Masuk“Are you okay?” Aria’s soft voice sent shivers down my spine.We were heading back to our rooms and she insisted on walking me to mine first. I agreed because my mind is occupied. “Yeah…” I said, although I know that I am not.Thali’s confession doesn’t really bother me anymore, especially after all that happened yesterday. But now that she reminded me of it again, I am starting to think about it more.Why does she have to bring it up again? Although, I’m still thankful that she didn’t change the way she is towards me when we’re working.At the door of my room, there was a small gift laying on the floor.I stopped walking.Aria noticed immediately. “What is it?”“I… I don’t know.” My voice came out quieter than I intended.The box was small, wrapped neatly in plain brown paper. No ribbon. No card visible. Just my name written on top in clean, careful handwriting.Ena.My stomach twisted.I crouched slowly, picking it up like it might disappear if I hesitated too long. It was light, b
Aria is patiently waiting for me at the nearest coffee shop. She was wearing a simple white dress that hugged her body perfectly. Her shades on, a book on her left, and an iced coffee in front of her.Her eyes drifted on me—intentionally. I blushed as I realized that she’s been there all this time, watching me work. She waited for me patiently while I walked too slowly to calm myself.“Hey!” She greeted me as I approached her.“Hi,” I answered, quietly.“What do you want to drink?” she asked as she offered me the chair beside her. I slid into the chair beside her, the woven seat cool against my legs. Up close, she smelled like coffee and something familiar—something that made my chest loosen without permission.“Just iced latte,” I said. “No sugar.”She smiled, already standing. “Still the same.”I watched her walk to the counter, the easy confidence in her steps, the way she blended into the afternoon crowd like she belonged everywhere she chose to be. When she came back, she placed
My phone vibrated again in my hand.THALI CALLING.My chest tightened.I sat up too fast, the sheet slipping down my shoulder as panic rushed in. The morning light filtered through the curtains, soft and unforgiving. This was real now. Not hidden behind night or excuses.Another buzz.I answered the call without thinking. “M-miss Ena?” Thali’s voice sounded hesitant but firm. “It’s almost call time. Are you inside?”I froze. Then—I heard knocking again from the other line.My mind raced, scrambling for a solution that didn’t exist. I hadn’t told anyone I changed rooms. I hadn’t told anyone Aria was here. I hadn’t told anyone anything.“Miss Ena? I’ve been calling you. Are you okay?”Behind me, Aria shifted, stirring slightly.I pressed a hand over my mouth, my heart hammering so loudly.“I’m okay,” I said, forcing my voice to sound steady. Awake. Normal. “Just—just give me a minute.”There was a pause on the other line.“A minute?” Thali repeated. “You usually answer right away.”The
The shoreline shoot felt different.The sun had already dipped lower, casting a softer glow across the sand. The heat was gentler now, more forgiving, and the wind carried the steady rhythm of the waves. The set was quieter too, as if everyone instinctively knew this part required less instruction and more instinct.“Same energy,” Luis said, adjusting his lens. “Just closer to the water.”I nodded and stepped onto the sand, letting it sink beneath my feet. The bikini clung slightly now, damp at the edges from the spray of the sea. Assistants hovered for a moment, fixing straps, smoothing fabric, then stepped back again.“Whenever you’re ready,” Luis added.This time, I didn’t wait.I walked toward the shoreline, letting the water kiss my ankles, my calves. I lifted my chin, eyes half-lidded, not posing but existing. That was always the goal. To make it look effortless. Like I belonged there.The camera clicked steadily.“Turn,” Luis said.I turned.“Pause.”I paused.A breeze pushed m
The meeting ended, but the unease didn’t.People stood, chairs scraped softly against the floor, conversations bloomed in low, excited murmurs. Someone laughed. Someone else talked about lighting angles and tides. The energy in the room felt light—hopeful, even.I felt completely out of place.As everyone began packing up, my eyes drifted to my hands resting on my lap. They were steady now, at least on the surface, but I could still feel the echo of the note pressed against my skin, as if the words had burned themselves into me.Always look over your shoulder.I forced myself to breathe.This was work. I need to focus. I told myself that whatever happened back in my room was done. Over. Locked behind a door I wasn’t going to open again.But fear doesn’t disappear just because you ask it to.“Ena.”I looked up at the sound of my name. Martha stood a few steps away, arms crossed, expression already back in her professional mode.“You look tense, are you okay?”I nodded. “Yes.”She pause
I froze for a moment, and all I could do was stare at the paper.It lay there on the floor like a trap—small, harmless-looking, but radiating a kind of quiet threat that coiled around my spine. My fingers curled tightly around my phone, knuckles turning pale, and on the other end of the line, Aria kept calling my name like she was trying to pull me back from somewhere dark.“Ena. Say something. Please.”Her voice trembled just slightly, and that was the only thing keeping me from falling apart.“I’m still here…” I managed. “I just—Aria, someone actually left something. They shoved it under my door.”A shaky breath slipped past my lips.“What kind of note?” she demanded.“I… I don’t know yet.”I stared at it for another beat, rooted to the spot. It felt like moving any closer would make everything real in a way I wasn’t ready for yet. Like taking that one step would let fear seep into places I couldn’t shut out again.Aria must’ve sensed my hesitation because her voice softened. “Ena,







