Chapter 1 Prologue

It was undeniable to those on the outside that something was happening between them. They exchanged glances filled with so much emotion that it seemed as though they were having a conversation of their own. The smile he gave her during the rehearsal was genuine, revealing just how happy he was to be there.

Deep inside, Soph yearned to strike him, to feel the sting on her hand as she slapped him. But she restrained herself, concealing her feelings and continuing with the photo shoot.

The closeness, the moments of eye contact, and the touches made her heart race. How could her heart still stubbornly harbor affection for such a scoundrel, after everything he had done?

"You're furious," he remarked, interrupting her thoughts. She blinked, thinking she had imagined his words, but then she noticed him looking at her, surprised. The photographer stopped taking pictures. Cornered, Sophia felt a mix of confusion and embarrassment.

"What?" she feigned ignorance.

"At first, Alex hated Christophe, but you don't need to bring all of that back. We can focus on the good parts," he said, dripping with sarcasm.

"I don't think this position favors them," the other man commented as he approached them, repositioning them as he pleased. "Remember those passionate looks you shared on set? Try to bring them back."

As if it were easy. It wasn't a film shoot. In those situations, the two of them weren't as connected. Especially after that request, the words exchanged, and the provocations that occurred once the cameras stopped rolling.

"The poor guy doesn't even know you hate me," Chris whispered as soon as the man left.

Sophia squinted at him and noticed his gaze drifting toward the blonde he had been talking to earlier.

"Want to invite her for the shoot?" she wanted to tell herself not to show her disdain for their exchanged glances and smiles, but it got the better of her. "Perhaps there would be a better atmosphere."

"It's not my fault," he said, relishing in provoking her. He knew it was contradictory. Soph would say one thing but do another. Jealousy? He enjoyed rubbing that in her face. "It's you who looks at me as if you're hurt."

"You're the one ignoring me," she finally confessed.

"Do you want to know something? I'll give you both some space," the photographer huffed, giving up at that moment.

The two of them didn't care. The heated argument was far more entertaining.

"I'm not ignoring you," he furrowed his brow. "You told me to stay away. What am I supposed to do?"

"I never said any of that," Soph regretted uttering those words because that's when he caught her off guard. "Are you angry because I said 'no' to you?"

Things were getting intense. A mischievous smile formed on his lips, fueling anger and regret in Soph.

"Angry?" He restrained himself. He had to do this. "Darling, I don't have to stoop to that level. I made a proposal, you said no, and I moved on."

She was shocked.

Was I discarded?

To an onlooker, it appeared as though a couple was having a heated discussion. Some paid attention without hearing or knowing what they were saying, while others tried to ignore them.

"So, that's it," she crossed her arms. "You jumped into the arms, or should I say, the breasts, of some random blonde you just met?"

She would tell herself, "Stay calm, Sophia. Don't let him provoke you. Why are you so bothered by this?"

"I've known Scarlet longer than I've known you," he lied. He had never seen her before in his life. But it was enjoyable to provoke his colleague. "I have a pertinent question." Chris approached her, their faces just inches apart, feeling her perfume, locking eyes, and smiling. "Why are you jealous, or rather, irritated, that I understood your message and moved on?" She crumbled, realizing how ridiculous she looked, and uncrossed her arms, feeling shy. "After all, I still need a girlfriend. Speaking of which, please don't mention this to anyone, or it would ruin everything."

"So... How are things?" Donald's voice sent a chill down Sophia's spine.

She remembered the previous night, when she was at an event like the many she had attended before. He was a famous producer, and she had a small role in a series he was producing. On that occasion, Donald had gotten too close, pulling her in, asking intimidating questions, and nearly kissing her.

By a mistake, but a justifiable one, she claimed to be in a serious relationship. She didn't even recall Chris' absurd proposal; she just wanted to get away from there. She had never experienced harassment like that before. She felt he was leveraging his position, importance, and power over her work to take advantage of her. Sophia didn't confide in anyone except her personal assistant, who warned her that challenging Donald would be a mistake, as he was one of the big shots.

Remaining silent after being harassed would be the real mistake.

The man was conversing with those around him and observed her. She knew he would approach her, so she looked at Chris, who, despite being a scoundrel, was someone she trusted. They had this love-hate dynamic, but she felt that if something went wrong, he would be on her side. Especially with the secret they shared.

"Christian," she called his attention before swiftly pulling him close and planting a passionate kiss on him in front of everyone.

At first, it was timid and unexpected, something that surprised Chris. Then, as he pulled her by the waist, it became intense and fervent. It was the beginning of a crazy story. He had never really kissed her before, and experiencing it now was mind-blowing. It was challenging to remember reality.

She pulled away, gazing into his bewildered blue eyes and pleaded, "It's just temporary. Don't tell anyone, or I'll personally kill you."