Chapter 21 Vivian Don't Mess with Bella
BELLA
“Gosh, I need to get this guy out of my head,” I muttered, half to myself, half to my friends as I scanned their faces for ideas.
Dorcas raised a brow. “How about Painful Regret?”
Before I could answer, Debby jumped in, leaning forward with a gleam in her eye. “No, let’s make it punchier. Something like Revenge on My Husband.”
I nodded slowly. “Okay… I like where we’re going, but I still feel like we’re missing something.”
Elowen, usually quiet, finally spoke up. “Why not My Lover Next Door?”
“Wow,” I breathed, surprised by how creative they were. “You guys are brilliant. Alright, here’s what we’ll do: each of us will brainstorm our ideas. We’ll outline the plot, build out the characters, write some dialogue. Then we’ll share our progress in the group chat.”
Debby raised her hand with a grin. “Where are we setting this?”
“Los Angeles,” I decided, feeling a spark of excitement. “We’re going to make this script unforgettable.”
Over the next two weeks, I barely slept. My mind buzzed constantly with ideas, scenes, lines of dialogue that I scribbled down whenever inspiration struck. Late-night group calls turned into brainstorming marathons, and our bond grew deeper with every exchange.
Then, a message pinged in our group chat: our script was set to be presented at the office tomorrow. I grinned to myself, pride swelling. We were ready. And if all went well, maybe we’d celebrate with a night out.
Later that evening, I felt a presence behind me. “Hey, Bella. Been busy lately?”
I turned to see David standing there, a soft smile on his face, holding two glasses of wine. He extended one to me.
“Thank you,” I said, smiling back as I took the glass.
“You’re welcome.” He leaned against the table, swirling his glass. “So, how’s the project going? Almost done?”
“Yeah, we’re ready to present.” I raised my glass in a toast. “May the best team win.”
I took a sip, then felt a rush of excitement. “Here, check this out.” I handed him my draft, a bit self-conscious but eager for feedback. “But…you have to keep it a secret.” I playfully placed a finger over my lips, and we both chuckled at my faux seriousness.
For the rest of the night, we talked, our laughter filling the air. For the first time, I saw a gentler side of David. Maybe he wasn’t as harsh as I’d thought.
DAVID
I’d been buried in work for weeks, but today I finally had a break to visit ScriptForge Studios. Word was that Bella had been pouring herself into the project, and the thought of her dedication brought a smile to my face.
In the presentation room, two groups sat poised, ready to present. I motioned to Vivian’s team to go first, leaning back in my chair as she strode to the front with exaggerated confidence.
“We titled this In Love with the Alpha,” she announced. “A human girl falls for an Alpha who saves her life. But the Alpha’s pack despises her…and eventually, they kill her.”
I kept my expression neutral, but my mind reeled. Was this her best? “So…how does it end?”
“It’s a tragic ending,” she replied with a pleased smile, as though she’d just shared something profound.
I gritted my teeth. If not for my grandfather’s respect for her, I’d have asked her to leave. This was the kind of project she thought Copperfield Group should invest in? None of it made sense.
“Did you work with your team on this?” I pressed.
“No, I didn’t want to stress them. I’m more than capable,” she replied with a dismissive wave, as if her team didn’t matter.
I clenched my fists under the table, taking a slow breath to keep my frustration in check. She thought she could do this alone? How arrogant. “Sit down,” I said, my tone clipped.
“Next,” I called, feeling my tension ease as Bella walked to the stage. I noticed the necklace she wore the one I’d bought her and felt a swell of pride.
But as she set up her laptop, her smile faded. Her eyes darted back and forth across the screen, confusion settling into a frown. Thirty minutes passed, and she was still searching frantically. I glanced at Vivian, who watched Bella’s struggle with a smug smile.
Something was wrong. I could feel it in my gut. Bella looked up, her eyes meeting mine, wide with panic. No one messed with my woman and got away with it. It was time for Vivian to learn her place.