"Sell it to the newspapers... Francis."

Her words sought attention, desperately. Slowly, and deliberately creeping up. But the rebel inside me urged me to ignore her, and not give her the satisfaction she wanted.

It was futile.

Those words still screamed attention.

Though it took time for me to register her words in my head at first, it eventually did. Like a sinking ship, my heart drowned, tingling panic filling the void it left.

So.

Kate. Just. Said. Francis?!

I pricked and poked at this information, finding it too foreign and indigestible. I went into denial mode. It couldn't be our Francis. Not like 'ours'. But the one we knew.

Why would he?

It had to be someone else who told her to do this.

I wanted to laugh. That maniac kind of laughter. Because as much as I didn't want to believe it, Kate's body language or confidence didn't suggest otherwise.

But that could be fabricated too, right?

"Bullshit," I muttered, not making my inner turmoil evident.

Her expression didn't change. There was noise from the other side of the line. Kate pulled the phone off from her ear, and pressed a few times on the phone screen.

Not giving her time to sprout more lies, I shrugged, and turned my back on her. "I don't believe you."

"Then, listen."

There was white noise and then the loudspeaker came on. I crossed my fingers, heart beating fast. Bella's mouth hung open and I winced at the sound of his voice. I wished I could escape this reality.

Or, for a change, have a choice in what I could hear and what not. The answer is obvious, isn't it?

It was Francis.

"Hello? Kate? What happened?"

Talk about words being weapons. His voice was the biggest weapon right now and it cut right through our trust and faith.

Bella stalked forward to snatch the phone away from Kate, but Kate pulled it away, disconnecting the call. "You're blackmailing him, aren't you?" she hissed, grabbing Kate's collar and pulling on her top. "Tell me!"

Kate smirked. "I don't have to explain anything to you."

Bella dropped her collar. Kate shrugged and brushed off the wrinkles from her shirt, unperturbed. From the likes of it, I suspected Bella would send all the bodyguards on Kate and have her end up as beaten dinner.

"Bella, let her go," I whispered, before she acted upon with anything harsh.

"I am not done with her." Her tone got more aggressive.

Everyone was nervous. I shot a worried look at Brandon, and he nodded. Roger still on the ground, he sidestepped and whispered to one of the bodyguards. The man nodded, took a step back and motioned to others. Without a word, all of them disappeared into the shadows.

"Goodbye Isabela." Kate grinned, taking a step back.

"You--" Bella followed her, but I pulled her back. This was not the time for this. If Francis was really behind this... I was desperate for him to vomit out the reason. "Let me go, Tyler."

"No. Kate won't go anywhere, and right now we need to clarify who is doing this."

"Fine." She pulled her hand out of mine with a jerk. "Giulia, let's go kick that scum."

We barged into the hotel like a tornado. I was expecting someone to stop us, question us, be afraid of us. But none of that happened. The dozen bodyguards around were all it took for people to take a step back and give us VIP treatment.

Power of money is always fascinating.

I swear on all the hot Korean men that I couldn't decipher why the heck Francis was doing this. He was perfectly fine till yesterday! And if by any chance someone else was behind Francis (who was behind Kate), I would be freaking done with this case and will be packing my bag back home.

"We have covered the floor. He'll be in his room." The bodyguard lead us to Francis's door, and slid away.

"I'll ring the bell," I whispered.

"No, let me do it." Bella growled. I shrugged, giving her space.

She practically brought down the floor with the insistent shrill ringing of the bell. I winced, pushing her hand away from the abused button. "I think he has heard it."

"Fucking, ouvrir la porte! Open the door!" She pounded on the door.

I tilted my head. How much ever I thought, this new, showing-her-emotions Bella was less scary than forever-smirking-in-silence Bella.

The door opened, creaking as if it were in a horror movie. The four of us held our breaths, mustering up the newly formed anger towards Francis. If I didn't get a chance to pull his hair out once... there would be repercussions.

Bella was of the same mind, shouting profanities (in French) even before the door was fully open.

The other side of the door was empty and silent.

All of us shared a look, confused. Bella took a confident step inside, and we shuffled in after her, not waiting for a second. The hallway emerged into the half living room and half lounge area. The scene in front of us made me gasp.

They didn't waste a second before attacking us.

Bloody media.

"Isabela Roussel is it true that you are homosexual? "

Silence.

The flashes of the camera blinded us, and all I did was blink hard, covering my eyes with my hands.

A group of five people crowded the area. All of them in their best formals, shining shoes and prim hair. They looked relaxed. As if they had been waiting for this.

Waiting for us to come.

It was a trap.

"How does it feel after coming out to the public?" A smirking reporter spat out, giving Bella a filthy look. She kept her distance from us, as if we were some disgusting species.

They didn't wait for an answer. Were they even looking for one? Another one chimed in, "Why did you lie about your marriage with the Francis?"

While all of us stood baffled, Bella acted fast.

"Here!" she shouted.

The trail of bodyguards surrounded us. Bella's shout and the flurry of activity snapped us out of our trance and we took a corner, standing against one of the walls. The flash of cameras never stopped, and Giulia was wise enough to keep her distance from Bella and stand behind Brandon's tall frame. From the looks of it, they didn't know who Bella was dating. And it was better if that was kept under the cover.

The reporters protested, their caked faces, forming lines at the size of the bodyguards. "Are you going to break up your marriage?"

"Was it only for business reasons? Political tie ups?"

"Are you dating someone? Is she here?" Cue more flashes towards us.

"Take them away," Bella spat in her coldest voice, not acknowledging a single question. But the way she tensed at the last question, I knew she was worried.

Bella's words were the bodyguard's command. They didn't wait to be polite with the reporters, and grabbed theirs arms and equipments to shove them out of the room. Albeit not ours. But it was obvious who held the upper hand here.

"You can't do this to us!" The one with the superiority complex slapped the bodyguard's hand away and growled at Bella.

"You fag, just wait till the news breaks out. We'll see--"

Her voice got cut off as she was taken out of the room and the door slammed behind all of them.

"Are you okay?" Giulia asked.

Bella nodded. "Find Francis," she said without blinking.

The bodyguards were about to follow the order when a voice came from the back door. "Easy, easy." Francis walked out of the bedroom, wearing a business suit, a tie, and leather shoes. His hair was styled back with thick wax and he looked so different and... foreign; that we stood there spellbound.

He looked like a person who will do anything for power and money.

Cutthroat. Arrogant. Narcissistic.

Who was this Francis?

"Don't be so shocked, love." He smiled at me, using my old nickname. It sent a shiver down my back, it was that cold. "Things have changed. My wardrobe should too."

"What did you do? Why?" My voice cracked, and Brandon squeezed my hand in comfort.

"What did he do?" Bella laughed, mocking my question. Glaring at him, she spat, "What did he not do?"

"Easy," he hissed, curling his fists. "You're talking to the Acting President of DS Food Corps now."

Our shock and silence must have honed his angst emotion because he barked out a laugh. Instinctively, Brandon put a hand in front of me, shielding me, just in case. Francis scratched his head, then wiped his hand down his face. There was a different aura around him. It was as if someone had switched his personality around. In just a day. Or has it always been there? Lying low, waiting for the right moment to come out, take charge, claim dominance.

DS Food Corps. His father's company.

But why was he filling the role as the President? Unless something happened to his father...

"What about your father? " Bella asked the very question, as clueless as us.

"If you weren't busy romancing, you would have known that he was hospitalized two days ago. I just came back after meeting him." He motioned towards an old man standing behind him. "He's quite sad his future daughter-in-law didn't pay him a visit."

It was a lot to take in. His father and I had not shared a good relationship. Not with all the pain and suffering he had me go through. That didn't mean I wanted to hear this.

Bella look flustered as well. Out of her comfort zone. "I--" She didn't have an excuse, he didn't let her speak. We watched in silence.

Francis smirked. It was pitiful. "Anyways, thanks to you, our stocks will be stronger than ever. Even though he's hospitalized."

Bella gritted her teeth, about to lash out.

"Stop!" Kiki barged into the room. We jumped at her loud entrance, and for a second, Francis's mask slipped. "Bella, this room is probably bugged. Don't say anything and follow me."

"What?" Bella shouted. She looked at Francis for confirmation, and he avoided her eyes.

That... !

"Everyone."

We snapped our heads to Kiki.

"Out. Now."

We nodded, following her command gingerly. Brandon wrapped his arm around my torso, and I leaned my head onto his shoulder.

"Before you go, Isabela Roussel," Francis spoke. We turned at his voice. "Thank you for the shares and estates I'll be owning from now on."

He was shorter than her, but his presence dominated over Bella's weak frame. She didn't say anything.

"It was fun to share a marriage contract with you. Too bad it didn't work out." He winked, waving us good bye.

Kiki opened her mouth, and I thought she would scold us again. But she closed it. Francis had turned his back on us. Kiki stalked over to him, tapping on his shoulder.

We watched the whole scene, holding our breaths.

He turned, a slight smirk on his face. It faded as he saw who had called him. Kiki smiled at him, and then grabbing his shoulders, kneed him in the balls.

Ouch.

Francis's cry was a painful yelp and Brandon hissed in sympathy as well. Kiki took a step back as Francis looked for support to keep himself up. "Sue me. Let's see who wins, Acting President."

She dusted off her dress and turned to us . "Still here?"

We gulped. "Leaving!"

*****

Kiki explained that it was not wise to create more evidence against us (or at all) and hence took us out of the room.

The pendrive was with the paparazzi but that didn't mean that the truth was written in stone. Manipulation, lies, and money did wonders together. She made Bella believe that there was still a chance to deny everything if she wanted to. And for that she had to keep her mouth shut. Especially in front of Francis.

Our biggest enemy and traitor as of now.

If I think about it, it should have been obvious that Francis was behind this. Except Brandon, Sarah, and me, only he was the one with the knowledge of what was inside that pendrive. Or for the fact that it was in my room.

I was an idiot.

"No, you're not," Brandon replied, "You did great today."

"I said it aloud again?" I stuck my tongue out, embarrassed. He laughed, and I snuggled closer into his arm.

The sun was setting and we had arranged the chairs around the French door of our hotel room and pulled the curtains open. Pink, orange, and tangerine color filled the sky, bathing us in a glowing light. It felt like purification, after the day filled with drama, suspense, and shocks. And we let it purify us. Negativity, tensions, and fury left our body as we gazed at each other.

Finally alone.

"What do you want for dinner?" I asked.

"You?" Brandon bit his lips.

A breath left my body, my stomach squeezing in in the most uncomfortable way.

"I might not be delicious enough." I joked.

"I won't know until I try."

He nibbled on my ear, ticking me. I moved away but he was behind my toes. "What do you think Bella and Giulia are doing?"

He pulled back, his eyebrows raised in shock.

"No! Cancel that!" I shouted. But Brandon was already on it... "Get that image out of your head!" I smacked my hand on his head.

Shouldn't have asked.

Pervert.

"I don't know," he replied, "but I know what we can do?"

"Yeah," I agreed, "have dinner."

"Good that you agreed." He grinned, leaning back down to where I was nestled inside the cocoon of the chair. He breathed on my face, his lips dangerously close to mine. With a peck, he said, "I was hungry."

*****

(More Bryler is coming!)