Emmaline quickly snatched her mask back and put it on.
But the damage was done. Ashton had seen her bruised face and was, for some reason, livid.
"It's nothing," Emmaline tried to brush it off.
She was confused and concerned. Why was Ashton reacting like this? They weren't a real couple or even friends…
"Don't lie to me," Ashton growled, peeling the mask back to take another look, "Don't say it was an accident either."
Emmaline blinked up at him, caught unprepared for the sudden proximity as he loomed over her.
Now that she knew he wasn't mad at her, his anger was quite impressive. She felt sorry for anyone who crossed him at work. Who would stand a chance?
Of course, her heart drumming in her chest was because of the adrenaline more than anything else. It wouldn't be anything silly like Ashton being too close to her or anything like that.
When she was silent for too long, Ashton finally fit the mask back into place and continued frowning at her.
"Was it your boyfriend?" He asked stiffly.
Emmaline's mouth fell open in shock.
"My what?" She stared at him, uncomprehendingly.
Mr Wright, if you look at the word 'single' in the dictionary, my picture will be there!
"Your boyfriend," Ashton repeated, "Tall, slim, brown hair with highlights?"
If Emmaline's jaw could physically hit the ground, it would have.
"Taylor?" She exclaimed with so much disgust that Ashton seemed momentarily distracted out of his anger. She shook her head.
Going into detail about her family life was not something she wanted to do.
"I don't have a boyfriend," She protested confusedly, "I don't even have a casual relationship. The closest thing I have to a boyfriend is you."
Ashton's narrowed green eyes widened in surprise before he continued frowning.
"So if it wasn't your boyfriend, then who did this?" He gestured to her face, frustration colouring his movements.
"It's not any of your business," Emmaline finally said, not wanting to give him her entire sob story, "We're business partners, you don't need to know any of this."
Ashton froze and his face went so blank that it was almost more terrifying than when he was angry.
"You're right, I overstepped," He said so softly that Emmaline had to strain to hear him. He sounded… Hurt? Emmaline didn't know which was worse, making him angry or hurting him.
"But Em," His green eyes were intent on her, not angry, not sad, just serious, "If you ever need help or anything, call me."
Emmaline didn't know what made her do it, but it felt natural so she reached out and patted him on the shoulder in reassurance, "I will, thank you."
What they didn't notice was a run down looking car in the distance, and a camera poking out from the rolled down window, snapping furiously away…
***
"Cut!" Director Slater called, "Good work, everyone, take five."
The crew exploded into action, changing the props and rushing to touch up the cast's make up or hair.
Despite his brooding looks and bad boy reputation, Jun Slater was a surprisingly reasonable director.
Emmaline had heard of horror stories in other productions whereby the director had forced everyone to do multiple takes over and over until some people had quit.
It was probably because Director Slater had been an actor before, which was why he wasn't a slavedriver the way other directors were.
"Oh my god, how do I get him to look at me when we're not filming?" Crystal asked through gritted teeth.
Her pale blue eyes were peppy and sparkling, just as they were in all her commercials, and her expression was still bright and happy.
In contrast, her tone was part hungry, part frustrated.
"Maybe you're not his type," Emmaline laughed before thanking the stylist who was working on her hair.
For this show, her long, wavy black hair was straightened and now, her hair fell like a waterfall down her back.
She was just thankful it wasn't pinned up under a wig.
"What is his ty- Who is that?" Crystal wasn't the only one who had noticed the woman who had come in with a crew member.
She was at least in her late thirties or even early forties, but she looked delicate. Her long lashes grazed the translucent skin of her cheekbones when she blinked.
Her hair was dark blonde and in large, loose curls that looked effortless.
If not for her plain shirt and fitted pants, she would have looked straight out of a fantasy world as a princess or a fairy.
No one could take their eyes off her, but most notably, Jun Slater.
His dark eyes were fixed on her the second she walked into the room and they never strayed.
When she finally caught sight of him, she went stock still.
Like a deer in headlights.
You could hear a pin drop in the silence that followed.
Everyone was watching these two highly attractive people lock eyes.
The tension between them was off the charts without a single word uttered.
It was Jun who broke the silence with a hoarse, "Ana."
The woman's face tightened, eyes hardening and her lips pursing.
"Don't call me that," She spoke calmly but firmly, "I didn't know it was your show we were gathering data from. I shouldn't have come."
"Georgiana," Jun sounded strained, he seemed to want to say something else before remembering that everyone on the set was staring at them.
He turned away and Emmaline felt like she was watching a real life drama unfolding right before her eyes.
All she was missing was the sad music and the popcorn.
"You're welcome to come by anytime to gather whatever data you need," Jun told her over his shoulder.
To everyone else, he barked, "Places, everyone, we're starting from the fourth scene in episode two."
Everyone leapt to life and in the chaos, Emmaline watched Georgiana slip away only to stop at the edge of the set.
From where she stood at the exit, Georgiana glanced back at Jun once before striding off.
"What just happened?" Crystal whisper screamed.
"I think… We just found out exactly what Director Slater likes," Emmaline muttered.
She tried to search her memory for any news about Jun Slater's dating rumours but came up with nothing.
"I have no clue who she is though, so it must have been a secret romance," She told Crystal before slipping away to her starting position for the scene.
"Guess you'd know all about that," A familiar and unwanted snarky voice came over her shoulder.
Emmaline raised an eyebrow at Priscilla who was also in this scene, "Really? Given how you sneaked around with my boyfriend for a good six months, I would think you have the best experience of a secret romance."
Priscilla looked smug instead of ashamed even after being called out as a boyfriend stealer.
"Oh, no, I think you can win that title," Priscilla leaned in to whisper in Emmaline's ear, "I know all about your dirty little secret."