CHAPTER 10

Brianne Raye POV

“Are you okay?” Nicholas asks as we are sitting beside each other on a table.

“Y-yeah, of course. You can go and say hi to your friends, I’ll be fine here.” I said and smiled at him.

“I don’t really have that here,” Nicholas said which made me frown.

“Then why come here?” I whispered and he chuckle as spared me a look.

“For work, and sometimes I was forced by…my mom.” He answered that Brianne made a small ‘o’ in her mouth.

“Look who’s here,” someone said which made both of them look in front of them. “You really have your way of things Bri,” Sabrina said smiling fake to them.

“Who is she? Do you know her?” Nicholas asks loud enough to let Sabrina hear his question.

Sabrina’s eyes look at him in disbelief and at Brianne who is already trying to contain her laugh by biting her lower lips.

“Ahm… yeah, hmmm…she is an actress too,” Brianne cleared her throat and answered Nicholas and glance at Sabrina who look like she is about to explode in annoyance and anger.

“I see, I never heard of her. It’s nice to meet you.” Nicholas said to Sabrina.

“You got some jokes, Nicholas,” Sabrina said and laugh and Nicholas frown. “It’s impossible that you know her, and you don’t know me.” She added arrogantly.

“I don’t really like wasting my time knowing or finding about people that are not that interesting,” Nicholas answered back before even Brianne could. “And please, Mr. Leone will be fine, we’re not that close to being on a first-name basis.” He added that it made Sabrina clench her fist as she stared at him.

“Look, I know she is so pitiful but are you really that charitable or are you just one of those men that have very low standards of women? She doesn’t fit here, maybe what the articles are saying is true.” She said and smirked. “You’re her sponsor, so, how do the payments go?” she said with a fake and annoying arrogant smile on her face and a laugh.

“Ms.---” Nicholas was about to say something when Brianne stood up and walked towards Sabrina.

“I never thought you were this insure and threaten to me,” Brianne said. “Are you even hearing yourself? You are a woman too, but your mind is really that dirty? And you really have the guts to say mean and horrible things about me when...” She said trying to hold her tears back and make her voice stable. “You know what you did, So, please keep your opinion and dirty thought to yourself because I would never do such a thing.” She added.

“Oh, beautiful ladies, what do we have here?”  An older man than the three of them said walking towards them while holding a glass of alcohol.

Brianne immediately recognizes the voice of the person even without looking at it, she feels like her kneel lost their strength and started to wobble. She couldn’t lift her face to face to even look at the person, she felt like her stomach start to turn and feel like her whole body went numb.

“Hey,” Nicholas said whispering near her ear as he stood behind her to support her as he notices her face become pale and look in panic.

Brianne turns to face him without even lifting her head, she clenches Nicholas's suit and starts to breathe heavily.

“Leone, good to see you here! Did I surprise you? When I heard that you are attending, I decided to go too, I’m that eager to finally meet a famous rich young man like you!” The old man said obviously and sounded drunk as he tried to approach them. “Who do you get there?” he added when Nicholas wrapped around Brianne.

“It’s okay, come on.” He said and starts to walk away from the old man.

“Hey! hey I’m talking to you!” The old man shouted but Nicholas just keeps on going as he pick up Brianne and carried her.

Brianne is still sobbing so badly in Nicholas's embrace as they sat outside on a bench as wait for the driver.

“Hey, it’s okay. We’re away from there” Nicholas said as he holds her hand and kneeled on the ground.

“You said he is not there,” she said sobbing.

“I’m sorry, I also thought he isn’t going to be here,” Nicholas answered, but Brianne couldn’t answer and just continue to uncontrollably sob until the car arrive Brianne support her and help her get in the car.

During their whole ride to the hotel, they were both silent and just sobbing about Brianne while holding Nicholas's hands tightly and He could feel her shaking.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think that he will be there,” Nicholas said as he entered the room inside their suite in the hotel. “You’re far away from him now, here drink some water,” he added assuring her.

“Thank you,” she said accepting it.

“Just rest for now, I will be in the living area if you need something.” He said as he stood up and walk towards the door.

“Aren’t you going to ask me what happen?” She said as that made him stop walking and turn to her.

“I don’t think it’s the right time, tell me when you are ready and if you are comfortable telling me but don’t force yourself. Take a rest for now, I will be back with clothes you can change into.” He said. “Don’t worry he won’t be able to get near you, not even this building. Get some rest, you need it.” He added and smiled before shutting the door.

Nicholas walks out of the room and directly outside the suite where Hans is standing.

“How did it go?” He asks immediately.

“He made a big fuss, he wouldn’t leave that easy,” Hans said and showed his phone to Nicholas with a video of the old man at the party. “May I ask what’s going on between you and Mr. Lazani?” He asks.

“Not between me, but between Brianne Raye. Is he still outside?” Nicholas asks again ad Hans nodded.

“Yes sir, would you like me to try to figure out what it is all about?” Hans offered but Nicholas sigh and shakes his head in answer.

“No, you can go back now. Thank you.” Nicholas said and Hans nodded and handed him the paper bag with clothes for Brianne inside that Nicholas quickly took and bring it to Brianne.

~

“Hey,” Brianne said as she walks out of the room immediately, she saw Nicholas in the kitchen area of the hotel wearing an apron.

“Hey, you’re up. Good morning, have a sit this is nearly done.” Nicholas said as he glances at him and went back to cooking.

“Do you need help? I can cook.” Brianne offered.

“No, it’s fine I can manage.” He answered.

“Why cook? Don’t they deliver here?” She asks as Nicholas walks to the dining table with two plates in his hand.

“They do, I tried but something happen in the kitchen that’s why they couldn’t.” He said.

“What happens?” Brianne asks confused and curious.

“Someone made a mess on its last night and they’re still trying to fix it, they said it might be until 8 am so, I decided to just cook.” He answered as he put down the plates and grab another two on the kitchen counter. “Let’s eat.” He said removing his apron and sitting on the chair across from Brianne’s.

“Hey, about what happened yesterday, I’m sorry.” She said they both looked eye to eye.

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it. It wasn’t your fault, it was mine. I should’ve made sure that he wasn’t there, I’m sorry.” Nicholas said and Brianne shakes her head.

“No, it wasn’t your fault. I shouldn’t have reacted like that to Sabrina and…and even to him.” Brianne said and took a deep breath and sighed.

“There is nothing wrong in standing up for yourself,” Nicholas said putting food on her plate.

“I know, but at some point, I feel like Sabrina is right. I…I don’t belong there that…I don’t know it’s just that somehow, I feel that she has a point about what she said to me last night.” She said when Nicholas stood up again to grab them a glass of water.

“No, she doesn’t,” Nicholas said and sat back. “You should never listen to any crap a person like that will tell you. Either she has a point or nothing, she doesn’t have the right to tell you that.” He added.

“But I just don’t get how can say those things to me like I did horrible things to her when it’s the other way around. how can she be so angry at me when I’m not even half successful as her?” She asks. “I’m sorry, just don’t mind me my head is full of questions and everything right now.” She said shaking her head and starting to eat.

“Maybe it’s not the success she is jealous of,” Nicholas said which made her stop and frown.

“Then what? She had everything that I always dreamt of, Nicholas. Compare to her, I’m nothing.”