Years later, Diana suddenly appeared at Champs Le Bar. Brandon instantly recognized her but was nervous about seeing her again.
He was puzzled by how Diana had become his biggest fan. He carefully sent her brief messages.
“Brandon, what are you doing here?” Diana’s sweet voice broke his thoughts. He turned around, startled, to see her smiling at him.
Brandon’s heart raced. He took a puff from his cigarette, using the smoke to hide his feelings, and tried to stay cool and detached.
“I need a break and a smoke. I’ll be back inside soon.”
He flicked the cigarette away, crushed it with his shoe, and walked past Diana toward the private room, his voice flat.
“Mr. Foster!” Diana called after him.
Brandon knew he should keep walking, but he stopped anyway.
He didn’t turn around, but he heard her voice clearly from behind him. “Will you be my boyfriend?”
Brandon’s heart raced.
His brows knitted in confusion.
Finally, he turned to look at the girl who had just made such a bold request. It was hard for him, and his face showed his surprise.
“Are you serious?” Brandon’s voice was harsh.
Suddenly, Diana stepped closer, her eyes filled with passion. She didn’t seem scared anymore; instead, she gazed at him with intensity.
“I’m serious. I really mean it,” Diana said firmly, her fists clenched as she looked at him, trying to hide her fear.
Inside, her heart raced with a confusing mix of affection when he was away and overwhelming fear when he was near. These feelings tormented her with both pain and longing.
Since the incident, Diana hadn’t been herself. Seeing men made her feel sick, and she struggled with everyday social interactions.
She took a break from her studies, but Brandon kept popping into her thoughts for reasons she couldn’t explain.
Back then, she knew nothing about him.
She knew he was kind. He had risked his own safety to protect her, and what happened afterward felt out of their control.
But the pain became a daily struggle.
Diana spent six months trying to heal and return to a normal life. She threw herself into dating, but every boyfriend somehow reminded her of Brandon.
She was determined to show she wasn’t afraid of men, especially not Brandon.
She convinced herself she had moved on.
But every time things got intimate, she felt sick, and her relationships fell apart.
Despite this, she tried hard to be a normal girl who could love and be loved.
Eventually, she learned that Brandon, her savior and the source of her pain, had become a famous singer.
That’s when it hit her. She didn’t need to prove anything with other men. Brandon had always been the one for her.
Seeing Diana’s beautiful face, Brandon looked at her with a mix of emotions and chuckled softly. “You’re not afraid of me, are you?”
“I’m not scared!” Diana gathered her courage and met his gaze firmly. “Brandon, I really like you,” she admitted.
Brandon’s face became serious as he gently took her arm, pulled her closer, and leaned in to kiss her.
Diana’s heart raced, and she could almost hear it. Her stomach churned with intense nervousness.
Determined to overcome her fear, she comforted herself that she was just like anyone else.
“Ugh!”
But despite her eagerness, her body betrayed her. Unable to hold it back, she ended up vomiting all over him.
Brandon’s face twisted with a mix of shock and anger. His eyes fixed on Diana, who had just thrown up after their kiss. A harsh laugh escaped him. “Diana, you say you like me, yet you puke after one kiss? And all over me!”
He raised his hands to avoid the mess on his chest, his face going pale as if he might collapse.
“No, I… I didn’t mean…” Diana stammered, her face white and her body trembling.
“Stop fooling yourself,” Brandon sneered, his voice tinged with self-mockery. “You’re afraid of me, and I don’t have time for this. It’s not going to work.”
Diana looked up, tears welling in her eyes. “Do you hate me? Why? You were the one who…”
“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be who I am now!” Brandon shouted, his face flushed with anger.
Diana felt a sharp pang in her heart. She wondered if he blamed her. If he hadn’t stepped in to save her, maybe he wouldn’t be in pain now.
‘Was it her fault he was hurting?’
“Brandon Foster, I never asked for your help,” Diana said, her voice choking with emotion.
Brandon looked at her, his hands shaking as he tried to stay calm. His expression grew cold. “The biggest mistake I ever made was saving you on a whim,” he said.
With that, he stormed off.
Diana, usually so cheerful, fell apart. She sat on the floor, hugging her knees and crying.
Brandon went to the restroom to clean up. Afterward, he stormed back into the private room, slamming the door and shocking everyone.
Irritated, he grabbed his coat from the couch and mumbled without looking up, “I have something to take care of. I need to leave.”
The others noticed Brandon’s wet clothes and were surprised.
“Brandon, did you fall into the toilet or something?” someone joked.
Brandon ignored the comments and headed for the door. Nicolas grabbed his wrist and asked seriously, “What’s going on?”
It was then that Brandon noticed his brother was there. He held onto Nicolas’s arm and said, “Hey, Nicolas, a producer mentioned something about you today. It’s too noisy here. Can we talk?”
Curious, Nicolas put on his sunglasses and followed Brandon outside.
They found a quiet place away from the noise.
“What’s going on? Tell me,” Nicolas asked calmly.
Brandon turned, took off his sunglasses, and looked Nicolas directly in the eye. “Are you developing feelings for Sophia?”
Nicolas hesitated, then answered carefully, “What are you trying to say?”
Brandon could see the truth in his brother’s reaction.
Pointing at himself, Brandon warned, “I don’t know what you’re thinking, but stay away from Sophia. She belongs to Michael.”
Nicolas responded with a wry smile and said, “Are they dating, engaged, or married? If not, why do you say Sophia belongs to Michael? She’s her own person, not anyone else’s.”
Unable to convince Nicolas with words, Brandon grabbed him by the collar and pressed him against the wall. “Listen, I don’t want to see my brother and my friend fighting over a girl. Besides, you’re no match for Michael. And by the way, Sophia has a child with Michael!”
Nicolas’s face went pale with disbelief. “What are you talking about?”