Beauty of a crystal

CHAPTER 11

Mona's voice trailed off, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "So...."

Crystal looked up from her plate, taking a bite of her juicy, oversized cheeseburger. "So?" she prompted, curious about what Mona was about to say.

"Your two hot bosses," she said wiggling her eyebrows. Crystal sighed as Mona mentioned the two dominating men. Her heart instantly went haywire and I slight blush crossed her cheeks as she placed her burger down, picked up a napkin, and wiped her mouth.

"What's the deal with them?" she inquired, attempting to appear nonchalant.

"Oh, come on, Crystal," Mona protested. "Spill. What are they like?" she asked, taking a sip of her soda through a straw.

"Believe me, Mona. You're better off not knowing," Crystal replied with a sigh. Mona frowned, noticing the worried expression on Crystal's face.

"Did they do something to you?" she asked, her big sister instincts kicking in. "Because if they did, I will take appropriate action." She said with complete seriousness. Crystal couldn't help but smile, her giggles catching the attention of the people at the next table.

"That's a bit unusual but endearing," she said, shaking her head slightly. "And no, they didn't do anything wrong. Overall, they are really enjoyable to be around," she said, her thoughts drifting to how she feels every time she's in their presence.

The Mancini brothers are currently away on a business deal in Paris and are expected to return in four days. They have been in Paris for a week already, and although they were originally scheduled to return two days ago, a complication arose which they didn't communicate to her, resulting in an extended stay.

If she was being honest with her own feelings, she found herself in a state of deep loneliness and depression whenever they were not around. This emotional state left her feeling increasingly confused, particularly in the wake of the intimate kiss they had shared.

"What's on your mind?" Mona asked. Crystal lifted her gaze to Mona.

"Chris" the lie slipped off with ease.

"What about him," she asked leaning in on the table her elbows.

"He wants us to go on a date tomorrow" Crystal replied as she twisted the straw around her drink.

"Yeah. What's wrong with that?"

"What's on your mind?" Mona asked, her warm brown eyes showing genuine concern. Crystal lifted her gaze to meet Mona's, feeling a surge of anxiety.

"Chris," the lie slipped off Crystal's tongue with ease, the familiar taste of deception lingering in her mouth.

"What about him?" Mona asked, leaning in on the table, her elbows creating a triangle of support for her chin.

"He wants us to go on a date tomorrow," Crystal replied, her fingers absentmindedly twisting the straw around her drink, creating small ripples on the surface.

"Yeah. What's wrong with that?" Mona probed, her voice gentle but insistent, her unwavering gaze fixed on Crystal, silently demanding the truth.

"He's cheating," Crystal replied, her voice barely above a whisper, her eyes fixed on the floor, her expression unreadable.

Mona gasped in shock, her hands instinctively reaching out to grip Crystal's tightly, offering silent support.

"Oh, no, honey. Do you want to talk about it?" She asked, her voice filled with concern. Crystal managed a small smile at her big sister's gesture and shook her head, straightening up in her seat.