Chapter 34

Chapter 34
|| VALERIA's POV ||

The bright lights of the studio shone down on me as I stood under the shower, warm water cascading over my hair and body. I focused on the script running through my mind, reminding myself to look natural and confident. This was just another shoot, another commercial for a shampoo brand that had hired me as their model. I had done this countless times before, but today felt different. There was a tension in the air that I couldn't quite place.

The director's voice boomed through the set. "Alright, Valeria, let's see that radiant smile. You're loving this shampoo, remember?"

I nodded, plastering a bright smile on my face as I lathered the shampoo into my hair. The crew moved around me, adjusting lights and cameras, everyone focused on capturing the perfect shot. I could feel the water trickling down my back, the suds forming thick, luxurious bubbles that glistened under the lights. Everything seemed to be going smoothly.

Then, out of nowhere, the door to the studio burst open. Gideon stormed in, his eyes wild with determination. "Valeria, stop!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the cavernous space.

The entire crew froze, all eyes turning to him. My heart skipped a beat, and I felt a rush of panic. "Gideon, what are you doing here?" I demanded, trying to maintain my composure even as I felt the warmth of the water on my skin turn cold.

"You can't do this," he said, striding towards me. "I won't let you."

The director stepped forward, irritation evident on his face. "Who the hell are you, and what are you doing on my set?"

"I'm her fiancé," Gideon said, his voice steady but fierce. "And I won't let her do this."

" Gideon, you're being ridiculous," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. "This is just a commercial. It's my job."

"It's more than that," he insisted, his eyes locking onto mine. "You're exposing yourself to the world. I can't stand the thought of other people seeing you like this."

I took a deep breath, trying to keep my frustration in check. "I'm a model,Gideon. This is part of what I do. You knew that when we got together."

"I didn't realize it would be like this," he said, his voice breaking slightly. "I can't stand the thought of you being objectified."

The director, clearly annoyed, interjected. "Listen, buddy, this is a professional shoot. If you don't leave right now, I'll have security remove you."
Gideon ignored him, his focus entirely on me. "Valeria, please. Come with me. We can talk about this."

I glanced around at the crew, all of them watching the drama unfold. I felt a mixture of embarrassment and anger. "Gideon, you're making a scene. This is my career. You don't get to come in here and tell me what I can and can't do."

He reached out, his hand gently touching my arm. "I love you,Valeria. I just want to protect you."

I pulled away, stepping out from under the shower and grabbing a towel. Wrapping it around myself, I faced him. "Protect me from what, Gideon? From doing my job? From being who I am?"

He looked at me, pain and desperation in his eyes. "From being exploited. From losing yourself in all of this."

I shook my head, tears of frustration welling up. "I haven't lost myself. I know exactly who I am. And right now, I need you to respect that."

The director signaled to the security team, who started moving towards us. "I'm sorry, but you need to leave," he said firmly.

Gideon stood his ground, his eyes never leaving mine. "I'm not leaving without you, Valeria."

I felt a tear slip down my cheek, the weight of the situation crashing down on me. "Gideon, please. Just go. We can talk about this later."

He hesitated, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "Alright," he said softly. "But this isn't over."

As he turned to leave, I felt a pang of guilt and sadness. I watched him walk away, my heart aching with the unresolved tension between us. The security team escorted him out, and the director turned to me, his expression a mix of sympathy and frustration.

"Let's take a break," he said, his voice softer now. " VALERIA,you okay?"

I nodded, wiping away the tears. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just give me a minute."

The crew dispersed, giving me some space as I sat down on a nearby chair, clutching the towel tightly around me. I tried to steady my breathing, my mind racing with everything that had just happened. Gideon's words echoed in my head, the raw emotion in his voice tugging at my heart.

I loved him, and I knew he loved me, but this was my life, my career. I had worked so hard to get here, and I wasn't going to let anyone take that away from me, not even him.

After a few moments, the director approached me again. "Valeria, we can reschedule if you need more time."

I shook my head, determination settling in. "No, let's finish this. I'm ready."

He nodded, giving me a reassuring smile. "Alright. We'll pick up where we left off."

I took a deep breath and stood up, letting the towel drop as I stepped back under the shower. The water washed away the remnants of the confrontation, but not the lingering feeling of conflict in my heart.

As I resumed the shoot, I focused on the task at hand, pushing thoughts of Gideon and our argument to the back of my mind. The cameras rolled, capturing every movement, every expression, but my thoughts remained distant, tethered to the man who had stormed in with such fierce protectiveness.

When the shoot finally wrapped up, I felt a mix of relief and exhaustion. I thanked the crew and the director, then headed to my dressing room to change. My mind kept replaying Gideon's words, the look in his eyes, the desperation in his voice.

I knew I needed to talk to him, to find a way to bridge the gap that had suddenly opened between us. As I dressed and gathered my things, I resolved to find him and try to make him understand.

Back at my apartment, I found Gideon waiting for me outside the door. He looked up as I approached, a mixture of hope and uncertainty on his face. "Valeria," he said softly. "I'm sorry."

I unlocked the door and gestured for him to come inside. We entered in silence, the tension between us palpable. I set my bag down and turned to face him. " Gideon, we need to talk."

He nodded, taking a seat on the couch. "I know. I just... I can't stand the thought of you being objectified like that."

I sat down beside him, reaching for his hand. "I understand where you're coming from, but you have to trust me. This is my career, and I'm good at it. I know how to handle myself."

He squeezed my hand, his eyes full of emotion. "I just worry about you. I want to protect you."

"I know you do," I said gently. "But you can't protect me from everything. Sometimes, you just have to trust that I can take care of myself."

He sighed, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "I guess I'm still getting used to all of this."

"And I appreciate that," I said. "But you have to respect my decisions. This is my life, my career. We have to support each other, not tear each other down."

He nodded, a look of understanding dawning in his eyes. "You're right. I'm sorry, Valeria.I didn't mean to undermine you."

I leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. "I know. Let's just try to communicate better, okay?"

He smiled, a genuine, relieved smile. "Okay. I'll try."

We sat there in silence for a moment, holding each other close. The tension slowly melted away, replaced by a renewed sense of connection and understanding. We still had a lot to work through, but I knew we could face it together.
_____
The night was still and quiet as I sat on the couch, my thoughts swirling with frustration and hurt. I had just found out that it was Lina who had seen me at the shampoo commercial shoot and had run straight to Gideon, stirring up all this trouble. My mind raced with the implications. Lina, who had always seemed supportive, had crossed a line. I needed to talk to Gideon to make him see what was really going on.

Gideon walked in, his eyes wary as he saw me sitting there, clearly waiting for him. He must have sensed my tension. "Hey," he said cautiously, taking off his jacket. "What's going on?"

I took a deep breath, trying to keep my emotions in check. " Gideon,we need to talk. About Lina."

He frowned, his expression darkening. "What about Lina?"

"I know it was her who told you about the shoot," I said, my voice shaking slightly. "She saw me and went straight to you."

Gideon's jaw tightened. "She was just looking out for you, Valeria. She was worried."

"Worried?" I scoffed, standing up. "Gideon, can't you see what she's doing? She's trying to drive a wedge between us."

He shook his head, his eyes filled with stubbornness. "No, Valeria. Lina wouldn't do that. She's been a good friend to us."

"A good friend?" I repeated, my frustration bubbling over. "A good friend doesn't go behind your back and stir up trouble."

"She wasn't stirring up trouble," he insisted. "She was concerned. She didn't want you to be taken advantage of."

I threw my hands up in exasperation. "Taken advantage of? I'm a professional model, Knox. This is my job. She knows that. But instead of supporting me, she ran to you and made it into something it's not."

Gideon sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I think you're overreacting, Valeria. Lina's intentions were good."

"Good?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. "Gideon,open your eyes. She's trying to manipulate you, to turn you against me."

"That's not true," he said, his voice rising in frustration. "Lina cares about you. She was just looking out for you."

"Looking out for me?" I repeated, my voice shaking with anger. "By making you doubt me? By causing this rift between us?"

He stared at me, his expression hardening. "Valeria,you're seeing things that aren't there. Lina is our friend."

"Your friend, maybe," I shot back. "But not mine. Not anymore."

Gideon took a step closer, his eyes searching mine. "Why are you so determined to see the worst in her?"

"Because I know what she's like," I said, my voice breaking. "She's always had it out for me. She's always wanted to come between us."

"That's not fair," he said, shaking his head. "Lina's been nothing but supportive."

"Supportive?" I laughed bitterly. "By telling you about the shoot in a way that made you think the worst? By making you storm in and try to stop me from doing my job?"

He clenched his fists, clearly struggling to keep his composure. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Valeria. I was just worried."

"Worried because of what Lina told you," I said, my anger giving way to a deep sadness. "She knew exactly how you'd react."

"VALERIA, please," he said, his voice softening. "Can't we just move past this?"

"Not until you see what's really going on," I insisted. "Lina is trying to break us up, Gideon. And if you can't see that, then we're in real trouble."

He looked at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of frustration and hurt. "I don't want to fight about this, Valeria,I love you. But I also trust Lina."

"And you don't trust me?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Of course I trust you," he said quickly. "But this isn't about trust. It's about what's best for you."

"What's best for me?" I repeated, shaking my head. "Gideon, what's best for me is having you by my side, supporting me, not doubting me because of what someone else says."

He looked down, his shoulders slumping in defeat. "I don't know what to do, Valeria. I feel like I'm stuck in the middle."

"Then get out of the middle," I said softly. "Choose a side. Choose me."

He looked up, his eyes filled with pain. "I want to. But I can't just turn my back on Lina."

"And I can't keep fighting for us if you're not willing to see the truth," I said, my voice trembling. "I need you to trust me, Gideon. I need you to believe in me."

He reached out, taking my hand in his. "I do believe in you, Valeria. I just... I don't know how to handle all of this."

"Then let's figure it out together," I said, squeezing his hand. "But you need to talk to Lina. You need to make it clear that she can't interfere in our relationship."

He nodded slowly, his eyes filled with determination. "Okay. I'll talk to her. I'll make it clear."

I sighed in relief, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. "Thank you, Gideon. That's all I'm asking."

He pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly. "I'm sorry, Valeria.I never wanted to hurt you."

"I know," I whispered, resting my head against his chest. "But we need to trust each other, completely."

"We will," he promised, his voice filled with conviction. "We'll get through this, together."

We stood there for a long time, holding each other, drawing strength from our connection. I knew that there were still challenges ahead, that Lina's interference had caused a deep rift that wouldn't be easy to mend. But as long as Knox and I were united, as long as we believed in each other, I knew we could overcome anything.

The next day, Gideon called Lina over to our apartment. I stayed in the bedroom, giving them space to talk. My heart pounded as I listened to their conversation, straining to hear every word.

"Lina," Gideon began, his voice steady. "We need to talk about what happened."

"What do you mean?" Lina replied, her tone innocent.

" Valeria told me you saw her at the shoot and then told me about it in a way that made me react badly," he said. "Is that true?"

There was a long pause before Lina spoke again. " Gideon,I was just worried about her. I didn't want her to be taken advantage of."

"That's not the point," Gideon said firmly. "You went behind her back. You made me doubt her."

"I didn't mean to cause any trouble," Lina said, her voice wavering. "I was just trying to help."

"Help?" Gideon repeated. "Lina, you're my friend, but you crossed a line. Valeria is my fiancée. You can't interfere in our relationship like that."

"I'm sorry," Lina said softly. "I didn't realize it would cause so much trouble."

Gideon sighed. "You need to understand that Valeria and I are a team. If you have concerns, you come to both of us. No more going behind backs."

"Okay," Lina said, her voice barely audible. "I get it."

"Good," Gideon said. "Because I love Valeria, and I won't let anything come between us."

There was a final murmur of agreement from Lina, and then I heard the door close. Gideon walked into the bedroom, his expression weary but determined. "It's done,"
he said. "I made it clear."

I felt a surge of relief and gratitude. "Thank you,Gideon.I know that wasn't easy."

He pulled me into his arms, holding me tightly. "You're my priority, Valeria. Always."