Leave the perfume on the shelf

That you picked out just for him

So you leave no trace behind

Like you don't even exist

~ Taylor Swift, illicit affairs

AGE 19

"Isabella Swan."

My name came from behind me, from a voice that was warm and deep and sent a chill down my spine. Turning, I saw Jacob Black stalking toward me.

He prowled, like a wolf on the hunt. He was bulkier in person, the muscles that were so often on display on Unknown not nearly as… graceful as they seemed on screen. More menacing than anything. An intimidating beauty.

"Jacob Black."

It was my first day on Unknown. The show had been on for over a decade. While the ratings were still decent thanks to a loyal fanbase, I knew my casting was to draw in fresh eyes. That was okay with me, though. I wanted the experience, wanted the challenge of taking on another character completely outside of what I had done so far. I wanted to see the television side of things now that I had a handle on the film aspect.

I was getting better at dealing with first day jitters. It was a new set with new people and a crew that had been working together for a decade. But instead of letting that anxiety settle in my gut, I took it as a challenge to fit in as seamlessly as possible.

Blush flooded my cheeks as his eyes lingered on every curve of my body. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Oh?"

"You've impressed a lot of people in this town."

His words sent a shot of pride through me. Jacob was a staple in the industry. He was mostly a television actor, but he had the accolades to prove he was good at what he did. Unknown had won a handful of Emmy's over the years, and only improved when Jacob and Sam had gotten more involved in directing and producing the show. If he had heard good things about me… it was a good sign. That I wasn't a fraud.

I'd heard it all in the three years I had been acting. I'd been called a fraud because I was the new girl that got the most sought-after role at the time. There had been no shortage of people to tell me the pretty golden statue that had a home on my shelf didn't belong to me. People critiqued every interview, every step. Every outfit was studied and every pound gained or lost was criticized.

It wasn't something I had prepared myself for, the attention outside of the screen. Everyone with an internet connection had something to say. Anyone with a camera had decided they had the right to follow me to the grocery store. It was easy to confuse what they said with what the industry thought.

Maybe that was why I gravitated toward Jacob. Because he never failed to throw pretty words my way. Because he watched every move I made and would get this special smile when he noted little things I did to make my performance that much more believable. Eventually, every move I made and word I said were all attempts to get that smile.

For the first few weeks, I told myself I was learning from him. That he was my much more experienced coworker and I watched his scenes so closely because I wanted to absorb some of that talent. It was harder to lie to myself about that once I ended up in his bed a month into my stay on the show.

We had played a cat and mouse game since that first day. He would show up to watch me film and I would show up to watch him. He would ask me to run lines with him and I'd eagerly go even though I was more than prepared already. He leaned into kiss me late one night and I started picturing our life together the next day.

Not because I was a lovesick child. I had been kissed before. Had gone through a couple relationships in the last few years. But I had never felt like this. No one else seemed to be my equal as much as Jacob. Despite the age difference and both of our desires to keep things discrete for the time being, we fit. It wasn't easy to find someone with the same drive in this industry, someone who wouldn't look at me like I was stupid for being a silly actress. Jacob understood.

I pulled my bare legs up to my chest, keeping the sheets covering most of my exposed skin. I watched his every move as he got dressed, a satisfied grin on his face. One that made me feel a little better about not feeling quite as satisfied myself.

"Do you want to go to dinner?" I asked, my voice quiet because, even though I asked, I already knew the answer.

"You know we can't."

"We could get a private room or - "

"No, Bella," he snapped, grabbing his wallet from the small table beside me.

I sighed, grabbing my own clothes and cleaning myself up quickly in the adjoining bathroom in his trailer. Jacob was already gone when I got out, but that wasn't unusual. I grabbed my discarded script from the main room, nearly tripping over him as he still stood on the step outside the door.

"Shit," I gasped, catching myself on his shoulder. "What–"

"Hello."

My eyes went to the woman standing opposite of Jacob. She was beautiful; long black hair flowing down her shoulders, a natural tan to her skin that made her hazel eyes shine.

"Hi," I gasped, still regaining my balance.

"I'm Carlie, Jacob's wife," she told me with a small, happy smile.

My hand that I had braced on Jacob's shoulder felt like ice as I pulled it away.

Wife. "Wife," I gasped, unable to find my filter.

She shrugged. His wife looked up at me with a grin, like she was used to people not knowing she was his wife. "We keep it private. I like being able to grocery shop, you know?"

"Yeah, yeah," I mumbled, running a shaking hand through my hair. "I'm, um–"

"Bella," she smiled. "Jacob speaks very highly of you. He said you two were running lines, but I convinced him to take a break for dinner. Would you like to join us?"

Being an actress had its perks. Because my face should have been horrified, my features should have told her that not twenty minutes ago I was naked underneath her husband. Instead, I was the picture of ease as I stepped around Jacob.

"Thank you for the offer," I smiled. "I've got other plans, though. Have a good evening."

My eyes met Jacob's just once. There wasn't an ounce of the same self-loathing in them that was flooding my own.

–Love|Power–

He didn't acknowledge it. I spent the night sick to my stomach every time I thought about the fact that I had slept with another woman's husband and he walked onto set the next morning looking well rested and downright chipper. Then he had the audacity to barge into my trailer that afternoon and ask me what was wrong.

"What's wrong?" I asked, forcing my voice not to reach the decibel that I wanted to. "You're married."

Jacob shrugged. "Yeah. Have been for five years, sweet cheeks."

Sweet cheeks. Twenty-four hours ago, I adored the nickname. Thought it was cute and sexy at the same time. It was different now. He didn't say it for any reason other than to belittle and humiliate me.

"You don't wear a ring," I gasped. "You didn't say anything—"

"Carlie does like to keep it a secret. And I never wear a ring to set, it would get lost too easily."

I scoffed. "And losing your ring would be so devastating to your marriage, huh?"

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Don't be like that, Bella. You knew exactly what this was. Don't act so innocent."

"I didn't know!" I shouted. "I thought—"

"What, Bella? You thought this was more than a convenient fuck?"

I recoiled, like his words were an actual slap to the face.

"Oh, sweet cheeks," Jacob chuckled, shaking his head and laughing. At me. "You've got a lot to learn about this business."

He was right. I did.

A/N: Chapter 5 will be up Friday. See you then :)