Brandon loosened his grip and stepped back. “Nicolas, I’ve told you what I needed to. Just watch yourself with Sophia, okay? We could all end up in a mess.”
Nicolas, usually composed, looked troubled.
Without another word from Nicolas, Brandon put on his coat and left.
Once Brandon settled in his car, he dialed a number on his phone.
A soft voice answered, “Mr. Foster, what can I do for you?”
“Meet me at Champs Le Bar, third floor, in thirty minutes,” Brandon stated before hanging up and tossing the phone onto the seat beside him, then driving off.
After Brandon left, Diana returned to their private room and informed Bianca that she wasn’t feeling well and needed to head home early.
“Okay, let’s call it a day,” Bianca agreed, feeling weary herself as she took the opportunity to wrap things up.
Exiting the karaoke bar, Bianca and Diana walked arm in arm until Diana stopped. She looked pale but managed a smile. “Bianc, I don’t want to keep you from your time with your boyfriend. I’m heading out. Bye.”
“Diana,” Bianca said, reaching out and noticing how cold Diana’s wrist felt. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
Diana chuckled. “I’m perfectly fine, don’t worry. Don’t look so sad to see me leave, or you’ll make someone jealous.”
She playfully glanced at Dave, who stood behind Bianca. “Okay then, see you tomorrow.”
“Take care,” Bianca replied, still feeling concerned.
As Diana walked away, she looked back with a grin. “Bianc, I hope you and him find happiness together, okay?”
“Diana…” Bianca began, but Diana waved her off, still smiling. “I mean it. It might seem early now, but when you two tie the knot, I’ll give you my best wishes. For now, I’m off.”
Bianca watched Diana leave, her brow furrowed as her friend’s cheerful figure disappeared from view.
“Mr. Evans,” Bianca said softly.
Dave’s hand rested on her shoulder. He asked, “What’s on your mind?”
“Doesn’t something seem off today? Diana hasn’t been herself lately, but today… I can’t shake the feeling that she’s hiding something from me.”
Dave glanced in the direction Diana had gone. “The situation between your best friend and Brandon might be more complicated than you realize.”
Bianca hesitated, troubled by the same thought. What connection could Diana have with Brandon beyond being his biggest supporter?
Her recent behavior, marked by a hint of sadness, was out of character.
Suddenly, Bianca’s phone buzzed with an unfamiliar number.
“Hello?” Bianca answered cautiously.
“Is this Bianca?”
“Yes, who is this?” Bianca asked.
“I’m Ashley’s ex. Can we meet? I need to talk to you,” came the voice on the other end.
Bianca had anticipated this day, and a smile spread across her face as she replied, “Sure thing, no problem.”
After hanging up, Dave noticed Bianca’s satisfied grin.
“Why the cheerful expression?” he asked.
“Just got some good news. Let’s head back,” Bianca said, taking his hand and intertwining their fingers.
“Okay,” Dave replied.
Sensing Bianca’s reluctance to elaborate, he decided not to ask further.
Their shared commitment was to trust each other unconditionally.
That night, they walked home together, hand in hand, enjoying the vibrant city lights. They seemed like any ordinary couple.
Little did they know, a greater challenge was quietly approaching…
On the third floor of Champs Le Bar, a woman with a graceful figure walked up to a door and rang the bell.
After a moment, the door opened, revealing a man in a simple white robe, his hair still wet and messy.
“Mr. Foster,” the woman said in a flirtatious tone, but before she could continue, Brandon pulled her inside and shut the door with a solid kick.
He didn’t say a word as he led her to the soft bed and gently pushed her onto it.
“Hey, take it easy. You’re too rough,” the woman protested, rubbing her wrist, yet she couldn’t help but give him a seductive glance.
Brandon, a man many women admired, had met her at a fashion event. They exchanged numbers and had playful chats, but this was their first time alone together.
The situation was clear. It was two adults meeting in a room late at night, their intentions hardly a mystery.
Brandon stood beside the bed, looking at the alluring woman lying there. With a casual grin, he picked up a credit card from the nearby table.
He held it out to her and said, “Make tonight worth it, and this card is yours.”
With a seductive smile, she sat up and reached for the knot of his bathrobe.
“I’ll make sure you enjoy my service,” she assured him.
An hour later, Brandon sat on the edge of the bed in a bathrobe, the belt lying carelessly at his feet. He held a cigarette in his fingers, surrounded by discarded stubs on the floor.
The bathroom door clicked softly open, and a woman came out, her steps hesitant and her face frozen in uncertainty.
“Mr. Foster, I…” she started timidly.
Brandon grabbed a credit card from beside the bed without saying a word and threw it to her. Exhaling smoke, he ordered, “Take the money and go, and don’t mention today to anyone, understood?”
“Of course, my lips are sealed,” she assured hastily, grabbing the card and slipping it into her bag before hurrying out.
Alone again, Brandon’s frustration boiled over, and he crushed his cigarette underfoot.
Despite the woman’s attempts to arouse him, nothing had stirred within him.
Ever since that incident in the alley years ago, he had struggled to perform.
He knew he was straight, but his inability to perform sexually enraged and shamed him.
Perhaps it was his way of compensating, pursuing women to validate his masculinity. Yet every intimate moment ended in disgrace when he couldn’t follow through.
It was his deepest secret, so he pretended to be in love instead, hiding his profound insecurities.
But today was unlike any other.
When he held Diana close and kissed her at the karaoke bar, something sparked inside him.
He thought he had overcome his problem, fueled by a new sense of desire.
He had wanted to bring that excitement into his meeting, but once more, he was let down.
‘Why did it keep happening?’
He held his head in pain, afraid to face Diana. Strangely, she was the only one who had stirred something in him.
“Oh God, seriously?” Brandon grumbled, stretching out on the large bed. Diana’s face haunted him- her flustered look and timid eyes in the alley had touched him unexpectedly, almost making him pity her.
He felt like he was catching something, and it wasn’t just a cold.
Brandon closed his eyes with a deep sigh, trying to clear his mind.