Chapter 51 BIG HATER PART 1
"You're replacing me."
The words escaped Vivienne's lips before she could stop them. She stood frozen in the doorway of the studio, pointing at the screen where a woman in a mocap suit performed the exact sequence she'd spent days perfecting.
Alexander's head snapped up, his eyes widening when he saw her. He stood immediately, an unconscious gesture of guilt.
"Vivienne. You're here," he managed.
Isabella sat next to him, her chair positioned too close to him, a tablet balanced on her crossed legs. She didn't stand. Instead, she tapped the screen to pause the footage, a wicked smile playing at her lips.
"You're late," Isabella said, checking her watch. "We started twenty minutes ago."
Eliza stood awkwardly by the whiteboard, clutching onto her tablet like a shield. "We were just reviewing some... alternative options."
"I can see that." Vivienne remained in the doorway, her bag still slung over her shoulder, unwilling to enter a room where her replacement was already on display.
"This is Maya," Isabella gestured toward the screen. "She's been shadowing the process remotely. As a contingency."
"Contingency?" Vivienne repeated.
Isabella's smile widened. "In case of further... family emergencies."
Alexander stepped forward. "It's standard procedure for a project of this scale to have understudies. We should have mentioned it earlier."
"The footage was meant to be comparative," Eliza added quickly. "For reference only."
But Vivienne couldn't tear her eyes from the screen. Maya was good. She could see that. Her movements had a fluidity that Vivienne had struggled to achieve even before Noah's illness. Each act perfectly calibrated. Maybe even better than anything Vivienne had managed.
"Alex and I had a very productive few days," Isabella said, rising from her chair and moving to stand beside Alexander. "We've streamlined the entire process. Haven't we, Alex?"
The casual use of his first name was rather irritating to Vivienne. And there was something possessive in the way Isabella leaned slightly toward him making Vivienne's stomach tighten.
Alexander cleared his throat. "We've made some adjustments to the timeline, yes. Nothing that affects your position."
"How's Noah feeling?" he asked, clearly attempting to change the subject. His voice softened with real concern.
Vivienne forced herself to finally enter the room, setting her bag down by an empty chair. "Much better, thank you."
"Good," Isabella said with her fake signature smile. "Then we can get back on schedule. I've modified some sequences while you were gone. They're more... dynamic now."
Vivienne nodded, not trusting herself to speak as she took her seat. Alexander's eyes followed her for a moment too long before he returned to his chair. She caught Eliza shooting her an apologetic look behind Isabella's back.
"We should get to work now," Isabella announced, standing and gathering her materials. "No point wasting more time on talk when we could be working."
The new sequences were more brutal... excruciating even.
Vivienne's muscles burned as she attempted Isabella's modifications for the sixth time. Three days away had affected her more than she'd anticipated. Her timing was off, her balance shaky, and the new sequence seemed deliberately designed to mock her weaknesses.
"Keep your center of gravity lower," Isabella called from the edge of the green screen. "You're too stiff."
Vivienne took a breath and tried again. The sequence required a backward dive, followed by a roll she struggled to nail. She stumbled, catching herself on her hands.
"Maybe we should take five," Alexander suggested from where he stood with Victor by the monitors.
"We just started," Isabella countered. "Ms. Cross, have you been practicing at all during your... time off?"
What does she mean practicing? As if she'd been lounging around instead of caring for her sick child.
"I'll try again," Vivienne said, refusing to respond to the bait. She repositioned herself and attempted the sequence once more.
This time she made it through without falling, but Isabella sighed, meaning it wasn't good enough.
"Perhaps we should demonstrate," Isabella suggested, looking at Alexander. "This sequence works better with a partner anyway."
Before Vivienne could object, Isabella took her place on the green screen and motioned for Alexander to join her. He hesitated, but walked over.
"This is a trust exercise as much as a combat sequence," Isabella explained to the room, though her eyes remained on Alexander. "Your characters are adversaries, but there's an undercurrent of attraction. The audience needs to feel it."
She positioned herself opposite Alexander, their bodies mirroring each other. "The key is anticipating your partner's movements. Reading their body without words."
Vivienne watched as they began the sequence together. Where she had struggled, Isabella was perfect, her body working in harmony with Alexander's. When she dove backward, he caught her easily. Their movements were intimate, charged with energy. Vivienne hated it.
"See?" Isabella said breathlessly as they completed the sequence. "It's easy when you trust your partner." She remained in Alexander's arms a moment longer before stepping away. "Your turn, Ms. Cross. Let's see what you've got."
Vivienne took Isabella's place in front of Alexander, suddenly uncomfortable in the mocap suit.