BENTLEY'S POVHe shrugged, a twinkle in his eye. "You tell me. I'm just the hopeful hero in this chapter.""Hopeful, maybe. But this hero might need a better script," I teased, standing up. "I appreciate the effort, but I think I'll keep my story solo for now.”He paused, taken aback by my retort, then laughed, a hearty, genuine sound. "Fair enough. Can I at least offer you a coffee as an apology for my terrible astronomy?"I couldn't help but laugh, shaking my head. "I think I'll survive the cosmic loss, but thanks for the offer. Maybe try leading with something less celestial next time?"He tipped an imaginary hat, still smiling. "Will do. Have a wonderful day, Miss Universe."As I watched him walked away, I couldn't help but chuckle to myself, the encounter was definitely a much-needed distraction from the day's earlier events. The park, with its vibrant life and unexpected demeanor, reminded me that the world was full of surprises, some complicated and painful, others simply amusi
BENTLEY'S POVAs we settled into a cozy corner of the café, then the aroma of freshly brewed coffee mixed with the buzz of conversation around us made me feel good, I found myself going into tales of my life as the owner of the bar because for some odd reason, just like Accalia always told me, Enzo was really an easy going person anyone could trust."So, Enzo, picture this: it's a Friday night, the bar is packed and then suddenly, out of nowhere, a group of bachelorette party-goers storm in, decked out in tiaras and feather boas," I recounted and was gesturing animatedly with my hands like an excited kid.Enzo chuckled and then began leaning back in his chair with a grin. "Ah, the infamous bachelorette parties. I can only imagine the chaos they bring.""You have no idea," I replied with a mischievous twinkle in my eye. "But let me tell you about the time they decided to have a karaoke competition and let's just say, it was...memorable."As I kept him company with stories of wild night
BENTLEY'S POVI leaned in closer and then I lowered my voice as if I was sharing a state secret. "One time, when two guys started arguing over who was the better superhero, I handed them a couple of capes and challenged them to a duel...with pool noodles."Enzo burst into laughter and I noticed how the sound echoed through the café and it earned us a few curious glances from nearby patrons. "You're kidding."I shook my head as I was still chuckling at the memory. "I wish I was. Let's just say it was the most epic battle of superheroes the bar has ever seen. And surprisingly, it ended with both of them passing out on the floor, cuddling their pool noodles like teddy bears."We laughed until tears streamed down our cheeks, the craziness of the situations I described was too much to contain for Enzo and I. In that moment that I was surrounded by laughter and good company, the stresses of the day seemed to melt away and it was replaced by the simple joy of shared moments and ridiculous co
BENTLEY'S POVEnzo's eyes sparkled with curiosity as he leaned in, clearly eager to hear more about the colorful characters that frequented my bar. "So, what about drunk women? I imagine they must have their own share of antics."I nodded enthusiastically, a grin spreading across my face. "Oh, absolutely. Drunk women can be just as entertaining, if not more so, than their male counterparts."I paused for dramatic effect before launching into another round of storytelling. "Okay, picture this: it's ladies' night at the bar, and a group of friends comes in, ready to let loose and have a good time. One of them, let's call her Becky, decides she's going to be the life of the party."Enzo leaned in closer, clearly intrigued. "And what does Becky do to earn that title?""Well, let's just say Becky had one too many cocktails and suddenly thought she was a professional dancer," I explained, my laughter bubbling up at the memory. "She hops up on the nearest table and starts busting out moves l
BENTLEY'S POVOur laughter subsided, but the air was still filled with amusement as I continued recounting tales of drunk women at my bar."And then there was the time a group of women decided they were going to reenact scenes from their favorite rom-coms," I recounted, shaking my head at the absurdity of it all. "I'm talking about dramatic declarations of love, impromptu dance routines, and even a few attempts at 'the lift' from 'Dirty Dancing.' Let's just say it didn't end well."Enzo grinned, clearly entertained by the mental image. "Sounds like quite the adventure."as our conversation delved deeper into the realm of drunk women at my bar, i felt a shift in the atmosphere, a subtle undercurrent of melancholy beneath the laughter and lighthearted banter. enzo's expression mirrored my own, his gaze thoughtful as he listened intently."and then there are the times when drunk women come into the bar with hearts heavy with sorrow," i began, my tone softer now, tinged with empathy. "lik
BENTLEY'S POV"Even in the darkest of times, there is light," Enzo said gently, his voice a beacon of reassurance in the dimly lit café. "And you, Bentley, you are a source of light for those who need it most."His words washed over me like a soothing balm, filling me with a renewed sense of purpose. In that moment, amidst the weight of the world's sorrows, I found solace in the simple act of sharing stories and offering comfort to a kindred spirit.As Enzo and I delved deeper into the emotional undercurrents of running a bar, I found myself recounting one of the most harrowing experiences I had ever faced."It was a night like any other," I began, my voice trembling slightly as I recalled the painful memory. "A woman burst through the doors, her eyes wild with anguish, her screams tearing through the air like shards of glass."Enzo's brow furrowed in concern as he listened intently, his gaze unwavering."She caught her husband in the act, tangled in the arms of another woman right th
BENTLEY'S POV"I know," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. "But in her pain, she needed someone to blame, someone to lash out at. And I happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time."We sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the woman's accusations hanging heavy between us."I'm sorry you had to go through that," Enzo said softly, his voice a soothing balm to my wounded soul."Thank you," I replied, a tear slipping down my cheek. "It was one of the darkest moments of my life, but it also taught me the power of empathy and forgiveness."Enzo reached out, his hand finding mine in a gesture of solidarity. "You're stronger than you know, Bentley. And you have a heart of gold."As I recounted the chaotic scene to Enzo, a mischievous glint danced in my eyes as I embellished the tale with a touch of humor."So there I was, dodging punches left and right like a prizefighter in the ring," I said, mimicking the exaggerated bobbing and weaving of a boxer. "But let me tell you
BENTLEY'S POVAs the laughter subsided and a moment of clarity washed over me, a nagging thought crept into my mind like a whisper of unease. Something didn't quite add up. Enzo's presence here, away from his duties as my best friend Accalia's bodyguard, felt too coincidental to be mere chance."Enzo," I began, my voice laced with concern, "is everything okay with Accalia and her husband?"Enzo's demeanor shifted imperceptibly, a flicker of hesitation crossing his features before he regained his composure. But his avoidance of my gaze spoke volumes, a telltale sign that all was not as it seemed."Of course, Bentley," he replied, his voice steady but lacking the usual conviction. "Everything is fine. Accalia and her husband are doing well."I studied his face intently, searching for any hint of deception. But Enzo was a master of his craft, his expression a mask of professionalism and stoicism."Are you sure?" I pressed, unable to shake the feeling of doubt gnawing at the edges of my m
DON'S POV"I spoke with Bentley, her father is the police officer that ruled your sister's death as suicide." Luca said."So?""According to Bentley, Accalia family has no hand in it. Her father was threatened by the other gang and their new leader."I nodded slowly, understanding what he was saying. "We better get the truth out of Ken then, have you handed Florella over to the police?" I asked."Yes boss.""Good."We both headed down to the basement where Ken was being held captive, I needed to torture the truth out of his mouth.He was sitting against the wall with his arms tied behind his back, his wrists chained. His face bruised and bloodied, and his clothes covered in dried blood, he was still shivering, despite his cold exterior."What are you going to do with me?" He spat, spitting blood onto the floor of the dungeon."Well Ken Peterson , I'll give you an opportunity to answer a few of my questions and maybe I'll release you."Ken narrowed his eyes at me, "Why should I believe
DON'S POV "You need to calm down son, I have no reason to kidnap your wife!" My father screamed in annoyance as I held him by the collar, accusing him of being responsible for Accalia sudden disappearance. it has been two days since I've heard from Accalia or seen her.i recalled telling her to go home first after the press conference but when I got home, she wasn't there and no one knew anything about her disappearance.I was beginning to go crazy over her absence, I felt like something bad happened to her and I couldn't control it, I was scared shitless.I was furious that I did not know what had happened to her.who the hell dared to kidnap my woman?!!!"I won't let anything happen to her!" I roared while I tightened my grip on my dad's neck and squeezed harder.After I released my grip, my father gasped and began coughing loudly."What the hell are you?!" He questioned me as he took several deep breaths."Do you really think that I am a weak minded coward like you?!" I replied
ACCALIA'S POVI noticed alot of crowds at the company today but I had no idea why but for some reason Enzo seemed tense and clinged to me."Is the company doing something today? why are there a lot of people and reporters outside?" I asked but before I could hear Enzo's response, an egg hit me on the head."She's the one that hurt our kitten!" The man shouted and everyone's attention was turned to me, I was so confused but had no time to process that confusion because people began hurling insults at me and the eggs kept on flying.I tried to defend myself but people would not allow it, many people were throwing eggs at me and they kept on hitting me and I had no way to avoid the hits. One egg managed to land on my head causing me to stagger.I wanted to defend myself, the insults weren't hurting anyone they were just getting their point across.Someone picked up a bottle and threw it at me. The impact of the bottle hitting me made me flinch.Enzo guided me through and I finally made
FLORELLA'S POVI frowned as I watched the new model, Accalia walk into the studio. She had a radiant smile on her face and everything about her just screamed beauty and perfection, no flaws or imperfections in sight.Her hair was styled in perfect waves that framed her face beautifully, her makeup perfectly complimented her gorgeous olive brown orbs and bright pink lipstick.She looked good. So good! So incredibly good that she could probably win any contest she was in! I almost gasped in admiration as I saw how breathtaking she really looked.I hated how beautiful she was, I never understood why anyone could want to look like that, but she was definitely an exception. She had a unique personality that drew people to her in a different way than everyone else did.I hated the fact that she was pretty that me and could easily over take me in the modeling world, there was no way in hell I was going to let that happen. i have been bullying her for over two weeks since she came but she
ACCALIA'S POVAfter hours of modeling and posing for countless pictures, it was time for me to go home and rest before I had to return to the studio again for another day full of work. My clothes were all wrinkled and dirty after being used so many times for clothing shoots.But I was tired and hungry. So, with only mild hesitance, I walked out of the studio to head back home. my phone chimed and I looked at it and saw it was a text from Don asking me to use the back door of the company and meet him at the car park where he was waiting for me.I smiled weakly at the text before I took the elevator to the car park tiredly.I exited the elevator and walked out of the building and saw Don standing at the entrance of the parking lot, he waved as soon as he saw me approaching and headed over to the car to help me inside. Once I was seated, he walked around the car to the drivers seat."Where is everyone?" I asked curiously, noticing no cars."They had to go somewhere." Is all he told me.
ACCALIA'S POVI smiled as I dressed up for my first day at work, yes, my first day at work. I was so excited when Don told me to dress up today that I would resume work at his company as a model.I wanted to make a good first impression so I needed to dress up nicely. A white button down shirt and a black blazer were the two pieces of clothing I selected from my closet after I finished dressing in bed this morning. I also wore some light makeup but it wasn't much. Not too much, just enough to look like I hadn't slept with it all off last night. That made me think about something else - Don's lips... I shook my head trying to get rid of those thoughts.I brushed through my hair once more then applied one last coat of lip gloss before leaving my room, closing and locking the door behind me. I took a deep breath of air and exhaled deeply, hoping to calm myself before I headed down the stairs to meet Don."Good morning!" Don chirped happily when he saw me. I grinned back at him and walk
ACCALIA'S POVDon squeezed my hand reassuringly, his gaze filled with unwavering determination. "We can do this, Accalia," he said, his voice steady despite the tremble in his hands. "Together, we can face anything."With a heavy heart, I nodded in agreement, drawing strength from Don's unwavering faith in our future. As we boarded the bus and took our seats, I cast one last glance back at the village of Arinthia, its familiar streets now fading into the distance.And as the bus pulled away, carrying us towards an uncertain future, I knew that it was time to go back to my old life.As the bus journeyed towards the city, the landscape outside morphed from rolling hills to towering skyscrapers, a stark contrast to the quaint charm of Arinthia. With each passing mile, my heart grew heavier, the uncertainty of our future weighing heavily upon me.But as we finally arrived at our destination and stepped off the bus, a sense of anticipation tingled in the air. For the first time in what fel
ACCALIA'S POVDon wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me close as he felt my body tremble with suppressed sobs. "It's okay, Accalia," he whispered, his voice gentle yet filled with unspoken sorrow. "We'll be alright."But the dam had already broken, and I could no longer hold back the flood of emotions that surged within me. Tears streamed down my cheeks as I buried my face in Don's chest, my heart aching with the pain of leaving behind everything I had ever known."It's just... so hard," I choked out between sobs, my voice muffled against Don's shirt. "Saying goodbye to everyone, to everything..."Don held me tighter, his own eyes glistening with unshed tears. "I know, Accalia," he said, his voice thick with emotion. "But this isn't goodbye forever. We'll come back someday, I promise."His words offered little solace in the face of our imminent departure, but I clung to them nonetheless, finding comfort in the warmth of his embrace. Together, we sat down on the worn wooden b
ACCALIA'S POVWe climbed into the of the truck, I couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness at the thought of leaving behind another dear friend. Kito had always been there for us, offering his help and support whenever we needed it, and the thought of saying goodbye to him was almost too much to bear.As we settled into the worn leather seats of Kito's truck, a heavy silence hung in the air, punctuated only by the soft hum of the engine. I glanced out the window, watching as the familiar sights of Arinthia faded into the distance, my heart aching with the weight of farewell.The ride to the bus stop was a somber one, the only sound the steady hum of the engine and the occasional sniffle from one of us. Kito tried to lighten the mood with some of his trademark jokes, but even he seemed to be struggling to find his usual cheerfulness.As we neared the bus stop, Kito pulled over and turned off the engine, the silence that followed almost deafening in its intensity. "Well, this is it," he