The billionaire's sweet editor
Chapter 79: Iris: Friendly Rivalry

Chapter 79: Iris: Friendly Rivalry

THE LAST thing I expected to happen to me today was being in an enclosed space with Bella as she retouches my makeup.

To think I’d been crying because of her a few minutes ago.

We’re seated in Lucas’ office, with him sitting on my desk outside. Apparently, Bella didn’t want to be near him anymore, probably because she’s still angry at him for dumping her like that.

Then again, he said he had told her about this in time to avoid sudden heartbreak like this. It’s weird being in an enclosed space with her like this after the cold war that took place between us in the tent a while ago.

Bella looks unfazed by me. She’s not even batting an eyelash at the fact that Lucas is glaring daggers at her from the tampered glass even though we all know he can’t see us.

"Will you tell him to ease on the glaring? I’m trying to work on your face here. What does he think I’ll do to you, eat you? I’m not like him."

A small-sounding laugh escapes from my mouth as I try to ease the situation, but the moment it does, I just want the ground to open up and swallow me whole. What the fuck was that? A cry for help?

"Guess he’s still wary of me being in the same space with you. Then again, he should be. I’m not yet willing to accept whatever this is between you two even though I know I might lose."

So, it’s finally happening. The main reason why I’ve been feeling really uncomfortable with her around.

"I’ve known Lucas ever since we were in high school and we’ve been best of friends since, or at least I wanted us to be. I had a crush on the motherfucker all this time, but every time we started talking about romance, he looked indifferent."

"So you can imagine the shock I felt when I heard he was sleeping around with our school cheerleader in her dorm room at night in college. Of course, I faced him head-on and asked him about it, and when he agreed to all the claims, that’s when I took my chance and asked if we could be fuck buddies."

She lets out an exhausted sigh, bending my head to the side so she can apply a bit more powder down my jaw. A bit of it lands on the cloth she wrapped around me and I silently thank her intuition for considering my dress.

"We’ve been like that all these years and I’ve been waiting for whatever made him not want to date to die, but I didn’t expect it to die because of someone else and not me. I thought you were some shady bitch who had done something to him...you know...the witch doctors," she adds shrugging.

"I would never!"

"Yeah. That was a little bit too much of me, but you know how jealous ladies can be dangerous sometimes."

Yeah. I know that very well.

"Anyways, all I’m trying to say is, I love him. Even now when I know he has a girlfriend, I can’t stop myself and I don’t feel guilty at all. Maybe because I feel entitled to the fact that I loved him first before you did? It doesn’t make sense does it?"

"No," I reply truthfully.

"I know. But I’m still not letting him go. This is me declaring war. If you fuck up and he ends up leaving you, I’m not giving you guys a chance to get back together again, ever. I’m one of those idiots who pray for a couple to break up just so I can steal someone’s partner away from them. So be on the lookout."

Blood boils in a rage all over my body, but I manage to maintain my composure. After all, she’s doing this declaration of war in the most fashionable lady-like manner ever.

"Bring it on. But don’t blame me if you end up dying single, because I don’t plan on letting Lucas go that easily. I’m holding on to him like a baby cub does its mother, so good luck stealing him away from me.

Stepping away from me with a smirk on her face, Bella slowly nods, more to herself than me. "Done. No wonder he chose you. Even without Botox, you look divine."

Oh my goodness, how can someone be such a girls girl and your rival at the same time?

It’s all so confusing and yet exhilarating. Maybe because I’ve only ever spent time with the siblings. I can’t decipher a lot of these relationships that well.

"Well, now that it has come to this, let’s do our best in this friendly rivalry. It has to stay between us, no one else has to know about this, okay?"

"I’m not a kid."

"Of course you aren’t. Either way, if I hear about this from anyone, I’ll make your life feel like shit."

"Not before I make yours a living hell first."

A smile tugs up her lips. "You’re a feisty one ain’t you? No wonder you were able to tame that loser. Hey, do you think if I become angry with him here and there I’ll be able to win him over?"

"Why should I tell a competitor my tactics? Go find your own," I push the chair I’m sitting on to the side forcefully as the playful air between us rises with each retort.

"What is going on in here?" Lucas asks with both hands on the door as if he’s holding himself in place to avoid falling.

"Nothing!" Bella and I reply simultaneously.

"Nothing a man needs to concern himself over," Bella says packing her small bag and leaving the office. Once she’s standing by the door next to Lucas, she turns back to face me.

"Don’t you think we look cute together?" She asks trying to get a hold of Lucas’ bicep but he looks too grossed out by her to even stand still. The ache in my heart dies the moment I see his reaction and I smile.

"No. He’s mine bitch. Go find your own man."

After a smirk that matches mine with fiery competition, Bella is out of our sight and running down the hall. I just know she’s crying.

"What was that?" Lucas asks dusting off his shirt.

"Nothing. Just a little bit of friendly rivalry madness."

"Friendly what?"

"Just... let’s go to the dance pappy. I want to shake all the tension in my body away."

Flipping me around, Lucas lowers his face onto mine. "Me too. I just want to feel your body on mine on the dance floor. I want us to become one baby."

★★★★★