ANITA'S POV (CONTD)
"No way! I am not dreaming."
Before I could say anything, he was hugging me so tightly, even lifting me off the ground and throwing me into the air.
"Hey… stop," I laughed, smacking his hands playfully.
"You owe me. You just left, Anita… or should I say Dr. Anita?" he teased, and of course, that silly smirk was on his face, so like him.
He pulled me over to sit on the couch. Looking around now, everything had changed. Bright always had a good eye for interiors, and he easily got bored with having the same look for too long.
"This interior is fine," I said, running my fingers along the smooth leather. "The texture feels so soothing."
In truth, I was avoiding his gaze. I couldn't believe that after all these years, my feelings for him were still strong, the same feelings I had hidden for too long.
"Are you okay?" he asked, gently lifting my chin, an act that made me shiver under my skin.
"I'm good. I'm just… You know, happy to see you. I'm glad I was able to surprise you. You should have seen your face when I walked in."
I paused before adding softly, "I'm sorry about your wife. It must have been so hard for you. Where is she, your daughter?"
I glanced around, half-expecting her to appear.
"She's sleeping. She had a fun-filled day with her nanny. Don't worry, next time you'll see her. She's so pretty and smart."
I caught the proud smile on his face. Of course, I knew his daughter would be fine. Bright was one hell of a man, and from the pictures he'd sent me, she had taken after him.
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IRENE'S POV
Another beautiful morning, and I was in high spirits. Second day at my new job, and already excited to see Lily. She made spending time with her feel effortless.
I stopped by my daughter's room and found her sitting beautifully beside my sister. I smiled with pride. Those two were my entire existence.
Closing the door quietly, I quickly dressed up. Thankfully, Erica wasn't around to select my outfit this time. I wore a simple black dress, styled my hair, and left.
When I arrived at the house, I went upstairs toward Lily's room. Just as I was about to knock, I remembered I needed to speak to Mr. Bright about something important. The agency had called yesterday, saying he hadn't sent his signed documents yet.
His door was open, so I didn't bother knocking, but he was on a call. I turned to leave, not wanting to eavesdrop, but he gestured for me to wait.
"No, no. What is wrong with you? How am I supposed to fix this? The event is today at 9 p.m., and you're just telling me now? Emergency? You always do this."
From his expression, he clearly wasn't pleased. I looked around the room; he had a thing for white décor, and I had to admit, his taste in design was impeccable. The room felt like a slice of heaven.
"I can't ask Anita to be my plus one; she just came back, and it would be insensitive of me. Besides, she's going to the hospital, she got transferred to… Bella is on a movie set… You know what, don't worry. I'll fix this. But you can be so annoying, just know that."
He ended the call and rubbed his eyebrows, clearly trying to calm his nerves. Then he turned to me, folding his arms, an obvious sign to speak.
"Good morning, sir. I didn't mean to disturb you, but you haven't sent your signature to the agency for the document."
Was it just me, or was he scanning my body? I shifted slightly, suddenly a little uncomfortable.
"This might sound like a big favor," he said, "but I'm begging you to say yes. I have an event, and my sister was meant to be my plus one, but apparently, she's in Dubai with her boyfriend."
I didn't see that coming. "I'm sorry, sir. As much as I'd like to help, I can't. For starters, I don't have the right outfit for the occasion, and I wouldn't know how to behave there. Why not…"
He cut me off. "We can go to any designer right away. I'll pay for everything: clothes, shoes, makeup, hair. Please, this is for my brand. For the longest time, I've gone with my sister, but…"
Seeing how desperate he sounded, I felt pity for him. And maybe… this was the perfect opportunity to promote my friend's brand.
"Okay, I'll go with you. My friend is a fantastic designer; she can put something together on short notice."
"Perfect."
He grabbed his car key. "I think we should go now, the earlier the better."
"That fast? What about Lily?"
"Cynthia can take care of her just for today. Let's go."
*****************
I could already picture Erica's epic reaction.
When we stepped into her shop, Mr. Bright was still in his cap and dark shades, making sure her employees didn't recognize him. Luckily, they weren't paying much attention.
But the moment we entered her office, he removed the shades.
And there she went, the drama queen herself. Her hands shook, her mouth opened, and she looked like she was about to scream. I was fast enough to cover her mouth.
"You'd better behave, unless you want to lose this opportunity," I whispered.
She nodded and quickly composed herself.
"Hi," Bright greeted her. "Your friend here says you can work magic in under eight or nine hours. I want something appropriate for a dinner event, comfortable but loud. You'll need to be quick, because she still has to get her makeup, hair, shoes, and bag sorted."
"I know the time is short, but… yes. I can arrange a badass makeup artist and hairstylist to get her ready here," she said, stammering slightly.
"Good. My PA will come in; just let him know whatever amount you want. I trust you to dress her up and have her ready before 8 p.m."
He turned to me with a grateful smile. "Thank you so much for agreeing to do this. I'm sorry for the inconvenience."
I gave him a small smile in return. Then he slipped his shades back on and left.
And then came the scream.
This time, I didn't stop her.
She started her dramatic gasping-for-air routine, fanning herself. "Tell me this is real. Is that Bright O'wen in my store? The famous Bright? I knew it! My friend is the real deal. Who wouldn't be attracted to you? You're the finest being on earth, smart, intelligent, kind… let's not even get started on your body."
I rolled my eyes. "Let's start already."
*************
BRIGHT'S POV
It was already 8 p.m. when the car stopped in front of her shop. Honestly, I didn't know what to expect, but I was glad her friend had agreed to help.
Then I saw her.
Her friend, Erica, was escorting her out, and damn. I'm not the type to get carried away by beauty. I'm in the entertainment industry; I see gorgeous women every day, but she blew me away.
I stepped out of the car. "I must confess, you're talented. How did you create such magic in just a few hours?"
Her friend smiled. "I'm glad you liked it. Please take care of her, and make sure she doesn't smell like alcohol."
I didn't miss the sharp look Irene threw her way.
"I'll keep that in mind," I said.
Once we were in the car, I kept stealing glances at her. "You look beautiful."
"Thank you," she replied softly.
The entire ride was silent but smooth until we reached the venue. The paparazzi were already on standby. I knew she wasn't used to this kind of lifestyle, so I held her hand and whispered, "I'm here. Just be you."
The moment we stepped out of the car, cameras, flashes, and voices, head turned. I could hear murmurs of admiration, and yes, I was proud. Irene was stealing the show.
Then I saw Bella approaching.
"Bright, I've been calling your number. Who is she?"