novelraw Chapter 169: Tell Me You Want Me
Chapter 169: Tell Me You Want Me
Chapter 169: Tell Me You Want Me
Brooke paced anxiously in her office studio, fabric swatches scattered across every surface, the sewing machines humming a frantic tune in the other room. The fashion competition loomed just weeks away, and a cold dread settled in her stomach. She was nowhere near ready. Her initial excitement had given way to a paralyzing panic. The designs that had once flowed effortlessly from her mind now seemed muddled and uninspired.
She glanced at the half-finished dress on the mannequin, a sigh escaping her lips. It was a beautiful piece, but it lacked the spark, the originality she needed to stand out in the competition. She felt a wave of self-doubt wash over her. Had she bitten off more than she could chew? Was she truly cut out for this?
A call on her phone startled her, pulling her from her spiraling thoughts. She picked it to find Kim, Lyse’s assistant, calling her.
"Can we meet up at the usual place?" He asked.
Brooke immediately left her office and headed out.
"Brooke?" Kim asked, holding a large portfolio case. "I wanted me to show you something."
Brooke placed the portfolio case on the table and opened it, revealing a collection of stunning sketches and fabric samples. She gasped, her eyes widening in surprise. The designs were breathtaking, intricate and innovative, exactly the kind of work she admired.
"These are... incredible," Brooke breathed, her fingers tracing the delicate lines of a sketch.
"These are Lyse’s designs for the competition," Kim explained.
"This is really amazing," Brooke murmured, her voice filled with admiration.
Kim nodded in agreement. "It is," she said. "She’s also been working incredibly hard on these designs. She’s been staying late at the studio every night, barely sleeping."
Brooke did not feel even a pang of guilt. She had been so consumed by her own worries that she did not care to consider how Lyse might be feeling.
They spent the next hour reviewing the designs, Kim explaining Lyse’s creative process and the inspiration behind each piece. Brooke was fascinated, absorbing every detail, thinking of how to humiliate Lyse.
Unbeknownst to them, James was walking by the building where the was located. As he passed by a window, he noticed Kim inside, talking animatedly with someone. He paused, curious, and peered through the glass.
His eyes widened in surprise when he saw Brooke. He couldn’t believe it. Kim, Lyse’s trusted assistant, was meeting with Brooke, showing her something from a portfolio. He watched them for a moment, his mind racing. What was going on? Why was Kim meeting with Brooke?
A suspicion crept into his mind, a dark and unsettling thought. Was Kim betraying Lyse? Was she sharing her designs with Brooke, giving her an unfair advantage in the competition?
James felt a surge of anger. He couldn’t believe that Kim would do this to Lyse, especially after everything she had been through. He had to tell her. He had to warn her about this betrayal.
He quickly pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of Kim and Brooke through the window. He then sent the picture to Lyse with a brief message: "You need to see this."
He then continued on his way, his mind filled with worry and anger. He felt protective of Lyse, and he couldn’t stand the thought of her being betrayed by someone she trusted. He hoped that the picture would be enough to warn her, to prevent any further damage. He had no idea of the misunderstanding he was creating or the further strain this would place on Lyse and Brooke’s already fragile relationship. He only knew that he wanted to protect Lyse, and he believed he was doing the right thing.
*
The penthouse was shrouded in darkness, the only light filtering in from the city’s distant glow. Lyse sat on the sofa, her silhouette barely visible against the shadows. She had been waiting for Levi for hours, her mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions.
The picture of Levi with his hand on the small of Anya’s back, made her temperature rise. She thought that she was ready to move on but she could not believe.
The sound of the front door opening broke through her thoughts. She heard Levi’s footsteps as he entered the apartment, his voice calling out her name.
"Lyse?" he asked, his voice laced with confusion. "Are you here?"
Lyse didn’t answer. She remained seated in the darkness, her heart pounding in her chest. She wanted to confront him, to demand answers, but she was also afraid of what she might hear.
Levi entered the living room, his eyes adjusting to the dim light. He saw Lyse sitting on the sofa, her figure barely visible in the shadows.
"Lyse?" he asked again, his voice softer this time. "What is wrong? Why are you sitting in the dark?"
Lyse finally spoke, her voice low and steady. "We need to talk, Levi," she said.
Levi’s brow furrowed in concern. He could sense the tension in her voice, the anger simmering beneath the surface.
He walked over to the sofa and sat down beside her, his gaze searching her face in the dim light. "What is it?" he asked, his voice gentle
.
Lyse pulled out her phone and showed him the picture James had sent. Levi’s eyes widened in surprise as he looked at the image of himself with Anya.
"What is this?" he asked, his voice laced with confusion.
"This is you, meeting with Anya," Lyse said, her voice hardening. "You told me that it was all a lie, yet here you are, looking affectionate and cozy with her."
Levi stared at the picture, his mind racing. He couldn’t believe Lyse was upset with this, it exhilarated him. She must still want him to be this upset.
"I... don’t understand," he said calmly. "Why would you be so upset?"
"Why would I be so upset?" Lyse asked as she stood up and glared at him. "You are out and looking intimate with the same woman that you were kissing and you want to know why I am so upset?"
Levi remained silent for a moment, staring at Lyse’s flushed face. He wanted to break into a grin at her anger but he reined his smile in and kept a neutral face."
"I’m just surprised because there is no need for you to be upset." He said, "Or... are you jealous?"
Lyse stared at him in shock before she continued to speak, her voice rising, "why would I be jealous? What reason do I have to be jealous? You obviously prefer to be with Anya over me."
"Hmmm," he said thoughtfully and took a step closer to Lyse. "I do think that you are jealous."
"I am not!" Lyse snapped, her voice laced with irritation. "I am just irritated at the fact that the paparazzi are going to start talking."
"You asked for a separation, I did not think that you would be so upset." Levi said calmly.
Lyse looked up at him, her eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and anger. "You asked me for a chance," she said, her voice trembling. "You said you loved me, now I see why you did not fight for me. It is because you were already planning to move on."
Levi felt a sharp pain in his chest. He had agreed to the separation because he thought it was what Lyse wanted. He thought he was giving her what she needed, giving her the space she had asked for. He had never imagined that she would interpret it as him being ready to move on.
"That is not true," he said, his voice barely a whisper. "I don’t want to move on from you, Lyse. I love you. I want to be with you. But I thought... I thought you wanted to be alone."
He reached out to touch her hand, but she pulled away, her eyes filled with tears.
"I don’t know what I want anymore, Levi," she said, her voice trembling. "I just... I can’t stand you with that woman."
Levi nodded slowly, as he walked closer to her. The next thing she knew, she was backed up against the wall with his body nudging against her. He reached a hand and ran it through her hair, forcing her to look up at him.
"Tell me you want me and all of this will end." He whispered to her.
Lyse’s eyelashes fluttered close but Levi urged her by grabbing her hair firmly and forcing her to look at him again.
"Say it!" He demanded, his voice husky and tinged with need as his face hovered over her as if he was about to kiss her. "Tell me you want me."
Lyse pushed him away from her and he gave way. "It does not matter, you want to be with Anya and you are free to. All we ever had was a business deal anyway."
As she walked away, Levi’s voice stopped her.
"Sutton made Anya set me up."