𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐈𝐌𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓-- (𝕍𝕖𝕝𝕧𝕖𝕥 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕍𝕖𝕟𝕖𝕖𝕣 𝕩 ℝ𝕖𝕒𝕕𝕖𝕣)

V

a/n: guys. when i tell you i rewrote this chapter THREE TIMES BC WATTPAD KEPT DELETING MY PROGRESS 💀

more notes at the end <3

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You brushed your brows down, your tongue stuck out in concentration as you leaned over close in front of a mirror. You glanced at the time on your phone, then shrugged as you went back to getting ready for the day.

It was the morning of the photoshoot, and you couldn't deny the fact that you felt your nerves bundle with each minute passing, closer and closer to driving to the shoot and seeing the siblings. You hadn't interacted with either of the two since the night of the.. small feud you had with them.

Luckily, your social media feed had managed to aggravate you less and less each day— screen recordings and opinion commentary on the footage of your outburst had began to become a rare thing to see when you were scrolling. Of course, it didn't stop the news reporters and interviewers from swarming you with questions about it, but it was a start to getting everything back under your control.

Just a little crease in your career, Charlene had worded it when she caught you staring blankly at your phone, after seeing yet another video about the argument. Like the angel she was, she had taken the phone from your hands and clicked not interested, then set it down on a nearby table.

You honestly didn't know what you would do without her. She was a hard-working manager, a helpful friend,  and the whole mastermind behind this potential fake friendship with Velvet and Veneer. If she ever quit, you would be totally lost. You would repay her genuinely, someday— but for now, large pay checks and raises would have to do.

Speaking of Charlene— three sharp knocks sounded from the doorway, and you turn from your spot near your vanity to see her leaning against the wood, professional as always.

She had begun to make it more of a habit to visit your penthouse every now and then, after being told by you that she was welcome to stop by anytime. You weren't lying when you said it could get lonely, and it felt..refreshing, in a way, to have a friend around.

"Almost ready?" She asks, eyeing you closely. You smile as you spin around, fully facing her.

"Mhm," you say, dropping the spoolie brush in a tiny cup next to you. You hadn't gone all out for your clothing choice today, because you would most likely be changing into a completely different outfit once the photoshoot was over.

Charlene nodded. "We should be leaving in about.. ten minutes," she said, thinking. "If we want to be ahead of the paparazzi before they start swarming, that is."

You raise a brow. "You... know the paparazzis schedule?"

"Of course I do," she shrugs. "You should be getting adjusted to it by now, I'm surprised you haven't figured it out."

You blink owlishly, and she quickly backtracks. "N-not that it's bad that you haven't," she says, holding up her hands. "But it would be helpful if you did. But it's not that you need to, it's just-"

You quickly cut off her nervous ramblings with a laugh. "You're right, Char. I should've noticed a routine by now," you say, turning back around to your vanity mirror.

"Hey, Charlene?" You hum.

"Yes?" She responds quickly, and you can see her behind you in the reflection of the mirror. She's still mingling in the doorway, shifting her weight onto the other foot, like she's debating whether or not she should run away.

"You do know I'm not gonna fire you if you're honest with me, right?" You ask. You see her pause, and you glance back at her. "Friends, remember?"