The Photoshoot Venue – Afternoon
The studio pulsed with energy. White umbrellas reflected light in every direction, cameras flashed as tech crews fine-tuned equipment, and stylists rushed past with racks of gowns swaying like banners in battle. The air smelled faintly of hairspray, coffee, and fresh paint from the giant Élan Beauty backdrop hanging across the far wall.
Aria Garcia walked with measured steps, her black heels clicking against polished floors, clipboard in hand. Her blazer was immaculate, her hair pinned neatly, but her body hummed with exhaustion. Weeks of back-to-back meetings had worn her down, and she was running on caffeine and stubbornness.
Pim hurried alongside her, tablet glowing with schedules.
"Studio B is prepped. Lighting test complete. The ambassador's in makeup room B2."
Aria nodded absently, scanning the chaos like a general before war. "And Sam?"
"She's with PR, smoothing out media invites. They're already pushing the teaser shots to the press list."
"Good." Aria exhaled slowly, fighting the tension that coiled inside her. This shoot was more than just a campaign it was Élan Beauty's biggest gamble yet. A failure here would ripple across investors, partnerships, everything they'd built.
And she had barely glanced at the ambassador Sam had handpicked.
She told herself it didn't matter. Sam's choices were rarely wrong. All Aria needed was to keep the ship steady.
Dressing Room B2
She knocked once, pushed the door open then froze.
There, in a silk robe with her hair styled to perfection, stood the woman from the bar.
Malee.
She turned, lips curling into a slow, knowing smile, eyes sharp with mischief.
"Well," she said smoothly, "this is better than I expected."
Aria blinked once. Twice. Her hand tightened around the clipboard.
"You've got to be kidding me."
"You remember me." Malee's laugh was low, teasing. She stepped closer, bare feet silent against the floor. "I was hoping you would."
"You're the ambassador?" Aria's voice was flat, betraying nothing.
"I prefer the face of the campaign, but sure." Malee tilted her head. "Surprised?"
"That's one word for it."
Before Aria could retort, the door swung open again. Sam swept in with the energy of someone who lived for moments like this, followed by an assistant juggling clipboards.
"Perfect! You've met." Sam's face glowed with satisfaction. "Isn't she stunning, Aria? She's exactly what this brand needs."
Aria's lips parted. "You... knew?"
"Knew what?" Sam raised a brow.
Aria hesitated. "...Nothing."
Malee cut in, her smile practiced. "We've had a small encounter before. Just a coincidence."
Sam looked between them but didn't probe. "Good. Then this will be easier. I want this campaign to feel like family, not just business."
Aria forced a polite smile, but her chest was tight.
Sam didn't notice. She was already checking her watch. "Alright, we're on in fifteen minutes. Let's make magic." She swept out again, leaving only the faint trace of expensive perfume.
Now, the two were alone.
Malee leaned against the vanity, arms crossed. Her reflection smirked back at her in the mirror.
"I was wondering when I'd see you again," she said softly. "Didn't think it'd be like this. But I'm not complaining."
Aria's eyes narrowed. "That night doesn't matter anymore. You're here for work. Do your job, and we'll be fine."
Malee's grin widened. "Cold. I like that."
"You don't have to like anything."
"Still pretending you don't remember?"
"No," Aria said quietly, her voice sharper than before. "Now I just wish I didn't."
Malee's smile flickered something softer behind her eyes. But it lasted only a second. She straightened, her playful edge back in place.
"Too late."
Aria turned on her heel and walked out, pulse pounding in her throat. Behind her, Malee whispered to herself with a sly grin:
"Game on."
On Set : The Shoot Begins
The studio's atmosphere shifted when Malee stepped under the lights. The chatter dimmed, assistants paused, even the photographer adjusted his lens with extra care.
Malee wasn't just photogenic she owned the frame. Every angle was deliberate, every glance at the camera calculated. One pose playful, the next fierce. She didn't just model the lipstick; she breathed fire into it.
Aria watched from behind the monitor, arms crossed tight against her chest. She hated to admit it, but... Malee was good. Too good.
Professional. Poised. No trace of the chaotic flirt from that night at the bar.
"Adjust the backlight," Aria murmured to a lighting tech, eyes never leaving the screen.
"Yes, ma'am."
Beside her, Pim leaned in, whispering, "She's better than expected, isn't she?"
Aria's tone was clipped. "She'll do."
But her gaze lingered longer than it needed to.
Malee caught her watching once. Just once. And in that fraction of a second, she smirked, not at the camera, but directly past it, at Aria.
Aria's jaw tightened.
Break Between Takes
"Five minutes, please!" the photographer called.
Malee stepped away from the set, robe draped around her shoulders. An assistant rushed forward with bottled water, but she waved them off, eyes already locked on Aria.
She crossed the studio floor with unhurried confidence, every step deliberate.
"You know," she said casually, stopping just close enough to test Aria's patience, "I didn't expect you to be this... important."
Aria didn't look up from her clipboard. "Focus on your job."
"Come on." Malee tilted her head, studying her. "We're going to be seeing a lot of each other. Might as well drop the ice queen act."
Aria's gaze flicked up, sharp. "You think this is an act?"
Malee smiled faintly. "I think you're harder to read than most people I've met. And I like puzzles."
"Then you'll be disappointed," Aria replied coolly. "Because I'm not one you'll ever solve."
Malee chuckled, low and warm. "Challenge accepted."
Later That Night : Malee's Apartment
Malee kicked her boots off and collapsed onto her couch, laughter spilling into the quiet room.
"She'll do?" she echoed Aria's dismissive tone, clutching her stomach with amusement.
But the smile wouldn't leave her face.
Because she finally knew her name.
Aria.
The mysterious girl from the bar wasn't just a fleeting memory anymore she was here, standing across from her in studio lights, impossible to ignore.
And if fate had handed her this opportunity?
Malee had no intention of letting it slip away.