CH:2
"Completion"
Bella merely nodded and said in a soft voice, "Thank you… I didn't expect to find someone who would help me here."
"We all need each other in times like this," the young man replied calmly, standing a few steps away from her, as if he didn't want to pressure her or overwhelm her with more attention.
Bella watched his calm expression, feeling that this encounter was just a passing moment, but at the same time, she couldn't help but feel grateful to this person who was kind when she needed a little care and attention the most.
"Do you need anything else?" he asked again, looking at her with eyes full of concern.
"No, I'll be fine," she replied, even though she was still trying to hold herself together. "But… thank you again."
Then the young man sat in his place nearby, giving her the space to breathe a little.
A moment of silence filled the room, and the only thing that broke the stillness was the sound of customers coming through the door beyond the room. Bella sat on the couch, trying to calm herself from the pressure surrounding her, while her eyes remained fixed on the notebook placed on the table next to the young man. It was clear that this notebook wasn't just an ordinary diary; it contained something more, something that captured her attention strongly.
When Bella looked more closely at the notebook, she noticed it was full of drawings. One of the pages visible in front of her contained a detailed sketch of a very elegant dress. The details were incredibly clear, and the design reflected a refined taste and dedication to creativity. The dress was simple and elegant at the same time, adorned with intricate details that showcased high craftsmanship in drawing the fabrics and edges. It looked as if the design was alive on paper, and it was obvious that this work wasn't just a casual sketch but a well-crafted design for a high-quality fashion piece.
Bella, who runs a fashion company, couldn't hide her admiration for the drawing. Her innate interest in fashion made her appreciate every single detail it contained, and the sketch reflected true creativity. While she was looking at the drawing, faint words escaped her lips: "It's beautiful… who drew it?"
The young man noticed her scrutinizing gaze and smiled gently before replying, "Oh, that's my design."
Bella, unable to hide her surprise, said with curiosity, "Really? Your design? It's amazing! You look like a professional in this field. Do you study fashion?"
The young man answered with a shy smile, "Yes, I'm in my final year studying fashion design. I really love designing, and I'm working on developing my skills in this field. That drawing is part of my graduation project."
Bella smiled with appreciation, admiring his passion and love for what he does. Then she said to herself, "You have an amazing talent… if I had met you at another time, maybe I would've considered collaborating with you on my project."
The young man, who felt more respect for Bella because of her interest, said humbly, "Thank you, that means a lot to me. Actually, it's kind of a dream for me. I'm looking forward to entering the fashion world, and I hope when I graduate from university, I get a chance to work with the brand Élégance Étoilée. It's my life's dream. The owner of the brand, Miss Bella Leclaire, is my role model in the fashion world. My wish is to meet her one day—she created a whole new world of fashion."
Bella noticed him talking about "Miss Bella Leclaire," and realized in that moment that he didn't know who she was, and yet, he felt respect and admiration toward her. The conversation was developing in an inspiring way, and she began to feel that there was a harmony between their interests, which pushed her to take a bolder step.
"I also love fashion like you," Bella said with a light smile, "but I haven't been lucky enough."
Bella pulled a business card from her pants pocket and handed it to him, saying: "I failed the last job interview, but take this card. It might help you achieve your dream. Tomorrow is the last day for the interview."
Bella wasn't entirely honest—she had lied about the interview—but she realized that this young man's talent was priceless and decided to keep him close. She hadn't yet revealed her true identity as the owner of Élégance Étoilée, but she knew that great opportunities might come from this encounter.
The young man's eyes lit up with excitement when he heard these words. "That would be an honor! I'm truly grateful to you and will never forget this."
In that moment, Bella felt something different. Perhaps this was just a fleeting meeting, but it gave her a new sense of hope and the possibilities that could lie ahead. Despite the difficulties she had gone through in life, she realized that there's always room for a new beginning—something filled with creativity and opportunities that could change her life.
●●●
After an hour of relaxing at the café, Bella decided it was time to leave and return to her apartment. She stood up from her place and grabbed her bag, ready to head out, but suddenly she heard a gentle voice calling her from inside the café. She quickly turned around, and there she saw the kind young man smiling in a way that made her feel a bit enchanted by him. The smile on his face resembled that of an innocent child, which gave her heart a gentle, touching feeling.
The young man approached her holding a bag of warm pastries and said kindly, "This is for you, a small gift from me. Thank you for giving me the chance to work as an intern at my dream company. I didn't expect to receive this support from you, and I'm very grateful."
Bella looked at the bag he was holding, surprised by his thoughtful gesture. The pastries looked delicious and warm, and it showed that the young man had a refined taste even in choosing gifts. She couldn't help but smile softly, and she decided to accept the gift, even though she was still hiding her facial features thanks to the mask she was wearing.
Bella said, trying to keep the conversation within the bounds of appreciation and professionalism, "Thank you. That's kind of you. I'll be happy to see you move forward with your dream that will become a reality one day."
The young man smiled humbly and replied, "I just want to become better at what I do, and you're the one who made me believe more in my dream."
The young man's words stirred feelings of appreciation and admiration in Bella's heart. His words were sincere, and she realized that what he was seeking wasn't just a job opportunity, but a genuine pursuit of his dream.
Before she left the café, Bella looked at him one last time and felt a sense of comfort. In her heart, there was a new spark of hope beating—something telling her that this meeting wasn't just a passing moment and that it might carry within it the beginning of something new, even if it was far from her familiar world. With a quiet smile, she held the bag in her hand and walked toward the door, while her heart grew heavy with thoughts about this young man and his talent that touched a sensitive part within her.
In another place
At Bella's apartment
Bella was at home, getting ready to go to bed after a long and exhausting day. The lights in the room were dim as she prepared herself for rest. Suddenly, she received a message from Amory on her phone. At first, she ignored the message, not wanting to stir up thoughts that might disturb her before sleep. But as time passed, the phone notifications began to come rapidly, which irritated her.
She paused for a moment, staring at the endless notifications, her heart growing heavier and heavier. She tried to turn off the phone, but something caught her attention in an unusual way. There was one photo among the messages Amory had sent—a picture taken inside her private room. It was her, lying on her bed, looking at her phone, as if he had been watching her every move.
Bella was shocked, her eyes widening in disbelief. She never expected things to reach this level. She tried to understand how Amory got the picture, and from where he had been watching her. She slowly opened the chat and found that every photo told a part of her day, each one taken at a different moment. In the first photo, Bella was at the café, drinking her favorite beverage. Another photo showed her walking down the street, looking anxious and sad, as if she were avoiding people's eyes.
The photos kept coming, each taken at a different time, and each one held something unsettling, as if they were captured from different angles within her daily life.
Every time Amory sent a photo, he attached a message with it. The words shifted between flattery and admiration but quickly turned into obsessive, controlling expressions, as if she were prey in the hands of a disturbed person. In one message, he wrote:
"You were wonderful, as always, but you can't escape me. You can never hide from me. I'm close to you every moment. Wherever you are, you will see me."
Then in another message, Amory wrote:
"You don't know how much I love you. I can smell your perfume even when you're far from me. I want you to be mine only, and I won't allow anyone else to come near you."
In a following message, the tone turned more threatening:
"You're wrong if you think you can escape me. I see everything. I know where you are, what you're doing. I won't let you get away from me, no matter what."
In one of the last messages she read, he wrote:
"You can't escape me, no matter how hard you try. I'm always close to you, wherever you are."
Bella realized that Amory was not just spying on her—he was tracking her every move, feeding his obsession with the smallest details of her life. The words in his messages made her heart tighten with fear, as if a monster was lurking in the shadows, right in front of her.
Bella quickly closed her phone and took a deep breath. Her eyes were full of worry, and pain gripped her heart. In that moment, she realized her life was in danger, and that divorce wasn't just a legal decision—it was a necessity to protect herself from someone who no longer understood boundaries or respect.
She felt overwhelmed, as if the walls of her room were closing in on her, trapping her in a world that was no longer safe.
In another place
Elsewhere, near the apartment building where Bella lived, there was someone watching closely through the reflective glass of her windows. A dim light was coming from the apartment, while darkness surrounded the area.
In the back seat of a luxurious car, sitting still in an elegant business suit, was Amory. Signs of fatigue and worry were visible on his face as he held his phone in his hands, staring at the screen while watching Bella's apartment with intense focus.
The car was parked by the curb, while the driver moved it in winding directions in an attempt to maintain secrecy. But Amory didn't care. His eyes were fixed on the glass that reflected Bella's image inside her apartment. He was observing every movement, every action she made, as if searching for any signs that would tell him what was happening in her life in his absence. The photos he had taken earlier showed him the truth as he wanted to see it, and now he was watching closely, cautious with every passing moment not to lose control.
While Bella was inside her apartment, he whispered incomprehensible words to himself:
"You are mine only… no one can take you from me… how will you live without me? I'll make this go the way I want… the way it should be… you won't leave me, you are mine… mine only…"
These words flowed from his lips like incantations, as if he was chanting them to feel a sense of control over the situation.
He let out a deep sigh, then took his phone and began typing a new message to her, fully aware that nothing would stop him from remaining a part of her life, no matter the cost.
After a long, heavy silence, he began to feel anxiety creeping into his heart. He felt like hope was slowly fading away. He kept checking the messages repeatedly, but got no reply. That's when he lost hope and decided it was time to leave.
He looked at the driver and said in a cold, stony voice:
"Take me to the mansion."
As the car began to move away from the area, Amory whispered to himself:
"You'll never leave me, Bella… even if you refuse, even if you try to run away… I'll make the whole world know that you're mine only… there's no escape from me, and I'll always be there… behind you, watching you, forcing you to come back to me… because you can't escape me."
He closed his eyes for a moment, as if the words had become an anthem carved into his mind, never to leave.
To be continued…
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And now, a piece of wisdom for today: Today's wisdom: Teachers have two default attitudes toward students—no matter how the student looks, behaves, or what social class they're from—it doesn't matter. The teacher still hates the students. That's a wisdom I've relearned today again.
Bye.