THE BEGINNING OF AN ERA

Laura

The second I stepped onto the set of The Last Ember, every single person turned to look at me.

My stomach immediately tightened.

The massive soundstage buzzed with controlled chaos. Crew members rushed around carrying lighting equipment. Makeup artists stood near the trailers holding coffee cups and clipboards. Cameras worth millions of dollars.

And somehow, despite all the movement around me, it still felt like everybody was staring directly at me.

Whispering and judging.

The new face of Titan Media.

Quinn Cardiff’s mysterious wife.

The invisible woman who had somehow transformed into Hollywood’s newest obsession overnight.

I swallowed hard and tightened my grip around the script in my hands.

Calm down Laura, you are beautiful. No one here comes close, you worked hard for this, bask in it.

I kept reassuring myself but it didn't work. Especially not with those tabloids getting more viral every minute.

“You okay?”

I looked up.

Quinn stood beside me wearing a black wool coat over a dark button-up shirt, his tattooed throat partially visible beneath the collar. His sharp blue eyes scanned my face carefully.

“I’m fine,” I lied quickly.

After all he'd done to make sure I had this? I couldn't disappoint him by letting him know that I couldn't handle it.

His expression said he didn’t believe me for even a second.

The director suddenly clapped his hands loudly near the cameras.

“Places, everyone!”

My chest tightened even more.

This was it.

My first real scene.

My first real chance to prove I deserved to be here.

Then the director made his way towards me, his clipboard still in his hand.

“Ah, the star of the show. You must be Laura, my pleasure to meet you" he gave me quick kisses on both cheeks.

“It's a pleasure to meet you too, I can't wait to start" I replied. My voice coming out confident and sure, due to months of training.

“Good, good. They'll lead you to your position" he swallowed pointing to a group of people who I assumed were crew members but due to how corporate they were dressed, I put my best bet that they were assistants.

I followed one of the assistants toward the set, my heels clicking nervously against the polished floor.

The entire scene had been built to look like a luxury hotel lobby. Crystal chandeliers hung overhead while fake marble pillars surrounded the center staircase.

And standing near the cameras already in costume was my co-star.

Damien Cross.

One of the biggest actors in Hollywood.

Tall. Blonde. Beautiful.

The kind of man magazines called heartbreakingly handsome.

His eyes landed on me instantly.

Then he smiled politely.

“Laura,” he greeted smoothly, holding out his hand. “Nice to finally meet you, Quinn has said wonderful things about you.”

I shook it quickly. “You too.”

My palms were sweating, I only hoped he wouldn't notice.

“You nervous?” Damien asked quietly.

“A little.”

“That’s normal.” He leaned slightly closer. “Half the people here are terrified of Quinn, not you.”

A nervous laugh escaped me before I could stop it.

“Ready for rehearsal!” the assistant director shouted.

Everyone immediately moved faster.

I walked toward my mark on the floor, trying not to think about the hundreds of eyes watching me.

This was everything I ever wanted.

So why did I suddenly feel like that insecure girl again?

The girl who couldn’t fit into designer gowns.

The girl Hemsworth hid from cameras.

The girl people laughed at.

“Quiet on set!”

The room instantly fell silent.

My heartbeat pounded loudly inside my ears.

The director pointed toward me. “Laura, remember, your character just discovered Damien betrayed her. You’re angry, but underneath that anger, she still loves him. Got it?”

I nodded quickly.

“Good. Cameras rolling!”

The giant camera moved toward us.

My mouth suddenly went dry.

“Action!”

Damien stepped toward me perfectly, completely in character already.

“You should’ve trusted me,” he said sharply.

That was my cue.

I opened my mouth but nothing came out.

My mind went completely blank.

The silence stretched horribly across the set.

Crew members exchanged looks.

My heart dropped straight into my stomach.

“I...” My voice cracked. “I’m sorry.”

The director sighed loudly.

“It’s okay,it's just rehearsal” he said, although he didn’t sound okay. “Let’s reset.”

Embarrassment burned through my body.

Why was this happening?

I forced myself to breathe as makeup artists rushed toward me to touch up my face.

Around me, whispers quietly started spreading.

“She’s nervous.”

“I heard she’s never acted before.”

“Titan really risked everything on her.”

“I thought Quinn Cardiff only hired professionals.”

Every word felt like a knife sliding under my skin.

I stared down at the floor, pretending not to hear them.

Maybe they were right.

Maybe I didn’t belong here.

Maybe this whole transformation was just not worth it.

“Ready again!” the director called.

I stepped back onto my mark.

My hands were shaking now.

“Action!”

Damien delivered his line flawlessly again.

“You should’ve trusted me.”

“I did trust you,” I replied too quickly. “That’s why this hurts so much.”

Wrong line.

Completely wrong line.

The script supervisor immediately lowered her pen.

The director rubbed a stressed hand down his face.

A few people in the background actually laughed quietly.

Humiliation crashed into me so hard my eyes started burning.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered again. My eyes searched the small crowd for Quinn but he wasn't there.

I was all in my own.

The murmuring got louder this time.

“This is a disaster.”

“Did Quinn push her too fast?”

I suddenly couldn’t breathe properly.

Every insecurity I thought I buried over the last seven months came rushing back all at once.

Too awkward.

Too emotional.

Too inexperienced.

Not enough.

Never enough.

“Take five,” the director said tightly.

I turned quickly before anyone could see the tears gathering in my eyes.

But the second I stepped away from the cameras, Quinn appeared directly in front of me, I nearly jumped because I hadn't seen him there.

God. Had he been here all along to witness my terrible fail?

“Laura.”

“I can’t do this,” I whispered shakily. “They were right. I don’t belong here.”

“Yes, you do.”

“No, Quinn, listen to them.” My voice cracked painfully. “They think I’m a joke.”

His expression hardened instantly.

“I don’t care what they think.”

“But I forgot my lines.”

“You forgot two lines,” he corrected calmly. “That doesn’t make you a failure.”

I looked away from him, ashamed.

Quinn stepped closer.

Then, very gently, he took my hand.

Just firmly enough to steady me.

“Look at me,” he said quietly.

I forced myself to.

His blue eyes held mine completely.

“You survived Hemsworth Deluca,” Quinn murmured. “A movie set should not scare you more than that man did.”

A weak breath escaped me.

“You are not the girl he destroyed anymore, Laura.”

Something inside my chest loosened slightly.

Around us, the crew kept moving nervously, pretending not to watch.

Quinn squeezed my hand once before letting go.

“Take a breath,” he said softly. “Then go remind them why I chose you.”

I closed my eyes briefly.

One breath.

Then another.

When I opened them again, Quinn nodded toward the cameras.

I turned and walked back onto the set.

This time, my steps felt steadier.

“Ready?” the director asked carefully.

I lifted my chin.

“Ready.”

Behind the monitors, Quinn’s phone buzzed.

His expression darkened slightly as he glanced at the screen.

A man wearing editing headphones stood near the back exit of the soundstage.

Quinn walked toward him quietly.

“I need your help with something,” Quinn said in a low voice.

The tech editor frowned slightly. “With what?”

Quinn’s eyes flicked briefly toward me.

Then back to him.

“Meet me outside.”.