LOVE IN DISGUISE

Malia Morris P.O.V I had been struggling to make a name for myself as a freelance model for what felt like an eternity. I received countless rejections, unfulfilled promises, and scams that had become a norm in my life. But today was different, I received a call from a modeling agency and I couldn't help but feel a spark of hope. It was the Pristine modeling agency and it sounded legitimate on the phone and they mentioned a potential photoshoot for a famous brand. I could feel my heart skip a beat as I quickly scribbled down the address and time of the meeting. Maybe this could be it, I think this could be my big break. I knew I had to make this work, not just for myself but for my family's sake as well. My mother had been suffering from pneumonia for two years and the medical bills were piling up. My younger brother was studying in college and I needed to help him pay his tuition. It's so hard to become a breadwinner in our family, I could feel the weight of the world on my

Malia Morris P. O. V Timothee brought me into his apartment. We stepped out of the elevator and I followed him inside his room. As we entered, I was in awe to see the sleek, modern design and the stunning city view outside, that it took my breath away. But my attention was quickly diverted to the man sitting on the couch, typing away on his laptop. "By the way, he's my trusted secretary, Daniel Davis. He's been helping me with certain arrangements." Timothee said and I noticed his eyes crinkling at the corners. Daniel looked up from his laptop and his eyes gazed at my face, down to my toes. I noticed his forehead wrinkled. "Wait? Is that Bianca Wilson?" he asked, his brow furrowed. "I thought you two broke up already?" Timothee and I exchanged knowing glances. Timothee cleared his throat and interrupted Daniel's train of thought. "Where's the thing I asked you to bring?" Timothee asked. Daniel's eyes snapped back to Timothee and he nodded hastily, "Oh, right. I p

Malia Morris P. O. V "Bianca, where have you been??" Amanda, my biological mother, asked. Her eyes were blazing in anger but I kept my composure, channeling Bianca's demeanor. "Oh, I've just been away for a bit. I'm taking some time to relax." I replied. My heart raced as I tried to be cold, stoic, and calculating. Amanda's face turned red with rage. "A bit?" she repeated, her voice rising. "You've been gone for months, Bianca! We thought you were dead!" I'm a bit surprised that I didn't flinch, didn't blink. I just kept my expression frozen, "I'm now back. But don't expect me to apologize for my absence. I did what I had to do." I said in a low tone. Amanda's face twisted in anger, and before I could react, her hand came flying towards my face. The slap was loud and stinging, leaving my cheeks burning. "How dare you! You refused to take our calls, refusing to join the runways. You've embarrassed us, Bianca. You've embarrassed our entire family!" Amanda spat. My eyes wate

THIRD P. O. V"How's life been treating you, cuz?" Julia asked as she sat on the couch. Malia took a seat next to Julia, trying to think of something to say. She didn't know much about Bianca's personal life, but she knew she had to keep up the act. "It's been good, Julia. Just busy with work and stuff. Julia nodded enthusiastically, "I know the feeling! I've been swamped with my own projects lately. But hey, speaking of work, I heard you're working with that new designer, Marco? "Malia's eyes widened because she didn't know who's she talking about. "Marco? Sorry, I couldn't remember right now." Malia didn't want to give herself away so she played it safe. "It's Marco Rossi, duh!" Julia leaned in."I've heard he's a great photographer." Malia was unsure of what to say so she started to feel like she was in over her head. She just tried to deflect the question but Julia was relentless. Malia noticed that Julia was being unusually talkative, sharing stories and gossip that Malia d