Forever mine

Episode Three – Behind Closed Doors

By Wednesday, Eliana had begun to memorize the rhythm of Étoile Modèles. The hiss of espresso machines in the break room. The staccato click of cameras from the photography floor. The scent of new fabric and ambition filling the air.

But there was one thing she couldn’t get used to — the way Bryan’s presence seemed to follow her.

She’d be sketching in the design room, and he’d appear with “feedback.” Reviewing mood boards in the lounge, and there he was again, leaning against the doorway like he had every right to linger. Each time, his eyes carried something unspoken — not quite warmth, not quite danger, but enough to unsettle her.

That afternoon, she was headed to the sample storage room to fetch a set of gowns for an upcoming shoot. The room was at the far end of the hallway, past Bryan’s office. His door was half-open, voices drifting out.

She wasn’t trying to eavesdrop — truly — but the words made her freeze.

“You’ve been distracted, Bryan,” Kim’s voice was low, sharp. “And don’t tell me it’s because of some campaign. I see the way you look at her.”

“Kim—” Bryan’s voice was calm, but layered with restraint. “She’s an employee. That’s all.”

“Oh, please,” Kim scoffed. “You think I don’t remember your history with her? She’s not here for the agency, Bryan. She’s here for you.”

Silence. Long enough for Eliana’s heart to thump painfully in her chest.

When Bryan finally spoke, his tone was different — lower, almost dangerous. “You’re wrong. But if you keep pushing, you’ll make your own fears real.”

Eliana’s breath caught. She took a careful step back, but the heel of her shoe clicked against the polished floor.

The conversation inside stopped.

“Eliana?” Bryan’s voice carried from the doorway.

She turned, forcing a smile. “Just passing by. I was getting gowns from storage.”

Kim appeared behind him, her gaze cool and calculating. “Of course you were.”

Eliana slipped away as quickly as she could, gowns in hand, but her mind was a storm. She told herself she didn’t care what Bryan and Kim argued about. She told herself it didn’t matter.

But deep down, she knew the truth — it mattered far too much.

And as she laid the dresses out for the next day’s shoot, she couldn’t shake the thought that she’d just stepped into the middle of a story far more complicated than she’d bargained for.