𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙈𝙧. 𝙈𝙖𝙣𝙝𝙞𝙙

34. Premiere Night

I was wearing a mask when I entered the cinema, not wanting anyone to recognize me.

Zayne was closely following me from behind, doing his best to protect me from prying eyes.

Once we settled into our seats inside, I noticed that celebrities and media personalities were scattered throughout the venue. I didn’t want to steal the spotlight from Hailey and Daniel. I knew the media would swarm me if they found out I was attending the movie premiere.

"After this, may after party sa hotel sa harap ng mall. Pupunta ba tayo?" Zayne whispered, his eyes scanning the room.

"Yes. I promised Hailey I'd be there," I replied, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness.

He held my hand, never letting it go until the movie ended. As the credits rolled, applause filled the room, and congratulations were directed toward Hailey and Daniel, who were seated in the front row.

"Let’s go first," Zayne said, standing up.

I followed him, eager to avoid the crowd of fans and media waiting outside the cinema.

We made it to the hotel without anyone recognizing me. We headed straight to the function hall, where some high-profile executives from the TV station where Zayne worked had already gathered.

It was only then that I removed my mask, and everyone was shocked when they recognized me.

"Bella, you're here!" Mr. Lopez exclaimed, his face lighting up with surprise.

"Hello, Mr. Lopez," I greeted him warmly.

We shook hands, and he introduced me to the big bosses of the TV station, proudly mentioning my upcoming guest appearance on a morning talk show and that I would be the cover of their magazine next month.

Zayne stayed right beside me, holding my hand firmly, and it was clear to everyone that we were more than just friends.

When Hailey arrived, she thanked me for attending. Daniel also expressed his gratitude before introducing me to the woman standing behind him.

Zayne slid his hand around my waist and whispered in my ear, "That's Julia."

"This is Julia Suarez, by the way," Daniel introduced her, but before he could say more, Hailey quickly read the atmosphere.

"Daniel, why don't you bring Julia with you to get a drink? I really wanted to talk to Bella and Zayne. You know, magkaibigan kaming tatlo. I want to be the first one to congratulate them on their upcoming engagement."

Julia shot Hailey a look, her smile faltering slightly.

"Julia, okay lang sayo, di ba? Bella is kind of busy right now," Daniel suggested, sensing the tension.

Hailey pulled me away just as Zayne followed closely behind us.

"She wanted to ruin Zayne," Hailey whispered, and I couldn’t help but laugh.

"Hail, don't take away my girl," Zayne joked, a playful tone in his voice.

Hailey stopped and released my hand with a smirk. "Huh, I have my own girl, Zayne," she shot back just as Lily approached us.

"Hi, guys!" she greeted cheerfully.

"Hi, Lily!" I replied enthusiastically.

Lily and Hailey exchanged smiles, a silent understanding passing between them. There were no hugs or kisses, just a shared bond that spoke volumes about their friendship.

We mingled, exchanging hellos and hi's with Zayne's acquaintances in the industry. I had attended many parties before, so I was used to the atmosphere.

I laughed at Zayne, who seemed out of his element; he was definitely not accustomed to the party scene. By the end of the night, he looked close to spinning from all the excitement, but he stood by my side the entire time.

We enjoyed our drinks, chatting with friends about work and our daily lives.

Around eleven o'clock, we finally made our way home to the condo, catching a taxi to get us there.

As soon as we stepped inside the elevator, Zayne couldn’t stop touching me and kissing me, the alcohol heightening our senses.

We were both drunk and undeniably horny, the night still buzzing with electricity as we took the short ride up to our floor.