Ellie had tossed and turned for a while under the weight of her thoughts that night before she was finally able to close her eyes. Falling asleep hadn't been easy.
It was impossible not to be affected by Kyle;but she was sure of one thing: James had saved her life. He had opened doors for her she couldn't even have imagined, lifting the curtain to a glittering world.
If she was on her way to becoming a pop star today,if she was stepping onto stages as a budding movie star, the only reason was James; or rather, James's belief in her.
And Ellie never wanted to betray that belief.
Yet, her feelings for Kyle were growing in a way she couldn't rationalize. There was a place in her heart that her logic tried to resist.
But then she whispered to herself,mercilessly:
"Kyle is a pop star…and a playboy. Even if he is interested in me, I'm sure he'll get bored quickly. I'm just an unremarkable, unglamorous, fat girl."
As this thought wrenched her heart, James's face appeared before her eyes.
"James is the only one who accepts me for who I am,who loves me as I am…" she thought.
She mustn't disappoint him.
The next morning, sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains. The silence of the house was gradually giving way to the noise of the day. Ever since they had started living together, every morning followed a routine. James would leave early to chase his work. Kyle never compromised on his workout routine; he went for a run every morning before dawn. It was part of his disciplined life. Being a pop star wasn't easy; it required hours of work every day to maintain that perfect body.
Inside the villa, everything was calm. Silence enveloped the great hall, the spacious living rooms, and the marble floors. Ellie was in a deep sleep upstairs in her room. Curled up under the duvet in her yellow SpongeBob-patterned pajamas, she was snoring. Unlike those perfect Instagram girls, yes, she snored. And no one knew. Thank God.
But there was another inhabitant of this peaceful morning: James Valentine.
James had woken up two hours before sunrise. He hadn't been able to sleep anyway. The scene from last night, Kyle entering Ellie's room, being so close to her... All of it had turned James's mind upside down. He didn't even know if he was sleepless from anger, jealousy, or something else. The only thing he knew was that he couldn't get Ellie out of his head.
For the first time in his life, he had put his work second and canceled all his meetings for the day, postponing his press interviews. All he wanted right now was a strong coffee. But his thoughts were like a curse upon him and wouldn't leave him alone.
"Nonsense," he muttered to himself. "She's just my pop star. Protecting her is my job. It was nothing more! It was a momentary thing."
But the voice inside him immediately replied: "Is it really just business?"
James shook his head, trying to shake these thoughts away. He got out of bed, took off his t-shirt and tossed it aside, heading to the bathroom. He splashed cold water on his face. He looked at himself in the mirror. There were slight dark circles under his eyes. His hair was a mess. But even like this, he was incredibly handsome. Tall, with broad shoulders and tight chest muscles, he was like a statue.
"Get a grip, Valentine," he said to the mirror. "You set the rules of this game. Don't break the game now."
Then, half-naked, he went downstairs to the kitchen.
The kitchen was one of the most stylish places in the villa. Marble countertops, stainless steel appliances, a large island... James leaned against the edge of the counter and turned on the coffee machine. The hum of the machine broke the morning silence. The smell of coffee slowly filled the kitchen. James took a deep breath. This scent always relaxed him. He rubbed his temples with his fingers, trying to relieve his headache.
Then, coffee cup in hand, he sat on the edge of the island. His chest was still bare. He only had on grey sweatpants. His hair was disheveled, and he had slight stubble on his face. He normally didn't look this unkempt, but this morning he didn't care. There was no one home anyway. Kyle was out running, and Ellie was probably sleeping upstairs.
As he took a sip of his coffee, he thought of Ellie. He had been harsh with her last night. Too harsh. But seeing Kyle in her room... Something had exploded inside him. Something he couldn't control. Maybe it was jealousy. Yes, it was jealousy. But he could never tell her that.
"Idiot," he muttered to himself. "You're her manager. Just her manager."
But what his heart said was very different.
Just then... Pat pat pat pat! The sound of footsteps coming down the stairs was heard. James flinched and raised his head. His eyes widened.
Ellie was coming down the stairs.
And her appearance...had left James speechless.
Ellie was wearing a mix of pink and yellow pajamas with crazy SpongeBob characters on them. The legs of the pajama pants were too long, covering her feet. The top looked quite loose and comfortable. Her hair was all over the place, and she had sleep marks under her eyes. Her face was free of makeup. And to be honest, she looked completely ridiculous. But for James, it was the cutest thing he had ever seen. As Ellie reached the bottom step, he quickly turned his back to avoid greeting her like a lovesick fool, captivated by his own gaze.
Ellie, thinking no one was home, was walking around comfortably. Her eyes were still half-closed. She yawned and headed towards the kitchen.
"I'm so hungry, I'll grab a snack," she murmured to herself. "No one's here anyway..."
But when she entered the kitchen through the door,eyes closed and half-asleep... she bumped into the bare chest of James, who stood like a solid wall in front of her. At that moment, time stood still. You know that movie they were in? Ahh, it was like a scene from it was playing out right here.
Ellie froze. Her mouth fell open. Her eyes widened. Her face had turned bright red. Her heart began to beat wildly.
"Damn it,damn it, DAMN IT!" she thought. 'Ahh, girl, you manage to make a fool of yourself every single time. What are you going to say to this man now? That I didn't see your huge, large, sexy body standing in front of me and rammed into you like a goat?'
She swallowed, "Um... I... didn't see you. I was sleepy! Sorry. I mean, I'm sorry," she blurted out.
James was standing by the edge of the counter. Coffee cup in hand. His chest was bare. Those muscles... those muscles... The sunlight was streaming through the window, almost illuminating his body. His broad shoulders, tight chest, defined abs... Everything was perfect. It was as if he were a Greek god.
Ellie's mind was confused. She couldn't breathe. And the more she looked at his body, the more absurd fantasies she constructed. Her face reddened even more. Her heart was about to leap out of her chest.
"Calm down,Ellie! Calm down! He's just your manager. Just your manager. JUST YOUR MANAGER!" her brain had started repeating over and over.
James was looking at her in astonishment. But Ellie's eyes were still glued to James's body. And she couldn't silence her inner voice.
"My God,look at those muscles... How can this man be real? Displaying this body out in the open like this should be illegal. Definitely illegal. It should come with a warning sign, like, 'Warning, a sexy demon may appear!'"
James waited for Ellie to speak, but this crazy woman was devouring him with her eyes from head to toe. Even James, who wasn't normally a shy person, was starting to feel embarrassed.
Then, the idea that Ellie found him attractive began to give him an insane pleasure. 'What are you imagining doing with me right now?' he thought.
But then he immediately pulled himself together. He looked at Ellie and raised an eyebrow. His face had that usual cold expression. But inside, he was smiling. Ellie's shocked state, her hair all disheveled, frozen in those funny pajamas... It was so cute.
Ellie tried to pull herself together immediately. She cleared her throat. She averted her eyes from James. She looked at the floor, the ceiling, the window, everywhere but at James.
"I... I... um..." she stammered. Her voice was trembling. "Sorry! I thought you had left the house. The kitchen is occupied! I... I'll come back later!" she said.
She immediately tried to turn and run away.But James's voice stopped her.
"I think the two of us can fit in one kitchen," said James. His voice was cold, but also soft. He placed his cup on the counter and stood up. His tall frame stood before Ellie. "But if you don't want to be in the same space as me... it's up to you."
Ellie's heart constricted. That coldness in James's voice... That distance... It had hurt her deeply. As if his harsh attitude last night wasn't enough, now this too?
Her eyes welled up. She immediately turned to James. "No!" she cried out. Her voice trembled like a small child's. "Don't do this, James! Please!" she said.
She quickly went to James's side. She touched his arm. His warm, strong arm. She turned him towards her. James looked at Ellie. His eyes were dark, his expression unreadable.
"Don't treat me like this," said Ellie. Her eyes were teary but she wasn't crying. Her voice was determined. "I'm sorry. I misunderstood you yesterday. You're right to want to protect me."
Seeing Ellie's sad face had instantly shattered all his resolve. James's face softened. The icy wall inside him cracked. Something stirred in his eyes. Regret. Sadness. Guilt.
'What am I doing?Why am I making her feel guilty like this? Because of my own jealousy...' he thought.
"Well,actually..." James began. His voice lowered. "I..."
But Ellie didn't let him. "I thought about it last night," she said quickly. She lowered her eyes to the floor. She swallowed. Her voice had a shy tone to it. "You're right. Kyle is a famous, handsome pop star. But he's also a playboy. And I'm just a fat girl trying to create a fairy tale out of such a scenario... out of such a man. I should stop dreaming."
James's heart tightened. The despair in Ellie's voice, that disappointment... It shattered him. Yes, he knew about Kyle's dirty past. Yes, he knew he was a playboy. But he didn't want Ellie to be disappointed. But right now, he felt pity for her in this state. And at the same time... he felt jealousy. 'Do you like him that much?' he thought. Because Ellie's body language was giving her away; she was still thinking about Kyle. She still valued him.
Whatever the case, he couldn't let her stay this sad any longer. Then, he wanted to dispel this heavy atmosphere. He let his eyes wander over Ellie. Those funny SpongeBob pajamas, her messy hair, the pants legs dragging on her feet... A mischievous smile appeared on his lips.
"Ellie," said James. His voice was playfully serious. "I'm trying to turn you into a pop star and an actress. And you're walking around with a style like this?"
Ellie lifted her head. Her sad expression was replaced by a look of confusion. "What?" she asked, bewildered.
James took a sip of his coffee with pleasure. Then, laughing, he gestured with his head towards the pajamas. "What do you plan to do if a paparazzi photographs you like this? 'Ellie Brooks, sneaks into the kitchen like a mouse in SpongeBob pajamas!' Would be a great headline."
Ellie was silent for a moment. Then... She started giggling.
"You,seriously, are a devil!... are you really making fun of that right now?" she said, her eyes laughing.
James shrugged. "Just stating the facts."
Ellie was still laughing. Then she immediately joined in on the game. She murmured in a tone imitating Simone, "You're right! Let me change immediately! What should I wear, do you think?" Then, with a playful expression, she added: "A lacy, sheer red nightgown? Or a black satin nightgown with a high slit?"
Ellie was only joking.But James...
James suddenly froze. Because the words that had fallen from Ellie's lips, mixed with jest, had instantly transformed into an image in his head. A naughty image that sent shivers through him, adorning his dreams with a fiery fantasy.
He swallowed.Ellie... in a red lace nightgown... Or black satin... A high slit... Her soft hair falling over her shoulders... Her eyes sparkling... Her lips smiling...
James let out a deep breath, murmuring, "Ooff." His face was flushed, he had suddenly broken into a sweat. His heart started racing. His throat went dry. He immediately shook his head, trying to erase the image from his mind.
"No no no!Stop! What are you doing, Valentine?! Stop playing out this sexual tension scenario in your head!"
But the image wouldn't leave.Ellie... that nightgown... that soft skin...