𝚂𝚞𝚖𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝚂𝚊𝚍𝚗𝚎𝚜𝚜

Chapter 47

A/n: How's two chapters a week for updates? I'm very close to done with writing the end of this story! Words can't describe how happy it makes me to see the positive words some of you choose to write in the comments 🫶🏼

It wasn't ideal at all, but I finally decided to check what Teo had sent Charles on my phone and what he had to say about "my thoughts".

You: hope you're having fun in Saint Tropez 🙂

You: love how you've decided a good way to cope with a fight is to run away

Charles: it is better than having to ask you to tell me the same thing three hundred times.

He went there, I was honestly infuriated now. I was very much feeling blind rage right now, I was reconsidering every time I'd gotten reassurance from him, had it all been just an act for him to put up? I was so annoyed right now I don't think he deserved any of my time, I blocked his phone number and decided to focus on winding up the shoot here.

***

"This is the cutest shop I've ever seen!" Lea smiled.

"Thank you dear." Baba grinned at her.

We were finally shooting in Monaco, it had been over a week since he last spoke to me. I didn't see him around, at all. Last Sunday was the last time I saw him, he had the whole week off, he was around, that's what I'd heard from Kenji.

There were even some rumours about him being spotted with some Swiss heiress in Saint Tropez, I didn't think too much of it. Sure, he was being rude but he wouldn't stoop that low. I unblocked his phone number and slid my phone in my pocket, it was time to start filming again.

Laurent and Mika took their spots, she stood rummaging through a box of old Vinyls. The chimes rang as he entered the shop, she cursed under her breath questioning why her brother hadn't locked the door. I zoned out for a moment, it felt strange to be able to see how I met him again from this perspective. They were doing a really good job but I felt a pit in my stomach.

Baba noticed the uneasiness on my face, she whispered something to Jack, right after the scene was done he requested all of us take five. He wanted Lea to review the footage, make sure we had really gotten the shot. Both of them hovered over the computer monitor while Baba walked up to me.

"Are you feeling okay Emiko?" She placed her hand on my arm.

"Not really, but I can't let it interfere with my work." I smiled. "I'll be fine."

"You won't be unless you tell me what's bothering you?"

"I'll talk during lunch okay?"

"Promise?"

"Yes I will talk about what's on my mind during lunch." I promised.

We got the cameras rolling and the story moved ahead, multiple wardrobe changes and backdrop changes later. Baba made good friends with the actress who was playing her and it was the cutest thing ever to me, I took a picture of both the ladies chatting with big smiles on their faces.

A while later the entire crew dispersed for lunch, I took this time to talk to Laurent and Mika for the incredible job they were doing. Especially Mika, watching her through the lens made me feel like I was watching an extension of myself.

"Now tell me what's bothering you." Baba said placing a bowl of food in front of me.

"Udon!" I beamed, "you know how much I love it."

"Yes, that's why I made it! Now tell me."

"Charles. He's bothering me. Everything he's doing and the fact I'm not around him is bothering me. I even unblocked his number but he hasn't spoken to me."

"Did you try talking to him?"

"I'm too scared to, what if he just mocks me again?"

"I don't think he's that kind of person Emi, all of us say and do things in the heat of the moment that we don't mean to. Just talk to him, you, try to reconcile."

"I'll send him a message. We'll try talking over the phone later." I said.

You: I know we both said some things we don't mean and I want to sort things out. I want to talk to you when you're free

You: good luck for this weekend at Baku I'm sure you'll do good

I got back to the shop, Lea was walking them through the next scene. Jack was telling the extras what to do and what not to. I had gotten really lucky with having these two on the team, they were really keeping things together.

The cameras were rolling again, and just like that Laurent and Mika had immersed me into watching my life from the perspective of an outsider. They were so good at their jobs, the lines between reality and fiction were starting to blur. I decided to take it all in like a bystander, not get too emotional over things.

I noticed a familiar face lurking around outside the shop, Charlotte was here. I invited her to come take a seat by me, watch all the angles of the scene that played out in front of us. We spent way longer on location than I would have liked, it was finally time to wrap up for the day.

I checked my phone, still no answer from him. I pushed that aside and approached Baba and Charlotte. It was too late to find a place to dine so many people, there was no way even Teo could pull favours and have so many people together. Charlotte took charge, she made groups of people depending on what they wanted to eat and sent them off to places she had heard of that served what they wanted.

That still left both of us, Baba had already gone home, Kenji was going to cook for Laura and Baba was invited to come join them.

"Do you want to just stop by Teo's anyway?" She asked.

"I mean Elsa is one of those snobby restaurants but we could try." I shrugged. I was just exhausted and disappointed from this day, the sooner it ended the better it would feel.

I don't know what strings she pulled but we managed to get a table, I let her do the ordering because I was so sleepy words were dancing on the pages to me. She made a point to order the chef's specials, it would either let Matteo know we were here or he had obsessive fans. Either way, he would be flattered.

Eating some of the appetisers did help, I was able to get rid of the cloud of thoughts over my head and actually listen to what Charlotte was talking about. Her job at an architecture firm was going good, they were planning to send her to Paris with some of the senior architects so she could learn from them.

I congratulated her and hoped she would make the most out of the trip, "you're really smart Charlotte, you're going to go places." I smiled.

"Thank you! And I hope you're proud of the progress you've been making Miss Movie Director." She grinned.