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17: Honeymoon to Venice (IV)
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-01-16 22:18:23
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Sunshine and The Beast 18: Sudden (Mis)Fortune
AltheaCalm before the storm, they said.To be honest, my three days in Venice were not that “calm”, but it definitely was nothing compared to what I had to deal with today: business.I could summarize and categorize that in one word, even the fact that it wasn’t simple at all. Our newest beauty product (which was the first product of Erbeauty under me) would be released two weeks from now on, yet before its launch, someone already protested and claimed it as a plagiarized item. The first product that I had been working on was called a mere copy.Way to ruin my effort, anonymous.I knew how it felt like to be copied. As an art student, plagiarizing and getting plagiarized sometimes happened, but it didn’t necessarily mean that it was easy to deal with.In fact, it was not. And this was issued not for me personally, but for my company.“God, how foolish can they be? Their product is the one that looks like a copy.” My new assistant, Rebecca, grumbled as she offered her tab to me. “Who
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-18Sunshine and The Beast 19: Trial and Error
AltheaI felt like I’ve done something big today.Was it okay for me to be proud of myself? I did not want to be a narcissist, but it sure felt good to get a deal that might help me to solve my current problem. And it was C&D, most of all.I couldn’t clearly remember when was the last time I was proud about something I’ve done. Lately it was only bad decisions one after another, which was not something to be proud of. I had no one to tell me that they were proud of me. Granny, for example, wasn’t someone that would rain me with praises. She would only give me a small nod or tell me to work harder.Granny, if you could see this, would you be proud of me?Lorine Clarks and I had a deal not only for the investment of The Art Palette’s Collection, but also for a possible collaboration in the future. For once in a while, maybe becoming this happy was okay.Or at least that was what I thought, before I went home and found Matthias on the sofa. When I entered the room, he suddenly stood. It
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-23Sunshine and The Beast 20: Proud Husband
AltheaThankfully, because of a certain someone, my mood this morning was ruined even before I started to do anything.When I checked my phone as I prepared to work, Rebecca had sent me a few article links about the plagiarism case. Rebecca M.They sure are trying to attack you personally this timeI got an instant headache when I looked at the news, seeing a photo of my face blurred, with another incredible headline: CEO of Erbeauty got several plagiarism cases in college.What the hell are they talking about?It was almost like the news and accusations thrown toward me was getting worse each day. The amount of nonsense in those articles was so ridiculous, to the point it wasn't believable. But people love to believe things that were untrue, even if they knew it was a blatant lie. Some people were invested in the drama, not the truth.Althea C.We really need to look for a lawyer, right?Can you look up for the writers of those articles? Give me the list once we meet at the officeW
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-26Sunshine and The Beast 21: Must Be The Fever
AltheaThe first trial would be held next week.So far, the progress was good on my side. I couldn’t explain how exactly, but Matthias found out the writers of those ugly lies–as he called them–were paid by the owner of Cleoraque, Martha Anastasia, that one brand that claimed my product was only a copycat. “Martha is one of Davos’s nieces,” Matthias informed me. “You know what that means.”Even if I didn’t really like the idea, he was right. I wasn’t sure of what method my father used to get to business. From what I’ve seen, he chose to invest in something rather than creating another product on his own. Erbeauty haven’t released any new products in years. It was only an updated formula or packaging, or special editions. It didn’t matter anyway. My father still got his money running with his investment.The launch of my Art Palette was a good sign for the company, and also a warning for my rivals. I never wanted to have one, but business was a cruel world. When Matthias said it like
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-27Sunshine and The Beast 22: His Grandmother (I)
AltheaI didn’t know much about marriage. So, I might not be a suitable person to comment on this, but I knew we were skipping steps a lot. Like … A LOT. You would take your spouse or partner to meet your family before you marry them. While Matthias took me to his family once, this was my first time to meet his grandmother. I’ve met his uncles, aunts, cousins, niece, and so on. The meeting didn’t go long, so I wasn’t thinking about it too much. There was no important or meaningful conversation going. But this time, it was different. Despite Matthias kept telling me it wouldn’t be much, I could feel it was different for him. We did not meet in some grand luxurious hotel or fancy restaurant, nor in our penthouse, but in Osman Cox’old house. We stayed there for two days to clean up and prepare the whole house. This was also my first time to visit.“It will be easier for her to be in here rather than ours.” He once told me that. Matthias reasoned it was because of the lift, stairs, a
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-28Sunshine and The Beast 6B: Before The Deal
(This was before chapter 7, I forgot to add this, so I upload this to minimize plot hole. Sorry for the inconvenience.)-AltheaIt was only two o’clock in the evening, and I already missed my bed.Not because I wanted to sleep that bad, but because I needed it. I barely had any sleep for a few days. I went to my new office yesterday. I haven’t met anyone face to face, but I had a few Zoom meetings about business in the morning until evening, and I got to catch up to learn anything I didn’t understand, which was basically everything. In my free time, I had to do my social activity–at least that's how Josh called it. It was a softer version of “looking for a husband, call if interested”.No one asked me if I was interested in this or not. Free answer: I totally did not.I thought by being rich, one would feel sufficient enough to be alone. Once you got money, what more would you want?Then I knew the answer. Of course, more money. Enough was nothing but a concept, an illusion created
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-28Sunshine and The Beast 23: His Grandmother (II)
Ilya might be the nicest and funniest person in the Cox family.Despite only knowing her for a short period of time, I felt like it was safe to assume so. She had this laidback personality that I haven’t seen in any other Coxes. When I met Matthias’s family, they looked at me as if they questioned my existence and why I was in front of them. I was like a threat rather than a family member.Here with Ilya, I felt more humane. Like she saw me as a person, a girl that married his favorite grandson. There were no questionable stares of suspicious gaze directed to me, even if I realized she did look at me several times when we ate.Ilya used the time to catch up with whatever happened to us–our wedding, honeymoon, and current life. She asked about the business–Matthias’s and mine–but that was all. There was no discussion about inheritance, investment percentage, stock and share. It was all about simple questions filled with genuine care.“I’m still sad that I couldn’t attend your wedding.
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-29Sunshine and The Beast 24: Take Me To Dinner
AltheaThe presence of Ilya Cox didn’t make my daily routine hard in any particular way, but something sure did change. She was going to stay in New York for ten days, so Matthias and I stayed with her. We agreed to do our work from home, and we used Osman Cox’ previous home office. We did what we usually did before, but it seemed Ilya had different ideas in mind.“I know you two have these big responsibilities for your business, but it’s okay to take a break and enjoy your time together, you know? The work can wait.”I thought she wanted us three to go somewhere, but it turned out she wanted us to have dinner. Only the two of us. That was why Matthias took me to a western restaurant in Cooperstown–Ilya’s recommendation, she said we could find one of the best steakhouses in New York there–to dine together. I wasn’t sure if this could be called a date, since none of us planned this. But we did go either way with Matthias’s Ford. He only wore a simple navy blue shirt, and I matched hi
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-01-30
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Sunshine and The Beast 87: Protecting You in My Way
AltheaThings were changing. A lot.Althea Lewis from the past didn’t like uncertain and quick changes. Well, that was me. It took time to get used to anything, so to had a drastic change all of a sudden was draining.I meant, it took me months to finally be able to get a grasp of my new world, this business thing. And I couldn’t even say that I’d masteredt it.God knew I was far from it.Yet somehow, I didn’t mind the change that happened between Matthias and I. I liked it even, if I could put it that way.It felt like he was an entire different person, yet remained the same. The same Matthias Cox, but better. He brought a kind of stillness that didn’t demand anything from me, which was something I didn’t expect from him. At least me from months ago wouldn’t.He was calm where I was tense. He knew what to do, precise, where I was scattered and needed a lot of guidance. I didn’t need to explain my silences to him—he simply understood them. Vice versa, I didn’t feel the urge to ask abo
Sunshine and The Beast 86: My Wife
MatthiasTristan Kennedy.One name that I didn't really care about before. One name that had lived quietly in the shadows all this time, like a ghost behind a curtain. Everyone knew who Charles Kennedy was. He wasthe filthy rich misogynist who had crazy ideas that almost tanked his own empire.Almost. Underlined that word. Because his company was also one of a kind, an evidence of miracle, some would said.Some said that Charles came to his senses before the fall, miraculously managing to steer the wheel before he succumbed to illness. Others said it was a blessing from God for bad people. The latter sounded like nonsense, if you asked me. That kind of poetic ending sounded dramatic, too clean. I never liked those versions of the story. If God was real, He didn’t run a business portfolio. And companies like K Company didn’t just bounce back from near-collapse on sheer luck.Someone had pulled the strings. And if they could do that, then they were either a genius, or a psycho. The line
Sunshine and The Beast 85: The Boy from The Past
MatthiasEven though people say the crime scene will be the strongest evidence, the reality is often not the case. There would be times where you found nothing but the wind, no trace of a scent.However, again, I didn't have many options.The police station was not helpful, the orphanage that Cyan visited—I didn't have time to go because of the many meetings and the money-crazy people who could only sue instead of thinking and working—didn't give much information, so my option was Staten Junior High.I had gone to Marcus before to ask about Reiley, but I went back to school to ask something else; to see things from a different perspective. Some things was worth it to be checked twice. At least, I hope this one did.I had never thought I would come here once again, and some of the teachers sure shared the same thought, but they welcomed me nevertheless.“Mr. Cox, come in,” said Mrs. Josephine, the new vice head principal. She smiled so brightly, probably because I just told her a few d
Sunshine and The Beast 84: We Missed You
AltheaIt was weird remembering how before I felt like I can’t get used to this world, and a few months later I felt empty because I wasn’t sitting on my working desk.It was strange; how quickly the walls of my office started to feel like home again. The smell of brewed coffee lingering in the air, the faint hum of the overhead lights, the rustling sound of papers and keyboards and footsteps just outside the glass doors.It had only been a few weeks since I last stepped into this space, but it felt longer. Too long. I used to complain about deadlines and office noise, but now that I was here again… I missed it. All of it. Even the chaos.I walked into my office slowly, fingers grazing the edge of my desk like I was reacquainting myself with something lost. It was clean, perfectly arranged. Just the way I left it.“God, finally.”I turned around and found Rebecca, my assistant, standing at the doorway, arms crossed, a wide grin on her face. She looked the same, stylish as always, sharp
Sunshine and The Beast 83: Is This Okay?
Althea“Is everything okay, Matt?”The question slipped out before I could stop myself. I tried to make it sound casual—nonchalant, even—but my voice betrayed me with just the faintest edge of concern.Matthias stood across the room, near the wide living room window, one hand loosely holding his phone while the other hung at his side. The morning light softened the angles of his face, casting a golden glow across the lines of his jaw, but it didn’t do much to hide the tension in his shoulders.He didn’t answer immediately. He just stared down at the screen like he was reading something important. Or pretending to.“Matt?” I called him once again.Finally, he exhaled and looked over his shoulder. “Yeah. Everything’s under control.”It was the kind of answer you gave to stop more questions. The kind meant to reassure without actually offering anything real. I set my coffee cup down on the table a little too loudly.“That’s not really what I asked,” I said, more pointedly this time.Matt
Sunshine and The Beast 82: The Connection
MatthiasI made sure Althea was asleep before I slipped out of the bed.She’d curled into my side like she always did lately, breathing deep, her fingers unconsciously gripping the fabric of my shirt even in sleep. Maybe I could’ve stayed. Maybe I wanted to. It had become a quiet habit—sharing the night, the bed, her warmth. I didn’t know when it started to feel natural, but it had. And I didn’t mind it.But not tonight.Tonight, there was something I needed to do. Something I’d been pushing off for too long.The doctor had said she needed rest, and I wanted her to have it—wanted her to be safe, even if it meant doing the darker parts of this alone. So I moved carefully, slipping from the bed and tugging the covers back over her shoulder before leaving the room and closing the door with a soft click.The apartment was dim, quiet. I padded through the living room barefoot, the only sound the low hum of the city outside the window. I adjusted the headphones, waiting for the familiar chi
Sunshine and The Beast 81: Let Me Take Care of You
AltheaThe more you deal with money, the more screwed it becomes.Lesson learned, but the class wasn’t over yet.If anything, it was just the start of a syllabus I never asked for.I woke up to the scent of something warm drifting from the kitchen—eggs, garlic, maybe a touch of rosemary. It was soft, comforting, something I hadn’t realized I missed until it filled the space around me. My feet padded across the floor, and I followed the smell like it was pulling me with invisible threads.And there he was.Matthias stood by the stove, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, spatula in one hand, coffee mug in the other. A faint stream of morning light spilled in through the windows, casting a golden hue across his face. He looked… peaceful. Out of place, almost, in the soft domesticity of my kitchen.He glanced up when he noticed me. “Morning.”I blinked, definitely not expecting a greet for him. “Are you… cooking?”He turned back to the stove like it was no big deal. “What does it look like?”
Sunshine and The Beast 80: Something is Off
Althea"Are you sure you’ll be fine here alone?"I wasn’t sure why Matthias even asked.I paused, glancing up at him as I sat at my desk, fingers loosely curled around my mug. His question seemed casual enough, but there was something from the way he asked it. A weight behind his words. A hesitance that didn’t belong to the Matthias I knew.Still, I nodded. "I’ll basically be here for the whole day. What’s the worst thing that could possibly happen?"Matthias didn’t answer immediately.His gaze lingered on me, sharp and unreadable. Like he was debating something in his head. Then, after a beat, he exhaled and nodded."Alright," he said. "Call me if you need anything."I waved him off. "I’ll be fine."He didn’t seem convinced, but he didn’t push the issue further. Instead, he gave one last glance around the apartment, as if memorizing every detail, before finally stepping out. The door clicked shut behind him, and just like that, I was alone.For a moment, I simply sat there, staring a
Sunshine and The Beast 79: Soon-to-be a Daddy
MatthiasI wouldn’t ever be a father.That was what I thought before.I never knew what a good father was—never had one since the start. He just existed, distant and cold, a figure in my life rather than a presence. A name rather than a man I could turn to. A concept rather than a reality.He was a man who built walls instead of bridges. A man whose presence could fill a room, not with warmth, but with the kind of silence that made you wish you weren’t there at all. He wasn’t cruel—not in an obvious way. He simply didn’t care enough to be.I wasn’t the type to wallow in self-pity. I had better things to do than dwell on something I couldn’t change. But I was self-aware enough to understand what that meant.I knew what it was like to grow up looking at someone who was supposed to teach you what it meant to be a man and instead learning what it meant to be alone.The thought that I had no real example—no blueprint, no guiding hand—led me to one simple conclusion: I would never be a fath
