"Let's just get on with today's activity. I'm not in the mood to talk much," Olivia said, brushing past Charlotte.
Charlotte stood frozen in place, eyes narrowing as she watched Olivia walk away. Something about her was… off. The meek girl she used to command with a single glare now carried herself like she owned the entire building.
Her posture screamed confidence, shoulders straight, head high, each step fluid and deliberate. Even the sway of her hips carried an effortless allure that turned heads. For a second, Charlotte forgot how to breathe.
Could it be that Emma Williams had only pretended to be naïve all this time?
Was this girl finally rebelling against her control?
Charlotte clenched her jaw. She didn't like this new version of Emma. If the girl kept acting like this, she'd catch every man's eye and ruin everything Charlotte had built for her. Fame in their world came at a price, and she knew too well what that price could be.
The last actress she managed had drowned in scandal, destroyed by the same men she thought could elevate her career. Charlotte had vowed never to make that mistake again. Emma had been her fresh start, pure, talented, and pliable. Now, that "purity" was slipping away before her eyes.
She'd have to remind Emma where her place was.
…
Olivia was already sitting inside the photo studio, watching the background crew work their magic. It was surreal.
The once-plain white wall had been completely transformed, paintings stretched across it, so vivid they looked alive. In the artwork, frozen figures seemed to watch the scene unfold, like ghosts from another world.
When Brian stepped in front of the set, everything shifted. The room's chatter softened, cameras clicked, and lights adjusted automatically, as if they, too, were drawn to him.
He moved effortlessly, tilting his head, flashing that confident half-smile that melted a thousand hearts.
It was infuriating.
Olivia watched from her seat, her fingers tapping against her thigh. She didn't want to admit it, but he was… breathtaking. The maroon shirt he wore was unbuttoned just enough to reveal a sculpted chest and abs that looked almost unreal. The black chinos hugged his frame perfectly, emphasizing every lean muscle.
She caught herself staring longer than she intended.
Get a grip, Olivia.
Still, she couldn't look away. She'd seen men like him before, on magazine covers, in movies, but never this close, never this real. Or perhaps because she never let herself give a damn, but this man in her line of sight is part of her mission in this world. A gorgeously handsome part of her mission.
When she'd asked Darling if Brian was a sickler because of his pale lips, she'd half-meant it. She wanted to feel disgusted, wanted to hate him for being part of this world that wasn't hers… but the more she watched him, the more her irritation dulled.
He was just too captivating for his own good.
Brian, on the other hand, seemed determined to ignore her existence. He didn't so much as glance in her direction. Every time the director approached him, his responses were clipped, polite, cold.
Olivia folded her arms, feeling a strange mix of annoyance and curiosity.
Was he avoiding her?
Then, without realizing, she smiled. Not at him, just at the absurdity of it all. For the first time in forever, she wasn't surrounded by guards or flashing cameras tracking her every move. She was free.
But the others didn't see it that way. Her unguarded smile, her lingering stare, it all looked like she was beaming directly at Brian.
When their eyes finally met, her heart stuttered. His golden gaze locked with her dark ones, sharp and unreadable.
Olivia's smile vanished instantly. She rolled her eyes, masking her flustered state with irritation.
How dare he look at Olivia Smith like that!
Brian's brow furrowed slightly. He caught the roll of her eyes, the subtle challenge in her expression. For a moment, something unreadable flickered in his gaze.
Could it be that Emma Williams wasn't as innocent as she pretended to be?