Chapter Twenty five

Alaska takes big strides as he walks back to his study. He knows his words will actually hurt her and that is exactly what he wanted. Those words are not only for Ariel but for himself too. He notices he has been changing and feels different from the person he knew himself to be whenever he was with Ariel. 

He thinks it is dangerous for him, so he wants to use those words to set boundaries between them, because he knew he will have to return her back to Jack after the contract is over. He sits on the chair in his study and bring out the contract, he stares at it for a long time and sigh. 

Then he brought his tobacco and lights it, he takes a big gulp from the tobacco feeling bad for hurting Ariel with his words. He will rather let her misunderstand him. 

The photoshoot was schedule for the next day. 

After what Alaska told her yesterday, Ariel has been feeling so bad. She had wanted to believe those words she heard from Alaska’s men though she doubt it will be a lie, but she thinks it might be true. 

In the morning, she kept thinking again.

“I am really not worthy of his money?” She thinks, still feeling angry about what Alaska said to her. 

“Ma’am, the boss asks for you” Sissy came to call her. 

“Alright” Ariel knows it must be time to go for the photoshoot. She walks downstairs to meet with Alaska who was already in the car waiting for her to join him. 

She slowly enters the car like Alaska was invisible, she already realized he married her for duties and what she has to do is to carry out her duties well. And until she finds a way to expose him for what he did to Jack and her, she will make sure to carry out her duties only.  

Throughout their journey to the photo studio, Ariel did not behave like Alaska was presence in the car. From time to time, Alaska will try to glance at her but she pretends as if she did not notice him at all and only presses her phone.

Alaska frowns wondering if there is something really interesting on the phone. 

They finally get to the photo studio which was prepared by power babies and products company. 

The studio buzzed with movements, assistants adjusting lights, photographers talking about angles, the stylists already start to work on Ariel and Alaska for the photoshoot. 

Alaska was made to wear a crisp white button – up shirt, the sleeve rolled to the forearms, paired with light gray slacks. It looks simple, clean but softened by the rolled sleeve making Alaska look less formal but more like a father figure. No tie, the collar opened suggesting comfort. 

The theme is to portray newly expecting couple at the comfort of their home. 

Ariel walks in, she looks radiant in the light cream knit dress which she wore, up to knee – length, with a soft cardigan over her shoulders. The dress looks comfortable yet graceful, making her look approachable, like a mother at home expecting her child. 

Alaska looks stunned by Ariel’s look, he seems to feels some sort of surge in his heart but could not understand what feelings that is.  

“You look…. Good” Alaska did not know when those words escape out of his mouth as he stares at Ariel. Ariel wonders what has come over him, but those words seem to make her beam. 

They stare at each other without breaking eye contacts.

“Alright, alright” the director’s voice makes them realize they have been staring at each other. Ariel quickly turns away.

“For the first shoot, we have to portray homely love between the expecting parents” the director face both Ariel and Alaska to explain what they have to do. 

“In the comfort of your home, looking forward to hold your baby, sitting together on the sofa, Mr. Alaska will hold his wife while she holds the baby’s blanket” 

Ariel looks surprise that she will be that close to Alaska to have the photoshoot. She wonders how they were going to do that without their cover out. 

“Let’s start” 

Alaska walks to the sofa, but Ariel was skeptical, she slowly walks to the sofa sitting separate from Alaska. 

The people there look surprise to see Ariel sitting separate from Alaska. Looking at their faces, Alaska knew they might start to get suspicious. He instantly pulls Ariel with a swing towards himself, Ariel froze with his sudden touch, she did not expect him to pull her to himself like. 

Alaska looks into her eyes. 

“You don’t want anyone to know this is fake right?” he said to her in a low voice. Ariel could still not get over his touch. 

“Relax, Mrs. Alaska” the voice of the director makes her snaps.

“You just have to face this side holding the baby’s blanket while Mr. Alaska wrap his hands round your waist” 

Ariel looks nervous but she turns her face away to the side where the director has instructed, holding the baby’s blanket, she swallows the lump clutch in her throat nervously.

She and Alaska had kissed before, and had even slept on the same bed but staying together in such position with people around makes her nervous and something does not feel right with her, with the way Alaska was so closely holding her waist. 

“Yes, that’s right” she hears the director say. 

“Mr. Alaska, you have to show how intimate you are with your wife” 

Alaska wonders what he should do, he could see that Ariel was on edge with their pose, so to make thing faster. He slowly places his head gently on her shoulder while holding her waist to his body, closing his eyes.

At that moment, he could only feel of one thing: peace. Ariel turns her face to look at him, surprise that he places his head on her shoulder. 

“Yes!” 

Click, click, click. The photographer clicks the camera in the moment, catching a beautiful and affectionate pose. 

 “Good!”

Ariel quickly moves away from Alaska, she wonders why he will place his head on her shoulder. But Alaska act as if nothing happens. 

“Let’s go with something simple. You two will share the blanket now and smile at each other like you are holding your baby in your hands” 

It was supposed to be an easy pose since they only have to hold the baby’s blanket and will not touch each other. But Alaska’s fingers incidentally brushed Ariel’s palm as if giving her a secret signal. She looks to his face, the smile she sees on his face feel too real, too intimate like it was deliberate, the world seems to stop at that moment.

Click. The camera caught it. 

They move to another pose, holding baby bottle and others, each moment brought them closer. 

Then the last setup,

“Protective pose” the director said. 

“Mr. Alaska, you will have to stand beside your wife in a protective way. Mrs. Alaska will lean on Mr. Alaska”

Alaska stands in position, but Ariel hesitates to lean towards him, her pulse quickening. 

“It’s fine” Alaska whispers to her.  

Ariel leaned back, fitting against him as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

Clicks. 

 “That’s a wrap!” the photographer said. Ariel wanted to immediately step away because her heart was betraying her with the closeness from the pose, but she missed her steps. Alaska catches her in time stopping her from falling, he pulls her to himself. But before either of them could guess it, their lips touched, Ariel’s cheeks flush red.

The kiss was soft, like the brush of sunlight through the studio, but it feels real and undeniable. It wasn’t rehearsed; it wasn’t planned, but in that moment, they seem to have been lost in each other, forgetting to move. 

The photographer instantly caught the moment, Alaska gently wrapping Ariel in his embrace with a gentle kiss. 

It doesn’t look like just a pose but like a proof of something genuine. Like the beginning of a love story.