Chapter 18
He was tall, magnetic, impossible to miss.
Even surrounded by people, he stood out like a flame in the dark.
So he was the celebrity.
So he never left Milan.
Rachel’s stomach didn’t twist. Her heart didn’t jump. No panic. No longing.
Just… stillness.
But the moment Aaron’s eyes landed on her, something shifted.
They locked gazes from across the studio, unmoving. Neither of them took a step. Neither of them spoke.
Just silence.
Tense. Thick.
And then Shane broke it, jogging up with a bright grin. “You must be Rachel! Wow, that
was fast. Sam said you were a lifesaver he wasn’t kidding.”
“I came as soon as I could,” she replied, eyes flicking away from Aaron and settling on
Shane.
“Man, I’ve heard about you,” Shane said as they walked toward the set. “Edmund told
me you were insanely talented, but I didn’t expect this. You’re young, professional- and gorgeous. Total triple threat.”
Rachel gave a polite smile, but didn’t comment.
As they approached the backdrop, Shane turned to Aaron.
“Alpha Aaron, this is Rachel–the photographer I was telling you about. She’s kind of a rising star in the scene. With her on board, today’s shoot should go off without a hitch.”
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Aaron barely gave a nod.
“Rachel, let me also introduce-”
But Rachel smoothly cut in. “Before we begin, can we clarify the concept for today’s shoot? It’ll be more efficient if we align expectations before diving in.”
Shane blinked, surprised by her directness.
“Totally up to Alpha Aaron,” Shane said quickly, clearly trying to please. “Whatever he
wants, we’ll work around it. He’s the big name we pulled strings to get–whatever vibe
he likes, we’re happy to follow.”
Having Aaron agree to the shoot was a huge win for the show. The last thing they
wanted was to spook him off.
Rachel never once mentioned that she and Aaron had history. So when Shane turned to
her with a smile and said, “Why don’t you two go over the concept together?” she
simply nodded and replied flatly, “Of course, Alpha. Go ahead.”
Her tone was polite, but distant.
A
Aaron ignored the prompt entirely. “This space feels a little chaotic,” he said. “And it’s
almost noon… how about the three of us grab lunch somewhere and talk through the
details?”
He addressed both Rachel and Shane, but his gaze never left her. It clung to her like she might disappear if he blinked.
“Looks like the interview’s not starting anytime soon,” Rachel said lightly, glancing
around the still–busy set.
“I’ve got plans at noon,” she added coolly. “Won’t be able to stay long. Why don’t you two talk it through and just send me the brief once it’s finalized?”
Right on cue, her phone rang.
She didn’t bother to step away–just answered it with a flick of her thumb.
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“Hey,” Justin’s warm voice came through. “You done yet? I’m heading back, thought
I’d swing by and pick you up. We can head to Edmund’s together.”
Wherever she went, he always seemed to be “just passing by.”
Rachel smiled, eyes softening. “Yeah, I just wrapped up. Heading out now.”
“Perfect timing,” Justin said. “Look out the window.”
She blinked, turned, and spotted his car parked right outside.
“You’re already here?” she asked, though she wasn’t surprised.
Justin let out a soft laugh. He didn’t say it, but they both knew–he’d gotten there early
on purpose.
Rachel didn’t call him out on it. She ended the call, then turned to Shane. “Well, you heard him. I really do have somewhere to be.”
That left Aaron standing awkwardly next to Shane, completely ignored.
They both watched as Rachel jogged out of the studio, her steps light and unbothered.
She climbed into Justin’s car with ease.
Shane glanced toward the road, watching them drive away, and couldn’t help but comment, “Those two were my friend’s students. From what I hear, they’re dating. Super stable relationship–everyone thinks they’ll seal the bond soon. Total power couple.”
Each word stabbed Aaron like a knife.
His expression darkened, turning visibly stormy. Before Shane could gush any more about Rachel and Justin’s fairytale future, Aaron cut him off. “I’ve got something urgent. Let’s reschedule lunch.”
“Oh, sure,” Shane said quickly. “Just don’t forget to send over the shot list once you finalize it. I’ll pass it along to Rachel.”
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He still believed this was the first time Aaron and Rachel had met.
Aaron didn’t respond. Maybe he hadn’t heard–or maybe he just didn’t care. Either way, he walked off without another word, his steps brisk and tense.
Shane stood frozen for a moment, watching him go, eyebrows knitting together. A few minutes ago, they’d been chatting just fine. Now it was like Aaron had flipped into a whole different person.
He couldn’t help but wonder–did something happen? No one here had offended him… right?
Meanwhile, inside the car, Justin was eyeing Rachel from the driver’s seat.
“You okay?” he asked. “You look kind of off.”
Rachel didn’t answer directly. She exhaled and leaned back. “It’s probably just the weather. It’s been getting cold lately.”
Justin nodded. “Then how about something warm for lunch? Edmund said he’s been
craving barbecue–why don’t we grab some stuff and grill in his backyard? A little fire, good food… might help warm you up.”
Rachel smiled softly. “That actually sounds perfect.”
Chapter 18
