Chapter 17

Zoya's POV

I stepped onto the set, my head throbbing from the remnants of a memorable night with Cadence. We had decided to share two bottles of wine when we reached my apartment.

When I awoke, Cadence was nowhere to be found. She left a note explaining that she had to rush off to work. I hope that we were both on the same page, that what happened was for fun as I wasn't ready for another commitment.

As I entered the set, my attention was immediately drawn to Olivia, who sat in her chair, deeply engrossed in the script.

Approaching her, I leaned over her chair, trying to catch a glimpse of what had captivated her attention. "What has you so focused?" I asked.

Startled, Olivia placed her hand over her chest. "Work," she responded, briefly glancing at me before her gaze returned to the script. It was the first time I saw her distant and less welcoming.

"Oh," I feigned a smile, concealing my disappointment. "Alright, I won't keep you then." I turned to leave, hoping to hide my true feelings.

"How was your day yesterday?" Olivia's unexpected question made me stop in my tracks. I turned back towards her, puzzled.

"Your exam?" she clarified, raising her eyebrows. "What else would I be talking about?" Her words made me feel as though I had been caught in a lie, even though there was no lie to be caught.

"My exam went well," I replied, my throat feeling a little dry.

"And the rest of your night? it seems like it was a nice one," she added, her usual radiant smile missing.

"It was good. I had a few drinks, so I woke up with a headache," I responded, feeling an uncomfortable sweat forming on my palms. I couldn't help but feel as if I were under investigation, even though there was no reason to.

Olivia fell silent for a moment, her expression revealing numerous thoughts running through her mind. Eventually, she nodded and returned to her script, leaving me bewildered. I quickly walked away, trying to comprehend what had just happened.

Seeking solace in the cafeteria, I made myself a cup of coffee, sensing that it would be a long and challenging day. As I sat there, sipping my coffee, my thoughts continuously returned to Olivia. Something was off. Had something happened between her and her husband? Maybe that explained her sour mood. Normally, she would join me for our morning coffee and engage in lively conversation. However, this morning she didn't even acknowledge me.

I frantically searched for any reason that might have caused this sudden change. Did I do something wrong? We were on good terms until I left yesterday. Perhaps Ezra mentioned something to her. He seemed to notice my discomfort; maybe he filled her in on the details.

Why did I have to be so foolish? I knew I would eventually mess things up, but I never expected it to happen this soon.

Ezra walked into the cafeteria, casting me a peculiar look. I couldn't decipher if it was sympathy or anger.

"Zoya," he called out to me, his voice stern, causing me to jump in my seat.

"Yes?" I stammered, fearing that he might fire me.

"Go to the makeup crew on set," he instructed, rubbing his forehead wearily. "Let them fix this," he said, gesturing towards me. Suddenly self-conscious about my appearance, I realized how terrible I must have looked. "And when you're done, come find me. We need to talk," he added before walking away.

"Just what I needed," I muttered, taking a deep breath as I settled back into my chair. If I was going to be fired, I might as well enjoy my coffee while I still can.

I hastily left the cafeteria and went to find the makeup crew. While passing by, I caught a glimpse of Olivia conversing with Ava, but I decided not to make a further fool of myself and averted my gaze.

Upon reaching the makeup crew, they requested me to take a seat after inspecting my appearance with concern. They began working on my makeup, and within a mere three minutes, they applied it flawlessly. However, their attention shifted to my neck, spending an unexpected additional ten minutes working on it. I grew increasingly puzzled as to why they were focusing so much on my neck rather than my face.

Impatiently, I questioned, "What's taking so long?" letting out a frustrated sigh.

"Hiding hickeys is no small task. Who told you to get so many on your neck? We have every right to be a bit grumpy considering the amount of work you've given us," they replied with a tone that matched my own frustration.

Confused, I retorted, "Hickeys? What do you mean?" I sprang out of my chair, pushing them aside, and swiftly located a nearby mirror. To my utter shock, they were right—my neck was adorned with several dark spots that I had failed to notice due to leaving in a rush this morning. I had no memory of how or when it happened, I assumed we had simply fallen asleep after enjoying the wine.

"Fuck!" I exclaimed, sinking back into my seat. It suddenly dawned on me why Ezra was displeased with me, but it still didn't clarify why Olivia seemed upset. The whole situation was just embarrassingly perplexing.

Olivia's POV

I watched as she exited the cafeteria, her gaze briefly meeting mine before quickly looking away. I couldn't comprehend why I was acting so strangely, as if my actions weren't aligned with my rational thinking.

"Zoya is definitely going to face serious consequences with Ezra. If anyone took a picture of that dance, it would be a PR nightmare," Ava remarked, reminding me of the scene that unfolded before our eyes the previous day.

"Mhm," I mumbled in response, unable to find the right words. I felt a heavy weight resting on my heart, causing an indescribable discomfort.

"I thought you said you didn't call her to join us yesterday because she had exams?" Ava continued with her stream of questions, seemingly unaware of my lack of enthusiasm for conversation.

"Maybe she finished her exams early," I replied, attempting to take a deep breath but finding my chest constricting.

"What did you say to her when you went after her yesterday?" Ava asked, and my throat suddenly went dry.

"I didn't get a chance to talk to her. The door was locked," I admitted, biting the inside of my cheek nervously.

"The bathroom door was locked? Oh my god... did she do it in the club's bathroom? That's quite bold. I never expected that from Zoya," Ava chuckled.

"Ava, for fuck's sake! She can do whatever the hell she wants," I snapped, struggling to keep my voice low but losing control in the moment.

I couldn't wait for Ava to respond. I walked away, heading towards the bathroom, desperately needing a moment to myself and unable to provide any explanation for my erratic behavior.

Entering the bathroom, I leaned over the sink, allowing the cold water to flow over my wrists in an attempt to calm down.

The bathroom door swung open and I looked up to the mirror above me, catching sight of Zoya standing behind me. Her eyes were slightly red, as if she is on the verge of tears. I averted my gaze back to the water flowing over my wrists.

"I just spoke to Ezra. I wanted to find you and apologize," she said, her voice cracking, affirming that she was about to cry.

"Why are you apologizing to me?" My voice came out colder than intended, surprising even myself.

"I know I need to be more cautious now that we're working on this project. I shouldn't be doing things like that in public clubs, as it could impact the show and... you," she stammered nervously, fidgeting with her fingers.

"It's fine, Zoya. I don't really feel like discussing it," I replied, turning to face her and leaning against the sink.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to corner you here. I just wanted..." A few tears escaped her eyes, and she hastily wiped them away, averting her gaze to the ceiling, biting her lower lip as if begging her own eyes not to betray her emotions.

"Is this something you do often?" I asked, catching her off guard. She looked puzzled for a moment. "Corner girls in the bathroom?" I clarified, taking a few steps towards her, intending to wipe away her tears and lighten the mood with a joke. However, she took a few steps back matching every step I took towards her until her back pressed against the bathroom door.

I placed my hand gently near her head, then lifted her chin with my other hand, compelling her to meet my gaze. Her breath hitched once more, and I could sense that she had held it back completely. I wonder if her breathing hitched the same way for the girl she was all over yesterday?

"Whose moans were they?" I asked, my teeth clenched. My own question bringing discomfort to my heart, I needed to know, even though I was certain they didn't belong to Zoya. These were not the sounds she would make.

She looked at me with her captivating green eyes, her lips parting slightly before closing again.

"It wasn't you, was it?" I asked once more, losing myself in the flicker of gold within her green eyes.

She shook her head slowly, her eyes still locked with mine. My hand moved from her chin to her neck, gently tracing over the area where the hickeys had been concealed by makeup. The smoothness of her skin sent a tingling sensation through me, she let out a soft gasp that forced me to remove my hand.

In objection to the loss of my touch, I felt her hips gently inch closer to mine, as if longing for contact. My ears turned red as we brushed against each other, I took a step back and walked over to the sink, pretending to rummage through my bag for something. I couldn't fathom the pull she had on me—my body had acted on its own accord.

I heard her take a deep breath, as though her own body had reminded her that she hadn't been breathing all this time. Finding a small handkerchief in my purse, I approached her again, deliberately closing the distance. I must admit, I took advantage of the moment, unable to comprehend the inexplicable desires of my own body.

Gently, I dabbed beneath her eyes, accumulating the teardrops that had gathered there. The act allowed me to remain close to her—our bodies were inches apart, though not in physical contact. Nonetheless, an undeniable force seemed to draw us together, one that I fought relentlessly to ignore.

"You'll only upset Ezra further if you ruin your makeup again," I explained, feeling compelled to rationalize my actions. I knew I could have simply handed it to her and allowed her to fix her own makeup.

She leaned into my touch, resting her head against my palm. Her tender lips brushed over my thumb, sending a jolt of electricity through my body. Her eyes locked onto mine, filled with unmistakable desire. The intensity of her gaze weakened my knees, as if she was silently battling the urge to claim me right then and there.

Clearing my throat, I attempted to snap her out of her daze. However, when my efforts proved fruitless, I resolved to physically distance myself. I commanded my legs to step back, but my body refused to obey. Panic surged through me as I internally pleaded with myself to "move, move, move." It felt as though the direct line of communication between my brain and body had inexplicably faltered.

I heard footsteps approaching the bathroom door, sending a surge of fear through my body. The magnetic pull she had on me was powerful, but the risk of getting caught in such an intimate position compelled me to distance myself. With a swift movement, I jumped away, turning my back to her once again. I feigned handwashing as the door swung open, revealing Ava.

"Ezra is looking for you," she informed me, her gaze shifting between Zoya and myself.

Suppressing my emotions and maintaining a carefully constructed facade was second nature to me. It was my job to act, regardless of how I truly felt inside. However, Zoya seemed to possess an uncanny ability to see through my defenses, transcending the masks I wore with everyone else, but she never managed to realise the effect she had on me, it was ironic.

"Are you okay?" Ava inquired, noticing Zoya's still figure in the corner. Zoya's face flushed an unnatural shade of red, her eyes holding a pained expression directed at me. Without a doubt, she was hurt by my skillful act of pretending as though nothing had happened. Yet, what other choice did I have?

"She's fine, Ezra gave her a scolding," I answered on Zoya's behalf, seizing my purse and turning to face her. "Shall we?" I offered my hand to her. Zoya hesitated, glancing between my outstretched hand and my face, before finally walking away. Frustration crept into my clenched fist as I followed her, thankfully unnoticed by Ava.