Protagonist! Please Stay Away from Me 2!-Chapter 38: Tina Has Some Suspicions About Alex’s Company
The next day, sunlight filtered softly through the sheer maroon curtains of my newly renovated bedroom, rousing me from a deep, dreamless sleep.
I woke up feeling refreshed yet disoriented, realizing I was dressed only in a delicate silk chemise that clung lightly to my curves—a pale lavender slip with lace-trimmed edges that Tina had insisted I wear to bed the night before, claiming it suited my me better than anything else. How could she know her body measurements so easily without even asking?
Most days now, I found myself embracing womanly clothes exclusively, a subtle shift in my wardrobe that felt both empowering and calculated: flowing dresses, soft blouses, and delicate underwear replacing my old hoodies, shirts, jeans and leggings, each piece a reminder of the power I wielded through femininity, my stunning face, my mouthwatering body, my beautiful legs and pearl toes on constant, mesmerizing display.
Slipping out of bed barefoot, the cool hardwood floor—another of Tina’s "repentance" upgrades—sent a shiver up my flawless arches as I padded toward the door.
The chemise whispered against my skin with every step, its hem brushing mid-thigh to accentuate my elegant calves, while the rose gold bracelets from yesterday still adorned my wrists, hiding bruises now faded to faint shadows.
I paused at the mirror briefly, admiring how the morning light gilded my silhouette, hair tousled just so, a vision that would make even Tina’s blue eyes flash with that confusing hunger-guilt mix. I can see why this face—my face can arouse sympathy, guilt, hunger, and a sense of domination in Tina. It did with Kaerin, Maria... and many others.
Emerging from my room, the aroma of fresh breakfast enveloped me—warm croissants flaking golden, scrambled eggs fluffy with herbs, crispy bacon sizzling faintly, and ripe strawberries sliced into heart shapes on a tray.
Tina had cooked it all for me with evident devotion, setting the spread on the gleaming walnut dining table under the abstract crimson-gold paintings that transformed the space into my personal sanctuary.
She stood by the stove in her silk shirt rolled to elbows, apron tied around her waist, turning at my approach with a radiant smile that lit her whole face.
"Good morning, Sharon! I made your favourites—eat up while it’s hot," she said eagerly, pulling out my chair with a flourish, her eyes inevitably dropping to my exposed legs peeking from the chemise, delight and remorse warring openly.
I forced a smile on my face, even though disdain aroused in my heart. Did this woman truly love Alex? I don’t think so—not anymore.
"I have to take a bath now, so can you wait for me for some time?" I said sweetly, flashing Tina a radiant smile that masked my calculations as I stood from the breakfast table, the silk chemise, which she chose for me, whispered against my thighs with every graceful step.
My fake smile immediately wiped off the moment I turned my back to her, replaced by a cold, disdain-filled, triumphant smirk that she couldn’t see—power humming beneath the surface as her devoted eyes followed my beautiful legs retreating toward the bathroom.
I entered the bathroom, closing the door softly behind me but not locking it, leaving just enough ambiguity to test her boundaries.
The space gleamed from Tina’s renovations: marble countertops veined with gold, a deep soaking tub framed by candle holders, and a rainfall showerhead promising indulgence. Steam began to rise as I turned the faucet, hot water cascading like a veil while I selected my oils and washes with deliberate care—first, a jasmine-infused face wash from the new vanity stock, its creamy foam cleansing my flawless skin in gentle circles, rinsing away breakfast’s remnants to reveal a dewy glow.
Next, argan oil for my hair, poured into my palm and massaged through silky strands, transforming tangles into lustrous waves that cascaded down my back.
The body wash came last—a luxurious rose and oud blend Tina had bought during shopping, thick and pearlescent, lathering into clouds of fragrance under the shower spray.
I poured it generously over my curves, fingers gliding over collarbones, breasts, hips, and down my elegantly sculpted legs, tracing high arches and pearl toes with sudsy reverence. Water beaded on my skin like jewels, soothing my whole body, the steam amplifying scents into an intoxicating haze. I lingered under the spray, shampooing with coconut oil next—rich lather stripping away the night’s tensions, conditioner following to seal shine—each ritual a reclaiming, my body temple to the femininity that I would use for the different occasions in the future.
After the bath, steam still clinging to my glowing skin like a lover’s breath, I emerged from the bathroom feeling utterly reborn—jasmine and rose scents trailing me intoxicatingly, hair damp and wavy framing my face in perfect cascades.
I changed into a stylish new outfit: a chic off-the-shoulder black cashmere sweater that draped asymmetrically over one shoulder, exposing a tantalizing glimpse of collarbone while hugging my curves with buttery softness, paired with tailored wide-leg black trousers in luxurious wool-silk blend—high-waisted to cinch my figure dramatically, flowing elegantly down my long, sculpted legs to pool at strappy black stiletto heels that elongated my flawless calves and showcased my pearl toes with crisscross straps glittering like diamonds.
"Wow, I look extremely sexy. Never thought that I would like to dress up," I whispered to myself.
I sauntered confidently to the gleaming walnut dining table, where Tina waited anxiously with her silk shirt slightly rumpled from morning chores, her blue eyes widening then clouding instantly with that familiar intoxicating mix of guilt and hunger as she drank in my transformed, stylish silhouette.
"Sharon, you look like a vision—absolutely breathtaking. The whole outfit goes extremely well with you," she breathed reverently, leaping up to pull out my chair with hasty devotion, her foot brushing mine deliberately under the table as I settled gracefully.
I sat with poised elegance, crossing my long legs so one stiletto dangled playfully from pearl toes, and started eating with her—freshly plated fruit salad glistening with thick yogurt drizzle, golden croissants flaking apart warmly, and steaming herbal tea in delicate porcelain cups she had arranged meticulously.
My fork speared ruby strawberries slowly and deliberately, juice trailing seductively down my lips while her gaze lingered hungrily, her own fork frozen mid-air in rapt fascination.
"Perfect as always, Tina. You have done this really well," I murmured sweetly, the praise functioning as both reward and invisible leash, watching her flushed delight war openly with lingering remorse over Alex’s unspoken shadow haunting us both.
Light conversation flowed effortlessly between bites—her recounting breathlessly how mall crowds had stared admiringly at my legs yesterday during shopping, voice thick with conflicted pride and shame.
"You like my legs very much, don’t you?" I asked her softly.
She nodded as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "I like your legs—in reality... I like to stare at beautiful legs, especially women’s legs. They look very alluring to me." Her face turned red like a tomato, not daring to meet my eyes.
"What about Alex? I am sure that he doesn’t have the legs that you like so much," I said, smirking internally.
My words struck her heart, making her take a deep breath. She put down the fork on the plate, her hand waving over her hair. "You are correct... but love is blind, Sharon. Even though he doesn’t have the legs that I am searching for, he is an extremely handsome man," she admitted without any reservations.
"Then, you still love him?" I probed deeper.
Tina raised her head, eyes meeting mine. "I loved him, but now—I can’t. It won’t be fair to you," she said.
I nodded my head in understanding. "What does my brother do? I heard that he became his company’s CEO. What type of company is ’Aether Dynamics?’ Do you know anything about it?"
Tina shook her head. "I don’t know anything about his company, but I have heard that it’s a very significantly growing company. Without any obstacles in its path. It sounds shady, but Alex works in it—so, I dropped all my suspicions about it." She drank some water from the glass before putting in on the table.
I bit down on a grape, slowly chewing it, while studying her face. "Why did you suspect that company in the first place?"
"It came out of nowhere—no identity, no valid papers, no credible source. Even the owner is still hidden," she replied.
So, Tina doubted Alex’s company... maybe still have her doubts. "Tina, can we go out for a walk after the breakfast? For ice-cream? Please Tina, I am bored," I whined, giving her a pleading look.
Tina laughed lightly, biting her lips in fake contemplation. "There is no way in this world that I will refuse you, Sharon. If you want ice-cream, let’s go. What flavour do you want?"
"One in chocolate flavour, and the other in strawberry flavour!"
