OBSESSED: behind the veil

The light were blinding, the camera were rolling, thousands of fans are screaming a single name until the arena walls are shook. "Julian! Julian!" Blessed with a supreme singing voice and standing at an effortless six-foot-two, Julian Vale was the kind of man whose name summoned instant adoration whenever it was spoken off. He possessed a charming face so carefully sculpted that people simply couldn't help but melt under his gazed. "Thank you to the crew members and mangers that make this setup possible," Julian said into the microphone, his voice dripping with golden warmth as he delivered his closing speech "And most of all I appreciate every single one of you who took the time to come out tonight, I love you all." The crowd roared. After pausing at the stage to take photographs with some tearful fans, Julian finally retreated backstage for his post-show interview. "Another sold out show" the interviewer noted Julian as he finished yet another fan-crazed concert. Julian looks unfazed for a moment but then he quickly leaned forward wearing the sort of smile that ruined sensible people ability to think clearly. "What a beautiful dress." he murmured seamlessly before answering her question. "And to answer you-none of this would have happened if not for the people who keep loving and supporting me. All the money made from this show tonight are all going directly to charity," he replied. The interviewer was charmed. Of course she was. After all, Julian vale was known across the nation as the perfect gentleman. He had spent years learning the ways to the human heart without giving it much effort. With just a little eye contact, a precise smile and a well formulated compliment Julian find it remarkably easy to please people. " T-that is such a heartwarming answer" the interviewer stuttered, visibly flustered. Heartwarming. Julian kept his smile locked in place. A good word for a perfect show. The second the red recording light went dark and the camera stopped rolling, the warmth vanished from Julian's face as if it had never existed. His precise, charming smile melted into a flat soulless stare. He unclipped the microphone from his shirt and dropped it onto the glass table. "Congratulations, Julian!" the event manger rushed over, beaming as he offered a bottle of water. "Yeah so?" Julian replied, with a cold and flat voice The event manger froze, his eager expression curdling into a startled, uneasy visage. He swallowed hard. "There... there is a problem backstage-" "None of you can do anything properly, can you?" Julian cut him off, stepping past him into the hallway. Andrew, his personal manger, hurried behind him, wiping sweat from his forehead as Julian stormed toward his private dressing room. "Julian, please," Andrew said. "The after-show fans experience has run into a challenge. They is a shortage of souvenirs meant to be distributed amongst the fans" Andrew said. "I knew that was a bad idea" Julian said, throwing open his dressing room door and whirling around. His panicking team shrank back under his razor-sharp glare. "The fans came here because of my name. My reputation pays for your lives. If anything on the internet comes about this rubbish, every single one of you will be sacked. Fix it" Julian said. He slammed the door shut, leaving his entourage stranded in terrified silence. Andrew with no other options, messaged the company group stating the problems and asking if anyone have a solution to this issue that could take his job. Aria Cross otherwise known as Aria star just got off a heated argument with her father. In a fit of rage, she went to a club which happens to be opposite Julian show. She suddenly got a notification of the message. As a rookie that was the perfect opportunity for her to prove herself. Aria opened the messages and read through the details. "A shortage of souvenirs? Seriously?" " An entire team of people had managed to organise a concert for thousands of fans but somehow failed to account for the number of gifts they needed." "These people are meant to be my senior " She said with a sarcastic laugh She typed a quick reply. Aria Star: How many are missing? Andrew responded almost immediately, as though he'd been waiting for someone—anyone—to offer a solution. Andrew: Nearly two hundred. We have less than an hour before the fan experience begins. Aria leaned back in her chair, considering the problem. Ordering replacements would take too long. Cancelling the fan experience would be a public relations disaster, especially for an artist whose entire brand revolved around being adored by his fans. She tapped her fingers against the table. There had to be another option. She opened the event details attached to the group message and checked the list of items scheduled for distribution. Most were standard merchandise: signed photographs, branded wristbands, and small commemorative gift boxes. The photographs were the real problem. They were personalised, which meant replacing them at short notice would be difficult. But the gift boxes? Those could be sourced elsewhere. Aria picked up her phone and began making calls. She wasn't particularly concerned about whether anyone would appreciate her initiative. She wanted the problem solved, and she wanted her name attached to the solution. Twenty minutes later, she'd found a supplier with enough stock to cover most of the shortage. For the remaining items, she proposed a simple alternative: distribute the signed photographs separately and send the missing merchandise to the affected fans afterwards. It wasn't perfect, but it was practical. She sent Andrew the details. Aria Star: I've found a supplier. They can deliver the replacements before the fan experience starts. For the remaining items, distribute the photographs separately and arrange delivery of the outstanding gifts. Get the fans' contact details at registration. For several seconds, there was no reply. Then her phone rang. Aria answered without bothering with a greeting."Yes?" "Aria? This is Andrew, Julian Vale's manager. Did you confirm the supplier?" "Would I have sent you the details if I hadn't?" Silence. She could practically hear him reconsidering his decision to call. "Right. Thank you. This is a huge help." "Don't thank me yet. Confirm the order and make sure someone is ready to receive it. You still have a shortage to deal with." "Of course. I'll get on it immediately." "Good." She ended the call. For the first time that evening, Aria smiled. Not because she'd helped a famous musician, and certainly not because she'd earned anyone's gratitude. She'd found a solution when everyone else was panicking. That was what mattered. Her phone buzzed again. Andrew had sent her the venue's backstage access details and asked whether she could come in to help coordinate the replacement delivery. Aria glanced towards the arena across the street. She grabbed her bag, paid for her drink, and headed out. By the time she reached the venue, the atmosphere backstage was chaotic. Staff hurried through corridors carrying boxes and equipment, while security personnel tried to keep the area clear. Aria showed her access pass and walked inside as though she belonged there. A staff member approached her. "Are you the person who sorted out the merchandise?" "Depends. Are you the person who's supposed to receive it?" Aria said sarcastically The staff member blinked. "Andrew invited me, where is he?" He pointed towards the corridor leading to the dressing rooms."Andrew's waiting inside. He's been dealing with a few other issues, so he might be a little—" "Unpleasant? Rushed? One inconvenience away from a breakdown?" Aria cut him off. The staff member gave her a startled look. Aria shrugged. "I'm sure I'll survive." She followed his directions, checking the delivery details on her phone as she walked. She had no intention of wasting time on introductions or exchanging pleasantries with people who weren't involved in solving the problem. Unfortunately, she took a wrong turn at the end of the corridor. The door she opened wasn't Andrew's office. It was Julian Vale's private dressing room. Julian opened his mouth, already prepared to demand an explanation for her unexpected intrusion. "Julian, right?" she interrupted, barely sparing him a second glance. "Where's Andrew's office? Just point me in the right direction." For a moment, Julian said nothing. People didn't usually interrupt him. They certainly didn't walk into his private dressing room, look straight at him, and treat him like an inconvenience. Aria, meanwhile, had already returned her attention to her phone. "Well?" she asked impatiently. "I haven't got all night."