Chapter 11
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FLORENCE’S POV
The energy at the studio buzzed with controlled chaos, assistants running back and forth, background models adjusting their outfits, and cameras flashing nonstop.
I arrived with Blake, carrying the props and materials we ll painstakingly gathered for today’s shoot. This feature was critical for Catwalk Magazine, and Annalise had put her blood, sweat, and tears to make it happen.
I wasn’t about to let anything go wrong.
As we entered, I spotted Carmen, the lead model, already the middle of a conversation with her makeup artist. I couldn’t stop myself from staring at her… It was almost like looking in a mirror. Except she was taller, her hair was thicker, and her skin looked like glass. She exuded an air of effortless elegance… and arrogance.
Her sharp gaze landed on me the second I approached her entourage. Without a word, she reached out and snatched the briefing book from my hands.
“We don’t need you,” she said dismissively, flipping through the pages with a bored expression.
Blake stiffened beside me. I clenched my jaw, forcing a smile. It wasn’t worth causing a scene.
Instead, I turned on my heel and made my way toward Annalise, who was overseeing the photographer’s frame in
the comer.
“Florence! Hi!” Annalise practically fell on me as she hugged me. “Gosh, I am so glad you’re here, I feel like I’m going to collapse any second!”
“Breathe, Anna…” I held her shoulders and directed her to look at me. “This is great, you’re going to do fine. I’ve got this,”
She nodded in relief. “I’m just working with Greg on the framing, do you think we’re ready to start?”
“Absolutely,” I smiled.
***
By the time lunch rolled around, I was finally feeling some sense of control over the day. We’d gone through a good chunk of the collection, and Carmen was a natural… even if she was picky and arrogant. I was ready to melt into my chair and enjoy my salmon steak when a staff member barged into the breakroom.
“Florence?” he asked hesitantly. “One of the models is complaining about the food.”
I sighed. “Which one?”
“Carmen.”
Well, I wasn’t exactly shocked.
I found her standing near the catering table, holding a salad bowl at arm’s length like it was a biohazard. Her sharp eyes locked onto me with the kind of entitlement that came from always getting her way.
“I can’t eat onions,” she said, scowling.
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Did you fill out the dietary preferences form?”
“I forgot.”
“Then… how exactly were we supposed to know?” I asked, trying my hardest not to sound frustrated.
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+25 BONUS
Chapter 11
Carmen huffed, pushing the bowl toward me. “Pick them out for me.”
For a split second, I had a vivid fantasy of flipping the entire salad onto her perfect, smug head. I wanted to watch as the dressing dripped down her beautiful blonde hair, and she screamed in disgust and clumsily ran to the
restroom.
But Annalise’s face popped into my head. Today was not about my feelings or Carmen’s tantrums.
So… I smiled my sweetest smile and proceeded to pick out very sliver of onion with chopsticks as Carmen watched me like a hawk. She took the bowl back without so much as a thank you and sauntered away, clearly satisfied with herself.
Hours later, around 6:30 PM, the shoot wrapped up. As Annalise went around thanking everyone profusely for their help, Blake started gathering all the props and putting them into large canvas bags. Behind her, her assistant trailed with a clip pad, ticking off items as Blake put them into the bag.
I wondered why Blake wasn’t doing the checking while Lisa, the assistant, did the manual labor, but I
remembered Blake was kind of a control freak. She wouldn’t let anybody touch the uber–expensive luxury items not even her assistant.
As Lisa ticked the final item, she glanced through the list again and asked, “Where’s the diamond–studded Hollingsworth watch?”
Blake frowned. “It should be here…”
It was like someone hit a pause button on the room. Everyone from the photographers and light guys to the assistants and staff froze in place. Nobody was taking it lightly that a half–a–million–dollar watch had disappeared.
“Okay… all hands on deck, I want everyone looking for that watch!” Blake announced, panic evident in her voice.
As everybody dived behind chairs, under mats, and on the floor, I had a different idea.
I went to the security room and scrubbed through the footage to find… Carmen left the studio wearing the damn watch.
I first texted Blake to let her know I found it. Then I pulled Carmen’s number and called it.
A loud thumping bass filled the background as she picked up. A nightclub?
“Heeeey, Florence,” she drawled lazily, barely audible over the noise.
“Where’s the Hollingsworth?” I cut straight to the point.
“Oh, that thing? Yeah, I’m wearing it! It went well with my dress.”
I gripped the phone tight in my hand, imagining it was her head. “I need it back, Carmen.”
“I’m at the Monarch Nightclub; come and get it!”
Half an hour later, I arrived at a dimly lit lounge bar across the city, irritation rolling through me in waves. I spotted Carmen immediately–lounging in a private booth, the diamond watch glinting under the neon lights.
And she was not alone.
Beside her sat a handsome but menacing man. Bed–head style blonde hair and a navy blue suit. His fingers played
with Carmen’s hair as she giggled and sipped her champagne.
I cleared my throat, keeping my tone measured. “Carmenm here Carmen lifted her wrist and admired the jewelry. “Oh, this? It’s nice,
for the watch
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“Beautiful. I need to take it back now.”
She sighed dramatically and slipped it off, placing it on the table. “Relax. No need to be so uptight.‘
1 snatched the watch and turned to leave.
But before I could take a step, Carmen’s voice cut through the noise.
“Why don’t you hang with us for a bit?”
I frowned, glancing between her and the mysterious man beside her.
“No, thanks,” I said finnly 471 got to get this to the office.”
“One little drink…” Carmen extended a third glass of champagne to me.
“Really, I’m okay. I’ve got a cab waiting outsi-”
That’s when he stood up, buttoning his jacket and giving me a threatening look. “You’re not leaving.”
I stepped back. The only man to ever intimidate me has been Marco, and it’s only been over the phone. I ran
through my mind trying to place the man’s face and came up with nothing. Why was this stranger threatening me?
“Sit down…” he commanded.
I looked at Carmen for some kind of help… instead, her lips curled into a knowing smile.
“You’d better listen, little sis.
