After having too much to eat and drink, Carlos lay fast asleep on the couch with an empty, open pizza box laying on his tummy. His left leg was on the couch, while the other was on the floor. With his head resting on the couch pillows, he snorted loudly with his mouth slightly open. Hugo, who happened to sit on the opposite couch, looked at his comrade with a disgusted look on his face.
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The door to the balcony stood open, and the gentle breeze of the evening air made its way inside. Standing on the balcony and looking out at the streets of New York from up above, was Alex. He held a burning cigarette in his hand, not thinking much, but simply enjoying the view. New York was beautiful at night, and not many get to appreciate its shining beauty from a tall building.
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Inside, the door to one of the guest bedrooms flew open. Elizabeth and Jane stepped out with excited looks on their faces. They happened to be giggling to themselves, and that made Hugo sit upright, stretching his neck to see the women standing in the hallway.
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"Are we done, ladies?" he asked.
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"Yes, we are," said Elizabeth, making her way into the living room. She turned to look back down the hall. “Tell her to come out,” she said to Jane.
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“Let’s go, Carly,” said Jane, who stood out in the hall, looking inside the room. “We better not keep the others waiting.”
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Hugo heard the sound of heels in the hall, and he stood to see Carly appear into the living room with Jane behind her. She wore a stunning black dress, showing off her slender yet curvy body. The dress was long and reached her feet, but she wore stunning black strapped high heels showing off her cute toes. On her arm, she wore a shiny diamond bracelet on her left wrist and matching diamond oval earrings, courtesy of Red Lion. She also held on to a crystal-studded purse in her hand. With her hair glossed back and tied in a ponytail, she looked gorgeous. Her plump lips were cherry red and shining under the lights, making them attractive and kissable.
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“Wow, you look great,” said Hugo.
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Carly shyly smiled. “Thank you,” she said. She looked at Carlos, who continued to sleep on his couch as he snored so loudly. Her eyes weren’t the only ones that fell on him.
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Hugo rolled his eyes and started to make his way to wake Carlos up. At that moment, Alex came back into the room after realizing that Carly had appeared in the living room. Immediately, his eyes fell on her, and he looked stunned for a second. Carly noticed his look, and it was one that she had never seen before. Alex was a serious person who rarely displayed his emotions, so seeing him look at her the way he did made Carly blush a little. No sooner did he have that stunned look on his face, did his face go back to its usual stoic self.
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“You look prettier than last time,” Alex commented.
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Even with his usual face, his comment made Carly blush even more. She looked down at her feet, her lips slowly broadening into a smile. There’s something about his compliment that made Carly’s heart flutter. Afterwards, she felt a little awkward.
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Hugo woke Carlos up, and he slowly lifted himself from the sleeping position. He rubbed his eyes and looked at Carly before him. His reaction was quick for someone who had been asleep for quite some time.
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“You two ladies really did make her look stunning,” said Carlos. He stretched his hands in the air, and the empty pizza box fell to the floor.
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“You really need to clean this place up before we leave,” said Hugo, shaking his head.
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“Don’t you think I should be on my way now?” Carly asked. “The sooner I get there, the better.”
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“Oh, yeah, you should,” said Elizabeth. She turned to look at Hugo. “I better be leaving now. It was nice doing this.” She looked at Carly. “You should come try on my dresses from time to time as a muse. You really have a great body.”
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Carly said her thanks. Hugo said his goodbyes to both Elizabeth and Jane. He told them that the vehicle they came in was waiting for them downstairs. After the two women left, Hugo told Carly that she would be traveling with Alex and a chauffeur. He picked up his phone to call for the car, and as soon as he was done, he instructed Carly that after her dinner with Andre, she had better be back here at the apartment. It was obvious that André was going to bring her over.
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“And what if he asks to come up?” she asked.
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“The place isn’t properly furnished. He will notice something is wrong,” said Carlos.
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“Well, you’ll just have to refuse him,” said Hugo. “You do remember Loren’s profile, don’t you?”
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“Loren takes her time to get to know people before she lets them into her life,” Carly answered. “But still, what if Andre doesn’t take no for an answer?”
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“Oh, he will,” said Carlos, still seated on the couch. “He likes you a lot, so I doubt he would want to do anything to ruin it. Your actions should also portray that you don’t tolerate any nonsense. He’ll get the message right away.”
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Hugo smiled at what Carlos said. “There you go,” he said. “Carlos has already provided the answer. Don’t mess things up.”
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“I’ll try,” said Carly, giving an upsetting look.
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“You can go now,” said Hugo. He turned to look at Alex. “Make sure she gets there. She shouldn’t run.”
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“That’s the last thing I would want to do,” said Carly.
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“Well, when given the chance, anyone can do anything.” Hugo gave Carly a smile.
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Alex started to make his way to the elevator. Carly looked at both Carlos and Hugo, making sure to show her displeasure, before turning around to follow Alex to the elevator. As the doors to the elevators were closing in front of her, after they got in, Carly took deep breaths. Now that the thought of seeing Andre again came to mind, she didn’t know whether she was downright scared or excited.
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***
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Angel finished tying the apron behind her lower back, and she turned to face the table. She had all the ingredients and equipment in front of her. She took a deep breath as she looked at the items on the table. It had been a while since she last baked. When her mother was alive, she would help her out at the bakery, and she learned to bake many pastries there. Now that her mother is gone, baking never came to Angel’s mind until now. She wondered if she was still as good as she once was.
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She took a deep breath, telling herself that she could do this. For now, she was going to start with something simple: cupcakes.
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She got the bowl and added the butter and sugar. With a hand mixer, she started to beat the butter and sugar, resulting in a light, fluffy mixture. Afterwards, when the mixture was well done, she got some eggs from the tray and cracked them in a separate bowl. She ought to have some vanilla with her and thought it would be best to add it to the mix for a better flavor.
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While she worked, there were also a number of activities going on in the kitchen. The house chefs and two of his assistants were up and running, preparing for supper. They gave Angel some room to work on her baking. At first, when she told the chef that she would like to bake something, he refused, telling her that that was his job and he could bake whatever she wished. Angel refused to back down and explained that she hadn’t baked in a while. In the end, the chef gave in and allowed her to use whatever she wanted in the kitchen.
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Angel finished working on the batter mixture. Then she got the baking pan and started to place the white cupcake liners on the baking tray. She got a spoon and started to scoop up the batter and place it at a reasonable amount in each cupcake liner. When she was done, she heated up the oven and placed the baking tray inside. The chef happened to give her a timer, and she set it.
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“I really hope this will taste good,” she said aloud.
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“When Leo and Eric said you were in here, I thought they were joking,” came a voice behind Angel.
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Angel almost jumped in fright. For a long time, the three cooks in the kitchen didn’t bother her so much that she got used to them buzzing about. The newcomer scared her a little. There, standing at the other end of the long kitchen island in the center of the kitchen, was Mrs. McDonell.
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“Uh, yes,” said Angel, gathering herself together. The sight of Mrs. McDonell startled her a little. “Mr. Finn is one who loves his kitchen. Trying to convince him to bake wasn’t easy.”
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“That’s the thing,” said Mrs. McDonell as she slowly walked around the island, approaching Angel. “He’s a stubborn man. And for good reason too. Chefs are overly protective of their workspace. What are you baking?”
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“Cupcakes,” Angel answered, her eyes never leaving Mrs. McDonell. “It’s been a while since I last baked something. So I thought I could go back to something simple for starters.”
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Mrs. McDonell reached Angel and looked straight at the cupcakes in the oven. Angel wondered why she bothered to come all the way. The chef and his cooks were on the other side, serving up today’s dishes on serving plates and pots. Anytime from now, Mandy and the other house help will come to serve the McDonell supper.
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“Are you going to wait until you’re done?” Mrs. McDonell asked. “Supper is almost ready.”
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“Yeah, you all can have supper without me,” said Angel. “It would be nice to have these cupcakes ready for dessert.”
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“Well, I hope they will taste good. We’ll see if your baking is as good as the chef's.”
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“I promise you, madam, I am so much better,” answered the chef. When Angel turned to look at him, he gave her a cheery smile.
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Angel nervously chuckled at the comparison. No doubt, she wasn’t as good as the chef, but she at least thought she was good, if not better.
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“I hear that your sister won’t be coming home,” said Mrs. McDonell, looking at Angel. “Where is she spending the night?”
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“She’s spending the night at college with a friend she made there,” Angel answered.
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“If you ask me, she should have started to stay in one of the boarding houses a long time ago. Too bad Fred never thought of it. The places must be fully booked now.” She smiled at Angel. “I’ll leave you to your baking. I can’t wait to taste them.”
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Angel smiled back nervously. For a moment, she couldn’t tell whether Mrs. McDonell’s smile was genuine or not. Worse off, if she meant what she said. As soon as Mrs. McDonell started to make her way out of the kitchen, Angel turned to look back at the cupcakes in the oven. They had better taste good, she thought to herself.
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As expected, supper was ready, and Mandy, along with another house helper, came into the kitchen to set the table with plates, cutlery, and food. Angel removed her first batch of cupcakes from the oven, and the warm smell of freshly baked cupcakes filled the kitchen. Mandy, who was looking through the cupboards for plates, stopped when she smelled the air. She turned to look at Angel.
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“Those cupcakes smell lovely, Miss Barclay,” said Mandy.
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“They do?” Angel asked. She had set the hot baking tray on the table. She smelled the air as she removed the oven mittens from her hands. They smelled good, but were they tasty enough?
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The chef, who had entered the wine cellar came back into the kitchen with a bottle of wine in his hands. As soon as he stepped into the kitchen, he stopped upon smelling the sweet, warm air.
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“It looks like you aren’t that bad after all, Miss,” said the chef as he came towards Angel to look down at her cupcakes. “They look nicely baked too.”
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Angel smiled at the chef. “I was just about to test it to see if they’ve been properly baked,” she said with a toothpick already in hand. She gently pricked it into one of the cupcakes. When she slowly removed it, she sighed in relief. The cupcakes were properly baked from the inside.
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“I can’t wait to taste them,” said the chef. “Do you plan to put icing on it?”
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“Yeah, I do,” Angel answered as she prepared the other baking tray, allowing for the first one to cool before removing the baked cupcakes. “I already made it while I was waiting for the first tray in the oven. I will add it once the other cupcakes have cooled.”
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Mandy and the chef went back to preparing supper. When Mandy was leaving the kitchen, Eric appeared at the door and held it open for her to pass with a serving dish. She thanked him, making her way to the dining room. Eric made his way inside and found Angel finishing putting cupcake liners in the other baking tray. The sweet smell in the air made him smile.
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“Something smells delicious,” he said as he approached Angel.
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Angel quickly looked up and saw Eric. She smiled as she looked down at the tray. She took the bowl that held the batter and started to scoop some with a spoon into the cupcake liners.
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“What are you doing in here?” Angel asked. “The cupcakes aren’t done yet.”
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When Eric got close enough to smell the cupcakes, a wide smile came across his face. “I bet they taste delicious. Can I have one bite?” he asked.
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“Not when I haven’t put the icing on yet,” said Angel, furrowing her eyebrows. “As soon as they are done, I’ll make sure to give them to you first once I do.”
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“Pretty, please. Just one.”
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“No.”
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Angel had finished placing the batter into the tray. She carried the tray to put it inside the oven, and closed it. As soon as she turned around, she found Eric already trying to lift up one cupcake from the tray. The tray was still very hot, so he had to be careful not to get burned.
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“Hey, I said no,” said Angel as she slapped his hand away. “Let me get that for you. You’re going to get burned."
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Angel took a butter knife to remove the cupcake from the tray. It was easier to remove that way since the tray and the cupcakes were still steaming hot. After removing it, she quickly took a small plate that happened to be nearby and placed the cupcake on it.
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"Oh, I can't wait to taste it," said Eric, looking gleefully at the cupcake.
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Angel had an annoyed look on her face, but she replaced it with a smile. "I wanted you to taste it with the icing. You really know how to ruin things for me," she said.
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"Everyone knows that it's not the icing but the actual cupcake that matters. Besides, if the cupcake isn't good, I will be able to tell you."
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"Well, okay," said Angel as she shrugged her shoulders. "I guess tasting isn't such a bad idea."
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The door to the kitchen flew open, and Eric and Angel didn't pay much attention to who had come in, as they thought it was Mandy and the other housekeeper. It wasn't until they heard someone else's voice in the room.
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"So this is where you are," said Leo. Eric and Angel looked towards the door and saw him standing there. "I should've known that you wanted to have a taste of the cupcakes yourself."
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"Is that wrong?" Eric asked. "It's just one cupcake."
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Leo shook his head, irritated at his cousin. He started to wonder if he was only in the kitchen to spend time with Angel or eat a cupcake. He started to make his way towards them.
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"You just want to taste her cupcake and see if it tastes bad before anyone else," said Leo.
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"Well, I'm sorry for trying to help out, but you would do the same thing for Carly if you were in my shoes," said Eric.
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Angel, who now stood in between the two of them, cleared her throat to get their attention. They all turned to look at her.
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"It's best that you don't taste it, Eric," she said. "You will after supper."
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"No way, I'm going to taste it right now," said Eric, attempting to get the cupcake on the plate.
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Angel slapped his hand away. "Oh no, you won't," she said. "Please go have your supper."
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Leo smirked at Eric. "You heard her," he said. "Let's leave."
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"You're so annoying, do you know that?" Eric asked his cousin. He didn't look pleased.
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"Come on. We don't want other people to know where we are," said Leo as he walked behind Angel to get to Eric. He held his cousin's shoulders and started to push him away.
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"I better be the first person to taste them," Eric said to Angel as Leo dragged him out of the kitchen.
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Angel chuckled and nodded her head. The sight of Leo pushing Eric out of her kitchen was funny to her. She was glad Leo took Eric with him. She really needed to finish the cupcakes. Eric was only going to slow her down a little.
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The timer on the table rang, meaning it was time to remove the other set of cupcakes from the oven. She turned around to check on the cupcakes, and so far, she was happy with the way they turned out.
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***
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The door to the black Bentley Carly had been riding in soon came to a stop in front of a luxurious restaurant. The chauffeur stood waiting outside the car. Carly, for a moment or two, hesitated to get out. She turned to look at Alex, who sat in the front passenger seat, as though waiting to see what he was going to say. When Alex felt her eyes on him, he turned his head to look at her.
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"What is it?" he asked.
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"Aren't you going to say anything?" Carly asked.
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"What’s there to say?" Alex shrugged his shoulders.
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"I don't know. Didn't Red Lion leave you a set of instructions to tell me?"
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"I think you know what has to be done. I'm just here to escort you."
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Carly didn't know what to say as she was left speechless. A part of her wanted Alex to tell her not to go through with it. However, since they both work for Red Lion, that was far from ever happening. Alex might not show it, but he feared Red Lion just as much as Carly.
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Carly took a few deep breaths and stepped out of the car with the help of the chauffeur. She suddenly felt strange. It was as if she were entering a brand new life. The feeling could almost be similar to that of a new-born baby, stepping into the world out of the comfort of the womb it had been harboring in for nine months. She started to wonder if those who have ever tried to impersonate or pretend to be other people ever get to feel the same way. Is this all it took to be Loren Jenkins? Maybe as time goes on, who knows, she might just fit into the role as if she had been Loren Jenkins her whole life.
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After letting go of the chauffeur’s hand, she thanked him. Her eyes looked at the restaurant in front of her. Looking through the glass windows of the restaurant, she noticed the neat arrangement of the tables and the lovely light and flower decoration inside. She smiled, as the thought of eating in such a restaurant pleased her for some reason. She started to make her way to the front door, and there stood a door attendant dressed in a red tux, white shirt, and black trousers with matching black shoes who gladly opened the door for her. She thanked him and walked inside towards the reception.
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The red-carpeted floor felt comfortable to walk on, despite the high heels she wore. Another man, also in a red tux, came towards her, offering to take the black coat she wore and place it in the coatroom. She gave her crystal-studded purse for the young man to hold and removed her coat to give it to him. He gave her purse back, and he went off to put the coat away. Carly brought herself to the desk to check on the table Andre had booked. She hoped he was already here. Well, it was more of their first date, so he should be on time to give off a good first impression.
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When she came by the desk and asked for the reservation, the woman behind the table told her that André was already at the table waiting for her. She called for one of the young men dressed in the red tux to escort Carly to the desired table. The young man led the way, and Carly followed him to the dining area. Most of the tables covered in beautiful white satin cloth were meant for two to four people. A few long dining tables set for a larger group were set on the far side of the room, away from the huge display windows. There were a few open booths at one end of the room, and Carly happened to see Andre sitting in one of them, having a glass of wine.
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Carly’s heart skipped a beat for a second. She couldn’t tell whether she was nervous or excited to see André again. Maybe it was both. Carly wanted to shake her head at the thought but controlled herself. She needed to remind herself that she had to play her cards right with André, for he is dangerous. One wrong move, and she was dead. Andre was just as dangerous as Red Lion. Carly shook those thoughts out of her head. She was Loren Jenkins tonight. It meant that she should discard her former self, including Carly’s worst fears.
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As the young man in front of her continued to lead the way to the booth, Carly noticed a few eyes on her as she passed some tables. There weren’t many people in the restaurant, but their eyes on Carly felt intimidating, and it made her feel a little uncomfortable. Men staring at her gave her looks of admiration, and for some, Carly could tell that they would do anything to get her into bed with them. For the women, there were many mixed reactions. Some acknowledged that she was indeed beautiful, while others, who obviously came with their partners, threw in some judgmental and disdainful looks. Some didn’t seem to be paying much attention. It’s not the first time Carly has experienced such mixed emotions in one place. She looked around here and there and quickly brushed off the feeling. People could think of her all they want. She couldn’t care less.
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Andre saw her approaching and quickly stood up from the plush chair in the booth. He wore a black tuxedo, and Carly couldn’t help but realize how handsome he looked with that bad boy smile of his. She smiled as she reached the table, and the young man who had escorted her went back the way he had come.
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“Loren, hi,” said Andre, his eyes looking her up and down. “Wow, you look absolutely amazing.”
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“Thank you,” said Loren as the smile on her face grew even wider. “I must say, black is really nice on you. Has anyone ever told you that you look handsome in a tuxedo?”
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“Never paid attention until you said it.” Andre gestured for Loren to enter the booth and take a seat.
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Loren slowly made her way into the booth, and she felt Andre’s hand on her waist, leading her inside. His touch sent shock waves up her spine, and Loren did her very best not to react to it. All of a sudden, she felt the sudden urge to be closer to him. As soon as she sat in the booth, Andre sat opposite her.
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“How have you been lately?” Andre asked.
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“Great,” Loren answered. “And yourself?”
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“Oh, I’ve been great,” said Andre. He raised his hand to call for a waiter who happened to be passing by. “I’ve been pretty busy of late.”
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“Managing your family estate?” Loren asked, raising an eyebrow.
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“Yeah. There’s so much work to be done.” Andre turned to the waiter and ordered a bottle of wine first. When the waiter turned to leave, Loren gave Andre a suspicious look.
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“We’re starting off with wine, huh? What calls for the celebration?”
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“You, of course.”
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Loren chuckled. “Why? Just because I passed some tests?”
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“Maybe,” he said as he smiled seductively. “But because I get to see you again. That’s a celebration in itself, isn’t it?”
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Loren’s cheeks suddenly blushed, and her heart quickly fluttered so much that she had to take a quick deep breath to calm herself. There really was something about André that she couldn’t get her head around. Was it his charm?
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“You really know how to charm a woman,” she said as she tried to chuckle. “I wonder just how many you’ve lured with those words and your looks.”
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“Many,” André proudly said. “But there were only a few who caught my eye. But none of them has ever attracted me more like you have.”
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“Mm, funny. I’ve heard that line too many times before.”
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Andre chuckled. “You, Loren, are going to be one tough nut to crack.”
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“You’re right about that.” Loren gently chuckled, trying not to laugh too loudly and attract attention.
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The waiter came back with a bottle of wine and two wine glasses. Andre and Loren watched as the waiter popped the bottle and poured wine into both glasses. After he left, the two at the table took their glasses and raised them to make a toast.
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“A toast to you, Loren,” said Andre. “For looking so beautiful as always. Getting to know you will be so exciting. And for passing your history test, there’s no doubt you’re a smart one.”
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“Cheers,” said Loren, smiling widely.
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The two clinked their glasses, and they slowly brought them to their lips while looking at each other. They both knew that tonight would indeed be an interesting one.
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***
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Angel smiled as she proudly looked at her cupcakes on the table. What she thought was going to be a total disaster turned out to be all right after all. Her vanilla cupcakes looked appetizing, especially with the white icing and the colored sprinkles on top of them. The chef, who stood there, also couldn’t believe that Angel had baked such lovely cupcakes.
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“You weren’t joking when you said you used to bake,” said the chef. “They look delicious.”
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“I was taught from the best,” said Angel. “Eric was right when he said baking was almost like riding a bike after a long time. Once you start, everything comes back to you.”
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“You should go eat your supper, though. You’ve spent so much time in the kitchen. You need to eat.”
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“Not until I serve everyone dessert. They must be waiting.”
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“I’ll give you a hand with them.”
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Angel took another tray and made sure to leave some cupcakes for the chef, his assistants, and two of the house helpers. She started to make her way out of the kitchen, with the chef carrying the tray behind her. One of his assistants held the door open for him. Angel led the way to the empty dining room. Everyone had finished their supper, and she could hear them in the living room. After Eric had announced that Angel would present their dessert, the entire McDonell household had all gathered in the dining room to wait. As soon as Angel appeared with the chef, everyone stopped whatever they were doing to look at her.
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“Uh,” Angel said, startled at how everyone turned their attention to her. “As promised, here are the cupcakes. I hope you like them.”
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The chef went ahead to place the tray on the coffee table. After he withdrew, he was making his way back to the kitchen when he gave Angel a thumb’s up. She smiled at the gesture, but this was different. She might have baked well, and the cupcakes looked delightful, but the taste at the end of the day was all that mattered.
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Eric, who had been sitting on one of the sofas, bent forward first to take the cupcake. He looked at it first and that made Angel a little nervous. Eric looked up at her.
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“Your cupcake looks attractive,” said Eric as he turned back to looking at the cupcake. “That’s a pass. I wonder if it tastes good.”
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“And you wonder why you shouldn’t be the judge of things,” said Leo, who sat next to him. “Just taste it and tell us. If it’s poisoned, you will be doing us a favor.”
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“Now you’re being mean, both of you,” said Amanda, scowling at her grandsons. “Don’t eat it if you don’t want to. Angel worked hard to make these cupcakes. Oliver, please pass me one so that I can taste it.”
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Oliver, seated on the floor, got a cupcake for himself and gave one to Amanda. Everyone else followed as well, and each one of them took their first bite. Angel watched each of their expressions to see if there were disgruntled looks. She hid her hands behind her back, squeezing them nervously as thoughts came to her mind. What if no one liked them, she wondered.
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It was Mr. McDonell who said something first. “Well,” he started to say, “this is wonderful, Angel.”
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“Really?” Angel asked, for she couldn’t believe his reaction. She felt her heart take a little leap. First of all, she didn’t mess up on the cupcakes, and secondly, Mr. McDonell liked them.
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“Yeah. I forgot just how much of a good baker your mother was,” said Mr. McDonell after biting another bit of the cupcake.
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“Goodness, this is lovely, Angel,” said Diana, her mouth full of cupcakes. “It’s not too sweet, and the cupcake is very fluffy and soft to chew.”
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“As much as I don’t love sweet things, this is pretty nice,” said Mrs. McDonell.
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“Oh, this is just scrumptious,” said Eric. “I can eat ten of these cupcakes, and I will still want more.”
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“Thank you,” said Angel, as a happy, relieved smile came across her face.
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“They are lovely, indeed,” said Amanda. “Please pass me one more, Oliver.”
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“Do you have more?” Oliver asked as he took another cupcake to give to Amanda. “I would like to carry some to school tomorrow.”
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“There’s plenty for everyone,” said Angel. “Thank you for the comments. I didn’t think they would turn out this good.”
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“I always believed in you,” said Eric, giving her a huge smile.
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Amanda turned to look at Leo. “What do you think of her cupcakes, Leo?” she asked. “You’re the only one who hasn’t said anything.”
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Leo blankly looked at his grandmother, and it was then that everybody’s eyes fell on him. He had already finished his cupcake, and he took his time to swallow before he could respond.
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“Well, I ate and finished one, right?” he asked. “That counts for something.”
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Oliver, Angel, and Diana laughed. Amanda shook her head in disbelief while Mrs. McDonell and her husband silently tried to hold in their laughter. Eric smiled at Leo and placed a hand on his shoulder.
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“I bet you’re trying to say the cupcakes aren’t poisonous?” Eric asked.
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“No,” Leo answered, shaking his head.
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“Aren’t you supposed to say anything else aside from that?” Amanda asked. She told herself that if Leo didn’t understand what she meant, she was going to hang him.
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“Oh, uh,” Leo hesitated as he looked up at Angel, whom he found staring back at him.
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For a second, he looked Angel up and down. She was still wearing her white shirt and black office trousers. She didn’t get the chance to change out of them when they arrived. A few smudges of flour and batter showed on the white apron that she wore. She had pushed her sleeves up to her elbows, and he noticed a few smudges of flour on her arms. He looked at her face, and he couldn’t help but spot a line of flour on her left cheek. Her messy look made Leo want to stare at her even more, and he wondered why. He cleared the thought as he sat up straight.
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“Your cupcakes are really nice,” he said. “You should be baking more often.”
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Angel smiled. “Thank you, Leo,” she said.
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Amanda smiled at Leo, satisfied with his answer. She couldn’t help but look at the two, making her smile grow even wider.
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“I think I’ll carry some for work too,” said Diana.
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“We should too,” said Eric as he looked at Leo. “If people are going to taste these, I’m telling you that Angel might be compared to Mrs. Lance.”
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“Carly hasn’t had a taste of them,” said Angel. She started to scratch the back of her head. “I don’t think there will be enough for those at work. Next time, I’ll bake more. So for now, let’s not even try to give anyone at work.”
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“Alright, your call,” said Eric. “You need to have your supper, though.”
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“Uh, yeah, but I’ll need to get cleaned up first,” said Angel as she looked down at herself. “I’m such a mess.”
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“A hot one, if you ask me,” said Eric, flashing his eyebrows.
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Everyone looked at Eric for making such a comment. Leo shook his head, for he couldn’t believe he had just said that. Mr. McDonell cleared his throat as he bent over to get another cupcake. Angel stood there, feeling her cheeks blush, and she looked to the doorway leading out of the living room.
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“I'll, uh, go get changed,” she said nervously, pointing to the doorway. She quickly made her way out of the living room.
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“You really need to mind what you say in front of everyone,” said Leo, turning to look at Eric.
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“What?” Eric asked as he shrugged his shoulders. “It’s not my fault I spoke my mind.”
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“Whatever. If you need me, I’ll be going up to my room. I’m so tired.”
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“You go rest up, dear,” said Mrs. McDonell. “Tomorrow is another busy day.”
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Leo stood up from the couch. Before he made his way out of the living room, he made sure to grab two more cupcakes.
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***
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Loren laughed loudly at Andre’s joke, and in the process of doing so, she landed her head on his shoulder. The two of them were now in the back of his car, driving back to Loren’s apartment. She wiped the tears away from her eyes, as she had laughed too hard.
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“Your childhood stories are so funny,” said Loren as she straightened up from Andre’s shoulder.
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“Well, that’s because my parents were strict back then,” said Andre as he looked at her. “When I look back at it, they were pretty funny. And all you could do is laugh.”
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“Well, it’s nice that you grew up with your parents,” said Loren as she looked at Andre. “I never knew mine. My uncle is the only parent I have ever had.” Loren’s eyes looked downcast at the seat, looking a little sad over the topic.
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“Hey.” Andre gently took hold of her chin with his fingers and dragged her head to face him. “Let’s not dwell on that tonight. You were laughing just now, weren’t you?”
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“You aren’t going to ask about my childhood? You were so open to talking about yours, I thought…”
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Andre placed his thumb on her lip to silence her, and he drew himself a little closer. “We can talk about that later on. I believe we’ll be seeing more of each other often.”
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A smile appeared across Loren’s face. “What do you mean exactly?” she asked.
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Andre chuckled. “It means I want to know everything about you.” Andre studied Loren’s face. “There’s something about you that I like, Loren. I have a feeling that it's not your looks. So, I’m going to stick around and see what it is.”
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Carly gently chuckled. “Does this mean what I think it means?”
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“That I want you to be mine, then yes, Loren. I want you.”
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The two of them locked eyes, and Andre slowly came closer, wanting to kiss Loren. She half-closed her eyes, expecting his lips to be on hers. He lingered a bit before doing so, making Loren even more hungry for it.
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Loren didn’t know what to think about how she felt about André. He had this amazing charm; he was funny and, not to forget, handsome. If she wanted to, she would take him up to her apartment and spend the whole night getting to know him a little more. Then the warning Red Lion gave her made her realize that she shouldn't spend the night with him. Oh, right, there’s another side of her life to worry about. She almost forgot about that.
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Andre lingered a little more, making Loren even more anxious, wondering why he still hesitated to kiss her. It only took his chauffeur to announce that they had arrived at Loren’s apartment to break the moment.
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Loren quickly pulled herself back and looked out her side of the window. “We’re really here,” she said. She turned back to look at André. "I really had a great time tonight. Thank you."
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"I did too," said André. "Aren't you going to invite me up to your apartment?"
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Loren smiled and playfully bit her lower lip. "Nah, not tonight. I have a busy day tomorrow."
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André raised an eyebrow and realized what was going on. He leaned back in his seat and chuckled. "Are you trying to get back at me for not kissing you?"
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Loren batted her eyelids. "Well, you should've taken your chance when you had it." She took her purse beside her and hugged her coat, which she was already wearing. "Next time, don't leave a woman hanging, or else you will be the one left out in the cold."
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André nodded his head, feeling a little embarrassed. “I'll take note of that," he said.
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The chauffeur at the front stepped out of the car to open the door for Loren at the back. Loren quickly leaned toward André and gave him a peck on the cheek. André wasn't expecting it, as Loren pulled away from him quickly. He was blushing, and Loren felt pleased because that was what she was aiming for.
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"That's all you're going to get," she said. The car door on her side opened. "Goodnight, André."
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André remained stunned by Loren’s kiss. It might have been small, but he realized just how deadly it was to him. He now regrets not kissing her back then. I am so stupid, he thought to himself.
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Loren made her way out of the car. As she stood on the pavement, she turned back to look at André. He blew her a kiss, and she got it with her hand and opened her palm to place the invisible kiss on her lips. André smiled, knowing fully well that she was doing all that just to mock him.
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The chauffeur closed the door and went back to the driver’s seat. Loren watched on as the black Chevrolet drove off. As soon as it was out of sight, she started to make her way inside the apartment building. As she entered the lobby, she breathed out a sigh of relief, knowing fully well that she was back to being Carly again.
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***
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Angel sat alone in the quiet kitchen, finally having her meal. She didn't have much of an appetite, so she only served herself a little of what was had for supper. While she ate on the long wooden kitchen stool, she had her phone in one hand and a fork in another. With no one to talk to, she was on her phone, looking through Instagram.
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The door to the kitchen flew open, and Leo stepped in wearing a white bathrobe with a towel around his neck. He had just come from taking a hot shower and had come downstairs to the kitchen. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Angel. Angel looked up at her phone when she saw him and gasped. She almost fell off her stool upon seeing him, but she quickly balanced herself.
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"What's up with you?" Leo asked, raising an eyebrow.
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"Uh, nothing," said Angel. She had dropped her phone on the table upon losing her balance, so she picked it up and started to scroll through it.
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Leo shook his head as he reached out for one of the cupboards to get a glass. He walked over to the fridge to get water out of the dispenser. After doing so, he walked over to the island table and looked at Angel sitting on the other end. Angel knew Leo’s eyes were on her, but she continued to look through her phone just to ignore him.
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“Have you talked to Carly?” Leo asked.
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Angel looked up from her phone. “No, I haven’t,” she answered. “Why? Did you send her a message?"
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Leo nodded his head after taking a sip of water. “I did,” he said. “She hasn’t replied.”
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“Give her time.” Angel went back to looking at her phone. “I guess she’s having more of a slumber party with her friend, and she hasn’t looked at her phone since. She’ll reply.”
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Leo didn’t say anything to that as he quickly gulped down the water and put the glass on the tabletop. Angel briefly looked up at him, wondering if he was worried. It’s best not to ask, she told herself.
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Leo carried his glass and walked over to Angel’s end. There was a sink to her side, and he was heading for it. Angel didn’t notice this before, but the smell of fresh eucalyptus shower gel was in the air, and it became stronger as Leo drew closer. Without thinking of it, Angel lifted her nose and sniffed the air. Leo noticed her movement when he came to the sink, and he looked at her. When Angel realized what she was doing, she turned to look at Leo and found him staring back at her. Angel suddenly jumped in her seat with fright that she had lost balance like before and was falling backwards.
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Before Angel could even let out a shriek with her eyes closed, she felt her back lean onto something, and a hand held the wrist of her hand that she was trying to use to hold on to the table. The strong smell of eucalyptus filled her nose, and she quickly opened her eyes. She looked up, and found herself looking straight at Leo.
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Leo had come just in time to rescue her from falling. Angel leaned against his chest, supported by his other arm on her waist. She found herself lost for breath as she looked at Leo. He turned to look down at her, and Angel quickly felt her cheeks blush for a second.
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“You should really be careful,” said Leo. “These chairs aren’t always safe to sit on.”
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“Uh, yeah,” said Angel, still looking stunned at what almost occurred.
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Before Leo could bring her back up, he noticed how light Angel felt—or was it because she still sat on the stool? His attention drew to her face, and she still looked up at him. The way she looked at him, made Leo want to look back at her. He noticed there was something different about her face. Was she blushing? He asked himself.
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As for Angel, Leo holding on to her felt comforting for some reason. She wondered what would’ve happened if she had fallen. It would’ve been a disaster. The sudden thought of how comforting his body was next to her played in her mind. Then she began to realize that he was in a bathrobe. His brown hair darkened as it was wet and stuck to parts of his forehead and at the back of his neck. Her mind started buzzing with the realization that he was naked under his robe and that he held her so close. Her heart started to beat fast now, telling her to get away from him.
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“You can pull me up now,” she said quickly, looking away. Her face now felt hot with embarrassment.
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“Oh, yeah,” said Leo, noticing the look on Angel’s face before she looked away.
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Leo pushed her forward, and the stool was back upright on the floor. Leo removed his hand, supporting Angel’s back, and let go of her wrist.
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“Thanks,” said Angel as she slowly looked at Leo standing beside her.
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“Just be careful next time,” he said.
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The door to the kitchen flew open, and Diana came in. Angel quickly looked down at her plate and picked up her phone. Leo, with one giant step, came towards the sink to watch his glass. Diana raised an eyebrow at the weird, quick movement and wondered what she had missed. She didn’t pay much attention as she went to the other side of the kitchen to get a cupcake. They were in a glass cake cover.
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“I couldn’t help but come for another one,” said Diana as she lifted the cover and covered them again. “You really are a good baker, Angel.”
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Angel cleared her throat. “Uh, thanks,” she said. She quickly put food in her mouth.
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Diana noticed there was something up with Angel. Diana raised an eyebrow as she approached Angel.
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“Angel, are you alright?” Diana asked.
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“Uh, yeah,” said Angel as she looked up at Diana. “I almost fell from the stool, so I was scared to death.” Leo, who finished washing his glass and placed it on the dish rack, rolled his eyes.
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“These stools are a death trap,” said Diana. “I almost broke my hip once. As stable as they look, they are not so safe. I’m guessing Leo had to help you out.”
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Leo quickly turned to look at his aunt, and Angel looked down at her plate. Both of them didn’t know what to say or who was to say something first.
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“Uh, not really,” said Leo. “She managed to balance herself just in time.” Angel nodded her head quickly.
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“Oh, okay,” said Diana as she bit into her cupcake, smiling. Now she realizes what the weird movement she saw earlier was all about, but she didn’t want to say much. “Goodnight, you two.”
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Diana made her way out of the kitchen. As soon as she left, Leo and Angel remained in silence, looking at each other.
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“Do you think she saw?” Angel asked.
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“No,” said Leo, shaking his head. “Even if she did, she would understand that you were almost falling, so...”
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The two continued to look at each other until they both shook their heads.
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“She wasn’t going to,” they both said simultaneously.
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They paused, looking surprised that they said those words at the same time. Angel quickly picked up her fork to continue her meal, and Leo cleared his throat, making his way around her to get to the other side of the kitchen. He went straight for the cupcakes, and Angel saw him picking two.
“Goodnight,” he said quickly, making his way out of the kitchen. When he reached for the door, he turned to look at Angel. “Thanks for the cupcakes.”
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Angel did not expect him to say that. “Uh, sure,” she said. “Thanks for helping me... with the stool and all.”
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Leo gave a nod of his head and made his way out of the kitchen. As Angel sat there alone, staring at the door, she admitted that this was one of the most awkward nights she had ever experienced.
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