LOGINElena’s POV The next morning came faster than I expected. I barely slept — my head kept replaying every single thing he’d said. “Do it wrong. But do it honestly.” What kind of man even says things like that? By 6:50 a.m., I was already in the hall again. No one else was there. Just the faint hum of the AC and the sound of my own heartbeat. At 7:00, he walked in. Black again. Same sleeves rolled. Clipboard tucked under his arm. His eyes flicked over me once. “You’re early. Again.” “You said not to be late.” He nodded slightly. “Good. Let’s see if yesterday was luck or progress.” I smirked. “You really don’t know how to compliment people, do you?” “I’m not paid to.” “Well, you could try being human for once,” I muttered under my breath. He heard it. Of course he did. “Humans get attached,” he said. “Judges don’t.” That stung more than it should’ve. I straightened and said, “Then stop looking at me like one.” His eyes met mine — sharp, unreadable. “Walk.”
Elena’s POV Later that afternoon, I barely touched my lunch. My mind was still stuck on him — Mr. Lex — and that cold, unreadable face he always wore. Everyone else from the show group chat was buzzing about how exciting the night had been. “Can’t believe we actually made it!” “Judges were so tough!” “Lex looked so fine!” Yeah. Fine. And terrifying. By noon, I couldn’t take it anymore. I needed to talk to him. To say something. To prove that I wasn’t just another contestant who’d fade away after few show. So, I showed up at the rehearsal hall. He was there — of course — standing in front of a small group of models, giving sharp, clipped directions. “Posture. Shoulders back. Don’t walk like the floor owes you something.” His voice carried authority. Everyone obeyed instantly. When he finally turned and saw me, his brows drew together. “You again.” I swallowed. “Good evening, sir.” “Is there a reason you’re here?” “I wanted to talk,” I said quickly. “This isn’t
Elena’s POV Backstage was chaos — laughter, applause for other contestants, whispers about my performance. But I barely heard any of it. My ears were ringing with Mr. Lex’s words. “Lacked precision… I expected more.” It echoed in my head like a verdict. Not just a critique, but something heavier. Something that felt like a warning. I walked past contestants congratulating themselves, forcing a smile, but my hands were trembling. Every step felt heavier. My brush box felt heavier too. The dressing room was quiet when I slipped inside. I locked the door behind me and dropped onto the edge of the bed. My painting lay folded at the corner, unfinished. My chest was tight. I thought of Mr. Lex. That sharp look in his eyes when he spoke. Not a hint of pity. Only judgment. "Why the fuck is it soo hard to impress him." I whispered to myself. And suddenly, it hit me — what if that judgment wasn’t just about the painting? What if it was about my place in this competition? "No,
Elena’s POV “Go get my hat!” one of the contestants barked at her stylist. The poor girl scrambled, nearly tripping over a makeup bag. The room was chaos. Contestants chattered about how the crowd clapped for them, some bragging, some faking humility. One girl was still humming from her singing performance, another was juggling apples to show off. I sat in front of the mirror, staring at my own reflection. My palms were sweaty. What am I even doing here? “Hey, Elena.” A girl in sequins leaned over. “What’s your talent again?” I forced a smile. “Painting.” Her brows shot up. “Painting? On stage? In front of everyone?” “Yes.” My voice cracked. She smirked, clearly amused. “Well… good luck with that.” She turned back to her group, whispering loud enough for me to hear. Laughter followed. I gripped the edge of my chair, fighting the heat rising to my face. “You’ll be fine,” another contestant, softer in tone, said from the corner. She was strapping on her dancing sho
Lara’s POV I stared at him, refusing to look away. “Well?” My voice was firmer than I expected. Aiden leaned back, exhaling slowly, like the weight of my question pressed on his chest. His eyes darkened. “Lara… you don’t understand. I want you. god knows I do. But if I let this happen—if I let us happen—I’ll ruin you.” The words stabbed at me. My hands curled into fists on my lap. “Ruin me? Do you even hear yourself?” His jaw clenched. “Yes. Because being with me means your life changes forever. People will judge you, drag your name through the mud, question every move you make. You’ll lose things you don’t even realize you’re holding onto.” I shook my head, my voice rising. “You think my future is so fragile it can shatter just because of you?” “Lara—” “No.” I cut him off, leaning forward, my heart pounding so hard it hurt. “Don’t feed me excuses. My future isn’t something you can ruin. But it will be ruined if you’re not in it.” His lips parted, but I didn’t let him
Lara’s POV His palm touched my cheek, warm and firm. My breath hitched. I didn’t move back. I couldn’t. His eyes locked on mine, unreadable, heavy. “Why are you so stubborn, Lara?” His voice was low. I swallowed hard. “Because I don’t back down from what I want.” His gaze sharpened. “And what is it that you want?” I didn’t answer at once. My heart pounded. I just stared. “Answer me,” he demanded softly, still holding my cheek. “I want you, Aiden ” I said finally, my voice steady. His hand tightened slightly on my face. Neither of us moved. The silence between us was louder than words. I didn’t flinch under his touch. My fingers curled against his wrist. "Lara listen, I__" I cut him off, not waiting to hear what he had to say. “You hear me, Aiden?” I said, voice low but firm. “I want you. And I’m not letting go.” His eyes darkened. “Lara…” “No,” I cut him off. “Don’t say it. Don’t tell me I can’t have you. I don’t care what you say or what you think.” I step







