Falling for the CEO's Playful Trap

06. Words That Can't Be Uncovered

[“So, you are telling me that you will be seeing him more?”]

Astrid exclaimed over the phone with excitement filling her tone. I could tell very well how ecstatic she is more than I am with the new project I will be working on. What I just couldn’t tell that if that happens concerns only that a new project meant that my career is still on the right path or simply because she just wants to know more about me and Zach… even though there really isn’t much to tell.

“I won’t, okay? Maybe his sister, yes, but him, no.” I defend, turning the steering wheel to the left. “Besides, he wouldn’t bother nor dare to show up in the studio after what happened days ago. It’s better if we just don’t see each other again. I will rather work with his sister alone than have him around anyway.”

[“But you wouldn’t know that. Knowing how sneaky that man is, he will probably show up in the studio.”] She pointed out as I could even see her smirking far away. [“Maybe! He is already there!”]

“Stop being delusional, Astrid. He won’t come, okay?” I stop the engine after parking properly and gather my things. “I have to go now. I will call you later. Bye.”

After days of discussing how the project will go, the day of the photoshoot has finally come and it will be held at the company building of HM Cosmetics. This project is partly crucial because Harriet is directly related to Zach, which is our highest boss. Technically, if I mess this up, it is like I already messed up with the highest boss since Harriet can be considered as the person next to Zach in the line of hierarchy.

Upon arriving at the lobby, Martha immediately approached with a bright smile plastered on her lips. I know that she is just as excited as Annalee for me to work on this project because it will be a big project indeed that is related to Metro Crown. Having me model Harriet’s first release of cosmetics is like having to know if HM Cosmetics as a brand will succeed in the market with the help of my reputation. I really hope it does because I will be massively disappointed as well if things goes wrong.

“The shoot will last for five to six hours. You will get changed into two outfits and your makeup will be redo three times to showcase more varieties of the products.” Martha narrates all that is written on the iPad while we walk our way to the studio. “Also, I already checked the dressing room you will be using. It is all secured and Mr. Cuevas also made sure that you will be comfortable while preparing.”

I stop on my track and look back at her. “Mr. Cuevas?” I repeated.

She hummed with a sigh. “He arrived just ten minutes ago with Ms. Cuevas. I also thought he wouldn’t come, but the staff in the studio says that he is pretty supportive of his sisters’ works, so they already expected him to come today.” She explained.

“I understand that he is supportive, but he really has the guts to just come any time he wants.” I let out a sigh in frustration before starting to walk again. “He must have gotten comfortable with the idea that I am working under him that made him include himself in everything I am involved in. What a shameless man.”

“Well, we can’t do anything about it. After all, he is also the owner of HM Cosmetics since it is under CVS Group, and he is also our boss.” We both stop in front of a door which leads us into the studio. She placed a hand on my shoulder, giving it a gentle pat once. “Just be professional, Anna. Just treat his presence like a boss evaluating your work.”

It’s not like I have nothing else to do anyway. Like what Martha said, I just can’t kick that man out of the studio because he basically owns the building I am in right now. In fact, I do owe him the success of my career partly. What position do I have just to suddenly kick him after all of that?

I took a deep breath before opening the door with a force smile plastered on my lips. The photographer and some of the staff welcomed me as soon as I walked in with some even squealing as silent as they could when I greeted them.

The studio is larger than I thought so the staff can obviously run freely inside without bumping into one another. A lighter tone of purple background was set up in front of the lighting with a huge monitor and some chairs behind the main light stand. There is also a table on the right where sets of cosmetics I will probably model later on are placed above it. They really are prepared for this just like what Harriet said before.

“Adrianna!”

A feminine voice called from my right as the sight of Harriet with a big grin plastered on her lips showed up along with her brother following behind. I put on the same smile she has, returning the warm welcome she is giving me right now. It’s not new that she is so bright considering she is two years younger than Zach. She is basically his youngest sibling so it is a given. It just happens that she knows how to transfer the bright energy she has to me.

“Harriet! It’s nice seeing you again.” We exchanged peck on the cheek like we are some close friends already even though we aren’t. I looked behind her and only gave a forced smile. “Hello, Mr. Cuevas. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“I am a pretty supportive brother, Ms. Garcia. Of course, I wouldn’t miss watching the first time my youngest sister directed her first work.” He places a hand on top of his sister’s head, giving it a gentle pat as if she is still a little girl.

“More like you just want to see someone.” I heard Harriet whisper while looking suspiciously at her brother before looking at me again. “Don’t mind, Adrianna. I will make sure he is not getting in the way during our work.”

I only nodded with a small chuckle in return as she ignored her brother’s presence like how I wanted to do the same. We passed by him as Harriet pulled me gently to introduce the people who will be involved in todays’ shoot. There were a lot more than I expected but she said it is to make sure that nothing goes wrong. She is right indeed though.

After the introduction, I immediately went to work already so we can lessen the working time so everyone can rest earlier than expected. The shoot is going smoothly as only my upper body is mostly taken to highlight the products used on my face. It is a cosmetic product after all. It took at least three hours before we finally reached the last makeup I needed to put on since I usually use 30 minutes of the time to get my makeup done. It was a lot of work.

“Come in!” I said after hearing a knock from the door while I took a few minutes to rest alone.

As the door opened, Harriet’s face peek in. “Do you mind if I come in?” She politely asked as I immediately nodded with a small smile.

I fix my sitting position and let her sit on the adjacent couch as I am sitting at. “I guess even the director needs her rest?” I questioned, making her smile softly.

“I didn’t know it was this tiring.” She exclaimed with a sigh, showing how tired she really is. “But! Everything is going fast and well because of you. You really are good at your work just like what my brother said.”

A faint smile form my lips with the mention of Zach. Suddenly, the thought of how she ended up choosing me as a model creeps in my mind again even though I swear not to think about it anymore.

“Do you mind me asking… Why did you agree when your brother recommended me?” I curiously asked.

She hummed for a moment before speaking up. “Maybe because he looks so sure that I can trust you for my first release?” She exclaimed with a sincere smile. “Do you know how much trust he put on you the moment he said that I should pick you to model my brand? He said, you are one of the talented models in the industry as of the moment and the one who can definitely help my brand to set a name in the industry. Since my brother has more background in business and knows how it will work well, I took his advice and chose you… and he proved he wasn’t wrong.”

I tried to process everything in my head in silence. It feels weird and amusing how Zach and Harriet can put so much trust on me despite having our family companies against one another. In fact, just the thought that CVS Groups’ main competitor’s daughter is under the management owned by the said name, everyone would think it is crazy once it is revealed how Metro Crown is actually under CVS. At this rate, I am already a traitor to my own family business… but these two look like they see me differently.

“You look amazed. Is it because of what lies behind your surname?” She exclaimed, making me look at her, shocked. She smiles genuinely, nodding. “I am aware that you are Tobias Garcia’s younger and only sister. “

“You knew my brother?”

The smile on her face disappeared as she looked at me as if she was sorry about something. “You know, there is a lot more to uncover in this small world we are in. Paths that cross no matter how others try their best to stop their paths to cross to those people. But no matter what, I will just let the people who are directly involved in those paths uncover whatever needs to be uncovered. After all…” She looks down with not even a single sight of positiveness on her face. “Those people are the ones in pain more than I am.”

To talk about crossing paths that shouldn’t cross, I feel so confused now processing her words further. It felt like it had a deeper meaning, but I couldn’t even guess what it was supposed to mean. She is definitely telling me something that she cannot be the one to tell me about yet… she decided to give me an idea, so here I am now, left confused.

“Also, I am aware how you see my brother as a complete asshole.” We both chuckle in unison upon the mention of Zach.

“I do hope that everyone is as aware as you are. Most just keep ignoring that fact.” I exclaimed, shaking my head.

“He had them blind by his playful trap, though it was a ridiculous thing to say.” She rolls her eyes as the idea of her brother being the casanova probably appears in her mind. “And I actually do agree with you that he is an asshole, which is the reason why he needs someone to man him up.”

A scoff escapes my lips, shaking my head once again to disagree with her. “He can’t even settle for one woman to play, and now you want him to find someone that could man him up? I think that is impossible.”

“Not unless it is the right person.” She immediately defended. “The right person who is strong and will stand against him so he can realize that he is not as good as he really thinks he is. Someone who knows she can fight him and go against his favors and likes because he is pretty stubborn. Someone who can actually tame him completely so he can stop with his casanova mask.”

For a person to actually meet someone like that, they must be willing to commit and actually understand the difference between loving and playing. In Zach’s position, I don’t think he even knows what loving is because what he tends to do is playing only. So this request Harriet has, she might have to wait for years.

“Setting aside your brother, you are also doing great with your first job, you know? I didn’t expect that you would know a lot about directing.” I pointed out with a proud smile.

“Well, I graduated with a degree in Film. So whatever we did earlier, it was my forte until I had to change paths and I luckily ended up working with one of the top supermodels.” She looked at me, admiring and proud.

I placed a hand on top of my chest with a genuine smile. “I am honored to work with you then, Ms. Cuevas.” I exclaimed with a small chuckle as she did the same. “Though it is unexpected that you are the one I am working with right now.”

“Why is that?”

“Well… Because I thought it will be your older sister who will be handling such a company. After all, she is the second among the three of you.” I reasoned out. “That is because in our family, the youngest is the one who is out of the business scene.”

“I can’t be shocked by that. Modeling fits you well! But as for my sister, she was… indeed supposed to handle this subsidiary of the company,” The smile on her face slowly faded. “But… she had to heal… so I had to step in.”

My brows furrowed. “Heal? Is she sick?”

She looks at me with that gaze full of so much meaning, like something is being left unsaid once more. I could see how much she was hesitating and, at the same time, hurt by something, but I couldn’t tell what it was.

“Not really…” She let out a heavy sigh, looking down. “But she indeed lost the love of her life.”

“Her husband?”

“Her fiancé.”

Now I get why it made her like that. It is indeed a sensitive topic to talk about, and I was stupid to even bring it up. What a great way to ruin the day, Adrianna!

“That’s too bad. Nothing is much worse than losing the love of your life indeed. It feels like losing your whole life already as well.” I said in a small voice, remembering my brother.

For me, Tobias is the love of my life. He was indeed my brother, but he was the one who served as my first love because our father couldn’t be the one. He was my crying shoulder and my protector to everything that can harm and harmed me. To be, he is my whole life… but I ended up losing him.

“It is… but what makes it worse is that she can’t do anything but mourn far away.” She says in a small voice, making me feel bad.

“What do you mean?” I softly asked.

“Their seven-year relationship was a secret from his family.” She revealed with eyes looking straight at me. “It’s a pity because that man has a younger sister who is around my age. I thought I would have another friend,” She bitterly smiled. “But fate really played with them, and now he is gone… as well as the soul of my sister even if she is still physically present.”

Never I have expected that the day would come and I will have such a sensitive topic to discuss with Zach’s sister. I am aware of his sister’s presence but never for once I imagined we will be in one place nor even sit in one room. Their existence is unfamiliar to me because my parents try their best to have me and my brother stay away from their family. However, look at us now, in one room and talking about personal stuff.

Who would even think such a day will come?

The photoshoot continued as Harriet and I ended our conversation while talking about her brother. It was weird because we just ended up casually talking about Zach without even me noticing me about it until it ended. Considering how she is adored by her brother and how close they are, I didn’t even expect that she would agree to many things that I agree on about that man. That time in my dressing room, I indeed found someone to talk with.

I found a new friend in those short minutes… but it is Zach’s sister.

“Thank you so much for your hard work today, Adrianna. We really ended the shoot thirty minutes earlier than expected.” Harriet exclaims as we walk our way out of the studio. “Now, we just need to see the final result!”

“And I can only hope that I am indeed a big help to your brand through this one.” I pointed out, wishing it would come true. “But for now, I need to go already. I do feel a bit hungry already.”

“How about dinner then?” Zach suddenly showed up next to his sister with hands inside his pants pocket.

He looks at me, waiting for a response, while I just give him a straight face. He has been nothing but annoying during the whole time I was doing the shoot. While his sister is busy with her work, Zach is on her side staring at me whole as if his eyes can actually cage me in my spot right on time. It was the first time in my life that I had to avoid looking at the director’s side for instructors whenever Harriet talks because I can see Zach locking his gaze on me the whole time. It was irritating and what I only need now is space from him!

“Well, as much as I want to join, I have some urgent matters to do.” Harriet exclaims with an apologetic face. “You should join my brother, Adrianna.”

I immediately shake my hand in front of me, rejecting. “I’m sorry. I also have some matters to attend to.” I reasoned out.

“But I thought you are hungry?” Zach pointed out with a smirk plastered on his lips, knowing that he found a hole in my excuse.

“Please, Adrianna, let my brother treat you. I will be paying him later for the meal so it is still my treat!” Harriet says.

“But—”

“I insist. You also need to eat anyway. I have kept you busy for hours, and it is almost dinner time as well.” Harriet insisted more, making me only sigh.

How come I can’t even escape the Cuevas’ siblings?