You got slapped

"I am just stating facts," Bella twirled in front of her elegantly, "Do you think I can't have a man I want? Or do you think he won't go for a woman he likes?"

Mrs. Scott quietly glanced at her. She had to admit that Bella was like a rare gem. Compared to her daughter, Bella was more stunning in all aspects. But all this while, her qualities seemed to have been hidden under her quiet demeanor. It was not until today that she saw it, the threat behind those deadly dark eyes.

"So, since we aren't in each other's arms right now, you can conclude two things. First, he is loyal to your daughter," Male Lead only loves the Female lead. Bella nodded in her heart approvingly before she continued, "Second, I am not interested in him," Her Male lead… must be still waiting in her office.

She whined in her heart. Or maybe he should have left by now. She did not know how the time of this comic world and the real world went.

"That better be it, Bella," Mrs. Scott stepped closer to her as she narrowed her eyes, "Because it won't take us much effort to drop you where we picked you from. In those filthy slums."

Bella raised an eyebrow, "Have a nice day, Mrs. Scott," Having been growing up as Daniel Ashton's sole granddaughter, she has seen the harsher side of the world. Things like this did not intimidate her.

After the lady left the room, Bella glanced at the car keys in her hand.

Since this place was Los Angeles, it was time for her to go out and take a look.

Just as she turned around, she found another uninvited guest leaning against the doorframe, "I don't have a camera," She mumbled under her breath.

Niklaus raised an eyebrow, "Mm?"

"To do your photoshoot," Bella gulped ever so softly as she measured him from head to toe before looking into his blue eyes, "You easily pass off as an A list model," she shrugged and explained noticing his confusion.

"So much for saying that someone is not interested in me," Niklaus straightened up as he thrust his hands inside his pockets, slowly making his way inside the room like he owned the place. Well, he did own it though.

Bella rolled her eyes, "Mr. Niklaus wants me to be interested in hi.?"

"No, I am just curious. Nothing much," Niklaus paused, "Never knew that Miss Bella sent me love letters. For someone who was so into me, you sure know how to pretend," he had seen through her attempts to seduce him when she barged inside his bathroom. Now acting like this won't lead him to forget her lusty gaze and she should know that.

"I am the kind of person who will walk through a garden, admiring and praising the beauty of every flower…" Bella paused as she took a step towards him, "..but will only pluck the lone rose sitting in the corner," the corner of her lips tugged up as she continued, "And unfortunately, you are not my rose."

Niklaus glanced at her, trying to comprehend how this woman's mind worked.

He had seen enough of her scheming and plotting in high school even if he acted like he didn't. Later when she was abroad, she tried all sorts of ways to get in touch with him. And now when he thought he knew Bella Ashton inside and out, she changed the whole equation by acting like this.

He overheard her conversation with Rose's mother and he saw how calmly she dealt with the woman, rendering her speechless but it was not a characteristic that he ever noticed in her before then how?

"Mr. Niklaus, did you forget the way to your room?" As much as she was enjoying the speechless look on his face, Bella did not want this man to fly over to her room every once in a while.

It would be too scandalous if she ended up doing something to him thinking of him as her crush. The poor thing was getting engaged in a month and she wanted to grant them peace so they dance in Male lead and Female lead glow while she, the supporting character will look for a way back to her world.

To her, these people meant nothing and this world meant nothing.

The trail of her thoughts broke when she suddenly felt a cool sensation on her face. Bella froze.

She glanced at the man, who, at some point was standing in front of her with his fingers stroking her cheek.

Her neck arched slightly, "What are you doing?" her voice sounded half-whisper and half panting. Was it this face that had such an effect on her?

"You got slapped," Niklaus remarked.

"Yes, so on that note, you should now put the bathroom incident behind us," or else she might bang his head if he kept bringing that up again and again.

His brows tugged together. He was feeling a bit unwanted. This woman, was she trying to kick him out of her room again?

Bella placed the tip of her index finger on his palm before slowly pushing it away, "It was nice talking to you, Mr. Niklaus but I hope you can keep an appropriate distance between us and not come to my room again and again lest it makes people misunderstand things."

Niklaus frowned. But under her unwavering gaze, he eventually nodded. She had a point. His momentary curiosity will lead to unnecessary troubles and he had no time for that.

"Alright, apply something to it," he raised an eyebrow, his gaze fixed on her swollen cheeks.

Her breathing hitched for a moment. He was hot in whatever did and she was coming to realize this with every second in his presence.

Unaware of her thoughts, Niklaus left the room.

Bella grabbed the phone, car keys and she found the clutch from the drawers. She opened the clutch and much to her relief, it had some cash.

Walking downstairs, she asked the servants where her car was.

Bella looked at the old model car in front of her. Taking a deep breath, she got inside the car and drove out of the mansion.

Bella stopped the car at the gates of the mansion and asked the security about the way to AD Corporations but they informed her that they had no idea about a place like that, "How about Daniel Ashton?" she asked.

There might be some people who don't know her in the real world as it has been a little time since she got into business but barely 0.1% of the crowd would not know her Grandfather.

Both the guards looked at each other before shaking their heads.

So, it turns out they had no idea.

The streets of Los Angeles were familiar to her and she drove slowly, looking for a café around.

By this time, Bella understood it that there was this obvious barrier in the real world and the comic world. Even though the streets were as busy and bustling but the Ashtons had no existence here because the artist did not mention them.

''Dammit..'' she stepped on the brakes when the car swerved towards the right.

The sounds of horns and sirens resounded behind and Bella frowned. Even though this car looked old, she did not expect it to give up on its life in the middle of the road.

''Get in the car,'' came a cool voice from the side.

Bella tilted her head and the windshields of the Black sedan rolled down, revealing a devilishly handsome face. As the sunlight hit his side profile, he looked like an angel with a halo but she knew better than to believe that.

''Are you stalking me?" she glanced at the man who was sitting in the backseat.

''Did your car break down?" As she nodded, Niklaus tilted his head to the side to look at her, ''But the mirror seems alright. How about you take a look at yourself?"

Bella instinctively glanced at the mirror, ''What do you…'' she paused and her head snapped back in his direction.

''I just asked you to look into the mirror so it helps to tame your narcissism. No need to glare,'' he shrugged, ''Come, or do you want some traffic accident to occur?"

Bella turned to look behind and she noticed a long queue of vehicles, ''How about my car?" As broken as it was, she needed it.

She can't afford a royal carriage right now. So, an ordinary carriage is still better than no carriage.

''It will be handled,'' Niklaus nonchalantly said as he averted his gaze from her.

Bella was about to say something but she was reminded of his strong and bulky bodyguards. It seems like he will have them handle this.

She alighted the car and walked around the Black Sedan before opening the door to the front passenger seat.

The driver gulped softly, ''Miss, you can take a seat in the backseat? This place is not proper for you,'' he was worried that their Young Master will be offended being treated like a virus.

Bella had no intention to sit beside Niklaus but after being rejected by the driver, she could only suck up to it.

Niklaus quietly sat with his forehead propped on his fist when he heard the click of the door and felt another presence beside him but he did not turn to look at her.

''You can drop me at some café ahead,'' Bella said to the driver who nodded, taking the Young Master's silence as agreement.

She glanced at the man's side profile while he scrolled something on his iPad with one hand.

''A pleasant sight?" came the deep voice that snapped her out of her daze.

Bella nodded, ''That face, yes,'' she winked.

It was now Niklaus' turn to be stunned for a split-second.

After she was dropped at the Café, Bella quickly ordered for food and cold coffee as she took the corner seat. It was a habit that she had developed through years because of how well known her face was.

And even though right now, she was just a nobody, she could not help following her old habit of hiding herself in a safe corner.

While waiting for her order, she picked up the magazine and gracing the front cover was the picture of a multistory building with a logo of a crystal trident like structure on the top.

''Trident Empires, one of the largest companies in the business world…'' she read the eye-catching title while trying to recall the existence of any such company in real world but as far as she knew, there were none.

She was aware of the existence of small businesses or companies but even then, she could not remember anything even close to Trident.

'Must be the artist's imagination' she concluded, given that this is a fictional work.

It seems like this company is looking for a secretary for their new CEO.

And as Bella read the conditions, she had the urge to roll her eyes.

With such bizarre conditions, they should start looking for another CEO instead of a secretary.

Must be in the top 5 of the university as a business graduate, A1 business Analyst, must know more than 5 languages….