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A S H L I N G
I used to think fire was beautiful. Mesmerizing in the way it moved, its striking colors glowing against the dark, until I learned what it takes with it.
I didn't understand back then, that beauty and destruction could look exactly the same.
Orange lights flickered across my vision, trembling like a memory trying to stay hidden.
For a second, the present disappeared, and I stood somewhere else, filled with the sound of wood splitting apart and a woman screaming my name.
Ashling, get out. Now.
Smoke pressed down my throat even though the air around me was cold.
The fire climbed higher and faster, reaching for walls that no longer existed. I tried to move but my body stayed frozen.
"Ash."
The scream faded, swallowed by the fire itself and the flames that had once roared around me began to shrink.
"Ashling...hellooo..."
June stood in front of me, waving a hand in front of my eyes, a puzzled look on her face.
"Ash... you good? I've been calling you for like two minutes." June said, her eyes softening.
I swallowed, the taste of smoke still clinging to my tongue as a shaky breath left my lungs.
"Yeah... I'm fine. Sorry, what were you saying?"
She narrowed her eyes on me. "Are you sure you're fine? You're literally sweating." She pointed at my forehead.
I let out an awkward laugh and quickly wiped my temple.
"Yeah, I'm good. Just... hot as hell standing this close to the fire."
We were shooting outdoors with fire as part of the set, and June was the main model.
June didn't look convinced, but she didn't push. She pulled her coat tighter around herself, her gaze drifting to the crew as they began packing up the lights.
The shoot had just wrapped up, and I couldn't wait to go home, shower, and just pass out.
My feet ached from hours of standing, the pain crawling up my legs with every step.
"Hey... me and Trixie will be grabbing drinks later on. You wanna come?" June asked, shoving her hands into her pockets, shivering as the wind hit.
"I think I'm gonna pass," I murmured, folding my arms, my eyes following the movements of my colleagues.
"Oh come on, Ash... it's just one drink. We haven't even hung out properly in weeks."
I looked at her with no expression, and she gave me those puppy eyes and a small pout, clearly thinking I'd fall for that.
"Another time... I promise. Just not tonight," I said.
She looked at me, annoyed, and I couldn't help laughing.
"Don't look at me like that."
Her playful glare only made me laugh harder.
"Okay... fine. I'll see if I'm in the mood tonight."
She let out an excited "Yes," fist-pumping the air, and I shook my head at her childishness.
"I'm gonna head back to the office first, though. I need to check how Alice is doing with the other shoot." I nudged her lightly and turned away.
"Gosh, you really need a vacation, babe. Maybe we can plan something and go together."
I tilted my head, a faint smile tugging at my lips.
"Sure... I'd love that."
____
I sipped my coffee, scrolling through the shots we'd taken a few days earlier and tweaking the lighting in some of them.
A knock hit my cabin door, and it clicked open.
"Ma'am?" Alice, my assistant, stepped inside.
I spun around in my chair. "Hey, Alice." I gave her a welcoming smile.
"Hi, ma'am... um..." She stood there nervously.
"All good?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Well, there's, um... been an issue on set."
Oh gosh...not another. I just wanted the day to end.
"What's happened?" I slid my hair bobble free, letting my hair fall loose down to my waist. I ran my fingers through it, easing the tension from my scalp.
"It's Cindy. She's complaining about her photos again."
I closed my eyes, drained with exhaustion.
Cindy Parker.
A spoiled rich brat with a millionaire father who buys her contracts before she earns them.
Half the industry avoids her, but hand them a hefty check, and they take her on happily. I followed Alice toward the studio, irritation already building at the thought of Cindy.
"ARE YOU fucking kidding me?! Who the hell designed this lighting setup, a child? I look like a corpse on camera! And where's that useless makeup artist? She ruined my entire face!"
I could hear Cindy screaming. Alice glanced at me, anxious. We both knew...this wasn't going to end well.
I gave her a tight smile that didn't reach my eyes and pushed the door open.
Cindy's head snapped toward me like she'd been waiting for her next victim.
Her glossy blonde hair whipped over her shoulder, red nails curling around her phone like a weapon.
"What's the problem?" I asked, my gaze shifting to Jack, one of our photographers. His nostrils flared, like he was two seconds from losing it.
"You're asking what the problem is?" She hissed, stepping closer.
My eyes snapped to her, waiting for whatever shit she'd say next.
"This whole team's a joke. I heard so much about this company, and this is the shit you call work? Look at my photos. And don't even get me started on the makeup artist—she couldn't contour my cheeks properly to save her life."
I let out a tired breath. "I'm sorry this didn't go the way you wanted. We'll reschedule for tomorrow and fix it."
"Tomorrow?" Her glare hardened.
"I don't have time tomorrow. This was meant to be finished today. I'm busy. I have brands waiting, launches lined up. You seriously expect me to come back for this shit?"
I pressed my tongue to the inside of my cheek, holding the sigh in.
Jesus Christ.
"I don't want to speak to you." She looked me up and down, a curl of disgust on her lips.
"I want to speak to the manager." She demanded.
"I am the manager." I said. She just stared, slightly shocked.
I walked to the monitor beside Jack and leaned down, flicking through the previews.
You've got to be fucking kidding me. The shots were flawless, and she was crying over this?
"They look perfectly fine to me." I straightened and met her gaze.
She stared at me in disbelief, then stomped closer, checking the photos again before turning back to me.
"Well, you must be blind, because all I see are badly taken photos."
I folded my arms, tilting my head slightly.
God, this woman was nuts.
I genuinely felt sorry for anyone who had to deal with her. "Look, Cindy... I get that you're upset. But like I said, if you want, we can retake them tomorrow."
"And like I said, I'm busy tomorrow."
...Okaaay... this was definitely not going well.
"Then we'll have to use these. The launch is soon, and we can't afford to waste more time," I said.
Her stare turned sharp. "Are you saying I'm wasting your time?"
"Mhm." I hummed, giving a nod. She gasped, startled by my response.
Honestly, I didn't give a shit whether she wanted a retake or not. We were already behind because of her.
"How... dare... you?" she whispered, each syllable heavy with anger. "This..." She threw her arms around, looking at everyone. "This is how you treat your models? How unprofessional. I'll be reporting you." She snarled.
I closed my eyes, her voice already giving me a headache.
"Sure."
I caught Jack's eye and nodded once. He understood.
"Pack up, everyone. Shift's over." He said, and everyone began to move.
Cindy's mouth opened and shut like a fish, completely lost on what to do next. I turned my back to her, pulling the wires from the monitor in front of me.
"You can't just pack up like that—hey, I've not finished talking,"
I ignored her and started to step forward, but then a hand grabbed me and yanked me around.
What the hell.
"I said I've not finished talking. I want the photos retaken. Now." Her nails dug into my arm.
I raised a brow at her hand on my arm. She glanced down, and I grabbed her wrist, forcing it off me. She gritted her teeth as I checked my watch.
It was already Nine-thirty.
"No"
It was late, everyone looked exhausted, and I wasn't going to let them go through this mental torture any longer.
I could see the anger rising in her, her cheeks flushing red.
"I don't care whether you're the manager or not. In front of me, you're nothing. I told you I want these photos retaken, which means they will be retaken. You have no idea who you're messing with... or how far my reach goes."
I held her gaze without saying a word. She faltered, clearly not expecting nothing back.
I tried to walk past her again, but she stepped in front of me.
My hands curled into fists. She was really pushing my fucking patience now.
"Are you deaf? Didn't you hear what I just said?" She screeched. Every head turned toward us.
"I heard what you said, but it doesn't change my decision."
She blinked at my response as heat spread across her face and her mouth twisted with anger.
"You bitch—" Her hand lifted, ready to strike, but before it reached me, another hand caught her wrist mid-air.
Something inside me dropped out of place. My pulse slammed against my ribs, growing harder with every throb.
My gaze drifted from Cindy's trapped wrist...up along the arm that held her...until it reached him.
Theon Knight.
"How dare you lay a hand on her?" He squeezed Cindy's wrist, hard enough that a pained moan slipped from her mouth.
His piercing grey eyes fixed on her with fury, like he could bury her alive.
"M-Mr. Knight..." she stuttered, the words catching in her throat at his sudden presence.
Theon flung her hand away as if the contact repulsed him. His eyes moved over my face and down to my hands, searching, like he needed to be sure I hadn't been hurt.
His attention shifted back to Cindy, pinning her with a deadly glare.
"You're fucking fired," he spat, and she recoiled before she could stop herself.
"Next time you raise your hand... or speak to my team with that kind of disrespect, I'll ruin you so fucking badly that you and your worthless father will end up on the streets. Do you understand?"
Cindy's eyes widened at the threat, her lips parting slightly.
Theon leaned closer. "I said—DO. YOU. FUCKING. UNDERSTAND?" He roared, loud enough to make even me flinch.
"Y-yes..yes." Cindy nodded fast, swallowing hard as her eyes filled with tears.
"GET OUT."
Cindy's face went pale as she fumbled for her bag and rushed out. I could feel the tension rising as everyone remained fixed on us.
"Ashling...you okay?" He asked, his voice softer now, like he hadn't just shouted seconds ago. Feeling everyone's eyes on him, he turned toward them. A single glance from him was enough.
They hurried to gather their things and moved quickly toward the door.
"There was no need for what you did." My eyes lifted to meet his eyes.
"No need? She was about to hit you. You think I'd just stand there and let that happen?" He breathed out, disbelief flickering across his face.
"Yes," I shot back. "Because I wouldn't have let her."
Theon's gaze lingered on me, tracing slowly from one feature to the next, like he was claiming the sight of me.
"Come with me." He slid a hand into his pocket and stepped aside, giving me space to pass.
"No,"
His expression shifted, a muscle working in his jaw.
"Now, Ashling."
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