Chapter 3
A week later, I joined the cast of the new movie, "Light in the Darkness." To my surprise, Oliver turned out to be the leading man.
"You never told me you were in this movie." I frowned at Oliver, eyeing him from my spot in the dressing room as he finished up his styling.
He was dressed in a vintage suit, his hair perfectly styled like a gentleman. He looked so good, I couldn't look away.
"Surprise," he said.
Oliver came closer, bracing one hand on my makeup table. He then leaned in and whispered in my ear, "Being a husband-and-wife duo makes for better buzz, doesn't it?"
His breath brushed against my ear, and my heart skipped a beat.
I forced myself to stay calm. "This is an art film. We don't need any hype."
"Who said I came here for hype?" Oliver chuckled. "I'm here to act seriously. And, well, keep my newlywed wife company."
"It's just a marriage of convenience," I reminded him.
"The contract never said we couldn't let the lines blur," he teased.
Oliver's fingers traced softly along my cheek before he straightened up. "Let's get this started, Mrs. Webster."
The very first scene was an intimate one. The director wanted us to bring out the chemistry and tension between lovers.
"Action!"
Oliver's gaze changed instantly. It was intense, full of deep emotion as he looked into my eyes. His fingers softly brushed my cheek, and he slowly leaned in.
Just as his lips were about to meet mine, a sudden commotion broke out on set.
"Mr. Smith! You can't come in! We're filming!" someone shouted.
Daniel ignored the staff and strode onto the set. His gaze burned into Oliver and me, who were practically glued together.
"Audrey," he said, his voice husky. "We need to talk."
The director called "Cut," and everyone turned to stare at the three of us, the air thick with gossip.
I shot Daniel a cold look. "I'm working."
Daniel pleaded, "Just five minutes. Sarah said you retweeted her post because you were jealous. I don't believe you're that kind of person..."
I almost burst out laughing. "Daniel, are you out of your mind? Jealous? Me?"
Oliver slipped his arm around my waist and drawled, "Mr. Smith, isn't it a bit inappropriate to interrupt us at work?"
Daniel's face darkened. "Oliver, this is between Audrey and me!"
"She's my wife now. Her business is my business," Oliver declared, pulling me closer.
The set went dead silent, everyone holding their breath and watching the real-life drama play out.
I let out a sigh and said to the director, "Give me ten minutes to deal with my private matter."
Then I led Oliver and Daniel to the lounge.
As soon as the door closed, Daniel blurted out, "Audrey, I know you're upset, but you can't just marry Oliver out of spite! Don't you realize what kind of guy he is?"
"Oh? Care to enlighten me?" Oliver said, a smirk on his face.
"He's a total playboy! He switches girlfriends faster than he changes his clothes!"
Daniel glared at Oliver. "You're not good enough for Audrey!"
Oliver just laughed, totally unfazed. "At least I wouldn't ditch my wife on the day we got married to be with another woman."
Daniel was at a loss for words, then turned to me. "Audrey, Sarah's pregnancy was an accident, but I have to take responsibility. Just give me some time. Wait until the baby's born..."
I cut him off. "Daniel, it's over between us. I didn't marry Oliver out of spite. I did it because I realized he's ten thousand times better than you."
Oliver raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by my words.
"You don't love him!" Daniel blurted out, his voice shaking with emotion.
"And do you love me?" I shot back at him. "If you did, would you have left me on our wedding day to be with Sarah? Would you have slept with her in our own bed? Would you really expect me to raise the child you two had together?"
Daniel was left speechless.
"There was never love between us. Not from the beginning. It was just business." I kept my tone ice-cold. "Now the deal's with someone else. That's all there is to it."
Daniel's face was stormy. "You'll regret this!"
He stormed out, slamming the door behind him, and the lounge was quiet once more.
Oliver let out a low whistle. "Wow! Maybe I should thank Daniel for being such a fool. I just snagged a wife without even trying."
I shot him a look. "Don't get cocky. This marriage is just a contract."
"Oh, is that right?" Oliver moved in suddenly, trapping me between him and the wall. "So tell me, why was your heart racing when you claimed I'm ten thousand times better than him?"
How could he possibly know? I kept my cool and replied, "That's just what good actors do."
Oliver chuckled softly, lifting my chin with his fingertips. "Audrey, you know what? Whenever you lie, your right eye blinks just a tiny bit."
Before I could say a word, his lips crashed down on mine.
The kiss was sudden and impossible to resist. Oliver's lips were warm and commanding, forcing their way past my defenses.
I should've pushed him away, but as if I was under some kind of spell, I found myself kissing him back.
When we finally broke apart, breathless, Oliver's eyes sparkled with triumph. "Looks like your body's way more honest than your words."
Flustered and embarrassed, I snapped, "We're on set! We need to get back to work!"
Oliver chuckled and let me go. "Your wish is my command, my queen of the set."