35 ᴍᴍ ꜰɪʟᴍ ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ ᴄᴏꜰꜰᴇᴇ I 🎀 𝒢𝓇𝒶𝒸𝒾𝑒 𝒜𝒷𝓇𝒶𝓂𝓈 [𝑔𝓍𝑔] 🎀

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟑: 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐛𝐮𝐦 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 23

The sound of suitcases rolling on the pavement echoed in the early morning air as Charlie stood near the curb at LAX, saying goodbye to her family and friends. Ellie clung to her leg, her eyes wide with a mixture of sadness and excitement—the way children get when leaving but don't fully understand what it means.

"You're coming to visit me for my birthday, right?" Charlie asked, brushing a lock of hair from Ellie's face.

Ellie nodded vigorously. "We promised! April is soon, you know."

Charlie smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "It is."

Her stepfather, Mark, approached with a reserved smile, his eyes scanning Charlie as if trying to read her thoughts. He pulled her into a firm hug, the kind that conveyed more than words ever could. When they pulled apart, he held onto her shoulders and gave her a meaningful look.

"I'm proud of you, Charlie. You've come a long way," he said softly, his words laden with an unspoken message. "We'll see you soon."

Charlie swallowed hard, sensing the underlying concern in his voice. She knew exactly what he meant—stay clean. But she forced a smile, nodding as if everything was fine. "I'll be fine, Mark. I promise."

He gave her a long look before nodding, releasing her from his gaze. "We'll see."

Charlie didn't respond; she just hugged the rest of her family members and Jackson and Rachel. Smiling and waving until they were out of sight.

***

As the weeks passed, Charlie and Gracie fell back into the relentless grind of their careers. Charlie, now a brand ambassador for Yves Saint Laurent, was swept up in a whirlwind of photoshoots and glamorous events. In between modelling, she found herself on sets for upcoming film and television projects, slipping in and out of characters with practiced ease. She felt herself becoming more distant, not just from the people around her, but from herself. There was a growing disconnect, a sense that the more successful she became, the further she drifted from everything that mattered.

Gracie, on the other hand, was consumed with the final preparations for the release of her debut studio album, Good Riddance. The album had garnered intense anticipation, and her schedule was packed with rehearsals, press tours, and meetings with her management team. Every time she and Charlie tried to meet, something would get in the way—whether it was work or exhaustion or just life itself.

They grew frustrated with the constant near-misses, the fleeting moments together that never seemed enough. And when they finally did meet, the tension between them boiled over in small, insignificant arguments.

It started with the little things. Charlie would come home late, Gracie already tired from her day, and they would snap at each other. The bickering over insignificant details—who left the dishes out, who forgot to lock the door—escalated quickly. 

"You didn't even call me back last night," Gracie snapped one evening, her voice sharp as she paced the living room.

Charlie sighed, rubbing her temples. "Gracie, I was on set until midnight. I'm sorry, okay? It wasn't intentional."

"You always say that," Gracie shot back, her arms crossed over her chest. "But it's like I don't exist in your life unless it's convenient for you."

"That's not fair," Charlie argued, her voice rising. "I'm trying. We're both busy, Gracie. It's not just me."