Luis, with a gossip-filled expression, said, "It canāt possibly be that serious."
"Of course it is, thatās just how gossipy women are. Honestly, your sister-in-law and I donāt have any real conflicts, let alone actual grudges."
Deewa replied, sounding a little frustrated, "Itās all just rumors spreading around. Somehow, without any reason, she and I ended up as enemies. We donāt even know each other, yet we glare at each other in the cafeteria. To be honest, I find it pretty strange myself."
Luis almost choked on his drink. Thinking about the saying that a dorm of six girls could have five different chat groups, it really didnāt seem that far-fetched.
"There must be some clashes of interest, right?"
Deewa thought for a moment, then said, "Sometimes the school organizes part-time gigs. The highest-paying jobs usually go either to me or to her. Fighting over those opportunities really gets on my nerves, especially since we each have our own close-knit circles of friends."
Luis didnāt really want to dig into old, petty grievances, it all felt a bit childish. So he changed the subject: "What about Chloe?"
"Sheās like a proud peacock. Nancy and I both came from humble backgrounds, but she never seemed to struggle. Always acting so superior, we never liked that about her."
Well, when it came to conflicts between women, it was never about deep-seated hatred, just trivial, everyday friction. But once sides were taken, those little annoyances piled up over the years.
Eventually, it became the norm, a situation that felt almost inevitable. It sounded silly and even a bit laughable, but untangling those knots of resentment born from minor issues? Better not to even try.
According to Deewa, theyād kept in touch somewhat after graduation, exchanging polite, surface-level pleasantries.
Later, sheād heard that Nancy had gotten married, and that Chloe had become some sort of relative, she wasnāt sure of the details, but at least Chloe had faded from their social circle.
Some competitions were straightforward. Like when a client had a budget of only 500 dollars for a model, choosing one meant upsetting the other.
Back during school exhibitions, even with the school taking a cut, there was still money to be made. But once they entered the real world, they had to rely on themselves, mostly just sharing tips and leads with each other.
That was why Teacher Blanche was so respected by everyone. And when it came to the higher-paying jobs, the rivalry was still mostly between Deewa and Nancy.
Truth be told, over the years, plenty of beautiful girls had come and gone, but the three of them, or rather, the two of them, were always seen as the most stunning. Chloe, by comparison, just didnāt have that same striking presence.
Seven years had passed since graduation. In all that time, among so many pretty faces, those two had always stood out, head and shoulders above the rest.
Putting everything else aside, just imagine how exceptional they must have been. Even without direct clashes between them, the constant comparisons stirred up by others were enough to foster a deep-seated animosity.
As they talked, they unknowingly drank quite a bit. Luis wasnāt drunk, just tired. Heād eaten his fill, and seeing that sheād finished two bottles of baijiu and was also sleepy, he led her back to the room.
Towels were tossed aside, leaving them both completely naked. Deewa rubbed her eyes sleepily and murmured, "Want me to lick you first?"
"Donāt you want something in return first?"
Luis teased her bluntly.
"In your dreams!"
Deewa yawned again, then playfully punched Luisās arm. "If you thought I was so dirty, why didnāt you wear a condom when you fucked me? Now you think Iām some kind of slut, is that it?"
"I didnāt mean it like that."
Luis immediately shook his head.
"Get lost. You men are all the same, not a single good one among you."
Deewa narrowed her eyes, sat up, and stretched. Her full, ample breasts swayed enticingly, but she just crawled to the edge of the bed.
She opened another bottle of baijiu, this time skipping the glass altogether. Tilting her head back, she drank straight from the bottle for a good ten seconds before letting out a long, satisfied sigh.
That single gulp had to be at least half a pound of strong liquor. With a tolerance like that, most normal people wouldnāt dare challenge her.
Deewa chuckled contentedly a few times, then nestled back into bed, wrapping her arms around Luis. "You know, you bastard, youāve got one good thing going for you, at least I can really let loose with you. Thatās kind of nice. Itās just a shame itās always so late at night."
Then she shifted, her tall frame curling up against Luis like a vulnerable kitten. She giggled softly, almost to herself, and suddenly said, "If you donāt want anything now, we can just sleep. But if you want it tomorrow... Iāll let you fuck me for free, okay?"
"This lady usually charges a pretty penny, but the first timeās on the house. And Iāll make sure you feel reeeeally good."
"Youāve had too much to drink. Letās just sleep."
Luis could tell she was under a lot of pressure. The sudden release, mixed with the alcohol, was making her act a little reckless.
"Too much to drink? No way. Just a little. But I do feel... relaxed. Really relaxed."
Deewa suddenly turned her head, her gaze fixed on Luis. "I know what you men care about. Take Chloe, everyone knows sheās a princess whoās dated plenty of guys. In your eyes, sheās still āpure,ā right?"
"Or... I should say, even in our circle, sheās seen as pure. At least there arenāt any messy rumors about her."
As she spoke, her voice grew more intense. She gritted her teeth. "What are those jealous bitches even resentful about? That men are willing to spend money on me? Does that mean I owe them sex just because they pay up?"
"Iām not stupid. Love my ass..."
"This lady has only slept with three men, and they make up so many dirty stories about me. Fuck them..."
"Iām not an idiot. Iām not gonna spread my legs for just a few dollars. Iām not some cheap slut. According to those gossips, Nancyās probably been fucked by a hundred men..."
"I work at the Store, so I must be sleeping with Leon to keep my job? Sell a car, so I must be fucking David? Fuck that."
"How much commission do they think I even make? If I wanted to sell myself, would I be running around looking for work? Screw them."
"Those high school girls, which one of them hasnāt been with a dozen guys? Theyāve got way more experience than I do..."
"Those damn gossip hags..."
Deewa was truly letting go. After finishing the bottle on the nightstand, she got up, fetched the last bottle of baijiu, and started drinking again.
Luis was utterly stunned. Heād seen people lose control after drinking before, but someone who could hold this much liquor without getting sick? She was in a league of her own.
She went to the bathroom, then hurried back, burrowing under the covers and clinging tightly to Luis, shivering. "Iām cold," she mumbled, her words slurring. "Iām so sleepy... If you get hard later, just... do it yourself..."
"Just... not from behind, okay? Iām really not a slut... I was already worn out from you fucking me earlier..."
"Alright, enough. Letās sleep."
Despite her cool exterior, the dayās events had clearly shaken Deewa deeply. The stress had been immense. With a final yawn, her eyelids grew heavy, and she drifted off.
Holding this exquisite body, one that could rival even his sister-in-lawās, Luis, having thoroughly vented his darker impulses, also sank into a deep, dreamless sleep.
Their sleep was profound and undisturbed. With the thick curtains drawn, they lost all sense of time until the shrill ringtone of a phone shattered the peace.
Seeing an unfamiliar number, Luis dismissed the call. Moments later, his sister-inās voice came through: "Luis, are you still asleep?"
"Yeah... exhausted from staying up so late..."
Luisās words were still thick with sleep.
"Nina tried calling you earlier, but you hung up. She wants you to meet at your teacherās wifeās place at 2 p.m. to review the contract. After that, you can head straight to finalize the transfer paperwork this afternoon."
"Ah... Iād completely forgotten about that."
"Itās already one oāclock!"
Luis stretched, yawning widely. "Then come pick me up at the Ocean Hotel now. And give my teacherās wife a call to let her know, will you?"