"Hearts at War"

Chapter 3

Olivia

"What do you mean she’s not here yet!? What’s going on? Is that woman even coming or not!? I’ve been here forever! I woke up so early, rushed here so early, and now I’m just stuck waiting!?" My voice rose, almost on the edge of exploding as my frustration filled the room.

The staff and crew all exchanged nervous glances, their faces apologetic but none daring to speak. Not one of them said a word. I could feel my anger building. They better not test me today, especially when I’m already this close to losing my temper.

"Emma!" I called sharply for my personal assistant, needing someone to help me channel my irritation in a way that would make this day move faster.

"W-What is it, ma'am?" she asked in a flustered tone, immediately standing up and rushing over to me.

I shot her an impatient glance, my frustration bubbling over. "What did Avery's manager say? Is she coming or not?" I demanded, my voice sharp, not in the mood for any more delays or misunderstandings.

"Uh, s-she’s on her way, ma’am. She’s just stuck in traffic, th-that’s what her manager said," Emma stammered, clearly nervous under my intense gaze.

Hearing that only made my frustration intensify. For the first time in my entire career, I was being made to wait for more than an hour? How could this be happening? Urgh! I’ve always been the one others wait for, never the other way around! This was completely out of my element, and the longer I sat there, the more agitated I became.

I was used to punctuality. I had been trained to value time, my time, above all else. People in my industry didn’t keep someone like me waiting—ever. I was the one on set, always prepared, always early, ready to give my best performance. And yet here I was, waiting, helplessly watching the clock tick away. The thought of it was making my blood boil. It was unprofessional, frustrating, and it was driving me crazy.

I clenched my fists, fighting the urge to stomp my foot in annoyance. Why was this happening to me today of all days? Couldn’t things just go smoothly for once? Why did it have to be like this? I couldn’t even concentrate anymore, my mind racing with irritation.

"Does that woman even think that her actions are going to affect my other schedules? God! I can't believe this is happening to me right now!" I muttered to myself, barely able to keep my composure. The thought of how her tardiness could ripple through the rest of my carefully planned day was driving me insane. I had everything laid out in perfect order, every minute accounted for. And now this?

It felt like everything was spiraling out of control, all because of one person. I couldn’t believe it. She was inconsiderate, and what was worse, she didn’t even seem to care. How could she not realize how much her lateness was throwing everything off balance? Was she really that self-absorbed?

I ran a hand through my hair in frustration, feeling the weight of the situation pressing on me. It wasn’t just about the shoot anymore—it was about respect, professionalism, and basic courtesy. How could someone be so careless with their commitments? I was on the verge of losing it.

I woke up at 5 a.m., got here by 6, and finished my makeup before 9. And yet, I’ve been waiting for over an hour because of that woman! Damn it!

I tried to keep my composure, but the frustration was overwhelming. How could this be happening? I was always the one who was punctual, who respected everyone’s time. Now, I was left here, angry and feeling completely disrespected.

"Arghh!" I couldn’t hold it in any longer. My hands clenched into fists, and the urge to scream grew stronger. This was a nightmare I couldn’t escape.

"Relax," I felt a light tap on my shoulder, and I instinctively turned to see who had touched me. Standing beside me was Luca Montiveros—my manager. "Don't be so impatient, she'll get here soon enough," he said, his tone calm and reassuring.

"Relax? What the hell?" I snapped, my frustration boiling over. It wasn’t just the wait—it was the total disregard for my time that was driving me mad. How could he tell me to relax when every minute felt like an eternity? My hands clenched into fists at my sides as I tried to reign in the anger that had been building up for over an hour.

I knew Luca meant well, but right now, his calm demeanor only irritated me more. I had been waiting for far too long, and the last thing I wanted was to be told to calm down.

"My blood pressure is through the roof," I muttered under my breath, trying to calm myself. "Here, drink this tea," Luca said, offering me a cup. I took it gratefully, the warmth from the cup spreading through my hands. I brought it to my lips and took a slow sip. The soothing aroma and slight bitterness of the tea helped ground me, and for a brief moment, I felt a little calmer. My tense muscles began to relax, and I closed my eyes, trying to push away the frustration and just breathe.

After a minute, I opened my eyes and turned to my personal assistant. "Emma, what are my schedules for today?" I asked, my tone softer now, but still carrying a hint of urgency. I needed to get back on track, even if the morning had already been ruined by this delay.

"Ahm, ma'am, at 10 AM, pictorial with Luxe Atelier, which is now, then around 1 PM, the shooting for your teleserye, at 7 PM, Gala night at Shangri-La hotel, and lastly another pictorial with Luxe Jeans at... twelve midnight."

I blinked in surprise at the last part of Emma's schedule. "What!? A pictorial at twelve midnight!?" I turned to Luca, raising an eyebrow. "Seriously, Luca? Twelve AM? Are you trying to turn me into a vampire? Reschedule that."

"Sorry, I can't. Their team wants it done tonight because their big boss is leaving for the States, and that's why they want this project wrapped up immediately."

I shook my head in disapproval, my frustration bubbling up. "Cancel it. Let them find another model. I have no intention of becoming a zombie."

The idea of working late into the night was simply unacceptable to me. I was already exhausted from the day's events, and the thought of dragging myself through a photo shoot at midnight felt like a cruel joke. I wasn’t going to let anyone treat me like this—especially not when I had already given so much of my time and energy.

"Girl, it's Luxe Atelier! Do you hear me? Almost everyone out there has dreamed of becoming a model for them, and now you’re just turning it down? Are you out of your mind?"

That's right, Luxe Atelier is an international denim brand that has become even more popular now, outshining Levi's, Lee, and Guess. It's such an honor to be chosen as their brand endorser, but I won’t sacrifice my health for that. Seriously! I haven't even gotten any sleep because of back-to-back shoots for my teleserye, and now this? It's too much! I can’t keep pushing myself like this. My well-being should come first—no brand is worth running myself into the ground.

"Ma'am, Miss Avery Montclair is here," Emma informed me. "She's outside with her manager."

Finally. I felt like I could explode with relief, maybe even throw some confetti in the air. "Geez, after so much wasted time," I muttered under my breath, trying to hold back my frustration. The past few hours had felt like an eternity, waiting for someone who clearly didn't respect time. But at least she was here now.