Crossed paths

Chapter 4 She Is Here

Jack

The blinding studio lights had barely stopped burning into my eyes, but the suffocating weight of the crowd was already pressing down on me. I had just wrapped up shooting the promotional intro, and the entire atmosphere felt completely toxic. The constant chatter of the crew, the hum of heavy machinery, and the relentless flashing of cameras always left me on edge. I rubbed the bridge of my nose, desperately needing a stiff drink if I was going to survive the rest of this production.

To add to my growing irritation, I had asked William to get me a coffee twenty minutes ago, and there was still no sign of him. The sheer incompetence on this set was starting to grate on my nerves.

Losing my patience entirely, I decided it would be much faster to just get it myself. I stepped out of the temporary sanctuary of my dressing room and started navigating the maze of the backstage area. The air in the narrow corridor was thick and smelled of warm electronics and fresh paint. I was heading directly toward the kitchen when a brunette suddenly rounded the corner at full speed and crashed straight into my chest.

The impact caught me off guard, and I stumbled slightly on the slick studio floor. Instinctively, my reflexes took over to keep us both from falling. I caught her by the waist, my hands naturally sliding across the smooth fabric of her dress to press her firmly against me.

In that split second, everything else in the busy corridor completely faded away. My nose caught a familiar, intoxicating scent, and a sudden, violent twist struck the very pit of my stomach.

Allena.

She smelled like jasmine and sunshine, exactly as I remembered. Unwillingly, and with a strange heaviness in my chest, I slowly loosened my grip and steadied her on her feet, reluctant to let the physical connection go.

She took a clumsy step back, her breathing shallow as she brushed away the stray hairs that had fallen wildly across her face. I opened my mouth to ask if she was alright, but the words died completely in my throat. I stood there, utterly paralyzed, because the big eyes looking back at me belonged to the person I thought I will never see again.

"What the heck? What are you doing here?" she squealed, her voice trembling as she recoiled in absolute shock. The sudden movement caused her to trip over her own feet again. Without thinking, I reached out and placed my hand firmly against the small of her back to keep her upright. I kept my hand there far longer than necessary, entirely because the familiar warmth of her skin was something I had desperately missed.

I stared deep into her eyes, watching the raw shock play out across those deep blue depths. Allena had never been able to hide her emotions, and right now, her vulnerability was written all over her face. She wore a striking blue dress that perfectly mirrored her eyes, hugging every curve of her body and highlighting how beautiful she truly was. Her flawless skin looked incredibly soft under the harsh hallway lights, and her cheeks were heavily flushed with a deep pink hue. It felt impossible, but she looked even more breathtaking than the last time I saw her. Watching her plump lips pout in frustration sent a sharp wave of desire straight through me, making me ache for her instantly.

For a fleeting moment, it felt as though no time had passed at all, and it felt like it was just yesterday when she belonged in my arms.

Then, reality hit me like a physical blow, and the brief warmth vanished. The agonizing memory of how she left me hanging flashed vividly through my mind. She had walked away from everything we had with absolutely no explanation, treating me like I was a complete nobody.

The old pain instantly twisted into a bitter defense mechanism as she takes a step away from me.

"I am the lead actor here," I snapped, masking my heartbreak with sudden, cold arrogance. "What are you doing here? On the hunt to trap another rich guy, huh?"

The harsh words sliced through the quiet corridor, and I felt a pang of immediate regret the moment I saw the flash of raw pain in her eyes. I had convinced myself that she deserved it, that she was just another manipulative woman who used people, but seeing her hurt still cut some place deep, a place I thought no longer existed.

"I... I am a production assistant here," she stammered, her voice shaking with emotion before she forced it to harden with defiance. "I don't care what you think about me, and it would be better if you kept your judgments to yourself. Now, get out of my way."

She pushed right past my shoulder, her scent lingering in the air as she left me standing completely alone in the empty hallway once again.

Every cell in my body wanted to follow her, but thankfully the distance made my brain started working again and I turned into the opposite direction.

Anger and confusion bubbled hot under my skin as I stormed the rest of the way into the kitchen. I found William there, frantically struggling with the valves of the industrial coffee maker. The moment his eyes landed on my furious expression, his face drained of all colour.

"S-sorry, sir," he babbled, his hands trembling as he dropped a metal spoon. "The coffee machine is broken. I will run to the nearest

Starbucks right now and get your order."

"No need to do that," I cut him off, keeping my voice dangerously quiet. "I am going back to my room. Ensure that no one disturbs me for the next hour."

I turned on my heel, marched straight back to my dressing room, and slammed the door shut behind me, locking out the noise of the studio. I flung myself into the chair and tried to focus on the script laid out on my desk, but the printed text blurred together. I could not concentrate at all because my mind kept violently pulling back to her. I simply could not stop thinking about her.

Our interaction ran like a struck cassette in my mind.

I knew I could not do this again. Just a single, accidental meeting had completely derailed my focus and left my emotions in ruins. I could not let her mess with my head or my life a second time, so I needed to get her away from me immediately to protect myself.

I grabbed my phone with a tight grip and dialed the head show coordinator.

"Jackson Paul here," I said, my tone cold, commanding, and leaving no room for argument. "I don't want Allena Ramor working as an assistant on this set ever again. Move her to a different show, and get it done fast."

"Yes, Mr. Paul. It will be handled within half an hour," the coordinator replied quickly, sensing the tension in my voice.

I ended the call and threw my phone onto the desk. Despite the reassurance, the tight knot of unease in my chest did not fade, and my heart was still hammering against my ribs. Coffee wasn't going to fix this. I leaned back in my chair, staring at the locked door, knowing I needed something way stronger than coffee to numb the feeling.