Fenella's POV
"I don't like you." Laird said it coldly.
"What? You're lying, right? I know you're lying. If you're lying, maybe you're just teasing me as usual. If so, it's okay, but why are you joking like this?" I asked quickly.
"Enough, Fenella. I'm sick of you." Laird's voice was still low, and there was no smile on his lips at all. His green eyes stared at me with anger.
"Why are you saying that? What did I do wrong? Why don't you like me? Give me a clear reason." Tears started to fall on my cheeks.
I couldn't believe any of this. Laird has been my friend since we were kids. He's my neighbor, always by my side; we were even dancing on the prom’s dance floor just a few hours ago. How could his attitude change so quickly?
"You're not my type," Laird said again, firmly in a low voice.
I could barely hear him, but somehow I caught Laird's words. My heart clenched. I truly couldn't believe what he said.
"What? I'm not your type." I pressed my hand against my chest.
"Do you want me to believe all your insults towards me just because I'm not your type? Is that it?" I asked with my mouth agape. My breath almost stopped upon hearing that.
Completely nonsense! Laird's gaze on me didn't falter at all. He remained silent.
"Is that it?!" I asked again, with a raised tone.
"That's it," he replied shortly.
I snorted in disbelief with my mouth wide open. I was almost on the verge of anger. I knew Laird was hiding something from me, but his answer made me really angry. I was so angry that I couldn't even protest anymore. My tears stopped because of my anger. Instead, I laughed.
"Okay, fine. If that's the case, what is your type, then? What kind of girl do you like enough to treat me like this in front of everyone?" I pressed.
"Tell me, what is your ideal type of girl?" This time, I challenged Laird, and my anger barely contained itself.
"I like girls who are independent and not clingy like you. I like girls who are confident, naturally beautiful, popular, humble, and honest."
He spoke and then fell silent again. He looked up, took a deep breath, and suddenly pointed to a billboard advertising our school.
"Like her. That's my type of girl."
I turned to see the billboard he pointed at. There was an advertisement about a successful alumna from our school. I knew the girl in the advertisement; everyone saw her every time we entered the school building. I saw her ad everywhere. I even saw her on the front cover of women's magazines.
"Now you understand, right? You are very different from her. You're just a foolish, spoiled, and ugly girl. No boy will ever like you."
The blond-haired boy turned around and walked away.
"If that's the case, why did you choose Amy? Aren't I your best friend? Why did you choose that bully even though she's not your type?" I asked loudly to stop Laird in his tracks. He turned to me.
"It's precisely because you're my best friend that I don't want you to get cocky." He spoke.
"If I had to choose between some random girl and you, I would still choose someone else. Even if it's a bully."
After saying those words, Laird walked away, leaving me behind. My eyelids blinked in disbelief at all this. My heart shattered into pieces. My chest ached, my fingers' tips pricked, and I clenched my dress tight against my chest. It hurt so much that even my ears felt numb.
I turned and walked back to my dorm with tears on my cheeks. My tears flowed uncontrollably. I ran with blurred vision. I didn't care about my shoes left on the road. I ran as fast as I could to the dorm, my feet scraping.
Everything felt like a mere dream, and now I was like a fairy-tale princess running home after the clock struck. Everything seemed shattered and erased. The sparkle of prom night's magic had vanished, replaced by an endless abyss of sorrow.
Truly, this was absurd. This was insane. I couldn't accept this at all.
I will retaliate! Laird Evans, you just wait for my revenge!
***
Present days, 7 years later…
"Great!"
I glanced at the photographer as she commented on the results of the images I had taken earlier. On the computer screen, the photo quality appeared to be excellent.
The idea of this picture shoot was distinct, with monochromatic hues and the play of light creating silhouette shadows as photo enhancers.
"This looks good." I pointed to one photograph scrolling across the screen.
An unusual stance that resembles ballet moves. The pose appears to have garnered appreciation, even though I was unaware of its name.
Kim, the photographer, screamed, "Yes! Perfect! Thank you. I believe we'll have a lot of fantastic shots, thanks to you."
We hugged briefly to convey our gratitude, then shared little kisses on the cheek. Jessy, my agent, grinned heartily this time, expressing his approval.
"Excellent job, Fenella. I'm confident your portfolio will be even better this year," Jessy added as he led me back to the changing room.
"Are you sure?" I asked Jessy with a bright smile.
"Of course. I told you that this is your year."
Jessy became even more eager. Even as I was stripping down behind the curtain, I could make out his remarks.
"Are you going to the fortune teller again, Jess?" With a slight chuckle, I replied in the same loud voice.
"Ha! Even without those tarot cards, I know you'll become more famous this year."
I came from the dressing room curtain right after changing out of the white maxi dress into a tight knee-length black knit dress. Jessy quickly handed over the maxi dress to the assistant designer.
"Your name is becoming more recognized among designers, and your I*******m followers are growing. What have I said? Making beauty tutorial videos will help you gain popularity."
I sat in one of the makeup chairs and began brushing my long hair. The makeup assistant let me touch up my makeup.
"Tomorrow you have a dress fitting for Baumer's show preparation."
"Tomorrow? What time?" I asked.
"Wait, let me check." Jessy opened his phone and looked at the markings on his agenda. "At 7 a.m."
I mumbled softly when I heard the early morning schedule for tomorrow.
"Why is that?" Jessy frowned.
"Hmm. That's okay. I'll manage."
"Manage? Is it really so difficult to get up early?"
He suddenly clutched my shoulder, his mouth agape.
"Aha! I remember! You're going out with Tom tonight, right? You naughty girl!" Jessy teased me with a big laugh.
My cheeks flushed, and I smiled shyly.
"Why not?" I carefully flicked my hair towards Jessy.
"Yes, it's fine," Jessy quipped.
"But?" I asked again, hesitantly. I just knew somehow that Jessy wanted to nag me on this.
“Tell me honestly, what’s on your mind?” I asked him.
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Fenella's POV"Have we discussed this before? You're already 24 years old; thus, your time as a runway model is short. Even for most girls, it's all over."I fell silent while staring at the brown-haired man in the mirror. When I heard that, my heart seethed again. I looked down and closed my red lip cream."Hey, Fenella. I mean, if you don't feel up to the morning fitting schedule, we can start looking at new opportunities for your career in fashion."Jessy hugged me from behind while I put on my black knee-high boots. I could tell he was attempting to cheer me up.We've been working together for seven years, with him serving as my agent and me serving as his model. Many of my successes as a model began at a young age, but the world didn’t recognize me as a supermodel as I had hoped early in my career.My most notable accomplishment thus far has been modeling for multiple Elle and Vogue magazine covers. A dedicated page also features an interview.I don't want to be ambitious, but I'
Fenella's POVI quickened my pace towards the nightclub. There was a long line to get into the club. They were just ordinary people. Meanwhile, thanks to Jessy and my agency, I had member access to several entertainment venues in New York.One of them was the popular Club Davo. One membership card to improve my reputation and those of the places I visited. I showed my annual membership card to the doorman. He nodded and grinned as he allowed me in.I immediately walked to the bar because I was sure Laird wouldn't go to the dance floor. My guess turned out to be correct, and I could immediately see him in the bar.No mistake! Finally, I have found him!I saw him sitting side by side with a brunette girl I didn't know. With their stiff body gestures, I knew the man had just met the woman. It's just that the woman kept teasing with her daring fingers, caressing the man's neck.Stop! Get away from him! I couldn't let this happen!I moved closer until I was right next to them. The brunette
Fenella's POVI clung to Laird's arm, giggling with a tipsy delight. Yes, I felt truly intoxicated. I didn't care at all because I was eager to show how to do a body shot to the unfortunate girl over there.Right next to the birthday girl crowd, I climbed onto the bar table and sat there."Body shot, please!" I requested it loudly.People around us immediately turned their heads towards me as I shouted those words. Especially the girl next to us, who was now staring at me. A few moments later, the bartender quickly arrived with a small salt sprinkle, a shot glass filled with tequila, and a slice of lemon on a small plate."Are you really going to do it?" Laird asked, still doubtful for a moment."Yes, of course. Do it with me," I whispered to tease him.My hand then took the shot glass and carefully tucked it in. I made sure the shot glass was securely supported by the cleavage of my chest and the low neckline of my mini dress.Without diverting my gaze from Laird, I picked up the can
Fenella's POVHe licked with the tip of his tongue until I jerked my head back. My back arched up to provide more access for his tongue on my breast.His hand cupped my left breast while his teeth were still scraping my nipple. He moved on to my other breast, caressing with the same embrace using his tongue and lips. I screamed, then trembled once to limp in my heavy breath.The first juice rushed down to my soaking thong. But it seemed he wouldn't stop there; I didn’t want to stop it either because I was so consumed by my long-lasting curiosity and lust. I need him badly.His lips are now kissing my hips, still covered by the red lace thong. His hands moved to roll it down, freeing my sacred part of my body.Then, time after time, his lips teased my sensitive nub by licking and sucking circles. All the while, his hand was busy circling my nipple, the other thrusting into my core. I just knew I couldn’t hold it any longer. Finally, I screamed and shivered in orgasm again, showing him
Fenella’s POVI was lost in thought, staring blankly at the tissue box on the table. My hand supported my chin as I waited for Jessy to come with our coffee."Hey, gorgeous. Here's your coffee." Jessy handed me an iced Americano on the table."Thank you, Jess," I said with a small smile."Thank goodness the fitting was postponed. I told you so. Baumer is such a perfectionist; she'll probably get in trouble herself soon," Jessy chuckled."Yes, luckily I wasn't late for the fitting. Plus, she still accepted me as her model, even though my dark under-eye circles were visible and I was unfocused earlier," I mentioned."Ah, nonsense! She praised you so much. She really likes you. You're her ideal type of model. Even if you were to switch liking her—"I glared at Jessy. We had agreed that my sexual orientation preferences couldn't be forced to change, even if it would help my career as a model. Understanding this, Jessy cleared his throat and quickly changed the subject."So, spill it! You
Laird’s POV"What?" Fenella exclaimed in disbelief."Why?" I asked, furrowing my brow."Do you think I'm a cheap whore you can fuck up with at any time?" Fenella whispered lowly.I gazed at Fenella; her face flushed. Her cheekbones looked sharper than before after she had toned up. Her red, full lips tantalized me as she frowned disapprovingly at my idea of taking her back to the apartment.Hell, how could I not be tempted by her? Even her clothes, the same as last night, only reminded me of the delicious parts of her body beneath them.I missed her so much.We had been apart for seven years, and I lost contact with her. Once I found out that Fenella had decided to leave Boston and go to New York, I almost followed her to New York. If it weren't for my father opposing and threatening to make life difficult for my younger brother, still in high school, I might have been able to fuck Fenella every day now.I had to win Fenella's love back. I knew I had hurt her before, but I was certain
Fenella’s POV“We had great sex.” He smirked while watching me blush like a honey-glazed apple.I was just speechless; I couldn’t deny the commentary about our sex these past 24 hours. It might be true because my pussy hurts from all the friction. I cursed at my stupid little brain, blaming it all on myself for submitting to my lust. But I felt grateful because, without some vodka last night or his way of seducing me all the time, maybe I wouldn’t dare to approach him. At this point, maybe we're already fuck buddies for a day? Friends with benefits?The hell I know of it, but I like it. I had been dreaming of him for so long; now it has become so real. We had great sex!“Um…, right. So, I sincerely thank you for—" I trailed off. What should I say? Thank you for the best sex of my life.“Thank you for your care.” Instead, I said it.“It’s cool.” He shrugged, then continued to eat his own sushi.“You’re excellent at entertaining people, aren’t you?” He smirked.I glanced at Laird's gr
Fenella’s POVThat night, the blond man in front of me used both his hands to remove my dress. Ah, he seemed to be aroused.I could clearly see the man's exposed muscles. His chest was chiseled, his arms looked strong as if they could support my entire body, and his neck stood tall like an oak tree trunk.The man's fingers skillfully unhooked my strapless bra. I glanced down at his pants, and I could see a hard bulge right beneath his jeans zipper. The man stopped, but his actions only tormented me.Ugh, I wanted to touch him. I wanted to feel the warmth and firmness of that bulge. The familiar face, the strands of hair I knew by heart, and the tempting lips. Don't stop! Oh, I know. Maybe he needed more encouragement.I sucked on the prominent bone at the base of his neck. The man flinched; his emerald eyes now gazed back at me.The next moment, we fought for dominance over our lips and tongues. It was an insatiable passion, and I enjoyed it. I enjoyed it so much that I didn't realize
Fenella’s POVThree months later…“State of New York vs. Alan Schmidt! All rise, and please be quiet!”The bailiff announced the case name in a loud voice. I sat in the audience with my heart pounding and my feet restless. The reporters waiting in the back of the room fell silent, capturing every moment as the judge entered.I squeezed Laird's hand to quell my nerves. He smiled at me and whispered that everything would be okay. I nodded and offered a small, reassuring smile in return.This was the final appeal at the Supreme Court. After this, Alan wouldn’t be able to appeal again until his sentence was served. After two long years of a drawn-out case with various appeals from Alan’s side, we had finally reached the finish line.The judge began reading various considerations and court notes. They took turns reading the decision documents. Time seemed to crawl, and I began to feel drowsy.I occasionally glanced at Alan, who sat in his prison jumpsuit. His once curly, neat hair had grown
Fenella’s POVTwo years later…I held Laird's hand, squeezing the palm that felt damp with sweat. A smile appeared on my lips as I tried to calm the nervousness he had felt since we left the house. This was the first award ceremony for him, Dave, and Rowan. They couldn’t sit still in their seats either.I couldn’t deny that I felt the same. My heart raced, even as the host made jokes that had the audience laughing. Still, I tried to remain calm because I didn’t want to make him more anxious than he already was.“The winner of the Best Mobile Game of the Year is...” The music stopped, the announcer paused, tension built, “My Supermodel!”“Oh! Thank God!” I exclaimed behind my hands that covered my open mouth.“Congratulations, honey!”I immediately stood up and hugged Laird tightly beside me. I cupped his face in my hands and kissed his lips strong and quick. He smiled broadly and whispered for a moment, “I love you, baby. Thank you.”“Congratulations!” I shook hands with Dave and Rowa
Fenella’s POVI stood at the edge of the balcony. My hands are firmly gripping the iron rail of the balcony as my eyes gaze at the nighttime scenery in the distance. Puerto Vallarta, a cliff with a stunning coastal view that showcases the beautiful side of Mexico.Perhaps there is truth in the saying—including Lloyd's yesterday—that bad memories must be replaced with good ones.Since arriving in Mexico until now, all the bad memories have been erased and replaced with the beauty of a honeymoon vacation with the love of my life. It's not bad, really.Despite the heavy trial we went through yesterday, we finally had some peace of mind. The night breeze blows through my hair. There's a strange sensation, but I don't want to go into the room yet. Until Laird came from the balcony door and immediately hugged me, enveloping me in soothing warmth.“Hey,”“Hi, baby. Are you done showering?” I asked, raising my head to look at Laird's face for a moment.“Yup.”“You smell nice,” I said as I inh
Fenella’s POV“Oh, sweet Mother, that was divine!” Jessy took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Then he opened his eyes wide while his mouth continued chewing my mother’s crab cakes. The murmurs and cheers were still heard until he finally finished his last bite.“I was glad you liked them,” my mother smiled broadly.“I didn’t just like them. I loved, loved, loved them!”Everyone around us laughed at Jessy’s confession. We felt the same way because my mother had succeeded in making a super delicious wedding reception dish. Truly, our Baxter family home was filled with guests. Even though we had invited only a small number of people, our home had never been this lively.The decorations of pink, white, and red flowers and balloons filled the entire room. The furniture had been rearranged to create enough space for the guests to dance or chat. Soft music played through the speakers set up in the corner of the room.Occasionally, guests would step up to change the music, hold the microph
Fenella’s POV“Honey, you looked absolutely stunning,” my mother said. “Thank you, Mom.” I smiled wide upon hearing my mother's compliment. She handed me a bouquet of wedding flowers that was a mix of pink, red, and white colors. I then grabbed the small bouquet and held it tightly. “I couldn’t believe we pulled this off all in just a week.” My mother shook her head, her eyes wide. “We even thought to get married the day after he proposed, but I remembered your words about wanting to prepare every detail of my wedding. You only have one chance because I'm your only daughter, so here we are.”“I just hoped those fruit tarts and crab cakes would be enough for all the guests.” “It’s okay, Mom. If the food wasn’t enough, we could stuff them with the wedding cake. That’s the job of the five-tier cake you ordered.”“You're right. I'm grateful that Mrs. Maddox's bakery shop is willing to take on the order." She sighed and stared at my face."Oh, I wish your father could see you, even th
Fenella’s POV“Fenella.”“Yes, Laird.”Laird called me right after I arrived at the apartment.“Where are you right now?”“I'm at the apartment,” I replied quickly as I grabbed a glass of mineral water from the dispenser.“Oh, thank goodness. I'm on my way home,” he said.The apartment door opened, and I immediately saw Laird's figure enter. My mouth was slightly agape, with my eyes widening. My forehead wrinkled as I watched him walk in. I glanced at the clock on the table and realized it was 2 p.m.“Fenella,” he called in his distinctively low voice.He stepped inside and met me in the kitchen. I hurriedly set my water glass down on the dining table. For some reason, Laird's face looked different. There was a hint of a happy smile on his face, though the look in his eyes was dark, and I couldn't describe the meaning behind it.“You're home? One second you're calling me, the next you're standing in front of me,” I chuckled.Suddenly, he let down his backpack on the floor. Then he hug
Laird’s POVI took several deep breaths and let them out. I couldn't help but feel uneasy and anxious, and various bad thoughts were raging in my mind. My hands repeatedly smoothed my tie or combed my hair. Hell, I couldn't calm myself down!This wasn't the first time my father had gone this far. Using bodyguards to pick up other people by force, who does he think he is?I hate his methods. He's called the shark of the legal world for a reason. This is how he acts. Stalking, coercing, and making people bend to his will until they're crushed by Hugo Evans' ambition.Now he was after Fenella. He flew from Boston to New York for her. I just knew it.I almost know what my father wants from my girlfriend. Maybe he wants to tell her to stay away like some of the girls I dated at university. It could also be that he wanted to ask about the case involving me and Malgolm Golden together.Whatever it was, I was waiting for a call or mes
Fenella’s POVMy eyes blinked after hearing Mr. Evans' words. My brow furrowed as I tried to understand his reasoning and failed miserably. I remained silent, but eventually, my heart was stirred to dig deeper.“Excuse me? Why is that?” I asked slowly, being careful not to make a misstep.“Because he helped my enemy,” Mr. Evans replied firmly.Again, I could only blink. An enemy? Yes, Laird had told me how Mr. Golden had an affair with his mother. But wasn’t that ten years ago? In fact, Mr. Evans had been busy with his young girlfriend.Still, Laird had helped to do the right thing. I didn’t want to argue with him, but I began to feel that Mr. Evans' disappointment in Laird was beyond reason.“But he helped capture criminals. He has contributed to the community.” I voiced my opinion again and swallowed to ease my nervousness.“You don’t know anything, kid. He helped my arch-enemy without considering my feelings.” Mr. Evans scoffed in frustration. “How dare he? Sometimes Laird can be u
Fenella’s POVI willingly got into the black van, leaving Jessy alone on the sidewalk. I was sure he would immediately contact Laird. Maybe he would explain the situation to him, and Laird would call me right away.Sure enough, my phone rang just minutes after the van had driven away from Laird’s office building. I answered the call immediately.“Hello, Laird.”“Hey, Fenella. What is this about Jessy seeing you being abducted by a black van? He said you willingly got into the vehicle and mentioned it was my father’s men.”Laird asked with tension in his voice. His breath sounded hurried on the phone, but I didn’t want to make him more anxious.Well, yes, I was panicking too because suddenly I had been approached by men in black suits who resembled mafia. However, they mentioned Hugo Evans, Laird’s father. I didn’t want to give his father a bad impression, or I would lose th