The Paparazzo

“Aunt Anna, this is all your fault.” I said slapping my temples. My blind date was sitting at the far end waiting for me like he was the Grim Reaper.

I didn't need a seer to tell me that this date would be the perfect description of ruin. The place looked so fancy, it seemed to have a secret rule about having a Lamborghini packed somewhere before you had to step in.

The air smelled of truffle oil and something else that would pay for my house rent in six months, and the lighting made everything feel like it was from one of those romantic dramas which I hated.

Then I saw him.

Joachim Knight. Cold- hearted, popular billionaire lawyer in Manhattan and supposedly, my blind date for the evening. My stomach twisted. Of all the people my family could have set me up with, it had to be him — the same man I had been secretly taking his photos and selling online .

Yes, I was the Woodsman, the secret paparazzo who had a knack for taking celebrities photos when they least expected it.

He sat at the table, wearing an impeccably charcoal black customized suit and a look of boredom on his face.

“You are late,” he said. His voice was not just cold; it was unnaturally still, with an absence of warmth so profound it felt ancient.

I rolled my eyes. “ Sorry, your majesty.”

He raised an eyebrow, easily unimpressed, his eyes sizing me up.

I couldn't blame him, I was wearing a ‘borrowed’ dress from Aunt Anna. I didn't know where she buys her dresses from but I look like an eighteenth century time traveler.

I sat down across from him, my heart pounding. It wasn’t because he was handsome and popular, far from that, my heart was hammering because I was about to spend an entire evening with the man I had been stalking and selling his photos.

How was I supposed to pretend that I didn’t know exactly who he was?

The waiter arrived. He glanced from me to Joachim, also back to me. I was quite sure if he was trying to understand if we had both lost our way.

"Good evening, Sir, Ma'am," the waiter said nervously, easily picking up on the awkwardness in the air." May I take your orders?"

Joachim didn’t even look up from his phone, his jaw set.

I bit my lower lip, tapping my fingers nervously against the table. The silence stretched on longer than I watched to admit.

Eventually, he put the phone down just long enough to stare at the menu."I’ll have the steak," he said flatly without even asking what I had cared for.

I turned to the waiter.

“I think french fries —”

But he wouldn't let me finish as he snorted, making the waiter jump.

“French what?” He asked, staring at me like I had ordered for a plate of deeply fried cockroaches. “If you want French fries why did we come here?” He began to scroll through his phone again. “Seems Coq au Vin is a joke to you.”

He had really embarrassed me in front of the waiter and I was sure the next time I come here— if there would be a next— the waiter would never take me seriously.

“Mind your business.” I retorted.

But he didn't say anything and I turned to the waiter, suddenly losing my appetite.

“Just get me anything.”

He chortled audibly, and I swear, I could feel the temperature drop by five degrees.

I bit my lower lip, trying to suppress the appetite to retort, but before I could, the waiter was back, looking like he was about to enter the ring for a boxing match.

“ Has anyone decided? ” he asked, glancing nervously between us.

I glanced at Joachim, also back at the server.

" We’ll both have the steak," I said snappily, realizing that neither of us was going to get anything we actually wanted.

Joachim looked like he wanted to say something — likely another snarky comment about my “ low norms ” — but before he could, the waiter gave a relieved nod and danced down to put in the order.

For a moment, silence fell between us, thick and awkward. I hated every nanosecond of it.

I cleared my throat, trying to break it.

" So any big cases recently, or is it all just ‘counsel stuff ’ to you? ”

Joachim didn’t even look up from his phone." I don’t talk about work on dates."

I rolled my eyes so hard I thought they might hit each other.

" Arrogant frog." I said under my breath and I knew he heard me.

He eventually looked up from his phone, his expression unreadable. "Can you just stop talking, it's called a blind date for a reason.”

I narrowed my eyes at him and shook my head.

In all my years of going on dates, this was so far the worst. It looked like I was in hell already.

We sat in silence for another awkward moment before the waiter returned with our food. The steak looked fine. Not that I cared. I wasn’t here for food; I was here because I was supposed to enjoy the New Year celebration like every normal person but I'm here at 7:00 pm stuck with this perfect devil for the rest of the evening.

And just as he picked the wine glass, it stopped close to his lips and he gave me a hard look.

“I should have known.” He said as he stared at me like I had stolen his wallet.

My fork fell to the plate and my stomach dropped. He recognized me?

"it's you. Good gracious."

“It's not what you think,” I blurted out. “I'm not that kind of person. I'm a star agent, you know…” I said, swallowing hard. “Working with actors, and you see this date thing, it was completely my aunt's idea.”

I was rambling. I could feel the words piling up before I could stop them, but I couldn’t help myself. I was dead broke and getting into another scandal wasn't something I wanted.

I felt the need to leave, to escape, before he could say anything.

Good heavens, not now.

But just as I snatched my bag and made a quick exit, I realized something that made me look stupid.

Joachim was just staring at me. No words, nothing just staring at me.

He gave a curt nod at the phone he had slid in my direction and gave a silent command. *Take it.*

I hesitated before picking it up. with shaky hands. My breath hitched when I saw the videotape on his screen.

There, in a blog, was a clip of me in a heated argument with none other than Tessa Miller, a popular actress known for her part in that big-budget action film everyone was obsessed with last summer.

I felt my face flush with heat as the memories of that day came rushing back, the actress had been rude, making snide reflections about the way I looked.

And I, being the professional that I am, had snapped back, and we ended up in a public exchange of words, and she had slapped me.

The videotape went viral, and my name was all over the tabloids. But now, on Joachim’s phone, the embarrassment was unstoppable.

I exhaled, a mixture of shame and relief surging through me.

Shame because the videotape had spread like a campfire.

Relief, because he didn't find out that I was The Woodsman.

And would I stop after having almost been caught?

Hell No.

He gave me the dirtiest look ever and a look that said a thousand words, particularly, Is- this-how- you - want - to - live-your - life?

“ Well, well. What’s this?" he drawled. "The best star agent herself,” he said, his words dripping with amusement.

All of my life, every bloody second of existing, I had never felt so embarrassed before.

Damn Tessa Miller, damn the agency and damn this wicked man posing as my date.

I couldn’t stop the sharp retort that slipped out of my mouth.

“ Oh, spare me, Mr. Knight. “

He lifted his brows, surprised.

“That was none of your business,” I said, folding my arms across my chest. “You have no right to poke your nose in my private life.”

His eyes narrowed as he smirked.

“Private life indeed. You are already making waves with that video. You had better quit your job and focus more on being on more scandals. Who knows, one might drag you into trouble, and you will need my help.

I would rather live in the desert than accept his help.

“If I die today, there is something I will always regret, even in my next life,” I said to him, my voice breaking.

“Which is it?” He grinned, and I swear he looked so handsome, but who cares when he has a degree at being so annoying.

"Ever meeting you," I shot back at him. “I hope you remain single for the rest of your life.” I said and threw the serviette at his face and before he could pull it away, I did one thing. I gulped down the two glasses of wine and ran out.