I should really stop reading his books and listened to Brenton.
It was Wednesday when I was scheduled to meet the famous painter and do something with my life. And that mid-morning I decided that I was going to do just that."Hey, woah... you're all dressed up. Are you stalking him again? damn, you even smell nice. Did you shower?""Fuck you, Gemma."She giggled while putting toast on my plate and asked where I was going, again."I'm meeting Brenton, he's setting me up with his friend. She owns a gallery downtown.""Mm, that's good Ella. You should definitely meet her, I think your paintings are great. Look, Ella...you know I love you right? but it's time to start rebuilding your life."Her last words hit me on the right spot. The guilt I feel for Gwen still hangs, Gemma knows that every time I try to start my sketches I kept on seeing her face.I didn't even get to say goodbye to Gwen. The last words I said was me telling her to take it easy and everything was going to be okay.But I should've listened to her, I should've been a better friend."Yeah, I know... but I couldn't stop thinking, what if I didn't take that summer class abroad. Maybe she could still be alive?""Ells, don't do this to yourself. We've talked about this, hundreds of times. You couldn't have known. Now eat and get yourself out there."She smiled and finished her toast before drinking down her cold milk. Yep, there's something off with my cousin, she drinks cold milk in the morning as a substitute for steaming hot coffee."And stop looking at me like a pervert." She muttered when I give her the look."Okay! I'm getting out there, I can do this! need to make money to pay for my honey bun bun's yearly subscription." I take a big bite of my toast and chew it with a newfound attitude."Damn...you're helpless aren't you?" she put her dirty dishes on the sink and grabbed her bag on her way out of our two-bedroom apartment."I'm going, I'm late already and I might be home after dinner, there's this acquisition project that my boss is doing..." her voice trailed off as she walked out of our place, but then laughter was heard and I was happy instantly when I saw them."My two favorite people!"Benjamin was giving me the look, it was the first time he saw me dressed to go out that early in the morning. I usually greeted them in my PJs, at least until late in the afternoon."Should we go back later? what happened to our Ella?" the handsome man asked as he barged into the apartment with his homemade cookies.Jacqueline gave me a quick hug and helped herself to a cup of black coffee and three teaspoons of sugar."You can go, I want to know more..." the half french beautiful woman set up camp when she grabbed Ben's homemade cookies and sit to my front while waiting to drink probably her second cup of coffee that morning."Jacqueline, babe, she's all dressed up she might be feeling ill. Are you going to a doctor?" Benjamin, her roommate who's obviously tailing her like a lost puppy, sits down next to Jacqueline."You two...look, I know we just known each other for a couple of months now...""See, I told you. Maybe she's dying?" Ben whispered in a not so soft tone."Ben, I'm healthy, now sit.""Yes, mam." He shut his mouth by drinking the coffee that Jacqueline made for him moments earlier."I'm dressed to meet a friend, he's going to introduce me to a gallery owner. I'm a painter.""Oh, that's how your paintings are so damn good. But, can you paint anything else besides that gorgeous author that you stalk?" Jacqueline asked after sipping her coffee again."We will find out won't we?"Ben laughed, but abruptly stop himself when Jacqueline slapped the back of his head telling him to show some support.We chat for another half an hour before they went back to their apartment and Brenton was picking me up downstairs."Hey, you,""Hey...so, thank you for giving me a chance.""Ella, you're like my little sister." The famous millionaire painter ruffled my hair as if I was still fifteen years old."Damn it, Brenton, I was too old back then and obviously now. My hair is perfect as is."He chuckled and put his car in gear and swiftly drive into the mid-morning traffic.It didn't take long for us to arrive at the commercial building complex, where the gallery is situated then I was introduced to Trisha."...call me Trisha or Trish, Brenton had spoken highly of you..."I pinched his arm when she said the words."Ouch! what?! you're good, you just need to paint something else!"Trisha laughed and told me that Brenton had spoken to her about my stalking issue too."I don't stalk... it's just that, ehm...he's currently my muse.""Yeah for almost a year now, or maybe more?""Brent!""What?! it's true! you need to...""You both need to loosen up. How about this, let's get to know each other better at Player? Shane is waiting for me there, his driver is here. What do you say?""Huh? to what?""Forget about it, she will follow me. Come on, you need this."And that's how things went south. I couldn't remember how it started but there was a lot of liquor involved after we eat lunch at Shane's club, Player.One moment I was up for an introduction, the next hour I was blabbering about my honey bun bun to Trisha and her husband Shane. Shamelessly telling them how I have a dedicated wall for displaying his perfect facial features.Brenton was not helping, he was laughing his ass off from my words but in the end, Trisha decided that she wanted me to try and put a couple of my paintings in her gallery."Let's try it out, I believe in Brenton's eyes for talent and I trust him when he said that you got what it takes."I was in tears when she said that, maybe it was the midday alcohol consumption or maybe the fact that I need to produce at least two paintings in the next three months, and that realization scares the shit out of me."I hope that's happy tears?" Brenton asked after Trisha excused herself along with Shane for another appointment."Brent, you're pushing me to my maximum point. This is my desperation tears, I don't know who am I going to marry if all of this fails."Brenton laughed and told me that I was going to be just fine."I've seen your previous works, with your maximum effort you should do great. Get out of town, find yourself some inspirations, go visit your parents.""I guess it's been a while.""Come on I'll take you back, we'll get a taxi and dropped you off first."It took us an hour until we reach my apartment building. I thanked him after he said he'll check up on me in the next few days."I'm going to make sure you're following through with your words. This is a good opportunity, Ella.""I know, and I won't disappoint you.""There's the spirit."He gave me his brotherly hug and invite me for dinner with his family when I'm back from my parents."Thanks again, Brent.""You're welcome!"He ruffled my hair again and I pouted when he finally gets back to his taxi.I walked towards the elevator, a bit tipsy, but I managed to open Brice's fan page and read the newest comments on his book. It made me smile and helped me get through the moving hallway as I try to balance my steps all the way to the front of my door.Made it.Now I just need to find a new object for my painting.It was almost a week since I saw Brenton. I was looking at my room, I got four unfinished sketches. All of them didn't feel right. I cried in frustration when trying to sketch the first canvas. Gemma was calming me down, but by the fourth failed attempt she was telling me to suck it up and leave me to type diligently back in her room before she ends her day.Then I was desperate when the week ended and Brenton called to check up on me."Why didn't you go back to your parents? I thought we agreed on that matter?""Well yeah, but the thing is... ehm, I have a thing...""Ella...""What? it's his book signing and I've jotted the event on my calendar since months ago." I whined and pouted while knowing that he wouldn't see me from the other line. "Tell me one thing, does he even notice you?""Well, with the long line of crowd it'll be tough, but..." "Ella, go to your parents. If you won't do this for me, do it for Gwen."The mentioning of her name made me, slumped back to my seat and I
Gemma had just got back from work. It was dinner time and I had just finish plating mom's dish for our meal. "So, my mom said hi," I pointed to mom's cooking on our small dining table. "Oh my god, I miss you! and your mom is the best!"We laughed and start to eat our dinner while we talk about everything that we've been missing out from each other."Well, I can't believe you skipped the most awaited Brice Durant's book signing event.""Right?! I hope he's not upset that I decided not to go..."Gemma throws a napkin at me to stop me from continuing my words."Shut up before I throw a kitchen knife at you." She muttered while spooning mom's casserole in between her words."Jeez, cuz...didn't know you've become this bloodthirsty since I'm gone." She shrugged and continue eating mom's cooking. "...anyway, you looked like you've actually been working your ass off, can I see the paintings?" "It's still packed in my room. Why don't I show you in the morning, I want to sleep early tonigh
"Okay! I've been thinking about our dates last night. I think we need to arrange new strategies."I shook my head, silently telling myself not to go up against her when she gets excited. The best I can do is listen to her."Give me your phone." "Don't you have work to do?" "It's Saturday," "Gemma, I'm not sure I want to do the date thing two nights in a row. How about we do the traditional way and go have drinks and just stare at cute guys longingly?" She laughed at me but finally agreed. "Okay, but we're doing this my way. Let's do a spa day, shopping, do our hair, waxing..." she kept on listing our schedule while I decided to leave her and go to my room to stalk my honey bun bun on social media.I sighed when I look at his handsome face, it didn't take me long before my hands reach out for my sketchbook and start sketching him. Again. It has become an addiction, I should stop. That afternoon we had our spa day, we talked and relaxed all through our sauna and bath session, I
We've talked about the weather, the app, then venture to favorite food and drinks, up until it was getting too personal for a first date. Though he seemed to act casually about everything. "Tell me about yourself?""Uh..." He chuckled as I was crumbling on the inside while listening to his deep sexy laugh. I don't know what I did in my previous life to deserve to meet the handsome smart man in front of me. "Well, I'm a painter...eh, well I try to be.""Yeah? I've always wanted someone to do a portrait of me." "You're really fond of yourself?" He laughed and my heart almost skipped a beat when he gets a clean napkin and gives me his pen."Please?" he plea adorably, making me want to do things to him. Breathe Ella..."Not my first choice of media, it'll look a bit cartoonish but let's try it out." I took his pen and started sketching on the napkin, I don't really have to look at him to draw his facial features, but I was not going to pass the chance of watching him actually pose
"Ella...don't, I know you're happy but you don't have to drag me into it. I'm taking the day off.""What? this is Sunday. It is your day off." "Yeah, I mean tomorrow, just have fun. I don't feel so good. I want my blankie.""Is it because of Larry?" I tried to wake Gemma and have her join me for coffee but she was still cocooned under her blanket and not wanting to be disturbed. So, I gave up and have a cup of coffee while stalking Brice's Instagram feeds. I was trying to see if he mentioned anything about his mystery date with me last night. I was wishfully thinking that he actually liked me, so much so that he would let the world know. Get real, Ella...I sipped my coffee and decided to set up my easel and canvas on our small balcony. It was a perfect day for painting, and I suddenly felt the need to start doing so.It was a weird feeling, haven't had it for years. The strokes were easy, the lines, the shapes were effortlessly drawn. I was smiling like a kid in a candy store when
"Damn, someone looks like they had quite an orgasm." Jacqueline greeted me as I entered our apartment with a huge grin on my face. Benjamin was busy plating cupcakes from the oven while wearing Gemma's very pink apron with a huge 'Spank the Chef' writing on it. "I'm still wet, still horny, and still a freaking virgin!" "You should let me pop your cherry." Benji was to my back and kissed my shoulder while he offered me the chocolate chip cupcake. "I'm saving myself for my honey bun bun." I grinned and thank him for the cupcake, then let out a delicious moan as my teeth sink into the moist chocolaty heaven."Gemma has been telling us about that, I think you should write a memoir for all of your stalker friends out there. I can already see the outline, how to bed your object of desire." Jacqueline was quick to comment while scrolling on her phone.Ben laughed, taking off the apron and placed the fresh batch of cupcakes. Then he was back to busying himself by making the white Russian
It was almost noon when I finish sketching yet another Brice's perfect face. And remembering what Ann said yesterday, I decided to be the stalker that I am and snapped the sketch and post it on my Insta page.And being a true stalker and fangirl I tagged Brice's account and his fan page. Ann was the first to comment with lots of emojis and praising my impeccable sketching skill.My creative juice seems to flow easily when my Insta notification buzzed, I put down my brush and peek at my phone. I almost knocked down my easel when I saw that Brice commented on my sketches. He never commented, not ever, he would like my posts but never comments on any of them."Ella, are you okay? you look like you've seen a ghost.""A miracle to be precise!" I shouted like a deranged woman waving her my phone."Huh?""My honey bun bun, he commented on my Insta post!" I showed it to Gemma and she slowly shook her head."You're going on a date with him tonight, you should stop calling him bun bun."I put m
Brice's POV"Brice, you know you're going to trigger your stalker by giving her the heart emoji."Clara Sherman, my agent was warning me not to poke the bear."But it is good work, I'm actually impressed. And she's not a bear, you should consider her as your little helper. She helped you with the fan group, right?"She sighed and reminded me about what happened last month when the woman sends me too many emails."I know I might overreact sometimes, but I was in a bad mood that day and her emails were bugging me,""Yeah, and who's fault is that? we have people for that, you don't
Six months later"We owe this to your family Ella, I know we decided to elope over the weekend. But now everyone is pissed at us, and my phone hasn't stopped buzzing. I'm just going to let the battery die, Clara and my PR team has gone crazy as if I needed their permission to get married." My honey bun bun looked agitated, and I smiled though I felt sorry for him. He looked adorably cute when he's upset, call me selfless but I feel like I need to climb him and join the mile-low club once we landed, if there's such a club. If not, well...I can always make one."Baby, I know that look," he shook his head looking at my horny expression. Seriously, I hope he realized what he's in for the long run and does not regret tying the knot with me. Though it's a done deal now, I smirked and weave his fingers with mine."We'll do it your way, if you feel the need to suck up to my parents and brothers then it's up to you. As long as I get to have you for the rest of my life." I bit my lip, looking a
I slipped into his room after a quick shower, a change of clothes, and a cup of hot tea."Brice...oh my god. I can't believe you're here. You were gone, missing for days." I hugged, then I thought about any injuries that he might have then loosened my arms but he pulled me tighter in his embrace."Ella, baby, I'm so sorry to have made you worry about me." He cupped my face and kissed me, his glasses were on the side table, his eyes were glassy and my heartache thinking of the suffering that he had gone through."Not your fault, she got to you, but you're here now, that's all that matters," I whispered in his ear, assured him as he rest his head to the crook of my neck. It felt as if he was letting go of his burden, he leaned in and I held him close. I kept him close, engulfing him with my love. I was truly hoping we could put it all behind us and pull through from the horror we've been in. Days of worrying if he's dead or alive had drained my emotion and all I want is to be in his arm
Two hours earlier...Percy's POV"Okay, we're going in. Jill, be on the lookout from your side."I have two men by my sides, guns on hands, one of the men brought his medical kit on his back just in case. I didn't like it when Jill told me that Grady was gone for some emergency situation I don't even know about. My gut was telling me that he should be with our baby sister, Ella."Yes, sir. Ella is stalling, confirmed, we're going in as planned."Her reply took me back to the current situation, we have been watching the house for almost an hour and waited for her to exit the premises. The house was empty aside from the infrared signature of one person we assumed was Brice, since he was not moving most likely subdued before she got out of the house.His retrieval was easy, the house was bare. There were no triggering switches that'll make the place explode if we accidentally trip them. Ann was no hitman after all, just one sick psycho stalker. But Brice was barely lucid, he was heavily
"Ann, whatever you're planning, please don't do it." I kept on telling her though she kept on ignoring me.Damn it, what is taking them so long?Why haven't they caught up to us?I don't know how long, but it felt like hours until I saw a familiar black SUV from the rearview mirror. My heart was beating faster while I try to peel my eyes away from the other side of the road. I didn't want Ann to see that we're being followed and they're catching up to us.Finally!"Hey! what are you looking at?""Huh?" I turned to face her, putting my stupid face on, trying not to draw attention to the car meters away from us."I was telling you about how Brice likes my homemade cookies. Did you know he like chocolate chip cookies?" She proudly said and I just shook my head trying to let her get to the point, though I know there's none, knowing she's crazy already."I was going to bring you to him, kill you in front of him. I was going to prove to him that I'm better than you." Ann shrugged at me whil
"Tell her, you're on your way, anything, just stall for ten more minutes," Jill instructed me to type a message to Ann's inbox. we were actually a block away from the town's public library. My doppelganger, Jill, said that their team was heading to Ann's place, and their footage showed that a car had left the premises."They need to search the place for Brice, we need her out of the house to make sure we find him. If he's not there, we need to find clues at her house to find Brice." Jill was the only one with me in the car, Grady got called out for an emergency at the office. Something about an important client who needs his expertise."Right." I bit my lip and started typing my lies then hit send. My heart was pounding so fast that my hand was shaking when I let go of my phone. Jill put her hand on mine and told me that everything is going to be okay. "You're with the best, Ella, we will find him.""I know you will, you have too. Oh, my god...it's all my fault, I know Ann. I should'v
Where the hell are you Brice?Let's hope you get scared and stupid and now hiding away from me.That night when he didn't check up on me, I feel worried immediately. Though I've only known him for a couple of months, I could sense that there was something wrong with him. I tried calling him but got his voice mail instead. The next morning I called him again and went straight to voice mail. By then I started to get worried and insisted to my brothers that I was leaving my parents to go to his penthouse.Grady and Percy meet up with me at Brice's penthouse since they also couldn't reach his phone. They also brought a specialist to check his place out. I was fiddling with my phone, trying to contact him but for the hundredth time, I reached his voice mail instead.His bed was untouched, his fridge was still stocked with food. Even his laptop was there. There is no sign of forced entry, no sign of him leaving in a hurry, not even an indication that he was going to leave his penthouse for
Brice's POVI wake up with a feeling of heavy nausea. The last thing I remembered was that I came back from business dinner with Clara where we were discussing about my new book progress and aligning the timetable with everything that Clara had going on for me.Where am I?I groaned when I felt my feet were lifeless, my head was pounding thinking what the fuck is wrong with me when I know for sure that I didn't even drink that much. My eyes were busy looking at my surroundings. My body felt so lethargic that tried my hardest to get up but failed miserably.What hell is happening to me? Why can't I move? Did someone drug me?The room looked clean and simple, the air was a bit damp and musty as if no one has been living here in a while. I was laying down in a clean queen size bed. The lighting was dimmed, and that's when I realized the room had no windows. Fear gets to me immediately and I try to call out but nothing came out. I tried again and finally, I can hear my voice though, my mo
Ann's POVThe moment I saw Brice walk with Ella to his car, I recognized that the woman was not her. The way she attached himself to Brice was too poised as if they were trying their best to look like a couple. The feeling didn't sit well with me, and that's when I saw it. Her eyes, they're too alert, as if she was looking out to her surrounding like a mouse ready to fight back."Damn it!" I cursed the second I realized that she was not Ella, and the real Ella had left town.Weeks earlier I'd spent days cursing, throwing stuff when I learned that Ella was being followed by bodyguards. Everywhere I follow her, she was never alone. Later on, I knew her twin brothers were putting security details on her. I shook my head trying to think hard on how to kill the bitch.Brice will be mine.Brice will be mine.Brice will be mine.I promised to myself, said the words over and over again, every time I reached a dead end. My nails were red from my nerves, I chew them when I get agitated with eac
Ann's POVStupid young love, I had fallen in love with him since I was in high school. One day Brice helped me when a group of mean girls bullied me. He told them to stop and never bother me again. After that day, I'd watch him as the hot senior, gazed from afar, hoping one day he would notice me. Again.School was never my thing, I had never been social, not with anyone. I was a loner who spends my time lurking, following the gorgeous man and watching how he mingles with his friends. Brice always looks so handsome. But I was more than happy just to be in his vicinity, carefully standing in the corner, always away from his line of sight.But my hope, my dream to be someone significant for Brice was crushed months later when my sister Summer met him and told me that she liked him.I was jealous of her while Brice didn't even notice me. Maybe because I always hide in the shadows, but honestly I was too afraid...afraid that he'd reject me. I doubt that he would recognize me. I cursed mys