Danera gasped in shock as the door suddenly opened, and the handsome face of her boss stared out. A camera hung around his neck.
"Danera, what are you doing at the door? You're already late for work and haven't notified me since yesterday." The man stood in front of Danera while crossing his arms in front of his chest and looked at her with an artificially fierce expression.
Frans Asher, a photographer and owner of F&D Asher studio, was Danera's boss. Frans is a 27-year-old man; he has charming facial features and a tall, straight nose. His handsome face makes Frans very popular with models and actresses. Frans also often appeared in famous magazines because the photoshoot results were very professional.
"Frans, sorry... I didn't plan to come to work today." Danera smiled apologetically.
Danera worked as a fashion stylist at Frans' studio. Their relationship was quite close because Danera worked when Frans was just starting to build the studio.
"Oh, then why did you come today?" Frans looked at her with raised eyebrows.
"I came because there's something I want to talk to you about."
"Well, that's for later. Since you're here, you have to help me. The studio is very busy because we have a big project, and I need a nimble fashion stylist like you."
Danera didn't have time to enter because Frans went straight inside. She sighed and followed Frans into the studio. They walked into a very large room.
When she entered, she could actually see some employees organizing the clothes worn by models and others busy dressing other models. The rest were pacing back and forth, doing their respective jobs. It really looked very busy. There were a total of ten models doing the shoot.
Frans returned to his place to give directions to the staff and models.
"Danera, come here and quickly help the models arrange the clothes."
"Okay!" Danera's mood lifted, and she was eager to organize the models' outfits. She soon forgot about the problems she was facing.
***
"So, what did you want to talk about earlier?" Frans said after finishing a bottle of bottled water. He offered Danera another bottle of water.
"Thank you, Frans." Danera accepted the water bottle given by her boss.
The photoshoot was finally over after four hours. Danera sat across from Frans in the break room. The other staff were eating in another room.
"Frans, I'm going to stop working at the studio," Danera announced her resignation.
Frans was stunned by Danera's words and said, "Why are you resigning? Is working for me so hard?"
"It's not like that, Frans. I love working with you.."
"Then why do you want to resign now?" Frans crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked at Danera sharply.
"I... I have family matters to take care of. I may not be able to come to work as often as I used to. That's why I want to resign so that you can hire someone else." Danera said reluctantly while wringing her hands on the table.
She was reluctant to leave the job she loved so much. But Danera had to close her identity as 'Danera Gillard' and become 'Doriane Gillard,' Zayn Wilde's wife in the eyes of others.
To others, Danera is like a person who never existed and a girl who eloped with another man.
"Family matters? Your parents love your twin brother more and have always ignored you in the Gillard family. Let them take care of their problems. Why should you take care of your family problems?" Frans said sharply, feeling that it was unfair to Danera.
He knew a little about Danera's life as a child who was never considered and had parents who were so favoritism.
Frank already considered Danera an important colleague. Danera was his first partner when he started his photo studio and became a professional photographer. She had been with him for four years.
Danera forced a smile onto her face. "I had no other choice. My family matters were so important that I couldn't ignore my family."
"Then what about your sister? Doesn't she help with your family matters?"
Danera couldn't answer and looked down sluggishly.
Frank's brow furrowed. His expression looked worried. He took Danera's hand and squeezed it gently. "Danera, what's really going on? I can see you're reluctant to resign. What happened in your family that caused you to resign? We've been working for four years, and you can tell me about your problems."
Danera looked at her with reddened eyes. Her heart ached for the concern Frans showed her. Danera had no friends close to her, and her parents were very favoritism. Only Frans was considered a close person.
Danera took a deep breath. "Do you remember me telling you that my twin sister is getting married?"
"Yes, is there a problem with the wedding?"
"My sister ran away with another man and left the groom at the party. I... I had to take Doriane's place in the wedding to save my family."
Frans' eyes widened in surprise. "Why did you have to do that? They are so selfish to force you to marry in place of your sister!"
He was furious to hear that Danera was being forced to marry in place of her sister, who had run away with another man. But deep down, she was jealous. Frans had liked Danera since he started working with her four years ago.
Danera accompanied him when Frans was just opening a small, unpopular studio, and they went through many ups and downs together until he became a famous photographer.
Many people underestimated Frans, and his powerful rivals tried to step on him because his photography talent was so eye-catching. Danera was by Frans' side, helping him get clients with her hard work and ability to talk up to clients.
Danera is actually not the quiet, sweet-talking girl her parents thought she was. She only used her skills in her work because the Gillard family never cared about her.
"I had no other choice. If I don't replace Doriane, the Gillard family will be ruined for offending Doriane's future husband's family." Danera sighed.
"How powerful is your sister's future husband's family to make your family afraid?" Frans frowned, not understanding.
The Gillard family could be said to be quite prominent. Frans knew because he had heard about the Gillard family from Danera several times. But he didn't know who the man was who married Danera and replaced Doriane.
Danera seemed hesitant to tell Frans about the Wilde family. But Frans was the only one who was close enough to her.
"Do you know the Wilde Group?"
"Yes, the famous conglomerate family in the Capital. Everyone in this city knows about that family. What's wrong with them?" Frans' expression looked strange at the mention of the Wilde family.
"That's the family my sister is going to marry into. Zayn Wilde was her husband-to-be, and now I'm replacing her to marry Zayn."