A Truce Between The Two

Nicole reacted furiously to Bruno’s audacity. She was tired of his games and of him feeling like he owned her. She was paying for something that wasn’t her fault and wasn’t willing to tolerate it anymore.

“You’re an idiot, a boor. Don’t ever come near me again. If you gave me a divorce and I never saw you again, I would be the happiest woman on earth.”

“Wow, you’ve got guts, kitten. Don’t you dare do what you did again or I’ll forget that I’m a gentleman. I’m informing you that next Saturday we’ll be attending the charity gala your parents are hosting. The driver will take you after work to choose the dress you’ll wear that night. I’ve already spoken to Madame Sutie, she’ll be waiting for you. Wait for me in your room tonight, don’t lock the door or I’m capable of knocking it down.”

Nicole couldn’t believe the nerve and audacity of that man. She pretended to accept his order to avoid continuing the argument.

“I don’t feel like arguing, it will be as you command, master and lord.”

She stormed out of the office. Bertha approached her with a cup of tea because she was shaking too much and couldn’t control herself. The secretary didn’t know what was going on, but if Mr. Bruno dared to hurt Nicole, she would speak to Mr. Leone to inform him of what was happening in his son’s marriage. She wouldn’t care about losing her job, but Mrs. Nicole didn’t deserve all this.

Later, the driver took her to Madame Sutie’s boutique, the best in town. Madame Sutie had a close friendship with her mother, so she had known her for a long time. When she saw her, she greeted her effusively.

“Nicole, my dear, it’s so good to see you! I’ve been waiting for your visit since your wedding.”

“Dear Sutie, I haven’t been able to visit you. On Saturday is the charity gala of my parents’ company and I want a dress suitable for the occasion.”

“You’re in the right place, beautiful! I’ve received my invitation so we’ll see each other there.”

Nicole smiled and Madame brought her several dresses. Nicole tried on each one but none were completely to her liking. Finally, she brought her a black mermaid-cut dress with an open back.

"You look marvelous. I assure you, it's the perfect dress for the occasion. Wait, I'll bring you a matching mask."

"Thank you, Sutie. You always have unique designs."

She left there satisfied with her dress, but worried about how to avoid being with Bruno that night. Bruno waited for Sondra to fall asleep. He didn’t want her questioning him, he didn’t have to give her explanations, but it was better to save himself the bad moment. He headed towards Nicole’s room, wearing only his bathrobe, with nothing underneath, so he wouldn’t have to undress.

When he arrived, he realized that the door was unlocked, just as he had asked. He entered the room, which was dark, with only a faint reflection coming through the curtains. He approached the bed, took off his bathrobe and then got under the covers next to her. With his hands, he began to explore her body and realized that she had gained weight. The next day he would tell her to spend more time at the gym. Just as he was about to start taking off her robe, the light came on and he turned to see Nicole standing by the door.

“What does this mean, Bruno?”

Bruno was surprised and suddenly heard a scream at his side. When he turned, he saw Nanny lying next to him, completely exalted.

“Bruno, son, what are you doing?”

Sure, here is the translation with corrected spelling:

Bruno was surprised and suddenly heard a scream at his side. When he turned, he saw Nanny lying next to him, completely exalted.

“Bruno, son, what are you doing?”

“Damn it, Nicole! What kind of tasteless joke is this?”

“Joke? You’re mistaken. I just went down to the kitchen for a glass of water.”

“You’ll pay for this, I assure you.”

He put on his robe under the covers and stormed out of there, knowing that Nicole had done it on purpose. He would find a way to get her back for the little joke. Nicole had asked her nanny to sleep with her, knowing that Bruno wouldn’t enter if he realized she was with her. Later she felt thirsty and went down to the kitchen for a glass of water. When she returned and turned on the light, she saw Bruno lying next to Nanny. She was about to burst out laughing but held back out of respect for her nanny. Bruno’s face was priceless.

On Saturday night, Bruno was desperately waiting for Nicole to go to the charity event. She was already taking too long and he was about to go up and look for her when he saw her coming down the stairs. He was impressed and thought that with that dress she looked damn sexy. She wore a Venetian mask, her hair pulled back, with fine strands framing her face in waves. It was a dream to see her. Nicole stood at the top of the stairs and looked at Bruno. He approached and took her by the arm. They walked to the car and he opened the door for her to get in. Then he got in next to her, determined to ask for a truce that night.

“You look beautiful tonight.”

“Thank you.”

“I know we don’t get along well, but I ask that just for tonight we forget our differences.”

She was surprised by what Bruno said and didn’t think he would be capable of treating her well even for a moment.

“That’s fine with me. We both need some peace.”

When they arrived at the party, Bruno helped her out of the car and then took her by the waist. They walked down the red carpet as reporters took many pictures of them. They looked like the perfect couple. When they entered, they headed to their table where their parents were already waiting for them with their usual enthusiasm.

“Hello son, it’s good to see that you’re getting along better now. You make a lovely couple.”

“Hello mom, thank you.”

“Nicole, you look wonderful. I have no doubt that my grandchildren will be beautiful.”

“Hello mother-in-law, you also look very beautiful tonight.”

Nicole had accepted the truce proposed by Bruno. That back-and-forth had already tired her out and she needed to gain his trust if she wanted to escape from his side. Nicole’s parents arrived shortly after and she was happy to see them.

“Hello mom, dad, it’s good that you’ve returned safely. I hope you enjoyed your trip.”

“Hello daughter, we’ve missed you. The trip was great and we needed to relax. Your father fell in love with the landscapes of that country.”

Later, Sondra arrived, looking stunning in that dress—red, fitted, with a plunging neckline and a mid-thigh slit. Judging by the expression on her face, she wasn't in a good mood, perhaps because Bruno hadn't included her in his plans.

Nicole believed Bruno had deliberately excluded Sondra to prevent their parents from discovering what was happening between them. It suddenly became clear to her why he had called for a truce: it was likely to keep her from revealing their relationship to their parents, as such a scandal would damage both families' reputations.

For a moment, Nicole had imagined warmth in those cold eyes and built castles in the air. She had thought maybe he was willing to give it a try with her. But it was all just illusions; Bruno despised her, and that wouldn't change.

After a while, Bruno stood up and extended his hand to Nicole, asking her to dance. She was tempted to refuse, but with her parents' eyes on her, she had no choice but to accept. Sondra tried to hide her displeasure.

They found themselves in the middle of the dance floor, a slow song playing. He placed his arms around her waist, and she placed hers around his neck. In silence, they moved slowly to the rhythm of the music. He kissed her gently, and without thinking, she reciprocated. If he wanted to play, they would both play. She closed her eyes and let herself be carried away.

They lost track of time, unaware of how many songs had played. When they opened their eyes, no one else was around. The music had stopped, and everyone was observing them curiously. Nicole took Bruno's hand, and they returned to their table.

Their parents greeted them with laughter, as they had been waiting for them to return so they could begin the auction.

Sondra was fuming, and Nicole glanced at her with a concealed smile. Today, she would give back a fraction of what Sondra had given her. Nicole apologized and excused herself to go to the restroom, unaware that her sister had followed her. Upon entering, she stood in front of Nicole and attempted to slap her. Nicole closed her eyes, bracing herself for the blow. But when she felt nothing, she opened her eyes and saw a woman stopping Sondra's hand. The woman didn't say anything and left in a rage.

Nicole thanked the woman and apologized for the awkward moment. Standing in front of the mirror to touch up her makeup, the woman stood beside her, removed her mask, and stared at her strangely.

"Are you Nicole Williams?" she asked.

"Yes, I am. Who are you?" Nicole replied.

"My name is Rina Jones. I know you might not believe what I'm about to tell you, but please, I ask you to give me a chance to explain."