𝚃𝙷𝙴 𝚂𝙺𝙸𝙽 𝚂𝙷𝙾𝚆

EPISODE 15- ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

The new job felt like a fresh start, a chance to prove myself beyond the past. With Marcus’s connections, I landed the position as assistant director under Vanessa Cameron, my idol. She was everything I imagined—brilliant, driven, but also terrifyingly rude. Vanessa’s reputation as strict was an understatement. She rarely smiled, barked orders, and showed no mercy for mistakes. I worked hard, kept my head down, determined to make my mark on her series, "Love and Lies."

On set, I crossed paths with Mimi Gomez, the lead antagonist. She never liked me, I clearly remember our maiden meeting and how she threatened me. At first, she was as cold as Vanessa, her words laced with sarcasm and superiority. But after a few weeks, she softened, warming up to me in unexpected ways. One evening after a long shoot, we shared a cigarette outside the studio, her demeanor surprisingly casual.

"You know, I like you," she said, blowing smoke into the chilly air.

I raised a brow, unsure of her angle. "You didn’t seem to at first."

She laughed softly. "I’m not easy to impress. But you- you’re different."

I smiled faintly, unsure what to say.

"And Marcus," she added, her eyes gleaming with something darker. "He’s mine, you know. I’ll have him, no matter what."

Her words hit me like a punch. "Marcus?"

"Yeah, he helped me too, you know? Got me out of the adult industry. He’s done a lot for me." She tilted her head, watching my reaction. "I guess he has a soft spot for broken women."

Jealousy twisted in my gut. Marcus had never mentioned Mimi. Was I just one of many women he helped?

A few days later, the tension I felt toward Marcus grew unbearable. I needed to talk to him, confront him. But during one of the shoots, as I walked past Vanessa’s trailer, I heard-  sounds. Something primal, raw. My heart pounded as I pushed the door open a crack. There, inside, Vanessa was straddling Marcus, her back arching as they moved together.

My stomach dropped. Betrayal crushed my chest. Without a word, I backed away, tears stinging my eyes. I couldn’t believe it. Marcus, with her. Of all people.

I stormed out, trying to suppress the mixture of anger and heartbreak that churned inside me. I needed a release, an escape from the humiliation. My feet carried me to Paxton’s workplace—the library. He’d been distant lately, probably because of Marcus, but I didn’t care. I needed him now.

The moment I found him shelving books in the corner of the library, I grabbed his arm, pulling him into a secluded aisle.

"Nina?" he whispered, confused.

"Shut up," I muttered, my lips crashing into his. I could feel the frustration, the anger coursing through me. Paxton responded immediately, his hands rough and needy as they slid over my body.

"We can’t—" he tried to protest, but I silenced him with another kiss, my hands already undoing his belt.

The thrill of it—knowing we could get caught at any moment—only fueled the fire inside me. I pressed him against the bookshelf, my breath heavy, my heart racing as we moved together in the shadows. His hands gripped my hips, pulling me closer, and I moaned softly, the fear of being discovered making everything more intense.

When it was over, I didn’t stay. I left without a word, leaving Paxton to fix himself in the dusty corner.

Days passed, but something felt off. People stared at me in public, their eyes lingering in ways that made my skin crawl. I started getting calls from unknown numbers, disgusting texts that made me sick to my stomach.

And then Drew called. He asked me to meet him at Marcus’s villa—the same place that was used as our set.

When I arrived, my heart sank. Marcus and Paxton were already there, their faces unreadable. Drew stood in the center, her lips curled in a malicious frown.

"What’s going on?" I asked, my voice shaking.

Paxton moved toward me, wrapping me in a hug. "It’s okay," he whispered.

I froze as Marcus’s eyes darkened with fury, his jaw clenched. "Get off her," he ordered.

Paxton reluctantly pulled away, his hands still lingering on my arms.

"What is this?" I demanded, looking between them.Drew stepped forward, holding up her phone. "Nina," she purred, "have you seen the latest release?"

I frowned. "What are you talking about?"

She smirked, flipping the screen toward me. My blood ran cold as I stared at the video playing. Paxton and I- in the library. Every intimate moment, captured and posted online for the world to see.

The title blared across the screen: Skinshow.

My heart plummeted as I realized what had happened. My private life, my most vulnerable moments, exposed to the world.

Paxton’s face was pale, his hands trembling. "I didn’t know- I swear-"

Marcus stepped forward, his presence overwhelming, his eyes locked on mine. "We’ll fix this," he said, his voice calm but laced with barely-contained rage.

But I couldn’t breathe. The humiliation, the betrayal—it was too much.
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