Page 28 of Faking with Three

Her cheeks flush, and she looks down, a shy smile tugging at her lips. “Thanks. It’s been a lot of hard work.”

I can’t take it anymore. I step forward, my hands clenching into fists at my sides. “Cut.”

“Ethan,” Olivia snaps, turning to me with fire in her eyes. “What now?”

I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. I have no good excuse this time.

Jax throws his hands up in exasperation. “Seriously, man? What’s the problem? You’ve cut like, five times already.”

I stammer, floundering for a reason that doesn’t make me sound like a jealous idiot. “I just... I want it to be perfect, okay?”

Marcus leans back, looking entirely too pleased with himself. “Or maybe you don’t want it happening at all.”

“Shut up, Marcus,” I snap.

He laughs, shaking his head. “Hey, I’m just saying. It’s pretty clear what’s going on here.”

Shit, I almost forgot what Marcus does for a living.

I can feel Olivia’s eyes scrutinizing me, trying to figure out what the hell is wrong with me. I avoid her gaze, turning back to the camera setup and adjusting a lens that doesn’t actually need adjusting.

“Fine,” she says, her voice clipped. “We’ll do it again. But this is the last time, Ethan. I’m serious.”

“Got it,” I mumble, feeling like a complete idiot.

“I’ll go over and readjust,” Jax says before I can stop him.

As he approaches Olivia and Marcus, I notice the slight shift in her body language—she straightens up and tucks a strand ofhair behind her ear. I swear I see her face go a little red at his proximity.

He’s talking to Marcus, but his eyes keep darting toward Olivia. A flicker of something unreadable crosses his face.

I narrow my eyes, watching the exchange from behind the lens. Jax is leaning in slightly, saying something to Marcus, but his gaze is locked on Olivia like she’s the only person in the room.

Olivia meets his gaze, and there’s this quick moment where they just stare at each other. It’s like they’re having a whole conversation with their eyes, and I can’t hear a damn word of it. Marcus seems oblivious, chuckling as he leans back in his chair.

What the hell is going on there?I wonder. I make a mental note to ask him about it later. Right now, I need to stay focused on the shoot. Jax returns to where I am, blowing a breath out of his mouth.

I give a thumbs up to signal that I’m about to start rolling again when, out of nowhere, a woman strides up to the table. She looks like she’s in her late thirties, but it’s hard to tell—her makeup is flawless, her dark hair styled into a sleek bob. She’s dressed in a tailored blazer that probably costs more than my rent, paired with jeans and heels that click against the polished wooden floor with every step. There’s a certain haughty confidence in the way she carries herself, like she owns the place.

“Uh, who the hell is that?” Jax murmurs.

She’s striding over like she owns the place.

Oh, no. I know her.

It takes me a second to place the face, but then it clicks. Charlie Green. I recognize her from a WeTube scandal a couple of years back. She’s one of those self-proclaimed investigative journalists who spends her time digging up dirt on creators and stirring up drama.

This is bad.

I barely have time to react before she’s standing at the table, leaning in with a faux-friendly smile. “Well, well, well. Isn’t this interesting?” she says, her voice dripping with condescension.

Marcus straightens up, clearly taken aback. Olivia’s eyes narrow. She doesn’t know who Charlie is—hell, Marcus probably doesn’t either. They just look confused, like they’re trying to figure out why this woman is interrupting their date.

“Can we help you?” Marcus asks, keeping his voice polite but firm.

“Oh, I think you can,” Charlie says, pulling out her phone and pointing it towards them. “I’m Charlie Green, I run the channel ‘Unmasked Truths.’ I couldn’t help but notice you’re filming something here. Love Lab, isn’t it?”

Jax turns his head slightly, his smile faltering. He wasn’t expecting this either. “We’re in the middle of shooting,” he says, trying to step in between Charlie and the table. “Do you mind giving us a little space?”

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