Falling for the CEO's Playful Trap

PROLOGUE

“Adrianna looks this way, please.”

I gaze in front as the command of the photographer in front of me continues. I posed in a different manner, turning way on my back a little while still making eye contact with the camera. My lips parted as I gazed fiercely towards the camera.

Today is just similar to the days I had previously. The past few days have been nothing but a full pack of schedules that I need to fulfill just to finish my work, and what makes it worse is that this will last until the rest of the month. It means I have to bear with it for the remaining two weeks of the month with only three hours of sleep a day.

“I think that is for this outfit!” Kio, the photographer, says in enthusiasm with a face filled with satisfaction. He looks around with a smile on his face. “Can someone get her dress into a new one, please?”

With that cue, I immediately relaxed, taking a deep breath and leaving my position right away without forgetting to bid goodbye to Kio. I made my way back to the dressing room while removing my accessories to make it easier for me to dress for the next shoot. My stylist, on the other hand, helped with my dress by carrying it in her arms.

As soon as I enter the dressing room, my manager’s nervous grin greets me as if my presence is not what she wants right now. I look at her in confusion as I start to undress myself while my stylist prepares my next outfit.

“The photographer seems to be having fun taking your photos?” She remarked, trying to look calm, but definitely failed.

“I’m an expert at my job already. It will be embarrassing if he is not satisfied with it.” I proudly said, taking the dress I was being handed to change into it. “Is there something wrong? You look utterly bothered. Am I in trouble?”

She shakes her head right away with an awkward smile plastered on her lips. I raised a brow, still suspicious of her action, but decided to push back all the thoughts in my mind as of the moment. This photoshoot for me is the most important right now. If I mess this up, the possibility of my fame just reaching its downfall rapidly is just there. After all, it is the Kio Miranda I am working with, so any mistake is unacceptable.

For the last four years, since I entered the modeling industry as a professional, Kio Miranda has been a well-known photographer who is known to capture top models during the past five years of his ten-year career. It is known in the industry that Kio is known to hand pick the model he will capture and that model will either rise to fame or simply reach the highest position of success in the industry. That is why, in this whole photoshoot, not a bit of a mistake is needed.

The photoshoot continues longer than I expected. It wasn’t because he is not good with his work, but it is because he aims for perfection that each of my poses needs to be nothing but mere perfection. Every angle needs to be captured well, and even the props needed during the shoot shouldn’t be simple ones that can be seen anywhere. It should be unique! And that is the only thing I need to assure myself that the shoot will have a better result indeed.

“And that is our last shot!” Kio announced with such excitement in his tone, like he really enjoyed the whole shoot as much as I did.

He gave everyone his thankful remarks as I did the same with a relief smile plastered on my lips. After thanking almost everyone in the room, he finally approached me with such a melting grin that made him an apple in the eye for many. If one would say the reason for his successful career is not only because of his good shots, but also because of his gorgeous-to-death face, I will definitely agree with them. Who wouldn’t find their knees weakening every time such a gorgeous man looks at them with those deep blue eyes?!

“I have heard you are such an expert at your posing, but I didn’t expect you to be that excellent, Ms. Garcia.” He extended his hand with a sly smile plastered on his lips. I extended my hand, accepting him with a proud grin. “Not everyone can keep up with the way I work.”

“You could say I have some great seniors to teach me well, Mr. Miranda.” I boasted with a small giggle.

“Then you should thank them for me because this photoshoot wouldn’t be successful without your perfect work as well.” I nodded without looking at my smile still. Suddenly, he took a step forward, as if he was trying to keep a conversation to ourselves only. “Perhaps, do you have anything to do after this, Ms. Garcia? I have been craving steaks since last night, and I would love to have company. Maybe... we can also get to know one another?”

My lips parted as a small scoff of amusement escaped my lips while my eyes gazed at him knowingly. I have heard of his popularity with the women he works with, but this man in front of me has always been picky with the woman he meets outside of work based on those damn tabloids. However, this picky man in front of me is asking me for dinner… with probably just the two of us.

That will surely become a massive headline for tomorrow’s news.

“And here I thought...you prefer spending time alone, Mr. Miranda.” I pointed out with a small smirk.

“I do…” He leans forwards with that deep gaze at me. “But it depends on the person I will spend time with, Adrianna.”

This will surely have something.

“Please, call me Anna. Adrianna is too formal. After all, if we were to have steak later on, formality should be out of the question, right?” I said, making him smirk, satisfied with my answer indeed.

He leaned back, putting his hands inside his pants pockets now as he looked at me as if he was ready to jump on me anytime soon. “You truly are remarkable, Adrianna Rae Garcia. Just how I like it.” He remarked, making me shake my head. “So… dinner?”

“Well, of co—”

“Sorry to interrupt,” I immediately backed off from Kio and looked at my manager as normally as I could be. I looked at her in confusion when my eyes caught my phone in her hand. “Anna, you have missed calls from your brother. I think it is urgent.”

At first, I thought of just telling her that it was normal because my older brother calls me from time to time just to ask about my whereabouts and wanting to meet me during my free time. However, the look on her face somehow made me nervous for unknown reasons. I excused myself, extending my apologies to Kio for rejecting his offer, before getting myself changed into my normal clothes and leaving the location right away.

“Were you not able to answer one of his calls while I was working?” I softly asked Martha, my manager.

She shakes her head with eyes focused still on the road. “Your phone was dead when we arrived at the location, remember? I had to leave it in the dressing room while charging, so you can use it after. I didn’t expect he would be calling.” She reasoned out, only making me take a deep breath.

This is not the first time I have missed several calls from my brother, but this time feels so different. I have a bad feeling that I don’t even know where it is coming from, aside from the fact that he is not answering his phone despite having been called several times now. It just kept on ringing, but never an answer.

I glanced in front, only to catch Martha glancing back at me secretly several times. Her gaze has something to tell, but somehow, she cannot say it at all.

“What is it?”

She hesitated for a few seconds before letting out a sigh. “To be honest with you, your brother’s secretary called me at noon.” I leaned forward upon the mention of my brother. “Your father had everyone follow to not tell you about this nor the public but…”

“But?! For f**k sake, Martha! Just drop it!” I raised my voice.

“Your brother has been missing since this morning,” she revealed.

“What did you just say?” I questioned, almost whispering because of the sudden revelation.

“Your brother’s secretary went to his home at Red Oaks Residence this morning as usual, but no one was there. Neither did his bodyguards, his helpers. They checked the CCTV, but all they saw was your brother leaving the parking lot using his BMW. The rest of his whereabouts after he left the parking lot…” She let out a sigh, making me weak in my own seat. “It is untraceable.”

“So, you were looking bothered after my first shoot because of this?” I exclaimed in disbelief. “Why didn’t you tell me right away?!”

“I didn’t have any choice, Anna! Your father has someone sent to the location earlier to make sure that you are not aware of what was happening. I also know how important the photoshoot was for you, so I couldn’t tell you about it.” She explained.

“But my brother is much more important than anything, Martha.” I insisted with my jaw clenched. I covered my face with both hands, trying my best to remain calm, before removing it to find out more about the situation. “How about now? Have they heard anything about him already?”

“As far as I know, your father has sent several of his men to look for him. But considering that your brother’s secretary hasn’t left a message yet…” She only shook her head at the end.

My brother was never but a perfect man who would always be away from trouble. Something like this is unusual for him to do, no matter how hard things are. I can only wish now that nothing happened to him. I can only wish now that he… he didn’t do anything that I know I will regret for the rest of my life.

…but I was too late.

BREAKING NEWS!

Tobias Garcia, CEO of Garcia Group, was found unconscious.

You have got to be f*****g me!

“I will ask which hospital so we—”

Martha’s voice became a blur and nothing but a bubble as my gaze fixed on the billboard which had my brother’s picture on it. I could feel as if my whole strength left my body and there would be no way it would return unless what was said on that giant billboard was taken back.

My brother… he… he is not gone… right?

I ran my way to the emergency without even caring if all the attention came to me. I could hear many whispers around me, but my only focus was on my brother. I looked around, seeing my brother’s secretary standing in front of a secluded area, uneasy and barely breathing properly, I may say.

“Julian! Where is my brother?! What happened? What happened to my brother?!” I exclaimed right away upon reaching him, tears threatening to escape my eyes as my voice shook in fear.

“I-I don’t know, m-ma’am. H-He was fine y-yesterday.” He responded like he was already out of his mind, just like I am. “But, he… he was with him! He came here with him!”

He pointed to my right as I followed the direction of his hand in confusion, only to see the most unexpected person to be in here. Zachary Auguste Cuevas—my brother’s one and only enemy in the business world. Compared to his composed and usual arrogant look, he looked rather nervous and worried while staring into the secluded room where my brother might be in.

“What did you do to my brother?!” I raised my voice while approaching him with anger filling me.

He stood up in defense, shaking his head like he was some kind of innocent. “I didn’t do anything to him, Adrianna.” He insisted, defending himself.

“Really? Then how can you explain that my brother’s enemy was with him after what happened?!” I shouted at him.

“I know that you will see me as the culprit behind this, but you need to believe me, Adrianna, it wasn’t my fault! He—”

Before he could even finish his words, the door leading to that secluded room opened, getting my attention completely. I left that asshole there and immediately ran towards the doctor. The moment our eyes met, he let out a heavy sigh and looked down for a moment. My knees weaken as I find myself on the floor with tears streaming down my cheeks as I call for my brother’s name nonstop.

My brother is gone… and Zachary Auguste Cuevas is the only possible culprit behind it.