DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.
So...I'm not really sure if anyone wants to read this story anymore. I can't believe it's been SIX months since I updated it. I was shocked to see the last time I updated this thing. It felt like yesterday since I updated it.
So hopefully...you guys enjoy it.
Please let me know if anyone is still interested in reading it.
Thank you.
A day or two later...
~ New York Police Headquarters - 11:30 AM ~
Brandon Shields watched with a frown when Stella Solaria emerged from the room finally after an interrogation of nearly three hours. Even though her face was tear-stricken and appeared emotionally drained, she was still simply beautiful. His jaw clenched slightly when more tears erupted in her pools of vulnerable golden eyes as she neared him shakily.
"Are you okay?" he asked gently.
She wiped the tears with the fabric of her plain blue full-sleeved shirt. She choked on another sob, a miserable attempt to hide the tears from his eyes. His heart broke for her as he frowned.
"Stella, everyone is gonna be alright," he assured her taking a hesitant step towards her.
"...yes, sir..." she replied while looking down at her toes. Tears flowed freely down her face although she tried her best to stop the never-ending streams. Her face construed of years worth of humiliation and bitter pain. She must have bottled up everything till date and now that she choked out everything, her tears were nonstop.
Her eyes held volumes of sadness that he couldn't help but want to just somehow make her feel okay. And he did just that. He took another step forward and wrapped his arms tenderly around her. His heart hurt at the way she immediately sucked in a gasp and stiffened in his hold. He spoke gently while patting her back. "He's never going to hurt you again," he soothed her soft cries.
He pulled away moments later after she seemed to calm down for the time being.
"...can I ask you something?" she sniffled while looking at her toes. She wiped the tears away from her face with her sleeve yet again.
He nodded with an 'mhm'. He longed to see those beautiful eyes again, but she seemed so shaken and vulnerable as she continously gazed at the reflective tile surface.
"...why are you helping me?" she asked in a small voice.
"Why wouldn't I?" he asked gently with a small smile, hoping against hope that she'll look up. To his disappointment, she never raised her head.
"...I don't have anything to g-give you, sir..." she whispered as she unconsciously cowered away from him and hugged herself. Brandon's eyes widened. Excuse me? Did she really think that he's doing this for something in return? He frowned, clearly offended by her implications. He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted.
Nabu Waters emerged out of the interrogation room carrying a stack of documents. He donned a black uniform with a gun in its holster on the side, which is a classic dress code for every field officer in the police department. "Brandon," the dark-haired man nodded warily towards his friend.
The brunette got the hint. He stepped away from the blonde and approached Nabu. "What's the status update?" Brandon asked.
Nabu sighed. "It's bad. Like really bad. Radius will definitely be going to jail for a long time based on Stella's statements. The chief has sent a few of the guys to get him," he said angrily. Abuse is a horrible, horrible thing. No one should have to go through that for any reason.
"Oh and a lady officer and a doctor checked her and they both reported that Stella has been suffering physical abuse for years now," he finished.
Brandon's eyes widened. So I was right. "Why do I sense a 'but' here?"
"It's just...if and when Radius is prosecuted for his crime, Stella will be mostly be temporarily admitted to an institution for the psychologically unfit," Nabu informed.
"WHAT?!" Brandon yelled abruptly, causing other policemen to sharply look at him. He mouthed an apology to them before hushing his voice down.
Nabu sighed. "You have to understand. All those years and Stella never stepped out of the house. For crying out loud, the last picture we have of her is dated to over a decade ago. She has been abused for twelve years," he finished empathetically for the blonde's pitiful plight.
Brandon frowned as they both glanced at her from a distance. She was seated in a chair with a lady officer beside her. She looked afraid and clueless as if she had no idea what to do. "When people experience traumatic something like that for years," Nabu started again. "...they're bound to go crazy."
"Why? I mean, she doesn't look scary. It's not like she'll go around shooting people," Brandon rolled his eyes.
"The point is...she doesn't have a guardian. Her mother died a long time ago," Nabu said pointedly.
Brandon sighed, thinking of what to do. Just then, the silently busy atmosphere was interrupted by a series of curses inappropriate for human ears. "YOU BITCH!"
Brandon's eyes widened when he saw Radius thrashing in the arms of two restraining police officers. Nabu brought up his walkie-talkie and turned the little device on. "I need more men in the hall! NOW!" he yelled while running forward to help.
A madman going loose is not a good sign. Especially when there are so many innocent victims in here. Each and every one looked up in a curious fear as they all witnessed what was going on. The two policemen tried their best to restrain the accused but Radius is quite agile for his pot-bellied personality.
Stella gasped and stood up straight immediately when she saw daggers being glared at her. When Radius saw her, he immediately punched an officer in the gut and moved towards the blonde. He slapped the lady officer, who was guarding Stella, out of the way before packing a fist.
Stella screamed in fright and shielded her face when she saw a punch being directly hurled at her. She turned around and started to run, her heartbeat quickening as the she heard thunderous footsteps following her.
Brandon's breath caught in his throat as his feet, too, moved to help at the speed of lightning. His pace slowed slightly when he saw police officers swarming in with shields and weapons from all sides. That's a relief, he thought. He sucked in a breath when he felt her petite figure collide directly into his chest. "Please help!" she cried. "Please, please, please!" she wailed helplessly while he appeared frozen for a moment.
"I'll do anything! Please don't let me go back!" she cried while hugging him tightly for dear life. Brandon snapped out of his shocked trance while his eyes glowed feral. He saw Radius approaching both of them and got ready. But before the elderly man could do anything, he was instantly restrained when three officers jumped on top of him, sending them all tumbling to the floor.
"Enough!" Nabu yelled while cuffing Stella's so-called father.
"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do can and will be used against you in court," another officer coldly spoke out the infamous Miranda rights to the criminal.
Brandon watched the exchange with merciless eyes. Radius looked up and glared daggers at both of them. "You tricked me!" Radius shrieked in a deep voice.
The brunette smirked victoriously. "How does it feel to get a load of your own medicine?" Brandon snapped.
It wasn't long before Radius was dragged away to confinement.
Stella's incessant crying brought Brandon's attention back to her again. He forgot about her while watching the scene before him. She was shaking violently with fright that his brown eyes turned to those of concern. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"Stella?" he whispered softly into her ear.
She froze instantly at the sound of his voice and stopped crying. She suddenly gasped as her eyes widened in horror. She squeaked as she stepped back, shocked at what she had just done. She looked up at Brandon who watched her questioningly. "I'm...I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to," she gulped.
He shook his head. "It's fine," he smiled assuringly as he took a step forward. "I need you to stop crying and I need you to listen to me," he said softly. "Can you do that?"
She nodded slowly while wiping her tears off with the sleeve of her shirt.
"Do you have any relatives that you trust?" he asked, hoping that she'll say no. Okay, that was a really mean thing to say but somewhere in the depth of his heart, he just wanted her to say no. That way, she'll have no choice but to stick with him for the time-being. He didn't know why but he wanted her to be by his side. He wanted to make sure that no one hurts her ever again.
She slowly shook her head 'no'. He was surprised at his urge to break out in happiness.
"Listen, when they put your dad away, they'll be sending you to a mental institution until they feel that you're okay," he explained.
Her eyes widened. "M-Mental...?" she asked in confusion.
He nodded. "Unless you have someone to vouch for you, they'll send you there," he said.
"...oh," she said dejectedly. Her eyes started to water again and his heart broke for her. What did she ever do to deserve this? he thought was just a young and innocent child when her mother passed away. Unfortunately, Luna Solaria's death was also the birth of her daughter's decade worth of torment.
Stella froze immediately when he held her by the chin. "Can I vouch for you?" he asked gently. Her light amber eyes widened again as she gaped at him. He found himself drowning the depths of her golden pools. Again. Her eyes are definitely her best feature. Actually...he never saw her smile. But he was pretty sure that her smile will surpass all of his expectations of a gorgeous girl.
"...You'll do that...?" she asked innocently.
He nodded. "If it's okay with you, then you're more than welcome to stay at my house. I promise that no one will ever hurt you there."
Oh. She blinked. "No one...?" she repeated more to herself than to anyone. He frowned at how disbelieving she appeared. It seemed as if the domestic abuse had been a part of her life for so long that she relatively forgot what it feels like to actually live. She was so shell shocked that the world, for once, can actually be a nice place.
"No one," he assured. "You'll be safe with me, Stella."
I'll make sure of it, he thought vehemently.
A few hours later...
~ Shields' Household - 4:20 PM ~
After finishing many more formalities and other paperwork, Nabu gave the signal that they're both free to go for the moment. Brandon pulled the car up the driveway and parked it. He gestured the nervous blonde in the passenger seat to get out and did the same. Closing the doors, he locked the car.
"BRANDON!" a screech cried from the house and the brunette sighed in retaliation.
Here we go. Right on time, he rolled his eyes. Heather Shields emerged from the house and started to run towards him in the most 'proper' way possible. The older woman eyed the new girl with distaste and disgust. "WHO IS SHE?!" she pointed towards Stella who started to quiver at the sight of the angry lady. "DID YOU REALLY HIDE THIS GIRL IN MY HOUSE WITHOUT MY KNOWLEDGE OR PERMISSION?!" Heather yelled angrily, not realizing that she's scaring the daylights out of Stella.
Brandon kept his eyes on Stella. The poor girl was just done given statements of abuse to the police and she is clearly not in a state to take yelling so well.
"Mom, stop," Brandon said firmly coming over to Stella's side and pushing her behind him.
"WHY SHOULD I!? You hid her inside my home! Did you really think that I wouldn't find out?!" Heather screamed in anger.
"No, I knew you'd find out," he informed calmly. "But, I'm twenty-six, mom. I don't need you breathing down my neck every other second."
She gasped. "As long as you live in my house, you will follow my rules."
He raised an eyebrow. "Really? Then I'm more than capable to find my own place, you know. Provoke me enough and I'll definitely have no problem in moving out. I don't need your permission for anything."
Heather gasped. "YOU!" she accusingly pointed at Stella, who was busy hiding herself. "You ruined him, didn't you?! Are you two dating?! Because I swear-"
"MOM!" Brandon yelled. "What the hell?!" He turned around for a swift second. "Go inside," he smiled softly down at her. She looked afraid to budge but he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Go," he repeated, adding a little authority in his voice. He turned around and watched Stella slowly scurry away.
"Was that necessary?" he snapped, crossing his arms.
"YES! Brandon, you're one of the most eligible bachelors! How can you get married when you're seen with a girl like...her?" Heather shuddered in disgust while pointing towards the direction Stella just escaped to.
"Eligible bachelor? Mom, I'm not getting married any time soon. Even if I am, it'll be with the girl that I love."
"Do you love that blonde gold-digging twit?" Heather snapped.
Brandon's jaw clenched as his hands formed into fists. "That blonde has a fucking name. It's Stella," he snapped.
"I don't care. She's a gold-digging slut," Heather snapped.
"...Thirty years ago, you were a waitress and dad was a successful entrepreneur. And you married him. So...what does that make you?" he hissed in a heated whisper. With that, he turned and left, leaving his mom with her mouth hanging open.
He shook his head in frustration as he walked away. He loved his mom, he really did, but sometimes, she tends to send moral values flying over her head. "Dammit!" he cursed in sheer frustration while moving towards the gardens, the direction Stella seemingly went off to.
Meanwhile...
Stella sat cross-legged beside the stone ornate fountain in the gardens. Tears brimmed her eyes. She didn't know what to do.
Her so-called father ruined her life and took away her future. She brought her knees upto her chest and sadly remembered the times she went to school. School...It was a distant memory, but she envisioned it perfectly. Crimson red brick walls, a flag, parents dropping their kids off, the bell signalling that students should get to school...
Everything was lost.
Her mom died unexpectedly and left her only daughter alone in this cruel world. She was forced to live with her father, whom she has never addressed since moving into that house.
She never called him 'dad'. The first time she did that, he had thrashed her to death. Radius became a cold, vicious, savage beast as soon as the authorities handed him his motherless daughter.
"Stella?" a voice interrupted her self-pity.
Stella gasped as she looked up and instantly scrambled to stand on her two feet.
"Woah! Girl, you can sit," Musa rolled her eyes as she pushed the blonde back down. Stella blinked when Musa joined beside her on the hard and cemented tiles.
"Miss, I'll get you a chair. Please wait-" Stella moved to stand up again but Musa grabbed her wrist.
"I'm fine. Please. I just wanted to talk," Musa shrugged.
Stella looked her in confusion, but obeyed the order nonetheless. She heard the daughter of his household take a huge breath.
"I suddenly understood why I felt like I never saw you here before," Musa said suddenly while glancing at the timid blonde.
Stella looked away, not really knowing what she's doing here. She had no place here. She was a girl who's probably had her education till middle school and left without a penny in this world. She felt like intruding and she felt like a burden. All her life, she had to listen to scary and merciless threats and expletives.
Not a day passed by where she was told she's worthless than the word 'worthless'. Even...Stella took in a shuddering breath to keep the tears at bay...I couldn't even get a glass of water without getting slapped.
She jerked slightly when Musa placed a hand on her shoulder. "I just...I wanted to see how someone could be so strong to endure what you went through," she said.
Stella's eyes widened. She knows? she thought.
"My brother told me. I know it's not his secret, but I wanted to see if I can help. I never saw him so disturbed and nervous," she sighed. "I wasn't judging you," Musa added quickly, noting the bewildered look on her face.
"No, no, I wasn't thinking that, ma'am," Stella stammered.
"Call me Musa. We're the same age and you can save the formalities for my mom," Musa rolled her eyes at her mom's 'proper behavior' antics.
"Oh."
"But seriously...how did you go through all of that?"
At the same time...
Brandon raised a curious eyebrow when he saw his sister, Musa, and Stella having some conversation that was inaudible to him. He took a few steps closer but stopped when he was in an audible distance.
"How did you go through all of that?"Musa asked incredulously.
Stella looked at her lap. She was oblivious to the curious brown eyes which were busy staring at her, waiting expectantly for her answer.
Musa was right...why didn't the blonde attempt to run away? Did she really think that the world is a scarier place than the hellhole she's been living in?
"Why didn't she tell anyone?"he whispered to himself in confusion. Surely, he couldn't be the first visitor who noticed her. Or...am I? he frowned.
"Hope...I have hope," Stella answered in a small voice. "I hoped that each day would be better."
Brandon's eyes softened immensely. What can someone possibly say to that? Hope. Even after suffering hell and getting beaten every single day, her hope didn't waver. She didn't lose faith. How could she not? he asked himself, astounded by her reason.
Musa said something to comfort her, but he couldn't hear her. Instead, his eyes were completely transfixed onto the blonde. A small smile etched into his lips and it grew wider when he saw her speaking with his sister. Beautiful is such an understatement to describe her. Her eyes held so much mystery that he felt the urge to unravel the depth behind them. Her lips appeared to be a little blush pink. Her fair face was free, clean, and fresh of any makeup. She must've never used it, he told himself. He liked that she was so simple. Of course, she didn't have a choice. But nonetheless, he liked it.
Smiling once more, he turned around to leave them be. Maybe I can get to know her and get her to trust me, he thought, feeling a little overly enthusiastic about the prospect.
Two weeks later...
Stella's trial was processed quickly. She, however, requested Brandon that she can't testify in front of the judge and so many people. They took her testimony in a recorded tape and it was more than enough. Stella's scars were more than proof enough to say that she went through a lot. Although some disappeared, some never healed and turned into tissue damage due to the extent of abuse. Her present and previous injuries were confirmed by doctors as well as the female district attorney who chose to viciously defend Stella.
Brandon gave his testimony, stating every action that has happened since the deal. He also gave his word and signed the papers regarding Stella. He officially became her guardian and proved that he was more than able to keep her financially well. He had no priors, not even a speeding ticket.
Radius was stripped of parental rights. In addition, the charges for punching an officer on-duty didn't go unnoticed. His violent and aggressive nature was analyzed carefully and he was immediately sentenced to thirty years of imprisonment with no chance of parole.
Present...
~ Shields' Household - 6:45 PM ~
Brandon Shields adjusted his slick black tie as he stepped down the stairs coolly while looking at his watch. A few maids, regardless of age, swooned in delight while others chose to painfully ignore, knowing that they'll never match up to the gorgeous hunk. Especially not with Heather Shields sticking around.
"Morning, Ms. Faragonda," the brunette smiled at the elderly woman.
"Good morning," she grinned in return. "Breakfast is ready," she said, nodding towards the table.
His eyes unconsciously lit up as he moved towards the table to join his father. He sat in his usual seat and greeted his dad.
"Good morning, son," Lucas grinned with pride at the sight of his son. "Anything new in the works for today?"
The brunette nodded his head with a little extra enthusiam. "I'm hoping to close the Williams contract by tomorrow. Their terms and conditions were negotiable. And they seem pretty friendly. Dad, I think we can consider them for a merge."
"If you're so sure and confident, I trust you completely," Lucas beamed. Honestly, there was no limit to the affection he held for his son. The latter worked with a series of unbending work ethics, discipline, and punctuality that made him one of the most ideal icons in the industry.
Brandon nodded. "There's no harm to us. I've asked Nabu to run background checks on all of them. They all have no priors. All of them have rock solid alibis," he confirmed. Lucas gave a thumbs up.
"Dr. Shields, what would you like for breakfast?"
Brandon's breath hitched slightly when he turned to see the one person he hoped to see every morning. Stella stood in front of him, carrying a large tray filled with food. She donned the standard uniform like every other female in here although Brandon hated the outfit on her to no end. He sighed for the umpteeth time when he realized that her eyes were on her toes.
He silently hoped and pleaded for her to look at him instead just as he did for the last two weeks. "Thank you," he said quietly, feeling disappointed.
She calmly and silently served each of them to their liking without uttering a single word. When she was done, she simply turned on her heel and started walking back to the kitchen. He watched her hair bounce left and right to her movements. Sighing, he turned to his food wondering why in the world he found a maid attractive. He can honestly do so much better. He literally had a queue of girls waiting to snatch him up and here he is hoping that a maid would at least notice him.
He sighed as he quickly ate. This is going to be a long morning, he chided himself just as he had been doing for two weeks now. Ever since his mother found out about the blonde, Heather assigned her to kitchen duty with such distaste, but also because it's easier to keep an eye on the girl that way.
Heather always kept a watchful eye on Stella, especially during the first few days. But after a few days later, she noticed that the blonde seldom talks and barely looks at anyone. And here she thought that Stella would try something frisky.
Yeah right, he scoffed. He wondered if she even knew his name or at least his face. She never looked anywhere else. Her eyes would appear emotionless and blank with no feeling visible whatsoever.
Maybe she just needs time to adjust? he offered himself pathetically as he ate.
She's broken, his subconscious answered for him, leaving him to glare at himself.
"Something wrong, son?" Lucas asked in concern, noting the random angry face that just sprouted out of nowhere on his son's face.
Brandon's eyes widened when he realized that his emotions were wide open on his face. "No, no, dad. I'm fine," he smiled reassuringly.
Ugh.
~ Shields Conglomerates - 8:00 AM ~
"Come in," Brandon said absentmindedly as he loosened his tie a little while eyeing the docket in front of him. The sleeves of his crisp white dress shirt were rolled up to his elbows. He had long before removed his jacket and placed it behind the chair.
He looked up to see Sky entering while carrying a huge set of documents. Brandon groaned and tossed his head back. "What the hell are those?" he muttered in annoyance.
"Real estate docs. Duh," Sky smirked.
"Dude, did you just say 'duh'?" Brandon raised an eyebrow. "Anyways, just put them aside. I'll deal with them later."
"Nah, you're gonna deal with them right now," Sky said as he shoved the stack of papers into the brunette's desk.
Brandon groaned. "Fine. What are they though?" he asked while taking the binder and fillping through each paper.
"You know that land that Radius illegally sold to us? Well, we can legally claim it," Sky grinned.
Brandon raised an eyebrow. "How?"
"Well, now that his daughter is found, you can easily get her signature on this thing. She just needs to sign it and we can immediately give out the contract to begin the construction."
Brandon's eyes widened as he read each paper. All it required was Stella's signatures and they'll be good to go. He smiled in relief. Phew. Now they don't have to worry about looking for a land somewhere else. "I'll get 'em signed today," he confirmed.
Sky winked and snapped his fingers at him before turning to leave. He suddenly stopped remembering something and looked at his best friend with a wolfish grin. "Ooooh so who's the lucky girl?" he said suddenly.
Brandon raised an eyebrow. "Who?" he asked cluelessly. Sighing, he slapped his forehead. "Did you read the tabloids again?" he asked while rolling his eyes.
Sky appeared confused as well. "What? Wait...you didn't know?" he asked while approaching Brandon again. He sat in the chair in front of his best friend.
"Didn't know what?" Brandon asked in boredom.
"You're having guests over. You know...like an alliance..." Sky trailed off.
Brandon's eyes widened. "WHAT?!" he yelled.
Heather. Sky shook his head at her antics. Brandon's brown orbs glowered dangerously as he stood up and grabbed his jacket. He pressed the intercom button.
"Yes, Dr. Shields?" a female voice answered.
"Cancel all my appointments for today. Forward my calls to my father," he ordered in a cold, hard voice.
"Yes, sir," the receptionist answered right away.
"I'm heading home," he informed Sky, who nodded. "How'd you know about it though?"
"Musa told Riven. Riven told me," Sky shrugged. Riven is Musa's boyfriend.
Brandon nodded while rolling down his sleeves and putting on his jacket. He adjusted his suit and shut down the computer. He grabbed his keys and bag and headed out with Sky hotly in tow.
"Dude, don't do anything rash!" Sky whispered furiously at Brandon's temper.
"Rash? Tell that to my mom who thinks it's okay to play matchmaker without my damn permission!" he snapped angrily.
"I know, but she's still your mom. You don't wanna piss her off," Sky informed.
Brandon rolled his eyes. "Believe me, I do. I really do."
~ Shields' Household - 9:30 AM ~
Brandon's eyes only glared angrily when he pulled into the driveway. He saw two cars that definitely didn't belong to his family. He parked his car and stepped out immediately. He slammed the door shut with a furious huff.
He sprinted through the lawn. He stopped when he saw Faragonda walking towards the house as well.
"Ms. Faragonda!" he whispered while motioning her to come over noiselessly.
Faragonda's eyes widened as she immediately walked over to him. "Brandon?! What are you doing here?"
"No, what the hell is my mom doing?!" he whispered when he heard voices and laughter coming from the living room.
"Well, from what I gather, it's definitely a loaded family. She's an only daughter and your mom thinks that girl is your perfect match."
"WHAT?" he asked in distaste. To say that he detested girls from wealthy families is such an understatement. All the girls he heard of or acquainted himself with so far have been nothing but snobs or just fake blondes desperate for his attention.
"Alright, thanks," Brandon said dismissively. Faragonda nodded and went about on her way. He went inside the house and closed the door behind him. "MOM!" he hissed under his breath before strolling over to the living room.
As he went inside, he saw a family indeed. Three people sat together on the couch; a young woman sat between two older people, presumably her parents. Heather sat on the couch opposite them. Brandon resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the fake display of 'affection'. Fake laughs and fake smiles everywhere...
Ugh, he groaned.
"OH! Brandon, my darling son, you're finally here!" Heather looked up and beamed brightly while standing up elegantly. She walked over to him and kissed his cheek, causing Brandon to gag in annoyance at the outright display of overaction and affection. She never greeted him like that, so why start now?!
"Mr. and Mrs. McCall, this is my son," she introduced him to the family.
Brandon nodded at the trio.
"What are you doing? Be polite!"Heather hissed angrily from beside him, low enough so that only he can hear her. He rolled his eyes.
"Good morning," he said flatly while nodding his head at the three of them.
"Ahh, yes. The one and only Brandon Shields...it's truly an honor to meet you, son," Mr. McCall said while standing up and coming over to him. He held out his hand.
Brandon looked at it for a moment before shaking it politely. "Likewise, sir," he said a little coldly.
"We should sit and talk," Heather laughed while dragging Brandon by the arm. He groaned internally as he sat beside his mom with the family in front of him.
"This is our daughter, Mitzi," Mrs. McCall smiled at her daughter.
Like I care, Brandon scoffed internally. He gave the girl a subtle onceover. Her long hair was a pitch black. Her eyes were a dark teal blue accentuated by pale blue lens sunglasses. She wore a a dark red tight bandage dress that clung to her like a second skin. She showed sufficient cleavage for a formal outing.
Her makeup was matched to perfection and her outfit. She didn't look downright ridiculous but it was a little extra in his opinion. Her hair was let down in a pin straight style with a middle partition.
REJECTED, he thought mentally. A girl's appearance says a lot about her. For example, he had a sinking suspicion that she's the type who gives a high preference for looks rather than personality.
"It's so great to finally meet you!" she squeaked in a nasally annoying voice while standing up slightly and extending her perfectly manicured hand to him.
"You too," he said emotionlessly while shaking her hand briefly before letting go.
"So! It's so great to finally meet all of you. Brandon looked forward to this for a long time now," Heather said with a bright smile on her face.
Did I now? Brandon turned to her with a raised eyebrow. He didn't care if they noticed it but sprewing such outright lies was just ridiculous.
"Me too, Mrs. Shields! You know, I actually thought you were Brandon's sister before I knew who you were!" Mitzi gushed like an idiot.
"Aww, you're such a sweet girl!" Heather laughed.
Brandon clutched his head in embarrassment, feeling a migraine coming on.
Mrs. McCall smiled. "I don't see your daughter, Mrs. Shields."
"Oh, she went to college," Heather smiled. "She's a senior and will finish her education in a few months."
"Oh, you must be so proud," Mr. McCall said. "I don't see Mr. Shields either," he laughed.
"I deeply apologize for their lack of presence." Heather snapped her fingers. "How about this? We can all go on a little tour and get to know each other more. How does this weekend sound?"
Mr. McCall's eyes widened in delight. "That would be wonderful."
Brandon, who has had just about enough of this maniacal fakeness, sighed. He racked his brain for something to say only to feel disappointed when he had no credible excuse.
"Mrs. Shields?" a soft voice murmured out of nowhere. Brandon's breath hitched immediately as he felt the hair on the back of his neck stand up with goosebumps. With bated breath, he looked up to see...Stella standing next to them while holding a tray out.
"You can set them right here," Heather neutrally nodded towards the table.
Brandon watched Stella nod obediently before setting the tray down. There were a few plates filled with sweets and cakes along with soft drinks. His eyes softened as he watched her in awe. She, beautiful as always, appeared stoic. He longed to see what her smile would be like. Her amber eyes were neutral, devoid of any emotion. Usual.
After she was done, she picked the empty tray up and left quietly. He craned his head back slightly, longing to see her again. Honestly, her presence of ten seconds was literally the highlight of his day.
"Mrs. Shields, so where do you think we should go to?"
Brandon, whose eyes were on the retreating blonde till now, addressed the family again. "Yeah, about that. I'm sorry. I can't come with you. I have plans." And with that, he stood up.
Heather's eyes widened angrily. "What plans?" she asked with her teeth clenched tightly in a fake smile plastered on her face, but Brandon knew that she was actually pissed off.
"I promised my girlfriend that I'll spend more time with her," he cut her off immediately, not caring for her tone or the later consequences.
"Girlfriend?" Mitzi gasped. "I didn't know you had a girlfriend."
"Yes. Girlfriend. I guess you don't know anything me then," Brandon fake smiled, resisting the urge to snap the arrogance right off of her. He internally smirked when he saw crestfallen faces on all four of them. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go and call her," he smiled before turning on his heel.
"Mrs. Shields, we were informed that your son was still single," Mr. McCall said heatedly with crossed arms when Brandon was longer within earshot.
"I wasn't aware of this nuisance as well," Heather said angrily while looking in the direction that Brandon just disappeared off to. "I'll talk to him. I assure you, I approve of Mitzi and would love for her to be my daughter-in-law."
Brandon quickly moved away from the ridiculous conversation. He found himself going to the kitchen and he didn't know why. He ignored his subconscious who showed him a certain portrait of a vivacious blonde. Since when was he so desperate to get a glimpse of a girl who barely gives him the time of day? He stepped into the kitchen when other maids instantly turned to him.
"Dr. Shields, are you hungry, sir?" one of them approached.
"No, I'm fine. Thank you," he smiled respectfully at each of them. "Where is Stella?" he asked.
"Oh...uh, I think she stepped out for a minute, sir. But I can call her for you," the girl offered.
"No, no, it's fine. I'll go myself, thank you," he smiled before ushering them to continue whatever it is that they were doing.
Brandon ventured out through the back door. He was greeted with a gentle, summer breeze that ruffled his chestnut locks lightly. His eyes looked confused as he scanned the surroundings for a dash of pastel yellow. Where did she go? he asked himself while moving towards the gardens. She always seemed to be either in the house or near the ornate fountain. So it was worth a first look.
A tall blonde sat on the grassy floor of the gardens. She looked around and let out a small sigh when she saw no one in the vicinity.
She sat cross-legged and put her head into her hands. She felt slightly dizzy. She rubbed her head to keep herself awake. Not that she was feeling sleepy, but she'd definitely love to fall in bed right now. But since when did my opinions matter? she breathed to herself.
Taking a deep breath of the fresh air, she willed herself to stand up once more. She smoothed out her dress and pulled it down. It fell a little above her knees and it was pretty comfortable. She ran a hand through her long tresses, not realizing that she had an audience many meters away.
Brandon watched with an acute curiosity when the object of his interest stood near the fountain, just as he had anticipated earlier. He watched her adjust herself. She wasn't wearing anything revealing, yet she still seemed insecure about it. He smiled as he leaned against the wall with crossed arms, his legs crossing over one another stylishly.
He didn't know why he wanted to talk to her so badly. And now that she's right in front of him, he didn't know what to say. She seemed so quiet and detached that it made him insecure about approaching her. He scoffed at the irony. He was nervous about a girl? Since when? It was usually the opposite. Girls threw themselves at him shamelessly but he was never the one to think twice before approaching a girl.
But Stella...she was certainly different. Anyone in her shoes would've been in a traumatic state of mind considering all the things she went through. But...she certainly didn't appear to be in one. She was quiet, that's for sure. But she never showed any signs of discomfort nor did she complain about anything. Her neutral face didn't allow him to see what she was feeling even though he was desperate to know what went on in that cute little head of hers.
He grew alert when he saw her walk towards the house again.
Stella's heels pressed against the neatly trimmed grass. She looked around the lot innocently while taking in the beauty of this mansion. She liked this house. It was definitely better than her first one. Everyone seemed nice except for Mrs. Shields. The woman of the house seemed to have a bitter grudge against Stella. The blonde, however, has never seen so many people at once and she remembered feeling spooked in the beginning. Pretty much everyone knew that she went through something very bad and they were nice to her. Besides, somehow no one dared to make the blonde upset. Some knew that it was Brandon Shields who brought her into this house and they didn't dare to mess with Stella.
She stopped when she reached the kitchen's back door. Lost in her own thoughts, she never realized the looming figure behind her. Her eyes widened when someone grabbed her wrist. Her mouth opened automatically in a scream but a hand muffled her sounds.
She felt herself being dragged away. Whoever it was pulled her behind the house.
Brandon took her away and gently dragged her to a secluded part. He didn't want any nosy eavesdroppers or unwanted audience. He could tell that she was scared out of her mind. He stopped just at a corner.
Stella's heart hammered violently against her chest when an arm wounded around her waist and another remained clamped against her mouth. She muffle-screamed again when he turned her around. She blinked rapidly in fear when she saw herself staring into coal brown depths.
"Please. Don't be scared," Brandon whispered while looking around to make sure that no one heard her from earlier. He turned to her after a few seconds and was instantly hooked to her face. His eyes widened slightly when she looked terrified to her core. Good Lord. Removing his hands from her, he stepped away immediately. He watched her breathe in a huge sigh of relief.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I just wanted to talk to you," he apologized while taking a small step towards her, noticing how she cowered immediately. "Are you doing okay?"
She looked at him for a moment before looking at her toes. She mutely nodded. He sighed. He took another step towards her. She gasped when he lifted her chin with his finger. "Stella, look at me, please. I'm not going to hurt you," he spoke softly.
Shakily, she turned to him. "Are you unhappy here? Do I make you uncomfortable?" he asked.
She immediately shook her head and he didn't understand if she really meant it or if she just bobbed her head because she was afraid of him.
"You just have to ask if you need anything. Understood?" he said.
"Yes, sir," she answered.
He nodded with a smile but he hated how she used formalities against him. He can save that for another day. Right now, he had more pressing issues. He stared at her for a long moment before speaking again. "I wanted to ask you something though," he said.
Her eyes narrowed curiously. What could he possibly from her?
"Will you be my girlfriend?" he suddenly asked.
Her eyes instantly widened in disbelief. Her jaw nearly hit the floor at how blankly she's gaping. I'm sorry, what?! she gasped audibly. Here was a rich millionaire and...he wants her to be his girlfriend? HER?! She blinked many times in shock as she stood there in front of him dumbly.
He chuckled at her expression. "Don't get me wrong. I don't know if you noticed, but my mother's trying to ship me off with some girl I don't even know. I need an excuse to get out of it."
"...oh..." she bit her lip nervously. She fidgeted with her fingers. "Your mother doesn't like me too much," she said in a soft, scared voice.
He took another step closer to her and placed his hands on her shoulders tentatively. "It's only for a very short time. I swear, Stella, I won't let her touch you," he assured firmly.
She blinked and looked at her shoulders before turning to him again. "I meant...I'm not good enough for you even if your mother does approve, sir," she said.
He raised an eyebrow. "That's none of your business. If I think you're good enough for me, then it shouldn't concern you. My feelings are my own."
She flinched at the edge in his voice. She looked away. She was forced to look at him again when he grasped her chin firmly. "Will you say yes?" he asked, coaxing her almost pleadingly.
"...but I'm sure you have other women who would want to be your girl-"
Like I give a damn about them, he rolled his eyes. Ever since Stella stepped into this house, he's been super cautious and protective of her. A day hasn't gone by where he didn't check up on her through Faragonda. Only after knowing about her, he was able to appease the anxiety that somehow settled itself into his heart.
Besides...forget the overprotectiveness. He was curious about her. And he didn't really know what to do to make her notice him as a man. She was too pure and too innocent. She's truly breathtakingly beautiful to him in every single way and it's really a shame that she doesn't realize it herself. He never wanted to see a blemish on her purity. He just wanted to see her happy. He wanted to unravel the mystery behind those golden honey colored eyes of hers. And he'll do just that...if she lets him.
He sighed. "I don't want any of those girls. I want you," he said sincerely.
He didn't miss the way her eyes grew large and wide. She must be hearing this incorrectly. Why would he want her? She's just a broken and bruised female who has no future whatsoever other than cleaning up after others.
"I won't let anyone hurt you. I promise you. I won't even reveal your name, but in case I'm forced to, I'll just let everyone know about you," he spoke gently.
A small 'oh' formed on her lips. So he's not really asking her to be his girlfriend. She's just the last resort. He just promised that he won't reveal her name unless he doesn't have a choice.
"Okay," she said with a nod. It's the least she could do after the lengths he went to get her out of that hell hole of a house. But she was confused about why in the world he'd pick her. As far as she knew, the rich people only went for other rich folks. She thought he'd be interested with someone a little more class or at least someone who doesn't freak out at the sight of people.
She gasped suddenly when she heard the kitchen door being flung open. Brandon's eyes narrowed curiously as he peered over the corner. His breath hitched when he saw his mother marching out in the open, clearly looking for him. "BRANDON!" she yelled.
Stella nearly jumped. Brandon gasped slightly as he flung forward to cover her mouth. He held the frightened blonde close to himself as he peered from the wall towards his mother. He wasn't even remotely scared, per se, but he didn't want to get Stella in trouble. His mother already kept a close watch on that girl for no necessary reason already.
As if she really gives me the time of day, he scoffed to himself. He needed to kidnap her in his own house in order to have a word with her.
"Shhhh," he coaxed her shivering form while effectively hiding them away from his mother's view.
"BRANDON!" Heather called out again.
"Dammit," he cursed. "Stay here for a few minutes, okay?" he whispered to the blonde. "I'll lead her away from you."
Stella nodded. He chuckled when he saw her bobbing her head up and down multiple times. Unwillingly, he dropped his hand from her face. He didn't miss the immense sigh of relief that donned her pretty face as he stepped away from her. "Am I that much of a beast?!" he frowned as he inaudibly muttered to himself. She stood there obediently as he slowly retreated away into the open.
He placed a finger on his lips as Stella nodded. He took a deep breath and adjusted his suit once before coughing slightly.
"Hey, mom," he greeted casually and approached his mother.
Heather glared as she turned around. "WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING!?" she hissed.
"So I take it the McCalls left?" he asked.
"You nearly messed up EVERYTHING! Do you have any idea how hard it was to make them come here?!" she growled angrily.
Brandon crossed his arms. "I don't like that girl. Period."
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Stella come around the corner and slowly tip toe her way to the back door. He waited with bated breath and prayed that Heather didn't turn around.
"It's a wealthy family, Brandon! Mitzi is a VERY lovely girl and you will marry her one day. So don't you dare defy me!" Heather snapped.
"...And if I do?" Brandon asked with a sigh.
Heather glared and crossed her arms. "Then you won't be my son anymore."
At that second, Stella stopped instantly. Her hand on the knob froze as she heard those words. A small frown marred her face as she registered Heather's words. Brandon, however, wasn't really surprised at his mother's words.
He knew that Heather didn't really think that he'd defy her and leave the household, but little did she know that he's very close to doing that.
But nonetheless, those words hurt. Brandon frowned as he looked at the ground for a moment. "...I have to get to work," he swallowed as his brown eyes clouded with hurt.
He sighed and put his hands in his pockets before walking away into the house with indifference. He entered into the kitchen and flinched a little at the attention that was being showered on him. He looked around and saw Stella standing at the stove. She looked at him silently while other maids asked him if he needed anything. He shook his head no and continued gazing at her. For the first time since Stella got here, she looked into his eyes with something other than a neutral or scared expression.
He saw a small frown as her eyes screamed apology and comfort. A small smile made itself onto his face as he broke off the contact immediately and walked away into the living room.
Many hours later...
~ The Same Evening - 8:50 PM ~
Brandon entered the home with his briefcase and rubbed the back of his neck a little tiredly. He let out a small sigh at the silence that greeted him. Taking a deep breath, he made his way to the living room and wasn't too surprised to see his parents waiting there for him.
"Not now," he muttered as he tried to slip past them.
"Not. So. Fast," Heather glared as she ordered him to stop. Lucas sat beside her and crossed his arms but his eyes didn't seem too hostile.
"What?!" Brandon huffed irritatably as he turned around. "What do you want now?!"
"I want to know who your girlfriend is," Heather snapped. "Is she as rich as us?!"
Brandon growled in frustration as he flopped on the sofa and rubbed his forehead. He felt a headache coming on and he didn't need this right now. Out of his peripheral vision, he saw Musa casually skipping down the stairs, totally unaware of the thick atmosphere here.
"With all due respect, mother, that's none of your damn business," Brandon remarked as his eyes flared smugly. Musa suddenly stopped in the middle and clutched the handrail as she looked down below. Her brother and parents were in the living room and things appeared a little...tense.
Heather gasped in shock. "How dare you?! Do you have any idea-"
Lucas placed a hand on his wife's shoulder. "Heather," he said calmly before turning towards his son. "Son, to be honest, I've waited. I've been waiting for a long time for you to introduce a girl to us. You haven't had a girlfriend in years."
Brandon narrowed his eyes slightly. "So...?"
"...I'm just saying. Is there a reason for that or you just don't..." Lucas trailed off.
Brandon's eyes widened at the implication. He sharply stood up in shock. "The hell, dad?! I'm not gay!" he yelled angrily.
Musa stifled a laugh from the stairs as she watched the conversation with amusement. "I need some popcorn!" she yelled into the kitchen.
Three death glares were suddenly directed towards her and she immediately raised her hands in surrender. "Okay, okay." She slowly descended each step one by one.
"Brandon, I will not tolerate you ruining this family's reputation!" Heather hissed heatedly.
The brunette rolled his eyes. "And I won't tolerate you forcibly..."
Brandon's attention was momentarily snapped when he saw a dash of blonde enter the area. Stella looked around the room as she carried a tray towards them. She kept her head down as she heard them loudly arguing. She didn't want to be in the midst of this. Gulping a little, she found Musa and slowly walked over there.
Brandon continued angrily, "Like I said, I won't tolerate being forcibly married off to a brat!"
"BRANDON-!" Heather started as her face turned a beet red from anger.
Stella bit her lip as she stopped in front of Musa. "Miss?" she whispered as she handed the tray to her.
Musa scratched her head. "What is it?" she asked as she removed the lid.
"Popcorn," Stella answered innocently.
Musa stifled a laugh when she saw buttered popcorn in a bowl on the tray. She let loose and started to crack up hysterically as she took the bowl. Instantly, Heather's glare redirected towards the blonde. Stella's eyes widened as she clutched the tray tightly to her chest. Brandon looked at the commotion as well. His eyes danced with amusement when Musa started to eat the popcorn that Stella got. He shook his head as a small smile came onto his face at Stella's incredible naivety.
"YOU!" Heather yelled. "You dare to mock me?!"
Stella gasped in fear. Musa immediately came to her defense. "Woah. Chillax, mom. It's not her fault. I kinda did ask for some food. Now, go yell at Brandon," she rolled her eyes. And that seemed to remind Heather of the situation going on here. Musa instantly pushed Stella to leave and silently told her to not enter this room for a while. Heather wasn't really known to keep her cool.
Stella started to slowly walk away as to not make a peep.
"Brandon-" Heather started her rant again angrily.
"Mom. Stop. I'm not going to marry Mitzi!" he yelled angrily. His face turned red with anger as he glared at his mother.
"Fine, then. I have plenty of other girls for you to choose," Heather spat as she took out her purse. She zipped it open and took out a set of photos before chucking them angrily at the table.
Brandon death glared as he eyed the pictures below angrily. His lips twitched as he struggled not to snap. His jaw clenched as his hands formed into fists.
"Brandon Alexander Shields, you will pick a girl right this instant! Who will you marry?!" his mother yelled angrily. Brandon's eyes clouded with rage as his fists started to shake in livid anger. He honestly wanted to-
Wait. His eyes were pulled when Stella came into his peripheral vision. She's still here, he thought. His mind started to spin at the conversation from this morning with her. His eyes glinted with delight as an idea popped into his head. Slowly, his lips formed into a smirk as he pointed to his left, "That maid over there."
A hushed silence fell upon the room immediately.
Stella suddenly gasped as she stopped in her tracks, completely frozen. Her heart started to hammer so loudly against her chest that she was sure everyone can hear it. Blood rushed to her brain as she slowly looked at the family. She gulped at everyone's faces. Heather looked murderously actually and Lucas didn't seem to mind. He merely crossed his arms with a small frown.
Stella blinked, not knowing what to do or say. She saw Brandon moving towards her with a clenched jaw that she unconsciously took a step back. Before she knew it, he reached her in a few strides.
"Dr. Shiel-" she started to protest as she resembled a deer caught in headlights. She was honestly petrified at the attention that's unfortunately being directed at the house.
Her protest was cut off and turned into a gasp when Brandon seized her tightly by the waist. The brunette gave a long look at her before clasping a hand on the nape of her neck. Before she knew what was happening, a pair of cool lips captured hers in a vicious kiss.
...
Thank you for reading!
I promise to try and update all of my other stories as well. The recently updated stories won't be updated any time soon because I'm literally stuck on them. I haven't started any of them yet. So I'll update the older ones first. Thank you!
A huge thank you and hug to all of those users who encouraged me to continue this story! I wasn't really sure if anyone still wants to read this...so...