03."I WISH YOU..."

Isabelle Nash

Evelyn looks at me as if I were the last person she could insult. She strides towards me, pointing her finger in front of my face.

"This is your fault, you despicable bitch." As she aims to slap me, I tightly close my eyes, squeezing them shut, just waiting for the impact.

I only feel the wind passing by, cutting my face. Slowly, my eyes open, and I find Simon's hand wrapped around Evelyn's wrist, holding it firmly, with a noticeable yellowish tint on his fingers.

Simon approaches her, clearly irritated. My heart skips a beat. What will he do? Why is he defending me like this?

"Do not you dare raise that dirty hand of yours to Isabelle. I am not your property, and I will not tolerate mistreatment of anyone accompanying me, regardless of who they are. You and I have nothing, nothing but an engagement of convenience." He moves closer to her, whispering into her ear. "If I want something with Belle, I will have it, if that's her wish too, and you will stand there, alone, away from the party."

Evelyn's eyes widen, astonished by Simon's words, just like me. I've never seen him act like this before; it's the first time.

He signals for the security to escort her out of the party. This time, she doesn't resist, she just lowers her head and leaves.

Simon passes by me, holding my hand, the guests dispersing after the private show that occurred in the middle of the hall, and Mrs. Wistern, gracefully returning to her place and ordering the music to resume – a beat that resonates in my ears, somewhat captivating.

I try to keep up with Simon's steps as he climbs a staircase leading to the mansion's second floor. I grip the hem of my dress between my fingers to ease my steps, which blend with the beats of the music, muffled up here. He turns down the corridor, nodding to other guests in acknowledgment. Simon opens a door, granting access to a luxurious room adorned with vibrant colors, furniture in soft tones, detailed in gold, with a beautifully made bed placed before us.

I glance at the floor-to-ceiling window, hesitant to approach due to its height. Being near such an immense window brings a queasy feeling to my stomach that I'm unfamiliar with.

"Ready, here we can talk in peace," Simon says, still holding my hand as he slowly draws me closer to him, diverting my attention away from the window.

"I'm sorry for what happened down there. She always finds a way to humiliate me." I lower my head, but Simon's thumb lifts my chin, urging me to look into his ocean-blue eyes.

"Has she always done this to you, ever since we got engaged?" He asks, scrutinizing me closely, his gaze flickering to my mouth, which tightens into a thin line, contemplating whether to admit it or not.

I exhale, gazing at Simon's flawless face. Even with the golden mask, he remains attractive. I recall the day I met him; I thought he was just a snobby rich kid, but I was surprised when we got closer. I confess I've always had a crush on him, but I never crossed the line between friends. I've long since forgotten about the crush I nurtured for a while, especially after he got engaged to Evelyn due to pure parental pressure.

Shifting my focus entirely to Martin, a college friend who always invites me out. I eventually accepted one day, and just when I thought we might move beyond being just casual, he had to suddenly travel to Italy, promising to return in a few months. We didn't make any promises to each other, just to meet again when he returned.

"Answer me, Belle. I need to know," Simon's voice interrupts my reverie, causing me to blink for a moment.

"Yes, she's been doing this since then," my voice comes out as a whisper.

"Fuck, Belle. You should have told me. I would never let her do that to you," he says, moving closer to me, narrowing the space between us. "I don't desire Evelyn the way I desire you. And I'm tired of hiding it, out of respect for our friendship."

Simon's hands glide down the side of my body, sending shivers wherever they pass, until they reach my waist. He squeezes his fingers there, pulling me closer to his body, pressing it against mine.

"Simon..." I remain still under the touch of his right hand on my face, brushing a strand of hair away and tucking it behind my ear.

"I desire you, every day. Like a drug addict, Isabelle, you can't imagine how terrible it is not to be with someone you desire so much. Seeing Evelyn treat you like this only made me realize how much I don't want this engagement. How much of her snobbish behavior disgusts me? Don't push me away just because I was blind and couldn't see what was happening." Simon's eyes seem to gleam with sadness and resentment.

"I don't want to push you away. If I did, I would have done it already." I spread my hands over his chest, feeling the fabric of his high-end tuxedo.

A smile spreads across his lips, revealing perfectly aligned teeth that leave me breathless.

"You always surprise me, Belle." He tilts his head, descending towards my lips. Our eyes close, and I finally anticipate the touch of his lips, which seem to taste as sweet as raspberries.

But we are interrupted by sounds coming from the slightly ajar door, revealing the figure of one of the security guards who escorted Evelyn from the ball. Simon swallows hard, his jaw tensing, releasing a heavy breath.

"What's going on?" His voice sounds sharp due to the interruption. I look away, feeling my cheeks flush.

"I'm sorry, sir, but your fiancée is causing a scene outside, drawing attention from the guests and the press."

Simon steps back, planting a lingering kiss on my forehead.

"I promise I'll be back soon, and then we can finish this conversation." His voice is laden with promise, making me feel butterflies in my stomach.

Before I can reply, Simon walks away, passing by the security guard quickly, who follows closely behind. I carefully remove my mask, placing it on the bedside table next to the bed.

I walk around the room, trailing my fingers over the furniture, distancing myself as much as possible from the window and balcony door. I look out into the night, with snow still falling, recalling Simon's words. So he's always desired me, and today he decided to confess. But somehow, it bothers me, it bothers me that he's engaged and just got involved in some trouble with his parents because of me, because of the discomfort Evelyn is causing.

I head to the bathroom of the suite, finding it completely decorated with marble, with veins of gold running through it. Mrs. Winstern likes to show off her wealth to everyone. I stare at my reflection in the mirror, checking my flawless makeup even after wearing the mask.

I run my index finger around my lips, fixing the lipstick. Suddenly, the lights go out, leaving the bathroom completely dark. Instinctively, I turn towards the door to leave.

"Damn it, where's the light switch?" I grope the wall in an attempt to locate the switch, but I can't find it. I remember that the light turned on as soon as I approached, so there must be a motion sensor here. That's why the lights went out.

Taking a misstep, I bump into something, feeling only heavy breathing near my neck, sending a momentary shiver down my spine. It must be Simon. I smile, turning around and placing my hands on his rigid shoulders.

"Back so soon?" He just chuckles, gripping my waist firmly, moving my body backward, making me step back until my butt collides with the marble of the sink.

Simon's hands slide down to my buttocks, pressing his fingers around them, lifting me to sit on the edge of the sink. He slides one hand into the slit of my dress, allowing my legs to open wider so that his body fits perfectly between them.

I bite my lower lip as his lips touch my shoulder, tracing a path to my neck, sending an instant shiver down my spine, causing me to arch my body backward, leaving my neck more exposed.

I didn't know my need to have him was so strong until I felt his hands slipping under my dress through my thighs, making me moan softly near his ear.

He rests his hands on the lace fabric of my panties, gently tracing the side until he tears the fabric, startling me with his roughness. But it pleases me, making me bubble with anticipation. Simon has never seemed like this, so determined in his desire.

I feel the wetness of his tongue sliding down my neck, descending to my cleavage, biting hard there as if he wants to mark me. A pleasant pain hits my abdomen, making me gasp amid a low moan.

The grunt he emits upon hearing me leaves me on edge, waiting for more. I want more. I need more. I've never begged so much for more.

"Simon... Please." I touch his neck, trying to pull him closer to me, but he abruptly grabs my hands, pinning them behind my body.

He makes a reprimanding sound with his lips, without uttering a word, causing me to bite my lower lip hard, leaning in, completely surrendering to the moment.