(Adrian POV)
Adrian had dealt with difficult co-stars before.
Ego. Drama. Unprofessional behavior.
It wasn't new.
What was new—
was Ruby Alexandra Knox pretending she wasn't affecting him at all.
Which was insulting.
Not because she should.
But because she was.
---
"Cut."
The director clapped once.
"Good. Reset the blocking."
People moved around the set again. Lights adjusted. Pages flipped.
Normal chaos.
Adrian stayed where he was.
And so did she.
Across from him.
Acting like she wasn't aware of him.
Which was, again—
a lie.
---
He watched her from the corner of his eye.
Not obvious.
Controlled.
She was talking to Maya near the side of the set, laughing softly at something.
Adrian frowned slightly.
He didn't know why that bothered him.
He didn't like not knowing things.
Especially reactions.
Especially hers.
---
"Adrian."
The assistant director handed him his script again.
"You're on in two."
He nodded once.
Didn't take his eyes off her for a second longer than necessary.
Then finally—
he moved.
---
Scene reset.
Scene 7 again.
Argument scene.
Of course.
Because Rowan Chase clearly enjoyed chaos.
---
"Action."
The room shifted again.
Adrian spoke first.
Controlled.
Clean.
Like always.
But Ruby—
Ruby wasn't looking at him immediately.
That was new.
She should've been.
She usually was.
Not because she had to.
But because she always reacted.
Even if she didn't want to.
---
"Your character doesn't trust mine," she said, reading her line.
Adrian answered automatically.
"I don't trust anyone."
She hesitated.
Just slightly.
Then—
looked up.
Finally.
---
And something shifted.
Not in the script.
Not in the scene.
In the space between them.
Because she wasn't just acting now.
She was looking.
Really looking.
And Adrian hated how much that changed things.
---
"Don't look at me like that," he said before he could stop himself.
Silence.
The room didn't react.
It was still in character.
But Ruby paused.
Just a fraction too long.
"…Like what?" she asked.
Adrian didn't move.
Didn't break eye contact.
"Like you're trying to figure me out."
A beat.
Then she scoffed softly.
"I'm not."
"You are."
"I said I'm not."
Adrian stepped closer.
Not scripted.
Not planned.
Just—
closer.
"Then stop looking."
---
That did it.
Ruby's expression changed.
Barely.
But enough.
"Maybe you should stop saying things worth looking at," she shot back.
That wasn't in the script.
He knew that immediately.
The director didn't stop them.
Which meant—
keep going.
---
Adrian didn't smile.
He rarely did.
But something in him shifted.
"Worth looking at?" he repeated.
Ruby's jaw tightened slightly.
"Don't twist it."
"I didn't."
A pause.
The air between them felt heavier now.
Not uncomfortable.
Just aware.
Too aware.
---
She stepped forward again.
Matching him this time.
"Stick to the line," she said quietly.
Adrian tilted his head slightly.
"I am."
But neither of them believed it anymore.
---
And then—
for a split second—
they were too close.
Not in blocking terms.
Not in direction.
Just distance.
Wrong distance.
Her breath caught slightly.
She noticed it too late.
Or maybe not late enough.
---
"Cut!" the director called.
The spell broke instantly.
People moved again. Noise returned. Reality snapped back.
Ruby stepped away first.
Of course she did.
Adrian didn't stop her.
But he didn't move either.
Not immediately.
Because for some reason—
that moment stayed longer than it should have.
---
"You two are insane," someone muttered off set.
Adrian finally exhaled.
Slow.
Controlled.
"Yeah," he said quietly to himself.
"…something like that."
And when he glanced up again—
Ruby was already gone from where she stood.
But the feeling she left behind?
That stayed.