Part 9

That night, Maloi lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind racing. Sleep was impossible. Her thoughts kept circling back to Colet—her steady presence, the thoughtful flowers, the way she smiled so subtly yet so warmly.

Maloi sat up with a sigh, glancing over at the bouquet Colet had given her. The lilies sat in a simple glass vase on her desk, their delicate white petals catching the faint glow of her bedside lamp. They seemed to radiate life and beauty, just like the woman who had given them to her.

A sudden surge of inspiration struck her, and Maloi swung her legs out of bed, grabbing her sketchpad and heading to her studio. She set the vase on a stool in the center of the room, positioning it just so.

Grabbing her brushes and a fresh canvas, she set to work, her strokes fluid and instinctive. The flowers came alive on the canvas, their soft curves and intricate details rendered with the kind of care and attention she hadn't felt in months.

As she painted, she thought of Colet—her composed demeanor, the way she always seemed to have everything under control, yet how she'd allowed herself to be playful and vulnerable with Maloi. It made her smile as she worked, her brush capturing not just the physical beauty of the flowers but the emotions tied to them.

Hours passed without Maloi noticing. The sky outside her window began to lighten, the faint hues of dawn creeping in. When she finally stepped back, she saw the completed piece—a vibrant yet delicate representation of the bouquet. But it wasn't just about the flowers; it was about what they represented.

For the first time in years, Maloi felt like she had painted something personal, something that truly meant something to her. She sat on the floor, staring at the painting with a mix of exhaustion and satisfaction.

"Colet," she murmured to herself, a small smile tugging at her lips. "What are you doing to me?"

Before heading to bed for a short nap, Maloi snapped a quick photo of the painting and sent it to Colet with a simple caption:

"Couldn't sleep, so I painted this. Thank you for the inspiration."

She hit send, her heart racing as she finally allowed herself to rest, knowing Colet would wake up to her message.

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Colet woke up to the soft buzz of her phone on her nightstand. She reached for it, still half-asleep, but the moment she saw Maloi's name on the screen, she was instantly alert.

Opening the message, she found a photo of a stunning painting—lilies, the ones she had given Maloi, immortalized in Maloi's signature expressive style. It was delicate yet full of emotion, every brushstroke carrying depth.

"Couldn't sleep, so I painted this. Thank you for the inspiration."

Colet stared at the image for a long moment, a warmth settling in her chest. It wasn't just the painting that moved her—it was what it meant. Maloi had taken something so simple, a bouquet, and turned it into something permanent.

A rare smile played on Colet's lips as she typed her reply:

"It's beautiful, Maloi. I'm honored. But you should've been sleeping, not making art at dawn."

She hesitated for a second, then added:

"Get some rest. I'll make sure you have a proper breakfast when you wake up."

Without another word, Colet placed an order from one of the best brunch spots in the city. She knew Maloi well enough to guess she'd be too exhausted to cook after staying up painting. She selected a spread of Maloi's likely favorites—freshly baked pastries, fruit, eggs, and a good cup of coffee, making sure the delivery was scheduled to arrive at her doorstep as soon as Maloi woke up.

Satisfied, she set her phone down and exhaled, rubbing a hand over her face.

She hadn't planned on feeling this much for Maloi this soon. But here she was, making sure she ate properly, appreciating every little thing she created, and waking up with her as one of the first thoughts in her mind.

With a quiet chuckle to herself, Colet lay back against her pillows, staring at the ceiling.

This woman is dangerous, she thought, but for the first time in a long time, she didn't mind one bit.

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Colet started her morning the way she always did—disciplined and structured. After getting out of bed, she headed straight to the gym, needing the workout to clear her head. She pushed herself through weight training and cardio, her mind occasionally drifting back to Maloi's painting and the soft way she had thanked her.

She really stayed up all night just to paint those flowers, Colet thought, shaking her head as she wiped the sweat off her brow.

Once she was done, she showered at the gym, dressed in her usual sharp business attire, and made her way to the office, slipping seamlessly into work mode.

Meanwhile, Maloi groggily woke up to the sound of her doorbell. She rubbed her eyes, still feeling the weight of sleep, before dragging herself out of bed. When she opened the door, she was surprised to find a neatly packed breakfast delivery waiting for her.

She blinked in confusion until she spotted the note attached.

"Eat well. You stayed up late. - C"

Maloi grinned, her heart doing an unexpected flip. She brought the food inside, opening the boxes to find a selection of pastries, eggs, fresh fruit, and a perfect cup of coffee.

As she took her first bite, she grabbed her phone and sent a text:

"You're ridiculously thoughtful, you know that? Thank you, Colet. I owe you one."

She stared at the message for a second before adding,

"Have a great day at work! Don't be too serious ;)"

Satisfied, she hit send and leaned back in her chair, sipping her coffee with a smile.

This woman... Maloi thought, shaking her head fondly. She's something else.

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Colet was in the middle of reviewing trade reports when her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen and immediately saw Maloi's name.

"You're ridiculously thoughtful, you know that? Thank you, Colet. I owe you one. Have a great day at work! Don't be too serious ;)"

A rare, genuine smile spread across Colet's face as she read the message. The warmth in her chest was undeniable. She shook her head slightly, exhaling through her nose. This woman...

Unfortunately for Colet, Jhoanna had been watching.

Jhoanna, ever the observant one, leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, a knowing smirk playing on her lips. "Okay, what the hell was that?"

Colet raised a brow. "What was what?" she asked, feigning nonchalance as she set her phone down.

"That smile," Jhoanna accused, pointing at her. "You looked giddy. Do you even know how rare that is? You're always so serious, and now you're out here looking like a lovesick teenager?"

"I was just checking a message," Colet replied smoothly, but the slight pink dusting her ears betrayed her.

Jhoanna's smirk widened. "A message from her, huh?"

Colet shot her a look but didn't deny it.

That was all the confirmation Jhoanna needed. Immediately, she grabbed her phone and fired off a message to their group chat with Mikha and Gwen.

Jhoanna: Ladies, we have a situation. Our dear Colet is acting sappy.

Jhoanna: Like, Gwen-level sappy. You should've seen the way she smiled just now.

Mikha was the first to respond.

Mikha: You're kidding. Colet? Sappy?

Jhoanna: Dead serious. It's happening. She's FALLING.

Then Gwen chimed in.

Gwen: Took her long enough. Who's the girl? When do we meet her?

Jhoanna grinned, looking up from her phone. "So, Colet," she said sweetly, "when are we meeting this mysterious woman who's making you act all soft?"

Colet sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You're all insufferable."

"Yeah, yeah," Jhoanna waved her off. "Now answer the question."

Colet exhaled, crossing her arms. "We're still getting to know each other. It's nothing official."

Jhoanna wiggled her brows. "Yet."

Colet rolled her eyes, but she couldn't hide the small smile tugging at her lips.

Jhoanna grinned. "Oh, this is so fun. I can't wait to meet the woman who's turning the infamous Colet Vergara into a complete softie."

Colet just shook her head, but deep down, she knew her friends wouldn't let this go. And maybe... she didn't really mind.