Chapter 54: Respect Isn’t for Sale
I lifted the eyeshadow palette, playfully covering one of my eyes, while the other squinted slightly as I gave the camera my brightest smile.
The cameras clicked over and over in rapid bursts, flashes exploding in front of me until my vision blurred. I forced myself to keep my eyes open, even though the light made them sting.
I was used to flashes and strong lights, but Helcia’s eyes weren’t. Every burst felt sharp, almost painful. Thankfully, her eyes didn’t water easily, otherwise, my makeup would’ve been ruined in seconds.
"Beautiful," Zayne said from behind the camera, his voice firm but filled with excitement. The shutter kept clicking, his eyes glued to me through the lens. "Hold that smile ... perfect. Now tilt your chin a little higher—yes, just like that."
I shifted slightly, lifting the palette closer to my cheek as instructed. The fabric of my dress swayed softly when I moved, and the citrine pendant caught the light, adding a subtle spark.
"Good, very good," Zayne encouraged me.
The staff then handed me new props, something I had once brought with me during an audition: a pair of sunglasses and a lollipop.
They placed the sunglasses on top of my head, then asked me to hold the lollipop near my lips, but not too close.
"Oh, dear, you look absolutely perfect!" Zayne sounded more and more excited every time I changed my pose.
From the corner of my ear, I caught the stylist whispering to the staff, almost laughing, that she barely had to do anything because I already knew exactly what I was doing.
Well, of course I did. I had gone through plenty of photoshoot classes in the past, practicing every single day so I would never have a bad angle in front of a camera.
The first session stretched on for three hours as they handed me one prop after another. It was because they wanted Vivienne to have options, something to compare before deciding which look would sell best for the ad.
"That’s it!" Margareth finally called out, clapping her hands together. "We’ll take a one-hour break before moving on to the second theme!"
I let out a long breath of relief, feeling grateful for the chance to finally rest my eyes after being blinded by harsh lights for three hours straight.
I blinked a few times, trying to ease the dryness in my eyes, and the moment I stepped away from the backdrop, Zayne came straight over to me.
"Helcia, that was absolutely incredible."
He stared at me without blinking. Those brown eyes of his seemed to hold endless admiration, as if he wanted to keep me in front of his camera forever.
"You’re the first person who’s ever made me not want to put my camera down," Zayne said with a spark in his voice. "I didn’t get a single bad shot! You’ll see them later and understand exactly what I mean."
I let out a soft chuckle, smiling politely. "You’re flattering me too much," I replied gently. "I still have a lot to learn."
Zayne went on, talking about how glad he was to have accepted this job and found such a rare gem like me.
Even so, Penny’s quest for me was still incomplete, which only meant one thing: he wasn’t obsessed enough yet.
Still ... why did he talk so much? My eyes were burning now, and all I really wanted was to reach for my eye drops.
[You talk a lot too, Host.]
I shot back in my head, "I only talk that much with people I feel close to! And with people I actually like!"
[Maybe he feels the same way ... maybe he likes you too. At least in a professional sense.]
Of course, it had to be professional. That was the only explanation I was willing to accept.
Suddenly, he reached out and took my hands, making me jump a little in surprise. "I just know your next shoot will be just as amazing as this one, maybe even better! I honestly can’t wa—"
"Helcia." Marissa’s voice cut him off. I quickly slipped my hands out of his grasp as she stepped closer. "Come on, you need a break."
I turned back to Zayne with a polite smile. "I’ll take a little rest first, Zayne. We can continue later."
He nodded, though there was a hint of reluctance in his eyes, as if he didn’t want to let the moment end.
Without waiting for him to say anything more, I followed Marissa and headed toward the model’s lounge.
"Is he bothering you?" Marissa whispered as we walked farther away from him.
I shook my head gently. "Not really. He was just a little too excited after that last shot."
Marissa leaned closer, her tone soft and protective. "Some men in this industry can get a bit ... touchy. If you ever feel uncomfortable, or if anyone crosses your boundaries, just tell me. I’ll step in and handle it for you."
I stopped, my eyes widening as I looked at her without blinking. My heart swelled with disbelief and warmth because it was the first time I’d ever had a manager who genuinely cared about my well-being.
My last manager hadn’t even bothered to listen when I told him that some men kept bothering me on set. All he ever said was that I should endure it so I wouldn’t cause trouble.
Honestly, I wanted nothing more than to kick them straight in the crotch, but since most of them were A-list actors I tried to endure it and not bite back at that moment.
Besides, my agency had already warned me not to cause more trouble after I’d confronted a few actors who bothered me.
I mean, of course I wanted to fight back. Why should I bow my head when they were the ones who did me wrong? Just because they had more money and power didn’t mean they could buy my respect.
Unfortunately, sometimes I had to clamp my mouth shut with a muzzle because—let’s be real—I also needed the money, and if I kept making a scene all the time, I would fall so hard.
Well ... in the end, I really did fall that hard.