SORRY

Chapter 61. Dying Hope

Briana POV

Fury, I had never known emblazoned my being.

How could I let myself be fooled once more?

Noah will never love me the way he loved Britney. He may love the children, but not

1. me.

“Briana, you are freaking me out. What is happening? What is wrong?” I was breaking inside and didn’t know how to fix myself.

I didn’t know how long I stared off into space until I heard Marcus ask,

“What is wrong, sis? What happened to you?” The worry on his face was my undoing.

When my brother’s arms crept around my back to comfort me, I hugged him and wept.

I wailed and bawled my eyes out.

“There! There!” Marcus was rubbing my back as I clung to him and cried silent tears.

“Did something happen?” He turned around to face Martina, who looked clueless,

too.

“Call the reception and ask whether someone came here or check the CCTV footage to know what happened.” Marcus barked an order to Martina, who followed immediately.

She used my phone to dial the reception area.

“Don’t bother reception,” I said, swallowing the lump in my throat.

“I am okay.” To prove my point, I made an effort to stand and walked to my desk. I sat there while Martina and Marcus looked worriedly at me.

“I am fine. Something just got to me. I was watching a movie, and it got to me.” I explained dully.

Marcus looked like he did not buy my excuse but remained silent.

“You watched a movie while working?” Marcus sounded like he did not believe me.

And I had to give him a plausible excuse right away.

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Charter 61. Dying Hope

The paper package from the restaurant caught my attention, and I realized it was the takeout Martina brought for me.

“Besides, I must be hungry. You know me. When I am hungry, I am emotional.” I explained to my brother who was eyeing me dubiously but couldn’t do anything because I refused to say anything.

I took the paper bag and started digging out the contents. I pulled them out and laid them on my table.

I unwrapped the burger and started munching on it, showing my brother I was famished. There was nothing wrong with me.

Marcus shrugged.

He went to my desk, sat on the edge, and shared my food. He took fries and popped them in his mouth.

“I haven’t had lunch either. The pictorial was taking too long because Amy was making a fuss.” He mentioned an on–screen partner in his last two modeling gigs, and I arched my brow.

“What’s with her? Still can’t get over the fact that you rejected her?” I asked slyly before turning my gaze on Martina.

She looked like a mouse caught in a trap.

I bet she feels awkward, too.

“I better go.” She said,

I watched Martina close the door behind her.

“Why are you torturing your assistant?” Marcus asked.

He knew I only said what I said because of Martina. Marcus had been crushing on her for a long time, but because he was a hot male celebrity, she wouldn’t dare go out with him.

She says he is a complicated man. While she does not want complications in her life.

“She likes you, but she was just afraid. I want to assure her that even when so many women clamor for your attention, you have eyes on only one.” I responded, feeling a return to normalcy after my stomach had something.

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Marcus shook his head. “I can’t force her to like me.”

“Oh, she likes you. She likes you a lot. She was just afraid.” I countered.

“That’s it. Her fear is bigger than her feelings for me. Don’t bother her anymore.” Marcus said grumpily.

I wanted to laugh at my brother’s reaction. Maybe his ego could not take it that someone rejected him.

“Can you get past your wounded pride and listen to what she was not saying? I bet she had trauma in the past. That is why she was so scared of dating you. If you like her, make the first move. Destroy all the walls around her heart. Don’t let her fear kill what could have been beautiful.”

Marcus shrugged.

“You are a fine one to talk. What about you? Why are you avoiding Noah.”

I looked at my brother in surprise.

“What do you mean?” I asked, feigning innocence.

“Don’t act like you did not know, sis. I saw how you avoided his efforts to engage you in conversation. The man is doing anything he can to bridge the gap between you. He realized his mistakes and is making amends.”

I shook my head.

“It’s too late. I am only tolerating his presence because of the children. If it were up to me, I do not want to see Noah Hunter now or in the future.” I said with

uncharacteristic hardness in my tone.

Marcus stared at me, but I avoided his gaze until he pulled away to answer a call.

“It was the production team. They needed me to resume the pictorial.”

“Go ahead.” I shooed him off.

Marcus gazed at me. “Are you going to be okay.?” He asked.

“Yes,” I said hurriedly.

He nodded and went on his way.

When the door closed on my brother, I called Goldstone. Maybe it is about time I

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Chapter 61. Dying Hope

entertained him. Goldstone had been waiting for me to be ready for years, but I couldn’t do it.

Maybe because in my heart, I still have this hope that Noah and I can have a future together, but now that Britney told me about their baby, that hope has died.