━━━ 𝕏𝕀𝔸ℕ𝔾𝕃𝕀 𝕐𝔸𝕆 - ''𝔽𝔸𝕂𝔼 𝕃𝕆𝕍𝔼,,!
ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ ( female reader )
As the head baker at a cozy downtown bakery, Y/N's life revolves around perfecting pastries and bread. But when her best friend and boss, Mortefi, asks for a favour she can'...
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·:*¨ ༺♱✮♱༻ ¨*:·
"No, no, not this one, not this either!" Y/N groans as she stands in front of her modest wardrobe, pulling out clothes and quickly discarding them onto her bed. Her thoughts are a whirlwind of doubts and anxiety. She's never been one to care too much about appearances, but tonight feels different. There's an added pressure to look the part, to present herself as someone worthy of Xiangli Yao's world.
Y/N knew what Mortefi's parents were like - especially, his dad and stepmom - because he's mentioned them here and there in passing. And even though he managed to escape from their world, his half-brother was moulded into it.
It was the early evening in the mid-fall season, the fleeting sunlight filling her small city apartment. Her space was well lived in, comfortable, and unpretentious. Her touches of warmth could be found everywhere. The half-read book on her bedside table, the apron hanging from a stool in the kitchen, a blanket she had crocheted and thrown over the couch, a childhood stuffed animal in the corner of her twin bed. It wasn't much, but she was just grateful she could afford to live in an apartment like this downtown and near the bakery. One bedroom, one bathroom, and one long open space a combination of the apartment's entrance, kitchen, and living room.
She finally settles on something suitable to wear. This was one of the only sort of formal dress she owned. It was black, and thinking back, she recalls she'd only worn it once. A friend had lent it to her back in her first year of University for some sort of party and insisted Y/N keep it since it didn't fit her anymore. So much had happened since then that Y/N couldn't even recall the girl's name.
Even so, she was grateful to the nameless girl for saving her this evening. There's a sense of urgency in the air. She's about to meet Xiangli Yao's parents, and the pressure of the situation is starting to weigh on her.
Just as she put on the dress, her phone buzzed. It was a text from Mortefi.
Boss Mort: Xiangli Yao will pick you up at 7. Don't stress, you'll do great
I'll meet you guys there
x
Y/N: Thanks for letting me know
xo
The message is meant to be reassuring, but it only heightens her nerves. She glances at the clock - 6:30 PM. Time is slipping away faster than she would like.
As she finishes getting ready, Y/N's mind drifts back to the conversation she had with Mortefi only last week. The weight of what she agreed to do is sinking in deeper now. She barely knows Xiangli Yao. Everything she's heard about him paints a picture of someone cold, aloof and far removed from her normal world. The contrast between them and their lives feels glaringly obvious, and she wonders how she'll ever pull this off. How can she pretend to be in a relationship with a man she hardly knows, let alone convince his parents that they're in a serious relationship? The thought makes her stomach twist with anxiety.
At exactly 7 PM, there's a sharp knock on the door. Y/N's heart skips a beat as she takes one final glance over her appearance. Satisfied, she takes a deep breath and walks over to open the door. Standing there is Xiangli Yao, looking every bit as imposing and handsome as she had imagined. He's impeccably dressed, in a sleek black suit with a deep navy blue tie. His demeanour is cool and reserved, his face showing no hint of what he was feeling.
She watched as his eyes glided down her body. She hoped she had dressed right for the occasion. As his eyes met hers once again, he said "Security downstairs let me in when I told them I'm here to pick you up. Mortefi told me your apartment number." He said emotionless, like he was reciting a fact or something. His expression was hard to read - he's polite but distant, and Y/N couldn't tell if he was as uncomfortable she was or if he was simply indifferent.
Yet his presence is also commanding, and he was undoubtedly handsome. For a moment, she's struck by the absurdity of the situation. This is Xiangli Yao - her boss and best friend's half-brother, someone she had only heard about recently in passing over the last week. And now, she's supposed to be his girlfriend.
Snapping out of it, she nods in response. Clearing her throat, she says "Well, let's get going then, shall we?"
TO BE CONTINUED
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If you want to read a story about Scar, Check out my other story "TRY ME". A brother-best-friend romance that takes place in an elite private academy シ
