Chapter 4 Graduation

Nicole couldn't believe she had fallen so easily into his game. She couldn't resist it-his gaze was so deep, and his irresistible aroma made her lose herself in the moment. He was a complete jerk who was testing her resilience.

She hurried to get ready, putting on a crop top and a denim miniskirt. She styled her hair in a high ponytail, slipped on some sneakers, grabbed her bag with her books, and rushed downstairs.

Bruno was utterly infuriated. He was waiting for her in the living room, and when Nicole came down, he scanned her from head to toe. He thought she was crazy if she believed she could go out dressed like that.

"Where do you think you're going dressed like that?" he asked.

"Dressed like what? This is what girls my age wear, but of course, at your age, you wouldn't know," she replied.

"I'll count to three, and if you haven't gone up to change by then, I'll go up and change you myself."

"Alright, grandpa, I'll go upstairs and change. Just take it easy; it's not good to get angry at your age," she replied mockingly.

She quickly went upstairs and swapped the miniskirt for a pair of jeans. It was better to keep the peace if she wanted to finish her degree.

When she came back downstairs, changed and ready, Bruno thought she still looked very sexy. He mentally scolded himself again; he needed to control his thoughts. It was better to hurry if he didn't want to be late. They were waiting for him at the office to start a meeting.

The drive to the university was silent. Nicole thought that, at the very least for now, Bruno was saving himself from making derogatory comments. When they arrived, she quickly got out of the car. She had only walked a few meters when she ran into her best friend, whom she had known since childhood. He approached and greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. She could feel Bruno's gaze fixed on her back. She knew she would have problems when she returned.

Bruno couldn't understand why he felt furious seeing her so close to that guy. He would have a serious talk with her when they got home.

He had a busy morning at the office. There were issues with missing materials in the construction project, so he had to inspect it himself. It was time to pick up Nicole, and he decided to send the driver. That girl just got on his nerves every time he saw her.

Four months had passed since Nicole returned to university. It was her graduation day, and her family and Bruno would accompany her to the reception. She wore a high-neck red dress with a deep back neckline. She hesitated to wear it, but it was a gift from her mother, and she didn't want to make her feel bad.

As Nicole descended the stairs, Bruno was waiting for her. He seemed attractive in his black suit. Upon arriving at the graduation ceremony, Bruno approached to open the door and took her arm. She looked at him with confusion, and he leaned closer to whisper in her ear.

"Don't get any ideas. We need to make a good impression." Someone captured a photo of them at that moment.

Upon entering, Nicole noticed her parents at the table. Sondra was also there; she hadn't seen her since the wedding. She hadn't been able to talk to her since that night. Maximilian was also at the table. When he was young, he lost his parents, and Nicole's parents had been a great support for him.

Seeing Max, Bruno couldn't hide his annoyance. He was the guy who had greeted Nicole with a kiss. After the announcements, Max invited her to dance, and Nicole gladly accepted. Just as Max took her by the arm, Bruno stopped him and pulled her towards him, staring directly into the guy's eyes. They made their way to the dance floor, where a slow melody was playing. Bruno held her tightly by the waist.

"I clearly told you that you have to respect me. I don't want to be the laughingstock of anyone," he said, pressing her even closer to his body. He could smell her scent and feel her warmth, which made him nervous.

She tried to break free, but he prevented her from doing so. He led her in slow movements on the dance floor, and when the song ended, they returned to the table.

Nicole sat next to her mother, and Bruno distanced himself at that moment. After chatting with her parents for a while, Nicole got up to go to the bathroom. As she approached the hallway, she heard noise. To her surprise, she found Bruno kissing Sondra. She felt an overwhelming urge to cry and ran away.

Nicole had no idea what had truly happened. When Bruno went to the bathroom, Sondra decided to follow him. It was an opportunity to get close to him without her sister being around.

"Hello, dear brother-in-law. It's good to finally see you alone. If I had known it was you in that room, I wouldn't have allowed Nicole to proceed with her plan. I would have entered to help you with your problem," she winked flirtatiously.

"I'm sure you were in on it. You arrived at the perfect moment. I'm not a fool, Sondra. I could tell that everything was well planned," he said.

"She asked me to do it. She wanted to trap you for a long time, and she succeeded. She saw you at a party and became infatuated with you. I'm sorry for letting myself get carried away and helping her with her plans," he said, pouting.

Bruno noticed Nicole approaching, and Sondra clung to him and kissed him. Under different circumstances, he wouldn't have allowed it, but he knew it would bother Nicole. He enjoyed seeing the expression on her face when she saw them together. When Sondra left, he pushed her away.

"Don't ever do that again without my consent," he warned angrily, and then he walked away, leaving her alone in the hallway.

Sondra smiled maliciously. That kiss had been worth it. Soon, she would have Bruno at her feet.

He returned to the table and didn't see Nicole. When he asked about her, his father told him she was on the terrace. He headed there, and upon arrival, he couldn't believe the audacity of that pair.

Maximilian had his arm around her waist, and with his other hand, he held her chin. Bruno approached the guy and delivered a punch to his back. He knew he shouldn't create a scene like that, but he couldn't contain his fury. He wouldn't let them mock him in that way.

He argued with them and then roughly grabbed his wife by the arm because, whether he liked it or not, that's what Nicole was in the eyes of everyone: "his wife."

"Who the hell do you think you are to embrace my wife like that?" he asked, feeling like he wanted to tear that guy apart with his own hands.

"Now you suddenly care? I'm sure you did something to make her end up like this," Max replied angrily.

"What happens between her and me is none of your business. She's my wife, and I won't tolerate this kind of thing." Who did that idiot think he was?

He pulled her towards him, and the girl stumbled. Max couldn't bear to see that and delivered a strong punch to Bruno's face. Bruno retaliated, and they got into a fight. Upon hearing the screams, Nicole's parents approached to break up the fight. Bruno thought he didn't owe anyone an explanation, so he hugged Nicole and they left.

Nicole thought about clarifying things, but she decided it was pointless. When she found them kissing, she decided to go to the terrace, not wanting her parents to see her in that state. It wasn't just about being with another woman or not caring if they were caught; it hurt that out of all the women, it had to be her, clearly driven by her sister's hatred.

Maximilian followed her outside and couldn't help but throw himself into her arms. He needed to feel that someone cared about him. Max hugged her and held her chin.

"What's wrong, my little dragonfly?" That's what he had called her since she was little.

Nicole was about to respond when Bruno, furious, punched him in the back.

In the car, Bruno started yelling at her. He was terribly angry about what he had seen. Seeing her with someone else caused him great annoyance.

"All I asked was for you to behave, and you make a fool out of me. I'm not a fool you can mock."

"I wasn't doing anything wrong. Max is like a brother to me. But tell me, who do you think you are to question me when your own behavior is far from appropriate?"

"I don't have to give you any explanations. I made things very clear to you from the beginning. You don't meddle in my life." He wasn't going to let that stupid brat take advantage of him, that was for sure.

They arrived at the mansion, and Nicole got out of the car and ran to her room. She was tired of this situation. Sondra would have to listen to her. She wouldn't allow her to continue ruining her life. Enough had already been done.