Elle’s POV
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Three days later, I found myself standing on the outskirts of Moonshade Bay at the designated filming location, watching as the film crew bustled around preparing for their first day of shooting.
Sophia guided me toward a director’s chair that had been specially positioned under a large umbrella. At nearly eight months pregnant, I was finding it harder to stand for long periods, but the excitement of being involved in this production kept me energized.
“There she is.‘ Sophia murmured, nodding toward the makeup tent.
Mira Collins emerged, already in costume.
“Ready for your scene, Sophia?” the director called out.
Sophia squeezed my shoulder and headed toward the set. Today’s filming schedule included a scene where an Alpha punishes a Beta for betraying the pack. Sophia had been cast as the Alpha female, while Mira played the treacherous Beta.
I settled back to watch as the crew made final adjustments to the lighting.
“Action!” the director shouted.
Sophia transformed instantly. Gone was my playful friend, replaced by a cold, commanding Alpha female. She held a crystal water glass in her hand, her posture radiating authority as she faced Mira’s character.
“You betraying bitch,” Sophia snarled. “I gave you a chance to confess your mistakes, and you still dare to make excuses?”
Without warning, she hurled the glass against the wall. It shattered spectacularly, sending ice–cold water and glass shards flying. Some of the water splashed across Mira’s face, making her flinch.
“Guards!” Sophia commanded. “Teach her a lesson!”
A male Beta actor stepped forward and delivered a sharp slap across Mira’s cheek, exactly as the script called for.
But something went wrong. Instead of continuing with her lines, Mira’s composure cracked completely. She forgot she was acting, jumping to her feet and shoving the male actor hard.
“You dare hit me!‘ she screamed, her voice shrill with genuine outrage.
“Cut! CUT!” the director yelled, his face flushing red with anger. “What the hell was that, Mita? That’s not your line!”
Mira stood there looking stunned, as if she’d just realized where she was. Her cheek was bright red from the slap, and her eyes were wild.
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Chapter 272
“… I’m sorry,‘ she stammered, looking around at the annoyed faces surrounding her. I forgot… I forgot it was just acting?”
The director’s scowl deepened. This is completely unprofessional. We’re going to have to start over.”
As Mira hurried to apologize to everyone, I caught the satisfied smirk on Sophia’s face. She wasn’t even trying to hide it.
“Action” the director called again.
The same scene played out–Sophia’s commanding performance, the shattered glass, the cold water hitting Mira’s face. This time, Mira
managed to stay in character when the slap came, but I could see her jaw clench with suppressed anger.
“Again!” the director called after that take. “The lighting wasn’t quite right.”
Again, Sophia smashed a glass. Again, ice water splashed across Mira’s face. Again, the sharp crack of the slap echoed across the set.
By the fifteenth take, it was obvious to everyone–cast, crew, and observers–that Sophia was deliberately prolonging the scene. Mira had
been slapped fifteen times, and Sophia had gone through at least a dozen glasses. But no one dared to speak up.
“Cut! That’s a wrap on this scene,” the director finally called.
Sophia practically bounced over to me, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “So, did you enjoy the revenge?”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “You’re clearly the one who enjoyed getting revenge! I could see you trying not to grin every time you threw
that glass.”
“Guilty as charged,” Sophia admitted, settling into the chair beside me. “I’ve been wanting to wipe that innocent expression off Mira’s face
for months. Every time I look at her, I want to tear apart that whole poor little me act she puts on.”
She paused, glancing toward where Mira was heading to the makeup tent.
After a few minutes, she leaned closer with a mischievous look. “Want to see something interesting?”
“What kind of interesting?” I asked, though I was already curious.
Follow me,‘ she said, pulling me to my feet and leading me toward the cluster of makeup tents that served as temporary dressing rooms.
We crept quietly to the edge of one tent, and Sophia held up a finger for silence before carefully lifting the edge of the canvas just
enough for us to peek inside.
What I saw made my stomach lurch.
Mira was locked in an intimate embrace with a short, balding, decidedly unattractive werewolf man. Sophia immediately pulled out her phone and started recording.
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“Eric, Mira was saying in a sultry voice that made my skin crawl, “about thote stocks I mentioned to you last time…
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The man–Eric–tan his hands down her back possessively. “As long as you keep me satisfied, those stocks will be transferred to your
accennt.
Mira pressed closer to him. Then tonight… Ill be waiting for you in my room.”
“Perfect, Eric said with obvious satisfaction before stepping away from her.
The moment he left the tent, Sophia and I quickly stepped back from the tent, moving away before anyone could catch us.
“That guy looks familiar, Sophia muttered, frowning. “I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before.”
“Me too,” I said, my mind racing. “That body type… it’s really distinctive. Wait.” My eyes widened as the memory clicked into place. ‘I remember now! He’s one of the Rayne Group board members. I saw him during some of the board meetings I attended. But what’s he doing here meeting with Mira?”
Sophia’s expression grew serious. “This doesn’t look good. If Mira is getting involved with a Rayne Group director…”
I pulled out my phone without hesitation. This was the first time I’d called Brad since our fight, and my hands were trembling slightly as I dialed his number.
The phone rang twice before his familiar voice answered, “Hello?”
His tone was carefully neutral, but I could hear something underneath it–hope, maybe, or excitement that I was calling him.
“Brad, it’s me,” I said, getting straight to the point. “You need to be careful of Mira. I just saw her with Eric Ellen from your board of directors, and their relationship looks… inappropriate. I overheard them talking about a meeting tonight.”
There was silence on the other end of the line for a moment. When Brad spoke again, his voice was different–warmer, almost breathless.
“You’re… calling to warn me?”
I could practically hear the smile in his voice, and despite everything between us, I felt my heart skip a beat.
I’m serious, Brad. Something’s not right about this.”
“I know,” he said, his tone becoming more businesslike, though I could still detect that underlying happiness. The problem is, I can’t get away from here right now, and Alex and the others are all handling other situations. Elle… could you do me a favor? Could you keep an eye on Mira and Eric for me? Just until I can get there to handle it myself?”
I hesitated. I’d only meant to give him a heads–up, not get involved in it.
“Alright,” I said finally, my voice softer than I’d intended. Tll see what I can do.”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
