As he held the hoodie, the faint scent of her perfume drifted to his nose.
It was subtle, floral, and undeniably feminine, it was her favorite scent. He was familiar with it.
He paused, breathing it in for a moment longer than he should have.
It felt like having a part of her still there with him, even after dropping her off. The fabric was nearly dry now, but the warmth of her presence still lingered.
A strange impulse took over him.
Bruno brought the hoodie up to his nose again, closing his eyes as he took in her scent. It felt intimate in a way that made his heart race.
He opened his eyes slowly with the fabric still under his nostrils, and he couldn't help but wonder for a split second
*Did she leave it for me?* But then he quickly shook his head. Of course, she hadn't.
Beauty didn't seem like the type to pull something like that. She was too innocent, too genuine. She probably hadn't even realized it was missing yet.
Before he knew it, he was slipping it over his own head, the fabric settling on him like a strange second skin.
It wasn't a perfect fit for the sleeves, but it was comfortable on his body.
He looked at himself in the driver's mirror and couldn't help but smile sheepishly.
*I must look ridiculous,* he thought, but somehow, he didn't mind.
He folded the sleeves to his biceps to hide their actual length before he got out of the car.
The securities greeted him in unison.
He responded brighter than usual—of course he doesn't know this, but the securities could tell even from afar that he was glowing.
And what's with the purple hoodie?
He is into dark shades of clothing.
Bruno made his way inside the Mansion, secretly still wearing Beauty's hoodie. As soon as he walked through the big entrance door,
the maids greeted him with a bow.
His sister, Abigail, lounging on the sofa, heard and immediately beckoned her assistant Raymond.
There was a knowing gleam in her eye, as if she had already made up her mind about something.
Raymond knew that move, and he was very nervous to carry out the supposed mission.
Finding out Bruno's sexuality.
This could be very risky—although for someone like Bruno who is gentle, some men find it very offensive to flirt with them if they are not gay and can go wild with the response.
A blow in the jaw
A kick
Or even a stab to death.
"Come on, you know you want to find out too, give it your best shot. Just like we practiced, act drunk—that way he won't take it all out on you."
She said with a thumbs up and went to hide immediately.
Raymond sighed and drew a deep breath, Bruno's footsteps were getting closer. The alcoholic smell all over Raymond made him want to throw up.
*That spoiled bitch had no bright ideas than this.*
He smoothed a hand through his hair and adjusted his shirt, ensuring just the right amount of skin was exposed from the collar down to his belly button.
He shot a quick glance at Abigail, who gave him a subtle nod, her silent approval spurring him on.
He growled inwardly.
Then Bruno walked into the room, and he smiled brightly, putting on his most sultry expression.
"Sir Bruno!"
He pretended to be drunk and walked toward Bruno, his hips swaying slightly, his gaze locked onto Bruno's face.
He moved closer and grabbed onto his hoodie, pulling himself to him.
He suddenly perceived a strange scent on him.
However, Raymond waved it off, being focused on his act—he had to make sure he didn't mess things up to be in a safer place.
"Long day, huh?" Raymond said, seductively acting tipsy. "You look like you could use a bit of company."
Bruno raised an eyebrow, his irritation already obvious, but Raymond pressed on. Who knows, maybe he still needed a push to come out of the closet.
He leaned a little closer, his head casually brushing against Bruno's chest.
He continued, lowering his voice to a more intimate tone:
"You know, you've been working so hard, Mr. Bruno," he murmured, his voice barely a whisper now. "Maybe it's time you let someone take care of you for a change. If you ever need to unwind, I'm always around. I could help you... relax."
He bit his lip as his fingers trailed lightly along the fabric of Bruno's sleeve, his eyes tracing the outline of Bruno's jawline, admiring his visual and all—most importantly, the height difference was perfect.
"I have always admired Mr. Bruno...give me a chance to show...."
"Are you okay? What do you think you are doing?"
Bruno's voice came ice-cold, sending a shiver down Raymond's spine.
The sharpness of his tone caught Raymond totally off guard, and he immediately pulled away from Bruno's chest, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
He looked up and saw the cold expression on Bruno's face.
He noticed the jaw clenched, brows arched, and irritation all over his features.
He instantly retreated, stepping back as if he'd been burned.