Addictive Like a Sweet Holiday's Candy

Crossing Paths

A few months later, after the show in Paris. Dulce went back to her hometown to do several walks in some prestigious fashion shows.

The familiar scent of warm bread and coffee hit Dulce as she stepped off the bus, the small town of her childhood feeling almost unreal after months in the hustle of modeling life. Her friend Mica clutched her arm excitedly.

“I missed this so much!” Mica said, glancing around at the quiet streets.

“And you—you’re going to light up that mall fashion show tonight. Everyone’s going to stare.” Dulce laughed, brushing a strand of hair from her face.

“I hope so. It’s just a small event, Mica. Nothing like Paris.” Dulce said.

But for Dulce, even small-town shows carried meaning. They reminded her where she came from, grounded her in a world beyond glitz and glamour.

Meanwhile, Charles Langford had returned to his home country after successfully sealing the contract in Paris. Back in familiar surroundings, he met his eldest son, Axel, at a café in a mall near his office. They spent the afternoon together, enjoying a rare moment of father-and-son time—talking, laughing, and savoring the simple comfort of each other’s company amidst the busy rhythm of their lives.

Not noticing how quickly time had passed, they realized it was already six in the evening. With a shared nod, Charles and Axel decided it was time to head home.

As Charles wandered through the bustling mall that evening, scanning stores for potential investment opportunities, Axel’s attention was suddenly caught by a commotion coming from the event hall. Loud applause and cheering echoed through the corridors, cutting through the steady hum of shoppers. Curiosity tugged at him.

“Dad, let’s check it out for a little while,” Axel said with a bright smile, tugging gently at Charles’s sleeve.

“I love you, Dulce!” a fan shouted, the words carried by a wave of cheers that rippled through the crowd.

Hearing a familiar name, Charles felt a sudden spark ignite in his chest, a fire he hadn’t experienced in years. Curiosity tugged at him relentlessly, pulling his gaze toward the stage.

“Dulce?” Axel murmured, his curiosity piqued. He had been a fan of Dulce Ramirez, his schoolmate who had transferred to a fashion school. Excitement sparked in him as he hurried toward the event hall, eager to see who Dulce really was and to catch a glimpse of the rising star in person.

“Dulce?” Charles froze for a moment, his heart skipping a beat. Just like his son, he felt a strange tug of curiosity and an unexplainable pull upon hearing the name.

“Wow! She really is…” Axel murmured, slightly biting his lips in awe—a small gesture that didn’t go unnoticed by his father.

“Dulce Ramirez…” Charles whispered under his breath, the name echoing in his mind as he recalled the girl who had walked across the stage like an angel, every movement graceful and captivating.

Just like the first time he had seen her in Paris, Charles was stunned. He remained rooted in place, every instinct in him drawn to her, his eyes following her every gesture, every turn. It wasn’t just admiration—it was fascination, a pull he couldn’t name, a curiosity that tugged relentlessly at his mind.

She looked exactly as he remembered—more confident, more alluring, yet still with that natural innocence that had captivated him in Paris.

“Dad, she’s Dulce Ramirez, a high school alumna. She was one of the most beautiful girls in our school, but she transferred to another school to pursue her dream in fashion.” Axel spoke admiringly, completely unaware that his father was already deeply attentive to Dulce, his eyes following her every movement on the stage.

The crowd buzzed with excitement, applause and cheers echoing through the event hall. Charles stood slightly apart, coffee forgotten in his hand, his attention caught by a name called from the front row. “Dulce Ramirez…!”

Dulce moved with effortless grace, each step measured yet alive, commanding attention without a single word. Her almond-shaped eyes sparkled under the bright stage lights, framed by soft chestnut waves that tumbled past her shoulders. High cheekbones and a delicate jaw gave her an almost ethereal elegance, while her lips curved into a faint, natural smile that seemed to hold both innocence and quiet confidence.

The crowd’s excitement swelled around her, fans shouting her name, cameras flashing, yet Charles barely noticed. He was caught in a private spell, silently repeating the name over and over in his head: Dulce Ramirez. The thought lingered like a spark threatening to ignite something far beyond admiration.

Axel had harbored a secret crush on her for years, never finding the courage to confess. But at that very moment, seeing her there—alive, confident, and thriving—his feelings deepened, stronger than ever. A rush of admiration and longing surged through him, and he felt himself falling for Dulce all over again, unable to look away.

At the same time, he noticed something he couldn’t explain—his father’s eyes followed her across the stage. Axel frowned slightly, a hint of unease forming in his chest.

“Dad, she’ll be your daughter-in-law… hahaha!” Axel joked, bursting into laughter at his own teasing.

Charles felt a twinge of sadness at his son’s joke, though he forced a small smile to hide the stir of emotions it had unexpectedly awakened.

“But seriously… I like her,” Axel whispered, his eyes fixed on Dulce as she stood on the stage, admiration shining in his gaze. Though his voice was soft, Charles heard every word clearly, and it stirred something unexpected within him. He pushed it aside, focusing on the show, but the seeds of jealousy were quietly planted.

After the event, Dulce and Mica navigated through the bustling crowd. Fans called out her name, some reaching out to greet her, others hoping for a hug, and many clamoring to take photos. Mall marshals moved alongside them, forming a protective barrier as Dulce smiled and posed, gracefully managing the attention.

Amid the flurry of excitement, her eyes caught two men standing a short distance away. They didn’t push through the crowd or call her name; they simply observed. Something in their gaze struck her as familiar, yet she couldn’t place where she had seen them before. The recognition hovered at the edge of her mind, just out of reach, leaving her both curious and slightly unsettled.

Among the two men, her attention lingered on the older one, whose presence seemed effortless and quietly magnetic. There was something about him—an undeniable appeal that drew her gaze, even as she tried to focus on the fans around her.

"His face… it’s too familiar" Dulce murmured to herself, a quiet thought lingering in her mind as she tried to find a place where she had seen him before.

The night ended with curiosities. As Charles got home begun his search online, trying to learn more about this young woman who had so effortlessly captured his attention.

While Dulce is still thinking about the man While Dulce continued pondering the man who was clearly watching her, she struggled to place where she had seen him before.

"ohh..! maybe he’s a friend of my dad?" she thought, chiding herself silently for the silly idea as she sipped her coffee, trying to focus on something else while her curiosity refused to fade. Yet despite her efforts to brush it off, she felt a strange stirring in her heart—an unfamiliar pull she couldn’t understand or explain.

As the universe played its role as Cupid, their intertwined lives were already set in motion. Their paths had crossed, triggering a chain of events neither of them could ignore.