Chapter 8 Be My Girlfriend #2
Magnus took a deep breath as his steps finally slowed. For a moment he looked like he might turn back. But Isabel tightened her grip and quickly pulled him toward the car.
“Let’s go.”
She guided him inside before rushing to the other side of the car herself, afraid he might suddenly change his mind and go back to the auction hall.
Her heart pounded with anxiety until he finally sat down.
Only then did she release a breath of relief.
“Let’s go,” she told the driver. “Upper East Side. Madison Avenue and 72nd Street. The store is called Annette’s Atelier.”
The driver gave a short nod and immediately started the car. The vehicle pulled smoothly into traffic and began moving through the busy city streets.
Magnus sat back in his seat, staring out the window, his expression distant.
Beside him, Isabel quickly opened her handbag and pulled out her tablet.
She tapped the screen and brought up several pictures of dresses she had saved earlier.
Then she turned the screen toward him.
“Magnus, look,” she said brightly, forcing a cheerful smile onto her face. “Don’t you think I’ll look beautiful in this dress?”
She began flipping through the images.
“Which one do you like the most? You like red, right? What if I wear this one?”
She zoomed in on the picture and held the tablet closer to his face.
“Can you imagine how beautiful I’ll look? I think this one suits me best.”
She kept smiling brightly, trying desperately to get his attention.
Magnus gave a low hum in response.
“Mm.”
But his voice was dull and distracted. He barely glanced at the screen before nodding absent-mindedly..
And with every second that passed—
Isabel’s frustration grew stronger.
“Sir, we are here,” the driver said as the car came to a gentle stop.
Isabel blinked and looked out the window.
“Oh… we’re here already?” she said in mild surprise. “That was quick.”
She slipped the tablet back into her bag and opened the car door, stepping out onto the sidewalk. Then she turned toward Magnus—
Only to realize he hadn’t moved an inch.
He was still sitting in the same position, staring ahead with a dark expression on his face.
A confused frown appeared on her face.
“Magnus?” she called.
She closed the door and quickly walked around the car toward his side. Reaching the other door, she pulled it open and leaned slightly inside.
“Come on, let’s go,” she said with an expectant smile.
But Magnus didn’t smile back.
His face was dark, the earlier anger still lingering in his expression. There was something heavy in his eyes—something he was clearly trying to bury, yet it was still visible.
Finally, he turned his head to look at her.
“Isabel,” he said calmly, “you can go inside and choose whichever dress you want. Ask them to put the bill under my name.”
She blinked in confusion.
Before she could react, he reached forward and grabbed the door she was holding.
Isabel’s eyes widened.
“Magnus—what are you doing?” she asked quickly. “You said you would come with me—”
But Magnus had already pulled the door out of her hand and slammed it shut.
“What? Magnus!” she shouted.
The car engine roared to life.
Before she could react, the car sped away from the curb, leaving her standing alone on the side of the road.
Her face flushed red with anger and humiliation.
She stood frozen there for a moment, staring at the disappearing car as disbelief washed over her. The shock on her face made it look as though someone had just slapped her in public.
***
Magnus’s car raced back toward the auction hall.
It came to a stop outside the auction hall.
The moment it came to a halt, Magnus threw the door open and stepped out immediately.
Without waiting, he strode toward the entrance with hurried steps, his long strides almost turning into a run as he rushed toward the entrance.
His jaw was tight, and his expression was dark with tension.
But the moment he reached the doors—
He froze.
Neymar was standing in front of Sophia.
A bouquet of flowers was held carefully in his hands as he extended it toward her.
His posture was straight, and his voice was sincere.
“I fell for you the first time I saw you in London,” Neymar said.
Magnus stood still, his body rigid.
“After that we met so many times since then. I tried to hold back my feelings,” Neymar continued, his eyes fixed on Sophia. “But with every meeting it became harder.”
His voice softened.
“I really like you. I’ve never felt this way about any other woman.”
His eyes remained fixed on her face as he spoke.
“Will you be my girlfriend?”
His voice dropped slightly, filled with nervous hope.
Magnus’s hands slowly clenched at his sides.
Across from Neymar, Sophia stood silently.
She looked surprised—clearly caught off guard by the sudden confession.
She held a small bag in her hand, and she had already changed out of the elegant blue dress she had worn during the auction.
Now she wore something much simpler—a soft white blouse tucked into a pair of fitted dark jeans, with a light cardigan draped over her shoulders.
The outfit was plain and comfortable, yet it somehow made her look effortlessly beautiful.
Her hair fell loosely around her shoulders, giving her a natural, unguarded charm that was even more striking than the glamour she had worn earlier.
His fists slowly clenched at his sides as he waited for her answer, his entire body tense.
Seconds stretched painfully long.
Sophia glanced down at the bouquet for a moment before lifting her eyes back to Neymar.
“I’m sorry, Mr. Davies,” she said gently. “I don’t have the same feelings for you.”
For a brief moment, silence fell between them.
A flicker of disappointment crossed Neymar’s face, the hopeful light in his eyes dimming slightly. But he quickly masked it with a polite smile, straightening his posture as he let out a quiet breath.
“It’s alright,” he said after a moment.
He shifted his weight slightly and gave her another easy smile.
“How about we have dinner together tonight?” he suggested.
As he spoke, he slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box.
“This is for you,” he said, holding it out to her. “It’s a gift I had specially designed by our designers. When I first saw it, I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”
He opened the box.
Inside lay a delicate gold ring.
The design was delicate yet striking—thin golden lines weaving across each other in a graceful geometric pattern before merging smoothly into a single band. The intersecting lines formed an elegant silhouette, the fine gold strands catching the light beautifully.
And since it came from Neymar’s own brand, it was clearly extremely expensive.
He offered the box to her.
Sophia blinked in surprise.
For a second, she simply stared at the ring before raising her hand.
But instead of taking it, she gently pushed the box back toward him.
“Thank you, Mr. Davies,” she said quietly.
Her voice remained polite, and she offered him a small, apologetic smile.
“But I don’t think this is appropriate.”
She lowered her hand.
“I think it would be better if you gave this to someone who shares your feelings.”She shook her head lightly. “You shouldn’t waste something this precious on me.”
She took a small step back.
“I think it’s better if we remain friends.”
Neymar’s fingers tightened around the small box as he absorbed her words, his smile faltering.
Just as the words left her mouth—
A hand shot between them.
Smack!
The ring box was knocked straight out of Neymar’s hand.
It slipped from his grip, hit the concrete ground, and rolled away.
“Mr. Davies. You’re a playboy.” Magnus’s voice cut through the air. “How many girls are you planning to propose to before one finally agrees?”
Darkness clouded his face, anger burning in his eyes as he glared at Neymar.
Neymar had been so focused on Sophia that he hadn’t even noticed Magnus until the ring box was struck from his hand.
His eyes followed the small box as it tumbled across the floor.
Then he turned toward Magnus.
“Mr. Graves, what are you doing back here?” Neymar gritted out, his voice sharp with anger as he flung a hand toward him. “And what right do you have to interfere between me and Sylvia?”
The calm composure he had maintained earlier was gone. Magnus’s sudden intrusion had shattered it completely.
For a second, Neymar forced himself to calm down.
He straightened his jacket and looked at Magnus with a firm expression.
“Whatever relationships I had with women in the past are over,” Neymar said firmly. “None of them had any real emotional foundation, and none of them were my girlfriends.”
He gestured toward Sophia, his voice steady but intense.
“I’ve never asked any woman to be my girlfriend before. But I’m asking Sylvia now. Because I truly like her.”
Then his gaze hardened as he looked Magnus up and down.
“And shouldn’t you be worrying about your own girlfriend?” he added pointedly. “Just a few minutes ago you were with her. Now you’re here acting like this in front of Sylvia.”
He let out a short, bitter laugh.
“You’re accusing me of being a playboy? I think you might actually be worse than me.”
Magnus let out a cold scoff.
“I know exactly how loyal you are,” he snapped, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Neymar with a piercing look.
He suddenly reached out and grabbed Sophia by the arm.
His hand closed firmly around Sophia’s arm, and he pulled her sharply toward him.
She stumbled slightly before being dragged to his side, caught off guard by the sudden movement.
Magnus’s furious gaze remained locked on Neymar as he held Sophia beside him, his grip firm and possessive.
Then he turned his head slightly toward her.
“Don’t trust him. He’s not the person he’s pretending to be.” His eyes darkened with disdain, and his grip on her arm tightened just a little.
He looked back at Neymar, his gaze cold. “He’s the biggest womanizer I’ve ever seen.”
Neymar’s expression darkened with anger.