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XLVI: Golden Streets and Hidden Choices
Last Updated:
2025-03-27 23:39:27
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A middle-aged man in a navy-blue suit walked over with an enthusiastic expression. His face was slightly flushed—maybe from the wine warming his body or perhaps from excitement he could barely contain.“My God, I can hardly believe you’re really here!” he said, his voice brimming with excitement as his eyes lit up when they met mine. “I have to thank Marcus for bringing you to this event.”I smiled warmly and extended my hand. “Nice to meet you, Mr...?”“Richard Calloway,” he said quickly, shaking my hand a bit too firmly, like a fan unwilling to miss his chance. “But please, call me Richard. I’m one of the hosts tonight. And Maya, I have to admit... I’m a huge fan.”I chuckled softly, easing my hand out of his grasp with practiced elegance. “Oh? That’s interesting.”Richard laughed, sounding almost nervous. “No, seriously! I’ve followed your career since your first indie film. Scarlet Ruins, right?”I raised an eyebrow, a little impressed. “Wow, not many people know about that one. I
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As soon as class was dismissed, I grabbed my sketchbook and started slipping it into my bag. Margo was already standing beside me, arms crossed over her chest, her expression full of curiosity ready to explode.“So,” she said in her usual dramatic tone, “if you’re not interested in auditioning, why did you bother taking Film Theory?”I zipped my bag shut with a sharp motion. “Because I like movies, Margo.”“Bullshit.” She arched an eyebrow sharply. “You want to be an actress, don’t you?”I let out a short chuckle, trying to ignore the sudden heat creeping up my face. “When I was a kid, yeah. But now I don’t—”“You’re lying,” she cut in quickly. “I know you love acting. You love attention.” She pointed at the whiteboard where I had just drawn. “You were acting just now, Maya! Like you knew everything about architecture.”“That’s because I do.”Margo let out a long sigh, then threw her hands up in frustration. “You’re seriously wasting your potential.”I turned on my heel and walked out
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Aaric tensed for a moment, then slowly turned, the corner of his lips still curled upward. A faint red mark was beginning to form on his cheek, but what irritated me the most was his smile—the victorious one, as if he knew I would react like this."Wow," he said in a lazy tone that made me want to slap him again. "You know, I didn’t take you for the violent type.""I didn’t take you for the type who doesn’t know when to shut up," I shot back, grabbing my notes and hurriedly packing up my things.He didn’t stop me—of course, he wouldn’t. That wasn’t his style. Aaric Bernardi never tried to hold people back; he preferred to make them come back on their own. And I knew he thought I would do the same.As I turned to leave, he spoke again. "Don’t take it too seriously, De Cruz," he said. "But if you need a partner to practice for the seminar, I can help. You know where to find me."I paused for a moment at the doorway, glancing back. "Thanks," I said flatly. "But I’d rather practice with a
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I looked up. Aaric was staring at me, one eyebrow slightly raised, curious. "Why that face?" he continued. "Like someone just told you that you won the lottery, but you're not sure if you actually want the money." I opened my mouth to respond, but then closed it again. Honestly, I had no idea how to explain this feeling. So, I just put my phone back on the table, faced my laptop screen, and tried to act like that email hadn't just turned my entire life upside down. Aaric wasn't buying it. "Come on, De Cruz. I can see that expression from across the room," he said, leaning in closer. "What is it? A bad grade? A call from the FBI?" I sighed, finally giving in. "If I told you I just got offered a modeling contract from one of the biggest fashion houses in the world, would you laugh or be shocked?" Aaric was silent for a few seconds. Then, the corner of his mouth lifted. "Honestly? Not shocked." I frowned. "Why?" He shrugged like the answer was obvious. "You know why." I didn't
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I stood in front of the auditorium, gripping the remote for my slide presentation tightly. The room was fuller than I had expected. Faces of students from various majors filled the rows of seats—some looked serious, others were whispering, either about me or about what they had for lunch. But I didn’t care. I had spent days preparing this material, and I knew exactly what I was doing."Good morning, everyone," my voice rang out clearly, steady—far more confident than I actually felt. "I’m Maya De Cruz, from the visual design department. Today, I’ll be talking about how design influences spatial perception—and why this matters, not just for us designers, but for all of you studying architecture, engineering, even business."I pressed the button on the remote, displaying the first slide: "The Psychology of Space.""Every room has a story," I continued. "And that story begins with how we perceive the space. Imagine walking into a small café with dim lighting, exposed brick walls, and the
Stealing My Sister's Fiancee LIV : Trouble, Trouble, Trouble
Aaric tensed for a moment, then slowly turned, the corner of his lips still curled upward. A faint red mark was beginning to form on his cheek, but what irritated me the most was his smile—the victorious one, as if he knew I would react like this."Wow," he said in a lazy tone that made me want to slap him again. "You know, I didn’t take you for the violent type.""I didn’t take you for the type who doesn’t know when to shut up," I shot back, grabbing my notes and hurriedly packing up my things.He didn’t stop me—of course, he wouldn’t. That wasn’t his style. Aaric Bernardi never tried to hold people back; he preferred to make them come back on their own. And I knew he thought I would do the same.As I turned to leave, he spoke again. "Don’t take it too seriously, De Cruz," he said. "But if you need a partner to practice for the seminar, I can help. You know where to find me."I paused for a moment at the doorway, glancing back. "Thanks," I said flatly. "But I’d rather practice with a
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As soon as class was dismissed, I grabbed my sketchbook and started slipping it into my bag. Margo was already standing beside me, arms crossed over her chest, her expression full of curiosity ready to explode.“So,” she said in her usual dramatic tone, “if you’re not interested in auditioning, why did you bother taking Film Theory?”I zipped my bag shut with a sharp motion. “Because I like movies, Margo.”“Bullshit.” She arched an eyebrow sharply. “You want to be an actress, don’t you?”I let out a short chuckle, trying to ignore the sudden heat creeping up my face. “When I was a kid, yeah. But now I don’t—”“You’re lying,” she cut in quickly. “I know you love acting. You love attention.” She pointed at the whiteboard where I had just drawn. “You were acting just now, Maya! Like you knew everything about architecture.”“That’s because I do.”Margo let out a long sigh, then threw her hands up in frustration. “You’re seriously wasting your potential.”I turned on my heel and walked out
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That morning started peacefully—for the first five minutes.I sat at the kitchen table, letting the scent of freshly brewed coffee fill my nose. My favorite ceramic mug felt warm in my hands, and each sip I took was like a small gift to myself. The morning sun slipped through the gaps in the curtains, casting golden patterns on the table.Then came the noise.“JOY! I’M NOT GOING TO SAY IT AGAIN! IF YOU DON’T WAKE UP IN FIVE SECONDS, I’M GOING TO DRENCH YOU!”I let out a long sigh and stared sadly at my coffee cup. My brief moment of peace was over.The sound of a door slamming was followed by Elle’s hurried footsteps. Her hair was a mess, half pulled up with a clip that was barely holding on. Her pajamas—a loose shirt with a lazy cat printed on it—were wrinkled on one side, as if she had just wrestled with her bed.“She won’t wake up!” Elle shouted as she grabbed an empty glass from the table and filled it with water.“I know.” I lifted my coffee cup calmly. “You don’t have to kill he
