68 A Small Miracle and More Trouble

“Thank you so much, Brandon. I would have liked to say that I didn’t want it back, but I guess I do. I know I don’t need these luxurious things after I lost them, but it still feels so good to see them all back together like this...” I thanked him honestly.

“You always hated losing your things, right?” Brandon whispered from above my head.

His tone was so gentle that it brought tears to my eyes. This is bad, I’m going to start crying for real.

“Thank you...” I whispered as I stared up into his grey eyes.

“Don’t start crying. You’re supposed to be over the moon happy about this and you better be. This all costed a small fortune,” Brandon said in a mocking huff.

I smiled knowingly at him. It was a small miracle that he managed to buy back everything for me; however, that didn’t mean that I felt comfortable taking it back.

“You know, I’m just glad that the collection has been kept together. However, I don’t think I can accept this gift after all,” I said honestly.

“Who says I’m handing them over to you for free?” Brandon said and I could see the mischief in his eyes.

“Huh?” I mumbled in surprise.

.....

I should have known this! Things are never easy with Brandon...

“You did pretty well today so what about you get this bag back?” Brandon suggested.

He picked up the flamingo pink bag that I was just touching and held it in front of me. Now I was starting to see where this was going.

“I think I deserve more than just a bag for what I did today,” I said sternly before I grabbed the pink bag from his hand.

Insurance...in case he changes his mind about all this.

Brandon laughed at me, but he did pick up another bag and handed it my way. This one was navy and I liked it very much.

“Happy?” he asked after I had taken the bag from his hand.

“You know...you didn’t have to kiss me like that in front of all those people...” I started complaining.

Brandon sighed loudly before grabbing a clutch bag off from the shelf and handing it my way.

“Is this all my kiss is worth?” I whined before pouting at him.

“Good try but this is all you’re getting for today,” Brandon said decisively.

The next moment, he was already out the door. I looked around the room still in disbelief as I hugged the three bags to my chest. Wait for me my dear babies, I’ll be back for you all very very soon!

The truth that I would never tell Brandon was that of all the things and people that I’ve lost in this life, I hated losing him the most.

...

The second week working with EROS didn’t get any easier for me. His schedule was just too packed with work, and we ended up travelling everywhere. From early in the morning, we travelled to an outdoor photoshoot location because the director demanded for photos of EROS in the natural light of the rising sun and that meant that we had to get there before sunrise!

If I had thought that we had gotten any closer from last week, I was totally wrong. EROS did not pay me any attention while he worked throughout the day. Thankfully, Mark was there to act out the role of EROS’s main manager. Just like the week before, I tagged along and tried to make myself useful wherever I can by following Mark’s instructions to the letter.

After the photoshoot, EROS had an interview with a magazine and then a commercial recording for a sports drink. Lastly, he had a meeting back at the office and that was where we were headed right now.

“Finally, we can head back to the agency. Just one more meeting. The director of your new movie is coming to meet you. Make sure to impress him...the casting isn’t set in stone yet so please don’t give him a reason to change his mind,” Mark warned sternly.

EROS did not reply as he stared out of the car’s window like he was bored out of his mind.

“EROS...are you even listening?” Mark asked with an exasperated sigh.

“Yea...” EROS mumbled without turning his head around.

“This movie project is very important for your career growth. If you get casted as the male lead and the movie does well, you’ll open up a whole new world,” the manager said dreamily.

EROS didn’t say anything in response, just like I had expected. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking at all, and I wondered how his manager could deal with him. I mean, it was like talking to a brick wall.

The movie director met us in one of the meeting rooms on EROS’s floor. The director came along with his assistant who was a younger man. On our side, only Mark, EROS and I were present. After introducing ourselves, the director got straight to the point.

“I would love to have EROS play the male lead part in my upcoming movie. The higher ups have agreed to it as well. However, there’s a slight issue...” the director said before pausing in hesitation.

I glanced over at EROS and saw that he was calm and composed. Mark was well composed as well, and he was the one who was doing most of the talking.

“It would be great if you can let us know more about the issue that you are referring to?” Mark asked politely.

“As you already know, the genre for my new movie is romance. The Scarlet Bond of Fate is a story about lovers who are separated by their social standing. Their relationship started off as a forbidden romance between the male lead when he was still in university with the girl whose mother was employed in his household as their maid. They hid their relationship from everyone. However, the guy was forced to marry someone else. The girl ran away from that town. Years later they are reunited, and sparks fly between them again. It’s a heavily romantic and dramatic story,” the director paused after passionately sharing the details about his movie.

–To be continued...