Meanwhile, at the bar in Zaffron, Bella and Shaun are perched on stools, each a tumbler of spirits before them.
"That was quite the audacious move you made in front of my friend", she remarked as she downed the contents of her tumbler.
"Well, it was a necessary step if I wanted to entice you to accompany me", he replied with a smirk.
"So, enlighten me on how it feels to be the scion of the wealthiest in the world?" she inquired.
"Ex-wealthiest man in the world, to be precise", he corrected, a flicker of anger in his eyes."
"At least he held the title. My father has not been nearly as beneficial as he", she lamented.
"Come now, he created a masterpiece. He was somewhat useful", he countered, a hint of pink coloring her cheeks.
"My, not only affluent and attractive, but a master of flattery as well", she teased, pouting playfully.
"So, your acquaintance, umm…"
"Mae", she supplied.
"Yes, Mae. Why are the two of you friends? You seem to inhabit different spheres", he observed.
"My dear Shaun, sometimes one must extend pity and assistance to the less fortunate so, that they may rely on you", she remarked with a sly smile.
"I am quite taken with you", he confessed in a soft, mesmerizing tone.
"Oh, Shaun, you have a reputation as a notorious womanizer. You must make a more compelling effort to captivate me", she teased, grinning mischievously.
"I witnessed you rebuff that gentleman. Onlookers may have deemed your rejection harsh and callous, but I believe you did him a service", he opined.
"Is that so?" she countered sarcastically.
"If you were to wed and it came to light that you possessed greater wealth than him, society would label him a gold digger, which wouldn't bode well for a model's reputation. Whether you realized it or not, you saved him from a potentially detrimental fate", he explained, smirking.
"I hadn't considered it from that perspective", she admitted.
"Is there anything my lady desires?" he inquired, striving to exude charm.
"I would have loved an RC martini, but alas, I lack VVIP status", she lamented.
"Why didn't you mention it earlier?" he asked, signaling the bartender.
"Yes, sir?" the bartender responded.
"Bring us two RC martinis", he ordered, as the bartender set about preparing their drinks.
"Did you know Mae harbors a substantial crush on you?" she divulged.
"I had my suspicions. One doesn't stalk another for two years without reason", he remarked.
"Do you reciprocate her feelings?" she probed.
"What do you take me for? I have certain standards, and she simply doesn't measure up. She lacks refinement, wealth, and sartorial taste. I couldn't bring myself to her", he declared.
"Well, that's reassuring to hear", she replied, leaning in to kiss him passionately.
Later, Shaun escorted Bella to her residence and invited her on a date. They arranged to meet again the following day. He departed in his vehicle, while she made her way inside her home.
The subsequent day, within Mae's office at the RX hotel, Bella and Mae conversed as they sat together.
"How did you encounter with the charming gentleman go yesterday?" Mae inquired reclining in her chair.
"To be frank, I contemplated deceiving you, but then I realized that as friends, we should be able to share the unvarnished truth without hesitation", Bella expressed, leaving Mae with a perplexed expression.
"What precisely do you mean?" Mae probed.
"Shaun has expressed interest in me, thus your prospects with him are not promising. Furthermore, I find myself drawn to him, and we are arranging a date to formalize our relationship", Bella announced, her countenance radiating with delight.
"But…" Mae.
"But there is nothing to ponder, Mae. Did you genuinely believe that Shaun Grayson would entertain the notion of a connection with you? Your grounded nature is truly admirable, and I am aware that within the recesses of your dreams and fantasies, you were cognizant of your slim chances. Yet I do not fault you, he is indeed forgettable", Bella stated.
"And Zack?" Mae inquired with a hint of concern.
"He was never a consideration. Our association is solely professional arrangement devoid of genuine sentiment", Bella clarified.
"What if his sentiments do not align with yours?" Mae voiced her apprehension.
"Well, that would be his loss. I have no intentions of forsaking a precious gem for a mere pebble", Bella retorted.
"I wish you success with Shaun, and please, handle his emotions delicately", Mae implored.
"Do not be absurd, Mae. Shaun is renowned for his amorous escapades. I have no qualms about shattering his fragile heart", Bella remarked.
"I have a meeting to attend in the next five minutes, so I must depart for the board room", Mae announced as she rose from her seat.
"I require an attire for my evening rendezvous", Bella mentioned.
"Kindly seek out Alexia, and exercise prudence in your expenditures this time", Mae advised.
"I assure you, I shall", Bella affirmed with a broad smile.
"Very well", Mae responded as she exited the office, the door closing behind her.
"I am uncertain if she is merely eager for companionship or naïve. Nonetheless, it doesn't matter as long as it serves my interests. I shall exploit you, Mae, one way or another", Bella declared with a malevolent grin.
At Zaffron in the bar side, Shaun is seen consuming alcoholic beverages from shot glasses. A gentleman approaches him.
The gentleman is attired in a black pin tuck paired with khaki trousers and black slip-on shoes. He sports a silver wristwatch. His complexion is creamy and rugged, marked by thick straight eyebrows. His oval face features a pointed chin, high cheekbones, a straight broad nose, and full Cupid's bow lips. His platinum blond hair is styled in messy curls that complement his small, bright, and closely-set leaf green eyes with a glistening quality. He possess a tall, robust and muscular physique.
Taking a seat on the stool next to Shaun, he swiftly downs a shot. "I see you're enjoying yourself without me", he remarked.
"Why are you here, Bryan?" Shaun inquired with a sober expression. He is already halfway intoxicated.
"I came for a drink and stumbled upon you. Weren't you supposed to be at a press conference right now? You know how irritated Ethan becomes when you make mistakes", Bryan mentioned, glancing around for Ethan.
"Forget about Ethan. Who does he think he is to dictate to me? I pay him, and all he does is cause annoyance", Shaun retorted as he downed another shot.
Suddenly a man approached them.
"Hello, gentlemen", the man greeted, causing Bryan to appear alarmed.
"Ethan, what brings you here?" he asked, averting his gaze.
"I'm right here Shaun. Why don't you repeat what you just said so it doesn't seem like you were talking behind my back", Ethan interjected.
Ethan was dressed in a white pin tuck undershirt, black three-button blazer jacket, black tapered trousers and black oxford shoes. He wore a diamond-adorned silver wristwatch. His complexion was creamy, light, smooth, flawless, and radiant and, with thin arched eyebrows. His oblong face, receding chin and high cheekbones match his thin straight nose and full enticing lips. His dirty blond hair is styled in an undercut with curly fringe complimenting his small, piercing, round and closely-set ice blue eyes that exuded a mesmerizing jewel like quality. He boasted a tall, well-built toned physique.
Shaun turned his body to face Ethan and stares at him intently.
"Why are you here?" Shaun inquired.
"Tell me, Shaun do you enjoy being a fool or do you simply enjoy evoking my anger?" Ethan retorted.
"How dare you?!" Shaun snarled, rising from his stool.
"Look at yourself, Shaun. You resemble the worthless individual that you are", Ethan remarked, a smirk appearing on the corner of his mouth.
"One more insult from you and you are out of your job", Shaun threatened, his eyes burning with rage.
"You have a press conference in the next thirty minutes, and you are completely inebriated. Are you trying to tarnish your father's reputation, you wretch?" Ethan asked.
"That is enough!" he shouted.
"Don't worry I will clean up after you like I always do. Just ensure no one sees you, rest up and I will handle the press conference", Ethan commanded.
"Sometimes it feels like you're the one managing the business while Shaun is nothing but a failure", Bryan remarked with a mocking smile.
"I'm heading to the press conference", Shaun declared as he attempted to move forward but stumbled. Ethan caught his arm.
"Ensure he gets back home safely. If anything happens to him, you know the consequences, Ethan warned Bryan, releasing Shaun's arm, tapping Bryan's face and winking. Take good care of him. He is the one who takes care of my credit card. Goodbye, Bryan", he said as he departed through the exit".
"I'm superior to you, Ethan", a drunken Shaun mumbled as he staggered.
"Why did I agree to have a drink at this hour today?" Bryan pondered to himself as he draped Shaun's right arm over his shoulder and guided him towards the exit".
Later in the day, Ethan takes charge of the press conference while Shaun returns home and continues to indulge in alcohol. Due to excessive drinking, he loses consciousness. Bella waits for him, but he fails to appear, prompting her to contact Mae. She proposes going to a club, but Mae declines, citing an upcoming presentation that she could not afford to jeopardize. Bella feigns understanding and proceeded to the club alone.
At the club Bella thoroughly enjoys herself and then encounters a random guy whom she dances with throughout the evening. They exit the club and made their way to the nearest hotel. They book a room and head to the room. Once they get into the room, they both start to remove their clothes and things get really stimulating as they start to kiss passionately while his hands run up and down her body and he caresses her. They head to the bed, and they start to get intimate.
The following morning, in her hotel room, Bella was awakened by the ringing of her phone. She reached for her phone to check caller ID, which displayed "Bryan". She answered the call.
"Hello, Bryan", she greeted as she managed to sit up.
"Are you out of your mind? There are paparazzi and members of media gathered right outside your hotel room", he snapped.
"Which hotel room?" she asked, sounding perplexed.
"Where on earth are you?" he demanded, as she scanned the room and noticed the man from previous night sleeping soundly on the bed. It all came rushing back to her.
"Oh dear, I'm in deep trouble", she muttered, momentarily forgetting she was still on the phone.
"What do you plan to do? I'm afraid I won't be able to assist you this time. They won't leave until they see you emerge from that room", he explained.
"Let me contact Mae to see if she can lend a hand", she suggested.
"Hurry up", he urged as the call ended.
She promptly accessed her call log and dialed Mae's number. Taking a deep breathe she made the call.
"Good morning, Bella. How was your night?" Mae inquired.
"Mae I require your assistance. I find myself in a serious predicament", Bella confessed, her voice filled with distress.
"What happened?" Mae questioned.
"The paparazzi are stationed at my hotel room door, and if they manage to gain entry, my entire career could be jeopardized", Bella explained.
"Why are you at a hotel? Please tell me you did not engage in a rendezvous with a stranger", Mae expressed her concern.
"He is not entirely a stranger. I do know his name," Bella tried to reassure Mae.
"Send me your location, and I will make my way there as quickly as possible. Ensure that both you and your new acquaintance are dressed before I arrive", Mae instructed.
"Thank you, Mae", Bella expressed her gratitude.
"Just be prepared by the time I arrive", Mae reminded her.
"Of course", Bella replied with a smile.
Mae promptly leaves her residence and made her way to Bella's hotel. She booked a room directly across from Bella's and proceeded to the third floor. Upon entering the elevator, she donned a baseball cap and hoodie. Upon reaching room 310, she observed the paparazzi gathered outside room 311. She kept her head down as she pretended to be engaged in a phone conversation while opening the door to room 310.
"You will not believe who I spotted at the hotel lobby of where I'm at right now. Shaun Grayson is here, and he is even more impressive in person", she fabricated.
The individuals outside Bella's room suddenly shifted their focus to the statement Mae made.
"Shaun Grayson's downstairs", a lady exclaimed.
"That news will be even more thrilling than Bella Davies", a man chimed in excitedly.
"I think he is leaving though, as I saw him with a lady returning a room key. Nevertheless I'm glad to have finally seen him. He is absolutely charming", Mae gushed as she entered the room with the door closing behind her.
"Let's go", another lady urged as they rushed towards the elevator and boarded it.