15 Camila yawned tiredly as she worked on a sketch. So many papers were on her desk, and more were still coming. Her phone rang; it was her mother, and she quickly answered, having not spoken to her in so long."Camila, my dear, how have you been?" Sofia asked from the other end."I'm good," Camila replied, squeezing another piece of paper and throwing it on the floor."How is marriage treating you? I hope Alejandro isn't giving you a hard time?" Sofia asked worriedly."He is giving me hell, and I hate it here," Camila wanted to tell her mother, but she kept it to herself for reasons she couldn't explain."Everything is fine, Mom. How is Dad doing? I hope he's not falling sick again?" Camila asked about her father.Sofia sighed."Mom?" Camila called again."He's sick, Cami. He couldn't go out today because his condition has worsened. He's sad because the company is really suffering," Sofia sniffed, trying to hold back her tears."Everything will be fine, Mom," Camila could only say.
16 BRIARWOOD SCHOOL**"Isa, have you heard the latest news today?" Chappell asked as soon as Isabella arrived."What news?" Isabella asked."There are pictures of you and Elijah from Cyber Boys holding hands, and everyone is going crazy!" Gloria quickly told Isabella."Hey, I was going to tell her that," Chappell glared at Gloria."You were too slow, sorry," Gloria mocked, and they both started slapping each other's hands.Abby rolled her eyes and moved toward Isabella."Seems like things are starting to move for you and Elijah. You've waited for two years, and I thought it was just a fantasy," Abby said."Well, it's happening now, and nothing is going to spoil things for me," Isabella smirked."Yeah, nothing except for... her," Abby looked forward, and Isabella followed her gaze. The person coming was the blond, perfect Valeria Ruiz. It felt like a heavenly light shone specially on her, making her entrance even more dramatic." Valeria, I love your hair!" Oh my God, she's using Deb
17 Alejandro was in his office going through some files when his door opened and Camila barged in."Even my dad knocks before he enters," Alejandro said without sparing her a glance."Isn't that why I'm your wife?" she clapped back and dropped the badge Sandra handed to her on his desk."You were behind it, weren't you?" she asked, but he did not reply."I'm a little happy that you still have some empathy left in you. I was starting to think you were a monster," she mumbled, but it was loud enough for Alejandro to hear.He stopped the work he was doing and stared at her. "Here's the thing, wifey, I don't want you to flatter yourself. I take work very seriously here. Sandra broke the rules, and she's facing her punishment for it," he explained, then glanced at her from head to toe.She was wearing a blouse that showed her cleavage a little, and his eyes darkened."Do you even go through the dress code?" he asked."What's wrong with the way I dress?" Camila frowned."Everything," he re
18D•S MALL•••••Alejandro's car stopped in the mall parking lot. His driver came down and helped them with the car door. Alejandro put on his sunglasses and stretched his hand out for Camila."I can walk on my own," Camila folded her arms. She still did not like the fact that Alejandro made her wear his suit out to the mall."If you don't accept my hand, then I'll fling you over my shoulder and take you in. Maybe you'd like that," Alejandro smirked, and Camila quickly accepted his hand.She hated how he always had his way with everything. She wished to have something to threaten him with, like he does to her.Alejandro and Camila walked in, and the employees greeted them. Some were looking at them, specifically Camila, and might have been wondering why she was wearing a suit jacket."Mr. Ruiz, this way, please," a woman dressed corporately confidently walked to them, her heels making clicking sounds. She gave Camila a polite smile as she led the way.She took them to a dressing room,
19NEXT DAY: BRIARWOOD SCHOOL ••••Isabella arrived but didn't see her friends waiting for her at her locker as they normally do. Her eyes searched for them until she saw them gathered in front of Valeria's locker, and her eyes darkened."Guys!" She angrily walked towards them. "Why are you standing here?" she demanded."Chappell told us what you did yesterday. Trying to steal Ace when you like Elijah. That's two-timing, and it's not cool. We don't do that to friends here," Abby said."I wasn't trying to steal Ace," Isabella sighed."Then explain why I saw both of you together. You don't even care about Cyber boys. You just have a crush on Elijah," Chappell said."I like Elijah and I still do. What happened with Ace yesterday was nothing. I don't even know what he was doing there," Isabella tried explaining herself."What was he doing there, and why was he holding your face?" Gloria asked."I just said I don't know. Why are you guys being so ridiculous?" Isabella was already frustrate
20 Camila narrowed her eyes as she stared at him. No compliment? Did she not look good enough? She wondered but quickly shook it off. She wasn't trying to impress him or anyone, so it really didn't matter if she looked great or not.She followed him to the car. The driver helped them open the door, and he couldn't resist the urge to compliment Camila."You look beautiful, ma'am," he said."Thank you," Camila smiled. At least a driver appreciated her beauty more than her husband did.Alejandro's eyes darkened when he stared at his driver and the poor man froze."Is talking to my wife why I hired you as my driver?" he asked harshly."I'm sorry, sir," the driver apologized."Cut him some slack. He was just complimenting me," Camila rolled her eyes."Then how about you get married to him and watch him save your family's company instead," Alejandro shrugged at her.Camila resisted the urge to call him an asshole. She just scoffed and looked out the window, tired of thinking about what cou
21Camila turned to Rafael to take a proper look at him. He was indeed the one who helped her the other day."Mr. Rafael," she greeted him."Just Rafael," he corrected her, which made her smile. Rafael couldn't help but admire her looks and came to the conclusion that this lady before him gets more beautiful daily."You know, I'm surprised to see you at an event like this. Who's the bastard that's lucky enough to convince you to be his date?" Rafael then asked."Actually, she is married and you can turn around and call me a lucky bastard to my face," someone said behind Rafael, which made him freeze.Camila looked forward to see Alejandro looking at her with darkened eyes. She didn't know what she did wrong but she couldn't stop herself from gulping.Rafael turned to look at Alejandro. He stiffened a bit, still trying to digest the fact that the lady he hadn't been able to forget was married, and not just to anyone but to his rival, Alejandro."If you don't have anything else to say,
22Camila gave him a questioning look. She wanted to complain but was interrupted when she heard everyone clapping. It felt like they had all witnessed what they did and were clapping because she put on a good show for them. But they were clapping because the jazz musician was done performing.It was weird that she didn't hear anything going on when Alejandro's fingers were inside her. She looked at him as he wiped his hands with a tissue dropped for them on the table. He gave Camila a look as he slowly wiped his hands, making sure she saw the wetness of her on the tissue."Why didn't you finish?" she asked him."It's part of the punishment. I will give you the full one when we get home," he replied, which confused Camila.Punishment for what exactly?The host came back to the stage and Alejandro turned serious as this was the part he had been waiting for."First, we are giving an award to the most outstanding businessman. The award goes to Mr. Alejandro Ruiz!" the host announced, and
76THE RED LION PUB***Camila had come here for her lunch break, but Alejandro’s cold reaction earlier kept playing in her mind. She sat at the counter, massaging her temples.“Can I get your best drink, please?” she asked tiredly.The bartender handed her a menu, and she ordered a cocktail. It was soon served, and she took a sip, trying to relax.“Drinking alone in the afternoon? Marriage troubles?” a familiar voice teased, taking the seat beside her.Camila didn’t need to look to know who it was.“Who said you could sit here?”“It’s a pub, Camila. Anyone can sit anywhere,” Rafael replied casually, eyeing her drink. “That looks refreshing. What’s it called?”“There’s a menu. You don’t have to talk to me,” Camila snapped.“We’re not enemies, Camila. I’m just rivals with your husband,” Rafael shrugged.“A rival who doesn’t know how to play fair. You should be ashamed,” Camila scoffed.Rafael smirked and turned to the bartender. “I’ll have what she’s having.”As the bartender prepared h
75“Happy birthday!” Camila shouted, throwing confetti at him, but Alejandro stood still, looking as though he couldn’t believe what had just happened.His fists clenched tightly, his eyes darkening with anger. He was taken back to his childhood, a small house, balloons, and a cake..."Who did this?" His voice was a dangerous whisper, trying to control his fury.Diego and Camila exchanged nervous glances."I thought..." Camila began, but Diego interrupted her."I planned it, boss. I noticed you’ve never celebrated your birthday, so I wanted to do something special for you," Diego explained.Alejandro shot him a blood-chilling glare, and Camila felt a wave of fear. She had never seen him like this before.“Do you want to lose your job?” Alejandro asked coldly.“No, boss,” Diego shook his head.“Then get this mess out of my office—now!” Alejandro commanded before storming off.Camila swallowed hard, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill.“I’m sorry, ma’am. I didn’t expect him
74Valeria burst out laughing. “You’re hilarious, Isabella. A real comedian.” She wiped a tear from her eye and stood, moving to another spot in the room.“You’re insecure, Valeria. That’s why you bully others—to cover up how bad you feel about yourself!” Isabella repeated.Valeria suddenly turned toward her, fury in her eyes.“Look at me, Isabella! I’m beautiful, I’m smart, I’m sexy! Why the hell would I be insecure?” she yelled, her face flushed with anger, startling Isabella.There was a tense silence before Isabella spoke softly, “I thought I might find something good to write about you, but I was wrong. You’re awful.”“I didn’t even try because, honestly, what good could I find in you?” Valeria scoffed.“How do your parents even like you?” Isabella mused aloud.“How does anyone like you? A shapeshifting tramp who stole her best friend’s crush and then dumped him for a gay guy,” Valeria huffed.“Is that all you’ve got on me, Valeria?” Isabella asked calmly.“You wish,” Valeria rol
73Lucia stood before him, completely naked save for the towel wrapped around her hair. His eyes widened in shock, his heart pounding as a wave of forbidden desire washed over him."Lucia... you did not just do this," he rasped, his voice heavy with lust."You can turn away... or take me to the counter," Lucia smirked. George wanted to turn away, but he couldn't tear his gaze from her. The most tempting part of her body was her small breàsts, with their perfectly pointed nïpples."Fuck!" George stormed toward her and lifted her up. He carried her to the counter, standing between her legs before pressing his lips onto hers in a deep, hungry kiss. Lucia wrapped her arms around his neck, responding with fiery passion.George’s lips moved from hers to her jawline, trailing kisses down to her neck. Lucia threw her head back, moaning."So good," she murmured.His hand wandered to her breàsts, squeezing them gently. "They’re small, but I love them, especially your pointy nïpples," he whisper
72 “If you’re incapable of managing this company, then maybe it’s time we vote for a new CEO or—”Alejandro slammed his fist on the table, finally fed up. “Or what?” he demanded, his piercing gaze silencing the room. “Who else wants to stand up? Go ahead, do it now!” His tone was icy. “Did I hear something about a new CEO?” he asked, chuckling to himself.“Mr. Marcel, Mr. August, Mr. Peterson—you three have been here the longest. Let’s say we agree to vote for a new CEO. Can any of you explain what it takes to run one of the world’s biggest companies? To make deals with both locals and foreigners, to come up with innovative strategies daily?” Alejandro challenged, his eyes daring them.The three men exchanged confused glances, unable to respond, which made Alejandro smirk.“Handling both local and foreign clients requires negotiation skills. I personally speak twelve different languages and am still learning more. Mr. Peterson, you were the first to stand up, and we’re currently work
71“Ace... yes, give it to me, Ace... oh... Oh... God... yes... yes!” Chappell moaned, her body arching as she used a dildo on herself, her eyes fixated on a picture of Ace. The ecstasy in her voice was undeniable as she lost herself in the moment."This is so messed up. Did Valeria upload this?" Isabella muttered under her breath, quickly turning off her phone. She glanced over at Chappell, who sat frozen, staring at the screen as if in a trance."I'm really sorry about this video. It’s disgusting that it was posted, but don’t beat yourself up over it," Isabella tried to console her, but Chappell remained unresponsive.“That’s it! I’m going to find Valeria!” Isabella fumed, storming out of the room. She found Valeria chatting with Gloria and Abby, yanked her by the hair, and spun her around.“Why did you post that video?” she demanded, her voice shaking with anger.“Ouch, Isabella! Handsy much?” Valeria sneered, smoothing her hair back. “And you saw the video too?” she added, feignin
70••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••Lucia sat comfortably with George, chatting animatedly. She had no idea they were being watched."I don’t think he’s just her bodyguard," Fernando said, sipping his drink."Yeah," Chandler agreed, "looks like there’s something more going on between them."Fernando scoffed."Shouldn’t you call off the engagement? You’re not the marriage type, so how do you plan on treating my sister?" Chandler asked pointedly. "Plus, she’s a tough one."Fernando remembered when he first found out he was engaged. They were still in high school, and he had convinced himself he didn’t like her. She was spoiled, always getting whatever she wanted. He even made fun of her small breasts once, calling them peanuts."I didn’t know how to tell her back then that I actually like peanuts," he muttered under his breath."What?" Chandler gave him a confused look.Realizing he had said that out loud, Fernando quickly shook his head. His phone rang
69"That's what I thought, Lucia. You don’t have a choice, and I don't have a—" George's words were abruptly cut off as Lucia stood on her tiptoes, pressing her lips against his.George’s hands instinctively gripped her waist, pulling her closer as their kiss deepened. He didn’t know what had come over him, but he couldn't stop. His tongue explored her mouth, eliciting a soft moan from her.When they finally pulled apart, they were both breathless."Come to the party with me," Lucia said, her eyes pleading."I—""Please," she urged again before he could refuse. George nodded, and her face lit up with a smile as she took his hand, excitedly leading him inside.•••••••••The mansion was elegantly decorated and filled with the perfect number of guests. Although the music hadn’t started yet, people mingled and sipped their drinks."Okay, bye." Camila hung up her phone and faced the gathering. "Turn off the lights and hide under the tables! Dad’s coming!" she announced. Everyone quickly co
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••A few minutes later, the house was fully decorated, and the cake was ready, sitting proudly on the table. The doorbell rang, and Camila opened it to find Lucia, who threw herself into Camila’s arms."I can’t believe you made it!" Camila exclaimed, hugging her tight."I told you I would, didn’t I?" Lucia smiled."Where’s your ‘bodyguard’?" Camila asked, using air quotes."He’s party-shy and refused to come in, but don’t worry, I’ll go drag him in," Lucia laughed, turning to leave but then paused. "And by the way, he really is just my bodyguard," she added with a smirk."Sure," Camila replied, giving her a knowing smile."I’m serious!" Lucia scoffed. "I’m not standing here to explain myself!" Then she left.Alejandro walked up and hugged Camila from behind. "Birthday decorations are exhausting," he mumbled.Camila smiled, holding his hands around her waist. "Haven’t you ever helped with birthday decorations for your family?" she asked."We don’t do that. We