The cafeteria, which was usually filled with lively chatter, seemed to fall into a stunned silence as everyone noticed Bruno’s unexpected move.
Bruno always sat alone, and he never liked sharing his personal space with anyone, especially during mealtime.
Beauty noticed the dreadful silence, and she could also feel curious eyes on them, even without looking up.
She tried to steady her breathing, praying she wouldn’t embarrass herself in front of Bruno.
After a few minutes, she slowly glanced up at Bruno, who was eating his food carelessly as if this were the most natural thing in the world.
But for the rest of them in the cafeteria, it wasn’t.
Whispers quickly spread among the workers and models, with everyone speculating about what could be going on between the two.
Kathy, the stunning face of the company and the one many considered to be Bruno’s ideal match, noticed the growing buzz.
Her co-workers, who looked up to her as their role model, surrounded her exclusive table and whispered to her about Bruno’s move.
Kathy rolled her eyes and, with a dismissive wave, said loudly enough for others to hear:
“Oh, please. Bruno just happened to sit there. There’s nothing more to it. I mean, he owns this company; he can sit anywhere.”
They agreed with Kathy.
To them, the idea that Bruno would be interested in Beauty, whom they cruelly referred to as a “plus-size whale,” was laughable.
“That’s right,” one of them whispered, her voice dripping with irritation.
“What could he possibly see in her? She’s nothing compared to the rest of us, not to talk of IT girl Kathy, the most beautiful of all.”
Kathy smirked at that statement.
Another added with a sneer, “It’s not like he’d ever be interested in someone like Beauty. She’s just… well, you know.”
The group burst into laughter, their voices low but still audible to Beauty, who felt each word like a sharp jab to her already fragile confidence.
She kept her eyes on her food, trying to ignore the painful sting of their comments, but it was hard not to feel the weight of their judgment. She felt her eyes wet.
Not in front of him! Please don’t cry in front of him.
She yelled inside and pressed her lips tightly.
She wondered if Bruno heard that too.
Fortunately, she noticed Bruno had his ear pods on and was completely unaware of the noises in his surroundings.
She was a bit relieved. It would be more awkward if he knew.
Meanwhile, Bruno had been silent against his will for those past minutes with Beauty.
He had no courage to start a conversation with her. He also knew he made a very suspicious move by sitting at the same table with Beauty, but he had no option. He was drawn to her like a magnet and had to go for it.
He nervously focused on his food and kept battling within himself about the right time and way to start a conversation.
As the two sat together in tense silence, the atmosphere between them grew more uncomfortable with each passing second.
Neither of them knew how to break the ice, and the weight of their unspoken words hung heavy in the air.
Beauty was focused on the small portion of vegetables on her plate, forcing herself to eat it.
Bruno couldn’t help but notice her choice of food.
He guessed that she must have been worried about her weight, a thought that stirred a mix of concern and sadness in him.
She is already perfect.
He wanted to talk to her about so many things, but he had no idea how to start the conversation.
His usual confidence, being a model from childhood, seemed to vanish around her, replaced by an unfamiliar awkwardness.
He may be quiet and introverted around other people, but around her, it was more awkward, nervous, and extremely intense.
In worse cases of close contact, a boner!
A few minutes later, Beauty finished her meal and decided it was time to leave.
Although she was disappointed that she didn’t get to have eye contact with Bruno or even a little conversation, she just couldn’t take the silence any longer, and the pressure from the eyes of others in the cafeteria was becoming too much.
Just as she was about to stand up, Bruno finally spoke, causing the nerves in her body to freeze instantly.
“I am sorry I didn’t call to check on you yesterday. How are you doing today?” he asked, his voice soft yet deep like the ocean.
He is so gentle and caring!
Beauty could feel her breath catching in her throat.
“I… I… am fine… thanks again,” she stuttered and stepped forward.
“You should eat more and stop worrying about what others think of you,” he said, this time in a whisper to avoid others hearing him.
Then ended it with,
“Please…”
Beauty felt chills all over her body, and then a strong wave of emotion hit her like a flood.
Her eyes welled up with tears she couldn’t hold back.
Not wanting him or anyone else to see her cry, she quickly excused herself and hurried out of the cafeteria.
She didn’t stop until she reached the female restroom.
Once inside, she locked herself in a stall and let the tears flow freely, her shoulders shaking with quiet sobs.
“Is he being genuinely kind to me or just like the rest of them? Maybe he was just saying all that out of pity… the bullied girl in his company.”
She sobbed.
The mix of feelings—embarrassment, relief, sadness, and gratitude—all overwhelmed her.
After a few minutes of crying, her heavy chest began to lighten. She came out of the stall and walked to the mirror to wash her hands.
She dried her wet eyes with trembling hands, taking a deep breath to steady herself, and slowly she looked up at the mirror, her reflection showing the remnants of her tears.
She reached into her gown pocket and pulled out a chocolate bar she had hidden there.
After making sure no one else was around, she opened the wrap and, without hesitation, began eating it hungrily, savoring the sweetness as it brought her a small measure of comfort.
“I am sorry, diet reminder. I can’t live another week without chocolate, just this once,” she said in her mind.
Back in the cafeteria, Bruno sat at the table, lost in thought about their brief encounter.
Mad at himself for making her so sad that she had to run off like that.
Also, that created a scene. Not like he cared about what others thought, but Beauty would definitely care. She was very insecure and could take that as an insult.
“I messed up… again… I should have considered her personality first before saying anything,” he groaned.
He looked down, and something on the floor caught his eye—a small chocolate snack that Beauty must have accidentally dropped when she hurried away.
His eyes snapped open widely.
“A chocolate bar, huh? She is such a character.”
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Slowly, his smile vanished as he could tell she was craving chocolate but had to force herself to eat only vegetables.
He picked up the chocolate to avoid drama from her colleagues, contemplating what to do next.
The idea of returning it to her crossed his mind.
Can I face her? Will she be embarrassed to find out I knew about her not following her diet? She might think that I see her as lacking self-discipline.
Another idea came to mind.
“Yeah, that’s the one.”
He smirked.