Date The CEO.com

Chapter 266: Words Sharper than a Knife

Eve finished the first part of her shoot without a hitch.

The crew acted professionally once she stepped into the set, At the end of the day, they had a client to please. There wasn't word that she had been removed due to recent developments. Her new makeup artist and stylist kept their mouths shut when they prepped her. 

The tension had been suffocating.

Walking back to the dressing room, the sun had finally risen. More people came to the location. Eve kept to the sidelines and avoided most of them. Unfortunately, she had to share the dressing room with another model. Her mind already guessed who'd occupy the empty seat.

"Hey," Mikael greeted behind her.

"He—Woah. Well, don't you look sharp." Eve giggled. She turned around to completely face him and assessed his outfit further. "Did you raid Ambryan's closet by any chance?" 

The colors he wore were monotone. It had the typical white dress shirt, black tie plus matching gray jacket and trousers. It had no special embellishment. It also could easily blend into any room. But Mikael pulled it off like it was the ideal suit to wear.

"Very funny." He snorted, his breath hitting his one-sided curtain bangs. "How are you feeling?"

Eve clasped her hands together and averted her eyes. She found a random spot on the floor, speaking in nonchalance. "How am I feeling after being accused as a slut? Not too bad, I guess."

Mikael stepped closer and placed a hand on her shoulder. He had been in this business longer but this sort of continuous attacks was downright ridiculous. "If you ever need anything, just reach out to me and Jordan. You still have allies here other than Cale."

Her hazel eyes stared up at his radiant blue ones. Suddenly, a million spotlights pierced her skin. She stiffened under them, barely moving her lips. "Then, can you not touch me?"josei

Jerking his hand back, Mikael's eyes widened in alarm. He examined the room. Anyone who had looked in their direction turned their heads away. He gritted his teeth. His glare remained towards them, daring them to try and stare. They'd regret it almost instantly.

Eve flinched at his actions. "I'm sorry. That came out rude."

Mikael huffed. Hopefully, there would be less of this for the rest of the day. "We had a scandal together before. It's understandable that it could make things worse. Just contact me when you need me, okay?"

"Yeah. Thank you."

Eve retreated inside the dressing room. The makeup artist and stylist were already inside, waiting quietly. She sat on her designated chair and sighed. Her eyes closed briefly. Her roommate should be arriving soon.

She didn't look forward to it.

"Hi, everyone…"

Hazel eyes flashed open.

Jane stood by the doorway with a yellow box in her hand. She cautiously entered the room, her gaze fidgeting in different directions. She tucked her hair behind her ear. "I know it's fairly early so I brought some snacks for everyone. Figured we all could use an extra boost!"

She approached her vanity mirror and opened the box. Its freshly baked smell instantly enveloped the room—even those who had eaten suddenly gained an appetite. "These are cheese breads from a famous bakery. It's one of my favorites. I hope you like them too."

"Why not take the first one, Evangeline?" Jane offered, handing over the box. A shy smile stretched on her lips. "Since we'll be rooming together, I thought you'd need a pick-me-up after the recent scandals. A bite just might brighten up your day!"

Eve flickered her eyes towards their corners. She recognized the bread. They were from the same bakery Andie worked at. The cheese bread was one of their popular products. Her stomach grumbled, abruptly craving for a taste.

"I'm sorry, dear." Cale cut off her thoughts. He stepped in between the two models. "I have Evangeline on a strict diet. She already hit her calorie count for this morning. Thank you for the gesture but we have to decline."

Amber eyes darkened like cinnamon sticks.

It happened for a millisecond that the modelling manager almost thought he imagined it.

Jane faked a gasp. 

"Oh, my. How careless of me!" She immediately bowed her head. "Please accept my apologies instead, Evangeline. I should have known better. I hope you don't misunderstand."

Eve showed her best smile. "None taken, Ms. Jane. I appreciate the gesture. Do eat my share on my behalf. Think of it as there's more for you to eat. A lovely bonus."

Jane's expression tightened. She fixed it just before she needed to look back up. A soft chuckle escaped her lips. "Aha, yes. That's true. Anyone else want to share? Please help me. I can't possibly eat them all while they're still hot. They taste the best that way."

The door opened once more. Eve's previous makeup artist and stylist entered the room. They had been assigned to Jane and avoided Eve's side of the room—mostly because of Cale. The smell of cheese bread caught their attention. 

"Don't be shy, girls!" Jane told them and the others. "It's for everyone."

"Take your time and eat," Eve instructed her team. "You deserve a proper break."

The two exchanged a look before reaching into the box for the bread. Meanwhile, Eve received a message. The smile on her face grew bigger. She chose to call back instead of replying.

"This is turning out to be a good day," Ambryan said. "Are you any younger yet?"

Eve leaned back and let herself relax. "Not yet. Did you like the breakfast spread I made for you today? Since you finished the tomato soup, I figured you deserved a wonderful breakfast."

Jane paused mid-bite and Cale saw it. The people behind her chatted among themselves and missed it. Touching her shoulder, he leaned down and said. "Are you okay, dear? Do you need a glass of water?"

She broke out of her reverie and chewed. Her head whirled towards the opposite direction from him, breathing out a laugh. "I'm fine. Just remembered something that I needed to do later. Would have been dreadful if I forgot."

"Do you want me to note it down for you?" Cale pressed. "Just tell me and I won't forget it."

Eve applauded her manager's acting in her head. She couldn't be prouder to have him. 

Ambryan leaned on a post. The view of a forest met his violet eyes. Soft voices came from behind him where the entrance of the house was situated. "At least, you used the oats I bought."

"I know you wouldn't have it any other way."

He clicked his tongue, his corner lip curling up. "Is there another reason for this call?"

Eve bit her inner cheek. She debated how far she should take this. Her attention shifted towards her companions. It seemed like Jane distracted herself by talking to the stylists. Her laughter echoed a little too loudly for both Eve and Cale.

It was a tiny victory but Eve relished in it.

"We're just taking a quick break," she decided to say. "I just took the chance to see if you'd actually pick up. I knew you were probably driving."

At this time, Ambryan heard his name being called. He glanced over his shoulder and gestured for the other businessmen to wait. "Well, I have to go. The meeting is starting soon."

"Break a leg. See you at lunch, I hope."

"Take care."

When the call ended, Cale nudged the side of her chair. "Cooked him breakfast, huh?"

His voice was loud enough to attract interest.

Eve grinned, trying to hide her blush. "It's not much. He just wanted oatmeal. I used the fruits he picked from the grocery store and prepped them or him. The main star was the black tea, of course. I had reserved some in a canister so he could drink it on the way."

"Aw, that's sweet," her modelling manager cooed. He walked around her chair and helped in removing the wig. "You're making me jealous. Maybe I should take the next step with my beau. Then, we can also spend the entire weekend together in a hotel. Someplace that is warm."

"Oh, like the beach?"

Cale winked at her through the mirror. "I'd rather reserve that for the honeymoon."

Eve gaped. "Oh, I see. How bold."

"Well, wouldn't you do the same?" He mocked back. Leaning down, he hissed near her ear—still using enough volume for a certain someone to hear. "You'd practically be naked all the time. It's the best destination."

"Stop teasing." Eve hit his arm playfully. It only caused him to cackle. And because of it, the others had gone completely quiet. She pressed her lips together and pretended not to notice. "I don't need the beach as an excuse when I've already seen enough."

A bottle fell on the floor and broke into a million pieces.

Its contents spread across the floor.

"Ah, I'm sorry!" Jane apologized. She kneeled on the floor and began picking up the shards. "I pushed the box too far. I didn't know it would hit the makeup products like dominos and cause one to fall—"

"Ms. Jane, stop!" Eve yelled. She lunged off her seat and grabbed the former's wrist. "Don't touch anything. We still have a video commercial to shoot. It's not worth it to be injured for something as small as this."

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Jane screamed back, jerking her hand back. 

A drop of blood dripped from her finger.

Everyone froze in their places. Jane lost her voice in the same second. Her throat constricted upon realizing her mistake. Eve stood up and backed away, raising her hands in surrender. Cale positioned himself in between them again—ready to intervene if things escalated.

"Okay, I won't touch you," Eve spoke softly. "But please step away from the glass. The crew will clean it up. Your wound also has to be disinfected right away."

At first, it seemed like Jane hadn't heard her.

But the latter eventually rose to her feet slowly. She wrapped a tissue around her finger and shifted her attention towards the crew members.