Chapter 16
Chapter 16
FLORENCE’S POV
Mason had agreed to my proposal, which was a surprise. A pleasant one.
It felt like he was finally seeing me for… me. My competence, my talent, my intelligence. Not just as a childhood friend he got stuck with. I wouldn’t delude myself into thinking we were finally on good terms, but… It felt nice.
I was on cloud nine as I left the conferetice room, smiling giddily to myself. I was back in my element, strategizing and coordinating. Mason or no Mason, I chose to be happy and do things I enjoyed rather than revolving my life
around him.
In the break room, I poured myself a coffee when Annalise walked in.
“Hello hello, Miss PR. Aren’t you the talk of the office today!” she said.
I blushed. “You heard?”
“Oh, yes. The Whitehills don’t deserve your beautiful mind but oh well,” she sighed dramatically, and I laughed.
H
“Well As long as Raiden’s agency looks good, I’m happy,” said. “That’s what I’m here for. Not for Mason.”
Annalise smiled with relief at that. “I’m glad you said that. Because the Whitehills want to have their little PR stunt at the new amusement park, and I have been dying to go there!”
“I’ll get you an invite,” I winked at her.
The next day had perfect weather. Sunny, but not too hot, and cool without being windy. It’s as if Raiden’s PR agency even orchestrated the weather. Multiple families with kids were enjoying the rides, the food stalls, and the lush green gardens as I entered the park with Mason.
I was mentally preparing myself to face the Whitehill family. I rarely ever saw them, and even when we met, it wasn’t exactly warm. His parents, Howard and Melissa, were always nice to me but seemed to keep their distance. With time, I had accepted that they didn’t want a close, personal relationship with me and I let it go.
I would just be… cordial.
But all my mental preparation flew out of the window when I spotted Jade.
She stood beside Mason’s mother, chatting effortlessly, her laughter blending seamlessly into the warm family atmosphere. She was even dressed like them…. it’s like they had coordinated their outfits. Everyone was in some combination of beige and blue, and I stuck out like a sore thumb in my pink tank top and white shorts.
Jade looked like family.
I swallowed the uneasy feeling crawling up my throat.
“Oh Florence, hello!” Mason’s mother greeted me. I could sense the fake enthusiasm.
“Mrs. Whitehill, it’s so lovely to see-”
Before I could finish, Jade shoved a Polaroid camera into my hand. “Can you take a picture of us? You need one of those PR shots, don’t you?”
Before I could react, Annalise scoffed. “Yeah, but not with you in it.”
Jade’s smile didn’t falter. If anything, it widened. “Aw, come on. I know my angles.”
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Chapter 16
Mason’s mother sighed. “Alright, enough. Jade is a longtime friend of Mason’s and I like this girl. I want her to be part of this. Take the photo, Florence,”
I swallowed hard, gripping the camera. I couldn’t bring myself to lift 11, but just then, Raiden grabbed the camera out of my hands and clicked it casually.
“There you go,” he practically threw the camera back in Ja’s face.
“Hey, Flo, you should join in!” Annalise said, loud enough for Jade to hear. “I have a real camera here. The kind actual professionals use.”
I saw annoyance mark Jade’s face at the comment. She buffed and walked away with her Polaroid.
“Yeah… thanks, Anna, but that wouldn’t work. Let’s just get some family shots.”
“You’re literally fam-”
“Annalise.” I shot her a look.
Understanding dawned on her. Even now, nobody knew Mason was married. And this would be the worst time for it to come out, given the negative PR surrounding the family.
“Let’s just get a few shots of them enjoying the merry go round,” I told her.
Jade had been tailing the family constantly, even as Raiden asked her to stay out of the photos. This wasn’t about her, but she couldn’t fathom that idea and kept butting in.
“Jade, for god’s sake…” Raiden exclaimed. “Whitehills only!” he yelled.
“Oh you don’t have to publish this in your article, I just want it for my social media!” she beamed.
“We are not your personal photographers,” Raiden said. “Out, please.”
Jade couldn’t argue with him, but she wasn’t about to falter, either. Image was everything to her. Instead, she pretended not to hear him and got distracted by the sky bridge attraction.
“Let’s do that!” she exclaimed, pulling Mason’s mother with her. “It’ll be amazing for PR shots!” She turned to me. “Come on, Florence. Take some good pictures up there.”
I hesitated. Heights weren’t my thing.
Raiden, though, caught my discomfort. “I’ll come with you,” he said.
1 exhaled in relief. “Thanks.”
Annalise decided to join too.
As we suited up, Annalise eyed my yellow safety gear. She was dressed in yellow head to toe, so she asked, “Trade with me? Mine’s pink, it’ll go with yours.”
I shrugged. The color hardly mattered to me. I was more focused on telling myself to maintain my balance as I walked on the narrow planks of the sky bridge.
Mason’s older brother, Clarke, walked up, his hands in his pockets. “Need an escort, Annalise?”
She rolled her eyes. “No need, prince charming.”
I strapped in, stepping onto the high–altitude obstacle course. The narrow wooden board stretched ahead,
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Chapter 16
suspended in the air, swinging slightly with the wind.
One step at a time.
Jade was, of course, posing–one arm stretched, leaning dangerously close to the edge, flashing that effortless model confidence. Mason was close behind her to make sure she didn’t fall over. But I noticed him regularly looking back to make sure we were okay, too.
I lifted my
camera, focusing on Jade’s ridiculous, death–defying poses.
“Lookin‘ good, Jade!” Clarke called from behind, forcing an annoyed exhale from Annalise.
“Thanks, Clarke!” Jade called, “Hey Flo, make sure you get my hair flips!”
I grit my teeth as I kept clicking. How did a PR family outing of the Whitehills turn into Jade’s personal photoshoot? How did she always manage to take the attention?
Then I heard a loud snap… and a blood–curdling scream.
I whipped my head around.
Annalise who had been right behind me a second ago was gone.
Wait… not gone.
Hanging.
Dangling in mid–air, her fingers gripping the edge of the sky bridge for dear life.
My heart stopped.
Her safety clip had come undone.
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