Chapter 3. Time to Wake Up, Briella!

Briella attempted to sort through the new clothes that Luigi had purchased but failed to find a decent outfit. 

She sighed and sat down on the floor. She didn’t see a single casual dress out of twenty boxes in front of her! It was either pajamas or nightgowns, but even the prices were out of her reach. She couldn’t afford to buy three sets of pajamas. “What’s wrong?” Braun asked, just entering the room and noticing Briella’s disappointment on her face. 

“I need to go home, but what will I wear? I can’t wear pajamas or a nightie outside the house,” Briella said. 

Braun approached her, placing his hands on her shoulders to help her. Briella shivered when she felt the warmth of his palms as if a gentle jolt of electricity passed from his hands into her body, sending a peculiar thrill through her. 

“Your clothes are on the way. I told Luigi to pick them up and bring them here. They will be here in ten minutes,” he said, guiding her towards the bed and making her sit down.

“Wait here. I need to prepare myself. I have an important meeting today, so I won’t be with you wherever you go.” 

“You don’t need to. Like I said, don’t interfere with my business. I can handle this myself,” Briella replied seriously, looking Braun in the eyes. 

Braun met her gaze for a moment but then sighed. “Okay. From now on, this will be your new home. After the meeting, I will pick you up and help you pack your things.” He smiled at her, gently cupping her cheeks before walking towards the walk-in closet to change.

“President Braun?” Briella hesitantly called out to him, stopping him as he turned to look at her.

“I am now your husband. Do you need to call me by that name?” he raised an eyebrow, questioning her.

Briella instinctively bit her lower lip and looked down. She didn’t know why, but whenever their eyes met, her heart raced faster. “I... I don’t know what to call you.”

“Think about it,” he said and continued walking. Briella let out a sigh and followed him with her eyes. 

She wanted to ask him why he chose her to marry, considering his social status didn’t require him to convince any woman to be his wife. One of the maids knocked on the door and informed her that Luigi had arrived with her clothes. She quickly opened the door and expressed her gratitude. She had ten branded paper bags in her hands and examined each. She couldn’t help but admire their beauty.

Finally, she chose a red high-low dress, where the hem was higher in the back and lower in the front, along with a pair of beige espadrille shoes. She let her long, coffee-brown wavy hair flow on one side.

She stood in front of the large mirror inside the bathroom. She saw a sophisticated and elegant woman reflecting on her. She didn’t need much makeup, as her naturally red lips were already striking. Her eyebrows were naturally black and thick, and her long and thick eyelashes enhanced her hazelnut eyes. Her cheeks had a natural pinkish hue, requiring no blush.

There was a reason she decided to wear this kind of outfit. Her smooth and fair legs were attention-grabbing due to their length. For a model like her, her legs were her best asset. Not every woman was blessed with long legs like hers.

Content with her appearance, Briella stepped out of the bathroom. She was surprised to find Braun seated on the single sofa in a phone conversation. She discreetly observed him. Dressed in a dark blue single-breasted suit, he had a messy hairstyle that exuded an aura of true royalty. 

“Oh, you haven’t left yet?” she asked.

“I’m waiting for you,” Braun replied, gazing up and down her body, focusing on her thighs. “You have beautiful legs; make sure to take care of them. Let’s go.” He complimented her and extended his hand. Briella nodded in response and held his hand as they left the room together. 

As soon as she sat inside the car, Briella’s phone rang. She glanced at Braun beside her before answering the call.

“Hello, Bri, where are you? I’ve been calling your phone, but you’re not answering. Are you okay?” her deceitful fiancé asked. 

“I’m on my way to meet an old friend. I’m sorry, but I won’t be going to the office today,” Briella formally replied. She felt a gentle grip on her hand. 

“Who’s that friend? Why didn’t you wait for me to accompany you before going? You’ll end up alone, and they might deceive you,” Xander continued, his voice filled with concern. 

“Xander, I’m fine. I’m not gullible, and I will never let anyone deceive me,” Briella replied coldly. 

The line suddenly fell silent. She heard a groan from the other end, followed by a female voice, and then Xander disappeared from the call. Briella’s face darkened upon hearing the noise before the call ended. She tightened her grip on the phone. That man was truly shameless! 

“Do you want me to come with you? I can cancel my appointment today for you,” Braun offered. She looked at the man beside her and shook her head. 

“I’m really fine. Just drop me outside the subdivision, and I’ll take a taxi back to the hotel where I left my car.” 

“I’ll take you to the hotel,” Braun insisted. 

She didn’t resist any longer and remained silent. Her heart seethed with anger at the stupidity of the man she once considered her loving fiancé. 

Did he even realize that today was their rehearsal for their wedding day, and they had planned to pick her up from her house together and go to their friend’s office? 

She wanted to confront him and her treacherous friend and expose the scandal they were hiding behind her back. But if she did that, she would only be the loser. From this day forward, she vowed to reclaim everything taken from her. Briella flinched as she felt Braun’s soft hand squeezing hers. 

“You’re shaking. What can I do to make you feel better?” the man gently asked her. She was mesmerized as she stared into Braun’s marbled gray eyes. 

For a moment, she lost herself, unable to look away from his magnetic and daring gaze. Smiling, she shook her head and replied, “Nothing, Mr. President. Please, do nothing.” 

She looked out the window as they entered the hotel’s basement, where her Farewell Party had taken place. Suddenly, she couldn’t control her laughter, but it quickly subsided. 

“Thank you for the ride. Take care,” Briella bit her lower lip, unsure what to do next. Braun nodded and leaned closer to her. She held her breath as she caught a whiff of his expensive cologne. She heard the door open on her side. 

“I will call you after our meeting. Take care, Briella. Don’t forget that you need to think of an endearment for me,” Braun said, gently kissing her forehead. 

She managed to nod and quickly got out of the car. She didn’t want to risk losing control and kissing Braun on the lips again. One instance of foolishness was enough for her! She assumed they would leave once she exited, but she was surprised when she received a call. 

“Where is your car? Why are you still standing there? Did you forget something?” Braun’s voice came through the line. She glanced at her car parked right in front of her and quickly turned to hide the blush on her face. 

“I’m here; I’m about to get in. I wanted to wait for you to leave before I got into my car,” she replied, taking her car keys. 

“Once you’ve left, we’ll leave too. I want to make sure you’re okay. By the way, where are you going?” he asked. 

She opened her car door and got in. This way, she could finally move freely. She felt like she would embarrass herself in front of Braun with her awestruck behavior. “I’m going to the Star Agency. I plan to talk to my manager. I have some things to settle before I go to my apartment to pack,” she answered. 

“Okay. Leave your car with your manager, and I’ll pick you up there. I want to accompany you to your apartment to get your belongings. Fasten your seatbelt, and drive safely,” he reminded her.

Briella lost count of how many times she was awed by Braun’s words that day. She didn’t know if she could still believe the rumors she had heard about Braun El Cueva’s character. “Okay, same to you,” she said, fastening her seatbelt and starting the engine. 

As she left the basement, Braun’s car followed closely behind her. They took different routes, so he didn’t continue following her. He left her a message, and she couldn’t help but smile at his thoughtfulness. 

“10-15, huh?” she said with a smirk, seeing his name registered on her phone. The smile disappeared when she saw her cheating fiancé’s number. 

She composed herself and answered the call. “Hello?” she greeted formally. 

“Hi, honey! Sorry if I sounded down earlier. I suddenly ran out of battery,” he explained. 

“No worries,” she replied, her gaze fixed on the road. 

“Is there anything else you want to say? I’m driving, so I need to hang up.”

“Oh, okay. I’ll make it quick. Will you be staying long at your destination? I was hoping you could do something for me at the office. It’s urgent, but I can’t go right now. Can you do that for me?” he asked sweetly. 

“I’ll try, but I don’t think I can. I told you I have an important meeting with an old friend,” she informed him. 

“Briella, please—” “I said I’ll try,” she cut him off. She heard no more words from the other end but knew her fiancé was still there. 

“Okay, I just hope you’ll be there. It’s for the company, and you know I rely on you for these things,” he said gently. 

“I have to go. I’ll call you once I’m done. Bye.” She didn’t let him finish speaking and hung up the phone. 

She tightened her grip on the steering wheel and remembered the atrocities she had witnessed last night. She never expected that the two people she considered important would hide such cruelty behind her back. She pressed down on the accelerator, driving faster. She needed to catch the only person who knew about her fiancé’s betrayal and her friend’s treachery. Edna. 

She needed to know everything, every last detail. And once she had proof that they had been deceiving and manipulating her for a long time, she would make sure they paid for their betrayal!

Time to wake up, Briella! You need to open your eyes and confront those bastards!