Chapter 21

HAILEY

In a flurry of motion, Hailey dashed upstairs to gather her belongings. Once she had everything, she hurried back down to where Matt was waiting. She handed him her bags, which he accepted without a word.

“I’ll be outside,” he said, his voice steady.

She turned to face Valerian, his face a mask of unreadable emotions. She couldn’t decipher what he was thinking.

“I appreciate your hospitality, sir.”

He looked at her, his eyes searching hers. “Why didn’t you tell me you were leaving?”

“I intended to tell you at dinner,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Did you not enjoy your stay here?” His voice was tinged with a sadness she hadn’t expected.

“No, it’s not that. It’s me. I have things to sort out with Matt,” she said, hoping to ease his concern.

“Alright,” he said, turning away from her.

Outside, Matt was waiting. He opened the car door for her, and she climbed in. He didn’t say a word for the entire drive.

When they arrived at his place, he grabbed her luggage and she followed him inside. He made them tea, and they settled on the couch.

“Talk to me, Hailey,” he said, his voice filled with concern. “You had me scared.”

She turned to him and spilled everything—the charity dinner, the break-in, the issues at work.

He listened, his expression serious. “Wow,” was all he could say when she finished.

“I called you because you’re the only friend I trust. I want to fix things between us. I hate it when we’re like this.”

“I hate it too, Hails.” He gave her a small smile before his expression turned serious again. “Do you have any idea who broke into your place?”

“I thought it might be Valerian’s ex, Charlize, but I’m not sure. I don’t have any proof,” she admitted.

“We need to figure out who’s doing this, Hails—and soon. It’s not safe.”

“I know,” she agreed.

“Why don’t you tell Valerian about the issues at work? It must be hard.”

“I can’t, Matt. It’ll pass. I don’t want to give them the satisfaction,” she said, her eyelids growing heavy.

“You look exhausted. I set up the guest room for you.” He stifled a yawn.

“Thank you.” She stood and hugged him, feeling a sense of relief when he hugged her back.

They said goodnight, and she headed to bed. She fell asleep almost instantly.

The next morning at work, they were all called into a meeting. But it wasn’t Valerian who addressed them.

A tall, attractive woman with brownish-blond hair stood at the front of the room. She exuded professionalism.

“Good morning. For those who don’t know me, I’m Brie, head of the marketing team.

“I’m sure you’re all wondering why I called this meeting. We’re having a company photoshoot.

“We’ve hired a male and a female model to represent our company.

“The photoshoot is at the end of the week, so I expect everything to run smoothly. This is a big deal for us.

“I expect full cooperation. If you have any questions, ask me. I’ll be here this week to supervise your work.

“Don’t worry—I’m not here to babysit or ruin your fun. I’m here to help you improve. Thank you for your time. If there are no questions, you’re dismissed.”

Hailey returned to her desk and got back to work. After a while, she noticed Brie talking to Clara before leaving.

She wondered where Valerian was. She hadn’t seen him all day, and she couldn’t ask anyone without causing a scene.

She finished her work and headed to the restaurant for her second job. She kept glancing at the door, hoping to see Valerian, but he never showed.

She tried to be subtle, but Matt kept giving her strange looks. After work, they went back to Matt’s place for dinner and then to bed.

By Friday, she still hadn’t seen Valerian. His absence was unsettling.

Brie had followed through on her promise—she’d kept an eye on everyone. Hailey was relieved that the other girls had given her space, not causing any trouble or drama.

They headed to the location of the photoshoot to check it out. Hailey was thrilled, having never witnessed a live shoot before. The photographer was already there—he seemed pretty cool.

Then the male model showed up, and he was strikingly handsome with his tall, lean frame. His jawline was sharp, his hair a dusty blonde, and his eyes a dazzling blue.

Now they were just waiting for the female model. Suddenly, one of the assistants rushed over to Brie.

After hearing what the assistant had to say, Brie looked livid. She walked over to the photographer and whispered something to him.

After a half-hour of waiting, Brie returned and addressed everyone. “We’re going to have to call off the shoot. The model we booked can’t make it.”

“Hold on.” The photographer approached. “What about her?”

Hailey nearly passed out when she realized he was pointing at her.

“She could work.”

“Are you certain, Gaston?” Brie questioned him.

“I’m certain,” he confirmed.

Brie gestured for Hailey to come over. “Head to the dressing room and get ready. We’ll pay you the same rate as the model.”

Hailey nodded and headed off to change—she could really use the extra cash.

In the dressing room, the makeup artists worked their magic, and she got dressed. She emerged feeling jittery, having never participated in a photoshoot before.

When she stepped onto the set, Brie gave a nod of approval and said, “Not bad.”

“Alright, so, Hailey, right?” Gaston asked.

She nodded.

“You’ll be modeling with Blake. I need you two to stand over there, and I’ll guide you through it, so there’s no need to be nervous.”

She nodded again and moved to stand next to Blake.

“Let’s start with a few test shots,” Gaston suggested.

Blake drew her into his arms. “Relax, Hailey. I’ve got you.” He flashed her a grin. She simply nodded.

Gaston snapped a few more photos, then Blake spun her around so her back was against him. His arm snaked around her waist, pulling her in—too close.

“Cut!” She turned toward the voice and realized it wasn’t Gaston.