± I finally managed to ask the question correctly.


    ¡°Because I want to hear your voice. Don¡¯t hold it back.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m embarrassed,¡± I replied, my face heating up.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll stop.¡± He murmured against my thigh as he kissed it.


    ¡°No! No, please don¡¯t stop.¡± I pleaded with him.


    ¡°Then let out your scream and moan. Don¡¯t hold it back.¡± His lips and tongue returned to exploring my inner thighs.


    ¡°Ye-yes.¡±


    ¡°Good girl.¡±


    Laird¡¯s hands then pushed my legs to spread wider. The warmth of his grip on my thighs made me feel exposed and vulnerable. Then, without a clear warning, he licked my clit again.


    My body jolted, and my buttocks tightened instinctively. My hips lifted, searching for Laird, but he still didn¡¯t take off his pants. Instead, he inserted two fingers into my pussy while his tongue continued flicking my clit mercilessly.


    ¡°Ungh! Laird!¡±


    I repeatedly cried out his name as Laird¡¯s fingers pressed against the inner walls of my pussy, searching for the deepest sensitive spots. As my moans grew louder, he found that sweet spot.


    ¡°Oh! Laird! I¡¯m cumming!¡±


    He pressed and rubbed his fingers against that sweetest spot until waves of pleasure rolled over my entire body. I could no longer hold back, and moan after moan echoed in my room.


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s it,¡± he moaned as he pressed his fingers deeper into my pussy. I pulsed like crazy down there.


    ¡°I love the way you pump my fingers,¡± he grinned.


    Once my tension finally eased after a few seconds, he withdrew his fingers and greedily sucked them.


    ¡°I love it so much, Fene. Your cream is the best delicacy in the gxy.¡±


    I thought he would be satisfied after making me orgasm three times on my own. Apparently not! Now his lips were kissing the deepest folds of my thighs before moving to my pussy.


    ¡°Laird, wait. I¡¯m embarrassed. It must be so wet. I need to wipe it up,¡± I said with a yful moan.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Release it as much as you can. Just enjoy it.¡±


    Right after he whispered those words, his tongue thrust deep into my pussy. My body jolted and tightened intensely. His tongue then licked the insides of my already wet pussy. Again and again, shamelessly, he licked. Meanwhile, I mewled like a wild animal as each lick felt like a spark igniting my entire body.


    My heart raced. My mouth felt dry from breathing through it continuously. The muscles in my back and waist began to cramp from tensing too much. I buried my head into the pillow and started biting it to stifle the screams threatening to break free. Minute after minute, Laird tortured me with extraordinary pleasure until I reached climax once more.


    I gasped for breath as my orgasm finally subsided over time. Laird gazed at me intently, his fingers still caressing my thighs.


    ¡°Now you¡¯re ready for me.¡±

 Ready For You

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Laird opened his shirt in front of me. His cock was erect and hard. I could see the veins underneath his tan skin running like roots deeply embedded in his body.


    He then crawled up onto my queen bed. As he was about toy his body on top of mine, I rolled over to avoid him. His eyebrows raised in question at my unexpected behavior. I smiled with a small chuckle held back.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°This is my turn, darling. Of course, you didn¡¯t think you¡¯d get all the pleasure alone, right?¡± I pointed my finger at his chest with a bold gaze.


    ¡°I thought I wouldn¡¯t get it.¡± He smiled crookedly.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry, honey. You deserve a pleasant Christmas gift if you obey and be a good boy.¡±


    I slowly pushed him to lie on the bed. My body covered his, but I didn¡¯t immediately ride him, even though I really wanted to. Instead of finishing quickly, I yed what he always liked about me.


    ¡°Remember to save some for the finale,¡± he stroked my hair.


    ¡°Uh huh.¡±


    The next moment, I did the same thing he had done to me since earlier. I teased him with kisses and small licks on his strong thighs. His body tensed with anticipation, even though I hadn¡¯t started anything yet.


    I traced his skin with my wandering tongue. My hands gently massaged his balls, and he moaned. My tongue then reced my hands to lick his balls. Laird seemed to be holding back the pleasure he got from me.


    Next, I sucked his ball as if he were a sweet lollipop. My tongue moved quickly to lick and pamper his balls. I didn¡¯t forget to lick the base of his balls, which was his most sensitive spot.


    ¡°Damn,¡± he groaned and moaned.


    I teased him for longer. My tongue tortured him with licks and suckers on the back of his cock. I gave kisses to his hard shaft, and he shuddered.


    It seemed Laird was getting impatient. He grabbed my hair and almost pushed me to take all his cock into my mouth, but he held back. He let me y with his cock for longer.


    ¡°I love your cock,¡± I said before sucking the tip of his hard cock.


    ¡°Yeah? Show me how much you love it.¡± He growled while smiling.


    ¡°I love every inch of it.¡±


    I licked the tip of his cock that was starting to release pre-cum. My mouth immediately swallowed the sweet pre-cum while my hand began to massage the base of his cock. He moaned heavily as I finally slid his cock into my mouth.


    My lips were sealed to prevent my teeth from scratching his hard shaft. I pushed it deeper into my mouth but pulled it back when I reached the middle. Then I pushed it in deeper and pulled it out again before the tip reached the back of my throat.


    He squirmed with all the teasing on his cock. Until, at one point, I finally swallowed all the inches of his hard shaft into my mouth until the tip hit the back of my throat.


    I gagged for a second, but I didn¡¯t stop. I continued for a while at a faster pace until I felt how hard his dick was now, as if ready to reach climax.


    Ugh, just by sucking him, I already felt my pussy that had dried up earlier getting wet again. I slowly held back and stopped it. My tongue then explored every side of his cock again.


    ¡°Why did you do that? Torturing me?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re impatient, are you? I just want to memorize every inch of it, honey,¡± I said in between my licks.


    He sat up, holding his body with both elbows. Now his eyes could see how I continued to swallow and lick his cock with enthusiasm. I did all this with our eyes meeting.


    ¡°You¡¯re a sex goddess, you know that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just a sucker for you,¡± I said right before I swallowed his entire protruding cock into my mouth.


    I allowed my saliva to moisten his dick to be a lubricant. My mouth was stretched as much as possible, then I pushed his cock in and out quickly. Minute after minute passed as I gave full attention to his hard erection.


    ¡°Argh, you¡¯re the best Fene.¡± He groaned while his body tensed more. ¡°Fen, let¡¯s ride now. I think I can¡¯t hold it any longer.¡± He held my head.


    ¡°Yeah, baby.¡±


    I then crawled on top of his body. I pinned him down and rode on top of him.


    ¡°I forgot the condom.¡± My hand reached his hand on my waist.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, honey. I¡¯ll finish it outside.¡±


    ¡°No. Let¡¯s finish it the way we like it,¡± I suggested an idea while stroking his cheek.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s going to be okay.¡±


    So that¡¯s what I did. I hugged his body and spread my legs. I began to guide his erect cock towards my pussy. When his cock entered my pussy, everything felt different again. This time without a condom, I could feel the tickling sensation with a rougher friction.


    ¡°Ungh, this is so good.¡± I moaned.


    I could feel the walls of my pussy pulsating, pumping his cock. When I moved, pushing my hips and slowly pulling them back, all that friction felt more intense. I bit my lower lip to hold back the moan of pleasure.


    ¡°That¡¯s it, baby. I like the way you ride me.¡± He groaned.


    He squeezed and massaged my breasts. Then he sat up with his abs tensing only to suck on my nipple briefly. He theny back down and enjoyed the moments as I swayed above his hips.


    Minute after minute passed. We had changed positions again, with him taking the lead in the missionary position. He thrust in and out his cock harder and faster.


    After a few minutes, we changed positions again, with me presenting my high butt. In this position, his cock could reach the deepest part of my inner walls until my eyes rolled up in delight, pushed by the highest pleasure. I moaned and moaned, unable to stop my mouth from calling out Laird¡¯s name.


    ¡°I think this is your favorite position.¡± He whispered in my ear with his hands groping my smooth back slick with sweat. The sound of my ass hitting his hips rang out dirty and sexy.


    ¡°Yes! Yes!¡±


    Damn! I felt like I had lost consciousness!


    Laird pressed my clit fast to add sensation. Just as I finally reached climax, he also reached climax. Shot after shot flowed into me. His thick cum slowly flowed into my thighs, and a few dripped onto the bed.


    He pulled back his body and separated himself from me. Our breathing was heavy. I immediatelyy limp on my bed while Laird forced himself to take tissues from the table and clean his cock.


    Suddenly the doorbell rang.


    I furrowed my eyebrows when I heard it. My eyelids that had already closed immediately opened.


    ¡°Are you expecting a guest?¡± Laird asked.


    ¡°No. Mom also said she would bring her own key, right?¡±


    We sat still and waited until the person left. After sinking into silence, Laird walked to the bed. He was about to lie down next to me to rest, but the doorbell rang again.


    ¡°Who the fuck?¡± I growled angrily.


    ¡°Should I open and check it out?¡±


    ¡°No. Don¡¯t bother.¡±


    Suddenly my phone on the study table rang. That sound!


    ¡°Shit!¡±


    I jumped to my desk and immediately looked at my phone screen. ¡°It¡¯s n.¡±

 Super Fan

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I immediately turned off the ringtone and waited until the call stopped. Then I quickly activated the silent mode on my phone.


    ¡°I forgot he knew your house.¡±


    ¡°Yes, he helped my mom carry things from the bazaar earlier.¡±


    ¡°Now he¡¯s openly chasing you.¡± Laird snorted.


    ¡°Fene! I know you¡¯re inside! I brought a Christmas gift!¡± n¡¯s voice was loud outside.


    My mouth fell open. ¡°How dare he shout outside?¡± I protested in a low whisper.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it,¡± Laird shook his head.


    ¡°What should we do?¡± I frowned, weighing whether to let him in or not.


    ¡°Let¡¯s pretend we¡¯re not home and hide.¡± Laird pulled me by the waist back to the bed to lie down. ¡°Good thing you turned off the lights earlier.¡±From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°No buts. Remember, he mustn¡¯t know we¡¯ve made up, or he¡¯ll be suspicious of youter.¡± Laird warned me in a low whisper.


    ¡°Yeah, maybe you¡¯re right.¡± I then followed his advice.


    Outside, n still seemed to be trying to get attention and continued calling me. He also kept sending messages, but I ignored them.


    I took my ce next to Laird, and we embraced, with Laird¡¯s arm as my pillow. I sharpened my hearing and noticed that there was no moremotion outside. My phone also stopped ringing.


    In my heart, I felt sorry for him again. While I wasfortably asleep in the arms of my beloved, he was out there alone battling the cold weather. From the corner of my eye, I could see light from between the curtain ts.


    Snow fell in slow motion.


    ***


    I woke up early. Laird was still fast asleep beside me, but I could no longer keep my eyes shut. I reached for my sweater and long pajama pants. I got out of bed and peeked out the window. The cold air was still imprinted on the windowpane of my room, wet from the snowfall.


    I nced briefly at the street below. The road appeared drenched with small piles of snow, but not thick enough to make a snowman. Drawn by a delicious aroma, I eventually went downstairs.


    ¡°Hey, Mom.¡±


    My mom looked up as she took a casserole out of the oven. ¡°Hey, dear.¡±


    ¡°When did you have time to make that?¡± I asked, nodding towards the casserole.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. It only took two hours to make everything.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you hometest night? Did you get any sleep?¡± I furrowed my brow with my mouth agape.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m used to sleeping only a few hours, and I can still nap in the afternoon.¡± My mom chuckled slightly while I stared at her, lost in thought.


    ¡°Is that vegetarian?¡±


    ¡°No. Men need protein. I made a vegetarian quiche for you instead.¡± My mom pulled out the casserole on a beautiful ceramic serving te to the table.


    ¡°Does this mean the casserole is for Laird?¡± I asked, clearing my throat awkwardly.


    ¡°Yes, and also for Lloyd and Mr. Evans,¡± my mom replied as she began carefully cutting and dividing the casserole into another beautiful ceramic dish.


    ¡°Do you often share Christmas food with the neighbors?¡± I then sat at the dining table, running my fingers through my hair.


    ¡°Not always. Just a few. This year happens to be special, so I¡¯m only cooking for the Evans family this time.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± I frowned upon hearing this.


    ¡°Because you¡¯re officially dating. I need to start building a better rtionship with Lloyd and Mr. Evans so they¡¯ll ept you in open armster.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± my face heated up upon hearing my mom¡¯s intention. ¡°Well, I think it¡¯ll be in vain. I mean, their eptance of me isn¡¯t determined by how much or how delicious the casserole is.¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re so silly. It¡¯s true, but at least they¡¯ll get over things they don¡¯t like about you.¡±


    Hearing that, my eyes widened for a moment. A wave of anxiety immediately washed over me. Oh, damn. How could I forget?


    Mr. Evans is a cold man who demands a lot of achievements from his sons since they were kids. Even Laird hasn¡¯t fully escaped his father¡¯s grip. Although we¡¯ve been neighbors for a long time, it doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯ll be lenient with me, who doesn¡¯t even have any notable achievements.


    I was involved in a scandal with another man and was criticized online. I now practically have no steady job. My savings ount is starting to dwindle after I separated the contract money that I need to return to Gene.


    ¡°Do they have a lot of bad opinions about me?¡± I got up awkwardly to grab a full ss of mineral water from the dispenser.


    My mom paused for a moment. Her hands even stopped wrapping the casserole dish. Then she hesitated.


    ¡°No. Lloyd knows you well. As for Mr. Evans, he has many subjective bad opinions about everything except himself. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± My mom went back to wrapping the casserole dish in a bag and tie it neatly.


    ¡°Wow. That¡¯s reassuring,¡± I rolled my eyes.


    I sat back down and drank the warm water from the ss. My mom tidied up her bag and put on her coat.


    ¡°Are you delivering it now?¡±


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s for their breakfast.¡± Then my mom disappeared through the door.


    ¡°Uh, Fene,¡± my mom came back into the house. ¡°There¡¯s a package outside. I think it¡¯s for you.¡±


    I immediately got up from my seat to the porch. My mom walked across to the Evans¡¯ house, leaving me alone with arge Christmas hamper. It was even too big for an ordinary individual.


    ¡°What the hell¡­?¡± I whispered softly as I looked at it.


    Inside a huge dark wooden basket, various items were wrapped in transparent stic sprinkled with glitter. Crackers, cheese, biscuits, pretzels, fruits, and even aged wine were neatly packed inside. Is this from n? So that¡¯s why he camest night?


    ¡°Oh, God¡¯s gracious.¡± I raked my hair.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Laird came up to me from behind. He was already wearing his sweater and jeans again. He hugged me for a moment, but I quickly pushed him away in a panic.


    ¡°What if someone sees?¡± I hissed at him.


    ¡°So what?¡± he asked with a crooked smile.


    ¡°n might be watching, your father might be angry because you didn¡¯te to the partyst night, and the neighbors might gossip.¡± I spoke quickly.


    ¡°Oh, hell. Now you¡¯re being paranoid, but okay.¡± He walked back toward the door.


    I bent down and pushed the hamper from my porch inside. ¡°Damn, it¡¯s heavy!¡±


    Laird opened the door wide so I could get inside. Then he bent down as the hamper partially entered the house. With both hands, he lifted it and ced it on the table.


    ¡°Easy. You almost pushed the casserole off the table.¡±


    I moved the warm casserole dish away from the Christmas hamper. Laird removed the envelope with the red ribbon attached to the side of the basket. He pulled out a card and read it out loud.


    ¡°Merry Christmas, my sweet angel. May the chubby man in red pull a strand of his magical, thick beard to give a gift of your beloved presence in this world. With love, n, a. k. a. rk.¡±


    We fell silent after Laird read the card. Then he snorted and handed the card to me. I read it slowly, and the corner of my eye caught sight of my mom, who had now returned from the Evans¡¯ house.


    ¡°Who¡¯s it from?¡± my mom asked.


    ¡°From Fene¡¯s super fan.¡± Laird answered quickly.


    ¡°No.¡± I lightly hit Laird¡¯s back, and he justughed briefly. ¡°Mom, was this herest night?¡± I asked my mom, who hade homete.


    ¡°I just saw it this morning when I left the house. I didn¡¯t even notice it this early while cleaning the porch.¡± My mom frowned.


    ¡°Does this mean the package was just delivered?¡± I asked, blinking. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me n went back and forth to this house.¡± I bit my lower lip.


    ¡°Great. Now he¡¯s officially a stalker.¡± Laird growled irritably.

 Let鈥檚 Get Married

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I took a deep breath and prepared myself to meet n that day. After spending the whole day with Laird, nning with Matthew and the assistant district attorneys, it was time for me to take the right action. It was time for my acting skills to be honed from the start.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°You remember, right? This ne only hears you one way, so you won¡¯t get a response from us, but we are here waiting for you.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded, even though my heart was racing.


    ¡°Do you remember the safe word?¡±


    ¡°Whitehill Academy.¡± I said it quickly for confirmation, and they nodded.


    ¡°Good. Familiar words for n won¡¯t make him suspicious. Let us know anytime you need an emergency backup,¡± Matthewmented with a chuckle.


    ¡°Break a leg,¡± Laird whispered, staring at me intently. He then kissed my lips briefly before withdrawing his hand from my cheek.


    ¡°Break a leg.¡± Matthew turned to me and moved his face forward as if going to kiss my lips as well. Of course, Laird immediately pushed Matthew¡¯s face away with the palm of his hand.


    I chuckled for a moment, then quickly licked my lips. My steps guided me out of the car. I nced back at Laird, who was waiting in the white rental sedan across the street.


    Oh my gosh! I felt like a spy now.


    Even though I was nervous and my heart was pounding, I continued to walk towards a cafe just 3 kilometers from my home. The cafe had a dim, cozy atmosphere from its decorative lights. This afternoon, the sun was hidden behind thick clouds, and the light inside the cafe would have been darker if they hadn¡¯t turned on their decorative lights.


    As soon as I entered the cafe, I could see n waiting for me in a secluded corner at the back. The plush chairs with high backs leaned against partitions between tables along the cafe¡¯s walls. There was n, sitting upright with his sparkling eyes and an upright posture. His smile was wide, all directed towards me.


    If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d be mesmerized by his handsome figure. His endless attention towards me and the way he showed how precious my presence in this world is to him could be quite intoxicating.


    ¡°Good afternoon, Fene.¡± He stood to greet me and guided me to sit across from him.


    I cleared my throat before responding. Oh, I needed to get rid of this nervousness. Awkwardly, I finally answered his greeting. ¡°Hi, n. Have you been waiting long?¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯d even be willing to wait here until the cafe closes,¡± n said quickly with a blush on his tanned cheeks.


    ¡°Why?¡± I chuckled a little at his ttery.


    ¡°Because we promised to meet, right? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll always keep your promises.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well, maybe you¡¯re right. If somethinges up, I¡¯ll try to contact you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. Only you understand that kind of etiquette.¡± He still had his smile on me as he handed me the menu. ¡°What would you like to order, Fene?¡±


    ¡°Hot ck tea, please.¡± I handed the menu back to him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to order a snack?¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°You¡¯ve already given me so many snacks tost through the winter at home. Now I feel like you¡¯re treating me like a pr bear that needs to hibernate.¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s actually what¡¯s happening since you didn¡¯t answer my call on Christmas Eve.¡±


    Ugh, really?! He brought up Christmas Eve when I ignored his call.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I was having a poker tournament with the neighbors and my mom.¡±


    A lie, of course, but n wouldn¡¯t know, right?


    ¡°Oh, now that exins everything.¡± n cooed slowly, epting my lie with a knowing nod.


    ¡°Yeah, sorry about that.¡±


    Then he went to the cashier and ordered our drinks. Shortly, he returned to the table and sat back down across from me.


    ¡°n, I want to ask you something real quick.¡±


    ¡°Well, ask away.¡±


    ¡°When did you leave the Christmas hamper? I¡¯m just curious because when I came homest night, the hamper wasn¡¯t there yet.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I left it in the morning.¡± He chuckled.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ring the bell and deliver it personally?¡± I pressed with a frown. He stared at me for a moment, as if weighing his answer.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± He answered briefly. ¡°I was afraid you might still be asleep that early, and I smelled something baking with a delicious aroma. So, I thought your mom was busy in the kitchen, and I didn¡¯t want to disturb.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay.¡± My voice trailed off slowly.


    Damn. Could I trust this guy? Not wanting to disturb my sleep? Either he¡¯s really obsessed to the point of loving me this much, or his mentality is simply that of a stalker.


    ¡°So, are you staying nearby?¡± His home is in Andover, but he¡¯s now in Boston. It¡¯s unlikely he¡¯smuting back and forth to Andover, which is over 40 miles away.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m staying at a hotel near Fenway Stadium.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± I sighed in relief. At least he¡¯s not crazy enough tomute back and forth in the morning or stay in his car overnight just to leave a Christmas hamper on my doorstep.


    The bell rang, signaling that our drinks were ready. n got up from his seat and walked to the barista to collect our orders. Soon, n returned with two warm cups to the table.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said to him with a small smile.


    ¡°Never mind that.¡± He grinned widely at me.


    ¡°What did you order?¡±


    ¡°Hot ck tea,¡± he sighed in a sudden baritone voice.


    He¡¯s weird, really.


    ¡°Oh, you ordered the same as me.¡± I forced a smallugh.


    ¡°Yes. I wanted to know what it¡¯s like to taste your lips.¡± He blushed.


    He¡¯s freaking blushing! For some reason, he gives me the creeps, and the hairs on my neck stood up hearing him speak in that low tone. How can he be this obsessed with me?


    ¡°Oh, yeah. That¡¯s how I taste.¡±


    I swallowed nervously and whispered. It felt incredibly awkward to me, but it didn¡¯t seem so to him. The only instinct I felt now was to run, but I reminded myself of my purpose in meeting him.


    ¡°Erm, n.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± He tilted his head with wide eyes. His expression always showed enthusiasm for hearing me. I was sure he¡¯d be even happier after this.


    My hand pulled out the red velvet box from my bag and ced it on the table. n¡¯s eyes widened as I showed him the box. My heart was racing now, and I prayed to God that he would overlook all my sins.


    ¡°This ring-¡± I offered the box to him.


    ¡°Oh, no, Fene. I don¡¯t want to ept it. I said, Keep it until the timees for you toe to me.¡± n leaned back, shaking his head, and raised both hands in front of him.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the point, isn¡¯t it? Now I¡¯m hereing to you.¡±


    My eyes stared at him intently to show my seriousness. He stood still for a moment, processing my words. His eyelids blinked, and once he understood what I meant, his smile widened.


    ¡°Does this mean what I think it means?¡±


    ¡°Yes, n. Let¡¯s get married,¡± I said with a fast-beating heart.


    Shit! I was nervous! I could feel my voice sounding unnatural, and my face was tense and uncontroble. I knew forcing a smile now would only make things worse.


    But I needed him to believe me! I needed him to include me in his family circle to meet Amy and her husband. In my shortsighted thinking, I jumped straight to a sentence I thought would convince him.


    ¡°I love you.¡± I dered my empty feelings to him.


    He opened his mouth, looking like he wanted to say something. His eyes darted to the right and left as if thinking. His eyelids blinked again, and he let out a smallugh.

 Bigger and Shinier

    Fene¡¯s POV


    nughed softly. He seemed pleased. Was it working? Was my acting convincing enough?


    ¡°How did this happen?¡±


    Hisughter grew more amusing and gradually turned into neuroticughter. Shit! He must have seen through my poor acting!


    I sat tensely in my seat. My eyes darted back and forth between hisughing lips and the white sedan parked across the street. I started considering mentioning the safe word. My breathing quickened as I waited for him to stopughing.


    ¡°n, I mean,¡± my words faltered as n raised his hand in the air.


    ¡°No, Fene. I don¡¯t want to hear your lies. This is clearly ridiculous.¡± n huffed and shook his head.


    ¡°How can you reject me outright yesterday and today ept my proposal and say those three words?¡± He took a quick sip of his tea.


    I clenched my hands on the table. I didn¡¯t expect this n to fail so easily. Yes, I shouldn¡¯t have done all this. My acting wasn¡¯t good enough to make him believe me. I was just a lousy actress who couldn¡¯t even impress the man obsessed with me.


    n then started tapping the table in frustration. His hands were on the table, and his head was bowed. He looked disappointed, and all the smiles disappeared from his face, now reddened from holding back tears. His hands were now stuffed into his jacket, and his posture hunched as if he were barricading himself from me.


    My feelings were tossed about in a storm in my heart. I couldn¡¯t lie. I didn¡¯t like him, and I didn¡¯t want to marry n. I just needed this n to go ording to the original script. There wouldn¡¯t be another chance.


    Think, Fene! Think!


    I forced myself to think. Inside, I cursed myself for not being among the clever thinkers. n and Laird were the type of men who could n step by step like a well-organized chess game. When a n failed or problems arose, they could find another way to resolve it.


    And me? I was just an impulsive, naive woman who relied more on feelings and instincts. If I were to be honest, there was only guilt in my heart for n. He would clearly only hate my lies.


    ¡°Sorry, I guess I¡¯m a terrible actress. I shouldn¡¯t have lied.¡± I massaged my forehead and groaned.


    ¡°Why did you lie like that?¡±


    I remained silent. I reflected on everything that had happened between us. It all felt like a tangled mess, and I kept lying to myself with these crazy ideas. I thought that by making ns, I could get everything I wanted. It wasn¡¯t the case.


    I furrowed my brow and bit my lower lip hard. A single tear finally welled up from the corner of my eye and dripped down my cheek. I then lifted the back of my hand to my face and wiped my cheek. Then I sighed and released the breath I had been holding.


    ¡°Sorry, n. I don¡¯t think I can marry you. I only feel guilt towards you. Maybe I¡¯ve also given up on fixing things.¡± My fingers rested on my nose.


    ¡°I thought marrying you would fix my life and make everything go the way I wanted. Maybe it¡¯s a bad idea.¡±


    I shrugged. Then I finally leaned back in my chair, resigned to the situation. Pretending to be engaged to n out of love? Ha! I should have realized that scenario only existed in romance movies.


    n then just stared at me intently. He slowly leaned back towards the table. His hands were spread out on the table, and his hands asionally shifted between resting on the table and covering his mouth.


    ¡°Fene, I understand. This must be confusing for you. I know you still love Laird. You don¡¯t have to lie to make me happy.¡± n now spoke in a concerned tone, his forehead creased in sadness.


    ¡°Listen. I¡¯m fine with it all. I¡¯ve told you that I¡¯d wait for you, no matter how long, right? That¡¯s my promise to you.¡±


    I tilted my head towards him. My eyelids fluttered as I tried to understand the meaning of his words.


    ¡°Does that mean you don¡¯t hate me?¡± I asked, confirming with a hint of doubt in my voice.


    n shook his head with a restrained smile. ¡°I couldn¡¯t hate you, Fene. I¡¯m just disappointed if you lied to me, but I could never hate you. It¡¯s because I love you.¡±


    ¡°n,¡± I called his name softly, still unable to believe the level of obsession he had for me.


    ¡°Yes, Fene. I¡¯ll understand your situation. I¡¯ll wait for you, but if you think marrying me will set your life back on track, I can live with that.¡±


    n¡¯s words made my body straighten up. I even leaned towards him. My mouth slightly fell open, and my hands gradually moved towards the table. My heart pounded with this unexpected possibility.From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be your hero, Fene. Marry me, and I¡¯ll show you that we belong together.¡± n whispered these words as his hands now squeezed both of mine on the table.


    ¡°Oh, n.¡± I sighed in relief.


    It worked!


    Now I smiled widely. This time, I was genuinely happy with n¡¯s proposal. Of course, for reasons different from what a typical bride would have. n just didn¡¯t know that. He smiled happily, and I could smile sincerely this time.


    ¡°Bring your finger here,¡± n opened the box with enthusiasm and a wide smile.


    ¡°Oh, about that,¡± my voice trailed off. n took the ring out of the box and prepared to put it on my finger.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°The ring is too big,¡± I said after clearing my throat to suppress my possibly suspicious excitement.


    ¡°Really?¡± n¡¯s forehead furrowed as his eyes examined the ring.


    ¡°Yes. And¡­¡± I suddenly cut off my sentence. n raised an eyebrow, waiting for me to finish my sentence. I shook my head. ¡°No. Never mind.¡±


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay, sweetheart. Just tell me if there¡¯s something that makes you ufortable.¡± n pressed gently with a soft voice.


    Wait a minute! Sweetheart?!


    I restrained myself from rolling my eyes. I felt the man¡¯s emotions shifting so quickly. Now he felt entitled to call me in a romantic term?! God, he¡¯s just delusional.


    I pushed aside my annoyance. For now, I had to be satisfied with the sess of my mission to make n believe and agree to marry me. The next step was to lure n into entrusting his credit card to me.


    ¡°Well, I know you¡¯ve worked hard for me all this time. I know you¡¯ve spent a lot of money buying Gene, helping me get projects, and so on.¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡± n nodded his head.


    ¡°So, after all that you¡¯ve done, I thought you would¡­¡± I paused and looked at n carefully. When he nodded his head again, I continued.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d give a bigger and shinier diamond than this.¡± I chirped while shrugging my shoulders.


    ¡°Oh,¡± n blinks. He seemed surprised that I would ask for something like that.


    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t appreciate it. It¡¯s just that with all the effort you¡¯ve put into me and the big hamper you left on my porch, I thought it would match our engagement ring.¡±


    Hearing how I emphasized the words ¡®our engagement ring¡¯, n¡¯s ears seemed to perk up. He nodded his head.


    ¡°No worries. We¡¯ll get a bigger and shinier diamond than this. Something that will fit perfectly on your finger.¡± His thumb stroked the back of my hand with a smile on his chiseled jaw.

 VIP Only

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°We want to buy your best diamond ring,¡± n said quickly.


    ¡°Sorry, sir. Our VIP room is only open to members,¡± the store guard responded with a cold smile towards n.


    ¡°Oh, right. You¡¯re right.¡± n smiled widely and then turned to me. ¡°Darling, I guarantee you won¡¯t regreting here with me to enjoy this experience like in the movies.¡±


    n then took out his wallet from his suit pocket and pulled out a ck card with silver lettering. There it was! The unlimited tinum credit card!


    ¡°This is what you meant, right? I¡¯m sure this card includes membership at all Prestishe store branches worldwide.¡±


    n smiled arrogantly as he handed the card to the store staff. The staff examined the card closely and then turned to a woman who had been sitting in the corner of the room behind the disy case. She nodded as a signal for her to act. The woman in the suit immediately stood up and greeted us with a wide, friendly smile.


    ¡°Hi. Would you like to see our premium diamond collection?¡± the woman asked. I nced at the namete on her chest. ¡®Linda. Manager.¡¯


    ¡°Certainly. Show us the best collection.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°Please follow me to the VIP room, sir.¡±


    The store manager walked ahead of us and guided us down a narrow corridor to the back of the store. She stopped in front of a beige-paneled wall and pressed her thumb on a fingerprint scanner. When the lock opened, she opened a steel door.


    OMG!


    I knew n might get all his money from moneyundering. I knew this was wrong, but look at all this! I should have been used to designer boutiques, but this was something different. Diamond collections and various jewelry were disyed behind ss boxes on the walls or tables on the floor. It resembled exhibits in a museum.


    n then invited me to sit on a plush, dark blue velvet sofa. My eyes observed the store guards who widened their smiles at me, even though initially they had scrutinized me from head to toe. If n hadn¡¯t provided that ck card, the attendants would have likely kicked us out.


    I knew that my outfit today was rtively simple because I sold out all the other branded clothes at the bazaar. A ck knit turtleneck, a lc jacket with a soft checkered pattern, a ck midi skirt, and knee-high boots. Although n wore a branded suit, they still seemed unsure that I was a model.


    n sat next to me on the sofa. He smiled broadly as he watched the store manager go to another area of the vault while the other store staff stood by with us. Then, one of the store staff came in pushing a white cart and offering a variety of snacks and warm teas.


    ¡°n, aren¡¯t you going overboard?¡± I whispered to him.


    ¡°No. As you said, we need to buy an engagement ring that¡¯s bigger and shinier.¡± He didn¡¯t hesitate to raise his voice so the store staff could hear him.


    We sipped our tea while waiting for Linda to return from the vault. Soon, the woman in the ck suit emerged pushing a small trolley covered with ck satin fabric. ck velvet boxes were lined up on the trolley. She then introduced one by one the diamond rings they had.


    ¡°Which one do you want, Fene?¡± n asked me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, there are so many.¡± I chuckled with flushed cheeks.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, miss. You can try them on to decide which one you like. What¡¯s your ring size?¡±


    n and I then selected various models of diamond rings offered. Then, from rings, we moved on to a set of jewelry consisting of a ne, bracelet, earrings, and rings. Weughed and joked as we tried each collection.


    Wait a minute! I think I¡¯ve strayed too far from my mission!


    Suddenly, I remembered my actual mission. The credit card had been returned to n¡¯s wallet. The only way I could get detailed information about the card was to pay for the jewelry, distract n, and note it down while he was not paying attention.


    Alright, the sooner the better.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll buy this one.¡± I pointed randomly at one of the collections.


    ¡°Are you sure you want to buy that one?¡± n asked with a furrowed brow.


    ¡°Yes, I really like the design. Besides, they¡¯re aplete set, right?¡±


    ¡°Alright, miss.¡± The manager smiled with an enthusiastic nod.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, right?¡± I asked n.


    ¡°Of course.¡± n smiled broadly as he took out his card from his wallet again. ¡°Anything for you, darling.¡±


    He showed the ck card in front of my face. I smiled back with wide eyes, of course for different reasons than n.


    He handed the card to Linda. The manager then left the VIP room with the card, taking it with her. If only I could distract n with something, I could go to the manager to retrieve the card.


    ¡°Hey, n, aren¡¯t you curious about the vault inside?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Only the manager seems to have ess there.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a pity,¡± I said softly.


    ¡°I know you must be curious.¡±


    ¡°Uh, yeah, just wanted to check if the manager has shown all the collections.¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°Should we postpone the payment? Do you want to see it again?¡± n asked.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s fine,¡± I declined with a slight shake of my head.


    ¡°Hey, I want to make sure there¡¯s nothing on your mind after we leave this store.¡± n gently held my elbow.


    ¡°Er, let me inform the manager then.¡± Slowly, I got up from the sofa and walked backward towards the exit of the VIP room.


    ¡°Let¡¯s ask this youngdy for help,¡± n suggested as he was about to call the female staff who greeted us.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay. Let me handle it myself. I¡¯ve already caused enough trouble.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, darling. It¡¯s part of their service.¡±


    ¡°I just want to be polite and reassure Linda. I don¡¯t want her to be upset thinking we¡¯re toying with them,¡± I began walking further away from n. ¡°Wait here for a moment, darling.¡±


    n looked surprised by my words. He finally fell silent, and I quickly took the opportunity to sneak out of the VIP room. I walked quickly to the cashier at the front of the store and approached the manager. When I reached the cashier, I saw Linda looking down deeply.


    ¡°Hey,¡± I greeted her, and her body jolted.


    My eyes widened as she stared at me. I furrowed my brow, seeing her body trembling in ce.


    ¡°Yes?¡± She answered hesitantly, as if controlling her hurried breath.


    ¡°Er¡­ sorry, I¡¯d like to see another collection. Can you cancel the transaction?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes, of course.¡± She immediately returned the ck card, which she had apparently been holding all along.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t charged anything to this card yet?¡±


    ¡°Not yet, miss.¡± She smiled warmly, returning her professional demeanor. ¡°I¡¯ll get the other collection then,¡± she said, walking out from the cashier and heading towards the deepest corridor of the store.


    As she walked away and I was alone in the corridor, I quickly took out my phone. I turned my back to the path leading to the VIP room door. The next second, I opened the phone camera, took a picture of the front of the ck card, and then quickly flipped it over. My heart raced as I finally managed to take a picture of the back of the card.


    ¡°Fene?¡± n¡¯s voice made me jump in panic. I turned around and saw n peeking from the VIP room.


    ¡°Hey, sorry.¡± I calmed my pounding heart by taking a deep breath.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    I walked towards him while putting my phone back into my jacket pocket. ¡°Nothing¡­¡± I paused, trying toe up with a reason. ¡°My mom asked me to stop by the grocery store and buy eggs.¡±


    ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll go to the grocery store after we finish here.¡± He smiled.

 The King of Online Gambler

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°Woohoo! Awesome!¡±


    Matthew cheered loudly in the living room of my house. He rubbed his palms together with fiery excitement in his eyes. Matthew bit his lower lip and waited for the next instructions.


    Laird, Matthew, and I had opened the online meeting room on myptop to stay connected with Dave. Meanwhile, Matthew had opened his ownptop with an online gambling page clearly disyed on the screen. The sound of slot machines jingling disturbed our concentration.


    ¡°Calm down a bit, buddy. I still have to break through one more defense on your favorite website,¡± Dave mumbled, his fingers tapping on his keyboard in New York.


    ¡°Come on, I can¡¯t wait to try it.¡±


    ¡°Patience, Matthew. Let him work.¡± Laird warned the man with a firm voice.


    I could only watch them in silence, hoping that n wouldn¡¯t know anything about all this. My mission to steal n¡¯s credit card data had seeded, but we still had to obscure our digital trail from n during the card¡¯s usage. Truly, this was criminal activity, and n could sue us!


    ¡°Done!¡±


    Dave signaled that the card could now be used without being detected by n. There would be no notifications sent to the cardholder¡¯s number or email, no PIN requests, and Dave had blurred our location to make it harder to trace.


    ¡°Showtime.¡±


    Matthew cracked his knuckles with a wicked grin. Then, swiftly, he used the card on the online gambling website. Virtual slot machines, lottery tickets, horse racing, boxing matches, illegal goods in the dark web market, and various other forms of illegal money transfers.


    ¡°Is this really safe, Laird? Aren¡¯t we going to get caught by the FBI?¡± I asked with a pounding heart and eyes fixed on Matthew¡¯sptop screen.


    ¡°If Dave says it¡¯s safe, then it¡¯s safe. Besides, the money on that card is also illegal. What goes aroundes around,¡± Laird tried to reassure me.


    ¡°Will this immediately provoke the reaction needed by Prosecutor Golden?¡± I asked Matthew.


    ¡°Yes, of course. It¡¯s the fastest way to get the FBI, OFAC, and Prosecutor Golden out of their hideouts.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± I bit my nail. I didn¡¯t know, but a sense of anxiety haunted me. The guilt and sympathy for dragging n to court began to weigh on me.


    ¡°Rx, Fene. This is just a small bait to expose the case.¡± Laird squeezed my hand. I nodded and trusted him.


    Indeed, minute by minute felt like years. I still couldn¡¯t believe we were involved in such a major case. It felt like a dream.


    I knew billionaires like Mallory West, politicians like Peter Morgan, and businessmen like n Schmidt might have dirty criminal secrets. It¡¯s just that I had never experienced it myself. It was all just news I watched on TV dramas or online news.


    I could only imagine how n¡¯s face would look when it was reported. It might be as heartbreaking as when he apologized for that DUI case.


    ¡°Alright, I think that¡¯s enough. We just need to wait for their reaction,¡± Matthew chuckled.


    ¡°Well, we don¡¯t need to wait.¡±


    Laird took out his phone and called someone. He ced the phone on the table and turned on the speaker so everyone in the room could hear what Prosecutor Golden had to say. The call buzzed for a while before it was answered.


    ¡°Good evening, Mr. Golden.¡±


    ¡°Good evening, Evans.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you can check your surveince results again. See if there¡¯s anything setting off rms there.¡± Laird smiled crookedly.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°Oh, yes, thanks for that. I¡¯ve already informed the judge this afternoon, and the ount will be blocked soon.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Hearing this, we all frowned.


    ¡°Your n worked, Laird. The order for blocking and investigating the ount is waiting for the Assistant Attorney General¡¯s signature.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute. Since when did you pick up the evidence?¡±


    ¡°This afternoon. Around 3 p. m.,¡± the man replied confidently.


    Our eyes widened at this. My mouth dropped open, and I exchanged nces with Laird. We had justpleted the transaction about five minutes ago at 7 p. m. How could a suspicious transaction have been detected at 3 p. m.?


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t us. We just finished it less than ten minutes ago.¡±


    ¡°Really? Well, whoever did it used it to buy illegal goods from a long-monitored dark web site. Bad move.¡± Mr. Golden chuckled softly.


    ¡°Right. Gotcha. I wish you sess.¡±


    Laird ended the call with the same vacant look as mine. We stood in stunned silence, still processing Prosecutor Golden¡¯s words.


    ¡°What happened at 3 p. m.?¡± Matthew asked with a furrowed brow.


    ¡°Dude, so we did this for nothing?¡± Dave groaned in frustration.


    ¡°Not entirely for nothing. Anyway, our goal was achieved. Now we just have to wait for further news from them.¡± Laird muttered with a grim expression.


    ¡°Well, alright. I¡¯m out for now.¡± Dave ended the connection to the online meeting room.


    ¡°So, someone else already made n¡¯s card traceable by the FBI?¡± I asked, trying to rify what was actually happening.


    ¡°Brilliant.¡± Matthew¡¯s tone was annoyingly sarcastic. ¡°Oof, I think I need more wine.¡± The man then poured n¡¯s gift wine into his ss, which had been continuously filled.


    ¡°Who did it? Did they help us?¡± I asked with my brow creased.


    This is mind-blowing!


    I never imagined such a coincidence. I mean, I certainly believe in destiny, but I¡¯m not sure about an unseen hand from the spiritual world above. Laird squeezed my hand tightly. His warm hand chased away the cold from the tension I had been feeling.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll ask prosecutor Golden for more detailster. At least we can rx for now until n and his gang are arrested,¡± Laird said calmly.


    ¡°When will he be arrested?¡± I asked, squeezing his hand in return.


    ¡°After all of the investigative evidence is convincing enough for the court. It depends on how likely they are to win the case. It could be a week to a month.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, all this waiting is killing me.¡± I groaned in frustration.


    The next second, my phone rang. n was calling me!


    ¡°Oh my God.¡±


    The phone rang loudly, causing my back to tense up again. I just stared at the phone screen and showed it to Laird and Matthew.


    ¡°What should I do, Laird? Does he already know I¡¯m the culprit?¡±


    I bit my lower lip anxiously. My forehead furrowed as I looked at them, who were also frozen in their seats. Matthew whistled, and Laird brushed his hair.


    ¡°Don¡¯t answer it,¡± Laird advised.


    ¡°He¡¯ll keep calling. I¡¯m sure of it.¡± I massaged my temples and eventually ced my phone on the table.


    The phone call stopped. I breathed a sigh of relief. However, I knew n wouldn¡¯t let his call go unanswered by me. He would demand that I answer his call or respond to his message.


    ¡°I think I should answer it. He¡¯ll get suspicious if I¡¯ve gotten an expensive diamond ring and still ignore his call.¡±


    ¡°You know all this will end once Prosecutor Golden arrests him?¡± Laird raised an eyebrow with a piercing gaze.


    ¡°Yes, of course.¡± I chuckled and lightly punched his shoulder.


    Suddenly, the doorbell rang. I immediately exchanged nces with Laird and tensed up again.


    ¡°Is that n?¡± I asked with a pounding heart.


    ¡°Impossible.¡± Laird whispered with a held breath.


    We stood still and waited. The doorbell rang again, indicating that the person outside was insistent on meeting the people of the house.


    ¡°Yes?¡± My mom came out of her room towards the door.


    ¡°Mom, wait!¡± I ran to stop my mom.


    ¡°Come on, hide.¡± Laird pulled the limp Matthew towards the bathroom.

 Guest List

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I stood behind my front door. My mother stood behind me. Her forehead was furrowed in confusion at my behavior, but she let me be. I peeked through the peephole in the door.


    I immediately felt relieved. I opened the door wide with a smile on my face. ¡°Jessy!¡±


    ¡°Merry Christmas!¡±


    We hugged tightly. My mother, upon seeing Jessy, groaned. ¡°You dare show your face now?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, Ma¡¯am.¡±


    My mother didn¡¯t particrly like Jessy. Not because she was homophobic or disliked Jessy¡¯s personality, but because she felt Jessy controlled all my schedule. Part of it was my fault for often making Jessy the scapegoat for my absences on Christmas Eve for five consecutive years and for rarely returning to Boston.


    ¡°This is for you, Mrs. Baxter.¡± Jessy lifted arge bag filled with some premium food items.


    ¡°Oh, this is rare, honey. And dried fruits, too.¡± My mother epted the bag and peered inside.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°Yes, just as you always wanted.¡± Jessy smiled and nodded at my mother.


    ¡°Oh,e in, dear. It¡¯s cold outside,¡± my mother said, pulling Jessy¡¯s arm and inviting him in. I then closed the door and walked to the bathroom. I knocked softly on the door.


    ¡°Come out. It¡¯s not n, it¡¯s Jessy,¡± I said with a chuckle.


    The bathroom door opened. Laird and Matthew then emerged. Jessy, upon seeing them, immediately took a deep breath and covered his mouth with both hands.


    ¡°Oh, sweet devil. Were you guys doing something naughty in there?¡± Jessy asked with his cheerful, giggling tone.


    ¡°Hey, Jessy.¡± Laird waved at him. ¡°Meet Matthew. Don¡¯t mind him; by the way, he¡¯s already drunk.¡±


    ¡°Hey. Nice coat.¡± Matthew briefly raised his hand. I frowned when I heard the drunken manment on Jessy¡¯s coat-fake Dalmatian fur.


    Matthew then sank onto the sofa while I helped Jessy ce his bag and coat on it. We then sat on the sofa, encircling the firece to warm the air.


    ¡°How¡¯s your mother?¡± My mother asked Jessy.


    ¡°She¡¯s better now. She just needs outpatient care once a month. So, I took the opportunity to visit when I heard Fene was back in Boston.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that. Oh, wait here, I¡¯ll get some eggnog.¡± My mother got up from the living room sofa and went to the kitchen.


    ¡°What actually happened? I was shocked when I saw your message.¡±


    Jessy leaned in and blinked his eyes. Of course, he hoped to hear the whole story, and that¡¯s what I gave him. I told Jessica everything about how we ended up on a special mission to imprison n.


    ***


    ¡°Damn that jerk.¡± Jessy sighed. His shoulders dropped after hearing the entire story. ¡°I just can¡¯t believe what will happen if he actually ends up in prison. Doesn¡¯t that mean Gene will go bankrupt?¡±


    ¡°Most likely. The prosecutor might block thepany¡¯s ounts, seize all thepany¡¯s contract documents, and eventually, Gene¡¯s office will need to find a recement.¡± Laird¡¯s face looked grim as heid out the potential risks.


    ¡°That¡¯s not good. It will halt all the talent at Gene.¡± Jessy murmured in a low voice. His eyes were fixed on his white sock-d feet.


    ¡°Shit. I forgot about that. If n is arrested and the office ounts are seized by the court, what will happen to the models and actors?¡± I pped my forehead and leaned back against the sofa. My thoughts drifted to Greg and the others.


    ¡°And the other agents too.¡± Jessy added.


    ¡°And Ss, the office boy!¡± I eximed.


    My heart sank as I thought of them all. Was I willing to ruin their livelihoods just to take down one person? My hand continued to massage my temple as I stared intently at Laird. He, too, could not offer any ideas and merely frowned, looking at his hands resting on his knees.


    ¡°That¡¯s a risk we have to take,¡± he muttered quietly.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you start your own agency? You could also look for other agencies before the FBI catches that guy.¡±


    Matthew¡¯s voice suddenly cut through all other sounds in the room. We turned our heads toward him with nk stares. His face was red, his eyelids drooping, and he was clearly on the verge of unconsciousness.


    ¡°As if starting a new modeling agency is easy.¡± Jessica sighed irritably and rolled his eyes.


    Suddenly, my phone rang again. n was calling, and I immediately looked at Laird. Jessy gestured for me to answer. Laird nodded in permission. ¡°Loudspeaker,¡± Laird said quickly before I picked up the call.


    ¡°Hello, n.¡±


    ¡°Hi, darling.¡±


    Laird shot me a look. I then ced my phone on the table after pressing the speaker button.


    ¡°Hey¡­, darling.¡± I shrugged, not sure what to say in response.


    ¡°Took you long enough to pick up my call.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I was entertaining my mother¡¯s guest. Sorry,¡± I said softly.


    ¡°Oh, alright. No worries.¡± n cleared his throat as if holding back his anger.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s up?¡± I asked quietly, trying not to offend him.


    ¡°Do you miss me?¡±


    Hearing n¡¯s voice again with his seductive tone, Laird stood up from the sofa. His hands were on his hips with an annoyed, crooked smile on his face. He looked at my phone as if he wanted to crush it right then and there.


    ¡°Hm¡­, a little.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that will be good enough. You know I miss you so much.¡±


    He spoke again in a low whisper. His unusual tone made Jessy shiver. Jessy hugged himself, wiping his nose in displeasure.


    ¡°Hey, n. My mother needs me to serve eggnog to the guests. I have to go,¡± I said, trying to end this insignificant conversation.


    I nced at Laird, Jessy, and Matthew with anxious hope. Truly, this was bing more embarrassing for n, and I didn¡¯t want to prolong it.


    ¡°Oh, yeah, say hi to your mother for me. Actually, I just wanted to extend an invitation to you.¡±


    ¡°Invitation?¡±


    Gosh. Every time n invited me to an event, it was usually a trap he had set up for me. The Sexy Cat studio, the new car, Mallory, and so many other things made me increasingly wary of every invitation from n. This time would be no different. I was sure he intended to do something to me.


    ¡°Yes, Fene. January 2nd is Amy¡¯s birthday.¡±


    Hearing that name from him, my eyes widened. I snorted with a smallugh.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s throwing a kid¡¯s birthday party.¡±


    ¡°What can I do? She invited me and you as my fiancee. She said I should introduce you to my family.¡±


    ¡°Have you told Amy about our engagement? Won¡¯t she be upset seeing me as your plus-one at the party?¡± I groaned in disagreement.


    ¡°I only said I was engaged but didn¡¯t say with whom. I wanted it to be a surprise for her.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± I murmured quietly.


    ¡°She¡¯s not so bad now. Besides, she¡¯s the one who helped me transform myself to get your attention. It shouldn¡¯t be a problem.¡±


    I shook my head, shrugged, and squeezed the sofa cushion. I did all this silently while he prattled on about the luxurious birthday party Amy was nning. Though I didn¡¯t like it, Laird silently nodded. He gave a thumbs-up in approval while I frowned.


    ¡°Oh, well. Alright. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be getting an expensive gift for her.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t think I can buy a gift that expensive since my credit card is blocked.¡±


    Hearing n¡¯s response, our attention immediately sharpened. Our bodies tensed, and I leaned closer to the phone on the table.


    ¡°The ck card you used to buy the ring? What¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°Someone used my card to make arge purchase on an online site.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s terrible. Have you reported it to the bank? Has the card been blocked?¡± I asked with my eyes still fixed on Laird.


    ¡°Yes. For now, my credit card is blocked, and it will take three days to issue a new one,¡± he said.


    ¡°Have you reported it to the police?¡±


    As soon as I finished asking him, heughed. ¡°They won¡¯t be of any help.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to catch the culprit so they¡¯ll be sentenced?¡± I asked, my fists clenching the sides of my shirt.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother. I¡¯m toozy to deal with the police, darling. Anyway,e over next week. Remember, January 2nd. Do you understand?¡±


    Again, I frowned in irritation at n¡¯s way of speaking to me like a boss who liked to belittle others under his thumb. But this time I had no choice. I needed to end this call as soon as possible.


    ¡°Yes, n,¡± I said obediently.

 Three is Too Crowded

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I exhaled repeatedly. Anxiety and unease had enveloped me for days. My mother had said I needed to stay calm and confident. Laird had told me not to be afraid and to face it for the sake of our goal. Their advice seemed so easy for them to give.


    Was I the only one scared at the thought of facing the ghosts from my past again?


    Today was January 2nd, and I was finally going to see Amy Schmidt again-correction, Amy Morgan. I had thought my mission was over after obtaining n¡¯s credit card information, but our investigation was still ongoing.


    Malcolm Golden and his team had been investigating n¡¯s bank ounts connected to his tinum credit card. They had not found any concrete connection to Peter Morgan¡¯s or Amy¡¯s ounts. If they acted rashly, they would only capture n without truly apprehending the mastermind. It seemed their gang worked meticulously and received various aids to hide their crimes.


    So, I was back undercover as n¡¯s fiancee. My mission this time was to steal the phones of n, Amy, and Peter. Could I do it? I didn¡¯t even know Peter at all! Especially Amy, that queen of snakes, would never let her guard down.


    Nevertheless, Prosecutor Golden still hoped I could get their phones, even if only for a short while. Then I was to connect each phone to a special phone that had been rigged by FBI via a cable, wait until the duplication process wasplete, and then return the phones to them.


    Why did it have to be me doing all of this? Shouldn¡¯t the FBI agents be more skilled at undercover work and data retrieval? Isn¡¯t this illegal? I was starting to believe they didn¡¯t want to dirty their hands and preferred to have someone else do the work for them.


    ¡°Fene, calm down, dear.¡±


    n¡¯s voice brought me out of my reverie. I turned my head from the side window to his face, which was etched with a friendly smile. He took my hand and squeezed it briefly.


    ¡°Yes, n. Of course. I don¡¯t know how you managed to live with Amy and Chris for so long,¡± I said with a long exhale.


    I briefly squeezed his hand in return as a form of politeness and then withdrew it.


    ¡°I just had to endure for a while to achieve the main goal. In the end, I will reach it,¡± he said, smiling kindly at me.


    I mumbled a response as best as I could. My head turned back to the window. Our car slowed as we entered the upscale residential area of Andover. An enormous house with expansivewns and huge golden gates lined the street.


    The vehicle slowed further before turning into arge driveway. The building in front of me was so vast it could have been called a castle. Even counting the windows, I knew it was a three-story house with wings on either side.


    If I hadn¡¯t known where the money came from, I would have been awed by the elegance and luxury of the house. However, knowing its origin made me nauseous. Many others had lost their homes because they couldn¡¯t afford their bank loans, yet these people stole tax money to build their own pces.


    ¡°How do I look?¡± n asked, now fully facing me.


    I looked at his suit, which was luxurious as always. A dark blue three-piece suit and a white tie looked perfectly matched. His hair was slicked back with a few short curls deliberately falling on his temples. His ck shoes were polished to a shine, showing premium-quality leather. A confident smile adorned his face.


    His appearance was so different from rk, who had gone to the first-year dance with me. No more red bowties. His pale skin had been reced by a darker tan from regr salon tanning.


    ¡°You look hot,¡± I chuckled,plimenting him.


    n¡¯s smile widened upon hearing my praise. ¡°You look sexy as hell today as well.¡± His hand lifted to caress my cheek.


    For today, I had dressed as beautifully as possible. My makeup looked wless with a natural yet luxurious appearance. My face resembled those social media influencers who used beautiful doll filters. My hair was styled to be smooth and straight, falling softly over my chest.


    Ipleted the look with a set of diamond jewelry that n had bought for mest week as an engagement gift.


    I wore a red gown with a low-cut neckline almost down to my stomach and a high slit up one side of my thigh. Not forgetting a top-quality white faux fur coat for elegance. My outfit waspleted with glittering red high heels.


    ¡°We¡¯ll bete if we don¡¯t get inside quickly,¡± Jessy called from the driver¡¯s seat. He looked back at us with a wide smile and turned his body to show his face to n. Annoyed by Jessy¡¯s interruption, n groaned.


    ¡°Oh, I forgot you wereing too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just doing my job as a temporary assistant and personal driver until we get back to New York. Remember?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± n sighed, rolling his eyes in annoyance. ¡°Come on, dear, let¡¯s go inside.¡±From N?velDrama.Org.


    He then exited the car and walked around to open the door for me. I squeezed Jessy¡¯s arm quickly.


    ¡°Thank you. Has Laird contacted you?¡±


    ¡°He parked in front of the house,¡± he replied quickly.


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Just as I expressed my relief, n opened the car door on my side. I got out of the car with a thankful smile at him. We walked slowly toward the house¡¯s main door, with Jessy following us.


    n hadn¡¯t regained his driving license, which had been suspended by the court, so we were using Jessy¡¯s car. Initially, n had insisted on driving himself so we could go alone. Fortunately, I had reminded him that it would be disastrous if something went wrong and we got caught by the police again.


    He had also suggested taking a taxi. But I made sure that I was still confident that Amy¡¯s character, which maintained a good image in front of everyone, hadn¡¯t changed. I convinced n that taking a taxi would make Amy scold him. Therefore, n reluctantly allowed Jessy to apany us, even though it was actually part of our n.


    n lifted his arm for me to take. So, with my best acting, I smiled and draped my arm over his.


    The three of us then entered the house with floors made entirely of white marble. Crystal chandeliers with silver sparkles hung from the ceiling of the second floor down to the first. The lights perfectly adorned the staircase to the second floor.


    n guided us further inside, then turned to a door on the left. We walked down a hallway that opened up to arge garden. The party decorations featured variousbinations of pink and white flowers surrounding the garden area. Tables covered with bright white tablecloths and wooden chairs adorned with pink ribbons were set up.


    It was as if we were attending a wedding reception from a reality TV show. The only difference was that this was Amy¡¯s 25th birthday party.


    ¡°There she is. That¡¯s Amy.¡±


    n pointed to a girl who was standing with her back to us. My eyes widened, and my heart raced as I finally saw Amy again after seven years.

 Birthday Bash

    Fene¡¯s POV


    My breath was caught when I saw my nemesis again. I hadn¡¯t expected to meet her again after all these years. Thest time I saw her was at prom night, and I was sure I wouldn¡¯t have to deal with her again. Yet, here I was, standing and staring at her wide smile as she looked at me.


    Yes, she saw me.


    My body trembled for a moment. My eyes widened as she walked closer to us. I swallowed and prepared myself to face her again.


    Her hair was now copper-colored, cut short to her shoulders withrge, pompous waves. She wore a long-sleeved white maxi dress that was tight, but with a plunging neckline and transparent mesh down to her stomach. Her lips were painted bright red with heavy makeup.


    For a moment, my thoughts drifted to the times she had mocked me. She would hiss in anger every time I did something she disliked. She made my nightmarese true. I didn¡¯t want to be obsessed with her, but I couldn¡¯t shake the painful throb in my chest every time I saw her squinted eyes mocking me.


    Now she was doing it again. As her body was right in front of me, she squinted her eyes. She wasn¡¯t taller than me, but now she seemed to have grown taller and looked down on me from above her feet.


    Suddenly, n¡¯s hand gripped mine, which was hanging by his arm. He squeezed it for a moment, and I immediately snapped out of my daze. I looked at n¡¯s face, and he nodded encouragingly with a smile.


    ¡°Well, well, well. Look who¡¯s here. What a splendid surprise.¡± Amy¡¯s voice came out in a low tone that felt cold and piercing to my ears.


    ¡°Hey, Amy. You know her, don¡¯t you?¡± n smiled at her.


    ¡°I may or may not remember her. Is she really Fene Baxter?¡± Amy looked me up and down.


    ¡°Yes, she is.¡±


    n straightened his back. His chin lifted, and a haughty re shone in his eyes as he looked at Amy. Seeing n bravely facing Amy, I felt urged to show the same courage. I straightened my back, lifted my chin slightly, and stared back at her.


    ¡°Hello, Amy. I must be cursed to meet you again,¡± I said, unknowingly with a sarcastic tone.


    ¡°Everyone makes the same stupid mistake in their life. How do you like my well-trained pet?¡± She smiled wryly before taking a sip of her champagne.


    ¡°Amy, we agreed to y nice today.¡± n frowned and grated his teeth.


    ¡°Sorry. It must be in my blood to tick off my prey.¡± She chuckled briefly. ¡°Especially if they try hard to steal my spotlight.¡±


    Amy continued to look at me disdainfully. Aha! As usual, she didn¡¯t like it when someone else looked better and more beautiful than her. Now that I was here with n, arm in arm, getting everyone checking out on us, it clearly annoyed her.


    ¡°No one is trying to steal your spotlight, Amy. We just came to greet an old friend,¡± I said with a firm smile.


    ¡°Hello, who¡¯s there? Must be a new face.¡±


    A man approached us. He appeared older but still had a trim figure with a slim stomach. His hair was streaked with a couple of white hairs, which only added to his distinguished look. He was dressed in a dark gray three-piece suit and a white tie. He embraced Amy at the waist, and I immediately recognized his face from one of the billboard advertisements as the senator.


    ¡°Let me introduce you, Peter. This is my fiancee, Fene Baxter,¡± n said.


    ¡°Ah, what a gorgeousdy.¡± Peter extended his hand to shake mine. I smiled warmly, feeling a bit embarrassed by hispliment.


    ¡°Thank you, sir. It¡¯s so nice to finally meet my favorite senator.¡± I greeted his handshake with a fake smile I knew could always fool any man.


    ¡°You nail a fine gene for our family bloodline,¡± Peter said to n while still holding my hand.


    ¡°Yes. She¡¯s the whole reason I built my business.¡±


    Peter¡¯s eyes widened upon hearing n¡¯s words. His other hand then pointed at me with his mouth slightly agape. ¡°So, she¡¯s the main goal you always talked about?¡±


    ¡°Precisely.¡± n nodded confidently with a proud smile on his face.


    ¡°Ah, now I know why you were so determined to build your business empire for years. She¡¯s worth it.¡± Peter chuckled, and Iughed softly, my cheeks reddening from the embarrassment of all the praise.


    Crazy. His mouth was so sweet! With a baritone voice, sharp, glittering gaze, and firm handshake, he could conquer any woman to spread her legs for him. Too bad his behavior and criminal acts were so terrible.


    ¡°Darling, you also promised to give me a business empirest year. Until now, you¡¯ve only given me a little pocket money. Am I less worth it than her?¡±


    Amy¡¯s hand fidgeted on her husband¡¯s chest, and she pressed herself close to him. Her voice also turned into a whiny tone that made my skin crawl.


    Gosh! Amy never changed. She would get jealous and pout if someone else took the spotlight from her. I held back a scoff that threatened to escape from me to remain polite in front of them.


    I didn¡¯t know whether to be proud or not, but it was clear she still felt challenged by me. It seemed my hard work over the past seven years had paid off. Suddenly, I felt more confident and began to believe that Amy wasn¡¯t as frightening as she used to be.


    ¡°Amy, dear, I¡¯ve told you I would give you everything if you gave me a son.¡± Peter seemed to be restraint himself and patiently dealing with his wife.


    ¡°Why do you always ask for that like someone living in ancient times?¡± Amy asked with a pouty lip. Her hand clutched Peter¡¯s suit cor.


    ¡°And you always make me feel bad for being an older man.¡±


    Peter¡¯s voice turned cold. His sharp gaze seemed to intimidate Amy, causing her to retract her hand back to her side.


    ¡°Once again, congrattions to you, n. I¡¯ll be waiting for your wedding invitation.¡± Peter patted n¡¯s shoulder briefly. His eyes then winked at me flirtatiously before he walked away, leaving the three of us alone.


    I watched Peter Morgan¡¯s back as he blended into the crowd at another table. His cold demeanor that I had just seen immediately turned warm again as he greeted other guests. Theyughed and chuckled, while the three of us remained silent in a gloomy atmosphere.


    ¡°I¡¯ll gouge your eyes out if you keep looking at him.¡± Amy hissed at me.


    I immediately turned back to the woman. Sure enough, she was grinding her teeth as if she were about to poke my eyes out for real.


    ¡°Easy, Amy. She¡¯s done nothing wrong.¡± n held Amy¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Fuck off, n. Don¡¯t you see their looks when they flirt? She disgusts me.¡± She scrunched her face, still hissing through her gritted teeth.


    ¡°She¡¯s with me now. Will you stop crushing my dream like that? Nothing happened between them.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, for now.¡± Amy rolled her eyes upwards. ¡°You can¡¯t let your guard down with a harlot like her.¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°Shut the fuck up, Amy. You¡¯d better focus on your baby-making thing. Or should I rece you instead?¡± I forced a wry smile this time, managing to steel myself to counter her insults that I had been swallowing.


    Amy tightened her grip on her champagne ss. Oh no, don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s going to pour that champagne on me.

 Ungranted Forgiveness

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°Listen carefully, you bitch.¡± Amy leaned in closer to me with a fierce re. n¡¯s hand was still blocking us. ¡°One wrong step from you, and if you mess with what isn¡¯t yours, I¡¯ll get my revenge and destroy you.¡±


    I met her gaze with determination. This time, I wasn¡¯t going to be afraid or back down. I wouldn¡¯t ignore all her insults. Never again!


    ¡°Have you ever thought that throughout high school you kept trying to mess with what wasn¡¯t yours? How does it feel now to taste the poison you¡¯ve spat at me all this time?¡±


    ¡°Ha! You still remember high school with Laird?¡± Amy smiled at me. ¡°Isn¡¯t that way out of date? I didn¡¯t expect you to still remember that.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Amy. I knew everything about you and n conspiring in your little cheap drama.¡±


    ¡°And so what? Are you going to get revenge on me by seducing Peter?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better apologize to me if you don¡¯t want me to take away what¡¯s valuable to you. By the way, it wasn¡¯t me who was seducing Peter, but the other way around.¡±


    One of my hands was on my hips, and a smirk spread across my face. I felt victorious when Amy¡¯s eyes finally widened. She looked at n with a menacing re.


    ¡°Ah, so n has told you. That¡¯s good then.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t me n. You¡¯re the one who should be responsible for everything that happened to us.¡±


    ¡°Responsible?¡± Amy chuckled dismissively. ¡°How?¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°Apologize.¡±


    My voice grew tense as I demanded an apology from her. My jaw tightened. I waited for Amy to do the right thing, but all I got was a smirk on her face.


    Amy then shrugged and sneered. ¡°Sorry.¡±


    My eyes widened as she dismissed me with her fake apology. I closed my mouth and bit my lower lip to keep from tearing into her with a mockingugh.


    I thought she would change into a better woman. I thought I would pity or forgive her when we met again. In reality, Amy¡¯s behavior had only worsened over time! Gosh, I hoped I could forgive her, but it seemed I truly had toplete my mission of revenge and drag her to prison.


    ¡°Done. Now, fuck off.¡± Amy spat her curse at me.


    ¡°Amy. She¡¯s going to be your sister-inw. Show her some respect.¡±


    n reprimanded Amy with a cold voice and a re full of anger. Amy tilted her head to look at n closely. Her hand then gently brushed n¡¯s cheek. Her gaze roamed over every detail of n¡¯s face.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who should be showing me respect. Don¡¯t you remember who brought you to sess? Me.¡±


    After she said that, she patted n¡¯s cheek lightly, as if she would p it hard if she hadn¡¯t remembered the etiquette at her own birthday party. Then she walked over to one of the tables and appeared to be arguing with a man whose face looked familiar.


    ¡°Is that Chris?¡± I asked n in a low voice.


    ¡°Yes.¡± n¡¯s anger still seemed to burn inside him. His expression turned grim, and his jaw remained clenched.


    ¡°Wow. Some things never change.¡± I snorted as I saw them sitting side by side.


    ¡°Why? Do you want to take him as part of your revenge as well?¡±


    n now observed my face with a piercing look. I recognized that look. Laird had always given me the same intense re whenever I mentioned n in front of him. It was the look of a jealous man.


    I realized I needed to be careful now. I had been threatening to take Peter from Amy and had forgotten that I should be focusing on securing my engagement with n. It seemed I had been too caught up in momentary revenge.


    ¡°Is Chris still avable as a powerful weapon for revenge against Amy?¡±


    ¡°Fene. Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡± n warned me with a growl.


    ¡°Sorry, n. I was just so annoyed with Amy. I won¡¯t do anything. Don¡¯t worry.¡± I adjusted n¡¯s jacket cor and patted his broad chest.


    ¡°You¡¯d better not mess with my heart. Laird is a big enough problem for me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, n. Of course.¡±


    ¡°Hey, guys. Aren¡¯t you drinking?¡± Jessy approached us with a ss of champagne in his hand.


    ¡°Hey, Jessy. Have you been enjoying snacks and champagne all this time?¡± I asked with a small chuckle.


    ¡°Yes. I must admit they threw a rather awesome party. The sweet desserts seemed to be made by a royal chef. And with this delicious champagne, what a perfectbination.¡± Jessy smiled before sipping his champagne again.


    ¡°You still have to drive, Jessy.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. I know.¡± He rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Do you want me to get you some snacks and champagne, dear?¡± n¡¯s anger seemed to have subsided, though there was still a hint of tension.


    ¡°Yes. Thank you.¡±


    He then walked over to the long buffet table, leaving me alone with Jessy. Instantly, Jessy moved closer to me and whispered quickly.


    ¡°Fene, you won¡¯t believe what I got.¡± Jessy then showed me a phone from his brown leather pouch.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked, frowning.


    ¡°Amy¡¯s phone.¡±


    My mouth dropped open in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re not joking.¡±


    ¡°While you were busy getting acquainted, I took it from her table. That man on the table is horny as fuck, and he went away chasing a sexy waitress all the time instead of looking out at Amy¡¯s bag.¡± Jessy chuckled.


    ¡°Jessy, that¡¯s fantastic.¡± I held back a triumphant cheer. I turned my head towards Amy, but she was walking inside the house with Chris.


    ¡°Now give me the phone and the cable. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡±


    Hearing him, I quickly opened my small white bag and handed over the FBI-made phone and the short connecting cable to Jessy. We connected the two phones with the cable and then put the phones back into Jessy¡¯s bag as they needed some time to duplicate the data.


    ¡°So how will you finish the rest?¡± The phones belonging to Peter and n remained.


    ¡°Easy. You just need to distract them so they forget about their phones.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Do you have any ideas how to distract them?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll do it one by one. Do you see the way Peter is looking at you? He wants you.¡±


    Jessy nced at Peter, who was standing not far from us. He was chatting warmly with the guests. As hisughter stopped, Peter looked towards me and stared from afar.


    ¡°God, maybe you¡¯re right.¡± I felt slightly flustered and threw him a small smile. Peter then returned the same smile to me.


    ¡°I know I¡¯m right,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°So what should I do?¡±


    ¡°Seduce him. Ask for his phone number. That way, I¡¯ll know where he¡¯s keeping his phone.¡±

 Fight For Me, Please

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Not long after Jessy left, a man named Peter came up to me just as Jessy had predicted. I nced over at n, and he seemed busy with another guest who knew him. The opportunity was now open wide, and Peter didn¡¯t waste the opportunity.


    ¡°Hey, Fene.¡±


    ¡°Hi, sir.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so formal like that.¡± Peter chuckled.


    ¡°Sorry, I always see you from afar as a senator.¡± I also let out a smallugh.


    ¡°Surely you never thought you¡¯d be this close to me, did you?¡± He took a step closer.


    ¡°Uh, yeah. You¡¯re a famous man in this state. I wouldn¡¯t dare imagine being able to chat this closely with you.¡± I smiled at him.


    ¡°I also never imagined meeting a woman like you. Has n ever told you that you look like an angel?¡±


    He smiled with shining eyes full of enthusiasm, looking at me. The man was radiating all his charm and power in front of me. His step shifted again to get into a more intimate distance from me. He slightly bent his body to whisper in my ear.


    ¡°Just say if you need me. Your senator wille as fast as lightning to help his citizens.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re such a reliable senator. For that, I need your phone number, don¡¯t I?¡± I looked up to counter his gaze with my attentive eyes.


    ¡°You can leave your number to my assistant.¡± His face was getting closer to me, and his warm breath was sweeping over my face.


    ¡°No. I hate middlemen. One agent is enough to make me have a headache.¡± I whispered as my hand brushed his jacket in the chest area.


    Damn. The old man is still so charming. I could feel his broad chest under his jacket. It seemed that the small touch had made him even more tempted.


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    He took out his phone from his pocket. Slowly, I recited each number of my phone number. I didn¡¯t know if he would call meter, but for now I let him record my phone number. In the next second, my phone rang. I picked up my phone from my bag and saw a number.


    ¡°That¡¯s me. Save it forter, please.¡± He smiled.


    ¡°Of course. Just call me whenever, Mr. Senator,¡± I said softly as I watched him put his phone back in his pocket.


    ¡°Hm, I love hearing that nameing from your mouth.¡± Peter murmured as he fingered the fake fur trim of my coat.


    I saw n suddenly stand behind Peter. His face was tense, and his eyes were ring at him. He tapped Peter¡¯s shoulder hard.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear the call like that every day from your secretaries? Fene won¡¯t be enough for you.¡± n pulled Peter¡¯s shoulder hard to get him away from me.


    ¡°Hey, calm down, dude. I¡¯m not doing anything to her.¡± Peter took a step back from n. Then n faced him upfront and stood between Peter and me.


    ¡°Great. I hope you remember that she will be your sister-inw.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. I hope you also remember that I¡¯m the one who gave you the money.¡±Peterughed crisply as he punched n lightly on the shoulder.


    Hearing those words, n froze. He could only stare at Peter with his eyes shing with anger. But Peter didn¡¯t stop there to tease n. Both of Peter¡¯s fists were raised, and he punched n¡¯s arms lightly in turn. It was just yful, as sentence after sentence flowed smoothly from his mouth.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you say something back to me, hm? Are you afraid? Have you realized how much you owe me?¡±


    ¡°Stop it, Peter. Fuck off.¡±


    ¡°Oh,e on. Show me the muscles you built in that gym of yours.¡±


    ¡°I said, get the fuck off.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, I just remembered! That gym is owned by me, so technically your muscles are mine. Funny, right?¡±


    Peterughed while still lightly punching n¡¯s arm at a fast pace.


    Without warning, n swung his fist at Peter¡¯s cheek. My breath caught for an instant. I immediately cupped my mouth with both hands. My mouth gaped as I saw the two men begin to fist-fight at a rapid pace.


    n punched Peter. Peter punched n back. Then they took turns trying to knock each other down. When Peter finally fell to the ground from n¡¯s furious onught, he hurriedly took for an opening to run away from n.


    But n didn¡¯t let Peter go immediately. He ran after Peter until they circled around a long buffet table.


    ¡°Come back here, you bastard! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± n yelled.


    ¡°Guards! Call for help! Arrest this lunatic!¡± Peter screamed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll chop off your filthy tongue!¡± n chased him endlessly.


    ¡°Help!¡±


    People started shouting in shock. Some boldly recorded the incident with their cell phones held high. Then that¡¯s when I saw Jessying to break them up. He held Peter back from punching n again, together with some other men.


    Several men in neat ck suits immediately came to restrain n¡¯s body. They seemed to be Peter¡¯s bodyguards. I then ran over to n and restrained him as well. In the corner of my eye, I could see Jessy slipping away in silence.


    Not wanting to lose the opportunity, I also held n¡¯s body that was still struggling between the guards. I focused on n¡¯s cell phone in the inside pocket of his suit, and with difficulty, my hand slipped into n¡¯s suit.


    ¡°Calm down, baby. Please calm down.¡±


    My hands held n¡¯s chest and tried to pull him back from Peter. Then, after my hand managed to feel n¡¯s cell phone, I hugged n tightly. I held n¡¯s body as my hand finally managed to take his cell phone.From N?velDrama.Org.


    His breathing was fast, and his eyes were still ring at Peter. His jaw hardened and he gritted his teeth in anger. Right after that, his anger subsided.


    I backed away from n for a moment. Quickly, I put n¡¯s phone into my bag. n was still arguing with Peter, and he didn¡¯t realize I was sneaking away through the crowd to look for Jessy. In the blink of an eye, I spotted Jessy standing at the furthest back of the crowd.


    ¡°Yours.¡± I handed n¡¯s cell phone to him.


    ¡°Go ahead. I¡¯ll drop it near the crime scer.¡± He whispered quickly.


    ¡°Ok.¡±


    Then I ran back to where the crowd was and broke through the crowd. By the time I stood back behind n, the man had already been detained by the bodyguards. The situation had calmed down, although the two men were still panting with messy hair and disheveled suits.


    ¡°What the hell happened here?!¡±


    Amy came and shouted loudly. Everyone cleared the way for her, as low whispers could be heard among the guests. Surprisingly, Amy herself looked just as disheveled as them. Her low neckline was further down from before, and the back of her hair was tangled. I could have sworn I saw the skirt at her thighs folded up and caught in the waistline of her pants.


    ¡°Nothing. Just a fool trying to mess up your party.¡± Peter tugged at the sleeves of his jacket and repositioned his vest and jacket.


    ¡°And someone trying to seduce his own future sister-inw like a maniac.¡± n spat on the ground.


    Amy turned her head to the right and left alternately to hear them talk. As if she were the judge, Amy immediately eximed at the top of her lungs.


    ¡°Stop it both of you!¡±


    The woman then looked at me. Her eyes widened, and her face contorted in anger.


    ¡°You! Both of you!¡± Amy pointed at me and then at n. ¡°Get out of here right now!¡±


    After that, we all fell silent. Everyone fell silent after hearing Amy¡¯s loud shout of her erupted anger. Her voice made me shudder as the screeching interfered with my hearing. Amy red at everyone.


    ¡°And stop recording! Delete all the videos! Guards, take all their cell phones! The party is over!¡±


    Amy shouted in panic. The guards who had been holding n were now running around to hold back the people filming with their cell phones.

 Little Celebration for Big Inspiration

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°Whooop! Whooop!¡±


    Matthew shouted with joy, raising a fist into the air as if he were pulling a train horn. Weughed at Matthew¡¯s unexpected reaction. Of course, we understood Matthew¡¯s behavior because we were also thrilled with the results we had achieved.


    The data from Amy¡¯s, Peter¡¯s, and n¡¯s phones had been sessfully duplicated. Now we were gathered at my house to celebrate and wait for the FBI programmer to extract the data from their storage phones. We sat in a circle on the sofa in front of the firece, each with a ss of wine in hand.


    ¡°That was incredible!¡± Jessy eximed before taking a sip of his wine.


    ¡°Yeah, I know!¡± I also took a sip of my wine.


    ¡°Oh, I could only imagine what you were going through from the sounds. It was like I was listening to an audiobook!¡± Matthewughed before sipping his wine.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°I said that was a mission aplished.¡± Laird chuckled before taking a sip of his wine.


    I sighed with relief after the crazy events of the afternoon. It was the first time I had seen Amy openly shouting in anger like a madwoman. The sweet and spoiled image of Amy was shattered in an instant.


    ¡°I never expected Amy to show her monstrous side like that in front of her guests,¡± I chuckled.


    ¡°I guess it was all because she panicked seeing you, Fene. She was afraid you¡¯d end up with Peter, and when she saw you being pursued by two men at once, shepletely lost it!¡± Jessyughed loudly this time, joined by ourughter.


    ¡°Fortunately, the duplication was finished right on time. Did you return their phones to the right ces?¡± Laird asked, crossing his legs and lounging on the sofa.


    ¡°I dropped them like they were hot cakes.¡± Jessy chuckled briefly before continuing. ¡°I ced Amy¡¯s phone back on her table. I dropped n¡¯s and Peter¡¯s phones under the buffet table.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s brilliant! You did act outside the n, but it helped us all.¡± Matthew grimaced while shrugging one shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m just trying to be useful. I saw the opportunity, then I grabbed it.¡± Jessy shrugged and acted as if he were being modest, though his manner of speaking conveyed arrogance. Weughed quietly again.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re happy, but it¡¯s not over yet.¡±


    Prosecutor Golden¡¯s voice came from theptop speaker. We had been in an online meeting,municating intensively since earlier. Jessy had gotten bored and finally opened n¡¯s wine to lighten the tense atmosphere since we got home.


    ¡°No results from the phone data yet?¡± Laird asked, growing serious again in response to the prosecutor.


    ¡°Just finished.¡±


    ¡°In that case, it¡¯s done.¡± Matthewughed.


    ¡°That¡¯s not how it works. We still need to organize the evidence and submit it to the judge to issue a warrant for them.¡±


    ¡°Well, good luck with that.¡±


    Matthew then closed themunication channel on theptop. We all stared at Matthew, who had dared to do that without any courtesy towards the prosecutor.


    ¡°What? I don¡¯t want to hear his nonsense anymore.¡± Matthew blinked and defended himself against our scornful gazes.


    ¡°At the very least, you should have let us hear what Prosecutor Golden found from the data.¡± Laird protested, but Matthew waved his arm dismissively.


    ¡°Bullshit. He¡¯s not that smart and quick to conclude crimes from such evidence.¡± Matthew snorted and took another sip of his wine.


    ¡°How much longer will it take?¡± I asked hesitantly.


    ¡°I bet he¡¯ll need at least three more days, or at most a week.¡±


    Matthew then leaned back on the sofafortably, mimicking Laird. Meanwhile, Jessy and I continued to lean towards theptop, which was no longer connected to the prosecutor.


    We absorbed all of Matthew¡¯s statements in silence. Our wine became an additionalpanion to warm us up besides the cozy crackling firece. I had a moment of contemtion before Jessy voiced his troubled thoughts again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I¡¯ll do if n actually goes to jail and Gene goes bankrupt.¡± Jessy sighed deeply, his shoulders sagging further.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Jessy. We have to sacrifice a little to gain more. No pain, no gain, remember?¡± Laird spoke calmly, trying tofort him.


    ¡°I know n¡¯s money is illegal, but their sry payments kept me alive and paid for my mother¡¯s treatment.¡± Jessy pouted. ¡°Shit. When I wanted to contribute to themunity by helping to punish criminals, it turns out I also have to lose an important livelihood.¡±


    We fell silent again, absorbing his words. Suddenly, I realized that our revenge mission would soon seed. Amy and n would be punished, and they wouldn¡¯t be able to disturb my life anymore. Even though we would face massyoffs at Gene, at least Amy deserved her punishment.


    Yeah, it was all worth fighting for. Amy deserved to be imprisoned for all her actions. Especially since she clearly did not admit her wrongdoing or apologize to me. After everything she did to me in high school and everything she did to poor n.


    ¡°Seriously, I don¡¯t understand you guys. Come on, I thought you were better than this.¡± Matthew groaned, his face scrunched up.


    ¡°What else do you want toin about?¡± Laird asked before sipping his wine again.


    ¡°Come on, you¡¯re driving me nuts! You could look for another modeling agency or start your own agency that¡¯s better than Gene.¡±


    ¡°Once again, Matthew. It¡¯s not that simple.¡±


    Jessy exhaled deeply. He then leaned back on the sofa, his hand massaging his temple while the other hand still held his ss of wine.


    ¡°Alright, tell me what makes it not simple.¡± Matthew patted his thigh.


    ¡°Well, the first thing is capital,¡± Jessy concluded.


    ¡°Duh,¡± I nodded.


    ¡°I can help you,¡± Laird said.


    ¡°See that! One problem solved!¡± Matthew¡¯s eyes widened as he snapped his fingers. He pointed at Laird and challenged Jessy with his gaze.


    ¡°Laird, you¡¯re focused on building Rackers Bite. You can¡¯t start a newpany again,¡± I said, squeezing his thigh with one hand.


    ¡°Wait a minute, we¡¯ve had this discussion before. Something about money that needs to be returned to Gene if you resign and breach the contract unterally.¡± Laird furrowed his brow.


    ¡°Gosh, I forgot about that. I¡¯ve set aside money for the return and saved the remaining in another ount.¡± I ruffled my hair.


    ¡°You intended to resign from Gene and terminate the contract?¡± Matthew asked, his brow furrowed.


    ¡°Yes, I even submitted a resignation letter. However, n threatened me to return all the money he had given me as a bonus. He agreed to give me relief from returning the money if Ipleted all remaining projects by February.¡±


    ¡°If they are arrested before the projects are finished, that means Fene will have to return all the money, right?¡± Jessy furrowed his brow.


    ¡°How much?¡±


    ¡°About $50, 000 and a hatchback car,¡± I revealed to Matthew.


    ¡°Wait a minute!¡± Laird and Matthew eximed together.


    ¡°You might not need to return the money to Gene, Fene,¡± Laird said, his eyes lighting up.


    ¡°If all Gene¡¯s ounts are blocked and thepany¡¯s operations are forced to be held by the court, then collecting the debt for the termination will be difficult. Almost impossible,¡± Matthew said quickly with high enthusiasm.


    ¡°We can also negotiate with the court¡¯s asset division for some leeway.¡± Laird smirked with fervor that was contagious.


    ¡°They won¡¯t do anything until all the cases are resolved, and that could take more than a year for a big case like this with appeals avable.¡± Matthewughed happily.


    ¡°Um, I¡¯m lost here,¡± I said softly.


    ¡°The point is you won¡¯t need to return that bonus money, Fene. You can use it or save it to start a newpany.¡± Laird smiled widely and gave me a tight hug.

 Party Dress

    Fene¡¯s POV


    The conversation from three days ago still echoed in my mind. It seemed that Jessy and I still had a chance to save ourpany colleagues from losing their jobs. With the remaining money in my ount that I had set aside to pay back Gene, we could potentially start a new talent agency.


    The problem was, did I have the courage to do it?


    Not to mention the various business risks we needed to consider and the task of pulling in connections from the fashion world to trust our agency. And who would be the director to manage the daily operations of thepany?


    Laird was already overwhelmed with his own game developer business. Jessycked confidence to be a director. Meanwhile, I was just a silly girl who could only rely on physical beauty, ording to thements on my social mediately.


    Of course, I didn¡¯t want to be what theybeled me. Besides, my mother said I could be smart if I put in the effort like I did when I started high school. Laird also said I should be able to do it as long as I had the same strong determination as I did back then.


    Still, building a business from scratch was daunting. After all, I didn¡¯t have a mentor like I did back in high school. Damn, even Laird and rk were among my study mentors in high school. Should I trouble them again to be business mentors now that I am an adult?This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Wouldn¡¯t that seem like I hadn¡¯t progressed at all?


    I sighed deeply. My hand absently shifted the clothes hanging on the disy rack, despite it being my favorite designer¡¯s boutique.


    ¡°Have you found something you like, sugar boo?¡±


    n approached me, his hand gently touching my elbow. He rubbed my elbow with his thumb. Although I felt ufortable with the touch, I endured it. Moreover, I had never been able to get used to the random name he used.


    Today, he had taken me out to buy a new dress. He wanted me to buy a boutique dress for the charity g that would be held in two days.


    Amy and Peter, as the main donors, would host a big event in their house. Everyone, including Mallory and all her friends, would alsoe as donor guests. Of course, I couldn¡¯t refuse, or he would get suspicious.


    ¡°Not yet.¡± I sighedzily.


    ¡°How about this one? The color would contrast nicely with your blonde hair.¡± n pulled a purple minidress in front of my face.


    ¡°I think that color is too shy for a charity event,¡± I said, quickly shaking my head.


    ¡°Well, how about this one?¡± n held up a white dress with a knee-length skirt. The white halterneck midi dress looked good, and I ran my hand over the dress.


    ¡°Pretty good. I¡¯ll try it.¡±


    I took the dress from n¡¯s hands and walked to the fitting room. After entering the fitting room, I realized n was following me. I thought he would wait outside on the sofa, so I let hime in.


    However, as I entered the fitting room and hung the dress on the wall hanger, n held the door with his hand. My eyes widened as I saw n pushing his way into the fitting room. Without a chance to resist, I instinctively stepped back to avoid him, but my back hit the mirror.


    ¡°n?¡±


    My breath raced with my heart pounding in my chest. n closed the door. Then he turned around and smiled at me.


    ¡°What¡¯s stopping you?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re in my fitting room.¡± My voice trembled, with an imaginative rm ringing in the back of my head.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this normal for a couple who are engaged?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not normal.¡±


    I raised both my hands to hold n¡¯s approaching body back. n¡¯s hands wrapped tightly around my waist, and I pushed against him with all my strength.


    ¡°Why, darling? We agreed to make this rtionship work, didn¡¯t we?¡± n whispered in my ear, his warm breath on my neck.


    Of course, this waspletely wrong! Laird and Matthew had heard all our conversation through the recording ne, and I was still loyal to Laird.


    ¡°Listen, n,¡± my breath was heavy, and panic quickly enveloped me.


    ¡°I¡¯m not ready!¡± I pleaded with him.


    ¡°Why?¡± n sucked on my neck, and my body instantly shivered as his lips imed my neck.


    ¡°Please, I¡¯m not ready! I don¡¯t want to disappoint you and make you feel like I¡¯m just using you as a rebound guy! I-¡± I pushed against n with all my might. I closed my eyes and scrunched up my face.


    ¡°I still love Laird!¡±


    I blurted out spontaneously, my eyes growing hot. Hearing my rapid words, n stopped. He pulled back and looked at me coldly.


    ¡°You said you would try to love me. Shouldn¡¯t you be forgetting him by now?¡± n¡¯s voice turned cold, his jaw clenched. His eyes red at me, and it seemed like he might explode at any moment.


    ¡°Sorry, n. I still need more time,¡± I said softly.


    n tightened his grip on my waist as if it were his way of holding back his rising anger. My breath was ragged, and tears gathered at the corners of my eyes, threatening to fall. n remained silent, seemingly holding back his fury.


    ¡°You¡¯d better get ready soon, Fene. My patience is running out, and I want to make you mine as soon as possible.¡± n¡¯s hand moved to my cheek. He gripped my cheek tightly with his fingers, causing pain.


    ¡°Sorry, n,¡± I said through tears slowly streaming down my cheek and his fingers.


    My head tilted back until my neck hurt as n gripped my face tightly, as if he was going to strangle me until I floated in the air. He brought his face closer and whispered a threat between his gritted teeth.


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to think you¡¯re using me to settle some score with Amy. You think you¡¯ll get revenge on Amy by hooking up with Peter, is that it?¡±


    I shook my head as best I could. ¡°No, n. I don¡¯t have any such intention.¡±


    ¡°Good. Because I will im you as soon as the g dinner is over, and then I¡¯ll take you far away from here.¡± His lips moved closer, and he whispered another threat in my ear.


    ¡°When that timees, you will never be able to see or think about any other man besides me. Not Laird and not Peter. You will be entirely mine. Be prepared.¡±


    n then pulled his body away. He straightened up and looked at me closely. I lowered my head and averted my gaze from him. n then opened the door and left the fitting room.


    ***


    That night, we all gathered again in the Baxter family¡¯s living room.


    ¡°That guy is insane!¡± Jessy wailed in frustration.


    ¡°I think he¡¯s desperate and heartbroken because Fene still doesn¡¯t love him the way he wants.¡± Matthew shook his head with the newspaper open in front of his face.


    ¡°That was dangerous, Fene. I don¡¯t know whether to be grateful you rejected him or not.¡± Laird squeezed my hand.


    ¡°Yeah, I know. It all came out spontaneously. I couldn¡¯t act any better. I¡¯m sorry.¡± I squeezed Laird¡¯s hand in return.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay. No need to apologize. At least I¡¯m ttered you still dered your love for me in such a critical moment.¡± Laird then gave me a quick kiss on the lips.


    ¡°I do love you. I can¡¯t lie,¡± I said, returning the quick kiss.


    ¡°Hey, Prosecutor Golden has entered the meeting room!¡± Jessy eximed as theptop screen, which he had been staring at, now showed Malcolm Golden¡¯s name as a new participant in the online meeting room.


    ¡°Kids, here are your favorite chocte cookies, just baked.¡± My mother came into the living room and ced arge te full of warm, freshly baked chocte cookies.


    ¡°Thanks, Mom.¡± Laird shed a grin as he took a cookie.


    ¡°Oh, yeah! My favorite!¡± Matthew cheered with joy as he grabbed a warm cookie.


    ¡°Ugh, I don¡¯t know how Fene manages to stick to her diet and skip all of this.¡± Jessy sighed as he took a cookie.


    ¡°Wow. Are you going to leave me to enjoy those delicious cookies while I freeze outside?¡± Prosecutor Golden¡¯s annoyed voice came through.


    ¡°Well, duh, you¡¯re not here.¡± Jessy rolled his eyes before taking a bite of his cookie.


    Suddenly, my doorbell rang loudly. ¡°I¡¯m outside. Please open the door,¡± he said firmly.

 The Grim Revelation

    Laird¡¯s POV


    I looked at the esteemed Mr. Golden sitting on the sofa across from me, his hands continuously shoving cookies into his mouth. Was he not afraid of diabetes? The man looked like someone who hadn¡¯t eaten anything for a week.


    ¡°How about I cook spaghetti for you, sir?¡± Sharon blushed as she looked at Prosecutor Golden with a special offer.


    ¡°I want some too!¡± Matthew raised his hand eagerly.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already eaten. Stop raiding the food in this house.¡± I gave Matthew¡¯s arm a light smack.


    ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t mean to be rude, but I love all of Mrs. Sharon¡¯s cooking. I wonder why I haven¡¯t visited her more often.¡± Jessy giggled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you all have been living here like parasites for a week,¡± Prosecutor Golden scoffed.


    ¡°Watch your mouth, sir! We¡¯re not living here for free!¡± Matthew eximed, pointing at Golden¡¯s face.


    ¡°Yeah. We help washing dishes, cleaning the house, and going grocery shopping,¡± Jessy said, frowning and offering his defense in a low voice. It seemed he had just realized that their efforts had not been enough to be considered mutually beneficial.


    ¡°You¡¯re incredibly shameless,¡± Prosecutor Golden growled, ring at all of us with his sharp eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, sir. I¡¯m just d they¡¯refortable staying here. After all, it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve had a house this lively since Fene went to New York.¡± Sharon, being kind, thenughed with rosy cheeks.


    ¡°They¡¯d better be out of this house once we capture Peter.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not up to you to decide that.¡±


    My eyebrows shot up as I spoke sharply, cutting through the room. Everyone fell silent immediately. The old man now stared at me with the same piercing gaze. His eyes glittered, reflecting the light from the firece.


    ¡°You also don¡¯t have the right to forbid me from giving advice to Mrs. Baxter,¡± said the old man Golden.


    ¡°Hey, enough. Everyone is wee in this house, okay? No need for any bans.¡± Fene waved her arms between me and Prosecutor Golden. ¡°We should focus on tonight¡¯s topic, okay?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± the old man said.


    ¡°Fine.¡± I agreed with Fene. ¡°Say what you¡¯ve found from your investigation.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d better work on my spaghetti now.¡± Sharon chuckled and disappeared into the kitchen.


    The old man¡¯s jaw tightened, but he finally stopped prolonging the issue of my rudeness towards him. He pulled out several sheets of documents from his bag and handed them to me. Fene, Matthew, and I gathered around and read all the FBI notes.


    ¡°As you read, Laird. Thanks to the suspiciousrge transaction done inly, we managed to catch the woman using n¡¯s credit card. Coupled with n¡¯s bank reporting and search warrants, we had the freedom to trace n¡¯s ount.¡± Prosecutor Golden exined the investigation timeline, in line with the notes in my hand.


    ¡°Linda? Isn¡¯t that the name of the jewelry store manager from yesterday?¡± Fene asked with a quick breath.


    ¡°That exins it now,¡± I said.


    ¡°Yeah. No wonder she was scared when I asked for n¡¯s credit card yesterday.¡± Fene shook her head with a crooked smile. ¡°Has she been arrested?¡±


    ¡°Done. The FBI has interrogated her, and it seems she did it purely out of desperation. She bought a kidney donor illegally for her brother, who was suffering from an autoimmune disease,¡± Prosecutor Golden exined quickly.


    ¡°Oh, shit. She was unlucky to get the credit card that had already been targeted by the FBI. If only she had waited until we finished our operation, she probably wouldn¡¯t have been caught.¡±


    Matthew sighed deeply. I raised an eyebrow and looked at Matthew suspiciously. He shrugged.


    ¡°From tracing n¡¯s ounts and matching various amounts with work contracts, we¡¯ve concluded a strong suspicion. Peter has built a mafiawork with his friends disguised as a social foundation and joint venture investmentpany.¡±


    ¡°Wait, a social foundation? Does that mean it¡¯s rted to Amy?¡± Fene asked with her mouth open and eyes blinking.


    ¡°Yep. I¡¯m also starting to see a simr pattern from this transaction record series. The social foundations of artists, celebrities, and fashion designers are onemon link that cannot be separated,¡± I said, handing the notes to Fene.


    ¡°Wait a minute. Friendship Circle of Mallory West Foundation?¡±


    ¡°That and various other social foundations throughout the state of Massachusetts are controlled by Amy. Including international joint venture investmentpanies, I¡¯m sure they¡¯re just shellpanies,¡± I asked for confirmation from Prosecutor Golden. He nodded.


    ¡°What do you mean by shellpanies?¡± Jessica asked with a furrowed brow.


    ¡°Shellpanies are entities that only exist on paper. No real business activity takes ce. They¡¯re just a cover, and thepanies are used to funnel illegal money, so it¡¯s not easily tracked,¡± I exined patiently to Jessy.


    ¡°There are many shellpanies interconnected, and they all form awork with thepanies owned by these people involved. One of them is n¡¯s businesswork, Amy¡¯s, Mallory¡¯s, Oscar¡¯s, and various other celebrity-owned businesses.¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°But these are all names in Mallory¡¯s circle of friends,¡± Fene said with wide eyes as she read the list of names in the notes.


    ¡°Wait, wait. So, you mean theirpanies are just fronts for moneyundering?¡± Jessy was equally shocked.


    ¡°Just like the expensive branded clothes you often wear, Jessy. They can easily mark up their products under the guise of brand or artwork prices that can¡¯t be precisely determined. But have you ever seen someone actually buying and wearing them?¡± Matthew chuckled.


    ¡°Simrly with n¡¯s retailpany. Sales data could be manipted to make it seem like the money is from sales even though it¡¯s actually moneyundering,¡± I added.


    ¡°You mean, all those sudden skyrocketing sales are not real? The people queuing to get into the store aren¡¯t real?¡± Jessy¡¯s mouth dropped open again. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this.¡± She shook her head.


    ¡°Well, they could be real purchases, but their value is negligiblepared to the illegal money. They might also just be paid visitors.¡± I shrugged with both hands now crossed over my chest.


    ¡°I was once paid by a coffee shop to sit for hours while enjoying one of their menu packages. It created the illusion that their shop was busy,¡± Matthewughed heartily.


    ¡°Laird, isn¡¯t this too big for mere suspicion? Is there really solid evidence? I mean, this involves a lot of people,¡± Fene¡¯s brow furrowed, and I could see the horror in her eyes.


    ¡°They¡¯re dangerous people blinded by wealth and power, Fene. They¡¯re a mafiawork, and Peter is the leader while n, Amy, and Mallory are his aplices.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but is there concrete evidence?¡± Fene asked, breathless. It seemed she couldn¡¯t ept that the fashion and celebrity world she had been part of was so dark.

 Billions of Dollar

    Laird¡¯s POV


    ¡°Listen, the shellpanies belonged to Peter. He had borrowed the names of n, Mallory, and other people as the owners of thepanies. In exchange for borrowing their names and providing a seemingly legal ce to store money, they received some fees.¡± Mr. Golden started to exin the matter.


    ¡°The results from tracing the transactions showed that the shellpanies, disguised as investment firms, bought shares to inte the stock value in thepanies. For example, n¡¯spany had received arge amount of capital from one of the shellpanies.¡±


    ¡°Then n¡¯spany would record sales as if they were skyrocketing. After a few months of being held in n¡¯spany¡¯s ount, the shellpany was dissolved and liquidated. With this dissolution, n¡¯spany had to return a certain amount of investment plus the promised dividends.¡±


    ¡°Next, they would open a new shellpany and carry out the same operational business with anotherpany, for instance, Mallory¡¯spany. Thus, Peter¡¯s money continually circted in that loop. Whenever he needed it, he would take it.¡±


    ¡°Question!¡± Jessy raised her hand loudly.


    ¡°Yes, Jessy.¡±


    ¡°Why did he need to create shellpanies like that? Why not just keep the money in various banks?¡± Jessy asked.


    ¡°The reason was simple: money. Banking required a significant cost. Moreover, many financial regtors would scrutinizerge international financial transactions. By keeping it in business form, transactions would be considered legitimate as investments, and any returns would be seen as reasonable.¡±


    ¡°So, n¡¯spany was fake? It didn¡¯t really have many customers? It just ran promotions and sold their big names so people would overlook therge money flow.¡± Fene also raised her hand.


    ¡°Yes. This included stores orpanies of designers or artists. Peter deliberately included them so that the value of the designers¡¯ brands could not be precisely assessed. In return, the celebrities received fame as if their products were in high demand and worth more thanpetitors.¡± Mr. Golden nodded.


    ¡°What about the charity foundations? They were supposed to be non-profit organizations.¡± Jessy raised his hand again, alternating with Fene.


    ¡°Charity foundations were even easier for money transfers because they could be recorded as anonymous donors or street donors. Donations could not be recorded in detail and could be easily deducted as operational costs. However, they can¡¯t put too much to it, as it would be suspicious given the non-profit nature of the charity foundation.¡±


    ¡°Oh, this is so messed up. No wonder Amy had been begging for money from apany like n¡¯s.¡± Fene ran her fingers through her hair to the nape of her neck and then nervously massaged it.


    ¡°Was Gene one of thepanies receiving money from Peter?¡± Jessy asked again with a choking voice.


    ¡°Yes. All of n¡¯spanies had received that illegal money. The investors had various shellpany names, but at least n alone had received a total of a billion dors. Mallory had received a billion dors, Oscar de Ragetti half a billion dors, and various other celebrities involved.¡±


    ¡°Oh, God. My head started spinning just thinking about it.¡± Jessy rubbed both sides of his temple.


    ¡°Ugh, this meant Gene would indeed be shut down if n was arrested.¡± Fene bit her lower lip and exchanged nces with Jessy. They then held hands tightly and squeezed each other¡¯s hands.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, what is the estimated total amount of money Peter has in cirction currently?¡± I asked the prosecutor.


    ¡°From the phone data and financial transactions, it was estimated to be around 8 billion dors.¡±


    Matthew whistled upon hearing that fantastic number. ¡°Has there been any record of where he had spent his money when liquidating it?¡±


    ¡°Mostly on weapons, dealings with the mafia, and women. This was a major case, so I was sure there would be morework points to be captured. The FBI was still tracing everyone considered involved with Peter, including other high American officials.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute! Women? What did you mean by women?¡± Fene suddenly asked in high pitch.


    ¡°Peter had several mistresses. Each had an extraordinarily high lifestyle and used his money to buy items from designers of Peter¡¯s choice.¡± The old man answered with a shrug.


    ¡°Ah, genius. Peter kept women, who were then directed to spend all the money he gave them on his affiliatedpanies. The women would receive designer items to showcase, while Peter¡¯s money woulde back to him through sales.¡± Matthew stroked his palms together with enthusiasm.


    ¡°Oh, shit. This is all crap.¡± Fene cursed. She whined with her hand, hugging the sofa pillow.


    ¡°Well then, you have gathered all the evidence. What are you waiting for?¡± I asked with a shrug.


    ¡°Confession,¡± he answered briefly with narrowed eyes.


    ¡°Is it important?¡± Jessy asked with a frown.


    ¡°It¡¯s crucial. Until now, all evidence had been obtained through your hands. We could have said this was an anonymous tip, but I was sure Peter¡¯swyer would not let it slide. We needed undeniable evidence.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know! I had just bought a device from a friend. I was sure I could extract a confession from Peter.¡± Matthew¡¯s eyes gleamed brightly with his hand raised in the air.


    ¡°No torture or anything like that. A major case like this would attract media attention, and theirwyers would surely keep an eye on them. The only way was to obtain a recorded confession before they were arrested.¡±


    ¡°So, what do you mean?¡±


    I raised one eyebrow and suspected that what I was thinking was the same as what the prosecutor was thinking.


    ¡°We needed to lure a confession from them,¡± the prosecutor answered firmly, as if everyone already knew the answer.


    ¡°Whoa, whoa, hold up. Are you asking us to do your dirty work again?¡± I asked with a furrowed brow. My hand raised low in the air as a sign for the old man to stop his crazy idea.


    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s the big deal? You were the ones who offered ess to information from inside their circle. Now that you are in the circle, the only thing left is to extract a confession from them.¡± He raised his voice.


    My back suddenly felt hot, and my heart pounded as I anticipated what we had to do to get the confession that he wanted. I then stood up from the sofa to restrain the old man¡¯s wild imagination.


    ¡°This is beyond our limits, Mr. Golden. Stealing information discreetly is one thing, but confronting and even extracting their confession is another. We didn¡¯t have the capacity for that without ensuring our safety. Especially Fene, who was directly involved in the circle. It was too dangerous.¡± I protested.


    ¡°There would be nothing too dangerous. All we had to do was attach a voice recorder to Fene¡¯s ne, make them confess that all the money was illegal, record their voices in our machine, and vo, you would be the heroes.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t about being heroes, but about life safety.¡±


    I growled and red at the man fiercely. Seeing my antipathy, Malcolm Golden stood up from his sofa as well. He challenged my gaze with his cold eyes.


    ¡°The FBI teams will be mobilized for that, so you didn¡¯t need to worry. I was sure she could do it well. No one could be as close to them in such a short time except her.¡±


    ¡°You and your FBI are useless. You wouldn¡¯t be able to protect Fene from Peter. He¡¯s dangerous, for God¡¯s sake!¡± I still rejected his idea.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    Fene¡¯s voice sounded sharp to my ears. Everyone in the living room immediately turned to look at Fene, who was now staring at me with a determined look.

 Something Matters to Me

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I didn¡¯t know what made me so bold. In my mind at the moment, I just wanted to make sure that people got the justice they deserved. Oh, I knew I sounded foolish thinking about justice, but I felt I had to do it now.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute, Fene. We should discuss this further.¡±


    Laird looked at me with wide eyes. He seemed caught off guard and couldn¡¯t believe I had said that.


    ¡°Ah, finally, someone has some guts,¡± Mr. Golden eximed happily.


    ¡°You shut your damn mouth,¡± Laird warned Mr. Golden, while the man chose to sit back on the sofa.


    ¡°Fene, please don¡¯t do it. n is dangerous enough for us. Bringing down Peter is a more dangerous task than we could possibly imagine. That man only wants to hide behind us and make us roll out as sacrifices,¡± Laird said, pointing at Mr. Golden.


    ¡°But, Laird, you were the one who said we needed to imprison them. We want him out of our lives. So we should do it wholeheartedly.¡±


    ¡°But, Fene, it¡¯s dangerous. We don¡¯t have to get caught up in his do-or-die scenario.¡± Laird finally sat back down beside me.


    ¡°Laird, I know that, but we can¡¯t do it half-assed. I just want to stop all of this once and for all,¡± I insisted.


    ¡°Kids, here¡¯s your spaghetti.¡± My mother came out of the kitchen with arge serving te of spaghetti.


    ¡°Let me help with the tes.¡± Jessy got up and went to the kitchen, while Matthew drooled at the delicious smell of my mother¡¯s cooking.


    Laird gripped my hand tightly. I squeezed it back and then stared into his eyes. There were still so many things he seemed to want answers for, and I felt we couldn¡¯t discuss them here.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk more upstairs,¡± I said to Laird.


    I then got up from the sofa, pulling Laird to follow me to the room upstairs. As we were leaving, my mother called out to me.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡± My mother asked with a frown.


    ¡°Just save some for us,¡± I replied briefly.


    I then pulled Laird to go upstairs. Once we were in the room, I immediately locked the door. I then invited Laird to sit on the bed and face him directly.


    ¡°Sorry for dragging you up here. I didn¡¯t want this discussion to be overheard by Jessy and the others.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Fene. I think we do need to talk in private,¡± Laird said softly as he sat cross-legged to face me fully.


    ¡°Good. Actually, I just wanted to say that I appreciate your constant support and protection.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the right thing to do,¡± he said.


    ¡°Yes. But do you remember when I said that you always run away when facing difficult situations?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, Fene. It¡¯s not that I want to run away-¡±


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay, Laird. I think I¡¯ve learned that people have their own instincts. If you¡¯re the type to avoid fire, then I¡¯m the impulsive type who would jump into it to protect something important to me,¡± I interrupted him.


    ¡°I just want to protect you,¡± Laird whispered desperately as he squeezed both my hands.


    ¡°Yes, I know. In the end, you will always protect me and jump into the fire with me. Since elementary school, you¡¯ve alwayse to help me eventually.¡± I chuckled softly.


    ¡°It¡¯s amazing when I feel like I have a backup army always ready to help me. I can¡¯t thank you enough.¡± I shook my head in disbelief at what I had with Laird. My hand caressed Laird¡¯s cheek along with a wide smile at him.


    ¡°What do you want to protect this time?¡±


    ¡°You.¡±


    I examined every corner of Laird¡¯s face. His thin beard along his jawline, the lines on his forehead, the prominent tip of his nose, and his thick, brown lips from smoking. I even knew how the corner of his right lip tilted slightly upward from smiling unevenly so often.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be separated from you. As long as n, Amy, and Peter are free, we don¡¯t know what they¡¯ll do to separate us.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Fene. You¡¯re right.¡± Laird lifted my hand in his and gently kissed the palm.


    ¡°My mother. I don¡¯t want Amy to keep exploiting the state¡¯s social foundation funds, while my mother works hard to collect donations from selling second-hand items and homemade cakes.¡± I then squeezed Laird¡¯s hand.


    ¡°And the children in the hospital who always wait for volunteers like me to cheer them up. Those kids should receive real operational funds, not manipted funds for personal gain.¡± I shook my head, biting my lower lip.


    ¡°And Jessy, he¡¯s an easy target for n. How many times has n exploited Jessy¡¯s weaknesses in his work? I don¡¯t want Jessy to be forced to be n¡¯s aplice and support him.¡±


    Laird looked at me intently. Our breaths were calm in my room. We contemted everything I had said to ensure we were certain of the steps we needed to take.


    ¡°Not to mention the people out there who don¡¯t know that Peter has been embezzling their money all along. Everyone has been deceived by Peter.¡± Laird finally spoke to support my reasons.


    ¡°That¡¯s it. You already know it. We need to stop them.¡± I nodded quickly, and a smile appeared on my lips.


    ¡°Alright, Fene. I understand.¡± Laird nodded his head and exhaled slowly.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s dangerous, but I trust that you will help me, Laird.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Fene. I will help you. I will always be on guard near you.¡± Laird squeezed my hand tightly.


    It seemed we had reached an agreement. All because I knew only I could enter their circle. I had proven several times that I could disrupt them with my presence. This time would be no different. I was confident we would seed in getting a confession from them all and arresting them.


    ¡°Thank you, Laird.¡±This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    I hugged Laird tightly and kissed his cheek affectionately. He then tightened his embrace around me. His arms wrapped around my waist and back as if he would never let me go. His lips brushed my cheek for a moment before he finally inhaled the scent on my neck.


    ¡°I love you, Fene.¡±


    ¡°I love you more, Laird.¡±


    ¡°I need you by my side. I¡¯m too afraid to lose you now.¡± He whispered into my neck.


    ¡°I need you more. I know I wouldn¡¯t be this brave without you by my side.¡±


    ¡°Now I¡¯m even more afraid you¡¯ll do something reckless. Should I leave so you can be more careful in making decisions in your life? Bing a reckless and irresponsible woman again.¡± Laird chuckled as he kissed the tip of my nose.


    ¡°No, please. You¡¯re my only strength to survive.¡± Iughed softly as I hugged his neck.


    ¡°You know Gene will close and your career will fall after n is caught, right?¡± Laird looked at me again with a hint of doubt.


    ¡°I know, but now I feel brave enough to start everything from scratch. Will you be with me, Laird?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you silly. We will build our own legit business empire.¡± Lairdughed softly and then kissed my lips.

 Attached to You

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°Legit business empire?¡± I asked, pulling my face back slightly from Laird.


    ¡°Yes. Me with Rackers Bite and you with New Gene. I was sure we would both seed in our own ways.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. That sounded like a really nice dream,¡± I said before kissing his lips.


    ¡°We would make it a reality,¡± Laird whispered between our kisses.


    ¡°Uh huh.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t need to beg for jobs from your agency anymore. You would choose all your own projects and have your own brand.¡±


    ¡°Wow, okay. It sounded too good to be true.¡± I chuckled softly.


    ¡°It would be true. I promise.¡± Laird kissed my lips firmly.


    Now I felt more confident that my decision was right. I was sure I could aplish our mission, and after that, we could dance together in the ideal world we had always dreamed of. I would continue with my career as a model, while Laird pursued his career as the CEO of a game developerpany.


    One kiss led to another. A new spark ignited within us. I felt energized to achieve all our new goals. Of course, after all this was over, after n was captured, only then would we feel relieved.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we eat my mom¡¯s spaghetti?¡± I asked him amid our heated kisses.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather eat your pussy.¡± Laird then sucked on my neck.


    ¡°Ungh, so silly.¡±


    I sighed, biting my lip to keep myself from making too much noise. Laird provided instant pleasure that made me float as his tongue licked and his lips sucked on my neck. My fingers traced along his neck and dug into his broad, hard shoulder muscles.


    ¡°How do I live without you, Laird?¡± I asked with a suppressed moan.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I would never leave you,¡± Laird said against my neck while his hands roamed my back, waist, and up to my breasts.


    ¡°Do you promise?¡±


    ¡°I promise.¡±


    Then I let Laird unbutton my shirt. His hands quickly unsped my bra at my back. The next moment he was gently squeezing my breasts. A moan of pleasure escaped his lips as he buried his face in my chest. His fingers tweaked my nipples, making them rise and harden from the sexual sensations he was giving me.


    Laird gently pushed my body onto the bed. Iid back while Lairdy beside me, pressing against my chest. His head rested on my arm as a pillow, making it easy for him to give his full attention to my breasts.


    His mouth then sucked on my nipples. His tongue yed, licking and flicking my pebbled nipple. Then he nibbled my nipple. That night, I allowed myself to be lost in pleasure. I wouldn¡¯t hold back and would let my body bepletely free to the attention Laird was giving me.


    My fingers dug into Laird¡¯s blonde hair. I ruffled his hair as I applied gentle pressure to his head to keep him fondling my breasts. Laird opened his eyes, and we locked eyes as his tongue swirled around my nipple and his hands squeezed my soft breasts.


    ¡°I like your boobs,¡± he said right before he went back to sucking on my nipple.


    Tension pooled in my groin. I realized how much everything Laird had done to me had bewitched me into helpless temptation. Slowly but surely, I felt a throb of pain in my groin. I moaned softly as I hugged Laird¡¯s head and buried him in my C cup breasts.


    ¡°Ungh!¡± As the pleasure peaked, I finally found release.


    ¡°Keep it quiet or you will make them all downstairs hear my name.¡± Laird chuckled a little with snickers on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying.¡± I whispered to him as he began to run his tongue down my stomach.


    ¡°Try harder, baby.¡± He murmured as his lips were right in front of my clit.


    I gasped once his tongue was licking my clit so hard. He even kept sliding his tongue on all parts of my clit. I pulled the pillow and hurriedly bit it. My sighs and moans are muffled by the pillow I bite. If only I didn¡¯t block it, I¡¯m sure everyone at home would know about what we¡¯re doing right now.


    That¡¯s sexy, but I bet everyone would bang on my door. They would protest about being disturbed while eating spaghetti while I let Laird eat my pussy.


    The slurp sound was loud from how Laird¡¯s tongue sucked on my cunt. I squirmed as I moaned loudly at the climax I was feeling. My pussy was already drenched in his saliva and my own release.


    ¡°Laird, should we finish it now?¡± I asked with a stifled sigh.


    ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you want more?¡± asked Laird as he crawled back onto my breasts.


    ¡°I¡¯m so out of breath I have to bite the pillow,¡± I moaned in protest, but it was no use.


    ¡°Just one more.¡±


    Then Laird went back to sucking and licking my nipple. His fingers also squeezed the soft flesh of my breasts. His other hand did not leave my other nipple empty. He pays attention by twirling my nipple and pinching it so hard I almost scream. Good thing the pillow blocked my voice.


    ¡°Laird, I cum again,¡± I confessed to him.


    ¡°Then I need to taste it again.¡±


    Laird crawled back into my crotch. He pushed my legs apart and held them firm. His tongue then went back to ying with my pussy and clit. His tongue thrusting in and out to my core, licking the pink edge of my pussy, and I shuddered. Minutes passed in torture under the guise of pleasure. Until I finally climaxed again.


    ¡°Please, Laird.¡± I didn¡¯t know what else to say.


    ¡°Should I stop?¡± Laird lifted his body and looked at me.


    ¡°Huh? No, don¡¯t¡­,¡± I was confused and felt embarrassed to admit how much I liked the way Laird ate my cunt. But I didn¡¯t want to stop this either. I don¡¯t know. My brain just couldn¡¯t think anymore.


    Laird chuckled as he watched me confuse myself. ¡°Then I¡¯ll continue it.¡± So that¡¯s what he did. He continued to pleasure me down there until I climaxed once again.


    After I was out of breath, Laird then opened his pants. He took a condom from my bedroom drawer. He had memorized the ce. Then he sheathed his cock until he was ready.


    His cock stiffened and I could only stare at it for a moment from afar. Because right after he was between my legs, he immediately pressed the tip of his erection against my clit. He teased me a few times until I moaned in pleasure.


    ¡°You¡¯re so wet, Fene. It will be smooth and slick riding,¡± Laird whispered with a smile on his face.


    Right after that, his cock prated my wet pussy. I once again bite the pillow to hold back the loud moans thate out as his cock thrusts hard into my core. Coupled with his thumb pressing against my clit, I was so done.


    His hips then moved quickly like a roaring turbo engine. His cock was thrusting to my pussy so fast and so hard. With every move, I could hear a loud sound every time his balls met my pussy.


    ¡°Can you hear that?¡± Laird grimaced and sighed. He closed his eyes in delight.


    ¡°Yes! Oh, baby,¡± I let out a stifled whisper that I could no longer contain.


    Minute after minute passed. After that fast and hard ride, he grimaced. His hands gripped my hips even tighter as he did all the work.


    ¡°I¡¯m cumming!¡± He growled in a hushed low.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I shuddered and my thigh muscles tightened and mped around his hips.


    Then it¡¯s done. I could feel spurt after spurt flooding my tight cunt. Our breathing was ragged, and Lairdy his body on top of mine. He kissed me for a moment. We stayed in each other¡¯s tight embrace as we waited for the climax we felt to slow down.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s eat that spaghetti,¡± Laird said as he quickly kissed my temple.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.

 Gala Dinner Night

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°You¡¯re good?¡± Laird asked me.


    ¡°Uh huh,¡± I replied with a quick nod.


    I adjusted the receiver in my ear once again. The receiver was silver with crystals on the outside. Designed to deceive others, it resembled a full earring that was fitted around the entire edge of the ear.


    The earring was paired with a matching pendulum choker ne because they were a set of receivers and voice recorders. Laird was also wearing the same receiver, but his model was rigid and in ck.


    ¡°Test.¡± A woman¡¯s voice sounded faintly in my ear.


    ¡°Yes, I heard,¡± I answered. ¡°Can you hear me?¡± I asked in reply.


    ¡°Yes, I heard.¡± The woman at the other end of the receiver replied.


    ¡°Can you hear it clearly?¡± Laird asked again to confirm.


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m ready.¡± I answered with a long sigh.


    ¡°Do you remember the safe word?¡± Laird asked.


    ¡°Whitehill Academy.¡±


    ¡°Ok.¡± Laird then sighed in relief again. His face was tense, with his lips slightly parted without a smile. I knew he was nervous, but I was determined to try until our mission tonight seeded.


    ¡°Ok, peeps, everyone to your positions. My scout had spotted n in a ck limousine, and he had turned four blocks away from here. Laird, Matthew, and Jessy, you can join our surveince team in van number 1. The rest should stay alert in van number 2 with me and Mr. Golden,¡± said the FBI unit leader.


    Everyone rushed out of my house quickly. Laird cupped my cheeks and then kissed my lips quickly.


    ¡°Break a leg, Fene. Whenever you mention that safe word, I¡¯lle running to help you.¡± His eyes sparkled with determination, and I then squeezed his hand tightly for a moment.


    ¡°Yes, Laird. We can do this.¡± I nodded firmly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll always keep an eye on you from afar and pray for you, dear,¡± Jessy said, squeezing both my shoulders.


    ¡°Yeah, Jessy. I¡¯m going to be fine.¡± I chuckled softly.


    ¡°After this, we¡¯ll set up your acting sses, and I¡¯ll pitch you to all the producers in Hollywood.¡±


    ¡°Looking forward to it.¡± I could only nod again with a small smile.


    ¡°You got this girl!¡± Matthew raised his fist in front of my face.


    Then they all left the house and closed the door tightly, fearing that n might get closer to my house to pick me up. My mother then stood beside me and held my hand. She then kissed my clenched fist slowly.


    ¡°You had all my blessings. Pleasee back home safely.¡± She looked at me while squeezing my hand.


    ¡°Yes, Mom. Please rest assured. I wille back once the charity foundation is free of those corruptors.¡±


    My mother gently stroked my head for a moment. Her eyes sparkled as she gazed at every corner of my face. Then she whispered.


    ¡°Thank you, Fene. Thank you for being born into this glum world and being my daughter.¡±


    ¡°Oh,e here. You sounded like we were never going to meet again.¡±


    I hugged my mother tightly. Though my chest felt tight, I controlled myself not to cry. After sharing a warm hug, I took a step back.


    ¡°How did I look?¡± I asked, cing my hands on my hips with my chin slightly raised to show my confidence.


    The formal sleeveless ck jumpsuit studded with sparkling white beads along the plunging neckline and half-open back was my choice of outfit this time. I didn¡¯t end up wearing the dress n bought for me. Instead, I bought my own outfit without feeling pressured by n. I thought pants would make it easier for me, just in case I had to run.


    My blonde hair was tied back tightly in a sleek ponytail. My appearance resembled a runway style favored by fashion designers. I was confident they wouldn¡¯t suspect my preparations made it easier for me to moveter.


    ¡°You looked gorgeous. I am your biggest fan.¡± My mother chuckled, which brought a simr amused smile to my lips.


    ¡°n had arrived.¡± The voice of a woman from the FBI team interrupted our lightughter.


    ¡°He had arrived, Mom,¡± I said to my mother. She nodded and handed me my small ck shoulder bag.


    Just then, the doorbell rang loudly. I kissed my mother¡¯s cheeks and then walked to greet the guest. Of course, I didn¡¯t need to peek through the door anymore because it was clear that the guest ringing the bell was n.


    When I opened the door, I found n standing in front of me. He looked caught off guard when he saw me. His eyes dted, and his mouth fell open. He was speechless until I greeted him first.


    ¡°Good evening, n.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah, good evening, Mdy.¡± He cleared his throat lightly. ¡°Sorry, I was mesmerized by your beauty.¡±


    ¡°You should start getting used to this, n.¡± I gave him a lopsided smile.


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡± n chuckled softly.


    ¡°Are you leaving now?¡± my mother asked from behind me.


    ¡°Yes, Mrs. Baxter. I hope you don¡¯t mind letting me take your daughter far away.¡± n smiled widely in a friendly manner.


    ¡°Just be careful.¡± My mother advised us. n and I nodded.


    ¡°Bye, Mom. Close the door tight.¡± Then I closed the front door.


    I¡¯d be back, I promised.


    ¡°Shall we?¡± n ced his hand on my waist and guided me to the side of the glittering ck limousine.


    ¡°Wow. A limousine with a driver?¡± I sighed in amazement when I saw the car.


    ¡°Wait until you see the inside.¡± n smiled proudly as he opened the door for me.


    ¡°I felt like a celebrity now,¡± I said with a smallugh.


    ¡°You are, my love.¡±


    Then he closed the door, jogged around the car, and also got in.


    Throughout the journey, we chatted, but even though I tried to steer the conversation towards financial matters or businessworks, n would deflect. He seemed to know I was looking for acknowledgment from him. Of course, he didn¡¯t know about my mission, right?


    Gradually, I started to worry he might get suspicious, so I stopped questioning him about it.


    ***


    We returned to the same house asst week. It was quite bold of us toe back to this house after the previousmotion. It was even more ironic that Peter and Amy still invited us even though Amy had kicked us out thest time we met.


    ¡°Do you think Amy isn¡¯t mad at us anymore?¡± I asked n as our car queued to stop in front of the house.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°Well, who knows? At least we came as an important part of the family, and of course, people would be suspicious if we didn¡¯t show up.¡±


    ¡°So you mean this is all just for Amy¡¯s image?¡± I pressed again.


    ¡°Fene, please, just behave for tonight. After this, we¡¯ll be free.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± I asked, blinking my eyes.


    ¡°As I told you a few days ago. We¡¯ll be going far away from Peter, Laird, and Amy.¡± n smiled, showing enthusiasm for his n.


    ¡°How far?¡± I asked with a slightly trembling voice, holding back the nervousness that came from a bad premonition.


    ¡°So far, I could guarantee you that we would be happily ever after together alone.¡±

 Cornering Amy

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Perhaps because I was wearing ck pump shoes that were pointy high, everyone looked small in my eyes. They watched me with their heads slightly upturned. But somehow I knew it was all just my imagination brought on by my soaring confidence.


    I felt great!


    Some people we knew, like Jemima Hors, Oscar de Ragetti, and other celebrities, immediately surrounded n and me. They immediately praised us, especially my appearance, which was considered elegant and luxurious for a g dinner.


    ¡°Oh, Fene, I¡¯m so happy to see you again, darling.¡± Oscar gave me a quick peck on both cheeks.


    ¡°Yeah, I was afraid I¡¯d never see you again after thatmercial,¡± Jemima said with a chuckle.


    ¡°Why? Do you think I¡¯m going to kill myself like the people on my social media asked me to?¡± I chuckled, though my tone of voice was quite sharp as a sarcasm to those who left me alone when I was down.


    ¡°Oh, of course not, dear. I¡¯m d you ignored those horrible haters. Besides, scandals pass like the wind. Give them some time, and they¡¯ll be gone. We have to focus on our preparations for next month¡¯s fashion show instead,¡± Oscar waved a hand and rolled his eyes.


    ¡°My girl is a tough ass, isn¡¯t she?¡± The corners of n¡¯s lips turned up, showing his pride in me, whom he now imed as his own.


    ¡°I¡¯m so jealous right now.¡±


    A female voice said, catching our attention. n and I quickly turned to see Mallory West looking stunning in a tight white dress, contrasting with her brown hair. She was apanied by Roger, her manager, and her boyfriend. Seeing her, n and the people around us were immediately cheered in excitement to greet her.


    ¡°Hello, Fene. Good to see you again.¡± Mallory smiled sweetly and wrapped her arms around me quickly to kiss both sides of my cheeks.


    ¡°Yes, Mallory. Nice to see you again too.¡± I shed my usual fake smile even though I could still feel a pang in my heart for her.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you guys were able to mend your rtionship,¡± Mallory said with a big smile.


    ¡°Oh, well, that¡¯s how feelings are-unpredictable.¡± I shrugged.


    ¡°And we¡¯re engaged,¡± n said loudly so everyone around us could hear him. They all immediately burst into joy when they heard n¡¯s announcement.


    ¡°Show us the engagement ring.¡±


    They demanded that I show them our diamond engagement ring. I sighed in faked exasperation and raised my hand to reveal the ring finger studded with thetest premium Prestishe diamond ring. They immediately burst intoughter and ¡®ooh-aahs¡¯ of admiration and surrounded me.


    ¡°Wow, congrattions,¡± Roger saidzily.


    ¡°Yeah, congrattions!¡±


    This time another female voice squealed from behind us. I immediately saw Amy¡¯s figure wearing a sparkling gold-colored dress. Really, she couldn¡¯t be more striking than that.


    The people around us, Mallory¡¯s circle of friends, immediately greeted Amy. They hurriedly praised Amy¡¯s appearance and exchanged greetings and salutations. Although, at a nce, I could see a slight twitch and a look of annoyance from Oscar-that guy was the worst at hiding his feelings. But something seemed to force them to obey Amy, and I think I already knew what it was.


    ¡°You know, the main event is about to start, so I hope you can get into the main ballroom soon.¡± Amy spread her arms and led the celebrities away from me.


    ¡°Come on, baby,¡± n invited me to leave, but Amy gently held n¡¯s arm.


    ¡°You can go first, honey. I want to have a quick word with my future sister-inw in private,¡± Amy said with her eyes narrowed at me.


    ¡°I don¡¯t take orders from you, Amy,¡± I said in a cold tone.


    ¡°Hey,dies, please behave. If you can¡¯t y nice, I swear I will-¡±


    ¡°Fuck off, n!¡± Amy growled. We stunned as we watched Amy start to show the irritation she was harboring. Realizing that she was scaring n, she cleared her throat and raised a sweet smile at me.


    ¡°Believe me, n, I just want to have a little chat with her without having to be interrupted by anyone.¡± Amy blinked her eyes as if she were still the sweet and friendly Amy.


    ¡°Five minutes. If she¡¯s not back in five minutes, I¡¯ll pick her up.¡±


    n raised his open palm. Amy snorted and raised her finger to gesture for me to follow her. I then nced at n and nodded my head to him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be back in a minute.¡± I said to him.


    Amy then led me to a polished wooden door, and she opened it. It was a small room with a simple bed and table. It seemed to be a guest room.


    ¡°Alright, tell me the truth now, Fene. Did you get engaged to n to get back at me?¡±


    Amy asked matter-of-factly. She scrunched up one waist as she stared at me with pursed lips.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Then, did youe near n knowing you could make me miserable by pretending to be my sister-inw?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t y games with me, Fene. There¡¯s no way you sincerely love n. He¡¯s a mess, and no one would want him if it wasn¡¯t for his money.¡± Amy snorted and shook her head.


    ¡°Oh, Amy. I really feel sorry for you. Now I know where n learned such a misbelief.¡± I frowned, pretending to give her a concerned look.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to start recording this, Fene,¡± the FBImander whispered faintly in my ear.


    ¡°Say whatever you want. In the end, you¡¯re just the same naive girl you were in high school. Don¡¯t you know how money can move everything? No need to be hypocritical.¡± Amy grinned viciously.


    ¡°Not with me. I wasn¡¯t moved by the money n had, but by the sincerity of his heart toward me all these years.¡± I still replied coldly to Amy¡¯s words.


    ¡°Total bullshit. No need to pretend. I¡¯m sure you approached him, and you epted him because of the money. He now looks sessful as a billionaire, has a perfect physique, and has a face that women love. That¡¯s your reason.¡± Amy began to step closer to me.


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong again, Amy. The physique won¡¯tst, the face will wrinkle, and the money will be gone in no time.¡±


    ¡°Though I admit, I¡¯m amazed at what he¡¯s aplished through the hard work of his own hands. At least he didn¡¯t sell his soul to someone like you.¡± I hissed back by narrowing my eyes at her.


    Hearing my words, Amyughed. Her shrillughter sounded horrible and left me stunned. My eyes blinked at her unexpected reaction. But once again I could see how Amy¡¯s temper infected n¡¯s arrogant temper.


    ¡°Oh, Devil. I don¡¯t know how else to pity you, Fene. You want to insult me by praising n, but you¡¯re the one at fault here.¡± Amy then took a breath and controlled her annoying fakeughter.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that all of n¡¯s aplishments are the result of his own hard work? Well, you¡¯re dead wrong, Fene.¡± Amy leaned toward me, and this time her face contorted with an angry glint in her eyes.


    ¡°Everything n has is my money. n wouldn¡¯t be as sessful as he is now if it wasn¡¯t for me marrying Peter.¡±


    ¡°I introduced n to Peter. I let Peter invest in n¡¯spany to such an extent. That money should have gone to my charity. I¡¯m Peter¡¯s legal wife, so all of Peter¡¯s money should be mine.¡± Amy emphasized every word ¡®I¡¯.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not. Peter has nothing to do with n¡¯s business. It¡¯s all n¡¯s own money and his investors. I saw the shareholder chart on the inte myself.¡± I scrunched my face in denial.


    ¡°Well, duh. All the investors are shellpanies, and they all belong to Peter.¡± Amy rolled up her eyes.

 Bullying is a Sin

    Fene¡¯s POV


    I widened my eyes. My mouth dropped open after hearing Amy¡¯s confession. I snorted then shook my head, still rejecting her confession. I needed more than this.


    ¡°No. That¡¯s not true. I clearly saw the names of Gene¡¯s shareholders. Several investmentpanies, n himself, and Ms. L¡¯s children.¡±


    ¡°Oh, please, please, Fene. Stop being a no-brainer. No wonder everyone said you¡¯re just a dumb girl.¡± Amy growled in dismay after hearing me.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you clearly. How can you still not understand such a simple matter? All those investmentpanies belong to Peter. It¡¯s all Peter¡¯s money. Even the shares in n¡¯s name are actually Peter¡¯s money. n doesn¡¯t own anything!¡±


    ¡°Keep at it, Fene.¡± The FBImander¡¯s voice rang again in my ears faintly.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Even Gene¡¯s shares are actually Peter¡¯s money? How is that possible?¡± I muttered softly with my forehead deeply furrowed.


    ¡°Yes! Don¡¯t you understand? That¡¯s why I hated it so much when n made his decision to appoint you as Gene¡¯s main model! How dare he waste Peter¡¯s money on you?¡± Amy took another step with her teeth clenching in anger.


    ¡°And now youe along after seeing n¡¯s false sess. You think you can take more from him. Now that you know it¡¯s Peter¡¯s money, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll seduce Peter.¡± Amy took another furious step and forced me to back away. My back hit the door.


    ¡°No, Amy. I¡¯m as sincere to n as he is to me.¡±


    ¡°Liar!¡±


    Amy roared, then she pushed my neck with her arms. She put her whole body into her arms, crushing my neck until I couldn¡¯t breathe. Her hands then grabbed my hair and yanked it roughly over my head.


    ¡°You filthy greedy bitch.¡± Amy growled.


    ¡°Ohk!¡± I choked hard.


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± I tried my best to speak as my hands tried to push Amy¡¯s arms away from my neck.


    No! This was just like the time Amy beat me up in the infirmary. My memory drifted to that afternoon in the dark room. My breathing wasbored, my back hurt, and my whole body was covered in cold sweat.


    ¡°I can see you lying through your teeth. You want Peter for your own. You stole my spotlight in front of Mallory. Too bad, you¡¯re just a useless beggar.¡±


    Amy hissed in front of my face. Her breath was warm but made me shiver with cold. My goosebumps bristled, and I trembled under Amy¡¯s control.


    ¡°You are as filthy as those who beg Peter. It¡¯s only natural that you should submit to me. We are the ones who control you all.¡±


    ¡°No, Amy.¡±


    I groaned in between my attempts to find oxygen. Sweat ran down my back and temples. My hands tried to free themselves, but I knew Amy had given me the confession I needed.


    ¡°You¡¯re all just temporary deposits, so don¡¯t get cocky. Especially you, Fene. Don¡¯t ever think you can take my ce.¡±


    Then Amy jerked her arm so hard that I was jolted into the door again. I thought back to what happened in high school. Whates after this? Amy was going to kick my shin until it bruised again? My body slowly bent over with my hands clutching my neck, and I coughed for air.


    My guess was right. I watched Amy¡¯s legs. As Amy¡¯s leg was about to swing out from under her dress, I rolled to the floor to dodge her kick. My breath caught with my body sitting limply on the floor.


    Slowly, I got up, supporting my body with my elbows. I dragged my body away from Amy while holding my sore neck. Amy¡¯s steps were getting closer to me. Her eyes looked down on me with a triumphant smile etched on her face.


    ¡°Fene?¡±


    The door opened. n popped his head out. When he saw me out of breath and curled up on the floor, his face immediately turned red.


    ¡°What the hell, Amy?!¡± n threw a tantrum and came into the room.


    ¡°Why? Isn¡¯t she going to be my sister-inw? It¡¯s only natural that I treat her the same way I treat you. Rubbish.¡±


    ¡°Stop it, Amy.¡± n growled with his eyes darting angrily.


    ¡°Or what? What the fuck are you going to do about it, hm?¡±


    n¡¯s hands were clenched at his sides. He held all the anger in his chest with his face flushed to his ears. His teeth chattered, and he growled menacingly.


    ¡°I will destroy you, Amy. I will take revenge for what you did to me and to Fene. I won¡¯t let this slide easily ever again,¡± n said with ring eyes at Amy.


    ¡°Oh, so scary. Tell me the truth that you¡¯re going to dump Fene.¡± Amy¡¯s hand crept up n¡¯s chest, but n immediately gripped Amy¡¯s right wrist firmly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had it with you, Amy. I used to swallow everything you did to me, but not anymore. I will destroy you.¡± n¡¯s voice then growled lowly while I could only look at them with rushed heartbeats.


    ¡°Let me go! You¡¯re just a useless piece of sh*t. You are nothing without me and Peter.¡± Amy growled as her hands struggled to escape n¡¯s locking grip.


    ¡°No, Amy. You both are the ones who have nothing without me.¡± n grinned.


    ¡°What the fuck?!¡± Amy hissed as she tried to pull her hand free when n was caught off guard.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting out of here with Fene. Away from here with all the money you gave me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense!¡± Amy snarled viciously.


    ¡°Yes, Amy. All thanks to you. You¡¯re the one who taught me about everything. At least I learned how to move that money from you. Without you realizing it, I¡¯ve been draining your money.¡± n grinned, and I could see the look of horror in Amy¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°You backstabbing me?! How dare you!¡±


    Amy, who was getting angry, immediately tried to p n with her left hand, but n also caught Amy¡¯s left hand.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, I¡¯m much stronger than you. Thanks, Amy.¡± n chuckled, and then, without a signal, n head-butted Amy hard in the face.


    Amy immediately groaned in pain and fell backwards onto the bed. Although Amy was wailing in pain and holding her nose, no one heard her.


    It seemed that everyone was busy listening to Peter¡¯s speech about collecting donations in the ballroom. Peter¡¯s voice over the speakers reached here, and the roar of apuse drowned out Amy¡¯s cries.


    ¡°My nose! My nose is bleeding! You broke my precious nose! I just operated on it!¡± Amy wailed as tears and blood streamed down her face.N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Come on, Fene, let¡¯s go now.¡± n grabbed my arm and helped me to get up.


    ¡°n! I¡¯m going to kill you! I will tell Peter, and he will kill you!¡± Amy roared again, but n didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Come on.¡±


    n grabbed my arm and pulled me to run away from Amy, who was still wailing. She stood up, but we were already out of the room and running away. I briefly looked back and saw how Amy dragged her steps after us with blood from her nose staining her sparkling gold dress.


    ¡°Come back here!¡±


    When we didn¡¯t stop, Amy turned into the ballroom. While n and I ran into a dead-end corridor.


    ¡°n, where are we going?¡± I asked frantically.


    ¡°Far from here.¡±

 Runaway Bride

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°n!¡±


    I called him back to seek confirmation of where he was taking me. The man kept silent and put his arm around me. He ran, and I was half dragged by his long strides.


    ¡°Ourgh!¡±


    I fell into a tumble as my feet were no longer able to bnce on my high-heeled pumps in the midst of a quick escape. Pain instantly pierced my ankle. I winced, and n immediately stopped.


    ¡°Damn!¡±


    ¡°Are you alright? Come on, Fene. We need to go now. Can you stand up?¡±


    n helped me back to my feet. I put my hand on his arm and stood up. It was just that the pain was so intense that my ankle was now swollen and red.


    ¡°I sprained my ankle.¡±


    I winced with tears gathering in my eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Fene. Get on my back. We need to get out of here quickly before Amy snitches on Peter.¡± n crouched down so I could climb onto his back.


    ¡°I can¡¯t, n. You go on your own. Just leave me alone. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± My breath caught as I shook my head.


    ¡°No! We¡¯ll go together. We¡¯ll go as far away from here as possible, just the two of us.¡± n forced me.


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°Come on, baby. Just trust me.¡± He still insisted with great urgency.


    I finally took off all my shoes and climbed onto his back. I squeezed my shoes in each hand so as not to leave a trace and then draped my arms around his neck. Soon after, n rose to his feet. His two arms supported my knees, and he started walking quickly while carrying me on his back.


    We came to the end of a dead-end corridor. Then n, with an awkward movement, took something from his pocket. He was breathing heavily, as if we were being chased by something invisible.


    ¡°n, this is a dead-end corridor.¡±


    ¡°Just trust me, baby.¡±


    n managed to get a key out of his pocket and inserted it into a keyhole embedded in the brown wall. It turned out to be a secret door. My eyes widened as the wall opened after n pushed the door with his foot.


    ¡°Is that a secret room?¡± I asked in amazement at the dark room behind the door.


    ¡°Sort of. Peter¡¯s makeshift bunker in case he wants to run and hide.¡±


    n led me into the room and closed the door with his foot again. When the door closed with a loud click, n lowered me to the floor.


    He turned on the room lights, and a bright light exploded in front of my eyes. The light instantly illuminated a ck sedan parked there. It turned out to be a garage. Several shelves filled with worn-out itemsy on the sides of the walls. At first nce, it looked like an ordinary garage.


    ¡°OMG, this is a garage? Is that the exit?¡± I said softly as my eyes wandered around to notice every detail of the garage.


    ¡°Yes. It can exit to the side door. Practical, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    n then moved to one of the cabs and opened one of the drawers while I limped over to the back of the car. He took out a canvas backpack from inside the drawer. The backpack looked full and quiterge, although its ck color had faded and it no longer looked valuable.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± I asked with a suspicious squint.


    ¡°It¡¯s our supplies.¡± n answered me quickly as he opened another drawer.


    ¡°Supplies for what?¡± I demanded an answer once again.


    ¡°Supplies to get away from here.¡± n¡¯s hands reached deeper into the drawer. He pulled out various items as if searching for something.


    ¡°Where?¡±


    ¡°Anywhere.¡±


    ¡°n, don¡¯t joke around. Where are we going?¡±


    My premonition was getting worse. Sweat dripped down my temples with my heart beating fast. n didn¡¯t answer me.


    ¡°n!¡±


    I called out loudly once again for a clear answer from him. n stopped rummaging through the shelves. He straightened up and let out a long sigh. Then he turned around and walked towards me. His hands then squeezed my shoulders.


    ¡°Fene, calm down. You have to trust me. I¡¯ve been nning this for a long time. I¡¯ve been intending for this n to be executed when you ept my proposal, so everything is well prepared.¡± n looked at me intently with his glittering brown eyes.


    ¡°Please, n. Tell me, what is this n? Why do we have to go so far away?¡±


    I pouted with my forehead wrinkled in fear at n¡¯s words. He licked his lips quickly and then began to speak softly.


    ¡°Fene, I get all the money for my business from Peter. He collects all the money from corruption andunders it through shellpanies. He put the money as if it were all mine. So you understand, right?¡±N?velDrama.Org holds this content.


    ¡°Are you serious? n, don¡¯t joke around! How do you know Peter¡¯s money is from corruption?¡± I eximed with my eyes bulging in horror at his words.


    ¡°He told me himself. He¡¯s been using Amy, me, and everyone in Mallory¡¯s circle to work together to keep his money for some time.¡±


    ¡°Wait, n. So your business is all Peter¡¯s corruption?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Fene. It¡¯s all empty.¡± He chuckled.


    ¡°What about Gene? What about Ms. L?¡±


    Tears began to well up in my eyes. I wasn¡¯t acting. This time I really felt my heart breaking, remembering how the modeling agency office I had upied for seven years had now been destroyed because of n¡¯s greed. Just because of n¡¯s obsession with me.


    ¡°Oh, please, don¡¯t cry. It¡¯s all meaningless as long as we can be together.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not serious, n.¡± I shook my head and held back my tears by biting my lower lip tightly.


    Had all of his words been recorded? I was starting to feel like my anxiety was real because the expression on n¡¯s face made me really scared. His eyes stared at me wide-eyed, and the grip of his hand on my arm made me shudder in pain.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious, Fene. After this, we¡¯ll go far away from here and make off with all that money. We¡¯ll be filthy rich and untouchable by thew.¡±


    n eximed with enthusiasm. I was stunned to hear n¡¯s n. Had he really nned this all along? Even before he proposed to me?


    ¡°Let me be clear about something. You¡¯ve been nning all this for a long time? If I ept your proposal, you¡¯ll take all that illegal money and go far away with me.¡± My voice choked up, still holding back my tears.


    ¡°Yes, Fene. So, you can rest easy. After this, we¡¯ll have billions of dors to ourselves. Peter won¡¯t know that all thepanies and money are mine.¡±


    ¡°How is that possible?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible because I¡¯ve worked with the mafia to split the money equally. All of Peter¡¯s shellpanies have been bought by me. I used various shellpany chains with the mafia.¡±


    nughed amusedly, then hurriedly returned to the cupboard he had left earlier. He unpacked the items in the cupboard and then eximed happily. It turned out that he had taken out the car keys.


    ¡°Come on, Fene. Get in the car now.¡± n snapped, opening the car door with the remote that beeped softly.


    I stood still, staring at n. My heart was racing, and I felt it was time for me to stop here. They should all have gotten the confession they needed.


    ¡°We¡¯re clear,¡± the FBImander¡¯s voice came back faintly in my ear.


    My mission isplete.


    ¡°No, rk. I should have rejected you outright back at Whitehill Academy.¡±


    Safe word. I had high hopes that Laird would soone to rescue me from this monster in front of me.


    ¡°What do you mean, honey?¡± n stammered at the mention of his real name by me.


    ¡°If I¡¯d known you¡¯d turned into a psychopath this obsessed with me, willing to go to any lengths, even illegal ones like this, I would have never given you any mercy.¡± I shook my head.


    ¡°Honey, please don¡¯t talk nonsense like that. We have to leave now.¡± n tried to move forward to grab my hand, but I hurriedly back away even though I have to jump and limp to avoid him.


    ¡°No, rk. Get away from me.¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    The door behind me suddenly broke open. I turned my head, hoping to find a hero in silvery armor who would help me. I hoped it was Laird Evans, my true lover.


    ¡°Yes, n. Step away or I¡¯ll shoot her.¡±


    Something cold pressed on my temples. A man wrapped his strong arms around my shoulders from behind with hisrge arms mped around my neck.

 Under Arrest

    Laird¡¯s POV


    I pounded angrily on the ss door of the van in which the FBImander and Prosecutor Golden were riding. They were all sitting rxed in the car, while Fene could be heard being hurt by Amy. Fene¡¯s heavy breathing and the sound of Amy¡¯s roar that I heard over the receiver convinced me that Fene was in trouble.


    This had all gone too far.


    ¡°Amy¡¯s confession is enough, right? What the fuck are you waiting for? Arrest her now and save Fene.¡± I growled at Prosecutor Golden.


    ¡°Fene is still holding out, Laird. We should wait until Fene says the safe word. She can also gauge her capacity.¡± Prosecutor Golden raised his hand to calm me down.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t help her now, I¡¯ll go help her.¡± My eyes narrowed, and I growled with a serious threat.


    ¡°Laird, if you go in now, you¡¯ll ruin everything we¡¯ve built up so far. Fene is trying hard in there. All you have to do is stay away and prepare to wait for her to say that safe word.¡± The old man reassured me with his tight voice.


    I groaned in exasperation. My hands squeezed the back of my neck to control myself. The only thing I wanted to do right now was to run as fast as I could to save Fene from Amy.


    I knew how Amy had bullied Fene long ago, and it was happening again now. Again, I couldn¡¯t do anything to stop it.


    Fene was in pain, but why didn¡¯t that girl say the safe word? What else was she waiting for? Why was she so stubborn to endure?


    ¡°n came into the room,¡± the FBImander announced.


    I immediately went back to seriously listening to all the conversations going on. My clenched hands were sped in front of my chest. I tried hard to restrain myself as I silently prayed that Fene would say the safe word soon.


    Oh, no, this is bad. She had sprained her ankle.


    ¡°Where¡¯s that secret room she¡¯s talking about?¡± I asked when I heard Fene piping up to give us a hint.


    ¡°Something about a dead-end corridor. It looks like it¡¯s still on the same floor in the area outside their ballroom.¡± The FBImander said quickly. ¡°I¡¯ll confirm the exact location with the field team.¡±


    ¡°It seems that Fene is trying to get n¡¯s confession now.¡± Prosecutor Golden frowned as he listened to their conversation.


    ¡°Oh, Fene,e on, say the safe word.¡± Jessy blurted out with anxiety, making his face crease.


    ¡°No. I bet she won¡¯t stop until n reveals everything for the record.¡± Matthew smirked.


    ¡°That girl is a badass.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re going to the side garage?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Team 2, search the side of the house for the emergency garage door. Find a wide enough surface wall without any obstructions. Team 1 in the ballroom, any sign of Amy yet?¡± Themander asked again into the specialmunication device for his field team.


    ¡°Amy entered the ballroom. She interrupted Peter¡¯s speech.¡± Team 1¡¯s voice came through quite clearly.


    ¡°She ratted n out to Peter. This is going to get dangerous.¡± I said impatiently.


    ¡°Team 1, move now. Amy and Peter are top priorities for arrest. Team 3, hold back the bodyguards. Team 4, prepare for crowd control.¡±


    Realizing Fene was in danger, I no longer wanted to wait. Confident that Fene would sessfullyplete the mission, I acted impulsively this time. With no more hesitation, I ran out of the van.


    ¡°Laird, wait!¡±


    ¡°Laird!¡±


    Everyone in the van shouted in panic, but I ignored them. I ran at lightning speed from the van to enter the house. I crossed the yard and barged my way inside.


    This didn¡¯t fit my character. I broke my rules to wait until everything was safe. In the end, Fene was right. I will always end up jumping into the fire to save her.


    When I entered, it was already chaotic. Panicked guests scattered, but several tuxedo-d men blocked the exits right after I came in to the mansion. They seemed to be an FBI field team. If I waste any second, I couldn¡¯t have made my way inside to help her.


    ¡°Get out of the way! Move!¡±


    I broke through the crowd in the opposite direction to reach the deepest hallway of the house. A dead-end corridor with a secret door leading off to the side-that was my clue. I caught a glimpse of Peter Morgan, the senator, disappearing at the end of the corridor.


    ¡°There he is.¡± I growled and more violently pushed the guests to open the way for me.


    ¡°We¡¯re the FBI! Everyone, stay where you are! No one gets out!¡± The FBI officers roared, holding the guests at the exit.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Sir! Stay put!¡± An officer confronted me.


    ¡°I¡¯m part of the team!¡± I angrily tried to dodge the man¡¯s grab.


    ¡°No one gets out!¡± He held me back.


    ¡°Fuck off! Ask Prosecutor Golden! This is Laird Evans! I should chase Peter!¡±


    The officer then spoke quickly into hismunication device, and the next second he nodded. As soon as he shifted his body, I immediately went back to running after Peter. The officer then came running behind me, probably to provide reinforcements on hismander¡¯s orders.


    ¡°Look out!¡±


    I turned my head and saw Amy turning towards me. The moment I saw her, instead of moving out of the way as she had ordered, I charged at her. My two hands instantly caught her body and knocked her to the floor with a loud thud.


    ¡°Get off me!¡± Amy roared angrily.


    ¡°It¡¯s over, Amy. Just give up.¡±


    I crushed her and pulled her arms behind her back. In the next second, the officer who chased Amy and the FBI officer behind me immediately handcuffed her.


    ¡°You¡¯re under arrest,¡± the officer then recited the Miranda Rights during the arrest ording to protocol. Amy rose to her feet, and when she saw me up close, her furious eyes widened.


    ¡°Laird! What are you doing here?¡± Amy eximed in a high tone.


    ¡°I¡¯m with Fene to catch you, n, and Peter,¡± I said quickly.


    ¡°You and Fene are working together? Are you guys in the FBI?¡± Amy¡¯s mouth dropped sharply downward as she roared harshly.


    ¡°No, we¡¯re not. We¡¯re just two people getting revenge on you.¡±


    ¡°What?! You¡¯re all mad!¡± Amyughed loudly. It seemed that even she was still reeling from the unexpected turn of events.


    ¡°Now be a good girl, Amy.¡±


    Then I ran back to the corridor. But just as I was about to reach the end of the dead-end corridor, the sound of gunfire rang out. My steps stopped in ce. My heart seemed to explode when I heard the explosion. My eyes widened in horror, and I held my breath for a moment.


    ¡°Shit! They have guns.¡±


    Did they shoot Fene? That can¡¯t be happening! It¡¯s not happening under my watch!

 Emergency Bag

    Fene¡¯s POV


    Oh my God.


    It wasn¡¯t Laird who stepped in to help me, but Peter. He wrapped his arm around my neck until I was pinned under his arms. Cold metal touched my temple. I nced over and immediately saw a ck gun pointed at me.


    ¡°Let me go, Peter.¡± I growled even as my body trembled.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Peter snapped loudly, ringing in my ears.


    I closed my eyes tightly as I endured the pain in my ankles and muffled my fear. I raised my arms to let go of Peter¡¯s arms, but it seemed that emotional panic had taken over my body. Somehow I became helplessly weak and could only hold on to Peter¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Please, Peter, please.¡± I said softly, asking him to let me go.


    ¡°Peter, let her go. She doesn¡¯t know anything.¡± n tried to calm Peter down.


    ¡°Yes? Then put the bag in the car and move away.¡±


    Peter mped tighter and tighter around my neck, and the tip of the gun pressed harder and harder against my temple. I slowly looked at n, who put the ck duffel bag into the back passenger seat of the car. He shifted slowly away from the car as Peter had instructed.


    ¡°Done. Now, let her go.¡±


    n stepped forward slowly, but Peter pushed me to walk towards the car.


    ¡°Peter, let her go.¡± n warned him again in a low voice.


    ¡°You shut up! You traitor! I brought you into my business, and you betrayed me! You reported me to the FBI?! You think you¡¯re smart?¡± Peter¡¯s voice exploded again as his hand holding the gun was still next to my face.


    ¡°What FBI?¡± asked n, frowning.


    ¡°No need to pretend! The FBI is destroying my house right now. Then you¡¯re here stealing my money! How about I blow this girl¡¯s brains out too, hm?¡±


    Peter¡¯s breathing was ragged along with mine. I couldn¡¯t help but feel tears rolling down my cheeks. My racing heartbeat also made my body tremble violently. I shook my head, but Peter didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Calm down, Peter. I didn¡¯t call the FBI here.¡±


    n took another step toward us, but Peter was more alert. He dragged me to the side of the car, almost reaching the driver¡¯s door.


    ¡°I don¡¯t give a fuck about that! All I know now is that you stole my money!¡±


    Peter forced me to move again to keep up with him. He used my body as a shield, but n kept advancing towards us. When Peter and I reached the driver¡¯s car door, he didn¡¯t let me go right away.


    ¡°Let her go, Peter!¡±


    Peter repeatedly turned his head between the door and n. He wanted to get into the car but was afraid n would attack him when he let his guard down. Meanwhile, I, who was in the middle, could only tremble with fear.


    Is that all I can do? Shaking with fear?


    Both my hands tightly gripped Peter¡¯s arms that were locked around my neck and shoulders. I tried to release him this time with a stronger stomp, but Peter locked my neck even tighter. I was suffocating but didn¡¯t want to give up so easily.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move, bitch!¡± Peter growled.


    ¡°Peter, don¡¯t be rash. Please let her go.¡±


    n took another step forward as I began to struggle to break free. With swollen and reddened legs, I tried to hold my body back from being dragged by Peter.


    ¡°Don¡¯te any closer, or I¡¯ll shoot! Don¡¯t move!¡± Peter threatened again.


    In the next second, I jerked my head back hard toward Peter¡¯s chin. He screeched, momentarily distracted by my head hitting his chin. The back of my head immediately hurt too, but I pushed myself away from Peter under his open arms.


    I rolled to the floor. n jumped up and lunged at Peter. One shot went off. n hit Peter hard on the cheek. Peter was knocked off bnce, and n took the opportunity to beat him up.


    They wrestled on the garage floor. Punches were thrown back and forth. They rolled on the floor. n managed to kick Peter in the groin. Then he ran and picked up the gun that was lying on the floor. n turned around, and I dropped my head low to the floor.


    The second shot went off. Peter groaned loudly.


    I looked up and saw Peter¡¯s bloody body. His stomach was shot, and he groaned in pain on the floor.


    ¡°Curse you, n!¡±


    Our breathing was quick. It was n¡¯s turn to point the gun at Peter. n¡¯s eyes stared wide at Peter, and it was obvious he was going to kill Peter.


    ¡°You¡¯re the damned one. How dare you point this gun at Fene? No one can touch her.¡± n hissed with his hand, ready to shoot Peter in the face.


    ¡°n stop! Don¡¯t do it! Don¡¯t kill him! Please stop!¡± I eximed loudly.


    ¡°Listen to her! There¡¯s no point in killing me!¡±


    Peter raised one hand above his head to create a shield, though it was useless against the bullets.


    n¡¯s jaw tightened, and he gave Peter a fierce look. It seemed that my words had seeded in reducing n¡¯s anger. He then kicked Peter¡¯s face into the wall. Peter groaned, and then his eyes shut. He fainted.


    n and I were breathing fast. I thought it was all over, but I was wrong. n turned to me. His eyes still looked wicked, and now his anger was flowing towards me.


    ¡°Did you call the FBI? You can¡¯t possibly-¡±


    n suddenly stopped his words. His eyes widened as if he had a revtion after connecting the dots.


    His hand moved quickly and pulled on my receiver earring. I groaned in pain as the receiver was yanked out and scraped my ear until it sshed blood. n heard the man¡¯s voice on the other side of the receiver and immediately mmed it to the floor.


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who reported to the FBI? Are you with Laird?¡± n stepped towering over me.


    I looked up with tears streaming down my cheeks. I was now out of contact with the directions from Prosecutor Golden. I could only cry under n¡¯s feet.


    ¡°Please, n. Let me go.¡±


    ¡°Fene, what have you done?¡± n held his head with eyes that shed with panic.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Please, n. Let me go.¡± I begged him to let me go.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    ¡°I made a n, and you ruined it!¡± n roared in anger with his body convulsing.


    Then he noticed the ne that was the same style as my earrings. He pointed the gun at me immediately.


    ¡°Take that ne off. Is that an FBI-made ne too? Take it off or I¡¯ll shoot you!¡±


    My hands shook with fear as I grabbed the sp of the ne at the back of my neck. I struggled to open the ne as my mouth begged n not to shoot.


    When the ne was sessfully removed, n snatched the ne from my hand and threw it on the floor as well. Suddenly, we heard the sound of the door behind us again. Only the door wasn¡¯t open. Someone banged on it from outside.


    ¡°n! Peter! I know you¡¯re there! Let go of Fene!¡±


    It was Laird. I knew his voice.


    Once again, the painful pounding on the door red. The tip of a sharp object repeatedly broke into the door.


    ¡°Get up, Fene! Get in the car!¡± n grabbed my arm, dragging me to the driver¡¯s seat.

 Deadly Rejection

    Fene¡¯s POV


    ¡°Let go of me, n!¡±


    I struggled with all my might, but n kept his grip on my arm. He wouldn¡¯t listen to me and now forced me to follow him. Limping, I dragged my feet to get into the car.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to, n! Let go of me!¡±


    I held the car door with my hand. Although n tried to open the door, I held the door.


    Outside, Laird was still trying to crush open the door. It seemed that the door lock was no ordinary key. I bought my time as much as I could, waiting for Laird toe rescue me.


    ¡°Fene! Don¡¯t test me! Get in the car right now.¡±


    n threatened with the gun pointed at my forehead. I then pushed n with all my might, and he was furious. His free hand suddenly gripped my neck tightly.


    ¡°n!¡±


    I tried my best to scream, but the man tightened his grip on my neck. He growled in front of my face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t y games, Fene. Please get in the car and drive. Or should I kill you now?¡±


    My face scrunched up, and I tried to catch my breath. My throat was sore, my chest was tight, and I was starting to lose my coordination. n means business.


    ¡°Why are you doing this, Fene? Why are you cooperating with the FBI and Laird?¡± asked n in a low whisper.


    Tears ran down his cheeks, and his warm breath brushed my face. He slowly released his chokehold and instead grabbed my hair.


    ¡°Please, n. Let go of me.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you were going to marry me? Are you lying?¡±


    ¡°I told you, n. I love Laird. I can only love Laird for so long.¡±


    ¡°No. You are mine, Fene.¡±


    n then kissed my lips. He sucked my lips hard, and his tongue forced its way into my mouth. I clenched my lips tightly and dodged, but n¡¯s two hands held my head tightly.


    I struggled, but he then choked my neck again. I coughed, opening my mouth to catch my breath. That¡¯s when he kissed my lips again. His tongue forced its way in to reach my tongue.


    That¡¯s when I bit down hard on his tongue. He moaned in pain and hurriedly backed away. His hand swung out, and with the bottom of the gun, he hit my cheek hard.


    ¡°Oh, Fene.¡± n seemed to realize what he had done. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, dear. It¡¯s your fault.


    Why did you hurt me?¡±


    After saying that, n held his bleeding tongue. He wiped his lips with the back of his hand and then spat the blood onto the floor.


    I coughed and coughed. My jaw hurt, my legs throbbed with pain, and now even my head felt dizzy. I tried to hold on, waiting for Laird toe.


    What was taking him so long?


    As Iy helplessly on the floor, n pulled me up again. He grabbed me by the waist and forced me into the car.


    ¡°n! Let go of Fene! You bastard!¡±


    I could still hear Laird¡¯s voice echoing from behind the door. Bang after bang rattled the door, but it seemed Laird hadn¡¯t made it into the tightly locked room.


    ¡°Get lost, Laird! Fene and I are getting married! We¡¯ll live happily ever after!¡±


    n fired at the door. The explosion made me wince, and my hands reflexively covered my head.


    ¡°Get out, you coward!¡±


    Laird shouted loudly, but n justughed. n then opened the driver¡¯s side car door. He pushed me in roughly without caring about my head hitting the side of the hood.


    ¡°Argh! n! You hurt me!¡± I groaned, but n didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°Listen, Fene. If you don¡¯tply, I¡¯ll kill Laird. This gun still has bullets in it. So obey me.¡± n still had the gun pointed at my forehead.


    ¡°Stay there or I¡¯ll shoot. I¡¯m not messing around. Do you understand?¡±


    n stared at me wide-eyed, and I felt I could no longer resist. My body was now shaking uncontrobly as tears continued to stream down my cheeks, blurring my vision. Then n walked around the car. He again opened one of the drawers and rummaged through the contents.


    He pulled out a small ck remote. ¡°Here it is!¡±


    Then n walked to the passenger door beside me. Just before he opened the car door, an object suddenly flew and hit him in the head. n groaned in pain as he held his head. His body bent over in pain.


    I then saw Laird jump up and kick n. Finally!


    Laird grabbed n by the cor of his shirt and hit him on the cheek. The gun n was holding fell to the floor.


    n was not to be outdone. He punched Laird in the stomach. They struggled against the side of the car. Laird mmed n against the car until the car shook. Again and again, they mmed each other¡¯s bodies into the side of the car.


    I could only scream in rm when I saw Laird hitting n. But things turned around again. n lunged Laird into the wall. He mmed Laird¡¯s body into the wall with all his weight. Laird groaned as his stomach was crushed.


    Then Laird kicked n again. But n would not budge. He kept returning Laird¡¯s blows as he repeatedly tried to grab the gun lying on the floor.


    Laird did not let n off easy. He grabbed n by the cor and waist, then he mmed him against the hood of the car. I flinched backward in the driver¡¯s seat as Laird mmed n down.


    They wrestled on the hood, and n elbowed Laird in the neck.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°Laird!¡±


    I howled as Laird groaned in pain while spitting up blood. n, who looked victorious, pinned Laird against the windshield. n¡¯s arm then choked Laird¡¯s neck. Laird and I met eyes. His face was contorted, and both arms were trying to break free from n¡¯s stranglehold.


    At one point, Laird finally swung their bodies and managed to free himself from n¡¯s arm lock. The tide turned again, but n elbowed Laird once more in the stomach. He was like an uncontroble beast and pushed Laird into a shelf on the side of the garage wall.


    Laird groaned in pain, with blood slowly oozing down his temple.


    He tried to get up, but his weakened legs slid him back down to the floor. n, breathing heavily, hurriedly picked up the gun on the floor.


    Blood was also pouring down n¡¯s cheeks and the corners of his eyes. But he was now above the clouds. His hand pointed the gun at Laird¡¯s head.


    ¡°Goodbye, Laird.¡±


    My eyes widened in horror. I couldn¡¯t let n win! I shifted painstakingly into the passenger seat. Then I opened the car door with stomping maximum force.


    n was flew to the floor. The pop of a gun red.

 Homerun

    Laird¡¯s POV


    I was sure I was going to die.


    My body ached, my face and head hurt, and my stomach was especially painful. The final blow from n sent me flying into the metal shelf on the wall. The edge of the rack hurt my temples, and the pain grew stronger. Blood oozed from my temple.


    Although I wanted to fight the man again, my legs felt weak. I spurred myself to get up, but n confronted me. He raised the gun on the floor that we had been fighting over. My breath caught and the pain around my waist became more and more stifling.


    Slumped on the floor, I summoned up what was left of my strength to fight n again. I just didn¡¯t know if it would be enough to defeat n once and for all.


    The muzzle of the gun was pointed at my head. I looked into n¡¯s eyes, right in the center between the gun that threatened me. The man was grinning as if he had already won.


    I didn¡¯t want to give up. I had to save Fene.


    My hand slowly reached for the shelf behind me. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m holding, but it feels cold, long, and quite heavy. It seemed to be a metal steering wheel lock, so I tightened my hand slowly, still breathing heavily.


    ¡°Goodbye, Laird.¡±


    In the next second, I swung the iron steering wheel lock as hard as I could towards the shin of n¡¯s leg. Right at the same time, the car door mmed wide open, and n flew forward. n groaned. A loud bang ring in my ears.


    My heart was racing, but I still seemed to be breathing. I haven¡¯t died yet.


    In the blink of an eye, I immediately crushed on n¡¯s slumped back. The gun in his hand fell back to the floor. I didn¡¯t hesitate to hit n¡¯s cheek with the long iron. He once again roared angrily and pushed my body off his back again.


    This time only primal instinct was at y. He was no longer focused on the gun. With a crude p, he tried to punch me in the cheek. It was just that my kick was faster to reach his cheek. He slumped back down.


    ¡°You¡¯re really hard to knock out,¡± I growled at my opponent.


    ¡°So do you,¡± he said, wiping the blood from his lips with the back of his hand.


    We locked eyes fiercely. In the next second, he attacked me again, and I attacked him. My fist clenched and hit his stomach, while he swung his arm to hit the base of my neck.


    Fists, punches, and kicks again rolled through the room. We mmed into each other between the wall and the front hood of the car.


    I stole the opportunity to retrieve the only weapon I could rely on. I kicked n into the same metal shelf. Then I jumped up to grab the metal steering wheel lock.


    Unbeknownst to me, n had also picked up his gun again.


    Both my hands tightened around one end of the steering wheel lock. With a sharp, powerful swing, like hitting a baseball, I swung the long metal rod with all my might at n¡¯s cheek. My blow crushed n¡¯s head against the wall and steering wheel lock.


    Right at that moment, another bullet flew out of the ck gun n was holding.


    The metal rod dropped onto the floor. n stared at me. His eyes widened, and he fell against the wall andy helplessly on the floor.


    n copsed with the gun lying weakly near his feet.


    ¡°God, you¡¯re persistent,¡± I growled between my lips, soaked in sweat and blood.


    The smell of iron was immediately inhaled by my nose. I spat blood from my mouth. Then, as I looked down at my stomach, I realized now why my stomach felt so painful.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ¡°Laird!¡±


    Fene got out of the car and came over to me. She hugged and kissed my cheek. Both her hands supported my body tightly, and I started leaning my body against her.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± I asked her in a soft whisper.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m alright. Laird, you¡¯re hurt.¡±


    Fene¡¯s tears streamed down her cheeks. Her voice was choked and stifled by sobs that made her body shake violently. My hand came up and rubbed Fene¡¯s cheek. I put my arm around Fene and pressed our foreheads together.


    ¡°Thank God you¡¯re alright,¡± I said in a soft whisper to her.


    Several FBI officers rushed in. They immediately went through the garage and handcuffed Peter and n. In the back, themander and Prosecutor Golden entered the crime scene.


    ¡°Did you catch them all?¡± Old man Golden¡¯s forehead wrinkled at our mess.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I answered quickly with sweat pouring down my face.


    ¡°Oh my! He¡¯s hurt!¡± Jessy squealed.


    ¡°Finally you¡¯ll have some manly scars.¡± Matthewughed.


    ¡°Shut up! We need paramedics. Laird¡¯s been shot in the stomach,¡± Fene snapped at them, still crying.


    ¡°Paramedics, please bring some stretchers. Two perpetrators are unconscious, and one victim has a gunshot wound to the abdomen,¡± themander said into hism.


    Then he grabbed a small remote and opened the wall that served as the garage exit. The wall slowly rotated upwards to reveal several FBI officers waiting behind it.


    ¡°Over here!¡± Themander called out to the medic. ¡°Bring the ambnce here!¡±


    I held my stomach, which was stinging. A burning sensation spread throughout my body, with one spot that continued to ooze blood. Sweat flooded my body, and my legs began to fail to support myself. I slumped down, and Fene was unable to hold my body down on the garage floor.


    ¡°Damn.¡±


    My face scrunched up to endure the pain that was now bing more intense. I didn¡¯t expect to feel this much pain. My ribs hurt on one side, while the other side was bleeding from the gunshot wound.


    ¡°Laird, hold on! The paramedics will be here soon.¡± Fene hugged my head and made herp my pillow.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Fene. I¡¯m okay.¡±


    My breath hitched with pain all over my body. My head hurt, my jaw was stiff, and blood wouldn¡¯t stop seeping down my shirt.


    ¡°You need to apply pressure to the wound so the bleeding will stop.¡±


    Prosecutor Golden took off his shirt, revealing a body d only in an undershirt. He then pressed my stomach with the shirt in his hand.


    ¡°What are you doing, old man?¡± I asked softly as my eyes nced at him.


    Pain and fatigue made my whole body limp. I began to feel unable to move my muscles. The throbbing pain continued to gnaw at my stomach.


    ¡°I helped you to stop the blood,¡± he groaned in exasperation with his forehead furrowed.


    ¡°It¡¯s rare to see you worry,¡± once again the volume of my voice seemed to grow smaller amidst heavy breathing.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried about losing the witness. Can you shut up already?¡± He snapped at me.


    I snorted.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass. I¡¯ll give up mywyer¡¯s license tomorrow,¡± I said softly.


    ¡°But you¡¯re still my witness unless you die here.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say it like that! He won¡¯t die that easily!¡± Fene barked at the old man.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I just wanted to encourage him.¡±


    ¡°Fuck. That¡¯s not how you encourage someone.¡± Matthew groaned.


    I snorted back a chuckle. But instant pain shot through my stomach once again. My face contorted, and I held my breath to drown out the pain.


    ¡°Stop talking, Laird. Please, just breathe.¡±


    Fene looked down at my face. Her tears ran down my cheeks. Her hands cupped my face with her soft fingers.


    ¡°I love you, Laird Evans.¡±


    ¡°I love you more.¡±


    That was all I remembered before darkness enveloped my vision.


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