DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.

Hey, guysssss! :) Well, this is third time of me rewriting this chapter, so let's hope it's the final draft xD So far, this chapter has been deleted, modified, and changed like a gazillion times so far. Basically, this poor chapter 29 has been in an abusive relationship with me for about four months now.

Therefore, I recommend reading or brushing up on the previous chapter? I totally forgot what chapter 28 was about and I had to go back and reread everything xD. But, of course, it's up to you :)


*****ALSO**** (PLEASE READ THIS AN, IF YOU CAN.)

I want to take the time to thank EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU who have supported me and shown me SO much love. I've received so much hate and unnecessary nuisance/headaches from a certain someone in the last four months. This girl was extremely insensitive and just pure sadistical, especially since I was attending a few funerals at that time. Even in the last 1-2 months, the cruel sadism has started again and I cannot thank those people (whoever supported me and shown me overwhelming amount of love) enough.

Saying that, I also appreciate everyone defending me when I truly needed such moral support.

I don't think I have to mention the name of the person responsible and I don't want to either. It leaves a sour taste in my mouth. Anyways. I'm too busy to deal with desperate, attention-seeking, love-deprived haters :)

If you're here to hate and be sadistic, heartless, and downright cruel, here's a message for you:

Hating on others means that you're not happy. You're spending your time on things that you hate. This means you're unhappy with your own life. And when you're unhappy, this takes some time off your average lifespan. Therefore, spread love, be happy, and hopefully, you'll live longer. If you STILL feel the need to spread hate, LEAVE OR GET LOST. You don't have to be here (no one is making you) and trust me, NO ONE will be missing you!

Thank you :)

Love,

SeaEmerald - The Friendly Author :)

Moving on...!


~ Shields' Corporations - 3:35 PM ~

"I want to make things right with you," Skylar started out with a smile.

"Too late," Brandon snapped firmly right on cue. Skylar felt a sharp sting stab her heart at his harsh tone. But she tried to ignore it anyway because deep down, she knew she was the one at fault for throwing their relationship away.

"Why won't you give me a chance?" she asked in a soft voice. "I know you still lo-"

Brandon immediately cut her off once again. "Don't you dare finish that," he growled while pointing an accusing finger at her. How dare she talk like he was the one to blame?! "I did give you a chance. Every day for three whole years. Did you really think that I won't find someone else?" he scoffed.

Skylar's veins bubbled with anger. "Yes! Yes, I did think so! Because you promised me a forever!" she accused angrily.

"You did too. At least I kept my promise. At least I have the guts to call you every damn hour even after our breakup!"

She scoffed. "A breakup which was your family's fault!" she yelled back on cue. Did he really think that it was that easy for her? It's so easy to say the words but only she would know how tormented she felt at that time.

But she immediately regretted her words and tone when he looked as if he's been slapped left and right. He looked vulnerable and wounded, letting her see his emotions for a split second. But that didn't change the way she was hurting. She really did think that he'd still be alone but no. Skylar let out a hollow laugh."I randomly check on you one day and I see you fooling around with some blonde bimbo," she muttered sourly.

"I'm not fooling around, Sky, and that blonde is not a bimbo and she has a name. I love her and you can't change that," Brandon said firmly. "If you think that I'll leave her because of you, you've never been so wrong."

Yeah, right, she scoffed. "Really? Then prove it."

"Excuse me?"

"If there's nothing I can do to make you come back to me, then the least you can offer me is your friendship," she stated as a matter of fact.

"The hell?"

"We can be friends, can't we?" she smirked.

Brandon stared at her while losing his voice completely. "What are you trying to do?" he asked in a choked voice.

"What? You don't trust your relationship if we're friends?" Skylar smirked as she continued to effectively provoke him.

Brandon fell speechless at her words. Her gaze seemed to penetrate through his soul as he stood there in front of her. But he seemed to find his voice again as she continued to smirk. He stood up and traveled around his desk. "Don't you dare threaten me, Skylar," he warned her in a calm voice. "That would be a grave mistake."

She laughed softly. "Threaten? How can I threaten you with friendship?" she asked innocently.

"We're not friends. I don't care what you're going to say or think, but you will never be a friend of mine again."

Skylar frowned and blinked back tears at his unforgiving tone. Can't he see how much she still loved him? Being here is one of the hardest damn things she had to do! Seeing his stupid face after five years affected her in so many inexplicable ways that she felt like dying for ever letting me go! Being able to be here less than ten feet away from him and not being able to touch him sent her wildly crazy. And unlike him, she never found anyone else nor did she want anyone else.

She wanted him and only him.

"...I just want to be in your life again," she interrupted him sadly with tears pricking her eyes. Brandon stopped mid-sentence as he gazed at her sad and lost face. She continued with a choked lump in her throat, "I know I was the one who pushed you away. I know you called me and I got all of your messages! You have no idea how sorry I am!"

"I didn't come here to sabotage you or your company," she said in a firm voice.

"I know," he sighed. Even if she did, he knew how to put her in her place. He didn't take over and build this empire so that his ex-girlfriend can come and crumble it away with a snap of her fingers.

"All I wanted was a chance to speak with you and set things right," Skylar pleaded regretfully. "Please don't hate me, Brandon. I can't live with that-"

"I don't," the brunette interrupted her, making her eyes widen to the size of saucers. He placed his hands into his pockets before looking away. "I can never hate you, Sky," he said, his eyes mimicking the same amount of hurt as her. "You know that."

"Really? You mean that...? You're not just saying it?" she asked in disbelief.

"...Did I ever strike you as a liar?" he smiled lightly, eliciting a little humor into the serious situation.

However, he let out a surprised grunt when she threw herself in his arms. His eyes widened considerably as she hugged him tightly. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she sniffled gratefully as she wrapped her arms around his torso. Sandalwood...she blinked in surprise while inhaling his scent. He still uses the same brand...she thought joyfully, remembering that she had once given this perfume on his twentieth birthday.

Gathering his senses back, he felt a rush of emotions when Skylar hugged him. It brought back memories of them while they were dating. He didn't honestly want to remember that. The pain that came from the breakup was immeasurable and he had turned into an ill-tempered, gruff, and arrogant jerk in a matter of months.

Reliving through that again is worse than hell.

Getting a hold of himself, he moved a hand from his pockets and wrapped a single arm around Skylar's back. "Don't cry. Please," he asked while hugging her back.

"I'm sorry," Skylar softly sniffled while pulling back from him. "I guess I was really...I was really happy to hear that."

He remained silent and closed his eyes as Stella flashed into his mind. He STILL did not tell her. His beautiful blonde is still in the dark about his ex.

"Can we be friends again...?" Skylar asked.

Ever since this girl left his life without a trace, all he ever wanted was her to come back. He wanted her to come back somehow. Fast-forward five years later and she's here. She's actually here in front of him.

But...things aren't the same for him as they were five years ago.

Today, he wasn't a single bachelor swinging his way through life, hoping against hope that she'll come back to him.

Noooo.

He was far from it actually.

He IS married. He HAS a wife. He has Stella.

Brandon took a deep breath before removing his arms from her and stepping back from her. He took her arms away from him and put them back at her sides.

"I'm sorry, Sky. I really am," he said softly. "I can't. I have someone in my life and I can't do this to her. She's worth so much to me and I can't do this. I can't do this to her."

Skylar sunk with disappointment at his answer, but her heart ravaged with rage at his confession of profound love towards the blonde twit.

"Why not?!" she challenged. "Doesn't she love you? Doesn't she trust you?!"

Brandon's eyes darkened. "This isn't about trust, Skylar. It's about respect. I KNOW that I wouldn't feel comfortable if Stella's ex started to hang around her. So why would I go be a hypocrite and do the same thing?"

"Brandon, what the hell do you think I'm gonna do?! You said it yourself! It's been FIVE years!"

Brandon sighed and kept his hands shelved into his pockets. "...It doesn't mean anything to me. I'm in a very good place, Sky. I'm happy. I don't want to sound like I'm not happy seeing you or anything like that because I am. I'm happy you're back, but I'd like for you to keep your distance," he stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

He didn't hate Sky for what she did to him. It's not that he didn't want her in his life. He did, but...not at the cost of his Stella.

It's just...he's much happier now. He loved Stella so much more and he never felt his life become so...so stable before. She changed him in so many ways and he believed that he's a better man now because of her.

For such a beautiful girl like her, he has a minimum responsibility to show her what's called loyalty.

If it was the other way around, he probably would be paranoid even though he knows that Stella would never leave him for her ex. The situation is just uncomfortable altogether, so why not just drop it?

"I said I was sorry!" Skylar cried in desperation. "I apologized! So, why can't we go back to the way we were?!"

Brandon looked at her like she was crazy. "Because things changed, Skylar!" he fired back. "Your apology changes NOTHING for me. I'm not a single man, Sky! I'm married and I have a wife! I love her to death and I can't-"

"Those were the exact words you said to me once!" Skylar sniffled while glaring at him with a look of deep betrayal on her face. "You were supposed to love me..."

"Until YOU threw all of that away," he retorted right on cue.

He took a step towards her and showed her the bitter anger she left in him. "WHERE were you when I cried for you!? WHERE were you when I called you? WHERE were you when I begged you to come back to me? WHERE?!"

"I lost myself because of you. I became a DRUNK because of you! I became a MONSTER because of you!" he yelled, making Skylar's eyes widen as she took a step back.

His heart rate increased as his chest rose and fell rapidly. His blood pulsed and his skin turned red on his face as he frowned deeply.

His eyes softened when he remembered how he became the man he is today. "Until Stella came along. You have NO idea what she had to put up with. And there is no way in hell am I ever going to let her go through what you put me through. I love her to death and there is not a single thing you can do to convince me otherwise."

"Brandon-" Skylar started to protest but was cut off.

He held up his hand as his final word. "Please. I didn't want it to be this way, but I'm glad about how things ended up for us. I vowed to her and myself that I'll never betray her. This," he gestured solemnly, not knowing how to describe the things between them, "WILL hurt her. It's not about trust. It's about respecting my wife, who trusts and believes me enough to believe any unbelievable shit I say. That's all there is to it," he finally stated firmly.

But it's true. Stella is incredibly naive when it came to him. She will believe whatever nonsense he tells her, but he never took that to his advantage. And he never will. If he can't respect the woman he claimed to love, then...what kind of a man is he?

Skylar felt as if her heart has been crushed into a million pieces. She stood still as she struggled to process his words.

Her body grew hot with the amount of blood that boiled underneath her skin. With a decisive glare, she picked up her bag and her stuff before moving to storm out of the door. She cast him one last betrayed look as she stepped outside with the door closing behind her.

Brandon let out a long breath that he's been holding in for a while. "That was harder than I thought," he sighed while pacing around the room to cool himself down.

Meanwhile, Skylar's eyes brimmed red with angry tears. She cast a glare at the room's entrance door. With a turn of her heel, she contorted her face into one of rage.

"Well, if I can't have you, neither can anyone else," she vowed heatedly with determination as she walked/stomped down the hallway, her heels clicking rapidly against the tiled reflective surface.


~ Starbucks Coffee, New Jersey - 4:30 PM ~

"I still can't believe you're here," Stella smiled while twirling her latte with a black straw and occassionally sipping the steaming, creamy brown liquid.

Chris chuckled. "I had a conference in town and thought I'd stop by to see one of my good ol' friends."

"Well, it's really good to see you again," the blonde smiled.

"So how's college workin' out for you?" he asked.

"Well, I'm working on my final thesis, so I don't have that many classes anymore. I'm free this week actually," she shrugged.

"That's great!" he grinned. "I'm really happy for you though. You look really good."

The blonde thanked him with a smile before leaning across the table in a little curiously. "You seem oddly happy and jumpy these days too. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're in love," she replied slyly.

Chris's eyes widened while the back of his neck stung a little with heat. So she caught on! Such a clever girl, he fondly thought. "Really? Does it show?" he asked with a smile.

"Call it a girl's intuition," Stella winked.

Guess you lost before I even started, Shields! He smirked internally to himself. He couldn't believe his luck. He hadn't even started his game of dice and somehow, the odds seem to be looking up already.

He leaned a little into the table. "Have any advice?"

Stella snorted and held up her hands in surrender. "I'm probably the last person you should ask when it comes to relationships. Just sayin'."

"Says the girl who's been married for two years," Chris chuckled.

At his words, Stella's smile couldn't help but falter for a few seconds before disappearing altogether. Noticing that, he outwardly frowned and placed a comforting hand on top of hers, although he was rejoicing on the inside. So things aren't so bright between them, he smugly cheered himself up. He didn't even have to try too hard!

"I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?" he gently asked.

Stella lightly smiled and shook her head. "No."

"If you need to talk, I'm here, Stella. As a friend," he offered.

"Thank you, Chris," the blonde smiled before taking her hand back. "It's just..." Stella sighed before looking out the window. "I don't know...I'm not really sure if we're on speaking terms anymore," the blonde noted sadly with a frown.

"Did you guys fight?" Chris asked in concern while doing a victory dance on the inside. Any form of discontent between these two is viewed as a celebration for him.

"He's just avoiding me for some reason and I don't know why," Stella shrugged. "It's like he's hiding something from me."

"Maybe he's trying to keep you safe from it? Maybe he's thinking that you're better off without knowing?" Chris offered.

"All the more reason for me to know, Chris..." Stella sighed. "All the more reason for me to know."

"Hey, if you want to talk, you know I'm here for you, Stel. You can always talk to me about it," Chris smiled.

"Thank you," Stella nodded gratefully.

Honestly, she didn't really want to. It's not that Chris is a bad guy or something like that. No, Chris is a good guy in general and a good friend, but he wasn't that close to her as of yet. At least, he wasn't close enough to her that she'd start sharing her personal problems right away.

Even if he was...

Stella didn't feel comfortable with talking about such an intimate subject with anyone other than Brandon.

She had a problem with Brandon and it didn't feel right to go blabbing about the brunette behind his back. She knows that he'll never do that to her, so it's only fair that she respected her relationship in return.

"But if it's okay, can we just change the subject?" Stella said.

Chris couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment. Somehow, she still maintained a visibly venerated distance from him and he didn't like that one bit. He calmly nodded at her request while a dark glare mentally graced his mind.

They started talking about something else in general but Stella's mind didn't stray too far from her cause of worry. Her studies are fine. Her friends are fine. Everything was fine in her life except the most significant part of it.

Her not-so-great love life.

Her hazel brown eyes blinked with sadness.

Brandon wasn't avoiding her, per se. No, he wasn't. It's just that...they didn't talk much these days. Just a quick and too-busy-to-call hello and a very occasional text from him. Whenever she did call, conversations miserably trailed off and turned unbearably awkward.

She can't really pinpoint what's wrong in their relationship, but she just knew that something wasn't really right.

And now that his birthday is literally on this weekend, she felt all the more upset at not being able to be with him. In fact, she had been hesitating to go up and see him because she was afraid that maybe he wouldn't be too happy to see her. Her last visit had been wonderful up until the part where she confronted his attitude towards her. And no matter how much restraint she can show this time, it won't last long. A visit to the house will ensue another confrontation, no doubt. And she didn't want this fight to lead to something painful once more. In the end, it'll ultimately be both of them who'll suffer.

"So when are you coming upstate?" Chris asked. "Maybe this weekend for Brandon's birthday?"

"How'd you know that?" Stella asked in surprise.

He laughed. "Everyone in our line of work knows. His employees practically worship the guy. Besides, it's no secret that Brandon's folks always organize his birthday like a festival or something."

Stella's eyes widened. "Wait. Seriously?" she asked incredulously.

He raised an eyebrow. "Uh yeah? Don't tell me you didn't know that."

She shook her head innocently, saying that she really didn't. Frankly, this is the first birthday of Brandon's that she'll be celebrating. She hadn't been here last year, so she didn't know.

Guess your girl doesn't know much about you after all, Chris snickered mentally at Brandon.

He cleared his throat. "Well, every year, Heather and Lucas Shields book a star hotel for family and friends while inviting their employees for one whole weekend of partying. Oh and they get a few days off."

Stella blinked. "Really?"

Chris laughed at her bewilderment and nodded. "Yeah. Really."

"Wow," she breathed. So...this weekend, they'll be staying in a hotel? Why? Staying in a home is so much comfortable, not to mention way cheaper.

"Are you coming as well then?"

Chris nodded. "The employees are invited by default and they can invite anyone else they wish to. A friend of mine works there."

Stella nodded. "Ohh. Well, I'll see you then, I guess."

Chris chuckled. "But you have to promise me at least one dance."

Stella laughed. "Sure." The blonde checked her watch and was surprised that more than an hour has passed already. "Um Chris, I'm sorry but it's getting late and I really have to go."

"Uh sure. We'll catch up on the weekend?" he asked with hope while inwardly masking his disappointment.

"Sure," Stella said with a little hesitance as she stood up, making him follow suit. Honestly, she wasn't sure. In fact, she was certain that there's going to be no 'catching up' except maybe in the birthday party. There was only a few days and she wanted to spend it with Brandon and no one else. Call her selfish, but it's true.

"Bye. Take care," Stella smiled while giving him a small hug. Chris nodded before tightening his grip on her. The blonde gasped inaudibly at the grip around her waist.

"I'll see you soon, Stella," he spoke near her ear and that somehow made her feel a little claustrophobic and uncomfortable. She awkwardly patted his back with a frown. "Uh, yeah. Me too," she said while placing her hand on his chest to push him away.

"Bye," she said once more before turning around on her heel, not liking this new and strange feeling at all.

Chris stared after her retreating figure with anger. She just ignored him! The closer he tried to get, the more obvious she made it that she didn't anything to do with him other than mere friendship.

Looks like I'll have to try another way, he thought to himself as a dark glare came onto his face.


~ Shields' Corporations - 3:50 PM ~

Shortly after Skylar left, Brandon stayed in his office. He sat down slumped in his desk while feeling unsettled over the dispute they had.

He played absentmindedly with a circular (flat on bottom) paperweight and twirled it around between his fingers before rotating it around the desk. The scent that Skylar left on him when she hugged him was still fresh against his collar. He felt a wave of bold pumpkin and cinnamon spice. It was familiar but also so far, far away. It was the exact fragrance of perfume that Skylar had been using since they dated.

He remembered gifting a random perfume bottle to her for one of her birthdays and she still used that exact perfume.

He did too. He used sandalwood as his cologne, not just because Skylar gave it to him but also because he genuinely liked it. Sharing perfumes had been sort of an inside joke between them when they were together.

But today...that joke was no longer worth remembering as it's in the far, far corner of his memory cortex. Brandon sighed as flashes of him and Skylar being together flooded his brain.

But...it didn't do anything to him. He didn't know what came over him minutes ago, but all he remembered was sense of overprotectiveness. He wanted to protect Stella from getting hurt at any cost and today...Skylar means nothing to him romantically.

Stella...

A small smile bloomed on his lips. He created so many memories with this girl. She's stunning, witty, hilarious, clumsy, and...just beautiful.

What more could he want in life?

He opened his phone before realizing that it has been forever since he spoke with her. He stood up instantly before moving to dial her number, but stopped all of a sudden. He scrolled through his call logs and saw that there has indeed been a numerous amount of missed calls. His inbox was flooded with texts from her.

Slapping his forehead at his own negligence, he moved to call her.

Wait...

If he's not wrong, she's either super mad at him OR she's angry enough to drill a hole of common sense into his dense brain. Either way, he is screwed.

Brandon debated on what to do. He turned on his phone again, letting his eyes rest on the wallpaper.

Without further adieu, he grabbed his briefcase before quickly sending out a few texts and emails to his secretary. See? This was one of the times that CEOs LOVE having personal assistants.


~ Princeton University - Campus Quad - 6:45 PM ~

Stella exited out of the library with a small sigh escaping from her lips. She checked her phone for any notifications.

"Why do I even bother?" she murmured testily before stuffing the device in her back pocket.

"Stella!"

Stella turned around when she heard her name being called.

"Oh. Hey, Andy," the blonde smiled tightly when she saw her classmate running towards her. Ever since she met this guy, he has not made an effort to hide his way-too-obvious feelings for her.

Andy grinned at her, oblivious to her irritation. "I was wondering...are you free tonight? Maybe a dinner or-"

"Listen, Andy," Stella started with a tired sigh.

"Stella, please. Just ONE dinner. I won't ask anymore. Just give me a chance-"

"Why is it that everyone hits on my girl?" an annoyed, gruff voice spoke from behind (drum roll, please).

Stella gasped audibly and nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard the incredibly familiar, deep, masculine voice. "B-Brandon...?" she whispered with her voice dying halfway in her throat.

Brandon smirked at her reaction. He stood just behind Stella, earning him a glare from the black-haired new guy.

The brunette wrapped a tender arm around the blonde's waist. "Am I interrupting anything?" the brunette smirked from behind before kissing her cheek. She gaped at him, wondering if he was really here.

Brandon stared at Andy with a pointed glare, a look that only a fellow male would understand. "I'm Brandon," the brunette smiled before extending a hand to shake.

Andy nervously laughed before taking the brunette's hand. "Andrew. But you can call me Andy."

Brandon smirked, "Nice to meet you, Andy."

"You too."

Andy jerked slightly when the grip on his hand tightened firmly for a moment. He looked up at Brandon, who cast a look of warning his way. The brunette let loose of him.

Brandon looked pleasant and handsome from the outside but Andy can definitely tell that he's not happy.

"Uh, I was just leaving," Andy nervously smiled before throwing up his hands in surrender. "See you, Stella. Nice to meet you, Brandon."

After he left, Stella turned to Brandon with an amused smile. "Did you just scare my classmate?"

Brandon rolled his eyes unapologetically. "I hate that they look at you like that," he grumbled with peeved jealousy. Yeah, he admitted it. He didn't like it when a guy hits on Stella. He just didn't. This girl was just too gorgeous for her own good.

"Let's go," he ushered before grabbing her arm.

"Ow, hey! Where?!" she asked.

"Does it matter?" he winked at her.

"Uh yeah?" she asked back in confusion.

He chuckled. "Relax. I don't want us to talk on an educational campus. You are free right now, right?" he asked with skepticism.

"...Uh yeah...?" she blinked, still in shock that he's actually here with her. "Are you really here?" she asked in confusion before poking him in the chest.

He rolled his eyes. "I know you did not just insult me," he grimaced unhappily.

She laughed before shaking her head.


20-30 minutes later...

They left the campus in Brandon's car. The car ride was pretty much silenct and uneventful as Stella seldom spoke.

Brandon took them to a public park where hopefully, they can talk and sort out their issues.

As he expected...she is mad.

They entered the public park where a few people can be jogging around, kids playing, couples wandering around and sneaking kisses, etc.

So, they both ventured inside the park into a private, less populated corner.

"So...how have you been?" he asked as they walked down the trail.

"...Why are you here?" she asked out of the blue, catching him off-guard.

"What?" he asked her back, a little stunned. He expected her to blow up but certainly, not this way.

They both stopped in their tracks.

Stella bit her lip before crossing her arms and taking a deep breath to hide her nervousness and masked hurt. "Why are you here, Brandon?" she asked again. She kept her voice quiet and low because honestly, she did NOT want them to fight. She hated their fights because they did get pretty ugly quickly.

"Can't I come and see you?" he asked in confusion.

"Me? I thought you were here for work or something," she said monotonously.

"What?" he asked in disbelief. "Work? I never came to see you because of work."

"Oh," she shrugged. "Well, it's good to see you then."

He blinked a few times and continued to stare at her. She seemed...off. She didn't smile, she didn't laugh, and she wasn't talkative. He approached her cautiously before halting in front of her. "What's wrong?" he asked seriously because he needed to know why she wasn't happy to see him.

"Nothing," she mumbled while averting her eyes from him.

He caught her chin and turned her towards him. "Don't give me that. I know you better than that. Tell me what's wrong," he repeated with a higher edge to his tone.

Stella took a deep breath before raising her hand to push his hand away. "You tell me," she told him softly, finally letting him see how truly upset she is at him. She took her phone out from the back pocket of her jeans before shoving it into his hands. He took it curiously before staring at it, not knowing what to do with it. "I called you every single day for the past ten days. I texted you like there was no tomorrow," she explained as he kept his eyes on her.

"I thought something was wrong, so I called Heather a few days ago and she told me that you visited her just hours ago. You were fine," Stella finished sadly. "So...why don't YOU tell me what's wrong?"

He sighed, knowing he DID anticipate this on his way here. Well, she wasn't completely angry but she was definitely upset.

His eyes softened at the misting tears in her golden pools. "Stell..." he breathed before wrapping his arms around her.

"No, don't," she grimaced before using her arms to push him away, but he refused to budge.

"Don't bother wasting your energy," he coaxed before tightening his grip on her.

"What's wrong with me, Brandon?" she sniffled. "Why're you being so distant?"

He stared at her incredulously. "Princess, there's absolutely nothing wrong with you," he tried to persuade her. "You're perfect-"

"Then why is it that you don't talk to me anymore?" Stella demanded. "Are you bored with me or am I too clingy? Or both?!"

"How about NEITHER?!" he suddenly shouted, making her gasp. "Stop putting words in my mouth, Stella," he warned her with a dark glare.

"Well, stop making me feel so insignificant to you, so I won't have to!" she yelled back.

"Stella, STOP. Don't make me say something that I know I'll regret later," he warned again, clearly not appreciating her doubting his feelings for her.

She stared at him before she fell silent for a long moment, not knowing what else to say. "...Fine," she replied as her eyes grew heavy and turned blurry at his words. "So much for asking you where you were all this time," she snapped.

She tossed him a small glare before turning her face away from him. She dabbed at her moist eyelashes before shaking her head.

"Are you crying?" he asked with a sigh.

"No," she stubbornly shook her head before covering her face with her hands.

"Stella...really? What did I even say?!" he asked while throwing his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry I yelled. Happy?"

"Are you kidding me? Go away," she mumbled while taking a deep breath to push the lump down her throat.

"Really? But, where will I even go? You have a dorm like two miles away but our home is about three hours away from here!" he protested with humor.

"Brandon, can you please just leave me alone?" she sighed before sniffling and pushing past him. "For the record, you're NOT funny!" she hollered as she stepped away from him.

He winced, half out of amusement and another out of concern for himself, when he saw her pick up pebbles and throw them into the lake angrily. Clearing his throat, he followed her before standing behind her.

"You should angle your hand a little better to throw further," he helpfully pointed.

She turned her head away from him stubbornly. "Brandon, you're so freaking annoying," she grumbled.

She gasped when he suddenly pressed his lips tightly against her cheek out of the blue. "Come on, baby. You're not really angry at me," he coaxed with amusement.

"Yes, I am! Go away before I slap the daylights out of you!" she cried. She was mostly pissed that he was taking her as a joke right now.

"Really now?" he smirked.

"Can you please stop treating me like I'm a kid?" she huffed.

"A kid?" his eyes widened. "Now, why would I EVER date a kid, much less marry one?" he shook his head incredulously. "I'm no pedophile!"

A muffled giggle left her lips. "Brandon, ssstttoooopppp!" she whined while pushing him away. She started to slap him. He started to laugh because he could tell that she was annoyed with him. He covered his face as he continued to laugh. "Ow, hey! Stell, chill!" he said while she continued to hit him.

He caught her flying wrists before she can do more damage to his already abused body.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," he smiled fondly. "Hey, I was just a little busy, okay?"

"Well, why can't you just say that! Do you really think that I wouldn't understand?!" she sighed in exasperation.

"I'm sorry," he offered again with a faint smile. "I drove all the way here to see you and hopefully take you home," he told her.

"Can I?" he grinned, hoping to catch a smile from her.

"...Yeah," she blushed before lightly hitting his shoulder.

"That's my girl," he grinned before leaning in to kiss her. She wrapped her arms around his neck while he pulled her closer by the waist. The soft kiss turned long and passionate as they poured their longing for each other into it.

Even though it has just been a little over ten days or so, he felt like it's been forever since he has seen her.

Pulling back after a few moments, they resuming talking and in general, just catching up.

"Wait. How the hell did you even find me?!" Stella asked curiously.

"Oh. I asked Bloom," Brandon answered. "She said that you'll be at that library. I was waiting for you for a while, actually."

"Ohhh."

After a long while later, they both decided that it was best to get going since the drive was still hours long.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"Yeah," she nodded. "It'll be around eleven by the time we get home," Stella complained unhappily. That's just way too long.


A few hours later...

He leaned over and unbuckled her seat belt. The belt whirred as it went back to its original place. She stirred sleepily before opening her heavy eyelids slowly. "B-Brandon...?" she murmured heavily.

"Hey, you're up," he said with a small smile. "Come on, we're home."

They just left their stuff in the car, figuring they can take it out in the morning. They were both frankly tired between their respective jobs.

Minutes later, they changed into something comfortable before turning in for the night.

"Good night..." she said sleepily at him.

"'Night, Stel," he smiled. They were both tired for today, so it was probably for the best to turn in early. He turned the lights off before falling back against the mattress. He sighed to himself, clearly happier than he has been just a few hours ago. He missed this so much. He's been spending the last few nights at his office, coming home only for a shower and a change of clothes or for additional hours of sleep. But right now, having her with him, he missed it so much. He loved the way they spent their nights. They honestly had such a perfect relationship and he couldn't have asked for anything better.

"Sweet dreams, princess," he sleepily murmured before slowly dozing off.


~ The Next Morning - 8:00 AM ~

"Let's see..." Stella tapped her chin in thought. "Where the heck are the aprons?"

"Aprons? Are you kidding me?" Brandon muttered incredulously while raiding the cabinets for ingredients.

They were both in the kitchen, trying to make breakfast together.

"Why not?" Stella asked while going over to the pantry where two aprons were neatly folded inside. One of them was a midnight blue with a silver-white crescent in the middle while the other was a plain black. Obviously, the blue one was hers and the black was his.

She handed his apron to him. He took it but not without complaining. "Sunshine, we're only making eggs and pancakes. Not a feast," he chuckled.

"Yeah, but it's fun," she defended, making him shake his head and mumble a 'whatever'.

Stella went to the fridge while he started to cut a few vegetables. She opened the freezer to pull out a packet of frozen hashbrowns. "Ahh!" she shrieked instantly when a few ice cubes popped out of the freezer and fell to the floor, crushing into little pieces.

Brandon turned around and shook his head with amusement. "Really?"

"Sorry," she blushed sheepishly before handing him the hashbrowns.

"Be careful," he told her.

She nodded before treading carefully on the melting ice. She reached over for a kitchen towel to clean up the mess before walking over to the cold puddle.

Stella shrieked as she clumsily skidded on the puddle of water and slid backwards. Brandon's eyes widened when he saw her and tried to hold her from behind, but the water below didn't provide his feet with enough momentum to stop the fall.

They both tumbled messily onto the floor with Stella on top of Brandon. He winced as his back collided against the harsh kitchen floor. The water seeped into his clothes as his back started to grow wet.

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding me," he muttered in annoyance when he felt his back soaked with moisture.

Stella opened her eyes and saw the ceiling. Her eyes widened when she saw Brandon underneath holding her by the waist. She shifted in his arms to face him. "Are you okay?" she asked curiously.

"Why can't you fall on your own?! Why do you always have to drag me to the floor?" he grumbled while making sure that she's okay.

"We always do stuff together," she answered with a smirk. "Only fair we fall together too."

He threw her a look of annoyance. "Stella, get the hell off of me!" he grumbled while grunting, trying to lift himself up.

"Why? I like being here," she shyly admitted. "You look hot in your apron, by the way," she commented while tapping his nose.

His lips stretched into a smirk. "Someone's needy today," he commented shamelessly.

Stella gasped before smacking him square in the chest. She blushed a ton of reds before rolling away from him. "You're such a...UGH!" she screeched indignantly. His chest rumbled with laughter at her expense.

"You're SOOOOO not the nice guy I met!" she fumed before standing up. He followed suit before letting out another hearty laugh.

"I never claimed to be one," he winked, making her blush again.

"W-Well, well...!" she stuttered.

"I am a man, after all, Sunshine," he chuckled before kissing her quickly.

"You didn't have a problem with that before!" she huffed.

He rolled his eyes at her presumptiousness. Yeah, right. "Correction. I just made you think that I didn't," he retorted right on cue, earning a surprised glance from her. She looked momentarily caught off-guard.

He chuckled at her expense before resuming cracking eggs into a bowl.

They spent the day together before Brandon headed to work and Stella decided to study for a few hours.

Friday passed by just as quickly and reality sunk in that Brandon's birthday was just on Saturday. The brunette, however, didn't show the slightest bit of enthusiasm that people would normally show on their birthdays. It's like he didn't really care. Truth is, he honestly didn't. He hasn't celebrated his birthday for years now.

But this year, there was a reason to celebrate. This year started off joyfully for him and he honestly never felt happier before. He never imagined that he would be this happy again after last year. He thought he was done for.

But one thing still plagued him. Stella is still in the dark about Skylar. There were things he would say that would sound ironic to her, but he would actually be dead serious about his words.

She failed to realize how deep his words had really been.

She didn't hear his hidden sadness or his silent plea for help.


~ Friday - 11:57 PM ~

Stella suppressed a yawn before climbing downstairs. She wasn't too surprised to see Brandon's head stuck into his laptop, working diligently on something and not showing any signs of slowing down or fatigue.

"I thought you were asleep," he commented before sparing her a quick glance. He returned to his laptop again before continuing to work.

"I was," she said softly in a sleepy voice before nearing the sofa he was seated on.

She sat beside him in an energetic plop, making him groan in mild irritation. "Stella, I'm trying to work, okay?" he warned, telling her that now wasn't the best time for her childish antics.

"You can go back to work right after this," she smiled before wrapping her arms around his neck.

He leaned into her touch for a moment before sighing. "Stell...not now, please," he asked.

Ignoring his request, she leaned into him. "Happyyy birthdaaayyyyyyyyyy!" she sang while hugging him tightly.

He jumped at her high-pitched voice before his eyes widened as he blinked in slight shock. He checked the time to see that it was Saturday at 12:01 AM. He did remember that it was his birthday, but he wasn't really paying attention to it. He smiled at her a little sleepily. "Thank you, Sunshine," he replied before she leaned in to kiss him. He reciprocated easily, all the while feeling her smile against his lips.

"I love you," she smiled against his cheek.

"Love you more," he reciprocated before turning himself to face her.

"Happpyyy birthdayyyy, husband!" she sang again suddenly in a high-pitched voice, leaving him to laugh.

"Thank you?" he chuckled again.

"You're so much fun to be married to!" she exclaimed happily, leaving him to crack up at her again.

"Fun?" he quoted her with amusement before putting his laptop away and pulling her into his lap.

"Yeah," she grinned. "Here, this is an instant gift that I have for you," she beamed before getting off the sofa and crouching. He watched with curiosity as she pulled out a thin box from underneath. She stood up before plopping into his lap again. "Here."

He looked at her before eyeing the little box. He tried to feel it around. It was really lightweight. It's not really a box. More like...a set of papers or something.

"Birthday cards?" he guessed with interest.

She giggled before shaking her head. "Would you've been satisfied with just birthday cards?"

"I'm satisfied with the fact that you even remembered my birthday," he chuckled before tugging at the red and green gift wrapping paper.

"Awww," she gushed before hugging him tightly. "You're so sweet."

He smiled when she kissed his cheek. He started throwing the gift wrapping and ribbons away, revealing a small book.

With an amused smile, he started to flip through the pages.

He started to laugh when he saw what he was holding in his hands. "Sunshine...a coupon book? Really?" he chuckled as he turned to her with interest. She laughed along with him.

"There's a reason for it though!" she giggled.

"Really? Care to enlighten me why I have to use a book rather than my mouth to tell you what to do?" he asked with a pointed look.

"That book is especially useful when I'm on my period," she pointed out as a matter of fact.

His eyes widened. During her period, Stella has one of the worst temper tantrums he has ever seen in his life. So, he would usually alert himself and be on his best behavior at her 'time of the month'. She would complain of pains and cramps and sleep off the first or second day. But she'll show a hissy fit on the third and fourth days.

He suddenly turned to the little book inside where each page has a certain house chore that he can cash in. He held the book close all of a sudden, resembling a pirate finding his lost treasure. "Any chance I'll get any copies of this?" he asked.

She giggled. "Wait till your next birthday?" she offered.

He groaned but sighed later. "I think this is the best birthday gift anyone has ever given me," he grinned before giving her a thumbs-up.

She smacked him harshly on the chest. "My periods are not that bad, thank you very much!"

"..." he tossed her a half-lidded, dry look.

She blushed in embarrassment. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry," she mumbled.

He chuckled before they started to spend the night by quietly talking and then heading to sleep a long time later.


~ That Same Evening - 7:00 PM ~

Brandon looked absolutely miserable as he put on a fake and pretense smile to interact with the people around the ballroom. What kind of a tradition is this? he grumbled internally while adjusting his tie occasionally. His classic black tux screamed elegance as he handsomely stood out between the considerably large group.

He laughed on the outside as he interacted with some of his cherished employees and other important members.

"Thank you, sir," Brandon smiled as he shook an important man's figure. "I look forward to working with you as well."

"Same here," the other person grinned before excusing himself to get a drink.

Brandon sighed at the relief he felt when he was left standing alone for a few moments. He hated that he had certain obligations. His friends haven't arrived yet and will mostly enter at the same time as their respective girlfriends. He pursed his lips, a little peeved, that he didn't have that luxury.

He had been here for close to an hour now and all he wanted to do was gouge out his eyes.

He felt a poke on his back and felt the urge to bang his head against the wall. If it's another employee...I swear to god, he groaned before turning around. His eyes widened in a pleasant surprise to see Lisa smiling at him.

"Well, look who's all dressed up," she remarked before flashing him a friendly grin.

"Lisa!" he grinned while hugging her gently. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you."

"That bored?" she raised an amused eyebrow.

He rolled his eyes. "Not funny."

"Well, I think it's hilarious," Lisa giggled. She cast a glance at the bustling people who are slowly filling the large room. "Hey, there's Flora!" she exclaimed at a brunette who just entered with her fiancee.

Brandon's eyes widened at seeing his sister. "I'm gonna go, okay?" he asked.

Lisa nodded before bidding him a wave.

"Thanks for coming, Lisa," he smiled down genuinely at her before making his way towards his younger sister.

She donned a floral, forest green dress that was long and graced her ankles gently. Her hair was left open in beach curls with a side part.

"Flo!" he called out before going towards them.

Helia and Flora turned in his direction before flashing him brilliant smiles. Brandon's heart warmed to see that. He had missed her so much and...they look really happy together.

He approached the couple before hugging Flora and kissing her cheek lightly. He gave a 'manly' hug to Helia before stepping back. "You guys look great," he complimented.

Helia chuckled. "As do you. Where's Stella? And the others?"

Brandon groaned. "Good question, buddy."

"Well, I'm forgetting the most important part. Happy birthday, bro!" Flora squealed as she hugged her brother tightly, leaving him to laugh and pat her head. "Thanks, sis," he murmured softly, still can't believe that she's getting married in two months.

"Happy birthday, man," Helia wished warmly, making Brandon smile in return.

"How's everything going on for you guys? The wedding, the baby, and all?" Brandon asked, still feeling a little different and giddy at the word 'baby'.

"Pretty good so far," Flora grinned as she clutched her baby bump which was a little more noticeable now. Helia beamed in pride before wrapping an arm around the brunette's waist and kissing her temple.

"I'm really happy for you guys. You two deserve that," Brandon wished them, making Flora's pregnancy hormones go over the wall with sentiment.

"Thank you, Brandon," she smiled with teary eyes.

Brandon nodded with a small smile. "Well, I'll catch you guys later, okay?"

They nodded, leaving him alone once again.

His eyes involuntarily scanned the busy crowd hoping to catch glimpse of a certain blonde, but froze suddenly when they met with piercing blue ones. His feet locked themselves into place again when he saw Skylar holding his gaze with hers. She donned a short, full-sleeved black dress that curved around her like almost a second skin. Her makeup was bold and edgy while her hair stood out in sleek waves.

She walked towards him while her hips swayed from side and side and her hair bounced left and right to her movements.

His mouth went dry while his eyes blinked with horror, in case Stella might show up out of nowhere.

"Brandon..." Skylar cooed as she stopped before him while holding a glass of champagne. "Happy birthday," she smiled, showing off her pearly white teeth as he stood there dumb-founded.

"...Thank you..." he murmured lowly.

Skylar smirked at the effect she's having on him. While her perspective made her seem that he was probably attracted to her, his nervous eyes were actually for an entirely different reason.


Meanwhile...

"I'll never understand why we're being 'fashionably' late again," Bloom grumpily muttered as the five girls went up the stairs. There was excitement, laughter, and decorations inside that simply couldn't be dismissed without a long glance. They went inside the ballroom and stopped for a moment to take in the glamour.

"Because that way, our gentlemen can miss us even more," Stella smirked while looking around in awe.

Buffet tables were arranged on opposite sides of the mansion-like room. Waiters and waitresses cruised around the ballroom while handing out an assorted group of drinks.

"Damn right, Stella," a voice smirked from beside them. The girls turned to see their respective men, minus Brandon, approaching them.

Sky gave Stella and the rest a short hug before kissing Bloom a proper greeting. "You girls look stunning," he complimented.

"True," another voice interrupted with a smile.

Stella and the others squealed to see Helia and Flora approaching them hand-in-hand.

Riven gruffly clutched his ears in annoyance. "What's with stupid women and screaming?!" he grumbled, earning a scoff from Musa.

"Hey, Flora!" the girls rushed to the brunette before hugging her tightly, but carefully.

"It's great to see you girls again," Flora beamed as the girls surrounded her.

"So I'm just ignored now?" Helia huffed as the girls pushed him to the side.

"Join us, man!" Riven hollered while welcoming him with open arms, earning chuckles from the guys and oblivious hollers from the girls.

"Show us our god-daughter!" Musa grinned while stepping back. Flora laughed before shaking her head in amusement. The bump was visible, but it can still be covered with loose dresses. Flora was practically glowing in her pregnancy and the girls couldn't be any happier.

Stella looked around the room, trying to catch a glimpse of Brandon.

Brandon, on the other hand, was still nervously standing while making occasional small talk with Skylar. Her presence itself was beyond uncomfortable. He wondered why he even bothered inviting her, but knew that some people have to be invited whether he liked it or not due to a formal courtesy.

He sighed. He glanced towards the entrance and his eyes widened in relief at the little troop that gathered there. He immediately let out a long exhale out of immense relief. "I'll see you around, Sky," he hastily replied before moving without even giving her a chance to speak.

Yes, you will. Skylar simply turned around. Her eyes narrowed into a disapproving glare when she saw caught sight of Stella. How can he fall for a girl like her?! she frowned.

Stella's heart leapt a beat when she saw Brandon approaching her with a smile on his face.

"Brandon!" she waved to him in a way that made him laugh. His steps turned fast-paced as he made his way over to her.

"Stel!" he grinned as he picked her up and spun her around, earning heat on her cheeks. He forgot that they were in public as he grinned like a total loon before setting her down on her feet. He took a good look at her. Beautiful. His eyes took in the glowing blush on her face as she donned a long gold-cap sleeved lace mermaid dress that ignited a secret inferno within him. Her makeup was applied to perfect and her hair gently framed around her voice. The ballroom's bright lights made her glow ever more ethereally.

"You look stunning," he whispered mesmerized as he kissed her cheek.

"AHEM."

Brandon turned to their group who looked amused. Stella's face flushed with a strong hue of red when she saw a few other people who looked very interested in their little public display.

"Hey, guys," Brandon smiled before going over to them.

Stella smiled when he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to himself.

"Please just get a room," Riven sighed in annoyance.

"Oh we will," Brandon smirked before turning towards the blonde. "Should we?" Stella's face flamed with fire as she covered her face in his chest with embarrassment while his chest bubbled with his laughter. "Oh my god..." she mumbled, her face turning redder by the second.

The rest chose to face-palm or scrunch their faces in disgust or amusement. But the girls looked at Stella who was visibly radiating off happiness.

It warmed their hearts to finally see her so happy. They all knew that she went through ten different kinds of pain last year. Their breakup devastated her more than anything. Even some of the guys couldn't help but glance at the couple with a smile. They, except for Sky (who already knew), knew Brandon fed them a load of bullshit when he said that Stella was going to 'study'.

"Have you had anything?" Brandon turned towards the blonde who shook her head.

"Come on," he ushered. "I'll see you guys later," he waved to them. They all nodded before getting busy with their own girlfriends.

"Where's my mom?" Brandon asked.

"Oh, she said she'll be coming with Lucas. They should be here soon," Stella replied before looping an arm through his.

He nodded slightly before his eyes wandered around the hall. He smiled slightly when he saw couples dancing in the middle of the floor. "Would you like to dance?" he grinned before giving her his hand to take.

"Promise not to let me fall?" she asked sheepishly. "My heels are higher than usual this time."

He started to laugh before pecking her cheek. "Women..." he muttered with amusement, earning a playful glare from her.


An hour or so later...

"Okay. That's enough," she panted while begging him to take her out of here. He chuckled before nodding. He led them out of the dance floor before Stella started to moan with pain. "This is so the last time I'm wearing heels," she grumbled and winced at the incoming blisters.

"...Yeah, right," he smirked. "Why not just wear flats?!"

"Easy for you to say! You're already a talk Hulk. And I've been genetically deprived of height," she mumbled sourly while wiggling her toes a bit. He laughed before kissing her lightly. "I like it when you're short," he winked.

She blushed and moved to say something else before she was interrupted.

"Stel!"

Stella turned to the source of that call before seeing Musa waving to her. "I'll be right back," she told him before he nodded.

"Hey, Stel!" Musa grinned as the blonde neared him. "You two wanna join us too?"

"Where?" Stella asked in confusion.

"Duh! We're all going to hit the club," Musa smirked. "It'll be so much fun!"

"W-What?! Are you serious?!" Stella asked in bewilderment.

"Heck yes! We're all adults! We can let go for one night," Musa nudged her, encouraging her.

"Wait. But...Brandon can't leave his own party, right?" Stella's eyes widened.

"Sure he can," Musa snorted. "It's his party."

Stella laughed at the twisted logic. "Uh...okay. I'll be right back," she said with excitement before going to find Brandon.

She spotted him across the room but he was busying himself talking to someone else.

Minutes later, she joined him and told him what Musa just blurted to her.

"So?! What do you think?" she asked with excitement. His reaction was totally unexpected as he threw her an unhappy glare.

"Over my dead body," he snapped while holding up his hand as a final warning.

"But everyone's going!" she whined. "Please, please, pleaseeeeeeee!"

"Like I said. Over. My. Dead. Body."

"Pleaseeeeeeee?" she continued to ask while tugging at his tux.

He scoffed. "Where's that coupon book? Is there a coupon thing in there that will tell you to shut up and sit at home?" he demanded while pretending to looking around for it.

"No! Pleaseeeeee!" she complained. "Why can't I go?! It feels like I'm begging my dad to let me go!"

He rolled his eyes. "If that's what I have to be, then so be it. Stella, you're not going anywhere. If you want to go somewhere, go home. Get your little butt inside, wear your pajamas, eat a banana, and go to sleep!" he ordered.

"BRANDON!"

"Why the flip do you even want to go to a club!? For goodness sake, it's a club! A CLUB!" he said incredulously, not understanding why she wanted to go to such places all of a sudden.

"Because I want to enjoy with my friends!"

He sighed and looked down at her. "Baby, there are other ways to enjoy-"

"But you'll be there too!" Stella protested.

"What? Me? I'm not going. I have certain obligations, you know," he rolled his eyes, obviously with distaste at his own words. He obviously wouldn't have minded if he can go as well, but sadly, he'll have to stay a little longer.

"Can I go then? The guys will be there too! I'll be fine!"

He shook his head. "And dump me here?"

She sadly pouted at him. "You can come too. You said your hellos already."

He rolled his eyes. "Fine. Go," he snapped.

She scoffed. "Well I'm not gonna go if you're being like that!"

He cast her a fake smile. "Dear Stella, please go, get drunk, and pass out," he grinned sarcastically.

"Now that was just creepy," she muttered.

"I don't want you to say it like you have to!" Stella said defensively while hitting his arm.

He threw up his hands in surrender. "Are you kidding me?! I say no and you blow up in my face. I say yes and you start punching me?! I'll never understand women," he muttered sourly.

"Please...for me?" she asked with a trying smile. "It's really rare that everyone comes together like this."

He sighed at her logic before crossing his arms. "...Fine...go," he said quietly.

"Really?! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she cried out happily before hugging him tightly.

"Yeah, yeah," he grimaced. "I'll see you soon then."

"You're coming too?!" she beamed.

He rolled his eyes. "I was planning to show up to the party and then call it a night, but now I see I have new unnecessary plans!" he exclaimed as his voice dripped with sarcasm. Like, what the heck?! "Thank you for that, by the way," he groaned sarcastically.

She giggled and told him that she couldn't wait to see him. He rolled her eyes. Seeing Musa's waving, Brandon told her to get going.

He kissed her cheek one last time before telling her to be careful. "I will," she chirped, making him laugh.

"Go on," he smiled.

He watched Stella leave with a small smile on his face. She looked so beautiful and so happy. The girls were giggling (what else is new?) as they made their way outside.

He kept his eyes in the direction that Stella just disappeared in before gasping inaudibly. His feet moved as he sprinted across the room as fast as he could without looking unprofessional.

"Stella, wait!" he called out after he reached a safe distance. He ran outside, hoping to catch a last glimpse of her before she left. To his luck, he saw her just a few meters away.

She heard his call and turned around. With a concerned look, she told her friends that she'll join them soon and to get to the parking lot. She started to walk towards him.

He caught up to her before slowly taking her hands in his.

"Wait..." he smiled before pulling her close. He caressed the sides of her face with his thumbs while the rest of his fingers stroked the roots of her hair. He leaned forward before placing a lingering kiss on her forehead. Gasping softly in a pleasant surprise, Stella closed her eyes with a small smile before leaning into him. She placed her hands on the sides of his waist as he closed his eyes.

Their little adorable public display of affection attracted a few people's attention as they watched the young couple with smiles on their faces. It was no secret to many people that their boss doted heavily on his wife. The chemistry between them was unmistakenable.

Oblivious to some of the people in the distance, he pulled back before flashing her another loving smile. "I'll just greet a few more people and I'll see you soon, okay?"

Stella nodded with a small smile before hugging him tightly. Moments like these were inexplicable but...so much more precious. Sometimes, all it takes is a simple action of love to show your significant other how much you really care for them.

"Keep your phone with you and stay close to others," he told her with concern and seriousness.

She heeded to his warnings. "I'll be fine," she beamed.

They both, however, missed the icy glare from a certain blue-eyed female, standing just a few feet away within eavesdropping distance.

He watched the blonde leave before heading back to make himself known. He grunted when he felt something soft crash into him. He instinctively clutched the young woman by the shoulders "Woah, are you okay?" he asked in concern before looking down at her.

"Uh yeah. Thanks," she answered.

His eyes widened before his stomach churned a little uneasily at the familiar face. "Sky?"

"Hey, Brandon," she smiled uneasily at him.

"Uh...are you okay..?" he asked awkwardly.

She sighed before rubbing her head. "I have a headache. I don't feel well. I gotta go."

"Um okay. Uh...feel better," he wished before she moved away from him.

Skylar hastily tried to go away from him before stopping in her tracks for a second. "Brandon...?" she called his name a little sadly before turning around. He was on his way inside but stopped at the sound of his name.

He turned around slowly. "Yeah?"

"...Happy birthday," she wished him with a wistful smile.

"...Thank you," he nodded. He sighed to himself before speaking softly. "Good night, Sky," he wished.

Skylar watched him with heartbreak as he slowly went back inside. "Good night, my love..." she whispered as a lone tear slid down her cheek.


~ Cielo - 10:30 PM ~

Stella grinned happily to herself as she entered the club. This club was of some sentiment to her because this was the EXACT same club she's been in when she saw Brandon for the first time after their break up.

It's been three months. Just. Three. Months.

Yet, it feels like they've been together since forever now.

Anyways, they were all determined to have some fun tonight before they have to separate after this weekend. Since Flora was four months pregnant and entering her fifth, it wasn't safe for her to come out into a place like this. They stayed back at the birthday bash.

Meanwhile, the rest of them ordered a couple of drinks of their choice before gathering at the bar. "Guys. This is in honor of Brandon's birthday, so it's only fair that he pays!" Musa smirked. Some of them agreed as they all started to laugh.

"Happy birthday, Brandonnnnn!" they yelled, cheering their drinks high up, Stella's voice being the loudest and craziest.

The guys went to their places to change their clothes into something more appropriate for a disco. The girls didn't really bother to change but did remove some of the jewelry they wore.


A short while later...

The guys showed up a short time later and whisked their girlfriends away into either the dance floor or a private place, leaving Stella alone. They volunteered to stay with her in intervals but she insisted that they go and enjoy. Brandon will be here soon.

Stella sat at the bar stool and hoped that no one will disturb her here. She wasn't really in the mood to be hit on.

She groaned in irritation when she felt a tap on her shoulder. "Speak of the devils," she muttered with disgust and chagrin before turning around in her stool.

She was surprised to see that it wasn't a male like she initially thought. It was a gorgeous young woman in her early to mid-twenties who had a small smile to her face.

"I knew it! I knew you looked familiar!" the woman gushed with a wide grin on her face.

"Hi...?" Stella smiled quizzically. This woman somehow felt a little familiar although she couldn't pinpoint.

"I'm Rose," Rose introduced herself with a smile before extending her hand. "You're Stella, right?"

Stella raised an eyebrow and nodded slowly. Where did I see her before...?

Rose laughed softly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I work under Dr. Shields. He's my boss. We briefly met in the gala last year...?" Rose smiled, hoping to jog the blonde's memory.

Stella's eyes widened as recognition flashed in her eyes. "Ohhhh. Nice to meet you," the blonde smiled. "I'm sorry I couldn't recognize you."

Rose smiled and dismissed that airily. "Oh no. It's totally fine."

"You and Dr. Shields make a really good couple," Rose grinned genuinely. "I've always wanted to work with Dr. Shields."

"Ohhh," Stella nodded politely with a faint smile. "And thank you."

Rose nodded before she sipped on her drink which was a clear liquid. But, of course, it was not water. "Oh, I almost forgot!" Rose's eyes widened. "Can I buy you a drink please?"

Stella raised an odd eyebrow at the bizarre question. "Um, no. Thank you, but I'm good," the blonde shook her head.

"No, please. I insist. I recently got a promotion, so I'm very thankful for your family. I know Dr. Shields will not accept something like this, so...please"

"Congratulations! I'm sure you deserve it," Stela smiled. "But please, it's okay. For starters, I don't even drink."

"At least a juice then?" Rose smiled genuinely. "Please. I insist."

Stella sighed. She didn't really want to...but this girl was seriously pestering her. The blonde bit her lip before sighing again. "Um sure. If it makes you feel better. I'll have an orange juice."

Without giving her time to change her mind, Rose turned to the bartender. "Excuse me! One vodka and an orange juice, please!"

"Coming right up!" the bartender winked before getting to work.

Rose turned to her again. "So, what do you do?"

"Oh. I study at..." Stella introduced herself as they talked to get to know each other a little better.

A few minutes later, the bartender came up to them before handing them their drinks.

"Place that on my tab, please," Rose winked to which the guy nodded with a smirk.

"Cheers," Rose grinned before holding up her glass of alcohol. Stella smiled before clicking the glass with hers. "Cheers to your promotion," the blonde smiled before sipping the drink.

They continued to drink before making small talk. That is, until Rose's phone started to howl all of a sudden, despite the loud music.

Rose frowned as she looked at her phone. "Oh I'm sorry to cut this short. But I really have to go," Rose said a little disappointedly.

"Sure, no problem. It was nice meeting you," Stella smiled politely before extending her hand for her to take.

"You too," Rose nodded before shaking the hand firmly. "Have a nice night," she smiled before sliding off the bar stool and slipping away into the crowd.

"You too," Stella waved. The former left and Stella was alone again.

The blonde continued to drink her complementary juice while waiting for her friends. She shook her head with amusement when she saw them crazily dancing in the middle of the dance floor. She checked the time on her phone and grinned like a loon. Brandon should be here soon. Nonetheless, she decided to text him out of curiosity.

Where are you?

She pressed 'send' before awaiting a reply from him. He replied almost immediately.

In the car ;) See you soon.

She giggled at the cheesy text before tucking her phone back into her hands.

She took a deep breath before starting to feel a little hot. Her stomach started to hurt all of a sudden as she frowned. "Please don't tell me that I just started my period," she whispered to herself in horror. First, it'll be embarrassing as hell to bleed in public. And second, she loved this dress too much to watch it get destroyed. She needed to go home. She sure as hell wasn't going to get her period right now.

Feeling dizzy, she started to inhale and exhale deeply to get rid of the uneasy feeling in the bottom of her stomach. Stella sighed in relief when she saw that Musa wasn't too far away. Standing up, she made her way over to her friend.

"MUSA!" Stella shouted over the music.

Musa turned around at the faint but high-pitched sound before seeing Stella wave to her. "Be right back, babe," she smirked before kissing RIven chastely. "Thank god," he muttered, feeling utterly ridiculous on the dance floor. Musa laughed with a shake of her head before going up to her friend.

"Hey, Stel. What's up? Is Brandon here yet?"

Stella shook her head before hunching over with unease slightly. She felt dizzy and just...uneasy. "Muse...I don't feel so good," she said before clutching her head. "I'm gonna head home."

"What?! Why? Are you okay?!" Musa asked with a frown.

"No, I really don't feel like being here," Stella replied urgently. "I think I'm gonna have my period or something. I just have to go."

"Wait. Then let me drop you," Musa offered.

"No, it's fine. I'll catch a cab. You guys enjoy yourselves." Stella said weakly.

Musa sighed. "Fine, but...please call me when you reach home," she said before giving Stella a short hug. The blonde nodded before turning around and walking towards the exit.


A short while later...

A black Mercedes pulled up into the parking lot of the club. Brandon turned off the ignition before getting out of the car. He leaned back slightly before rolling his shoulders. He tugged at his black jeans slightly before opening the door and stepping out.

He pulled out his phone before opening Stella's contact. Where the hell are you guys at? he texted to her before making his way in.

He frowned at the wild crowd inside. He did not want his girl to be in a place like this even if it was to 'let loose'. Goodness.

He sighed a little in relief when he saw a few familiar faces. Spotting one of his friends past the midst of crazy dancers, he pushed past them roughly, knowing that they were all too drunk to register anything.

Tecna and Musa were on the bar stools near the bar, talking with themselves. He approached them, a little out of breath and irritation. "Musa, Tecna, where is Stella?!" Brandon asked urgently before looking around in panic.

"What do you mean? She told us she was going home," Tecna's eyes widened as she slid off the stool.

Musa stood up a little worried as well. "Yeah. She said that she wasn't feeling too well..." she trailed off, looking at Tecna for help.

"Well, she isn't home. She's inside," Brandon told them before pulling up his phone. He opened the app to find his contacts where it showed Stella still being inside of this club.

"What?! But she left a long time ago," Musa's eyes widened. "Do you think she lost her phone here?"

Brandon shook his head. "Girls, I was just home to change my clothes. She wasn't there," he protested while frantically looking around. The girls observed his clothing for the first time. He was no longer in his tux. He was wearing club-appropriate clothes like them.

"Girls, I'm gonna look for her," he told them. "Can you try calling her?"

They nodded before taking out their phones.

Meanwhile, Brandon scanned the crowd for a dash of golden blonde, but it was difficult to see in this dark area. All he saw was a bunch of jumping heads.

"Where are you, Stel?!" he whispered to himself, feeling his heart constrict by the second.

"Brandon! There!" Musa suddenly cried out before pointing upstairs where a young woman in a royal golden dress was walking. The dress shimmered with her movements, making it easier for them to see.

"WAIT. WHO IS THAT?!" Tecna shouted over the music when she saw a buff guy walking with Stella possessively.

Brandon's eyes followed their lines of sight before they narrowed into a glare when he saw a buff guy grabbing Stella possessively. What the hell!? Instantly, his mouth opened to shout. "STELL!" he yelled before pushing past the crazy lunatics who wasted their lives by drinking out of their minds.

He looked around for the stairs frantically before seeing the sign for upstairs. He broke out into a dash as fast as he could before roughly pushing past everyone and anyone who got in his way.

The upstairs was filled with nauseating visuals as people groped each other shamelessly. The floor extended into private hallways. "NO!" he suddenly shouted when he saw them both disappear into a room into the distance.

He didn't care what the hell people thought. He ran through the busy hallways, not caring that he nearly knocked someone's teeth while trying to sprint past them.

He felt like the room was still miles away and his heart couldn't breathe as he wondered what was going on behind those closed doors.

"MOVEEE!" he shouted angrily, resorting to use physical strength against the pathetic idiots in his way. They all looked high.

After what felt like a million years, he did reach the room indeed. Without even bothering to check if it's locked or not, he aimed a kick to the door before exerting his physical strength onto his attack. The door tumbled open and cried out in pain as the hinges nearly broke off with his strength.

He instantly rushed inside before stopping dead in his tracks. His blood ran cold as he watched the scene before him.

"S-Stella...?" he panicked as he watched her lay in the middle of the room and on a bed, with a man on top of her. Brandon's eyes remained wide as his chest tightened. He looked around the floor where clothes were scattered messily about. The dress she just wore to the party was ripped to shreds as she lay underneath in the skimpiest underwear.

Reality slapped him in the face the second he realized what was going on in here.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" he cursed before marching fully inside. He growled before grabbing the bastard by the neck and hurling him backwards. "You BASTARD," Brandon seethed with rage dripping from his tone. The moron was drunk (thankfully). He slurred madly as he tried to stand up again. Brandon grabbed his collar before aiming a punch straight to his face.

"Stella!" Brandon cried before hovering over her in total panic. The blonde was unmoving as her eyes remained closed. "Oh my god..." he whispered over and over. He raised her body up before patting her cheek to wake her up. "Stella, wake up!" he yelled in panic before he placed his ear near her chest to hear her heartbeat. To his immense relief, her heart rate was a little faster than normal, but she was fine. He instantly took off his jacket. She was left in a creme/nude strapless bra and matching underwear. He adjusted the bra and pulled it up slightly before covering her with the jacket. He zipped it up completely before buttoning them as well.

He pulled out his phone before texting Musa and Tecna to come upstairs.

Minutes later, they entered the room with displeased complaints. "It's a madhouse out there!" Musa snorted before coming inside.

The girls suddenly shrieked in surprise when they saw a random dude on the floor.

"Girls, it's okay," Brandon went up to them before patting their backs. He explained what happened here as briefly and as quickly as he could. "I need your help in getting downstairs. Is there another exit out of here?"

Tecna nodded. "Yeah, I think I saw fire exit on our way here."

Brandon nodded gratefully. "I'm taking her home. Be careful, okay? Go and join the guys," he warned them strictly before they nodded, still a little shaken by tonight's events.


Thirty minutes later...

~ Brandon's and Stella's House - 12:30 AM ~

He watched her sleep with a deep look of betrayal and injury. Her face never ceased to lull him into peace but not tonight. His heart still raced and felt like it would pop out of his chest at any second because of what could have happened to her or, rather, because of her.

He stood at the door frame of the room and kept his eyes fixated on her, his dark brown eyes refusing to move anywhere else. His heart thudded with fright and beat just as fast as it did a while ago. He could barely keep his fingers from shaking as he drove. He could barely register what just happened.

He told his parents that he was going to leave. He dropped by the house to change out of his tux because, come on, a formal tux will look a little ridiculous and a lot out-of-place in a disco bar.

And the second he enters the venue, he sees this girl in a random dude's arms.

Brandon's heart couldn't stop somersaulting as he struggled to breathe. He honestly didn't want to think about what could've happened if he had reached there even a second late. At the rate he went, he was reduced to seeing her in the littlest of clothes. Her body was just exposed to another male other than him. She was just kissed by another male other than him. She was just molested in god-knows-what ways by another male other than him.

His breath caught in his throat as it choked him. His chest tightened with each second he kept his eyes on her.

The second he brought her home, he took a few alcoholic, hot wet wipes and cleaned (practically scrubbed) her body from head to toe because he could NOT bear the thought of another man's lips and fingers venturing into places that only he had access to.

Unable to look at her any longer, he closed the door behind him and stepped outside. He went out into the hallway before leaning against the railing. His eyes were neutral and devoid of any emotion as the storm in his heart waged on, crippling and sinking the voyage of emotions he felt up until a few hours ago at the birthday party.


~ The Next Day - Afternoon - 1:30 PM ~

A sleepy groan left her lips as she rolled over on the bed sleepily. Stella sighed and felt the morning light prick her face as she buried her face deep into her pillow. She moaned in pain when the light hit her eyelids. "Why is it so bright?!" she nearly screamed but cried out immediately in pain when her head throbbed.

She looked at the clock and gasped when it was almost TWO IN THE AFTERNOON?!

"WHAT?!" she nearly screeched before bolting straight up. She was hit with another bolt of nerve-stretching pain. "Ahh!"

"Ow, ow, ow," she whispered to herself in immense pain before raising her head up sleepily. She clutched her head before slowly sitting up. She felt as if a large, heavy-weight bowling ball has been placed on top of her head. She felt so heavy but also super tired. She looked down at herself and saw that she was in one of Brandon's shirts.

She eyed the shirt in confusion before slowly getting up from the bed. She went straight to the bathroom but had to keep herself from falling because her legs felt so wobbly and heavy as hell. She washed her face, not understanding why she had a severe migraine.


Meanwhile...

Brandon sat in the living room on one of the sofa couches. He still hasn't changed from last clothes. His hair was wild and messy, but right now, he really didn't care.

He sat upright when he heard some shuffling and movement from upstairs. So, she's up, he scowled. His face immediately hardened into a deep frown as his hands struggling not to clench themselves with fists.

Minutes later, he heard the pitter patter of feet on the staircase before he saw Stella out of his peripheral vision.

He kept his eyes ahead with a neutral expression.

The blonde smiled softly when she saw him on the couch. "Hi," she greeted him.

"Good morning," she sleepily waved to him. "Why didn't you wake me up earlier?!" She sat beside him in a plop while muttering something about a headache. "What happened last night?" she yawned.

You nearly killed me. That's what happened, he thought sourly but didn't say anything. Instead, he stared dead ahead with a blank stare.

"Are you going somewhere?" she asked, keeping her voice as low as possible to limit the severity of the hangover. He was dressed in a black muscle tee and black jeans but his hair was touseled.

"No," he answered. He resisted the urge to scoff at her.

She absolutely had NO idea what happened since last night, now, did she?!

"Oh. Then what are you doing?" she asked curiously before leaning her head against his shoulder. Brandon's eyes shut close for a long moment when he felt her head touch his skin. The contact felt like hot, scorching lava running through his veins and he resisted the urge to shake it off.

"Oh. Just finished watching a show on the TV," he replied quietly, barely able to keep the low growl out of his voice.

"What show?" she asked in a low voice. Her head was aching and she felt like going back to sleep.

"Channel 93," he replied before handing her the remote beside him. "You might wanna watch it too."

"No, I'll do it later," she yawned painfully and clutched her head. "My head hurts soooo bad," she winced.

"No, I insist. It's a pretty good show and it's been airing all morning. You might want to raise the volume up though."

"Oh okay," she sighed. She turned the TV on. She turned the volume up before hitting the numbers '9' and '3'.

"NEWEST MINDBLOWING DISCOVERY! Brandon Shields, one of the youngest entrepreneurs in the 21st century, attended his 25th birthday bash just hours ago! Aren't we happy?! Oh...but...wait for it...sadly, rumors have it that his wife, Stella Shields, has been caught red-handed in the jaws of infidelity!"

Stella's eyes widened to the point of bulging out of their sockets. WHAT?!

She stood up slowly as she processed in the burning headlines scrolling through the news channel in unmistakenable, bold red letters.

Stella covered her mouth in shock with both of her hands before tears erupted in her eyes. She didn't tear her eyes from the channel's current trending topic.

The news headline shifted upwards as images popped up in the middle of the screen. Stella gasped and nearly shrieked in terror before lightly blurried pictures of her in another man's arms covered the screen. Brandon saw that it was the exact visual of her when he saw her from downstairs.

The images only showed a blurred partial side of her face. Those who know her would definitely know that it was her. Her blonde hair was strikingly familiar and so is that dress she wore last night.

"See for yourself, ladies and gentlemen! Now the million dollar question is: how thin of a thread is the young couple's marriage hanging on?"

Brandon remained seated on the couch as he stared at Stella, who looked clueless out of her mind. Of course, she would be clueless. It's not like she had a drop or two of alcohol. Who knows how many drinks this traitor downed?!

He crossed a leg over the other while spreading his arms on the couch.

Stella felt like her heart stopped and her world just came to an end. She shakily turned to Brandon before seeing that his eyes were already on her.

She instantly slumped down next to him and grabbed his arm. "Brandon! I swear I don't know what they're talking about. I really don't," she cried.

"You don't know what they're talking about..." he nodded slightly before standing up. He took the remote from her slowly before lazily tossing it from one hand to another. He stared at her and then back at the TV before his eyes shifted to that of a ferocious beast.

As fast as lightning and unable to keep his feelings in check any longer, with an angry growl, he hurled the remote across the room. Stella screamed in shock and stood up with a bolt as the black electronic device slammed itself against a wall and fell to the floor in shattered pieces.

She turned to him with tears in her eyes. "Brandon...?" she sniffled, ignoring her pounding headache from the hangover. She reached for him but he turned to her with a viscious glare on his face.

"Don't you fucking touch me!" he growled in disgust before swatting her hand away.

"Please d-don't say that," she cried. "I didn't mean to-"

"SHUT UP!" he yelled, making her jump in fear. "You were about to fuck another guy right in front of my eyes! And now you have the nerve to say to me that you don't know anything?!"

"W-What...?" she whispered in shock.

"Do you have ANY idea how I found you last night?!" he yelled. "You were almost naked. That's HOW I found you!" He had to bite his tongue to stop himself from calling her a whore right now but he knew that he'll regret it so much later.

She stared at him unmovingly with wide eyes. W-W-What...? she thought in horror. She felt as if she's going to pass out any second. No! It can't be true! It can't be!

"I have no reason to lie to your face," he growled at the conflicting emotions on her face. She didn't believe him. Heh. The IRONY. He should be the one having trouble believing her.

"NO! You're lying!" she cried angrily.

"Me? Lying?!" he hissed at her audacity to yell back at him. "Then do YOU remember what happened last night?!"

She racked her mind to think hard of something but her brain was blank. Blank.

NOTHING. She bowed her head down ashamed and horrified as tears streamed down her cheeks. "I...I really don't remember..."

He scoffed. "You don't remember?!" He glared at the voices from the TV. "See that?" he hissed while pointing to the TV. "Let THEM jog your memory!"

He grabbed her face and turned it forcibly to face the TV. She watched with unblinking eyes as the news reports flashed over and over again, creating hype and drama.

"You're STILL going to tell me that you don't know what I'm talking about?!" he yelled.

She turned to him again as the nightmare turned to reality. He gave her a death glare. Her heart broke at the sheer hate in his eyes for her. With tears streaming down her cheeks in messy droplets, she let out a choked sob. "Brandon, please! You have to believe me! I really don't know what happened last night," she sobbed.

"Please believe me..." she begged while reaching for him.

"Stella, stop fucking touching me. I don't want to hurt you, so stay the hell away from me," he hissed angrily before throwing her a hateful glare.

"B-Brandon, p-p-please, I would never cheat on you-" she tried again with a thick, choked voice but he interrupted her again.

"Yeah, that's what I thought too. Until last night!" he yelled angrily.

She took a step towards him but he instantly held up his hand before taking a large step backwards.

"Why? Why did you do this to me?!" he whispered hatefully while tears spun in his own brown irises.

"Brandon..." she cried. "Please. I would never do that to you."

"Don't you believe me?" she cried, ignoring the excruciating way her head throbbed from last night's apparent hangover.

"Brandon...I would never cheat on you," Stella cried as he slumped into the sofa with his head in his hands.

Tears wet his cheeks but he didn't care. "You almost did, Stella. If I hadn't been there, you would've fucked that bastard all night," he hissed angrily.

"NO! Please believe me," she sobbed. "Please. I love you. I would never do that to you or us."

"What would you have done if it was me who did this?" he grabbed her by the collar, letting her see his betrayed and wounded eyes. His eyes glistened with angry tears while she cried. "Would you have forgiven me?" he asked with a heated whisper. "WOULD YOU?!"

"I'm s-sorry," she hiccuped miserably. "I would never cheat on you, Brandon," she sobbed, repeating the same sentence over and over again. "Please believe me," she begged as she cried.

"I won't," he cut her off firmly. "Why should I?! Would YOU believe me if it was the other way around? You would've dumped my ass in the first second! Tell me why I shouldn't do the same to you," he taunted as he crossed his arms angrily.

A long silence ensued the house as they both locked their eyes with each other. Brandon's glare was fiercely venomous while Stella's was pleading and miserable.

Finding her silent only made him angrier. His face grew red, his veins started to pulse with more blood, and his overall body started to shake from the rage.

His wrathful fury grew cancerously like fungus within his body. His rage was enveloped by heartbreak as he struggled to breathe.

"You've always been my priority," he whispered. "I always protected you and I loved you with everything I have," he continued with wounded treachery in his voice and eyes. "Is a little loyalty too much to ask?"

"Brandon...I am loyal to you," Stella sobbed sorrowfully. "Please. I really don't know-"

"LOYAL? I found you in a BED with a bastard on TOP of you! One more second and you would've been..." he trailed off as his chest rose and fell rapidly. "You still want to tell me that it's different than it looks?!" he snarled. "WHY should I believe you?! Why should I believe that you're loyal!" he yelled madly. "WHERE IS THE PROOF THAT YOU EVEN LOVE ME?!"

"Because I can't live without you!" she sobbed while throwing her arms around him. She didn't care if he hurt her or slapped her for this.

His body instantly stiffened as she knocked the wind out of his lungs. She clutched his torso for dear life as she sobbed deep into his chest. She kept crying like an insane loon. She hugged him so tightly, telling him how much she needed him and how she'll never let him go.

His eyes misted over as he felt her against him. All the memories he made with her, everything he said to her, their dates, their hugs, their kisses, and the passionate nights they made love to each other hit him with a ferocity by her touch.

Finding him silent and lean into her slowly, Stella thought he was going to believe her. That he was going to hug her back and tell her that it was okay. That everything is going to be okay.

She thought everything was going to be okay eventually but her heart shattered when he abruptly reached out by her shoulders before pushing her away from him.

"I said, DON'T TOUCH ME!" he yelled angrily as she stumbled backwards. She winced in pain and emotional heartbreak, the latter being the worst.

She felt her heart crumble into a million times as a lone tear slid down his cheek. He slumped down in the sofa behind him as his knees gave away for the SECOND ever time in his life. "Brandon!" she breathed while going towards him. She slumped down on her knees before falling at his feet.

"Please. Please!" she sobbed before tugging at his knee. He looked dead as he stared ahead into nothing. Hearing her hysterical cries, he looked down to see her on the floor, gathered at his feet.

"Please believe me. I love you! I would rather die than cheat on you!" she cried against his knee before starting to slam her head against his knee in desperation to wake up from his horrifying nightmare.

His eyes widened as he watched her injure herself against him. His hand reached down to stop her head from slamming to him repeatedly.

She looked up from him, surprised that he touched her. Tears fell down her cheeks and rolled rapidly down her cheeks.

Watching her cry made his world shatter. She was his entire world and entire universe. It broke him to see her in that state. His hands reached down as he cupped her face between his hands before plastering his forehead to hers. "I've been going insane since yesterday, Stella," he confessed, letting her see the immeasurable bitter pain radiating from his eyes.

Stella's eyes turned into liquid golden crystals as she listened to his broken words.

"Stell...since the first time we got together, I never suspected that you would ever cheat on me. You've accused me of it before, but I never even thought of something like that," he said with a sad voice. "And today...seeing you in the headlines in the arms of another man, do you really think that I'm overreacting?"

His eyes glistened when she averted her eyes away from him. "I don't want silence. I want answers," he stated. She glanced up at him again. Her voice died a long time ago in her throat because she honestly had nothing to say. She didn't remember anything and she really had no clue of what she did.

"If I step out right now, people will literally ask me when we're heading for a divorce."

Her eyes widened as she silently pleaded him not to do this to her. He watched her terrified emotions flash back and forth on her face. She whimpered brokenly in his hold as she begged to not leave her.

"What do you want me to tell them?" he asked. "Hmm?"

...

Silence.

...

"Okay. How about this? Okay. Let's forget about the headlines. Let's forget about the TV and all of that. WHY did I have to catch you in that position?" he asked.

She cried, not having an answer to any of his questions. No, he wasn't overreacting. He was perfect with his questions. He didn't toss wild accusations at her without evidence to back himself up. Any significant other would react this way.

Brandon kept his eyes on her, refusing to even take a break to at least blink. Seeing her cry her soul out...it pricked his heart. He felt like murdering anyone who makes this girl cry, but to realize that it was him who was making her cry...he didn't know what to think.

"Stella, look at me," he commanded softly. She glanced up at him shakily, awaiting the inevitable. They were done. This was it. She crossed a limit. She crossed a line that she cannot uncross.

"More than anything and anyone in this world, I love you and I trust you the most," he said softly while letting out another single droplet of tear stain his cheek.

"And that's what I'll do right now as well," he sniffled as he glanced deeply into her glistening ambers. She sat by his feet and listened with bated breaths.

He took a deep breath before speaking. Pointing towards the TV, he asked, "Tell me...tell me that none of this is true. Tell me that all of this happened without your intentions. Just tell me that whatever I saw in that room is not true. And I'll forget any of this ever happened."

"I swear, Brandon. I swear that I-"

"No explanations." He placed a finger to her lips, shushing her instantly. "Yes or no?" he asked quietly. "Was it true or not? That's all I need to know."

"...No," she cried. She hugged his leg before resting her head on his knee. "No, no, no!"

His eyes watered as he patted through her hair. He didn't know what he would've done if she really did...go through that.

Her cries echoed through his ears in reverberating waves. NO.

She said NO.

His ray of sunshine said NO.

She said NO.

"Okay," he replied before getting off the couch and joining her on the floor. "I believe you." She gasped at his words before staring wide-eyed at him.

He grabbed her into a hug all of a sudden before crying into her shoulder. Feeling him shake, her eyes widened to the point of disbelief. He was probably one of the strongest men she ever encountered in her life. To hear him sniffle and that too, because of her, she didn't know what to do. She felt like dying. "Brandon, please. Please. I would never do anything to jeopardize us," she sobbed while lifting his face up. His eyes held tears of heartbreak, a couple of them wetting his cheeks.

"I love you, Stella," he confessed. "Please don't leave me, baby," he sniffled before hiding his face between his hands. He let her go and faced the front before bending his head in order to hide his own pain. He didn't want her to see him like this. He had always been her source of strength and rarely cried in front of her. He never usually cried, but...he couldn't keep this in.

He didn't know what to feel right now. All he knew is that he felt...relief. He didn't want to doubt this woman. There was just no way his ray of sunshine would EVER do something like this. She won't betray him. She just won't. But he needed to hear this from her. Her eyes held honesty as she begged for him to believe her.

He's been going insane all night. He didn't even sleep for an hour. He was sitting in the same exact position like a deranged patient. He didn't know what would happen if she had somehow said yes against all odds. He would die. That's for sure. Or, he'd sink himself so far into the depths of insanity that he'll forget himself.

He used his sleeves to free his face from any moisture. He took a couple of deep breaths. Turning to her, he saw that she was still crying and pleading for him to trust her. "Shh, come here," he said before pulling her close. "I believe you, Sunshine. I don't care what I saw. I don't care what those news scrolls show me. I'll believe you."

Hearing those words, Stella closed her eyes before letting out another cry of joy and relief. He pulled back just enough to wipe her tear stains away.

They stayed in each other's arms before breaking down in each other's arms.

It took a long time for them to accept the reality. It took them a long time to accept the fact that Stella was innocent. He believed her.

He believed her.

A long while later, he pulled back from her after wiping his face from moisture. She whimpered and refused to let go of him.

"Do you feel okay?" he asked with a light sniffle.

Stella closed her eyes as her headache grew to the point where it's becoming difficult to endure the pain. But she nodded anyway with watery eyes. "You have a headache, don't you?" he asked, his voice dropping to a low whisper. She probably has the worst kind of hangover right now and them yelling and shouting at each other for the past one hour doesn't really help her situation.

"It's fine," she sniffled before he gently let his fingers run through her hair. He freed the occasional tangles before resuming.

"No, it isn't. Get some rest for a few hours. You won't feel better until tomorrow," he stated.

"Brandon...I'm so sorry," Stella sobbed all of a sudden. She didn't what she did to deserve such a man. Only a total fool would be okay with something like this. Who, in this generation, would believe her?

She would be seen as a whore, a heartless little bitch who plays with other people's emotions. She would seen as a gold-digger who has nothing to do in her life except be sadistical to people's emotions.

He kissed the top of her head but didn't say anything back until after a long moment. "...I know you are," he replied quietly. "Forget about it. We'll talk later when you feel better."

His gentle ministrations and occasional kisses he planted on her cheek and forehead made her feel like this is reality again. Due to that, his slow, relaxing actions made her feel sleepy in his arms. She jerked herself awake immediately before rubbing her eyes. Seeing her restrict herself, he silently spoke. "Go to sleep if you have to," he chided her. She shook her head, earning another glare from him. "Stella, stop being stubborn. Go. To. SLEEP," he ordered with authority.

He picked her up bridal style immediately before she buried her head deep into the crook of his neck. She soaked his shirt with her tears as he carried her upstairs. Reaching for their bedroom, he opened the partially opened door with his foot.

He instantly made his way to the bed before holding her close for a long moment. He set her down on the mattress after a while.

"Get some rest, okay?" he whisperedly sadly before gently pulling up the covers.

"Please don't go..." she pleaded before sitting up once more. "Please."

He sighed before sitting down at the edge of the bed. Caressing her face, his thumbs gently wiped away the hot tears rolling down her cheeks. "Please believe me, Brandon," she begged.

He remained silent and still for a long moment before letting out an exhale. "To be honest, I never doubted you in the first place," he said quietly. He never really did. He was just too angry and upset to register. She was unconscious when he found her. But one fact still remained. "But...Stella, I CAN'T forget what happened. I'm still shaking from the way I found you last night," he said before placing a palm over his chest.

"B-Brandon-" she started but was interrupted again.

"Why would you get drunk in the first place?!" he asked incredulously, raising his voice again. "Stella, I can tolerate any stupid thing you do but NOT something like this. You told Musa that you weren't feeling well and you never came home."

"I was telling the truth!" she protested with more tears. "I didn't feel too well after the drink she gave me and..." she sniffled, trailing off. She honestly didn't know what to say. She would've been traumatized too if she found him like that!

He sighed. "You should've been more careful," he said. He stopped momentarily when her words played through his mind. "Wait. Who gave you a drink? Musa?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. She felt pressured by MUSA?! MUSA?!

"No. Um...she said that she works with you. That she's your colleague," Stella said.

What?! His eyebrows shot up to the roof in disbelief. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW?! So you'll trust any freaking stranger that comes up to you without an identity?!" he shouted.

She winced at his tone before clutching her ears in pain. "It's because I met her before!" Stella said with watery eyes. "We met at the first gala. So, I assumed that you know her well-"

"Wait. Who the hell are you talking about?! Don't say it's Lisa because she was with me the whole time."

"I don't know! She said her name was Rose and I recognized her!" Stella said.

"Who the heck is Rose?!" he asked incredulously. There probably is a 'Rose' in his company, but he didn't know her personally. The people he usually associated himself without did not including a 'Rose'.

"I don't know, okay?!"

"Don't yell at me for your mistakes," he warned. "Own up to your damn actions because I wasn't the one who told you to drink!" he yelled.

She winced again in pain before mumbling a low-voiced apology. "I'm sorry," she cried.

"Just...go to sleep," he said.

"Brandon...please don't be that way to me. I really thought that this Rose was your employee or your friend," Stella cried defensively.

"I'll talk about how stupid of a move that was later. But, Stella...WHY did you drink? Why?" he asked softly.

"But I didn't," Stella hiccuped as she let out another choked sob. "It was orange juice and I thought that I..." she trailed, crying into her hands.

"W-What...?" he blinked in shock. "You drank orange juice? Not alcohol...?"

"No," she sobbed as her body shook.

Stella heard him letting out a deep breath. There were so many emotions traveling around his face as he blinked a few times, trying to process what the blonde just told him.

"You didn't drink...? Not even a sip?" he asked again, just to make sure. Stella shook her head with watery eyes.

He cursed under his breath but the rage he felt earlier was no longer existent. Instead, he was just...relieved. IMMENSELY relieved. NOW he KNEW for a fact that she was not responsible for her actions anymore.

It took him some time for reality to sink in but the Stella he knew would never drink. Even if she chose to, she would never do it in such risky places.

His eyes softened immensely as she cried. She clutched her head before hunching over in pain. He instantly wrapped his hands around her frail body before pulling her close. "I'm sorry, okay? I believe you, beautiful. I believe you," he murmured against her cheek before telling her to stop crying. It will just make her headache worse.

He stood up a second later and let go of her. She whimpered and refused to let go of him before he assured her that he'll be back soon.

Minutes later, he entered the room with a water filter. She buried her head into her lap and continued to sniffle. He placed the filter aside before lifting her head up.

She hiccuped as he gave her a glass of water. "Here," he softly said before taking out a bottle of aspirin pills. "Take one and you'll feel better."

She shook her head before placing it on the table beside her. She drew her knees to her chest and buried her head in between her knees.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders before nudging her to get over it. "Stell, don't. I told you that I WILL forget and-"

"Will we ever be normal?" she hiccuped a small cry. "Do you...do you hate me...?" she continued to cry.

"Do you really think that I can live with hating you?" he asked with his own tears. "And we are being normal, Sunshine. In order for me to forget, you have to forget it yourself. In a few days, I'll just think of this as nothing more than my worst nightmare. That's all," he told her.

"Please," he asked.

"I'm so sorry," she sobbed over and over again. "I'll do anything you say and-"

"Shut up. You not doing anything is a gift to me right now," he interrupted before rubbing her back up and down. She suddenly winced and jerked with a gasp in his arms, making him let go of her all of a sudden.

"What happened?" he asked puzzled but noticed that she looked sad and...in pain. He stared at her confused.

Stella bit her lip and touched her back, not understanding why she felt abrupt pain at one spot. She looked at him, who instantly turned red with anger again before standing up and sitting behind her. "What now?!" he growled before grabbing of her shirt.

He pulled it up with a swift tug. His eyes widened in horror when he saw an ugly purplish-red bruise on her back.

"Stella, why do you have a bruise on your back?" he asked in a deathly calm tone. Despite knowing him for a year or two, she still gulped at the screeching fury in his voice. Oh, he was more than pissed right now. She can say that she pitied the unfortunate soul who had to be in his way, but...unfortunately for her, she was the unfortunate soul.

"I don't know," she sniffled and replied in a hoarse voice.

"Does it hurt?" he asked, clearly pissed off. He scooted forward a little before tracing his chilly fingers on her skin. The wound looked very deep as the center areas appeared blackened. She sucked in a small gasp before biting her lip. It wasn't unbearable but it was painful.

"If only you had just listened to me yesterday..." he sighed before letting her go. "Take your shirt off. I'm going to get some medicine."

She did as she was told before he stood up to go to the bathroom. He raided the cabinets behind the mirror for a first-aid box before waltzing into the bedroom once more.

He opened the kit before taking out a bottle of liquid and cotton. He slid his fingers across the injury before she gasped and winced.

"Stop moving," he told her before gently dabbing the bruise with disinfectant-filled cotton ball. She winced in pain and suddenly jerked forward when he pressed deeply into the wound.

"S-Stop," she breathed while pushing his hand away.

"Not yet," he countered before wrapping an arm from behind and around her midriff to keep her still and unmoving. "It's okay," he told her in comfort.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" he frowned while inspecting every inch of her body. She shook her head before taking the shirt to put it back on.

He closed the kit before placing it aside. He told her to get some rest before gently pushing her back down on the bed. His lips stroked her forehead softly before pulling back. "Please forgive me," she hiccuped as a tear slid down to the side of her face before wetting a few strands of her hair.

He bent down before hugging her body close to his. "You've done nothing wrong for me to forgive," he whispered. He kissed her so softly before resorting to stay with her until she fell asleep again.


Hours later...

He went to check on her a couple of hours later. She stayed awake for a few hours after that but her headache still remained. She continued to cry even after hours and it took him a long time to subdue her.

The longer she cried for, the more and more convinced he came that she was really (and thankfully) innocent. What more could he ask for right now?


A few hours later...

~ 12:00 AM ~

Brandon entered the room once more before his heart felt coated with peace. He kept his eyes on the bed where Stella was passed out in the middle of the bed. He suppressed a small smile when he saw her wearing his sweater which hugged her till her mid-thighs. She was laying down in a fetal position, sleeping on one side with her legs curled up all the way till her chest.

He checked the time and saw that it was well past ten at night. He was tired as hell as well, but rather than physical, he was mentally exhausted. Today has just been one of the scariest, if not the only, days of his life.

He kept his eyes fixated on her as she slept obliviously to his gaze.

A small, disturbed crease formed in between her eyebrows. Reaching down, he kissed the little space between her brows before pulling back. He grabbed a fresh set of clothes from his closet before heading to the bathroom, all the while making sure that he didn't make a single sound. He didn't want to wake her up. They both had a bad day and it pained him the most to remember the tears she shed today at the expense of his anger.

Emerging into the room once again, his eyes fixated onto her like a magnet. He walked over to her before sitting on the bed. He frowned at the thin layer of sweat forming on her forehead. He reached over for the AC remote before pushing the temperature down by a few notches. Sliding in beside her, he pulled up the covers over both of them.

She limply lay against him as he held her close. All he wanted for a simple and quiet weekend with her. But instead, this happens. He sighed, knowing that despite whatever he said to her a few hours ago, there's no way in hell he'll forget this any time soon. He believed her but...she still almost did it. Didn't she?

Whether or not her actions were intentional, if he hadn't shown up, she would've woken up naked and next to a stranger. She would've spent the night with another man. The mere thought of another man laying his fingers on Stella brewed Brandon's blood to a steaming boil.

She was his and no one will ever take this woman away from him ever again. He made a costly mistake of that once and suffered through a million kinds of hell for one whole year. He wasn't about to lose her again and toss her to another man. HELL. NO.

He fell asleep shortly after but with an unsettling feeling.


~ The Next Morning - 9:00 AM ~

"Breakfast!" he smiled at her with a wide grin. He entered the room to see her emerging from the bathroom.

Stella blinked before sleepily walking over to him and rubbing her eyes. "I'm hallucinating, aren't I?" she asked him before poking him. "You're actually yelling at me, so why does it look like you're smiling?" she asked herself while peering closely at his face.

He tossed her a half-lidded, dry look. "Really?"

She shrugged in response.

He watched her eat with a small smile in his face. THIS was what their weekend should've been. Filled with fun, games, laughter, and...nights filled with passionate M-rated events, in his opinion. Right now, he felt deprived of all of that, especially the last one.


A short while later...

They stayed in bed for a long time before Brandon brought up the topic that's been weighing down in his mind since yesterday.

"Sunshine...I need to go to work," he said quietly.

She turned to him with her eyes full of fear and imminent heartbreak.

"Calm down. This is something that I have to do. I need to solve this issue and-"

"Why you? I'm the one who created it. Let me come with you-" she started with tears in her eyes.

"You'll do NO such thing," he growled. "I'll let you come with me when it's the right time but not right now."

Tears fell from her cheeks as she hid her face in between her face.

"...I promise you. I swear to you on my life. I will protect you," he vowed to her before holding her close.

He only hoped that he can keep that promise.


A repeated, layered chorus of his name from the paparazzi irritated him as he grumbled under his breath. It hasn't even been two minutes since he parked his car in the parking lot. It has literally been SECONDS since he stepped into the company building before he was ambushed. He covered his eyes in irritation at the cameras going off on his face.

"Dr. Shields!"

"Please wait!"

"Dr. Shields, please give us your statement!"

The camera people and journalists flocked around him, much like how bugs gather around a sweet-scented flower.

He looked in the distance where he saw that Lisa was just meters away and that she was rushing towards him frantically for support. He shot her a relieved, grateful smile as she joined by his side.

Lisa hugged him for support before whispering that she got him. He stopped walking for a second as he hugged her back. It didn't take long before the media surrounded him from all sides.

"Is it true?!"

"People are wondering if you're getting a divorce! How much of that is true?!"

"Are you indeed giving a divorce to your wife who's been caught in a cheating scandal?!"

Unable to keep his cool, Brandon's eyes flared angrily. "ENOUGH!" he yelled, silencing everyone immediately with his deep voice.

"You're the media. Use it to help the public and STOP using it for your damn publicity!" he yelled angrily. "Why does the country or YOU care about MY WIFE?!"

"Cheating scandal?!" he growled before addressing each of them. "You're the ones who made it a scandal! We're not getting a divorce and she certainly did NOT cheat on me-"

"Explain the photos then," someone chimed in with mockery.

"Are you married?" Brandon asked in return.

"No," the male journalist replied with a haughty scoff.

"Then you obviously wouldn't know, so it's a waste of MY time to explain it to you."

"Excuse me?!" the journalist defended himself, obviously offended at being humiliated in public.

Brandon didn't choose to respond to him directly. Instead, he turned to everyone before speaking. "I trust my wife," Brandon said defiantly. "Because of YOUR tabloids, she's been receiving mental harassment all day. What is wrong with you?!" he yelled, unable to keep the rage out of his tone.

"I WILL find out whoever is responsible for this," Brandon threatened. "I'm warning all of you. STAY AWAY from my personal life or I WILL sue each and every one of you for defamation," he snapped angrily. "What happens to me or my family is none of your business."

"Lisa, take note of the media companies that came here today," he hissed angrily to his secretary. "And if another article comes up about Stella, initiate lawful charges against that company."

"Of course, sir," Lisa said obediently before casting a glare at each of them.

Brandon moved to push past everyone but not before addressing all of them with one last thing. "Shame on each and every one of you," he scoffed before giving each and every one of them a death glare. He knew he'll probably be backlashed for this but he DIDN'T care. He didn't.

He was defending the woman he love and NO ONE had a right to comment on her except for himself.


Hours later...

~ Brandon's and Stella's House - 3:00 PM ~

He entered the house before slamming the door shut behind him. To his pleasant surprise, the blonde was curled up in a sitting position in the living room.

"You're not going to Princeton anymore," he officially declared. "You're going to sit your little butt in this house every damn day and never step out in your life again."

"I don't want to go either," she mumbled before sinking further into the sofa's cushion.

He raised an eyebrow at that response. "Uh...I was just joking earlier. If you're not gonna leave, then I'll just have to kick you out," he smirked.

"...I'm surprised you still haven't," she softly said. His eyes softened before he took off his suit jacket and approached her. He sat beside her before pressing his lips against her temple.

"I would never do that to you," he said. "You know that." He traced the contours of her cheek with the back of his hand before lowering down to squeeze her waist.

"I don't know if I can face this alone," she mumbled. She hugged him tightly before pressing her face deep into his chest, never wanting to leave and never wanting to let go of them. She didn't know if she can face such a sinful accusation all by herself.

She has seen the interview on TV and she was surprised to see so many people interested in her love life. WHY can't they just mind their own damn business?! A tear slid down her cheek as she sniffled with guilt succeeded by trauma.

A long silence passed between them as the aftermath of their actions caught up to them.

"Stel?"

"Hmm?" she mumbled doozily in his arms. She interwined one of her hands with his and started to play with his fingers. His next words caused her to stop her movements instantly as she gaped up at him.

"...What if I come with you?" he finally asked out of the blue which made her eyes pop open at his words as he locked his gaze with hers.


Ten days later...

It was unexpected. It was out of the blue. It was downright zany but the words spoken to her on that night made an impact on the following days.

The couple went to Brandon's parents to clear up certain issues. They all agreed that it was probably for the best for the young couple to stay together. Their family and friends supported them and assured them both their unwavering trust, which Stella will probably be eternally grateful for.

They both had a long discussion for the night, wondering if it was really possible for Brandon to move here for the next few months. Stella grew skeptical and a little worried about the move, but Brandon assured her that he'll take care of everything and that she shouldn't worry about anything else right now other than her studies. She was just a few months away from graduating and her studies are the most crucial part of her life right now. She didn't need to worry about other nonsense.

And so, after much discussion, it was decided. They picked a fully-furnished, short-term rental house. With Jay's help (again), they rented and moved into their new house.


~ Brandon's and Stella's New House, New Jersey - 5:00 PM ~

"Brandon, today's your turn to wash the dishesss!" Stella screeched before trying to pull him up from the couch. She stood in front of the TV, blocking his vision.

"Shut up, Stella, and let me watch my game," he sighed in irritation before pushing her aside.

"Brandon, GET UP!" Stella groaned. "Pleaseeeeee! We have to make dinner soon!"

With a glare, he stood up. "But I hate doing dishes," Brandon grumbled before stomping towards the kitchen.

"Well, I'm not having a goddamn affair with them either, so get your ass in there," Stella snapped.

He scoffed from the kitchen while she changed the channel to something of her liking. She never understood sports.

"I've to still get used to this," Stella sighed in bliss.

"This house is definitely smaller than ours," he commented from the kitchen while looking around. "I miss my gym."

He signed up for a regular membership at the nearest gym in the city. Obviously, being the fitness freak he is, he refused to let go of his habit of working out.

After hearing him say that, she stood up and went to the kitchen. "Do you regret it?" Stella asked with a small frown.

He shook his head. "Not really, but it would be nicer to have a bigger place for ourselves."

There was only one room for them each, not that they needed separate rooms, but still. However, seeing that Stella only had a little over three months before graduation, they didn't really care much for luxury.


The same night...

"Stel?" he called out from their bedroom before unbuttoning his shirt.

"Comingggg!" he heard her sing before hopping into the bedroom seconds later. "Yeah?" she asked.

"What time does college end for you tomorrow?" he asked while picking up his phone from the nightstand.

"Um...four? Why?" she asked.

"I have to run back home tomorrow for something, but I'll see you in the evening, okay?"

Stella's eyes widened. "What? Are you serious?"

"Yeah...I just forgot to do something before leaving."

"Um...okay," she said a little unsurely. She nodded before she left to do whatever she was doing before he interrupted her.

She couldn't dissolve that nagging conscious in the back of her mind. She frowned as she kept thinking over what he said.


A short while later...

"Brandon...?"

He was on the bed, working on something in his laptop. He lifted his head to see Stella approaching him with a small frown on her face. His expression soon mimicked hers as his body kicked into an overprotective mode. "What's wrong?"

She sat at the edge of the bed beside him. "Are you sure you don't really regret anything?" she bit her lip while asking.

"...About moving...?" he asked.

She nodded with a small frown. "Yeah..."

He grasped her chin to emphasize his point. "If we hadn't broken up...then we would've still been here, remember?" he asked in nostalgia.

"I suppose you're right..." Stella smiled at the good ol' times.

"Then there's nothing to regret," he assured her.

She smiled before he pulled her into an affectionate hug. He just always knew what to say.


~ The Next Morning - 8:00 AM ~

The next morning, Stella saw that the bed was unoccupied except for her. She sat up sleepily before reaching for her phone when she saw that a little note was attached to the nightstand. Taking it curiously, she flopped back onto the mattress before sighing softly.

Good morning, Sunshine! I made breakfast for you. Be safe. I'll see you in the evening. Love you :)

She smiled at the little note but she still missed him. He left before she even woke up.

He bent and kissed her forehead as she slept in content. Sliding in beside her, he picked her up in his arms once more. "I love you," he whispered in her ear, knowing that it won't reach her. He held her in his arms for a few more minutes before resolving to get up. He picked himself up before gently placing her on the bed. She slept on her stomach, letting him see her bare back. Reaching down, he kissed her exposed shoulders before stroking her waist.

He pulled up the blankets to cover her body before picking up his keys, wallet, and phone. He grabbed his suit jacket before heading out and making sure to lock the door behind him.


Meanwhile...

Brandon parked his car in the lot of his company before taking out his phone and texting a certain someone that he's on his way.

"Lisa, I need your help," he approached his personal assistant cautiously with a hesitant look.

Lisa gasped as she looked up from her desk. "BRANDON!? OH MY GOD!" she yelped in concern before rushing over to hug him. He hugged her back with a grateful smile before pulling back.

"I'm so sorry about that news," Lisa sighed. "Is Stella okay?"

"You don't believe the news either?" he asked, a smile growing on his face.

"Since when do we EVER trust tabloids?" Lisa chuckled, rolling her eyes. "Are you okay? So, how are you guys really doing?"

He took a deep breath before getting right into business.

"I need your help."

He took the elevator and slammed on the top floor button before the doors closed moments later. He tapped his foot a little impatiently as he waited for the elevator to hurry up and stop at his destination.

"I need to know what happened in the club the other night," he stated affirmatively.

"What? How?" Lisa asked in confusion.

"Stella said that someone named Rose from our company introduced themselves to her. Stella said that this Rose or whatever appeared at the gala from a year and half ago."

"So? There are probably plenty of Rose's in the company," Lisa remarked. "And besides, what does that have to do with anything? What's wrong with introducing themselves?"

"Nothing except I have a VERY bad feeling about it. Lisa, please. I need to know who approached Stella on that night. We're thinking that her drink might've been drugged somehow."

"Brandon, are you really serious? Do you realize how silly you sound right now? Stella was in a club. As harsh as this may sound, of course, there will be drugged drinks and spiked fruit punches!" Lisa stated incredulously.

The elevator door chimed, bringing him back to reality. The doors opened at the designated floor before he stepped out.

"Good morning, Dr. Shields," one of the employees greeted him with a smile.

"'Morning," Brandon wished absentmindedly while checking his phone.

He walked down the familiar hallway. He looked up to see his room but passed by it without a care. He checked the room numbers before a familiar one caught his eye. Without further delay, he picked up his pace and knocked on the door.

"Lisa. I don't know who it is but I WILL find the culprit responsible for getting Stella's name into tabloids. Messing with me was ONE thing but I won't sit around and watch the goddamn media write shit about her."

Within moments, Lisa opened the door for him. Her eyes looked around carefully before hastily inviting him in. "Come on in," she said quietly. He entered the room before she locked it shut.

She sat down at her desk before hastily typing something into her computer.

"Lisa. Do you have something for me?" Brandon asked a little impatiently before sitting on opposite side of her desk.

"...I do. That's why I told you to come by as soon as you can. Anyways, I got in contact with a friend of mine in the police department to help me with this," Lisa bit her lip hesitantly.

"Okay. And?"

Lisa sighed. "Brandon, even if I want to, there's no way we can find out who it is. Those clubs are always dark as hell and we can't-"

"We ran through the footage of the club's events that night and...Stella was telling the truth. They were both talking. And then the video does show of this woman ordering something from the bar and adding something extra into the drink. And then, she handed the drugged drink to Stella," Lisa stated with a sigh.

"Please," he asked softly before placing a palm on top of hers. "I'm not asking you as your boss. I'm begging you as a friend."

"WHO?" Brandon growled.

Lisa sighed before looking down at his hand. "...Alright."

Lisa took a deep breath before revealing the name. "Skylar Black."

Brandon instantly went rigid at the sound of her name. He turned as still as a statue the second the name rolled off Lisa's lips.

Stella's words echoed hauntingly in his ears as he blinked rapidly to process the situation.

"...she told me that she works with you..."

"...she said her name was Rose and I recognized her..."

Stella wasn't lying and neither was that Rose.

"Skylar...?" he whispered in disbelief and utter shock. He froze in his spot as he stared at Lisa, hoping against hope that she'll take her word back.

His mind darted back and forth between the events of the night of his birthday.

"...I have a headache. I have to go."

Headache? Yeah, right.

Brandon's heart constricted tightly as he struggled to breathe. He couldn't think straight. She was in front of his eyes the whole and he couldn't guess THIS.

So...the person responsible for causing a panic and wreaking havoc was none other than...

Skylar Rose Black.


Previews for the upcoming chapters...

"Trust your gut, Stella. He doesn't love you."

...

"Come back to me. Leave her."

...

"You're right. I should've done this a long time ago," he told his ex-fiancee as she looked up at him with happy and hopeful eyes.

...

"There's no 'we' anymore. We're done."

...


Okay, first of all, THANK YOU SO MUCH READING! And second...there will be LOTS and LOTS of mistakes in this story. This is due to mostly ME writing this story in patches and patches that I'm currently so thrown off.

BUT I will fix them later in this week because I have an appointment with my campus library soon, so I have to go.

And SECOND, I deeply APOLOGIZE for rushing this chapter so DAMN much but it couldn't be helped. I've been in a rush all day and it took me legit 5-6 hours to spin this out of the blue. 23,600+ words in 5.5 hours!

PLUS, I really wanted to update on this particular day (Nov 3rd) and hopefully redeem myself.

Thank you so much and please drop in a review! I'll love that :)! Even if Fanfic doesn't let you review as a member, please drop in a guest review! Thank you!

I have to go, so I'll see you guys later and fix the mistakes and loopholes later!

See you soon and I hope I let the chapter live up to your expectations!

Adios!

Love,

SeaEmerald