CALISTA

I stood in front of my bathroom mirror, hands steady as I applied mascara. My eyes, bright and sharp, studied my reflection with that practiced gaze—unflinching and intense. A small smirk tugged at my lips, but it wasn’t a happy one. “Well, if I don’t impress them today, at least I’ll look like I tried,” I muttered, raising the mascara wand to my lashes with military precision.

Today was supposed to be a milestone—the day I’d show everyone who I really was. No more shadows. Fading Echoes was everything to me, and today would be my moment to shine. Or so I hoped.

As I finished my makeup, my phone buzzed on the counter—a text from Sophie, my personal assistant. "Got your coffee—double espresso, hint of hazelnut, just how you like it," she’d written. I smiled, a touch of satisfaction blooming. My coffee addiction wasn’t just a habit; it was practically a personality trait.

I exited my room to find Sophie waiting, holding out my coffee as if it were a rare treasure. "Your lifeline," she said, her tone flat, with a glint of sarcasm.

"Ah, the only thing keeping me from strangling someone today," I quipped, taking a sip. The espresso hit hard, bitter and bold. Exactly what I needed. “I swear, if this whole acting thing doesn’t work out, I’m buying a villa in Italy and just drinking coffee all day. No phones, no people. Just espresso.”

Sophie raised an eyebrow. "Sounds therapeutic. You sure you won’t need someone to hold your umbrella while you gaze pensively into the distance?"

I snorted, “Oh, obviously. But I’ll find someone local. Less expensive.”

When we arrived at the glass building, Sophie handed me a folder with interview notes. Her gaze darted between me and the building. “Ready to face the firing squad?”

“Of course,” I replied with a smirk, brushing a strand of hair out of my face. "Just another day of pretending I know what I’m doing."

We entered the office, where everything felt just a tad off. The usual buzz was missing, replaced with a stifling silence. I spotted Rick by the conference room door, looking like he’d just eaten a lemon whole. He forced a smile, but his eyes darted away quickly. Pre-interview jitters. Or so I thought.

Kara was at her desk, fidgeting with her keyboard. “You look like you’re about to be grilled on national TV. Don’t worry, I’ll take the heat today,” I joked, attempting to lighten the mood. Her response was forced, almost robotic.

“Yeah. You’ll kill it, as usual,” she said without meeting my eyes. I raised an eyebrow, but let it go.

In the break room, I sipped my coffee, scrolling through Fading Echoes headlines on my phone. This movie was supposed to be my breakout. My chance to be seen as more than “the girl from that drama.” And yet, a strange sense of dread clung to me, whispering that something was off.

Kara entered, and I looked up. "This interview means a lot to me," I said, half to myself. "It’s my shot to show everyone what I’m really made of. No more sidekick roles."

Kara’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Just…be ready for anything,” she murmured, avoiding my gaze.

I forced a laugh. “What, you think they’re going to throw some crazy curveball at me?”

Kara looked away. “Just… be careful, okay?”

I watched her, unsettled, as she left. The unease stayed with me as I headed toward the conference room. The team was assembled, but an odd silence filled the space. Kara returned with my phone in her hand, and she was acting… strange. She handed it to me without a word. I glanced at the screen, and a new message caught my eye.

“It’s all set. Don’t say anything until the interview, but you might want to check the headlines.”

My stomach twisted. I knew what that meant. My pulse raced, a sense of impending doom settling over me.

Minutes later, the team gathered around. Kara looked pale, her lips trembling. "Calista… there’s something you need to know. There’s a… video. A sex tape of Chase and Jodie Smith. It leaked.”

The room spun. Chase. The one person I thought I could trust in this industry. And now this? Betrayal hit me like a punch to the gut.

I laughed, sharp and bitter. "So while I was here building my career, he was… this? He was playing me!"

I clenched my fists, anger mixing with humiliation. For the first time, I understood the irony. I’d been crafting a perfect image, but the one person I trusted had thrown it all away.

“Thank God he broke up with me first,” I muttered. “If he hadn’t, I’d be Googling non-lethal poisons right about now.”

~~~~
This chapter is really short I guess but what can I say?

Anyways, have a good day!

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Muah!💋
~Rhoda