A/N: HELLO!

If it isn't me...kinda early? I mean, my goal is to update weekly, but I always fail, and this time I kind of didn't, so I am emotional.

Now, about this chapter a few things to consider:

1- Same note that I wrote at the beginning of the last chapter (re: penelope)

2- I hope the timeline isn't confusing as i tried to write a few days after last chapter then a few weeks/one month after, I did write this down on the text but anyway... I hope it's not confusing. On that note, just a quick reminder that New Zealand is in the southern hemisphere, so when I say it is winter there, I do not mean a full year has passed (since it was winter in December too, when they were in London).

3-I know we have less social media posts now; this is on purpose because when they are filming, less information is leaked to the general public (We will always have this sort of back and forth on this fic, so let me make that clear now as well.)

4- As with a previous chapter, this chapter is a BIT kanthony heavy, but not as heavy as chapter 6, okay? And... just like before, just because you do not think you are seeing as much polin as regular programming does not mean there is not anything IMPORTANT happening, so just breathe and take my hand.

ENJOY!

The Sword and the Heart 2 Filming Start Confirmed With a Bang

Production has officially kicked off for The Sword and the Heart: Princess of the West, however the announcement was accompanied by some concerning news.

On Sunday, a car accident occurred on a road adjacent to the filming set, resulting in injuries to several cast and crew members. The local police reported that a red Toyota Camry, rented under the name of Kathani Sharma, sustained minor damages. Fortunately, no other vehicles were involved in the incident.

Danbury Productions issued a statement regarding an accident that occurred outside of their filming location. The production company reassured the public that all individuals involved in the incident are safe and emphasised that the accident was not connected to the filming activities. Furthermore, they confirmed that the shooting schedule remains unaffected and on track.

Scheduled for release next year, The Sword and the Heart: Princess of the West marks the second installment in a planned trilogy. This sequel follows the highly acclaimed Dynasty of the East, which garnered exceptional reviews and positive responses from both critics and audiences alike. Similar to its predecessor, which faced a chaotic post-production phase, the upcoming sequel appears poised to make a raucous entrance from the very beginning.

️Trish dorjorie4llifee

okay what is going on i'm scared

Maria Eduarda dudiiiiinha2004

dorjorie4llifee i should be happy they're back but at what cost

️Trish dorjorie4llifee

dudiiiiinha2004 do we know if kate showed up after this

Maria Eduarda dudiiiiinha2004

dorjorie4llifee she didn't

𝔠𝔞𝔯𝔩𝔬𝔰 carlosbton

I hope pen and colin are okay

.༘ Fa loratheexplorer

carlosbton i've been waiting for any news abt them but NOT LIKE THIS

Cinthy️ ️ Cy3452n

loratheexplorer carlosbton seriously guys im worried

billie noraswsift

Cy3452n loratheexplorer carlosbton they're fine guys they said everyone was fine

Dee warofthorns

leave it to lora shippers to make kate's accident abt them

Daphne: Anthony and Colin are you okay

Eloise: Did anyone try calling Agatha

Benedict: calling her as we speak

Francesca: but did anyone try calling them first?

Gregory: their phones are going straight to voicemail

Francesca: but i don't understand why didn't anyone call us?

Francesca: If something had happened they would have called us

Daphne: did anyone talk to mum

Benedict: no daph don't tell her yet

Hyacinth: TELL HER WHAT THEY ARE FINE

Gregory: Hya we don't know that

Hyacinth: no fran is right if something had happened they would have called us

Daphne: well have any of you talked to them since yesterday?

Hyacinth: its anthony and colin ofc not

Hyacinth: we didn't even know eloise was living in colins house for months not exactly outstanding communicators

Eloise: when are you going to let this go

Daphne: okay this is not important right now

Benedict: agatha is also not picking up her phone

Gregory: fine im officially terrified

Hyacinth: the article said everyone was ok

Gregory: SURE bc articles always speak the truth

Hyacinth: greg stop

Hyacinth:they're fine okay

Hyacinth: please stop

...

Hyacinth: wait hold on

Daphne: ?

Gregory: what

Benedict:hya what is it

Hyacinth: do you guys remember kates sister

Gregory: ? how is that even marginally relevant now

Eloise: who

Benedict:yeah vividly

Daphne: benedict.

Benedict:I MEAN i remember she made kate and anthont flip in front of everyone

Benedict: get your mind off the gutter daph

Benedict: not everyone is finding their spouse in anthonys social circle

Hyacinth: she just posted an entire carousel of bts photos

Hyacinth:https/p/DE17gfaNSFM/?img_index=5 =aWjoOJpoMDZvaG8n

Francesca: I don't have an instagram

Gregory: oh we know

Hyacinth: it's just a lot of pictures

Hyacinth: one of kate and edwina hugging and one with thomas and cressida with hair clips and bathrobes

Hyacinth: one of colin and pen sticking their tongues out for the photo

Eloise: ofc

Hyacinth: one where anthonys right up close to the camera giving a thumbs up.

Eloise: excuse me?

Benedict: anthony close to what doing what?

Hyacinth: i think she was trying to show they're okay?

Colin is currently typing…

Gregory: FINALLY

Eloise: freaking idiot

Daphne is currently typing…

Benedict is currently typing…

Francesca is currently typing…

Colin: We're fine

Colin: I don't answer for five minutes and you all lose it?

Eloise: Can you blame us we were worried sick

Daphne: Colin why didn't you tell us what happened

Francesca: Col you should have called us

Benedict: is internet more expensive over there?

Colin: i didn't call bc we weren't on the accident

Hyacinth: okay but kate was

Hyacinth: is she okay?

Colin: as you can see in the picture yes

Daphne: well is everyone truly okay? was anyone else hurt?

...

Daphne: Colin?

Colin: this doesn't leave this chat

Colin: understood?

Colin is currently typing…

Gregory: OH

Hyacinth: I should be excited but I dont like this

Benedict: colin just spill out already

Eloise: TYPE FASTER

Colin: Pen was with them

Colin: she was the one driving

Hyacinth: WHAT

Benedict is currently typing…

Eloise is currently typing…

Gregory is currently typing…

Daphne is currently typing…

Francesca is currently typing…

Colin: She bumped her head but she's okay.

Hyacinth: BUMPED HER HEAD ANS SHE'S FINE DO YOU HEAR YOURSELF

Gregory: Explain. Now.

Eloise: why weren't you with her

Eloise: what do you mean she was driving

Eloise: did she start driving again while I was gone

Colin: No

Colin: she didn't

Colin: that was the problem

Eloise: I repeat

Eloise: why

Eloise: were you not

Eloise: with her

Eloise: i leave her under your care, and everything goes wrong.

Colin: leave her under my care?

Colin: do you mean those five years

Colin: when you abandoned her

Eloise: total number of accidents in our twenty years of friendship

Eloise: Zero

Colin is currently typing…

Eloise: total number of accidents while I was away

Colin: The total number of times I abandoned Penelope purposely

Colin: ZERO

Eloise: OH REALLY

Colin: I SAID PURPOSELY

Benedict: do you want to bring this into your own private chat to hash things out?

Gregory: it's obvious none of you can take care of pen

Gregory: let me handle it

Daphne: I just wanted to know if Pen is okay

Colin: how many times do i have to repeat that she is

Colin: do you need another picture as proof of life

Eloise: YES

Hyacinth: YES

Gregory: absolutely

Daphne: yes

Francesca: yes please I miss pen

Colin: take it to eloise it's her fault she didn't go to the wedding

Eloise: i loathe you

Benedict: send us a picture of you two

Benedict: and may i ask where is our grumpy old man

Benedict: and why didn't he pick up my calls

Colin: we're all filming here in case you forgot

Gregory: oh… that explains it

Colin: yeah oh

Colin: thankfully tho

Colin: I'm not filming

Colin: and very much away from anthony right now

Daphne: why? what's wrong with him?

"Cut!"

Kate and Thomas paused, each taking a deep breath before turning to Anthony.

The director remained rooted to his chair, his gaze unwavering as he commanded, "Again, from the beginning," his voice flat.

Kate closed her eyes, trying to calm herself, while her co-star glanced at her and pressed his lips together before returning to his position on the scene. Impatiently, he rested his hands on his hips, the itchy wool of his cape adding to his growing frustration as he waited for Anthony. Backing up a few steps, Kate smoothed her dark blue velvet dress, reminding herself to stay in character and avoid anymurder Anthony Bridgertontendencies.

"Princess of the West, Scene 52, Take... 45, Mark," the second camera assistant announced wearily, closing the clapboard with a loud clack.

"Action," Anthony called out.

"You can't do this," Thomas delivered his first line, walking towards Kate with determination. "Believe me, I understand your desire to reclaim your kingdom, but what good is it if you're dead?"

"That's a risk I have to take," Kate muttered. "I'm out of options. I can't hide any longer."

"Marjorie," Thomas pleaded, his voice thick with desperation, taking another step forward, tilting his head as his eyes roamed across her face, silently begging for her to reconsider.

She pressed her lips together, looking away briefly, her eyes returning to him with a hint of tears. "She has Nora, Dorieus. We thought we knew what was happening, what we had to do, but this? We weren't prepared."

"And what if I'm not prepared to lose you?" he whispered, inching closer, his eyes locked on hers, their breaths mingling.

Acting surprised, Kate stared at him for a moment before her eyes flickered to his lips and back up to meet his gaze. "Then make these last moments count for something," she said.

Thomas only looked at her for a moment, as if understanding her meaning, before he gently placed his hand on her cheek and leaned in.

"Cut!" Anthony shouted.

Kate placed her hand on her forehead in frustration, while Thomas threw his head back and looked skyward. The construction team had built a balcony with thick grey stone pillars surrounding them. And even though the ceiling seemed sturdy, Thomas secretly hoped a lightning bolt would somehow manage to strike him and end his misery.

"Back to the beginning," Anthony called out, glancing down at the clipboard on his lap and disregarding their obvious annoyance.

Once again, the actors returned to their original positions, once again the assistant called for take 46, and once again Anthony instructed them to start.

"We thought we understood what was going on and what we had to do, but this? We weren't prepared," Kate recited once more.

Thomas walked closer to Kate, panting as he said, "But what if I'm not prepared to lose you?"

Kate stared at him, her eyes widening as instructed in the script, before glancing at his lips. "Then make these last moments count for something," she replied.

Thomas also looked at her lips, placing his hand on her cheek before leaning in.

"Cut!"

Kate and Thomas both groaned and glared at Anthony.

"What was wrong this time?" Thomas asked, confused by Anthony's many cuts for the past ten takes or more.

Anthony, once again looking at his clipboard, which Kate was tempted to snatch and slap him with, pointed at them with his pen and said, "You both messed up your lines."

The two actors exchanged incredulous looks. They were certain that if they made any mistakes, they were minor ones, probably due to Anthony making them redo this scene countless times in a row. Kate narrowed her eyes at Anthony, who happened to glance up at that moment, and she grabbed the hem of her dress, taking determined steps back to her original spot.

"Should I take a break?"

Anthony looked at Tilley Arnold, the intimacy coordinator for the movie, then back at the two actors in front of him. "It won't be necessary," he declared as if nothing was wrong and they hadn't shot multiple takes for no apparent reason.

Tilley observed him, then turned her attention back to Kate and Thomas, whose faces were tight with barely contained impatience. She was trained to notice when an actress or actor felt uncomfortable in a romantic scene, but that definitely didn't seem to be the case. In fact, it seemed like they were almost eager to finally kiss and finish that scene rather than deal with their moody director.

"Action!" Anthony shouted again.

Thomas, placing a hand on Kate's cheeks, stared deeply into her eyes and asked, "But what if I'm not ready to lose you?"

Kate's gaze shifted to his lips as she whispered, "Then you should make these last moments count."

They locked eyes before Thomas's gaze drifted to her mouth.

"Cut!"

Kate vaguely recalled thinking,Okay, that's enough, before she turned around and exploded

"Do we have a problem?" She asked pointedly, glaring at Anthony, forgetting about their audience, about etiquette, about how people would think she was a diva for shouting at the director, forgetting about everything.

Anthony glanced up at her, seemingly taken aback, until Kate repeated, "I said, do we have a problem?"

Thomas' eyes widened, mirroring the shock of those around him. But Anthony, somehow, didn't seem shocked. He looked at Kate, his eyes darting away, a subtle, almost absurdly bashful expression on his features.

"No, there's no problem," Anthony replied dryly, before returning his attention to his clipboard. "A bird chirped too loudly, interfering with the sound."

Kate raised an eyebrow at his absurd excuse. "It's raining outside. There are no birds chirping."

Anthony crossed his arms triumphantly, maintaining his gaze. "It must have been the rain, then. Case closed."

Kate's eye was practically twitching; her hands were balled into fists. Anthony's absurdity wouldn't get him anywhere with her.

"Um… I need to pee," Thomas interjected, nervously glancing between Kate and Anthony, realising that fleeing might be the best course of action.

The director then grimaced. "Fine, everyone, take a five-minute break," he announced, waving them away. The cast and crew, sighing in unison, left their positions, eager for a respite from the tension. Kate, however, remained fixed on Anthony, seemingly oblivious to the others.

Once enough people had dispersed towards the bathroom or the snack table, she pointed directly at Anthony. "We need to talk."

He gave her a look, and the crew members nearby exchanged perplexed glances at the sight of the actress boldly telling the director what to do, and not just any director, but Anthony Bridgerton, of all people. The perpetually composed, always-in-control, meticulous Anthony Bridgerton. And to their astonishment, he simply stood up, adjusted his shirt, and casually walked a few meters to the right, as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening.

Kate huffed and followed him, ignoring the curious onlookers. She knew her outburst wouldn't do her reputation any favours, but after dealing with nonsense all afternoon, she didn't care anymore. Anthony had a way of making her lose her rationality.

Once they were far enough away from prying ears, Anthony stopped and placed his hand on his hips, poking the inside of his cheek with his tongue, deliberately avoiding eye contact with Kate. She stood directly in front of him, mirroring his posture with her own hands firmly planted on her hips, her incredulous stare burning into him.

"Do you have a problem with the way I'm doing my job?" she asked.

Anthony shook his head without looking at her. "I already told you—"

"Because it ismy job,"she stressed, her eyes narrowing slightly, making it abundantly clear this was a matter of professional obligation. "You understand that, correct?"

Anthony pressed his lips together, trying to contain his frustration. It was hard to believe that an actress was reminding him that she was just working. After all, he had spent years working in the industry and as the director of the project, he knew that better than anyone else. Still, the sight of Thomas almost kissing Kate had him absolutely fuming, and it felt as though he was just itching to throw a punch at whatever came his way next.

"Is that all?" he asked, tapping his foot and clenching his jaw.

Kate gave him a sardonic smile, which he didn't see since he had been avoiding looking at her throughout their exchange. "No, that's not all. Is there anything you would like to say to me?" she asked.

At last, he turned towards her, taking in her exasperated look, yet still reluctant to bring up the actual issue.

"No," he lied, lifting his chin and giving her a steady look. "Why? Do you have anything to say to me?"

She glared at him indignantly before gesturing to herself defensively. "Well, if you have nothing to say to me, then I have nothing to say to you."

He gave a sharp shrug and said, "Good."

She waved her hands in frustration. "Great!"

On the other side of the set, the crew and remaining cast members enjoyed their snacks while observing the duo with immense interest, as if watching a movie.

"Oh my," Tilley remarked with a smirk, as Kate waved her arms and visibly shouted at Anthony, who appeared to be avoiding confrontation. "I heard they didn't get along, but I didn't realise it was like this."

Thomas, already on his second slice of mince and cheese pie, chimed in. "Honestly, it's not. Or at least it didn't use to be," he mumbled with a mouthful of food, as Anthony glanced back at Kate and said something that further enraged the actress. "They used to argue a lot, but not like this."

Tilley grabbed a water bottle, observing Anthony and Kate, who were now both shouting, and asked, "What about that incident with the horse?"

Being hired only for the second movie had its drawbacks; she felt like she could only grasp half of what was happening on set. And although it was still the early days of official production, she couldn't help but notice the complex dynamics among some of the cast and crew.

Thomas tilted his head, reminiscing, and answered, "I suppose... but it was different."

The intimacy coordinator nodded, then turned to the actor, furrowing her brows as she pointed at his pie. "Should you be eating that right before a kissing scene?"

He took another bite, shrugging. "Do you think we'll actually finish that scene today?" he asked, only to see Anthony and Kate conclude their chat. The director, with a pointed gesture, returned to his seat, signalling the crew to get back to work.

Unfortunately, Thomas immediately recognised the expression in Anthony's eyes. It meant that the scene was going to happen, for better or worse, that very day. Muttering a curse, the actor hurled his plate onto the table and hurried back to film his scene with Kate.

On a scale of 0 to 100, if Kate could rate how awkward things had been in the weeks following hermomentwith Anthony, she would probably say 250. It had reached a point where she almost wished something had actually happened between them. At least then they would have something to talk or argue about instead of constantly dancing around the absurd and ridiculous tension that surrounded them.

"Are you alright, didi?" Edwina asked, interrupting Kate's train of thought. Her sister looked at her with concern, filling her glass with water as she gestured towards Kate's plate. "You haven't touched your food."

For the past ten minutes, Kate had been resting her face on her hands, her eyes unfocused, and twirling her fork in her spaghetti, as if the tomato sauce would suddenly reveal in a few moments all the answers she had been needing for over a month. As thunder rumbled, she gave a slight flinch, her gaze drawn to the dark bluish-grey sky. It was midday, but it was already so dark that it looked like evening was approaching.

With a crucial scene to shoot that afternoon—Marjorie's triumphant return to the Kingdom of the East, on horseback, sword in hand—her anxieties and the approaching storm left her feeling anything but victorious.

"What time is the shooting starting this afternoon?" she asked her sister, twirling the spaghetti on her fork, the sauce clinging to the strands, before finally eating.

Edwina's mouth was brimming with water, and she covered it with a finger before taking a gulp. "Um. They changed the schedule for today."

Kate furrowed her brow, also pouring herself a glass of water as she questioned, "What? When?" She was certain she had reviewed her schedule with Edwina the previous night when she noticed the forecast for the next day. It had become a habit for her to be prepared ahead of time since she started filming on location.

"Earlier today," Edwina replied, her fork clumsily attacking a piece of fried chicken, the greasy aroma filling the air as she avoided eating it with her hands like everyone else.

Kate stared at her, completely bewildered by this information. "Did they tell you why?"

The greasy fried chicken almost slipped off the youngest Sharma's plate, causing her fork to clatter against the porcelain as she shook her head. "No, Anthony just said they were going to change it."

"Anthony," Kate repeated, watching Edwina, her mind racing.

"Yes," Edwina glanced at Kate and then back at her food, but upon noticing her sister's expression, she returned her gaze. "I'm sure it was necessary, didi. You're too hard on him," she said.

"It's one of the biggest sequences in the film, Edwina," Kate replied sharply. There would be hundreds of extras, stunt doubles, and several horses involved. They had planned hours of filming specifically on a rainy day, and now Anthony—Anthony Bridgerton—had changed everything last minute? If it were any other director, she wouldn't think twice about the change, but it wasn't just any director. And while Edwina wasn't present during their last film shoot to know, Kate was well aware that this was far from normal.

"And maybe that's exactly why," her sister shrugged. "If even one detail is wrong, they have to reschedule it."

Kate pressed her lips together, looking down at her food and giving up on it. "Yeah, maybe," she said, not believing it for a second

"Okay, I have to ask, what's wrong with your brother?"

"Finally," Colin exclaimed, dramatically raising his hand to the sky while using the other to hold the umbrella between them.

As he shielded them from the rain, Penelope, with her arm intertwined with his, shook her head at his theatrics. She tried not to revel in his warmth and snuggle too closely, but she was failing spectacularly. That was why it was easier to focus on Anthony's peculiar behaviour.

"I've been telling you for years that there's something wrong with Anthony," he said as they walked up the hill, already spotting their shooting location in the distance. "But every time, it's all 'Anthony is a great director' this or 'your brother means well' that."

Penelope rolled her eyes, a puddle on her path causing her to veer off course and lean closer to Colin. "He does mean well, but what I'm saying is that he's been acting strangely lately. And now he's rescheduling our scene at the last minute?" While she'd worked with many directors who significantly altered filming schedules, Anthony was certainly not one of them.

Colin noticed Penelope struggling through the thick, clinging mud and pulled her close, instantly enveloped by her warmth. A delicate, powdery scent of roses and vanilla hung in the air between them. He didn't know if she had recently changed her perfume, but he couldn't help but notice she had been wearing that one a lot lately, and it was quite distracting.

He then caught Penelope's striking blue eyes on him, as if waiting for a response. Colin squeezed his eyes shut briefly, then said, "Um. Yes. I mean, no. I don't know what's happening to him."

Penelope looked up at the cloudy sky and bit her lip, a motion that caught Colin's attention until he quickly refocused. "What is it?" he asked, noticing that she was contemplating something.

With a slight shake of her head and eyes fixed on the ground, the redhead seemed hesitant, but Colin's raised eyebrow urged her to continue.

"Okay, but don't mention this to anyone, alright?" she finally said.

It was an unusual request coming from Penelope, so Colin wrinkled his forehead and replied, "Cross my heart."

Tilting her head, she gazed at their approaching filming location—a sprawling cinematographic construction with a stone roof sheltering the huddled crew—and finally, at Anthony seated on his director's chair. "Do you think maybe Kate asked him to change the schedule?"

Colin's eyebrows flew up to his hairline. "What?"

"Remember what I told you on the day of the accident?" she asked, and Colin nodded. Desperate as he had been that day, she had to explain to him how she ended up driving that car in the first place. "If Kate has some sort of anxiety about storms, then it would make sense for her to ask him, wouldn't it?"

He considered her theory; it was logical, except for the fact that Kate and Anthony were involved. "I'm not sure, Pen. I don't believe Anthony would ever alter his schedule for anything or anyone, especially with hundreds of cast and crew members involved."

Penelope furrowed her brow, gazing at Anthony as they approached him. She understood Colin's perspective, but she also knew that Anthony was far from the cold-hearted, inflexible man people believed him to be. And she knew Colin was aware of this too, but their sibling bickering often clouded his judgment.

"And..." Colin trailed off, "I honestly find it hard to imagine Kate making such a request."

He got her there, Penelope reflected before sighing. "You have a point," she said.

Colin shrugged, as if he knew he was right, and then they realized they were too close to Anthony to continue the conversation. John and Rae, trailing behind, also huddled together under a shared umbrella, their voices rising in a heated debate, over which of their bosses seemed most stressed by the schedule change.

"I'll have you know I was on a phonecall with Netflix before I was interrupted," Rae complained, shielding her face from the rain with one hand as John held the umbrella selfishly close.

With a sharp pull, she brought the umbrella to her side, the accumulated rainwater showering John's left side in a sudden cascade. John pulled the handle back from her, their hands locked in a tense tug-of-war, his words sharp, "Well, I had Scorsese on the phone—do you even know what that's like?"

"No, you didn't," Rae retorted, yanking the umbrella again, "You were playing Call of Duty with the stunt coordinator when I arrived at your trailer."

Anthony cleared his throat loudly, an impressive feat in the heavy rain, and the two assistants turned their attention to him, as well as Colin and Penelope, who both mirrored each other's exasperation with their hands on their foreheads. Once they were suitably quiet, Anthony turned to the two actors, observing their cosy position together under the umbrella.

"You two prepared?" he asked, casting a quick glance at the now embarrassed assistants. "Because they might be more ready for this scene."

Colin shot him a glare. "Are you trying to tell me how to do my job now?"

With his hands clasped behind his back, Anthony appeared less self-important than usual, perhaps because he was wearing a heavy, black raincoat. "That's precisely why I'm here."

Before Colin could retort and ignite a Bridgerton family feud right before her eyes, Penelope intervened, placing a hand on Colin's chest and turning to the director. "We reviewed our lines just a few minutes ago, Anthony. Don't worry."

If Penelope were being honest, she had her own reservations. For one, she had only read her lines and not rehearsed them beforehand with Colin; a habit they'd fallen into since their first scene together. However, they were professionals and knew they had to do what was necessary. Besides, she knew exactly where to draw the necessary emotions for that scene, even if she didn't like it.

The eldest Bridgerton sibling then looked at her, seeing the determination in her eyes, and nodded. As much as he enjoyed teasing Colin, he knew that he and Penelope had rarely caused any trouble during shooting, and he was confident they would perform brilliantly, even if it was last minute. He then walked a few steps to the right and pointed at the makeshift wall with stones and a door leading to a half-patio, all specially constructed for the movie.

"You'll begin the scene here," he said, gesturing to the partially covered patio, where the sound of the rain would be muted, yet visible in the film as an outside scene of the castle. "Leonidas is determined to go after Catherine and he's leaving at a rapid pace," Anthony summarised the scene. "Nora is hurrying after him, telling him he's making a mistake."

Both Colin and Penelope nodded, their eyes fixed on Anthony as he spoke.

"Once Leonidas declares he can't live without Catherine, you'll walk through the door without looking back," Anthony said, gesturing towards Colin. Then he turned to Penelope and continued, "You pause for a moment so we can capture a shot of Colin on the left side and you on the right. Ideally, we'll be able to shoot the wall between you two, but we'll see how that looks on camera." The two actors nodded, and Anthony concluded, "Then Nora will also walk through the door, and you two will finish the scene outside. Questions?"

The other two shook their heads simultaneously, and as always, Anthony took it as a signal to start. Within minutes, he was back in his chair, and the entire crew began preparing. Colin and Penelope handed over their rain-soaked capes to their assistants, revealing Colin's dark blue doublet and Penelope's brown vest and short wig underneath. Their hair and makeup artists quickly worked their magic in a few minutes; a palpable silence hung in the air as the actors consciously distanced themselves, needing quiet moments to gather themselves for the intense scene. After a brief interval, they proceeded to their designated positions at the top of the stone stairs, refraining from exchanging glances while taking deep breaths to fully embody their characters.

When Anthony shoutedaction, Colin descended the stairs with purposeful strides. Penelope waited until he reached the lower level before following him.

"Leo!" she called, her voice carrying over the sound of the rain falling around them.

Colin paused, his back to Penelope as she came down the stairs.

"Where do you think you're going?" she asked, her steps and voice growing hesitant as she stared at his back.

With a slow, deliberate movement, Colin turned his head halfway, the corner of his eye fixated on Penelope. He swallowed hard, taking his time to respond. "I have to go after her, Nora," he answered quietly.

She eyed his back incredulously, slowly approaching him; the rhythmic pitter-patter of rain on the floor was the only sound besides her breathing. "Have you lost your mind?" she asked.

Although this question would typically be a normal and exasperated one from her, this time it carried a different weight. This time, her voice held a vulnerability and gravity that Nora rarely displayed.

"Not yet," he replied with a bitter smile. "But I might if I stay here."

Penelope grimaced involuntarily, feeling the weight of that statement on both Nora and herself. "You don't even know where she's headed. Have you forgotten who you are? I know I always joke about your lack of importance to the throne, but you need to be clever. If the wrong person finds you, they will kill you. You know they will."

"Then let them find me," he declared, finally turning to face her. She could see the reflection of the light and shadows of their surroundings in his eyes.

"You cannot be serious," she replied, craning her neck to look up at him, her voice tight with disbelief.

Colin looked away, chewing on his bottom lip before returning his gaze to her. "I'm tired, Nora. Tired of all of this. I have never desired the throne, nor am I suited for it. I just want to be free."

"And Catherine will give you that?" Nora asked, glaring at him.

"Maybe," he replied softly, before delivering the blow. "All I know is I can't live without her." And with that, he turned around and walked out the door, straight into the pouring rain.

Penelope watched him go, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. Anthony didn't need to tell her to wait inside because she knew she needed some time alone to process her emotions before continuing with the next lines.

Anthony called "cut," and the camera crew sprang into action, repositioning equipment and adding rain covers while the director conferred with them. Penelope stood still, a hand on her chest, silently absorbing her feelings while Colin found temporary shelter from the rain.

The director soon yelled for them to resume filming. Penelope inhaled deeply, then walked through the doorway into the downpour; Colin, meanwhile, walked purposefully toward the woods, the sound of his boots crunching on the grass, as Leonidas prepared to depart the West Kingdom.

"And what about me?" she shouted after him, her heart pounding in her chest as Colin halted. "Can you live without me that easily?" she asked, tears welling up in her eyes as the rain fell on her face.

He turned to her, taking in her distressed state. And as the rain soaked him, dripping onto his eyes, cheeks, and lips, Colin couldn't help but feel that the expression in Penelope's eyes was painfully familiar.

"That's not fair," he said.

She shook her head, her lips trembling as she looked away and then back at him. "I thought I was your best friend," she said, her voice wavering. "Wasn't that what you told me?"

"You are," he said, waving one hand emphatically. "Nora, you will always be—"

"Then why are you leaving me?" she interrupted, shaking her head. "A best friend wouldn't do that," she said, her voice cracking and tears streaming down her cheeks.

Colin stared, speechless, his breath hitching in his chest at Penelope's sharp, accusing tone. Because that's who it was: Penelope, not Nora. They had been there before, facing a similar dilemma, and the memory of Penelope's icy glare still sent shivers down his spine.

In that moment, he froze, almost forgetting his lines. Then he grimaced, a pained expression crossing his face as he forced out the words before Anthony cut the scene. "We'll meet again," he croaked, his voice raw. Penelope pressed her lips together, a faint tremor in her jaw, and glanced down at her shoes, a clear sign of her disbelief. He persisted, "You're safe now, Nora. You'll be alright."

She let out a humourless laugh, her voice tinged with tears. "What good is safety if I lose you?"

A jolt shot through Colin, and he sucked in a sharp breath. Fighting the urge to clutch his chest, he swallowed hard before approaching Penelope.

"You won't," he declared, his eyes blazing with a fierce intensity. His hands, rough yet gentle, tenderly caressed her face, his fingertips tracing the contours of her skin, and he pressed his lips softly against her forehead, a silent promise.

Penelope's racing heart thudded against her chest, the sound echoing in her ears, drowning out the world around them. With a shuddering breath, she placed her hands on his forearms, feeling the warmth of his skin through her fingertips. Closing her eyes, she let herself surrender to the moment. It was absurd, really. When she had read that moment in the script, she had expected it to be like the rare occasions when she had kissed Colin's cheek: a fleeting brush of affection. But having his lips against her skin was different.

After lingering for a moment, he pulled away and they looked at each other, rain falling between them. He whispered, "We will be back soon. I promise."

She gazed at him, her expression suggesting that his words were insufficient. Nevertheless, he nodded his farewell, turned around, and walked away. Penelope watched him go, her heart heavy and a sob escaping her lips. She covered her mouth, but the tears continued to flow, an overwhelming sadness enveloping her.

"Cut!" Anthony finally called.

The redhead stood in the downpour, taking a deep breath. With shaking hands, she attempted to wipe her cheeks, although it seemed absurd given the circumstances. Nonetheless, she couldn't control her emotions. She felt completely unsettled, unsure of how to compose herself. Her surroundings barely registered in her mind until Colin approached, his footsteps echoing clearly through the rain before he hugged her.

She closed her eyes tightly, feeling her nose burn as his warmth intensified her urge to cry. "I'm okay," she murmured, the words barely audible as her chin rested on his shoulder, feeling the comforting weight of his arm around her, her own arms loosely encircling him in return. A slight sniff escaped her as she pressed an index finger to her eye, fighting back the tears.

"I'm sorry, Pen," he whispered, his breath warm against her ear as he held her close, cradling her head gently.

She shook her head as if he was being silly, even though he was accurately sensing her distress. "It's alright, Colin," she said, leaning away from him, her attempt at a reassuring smile quivering on her lips. "This is some powerful stuff," she joked, wiping her left cheek with her palm. "Charlotte really got to me."

Colin offered a small, reassuring smile, the tension in his shoulders easing as he realised her lighthearted attitude meant they were alright.

"Everything okay over here?" Anthony appeared by their side, getting his raincoat soaked as he placed a hand on Colin's shoulder and another on Penelope's. It was clear that he had noticed both actors were overwhelmed.

Surprisingly, Colin's smile grew a little bigger. Penelope was right, as always. Anthony did mean well most of the time.

"We're fine," Penelope answered, a sniffle escaping her as she wiped her nose. "Do we need to do another take?"

Anthony shook his head, tightening his grip on their shoulders. "Let's move on to the next scene, shall we?" He then lowered his arms and glanced at their drenched outfits. "Just get dry first."

After rescheduling a major filming scene, Anthony had expected the day to be less tiring. However, as he made his way back to his trailer, exhaustion weighed heavily on him. Surely he should have realized by then that a shower and sleep are the perfect remedies for a long day. Yet, somehow, he made the grave mistake of diverting his path to the cafeteria in order to grab one last cup of coffee.

It was nearing midnight, and he anticipated that the cafeteria would be deserted except for the pump thermos kept on a side table, providing hot water, tea, and coffee at any hour. However, upon approaching the table, he noticed a solitary figure sitting at one of the tables, quietly sipping tea.

"Busy day?" Kate inquired casually, tinkering with her steaming cup.

Anthony paused by the side table, gazing at her momentarily. "Yeah," he murmured, the sound barely audible above the gentle hiss of the thermos as he dispensed coffee into a paper cup.

The actress emitted a low hum, her eyes fixed on her yellow tea as she swirled it with her hand. "I was surprised by the last-minute change in the shooting schedule today," she remarked.

The director paused, his cup suspended in mid-air, before lifting it to his lips. "I'm sorry about that," he muttered, wishing he could disappear into thin air and avoid further conversation.

However, Kate furrowed her brow, prompting him to continue. "Why did you change the shooting schedule again?" she inquired, meeting his gaze.

Pressing his lips together, he leaned on the table with one hand, attempting to appear nonchalant. "One of the extras sprained their ankle," he explained, taking another sip of his coffee.

The corner of Kate's mouth twitched, and she raised an eyebrow. "One of the extras?"

Anthony nodded, throwing his head back as he finished his coffee in a flash, the clatter of the cup hitting the trash can echoing in the otherwise quiet room, just as Kate rose to her feet and walked towards him.

"Out of hundreds of extras. You decided to delay filming a scene because one of them sprained their ankle," she stated, positioning herself in front of Anthony and leaning on the table as well. "You, of all people."

Knowing he was walking on thin ice, Anthony's jaw tightened, a single, almost imperceptible nod the only response he offered.

The woman then crossed her arms. "It wouldn't happen to have anything to do with the weather, would it?"

Anthony pursed his lips, a slight frown etching itself onto his face, before shaking his head and uttering, "No."

His reaction only served to confirm Kate's suspicions, as she eyed him skeptically. "Because if it did I would just like to let you know that it's completely unnecessary, not to mention absurd—"

"Absurd?" Anthony interrupted, his wounded pride betraying him.

She locked eyes with him. "Yes. What else would you call inconveniencing hundreds of people for the sake of one person?"

He crossed his arms defiantly. "I'd say it depends on the person," he retorted. "And it depends on the reason."

Kate's knuckles whitened around the edge of the table as she finally decided to end their ridiculous game. "Anthony," she said, "please tell me you didn't reschedule today because of me."

She knew it might sound entitled and impossible to think someone would do that for her, especially Anthony. But after the events of the previous weeks, it didn't seem that absurd.

Anthony pressed his lips together, exhaling harshly through his nose as he put his hands on his hips and stared down at his shoes, his universal sign of being caught red-handed.

Kate's eyes widened in disbelief. "Anthony, tell me—"

"So what if I did?" Anthony blurted out, staring her down, momentarily rendering her speechless. "Kate, after what I witnessed—"

"I'm not some weak little girl that needs your protection," she replied, her voice rising, struggling to understand how they had reached this point. "When I shared my fears with you, it wasn't so you could do this."

He scrubbed a hand across his tired face before he let his hand drop to his side with a slap, and muttered, "Then what was I supposed to do?"

"You didn't have to do anything," she exclaimed, her shoulders slumping in a frustrated shrug. "I've been living my life and doing my work just fine all this time. I don't need your pity."

"Is that what you think this is?" he said, his voice tight with defiance, disbelief etched on his face. "That I'm pitying you."

Kate paused, her mouth open mid-air, but before she could retort, he continued.

"Is it really so inconceivable that I might worry?" he said, raising his eyebrows. "That maybe I didn't want to subject you to something that obviously tortures you when it's unnecessary?"

Pressing her lips together, she shook her head, a wave of panic flooding her veins as she struggled to process his words. "You can't keep doing this," she said.

He retorted, "Doing what?"

"All of it!"she exclaimed, gesturing wildly at everything around them. "Just stop."

She wanted to list all the things that were unravelling her, but the courage escaped her. However, she knew Anthony understood what she meant. Breaking security protocols, messing up multiple scenes—whatever was happening between them, it needed to end. Because the more Anthony acted that way, the more real it became. And she wasn't prepared for that, she couldn't have that.

Anthony took in her panicked expression, taking a deep breath before he said, "I don't know what you thinkthisis," he emphasised thethis, raising his eyebrows as he stared into her brown eyes. "But regardless of what you might think of me, I do care about all actors under my resposibility, yourself included. And I would never purposefully make them to do something that clearly makes them uncomfortable."

Taken aback, she felt a wave of heat rise to her face, her protest dying on her lips as he continued.

"You don't have to worry about my personal feelings. You didn't at the beginning, and you don't have to start now," he declared, a nervous swallow catching in his throat as his eyes darted around her face. "As they are completely irrelevant to this set," he said softly, his eyes holding hers for a moment before he turned and walked away.

Frozen where she stood, Kate stared at the archway he'd disappeared through, a hand on her chest as her pulse raced.

In hindsight, they should have realized that scheduling a party on their day off was a mistake. They had a past of bad luck on their free time, so tempting fate was just plain foolish.

However, it was Thomas' birthday, and he had been eagerly anticipating building a massive bonfire and spending the night drinking and dancing. So, on a chilly winter night, his wishes were fulfilled when the crew went the extra mile and even obtained a permit from New Zealand's fire emergency department to light the bonfire.

Usually, Anthony avoided such events, his dislike of parties being well-known, but that day a persistent, nagging feeling compelled him to attend. He wished he could say it was because of Thomas' friendship or a desire to please the cast and crew, but honestly, the main reason was the prospect of seeing Kate. Even if she was barely talking to him, he was painfully but surely learning that sometimes just seeing her was enough.

As soon as he walked into the small clearing, his ears were assaulted by the cacophony of loud voices, raucous laughter, and off-key singing. He grimaced, his usual distaste for noisy gatherings kicking in, until he actually saw it. A crowd of around three or four dozen people had gathered around the bonfire. Some were chatting and laughing with beers in hand, while others were relaxing in folding chairs, enjoying their pumpkin soup.

"Anthony!" Thomas exclaimed, his glazed-over eyes betraying his inebriation. "I'm so glad you're here," he said, hugging Anthony a little too tightly.

The director paused, the air whooshing from his lungs under the weight of his friend's crushing embrace, then patted his friend's back. "Happy birthday, Thomas," he said, and as they pulled away, he handed him a small, modestly wrapped package.

Thomas grinned, looking back and forth between the gift and Anthony. "You didn't have to," he said before accepting it.

"Of course I did," Anthony replied with a polite smile.

Thomas then placed a hand on Anthony's shoulder and gestured towards the gathering around them. "Grab something to eat and drink," he said, indicating a small table laden with food and beer bottles a few meters away. "And for once in your life, have some fun, will you?"

The other man rolled his eyes before nodding, then walked towards the food and beverages table as suggested. He looked around at the familiar faces and quickly spotted Kate, engaged in a lively conversation with Penelope and Genevieve. That night, she wore a beige turtleneck dress that hugged her curves, her hair in loose waves, and golden hoop earrings dangling from her ears. Their eyes met, and after a brief, lingering gaze, she turned her attention back to the girls chatting.

A frustrated huff escaped Anthony's lips as he snatched up a foam bowl, before he reached for a bottle of beer. He turned around and, surveying the crowd, weighed his options. Despite knowing nearly everyone present, he would be dishonest if he claimed it would feel effortless to approach any of them and initiate a conversation. Anthony was simply that kind of person; he was a man burdened with many tasks and obligations, which served as ideal justifications for his reluctance to engage in social activities.

However, his attention was suddenly caught by a lone man sitting on a foldable chair, quietly eating as he watched the bonfire, the flames reflecting in his eyes.

"Are my eyes deceiving me?" Colin broke into a slight smile upon seeing Anthony approach. "Because that can't possibly be my brother being social."

Annoyed, Anthony shot Colin a look before sitting down beside him. "It's not exactly like I could skip it," he grumbled, swirling his plastic spoon in the soup before eating.

A deep "uh-hum" rumbled in Colin's chest before he shook his head and concentrated on his meal. A moment of silence passed between the brothers, each lost in thought, before Anthony inhaled deeply and looked at Colin, who was more focused on his spoon than his food.

"You don't seem very social today either," he commented.

With a frustrated sigh, Colin drummed his spoon on the bowl, his gaze briefly lifting before returning to his soup. "I'm just feeling a little under the weather," he said before taking a spoonful.

The director frowned, realising that his brother was more downcast than he had initially thought. He then turned to look in the direction Colin had been staring, only to see the same group Anthony had been observing earlier. Kate, Genevieve, and... Penelope.

"Everything alright?" he found himself asking, causing Colin to whip his head towards him in surprise.

Colin furrowed his eyebrows, surprised that Anthony, of all people, picked up his sour mood. A slight grimace crossed his face before he reached for his beer, which sat beside his chair.

"Just fine," he replied, a long, weary sigh escaping his lips as he took a swig from his bottle, his gaze returning to Penelope amidst the crowd

He had lied, naturally. Or at least he thought he did.

Since resuming filming, Colin felt a persistent, unsettling unease about Penelope, a sense that something was deeply wrong. Or maybe even before that. But because he didn't see her daily back then, odd comments, unusual questions, or her absence from events like Daphne's wedding were easier to ignore when time between their meetings lengthened. However, now that they were back to spending every day together, her slightly distant demeanour was hard to ignore.

And it would have been fine, were it not for the persistent worry in his stomach. He liked to believe that she had forgiven him months ago, and their relationship was back on track. But sometimes Penelope's subtle distance made him question if their slate was truly clean.

As Genevieve moved to grab a drink, Penelope felt his eyes on her and glanced at him, sending a small, shy smile before returning to the conversation. Kate noticed Penelope's change in focus, turning slightly to see Colin and Anthony at the other end of Penelope's previous gaze. Anthony quickly noticed her, his stare lingering on her as she turned, sighing softly before refocusing on her friend.

"So, how are things going?" Kate asked, seizing the opportunity of their momentary privacy.

Understanding exactly what Kate meant, Penelope pursed her lips and shrugged, slipping her hands into her coat pockets as she surveyed the party. "The same," she replied, attempting to conceal the bitterness in her voice. "We're friends, great friends."

"And that will never change," Kate interpreted her answer.

Penelope paused, a subtle frown appearing on her face before nodding.

Noticing her hesitation, Kate asked, "What is it?"

Penelope shook her head. "Nothing, just..." She looked down at her fingers, fiddling with them before refocusing on her friend. "Life imitates art, that's all."

Kate furrowed her brow, not understanding what Penelope meant. Noticing her confusion, the redhead scratched her forehead, then let her hand fall to her side.

"A few days ago, we shot this scene..." She trailed off, and Kate nodded, encouraging her to continue. "Leonidas leaving Nora behind to go after Catherine."

Suddenly understanding, Kate shook her head, saying, "Pen, that's not—"

"It's okay, Kate," Penelope interrupted, her hands heavy in her pockets as she swayed back and forth, eyes fixed on her feet. "It's life, it's just inevitable. No matter how great of friends we are, he's still going to find someone he wants to spend the rest of his life with. And then he just won't... he won't be there to answer my calls right away, or drink my wine so I won't get drunk, or prioritise spending his free days with me. He just won't be around as much, and, I mean…" she added, her eyes shining unnaturally. "Isn't that what Charlotte was trying to teach with the whole Leonidas and Nora story? Some things are temporary, life goes on, and friends drift apart."

Kate frowned, finding Penelope's interpretation of both life and the book flawed. "It depends," she said.

Penelope offered a wry smile. "What does it depend on?"

The other woman let out breath, hating that his words were still echoing in her head. "It depends on the person," she said, her mind inevitably returning to her argument with Anthony at the cafeteria, as accustomed as it was to gravitate towards him at any given moment.

The redhead shook her head and looked down at her boots, as if that answer didn't help at all. If it depended on Colin choosing her, then it was a fight she'd been losing for decades.

Meanwhile, Kate couldn't help but let her gaze wander back to Anthony. His black casual long-sleeved shirt and pants, layered with a grey jacket, formed a sharp, relaxed look that she had to admit was very attractive. Her eyes then followed him as he made his way towards the food table again, completely unaware of her stare.

As Anthony lifted the lid of the aluminum pot, he frowned upon seeing that the soup had already run out. A wave of genuine disappointment washed over him; that had truly been the highlight of the otherwise lacklustre gathering. However, his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a camera clicking to his right. When he turned towards the sound, he saw Edwina holding up her phone with a smile on her face.

Once Anthony lowered the lid, giving her a theatrical, annoyed look, she giggled, raising her hands in mock surrender. "Agatha said it was good for traction when I posted those BTS pictures," she said. "I'm just trying to please the boss."

Despite the shake of his head, a nearly imperceptible curl of his lips betrayed Anthony's amusement. It was simply unavoidable with Edwina; she possessed what many on set described as an adorable personality, even for someone as cranky as him.

"As long as you don't take pictures of my scenes, feel free to capture me being disappointed at Thomas' party," he joked as he reached for another beer bottle.

"Really?" Edwina smiled mischievously, playfully pursing her lips and tapping her chin. "You know, you keep ruining the image they painted of you," she said.

Curious, Anthony raised an eyebrow as he popped the bottle cap off with the bottle opener. "And what image is that?" he asked.

Pretending to think hard, Edwina replied, "Something along the lines of a moody, closed-off director who threatens to toss people's phones if they even think about taking pictures on set."

Anthony paused, the bottle hovering near his lips. He almost said it was absurd, but then he realized that perhaps it wasn't too far from the truth. "I have a feeling you might be lying to me. I'm sure your sister has far worse things to say about me," he finally said.

Edwina laughed, and a smile tugged at Anthony's lips before he took a swig of his beer.

"Didn't you mention you were snapping a photo of Thomas arm wrestling Cressida, bon?" Kate's voice chimed in from behind Edwina.

Anthony raised an eyebrow, not particularly eager to know the context of that picture, while Edwina blinked in surprise at her sister's sudden appearance.

"Oh, Cressida mentioned that she needed to redo her nails first," Edwina explained. "She should be back soon."

"I see," Kate said sharply, snatching up a few bread buns.

"I've got something even more rare, a snapshot of our daring director in his natural habitat," Edwina quipped, gesturing towards Anthony with a chuckle.

This time, however, Anthony didn't smile; he simply glanced at Kate and then nodded at Edwina.

"Really?" Kate questioned, her jaw tensing slightly. "That's rare indeed," she continued in a dry tone.

"He's not as terrible as you make him out to be, didi," Edwina playfully continued, winking at Anthony. "Though I must admit, I preferred the first picture I took of you, when you were smiling."

A tense smile played on Anthony's lips as he focused on peeling the label off his beer. "I promise I'll be smiling in the next one."

"Okay, deal," Edwina said, the brightness of her smile a stark contrast to Kate's quiet, brooding frown. "I'm heading over to talk to Margaret. She mentioned her aunt is a publicist. Can you believe that?"

Kate nodded slowly before murmuring, "Okay, bon, have fun," pointedly avoiding Anthony's gaze.

And then Edwina left, just as oblivious as when she arrived. Kate remained still for a moment, glancing at Anthony before reaching for the cauldron. Anthony didn't move away or return to his seat next to Colin. He stood rooted to the spot, pretending to be focused on the label of his beer.

"It ran out," he said without looking at her, though he was fully aware that she was about to pour more soup into her bowl.

Kate paused with the aluminium lid mid air, the flames from the bonfire reflecting in it as she stared at Anthony.

"Oh," she said, the metallic clang of the closing pan echoing as she stared at him.

She pressed her lips together, leaning on the table as she continued to gaze at the side of Anthony's face. "I'm surprised to see you here today."

Anthony's head whipped towards her, shocked that she had willingly spoken to him at that moment. "You know how it is. I wouldn't hear the end of it if I skipped it," he replied.

Kate nodded slowly, their eyes meeting briefly before she looked away and reached for a bottle of beer herself. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Edwina is definitely happy you're here."

He furrowed his eyebrows.Edwina? What did she have to do with anything?"I think your sister is happy about a lot of things," he commented, a slight smile playing on his lips as he looked at Edwina and Margaret, who were engaged in lively conversation and laughter.

Kate, however, didn't follow his gaze. She pressed her lips together and reached for the bottle opener to remove the cap. Though she succeeded swiftly, the motion resulted in a painful gash on her thumb, the blood welling immediately. Familiar with such incidents, Kate pressed her lips against the wound to stem the flow of blood.

Quickly noticing her accident from the corner of his eye, Anthony reacted instantly. He grabbed a napkin and, without hesitation, pressed it to her bleeding cut. Grimacing, he saw the blood seeping through the white fabric.

"I should have opened that for you," he blurted out instantly, a remark that slipped out without thinking, even though he knew she would respond in her predictable way. Something along the lines of not needing anyone's help and being perfectly capable of doing it herself.

Kate let out a shaky laugh, the pain in her hand dampening her usual sarcasm. "You and your gallantry," she said, gazing at his thumb pressing down on her cut to stop the bleeding. "No wonder women fall all over themselves for you."

He furrowed his brow, his grip weakening in her hand. That was a new one, for sure. Among the many names that were used to describe him throughout his life,gallantwas never one of them. Yet there was something in Kate's tone that showed it wasn't exactly a compliment, so he looked at her with a puzzled expression.

"What are you talking about?" he asked plainly, too confused to respond to her sarcasm in kind.

"I mean, isn't that what you do?" she asked. "Saving helpless women in car wrecks, listening to all their troubles, posing for countless pictures on their Instagram as long as they're happy, that sort of thing," she finished with a huff.

Anthony furrowed his brow even more, immediately releasing Kate's hand. He wasn't sure what Kate was accusing him of this time, but he didn't like it one bit. With a shake of his head, he left his bottle on the table and swiftly turned around, marching away from that cursed party.

Kate widened her eyes, caught off guard by his reaction. Since she had witnessed him speaking with Edwina, her emotions had been building to a point of confrontation, but now she was shocked by the depth of hurt she saw in his eyes.

Cursing under her breath, she too left her bottle on the table, rushing after the director, regardless of the eyes watching them.

"What's going on?" Penelope asked, her gaze following Kate as she practically ran after Anthony.

"I don't know," Colin replied with a sigh, his eyebrows furrowing at the scene before he glanced down at the bottle in his hands. "You were the one with her until five minutes ago."

Penelope narrowed her eyes at him. She could tell he was in a sour mood the moment she sat in Anthony's empty chair beside him. "We're allowed to have other friends, you know," she said, attempting to lighten the mood with a joke.

Colin sighed, feeling slightly foolish for sulking. He didn't mean to come across as a jealous friend; he simply couldn't shake the odd, painful, inexplicable feeling in his gut. Shaking his head, he took a sip from his bottle, trying to snap himself out of his own nonsense.

"Weren't you just with Anthony too?" she asked, trying to change the subject.

A gust of wind passed by, causing Penelope to shiver before she scooted her chair closer to Colin's for warmth. She fought the urge to focus on his broad frame beneath the brown sweater, or the cloying musk of his cologne that filled her senses; thankfully, her phone vibrated, pulling her attention away as she retrieved it.

"I suppose, but you know Anthony," Colin shrugged. "He's as closed off as they come."

Penelope nodded as she unlocked her phone screen. "Kate isn't much better," she commented.

Penelope had miraculously got some personal venting from the older actress in the dressing room that day, a rare occurrence, as Kate usually kept to herself. Because of their relatable experiences with dating and its associated heartaches, the women intuitively understood each other, often requiring minimal words to convey their feelings; however, this also meant that Kate could get away with being guarded.

A Debling: I'm going to be in your area next week

A Debling: we can meet again if you like

Penelope's current thought process came to a halt as she glanced at the two messages on her phone screen. The texts between Alfred and her had been infrequent since their initial encounter—just a casual exchange of words. Yet, Penelope couldn't deny that this flirtatious interest was a refreshing change in her life. However, as she read his words, a slight aversion stirred in her stomach.

It was strange, really; as far as Penelope knew, Alfred was perfectly nice, intelligent, and thoughtful. One would think she'd be thrilled at the possibility of seeing him, but instead, it felt just... okay.

"Is everything alright?" Colin's voice brought her back to their conversation.

She quickly locked her phone and hid it in her pocket, feeling uncomfortable with the idea of Colin seeing a text from Alfred.

"Yeah, fine," she replied hastily.

Colin looked at her suspiciously, but decided not to question her, finishing his beer and placing the bottle back on the ground. Now, not only did the strange feeling in his gut not fade, but it surged back with renewed force.

"I think I should head out. I need to wake up early tomorrow," he said, letting out a long, weary sigh. "Agatha asked for some sort of meeting first thing in the morning."

Penelope furrowed her brow at this news. "You too?" she asked.

Confused, Colin turned to her and asked, "What do you mean?"

"She called me too," Penelope explained. "Said she was returning tonight and we should talk tomorrow morning."

Colin blinked, not understanding why Agatha would schedule separate meetings with both of them as soon as she arrived. It was definitely odd, if not concerning.

"What time?" He asked.

"Seven," Penelope said, her face twisting in displeasure at the meeting's early hour. However, she knew it was the only available time since filming would begin shortly after on Monday.

"That doesn't make any sense," Colin remarked. Curious, Penelope looked at him and he continued, "Why would she schedule a meeting for both of us without informing us?"

Penelope frowned, understanding instantly. "Your meeting is at seven, too?" she asked, and he nodded. "Did she tell you why?"

Colin shook his head, and Penelope pressed her lips together, realising that Agatha hadn't disclosed the reason for their meeting either. They exchanged worried glances as a wave of concern washed over them. When productions were unclear about the purpose of a meeting or the participants involved, it usually meant bad news.

"Anthony!"

He stopped abruptly, refusing to turn around when his name was called. Surrounded by moonlit parked trailers, the cool night air filled his lungs as he closed his eyes. Behind him, she approached with slow and hesitant steps, the crunching leaves under her feet betraying her presence.

"I... I'm sorry, alright?" she said, unsure of how to navigate the situation.

With a deep breath, Anthony placed his hands on his hips, his body tensing as he turned. "You seem to believe that you hold no importance to me, so I fail to see how an apology would make any difference."

Kate recoiled as though she had been slapped. Typically, she would agree that she'd been crazy, ending the conversation right there. However, because that day was anything but ordinary, and for once, Anthony had actually expressed some form of emotion, she couldn't help but feel undeniably intrigued.

"Well, am I?" she challenged, her dark brown eyes blazing with defiance, reflecting the silvery light of the moon.

Anthony remained motionless, a thoughtful chew on his lip, hands planted on his hips, his face in the half-light, staring at her without a word.

Frustrated, Kate approached him. "Am I of any importance to you at all?" she repeated, her gaze searching his face for understanding. "Because honestly, I can't—"

"Why do you think I came today?" Anthony's voice, rough and husky, cut through the air, his eyes fixed on hers with an unnerving intensity.

Kate furrowed her brow. It couldn't be, she thought. None of it made sense. Yet, there she was, her heart a frantic drum against her ribs, her skin tingling under the intensity of his gaze.

"I don't know," she answered, her eyes fixated on his lips, where his teeth were still clamped down, before she abruptly shifted her gaze back to his eyes. A blush crept onto her cheeks. "Honestly, I don't understand a single thing you do."

"You're not much better," he replied, his gaze lingering on her lips before flitting away. She frowned and tilted her head, clearly confused, but before she could speak up, he explained, "I thought you said I had to stop doingall of it," he replied, repeating her previous words, "So I don't get why you keep coming after me."

Her mouth fell open, catching his attention once again. "I was worried about my sister," she said defensively.

Once again, it was Anthony's turn to be confused. "Kate, what does your sister have to do with any of this?" he finally asked.

She pressed her lips together, lifting her chin in a haughty stance, but her composure faltered as her gaze lingered on his mouth. "Since she's younger than me, it's easier to win her over with your charm and smiles."

A bizarre, erratic thumping echoed in Anthony's chest as his heart did the weirdest leap. He realized that everything Kate had just said was completely absurd, from implying that he was flirting with Edwina to talking about his smile. In reality, he couldn't even remember the last time someone had paid attention to such a detail about him. As he observed Kate's tense expression, he felt his stomach flip in a somersault-like motion. It was in that moment that a sudden realisation struck him.

She was jealous. Kate was absurdly, genuinely…. jealous.

"My what?" he asked, his breath catching in his throat, eyes alight with delight as he advanced towards her, his shadow falling across her features.

Kate blinked, a warmth spreading through her as his face lit up in a dazzling smile, brighter than any she had seen before. Her breath hitched, and her palms grew sweaty.

"You... you know what I mean," she whispered, inhaling deeply. The fact that his face was so close to hers wasn't helping at all.

Yet, he seemed even more amused by her response. "No, I really don't," he said, biting his lip again as he looked at her, his smile so big that he couldn't even hide it.

She shook her head, her hair falling over her eyes, winded from his nearness. She was losing the argument and didn't even understand how.

"Don't pretend to be clueless." Anthony was so elated at that point that he didn't even reply, he just kept nodding, staring at her mouth as she continued to ramble. "I know how much attention my sister attracts. Naturally, you would like her and you can't help it. You attract every woman in your vicinity, but you cannot—will you stop looking at me like that?" She widened her eyes at him, feeling increasingly breathless and unsettled.

On the other hand, Anthony's mood couldn't be better. "Are you done?" he asked, his warm breath ghosting over her face as a grin stretched his lips, sending shivers down her spine.

"I..." she took a breath, her heart racing as his eyes remained fixed on her, with a look she couldn't describe. She furrowed her eyebrows, still panting as her pride tried to take over. "No, I..." Her chest rose and fell as she once again gazed at his lips. "I..."

At that moment, Anthony had reached his limit. He grabbed her by the neck, pulling her into a kiss. Kate gasped, a searing fire erupting through her veins before her arm snaked around his neck. She reached out, her fingers sinking into his thick, soft hair, a sensation she'd longed for, causing Anthony to groan. He slipped his arm around her waist, drawing her closer as he opened his mouth. Her pulse quickened, her grip on him tightening as they drew nearer.

As she felt her feet moving, her back slammed against the cold metal wall of what she vaguely hoped was an empty trailer, before she was again distracted when Anthony started kissing her jaw. Her other arm went around his back, fingers digging into his shoulder blade, feeling the warmth radiating from his skin through his shirt. The touch of his lips on her neck made her knees buckle, a gasp escaping her lips as her eyes fluttered open. Suddenly, as she looked around behind Anthony and saw the row of trailers, she remembered where they were and who they were. Even as he continued to kiss her throat, almost causing her to forget, fear crept in.

"Wait," she whispered, feeling the brush of his lips on her skin, making her sigh softly before she mustered the courage to say, "Stop," pushing him away. The coolness of the air hit her flushed skin, heightening her awareness of the situation. "We can't..." she gasped, her voice breathless, trailing off as the weight of the situation settled upon her. "We can't do this."

He furrowed his brow, his chest rising and falling as he caught his own breath.

"I'm not..." she began, her breath hitching in her throat. A hand flew to her chest, feeling her heart pounding against her ribcage as a wave of panic crashed over her. "I'm not the kind of person who would have an affair with the director. I can't be," she declared, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and desperation, before she quickly turned and fled from the trailer.

But not before seeing Anthony's pain mirrored in his eyes once again.

When morning arrived and Colin found himself standing at Agatha's trailer door, He couldn't help but wish that he had retired to bed even earlier, as weariness clung to his body. With a sigh, he watched the sun rise, and soon spotted Penelope approaching. She donned a long burgundy coat, carefully cinched at the waist with a belt, accentuating her fiery hair that seemed to radiate warmth against the cool morning air. The crispness of the atmosphere caused their breath to materialise in small puffs, dissipating into the surrounding stillness.

Now that she was there, he had no excuse not to enter, and he had to admit he was nervous. He couldn't think of a single reason why their movie producer would want to talk to them, which led his mind to imagine the worst-case scenarios.

As Penelope came closer and greeted him with a shaky smile, he realized he wasn't the only one feeling anxious

"Ready?" he asked her as she stopped in front of him.

She took a deep breath and replied, "As I'll ever be."

Finally, he knocked on the door and opened it, stepping inside when Agatha called out for them to enter.

And as soon as Colin spotted not just Agatha but also Charlotte, he knew something bad was happening. Penelope came to a standstill at his side, her body tight as her gaze fell on the two ladies, likely sharing his concerns.

"Ah, Colin, Penelope, good morning," Agatha greeted them with a bright smile, motioning towards the chairs by the dining table. "Please, have a seat," she said.

Charlotte's mood seemed less cheerful, her eyes scanning them from head to toe with a cursory glance as she muttered a perfunctory "good morning" while they sat.

"Um... did you have a nice flight?" Penelope asked, her small voice strained, a nervous smile playing on her lips as she glanced between the two.

"Yes," Agatha replied, picking up two steaming cups of coffee and placing them in front of the actors before sitting down across from them. "As pleasant as a 33-hour trip can be," she added with a tired sigh. She then noticed the duo in front of her eying their beverages cautiously. "I know it may not be your preference, but I thought you might need it. Please, go ahead," she gestured towards their cups, encouraging them to drink.

Meanwhile, Charlotte leaned against the wall next to Agatha's seat, crossing her arms and observing the scene with her keen eyes. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "Where's Anthony?"

Penelope and Colin exchanged a meaningful glance, their cups frozen midway to their lips. Anthony was supposed to be at the meeting too? That was not good, not good at all. Penelope placed her trembling hands back on the table as she peered into the reflection of her dark, brown liquid. She silently wished Agatha had offered her a drink instead.

"He's not answering his phone," Agatha replied. "It's my fault. I should have informed him earlier that we needed him here. He was probably busy yesterday."

Colin furrowed his brow, momentarily forgetting his own rising panic to ponder why Anthony would ignore a call, especially from Agatha. While he wasn't a big texter, he never missed a call from work. That was completely abnormal, even for a Sunday. Glancing at Agatha, Colin saw that she shared his concern but refrained from mentioning it in front of Charlotte.

"Shall we get started then?" the author impatiently exhaled. "I still need to unpack."

"Alright," Agatha answered promptly, intertwining her fingers on the table as she gazed at the two actors, who were shifting uncomfortably in their seats. "I'm sure both of you are curious as to why we called you here. I apologise for not providing any details beforehand, but I assure you there's nothing to worry about."

Penelope nervously bit her bottom lip, feeling only a slight sense of relief. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Colin's grip on his mug loosen.

Charlotte scoffed, shaking her head. "Yes,theyhave nothing to worry about," implying that it was actually she, or perhaps Agatha, who should be concerned.

Furrowing their brows in unison, Colin and Penelope returned to feeling completely unsettled.

The producer restrained an eye roll towards her friend and dismissively waved her hand before refocusing on the pair in front of her. "We're making a few changes to the storyline, nothing too drastic for now," the producer explained.

"For now," Colin repeated, studying Agatha's expression, sensing a significant shift in the future was implied.

"Yes," Agatha replied, her gaze acknowledging his implied question, "for now."

"What kind of changes?" Penelope asked, furrowing her forehead and not understanding why any alterations were necessary.

Agatha pressed her lips together in response, and Charlotte scoffed once again, earning a glare from the other woman.

"Let me be perfectly clear," the author interjected, clearly fed up with Agatha's hesitation. Still with her arms crossed, she pointed at the couple with her index finger. "You two have caused a frenzy online. The audience is demanding a romantic plotline between Nora and Leonidas, and we're considering giving it to them."

Penelope felt as if her heart had stopped. It almost felt like she was still in bed, caught in an absurd dream. Because that couldn't possibly be what Charlotte just said. The internet often demanded various things from stories, wild fantasies that went unheard by most writers and producers. Charlotte and Agatha would be no different, certainly not because of Penelope and Colin.

By her side, Penelope sensed Colin growing quiet and his body tensing. She took it as a positive sign he wasn't vehemently protesting, at least.

Agatha raised her hand to stop Charlotte from continuing, fearing that Penelope and Colin would bombard them with a million questions. "That's not exactly how it is, and you know that," she told the writer. Charlotte simply raised her eyebrows in response. "First, there have always been fans who requested this plotline since the books," Agatha explained, looking at Colin and Penelope hoping to defuse the situation. "I'm sure Charlotte saw some validity in what they were saying, which is why she agreed to do a trial run," she added, pointedly glancing at her friend.

Charlotte rolled her eyes and waved her hand at the producer, not wanting to appear as if she was giving in.

"A trial run?" Colin finally found his voice, sounding more strained than usual.

Agatha looked at him and nodded. "We're simply adding one scene to gauge the public's reaction. We need to be cautious with any modifications we make for obvious reasons."

Considering the history of book adaptations failing to meet the expectations of fans, the choice to change the storyline of this already beloved saga was undoubtedly a daring one.

"Just one scene?" Penelope asked, feeling her throat tighten. If it was only one scene, it couldn't be that bad, right?

Agatha nodded and turned to Charlotte, about to request the script. However, Charlotte was already one step ahead, handing her two sheets of paper before she even had the chance to speak. Agatha then passed one sheet to Colin and the other to Penelope, explaining the plan. "The idea is to film a dream sequence, specifically Leonida's." As both actors picked up the extra page and began reading, Agatha continued, "This way, if it doesn't resonate well with the audience, we can simply ignore it in the next movie and proceed as originally planned."

"And if it does resonate well?" Colin asked, pausing his reading as he gazed at Agatha expectantly.

The producer paused, tilting her head before glancing at Charlotte. Charlotte raised an eyebrow, placing a finger under her chin as she cryptically replied, "We shall see."

Meanwhile, lost in her script, Penelope's eyes landed on a sentence that sent a jolt through her, making her heart leap.

"Um," she paused, swallowing hard, trying to conceal the tumultuous emotions brewing within her. "It's a kiss scene," she stated, sensing Colin's immediate return of focus to the page from her peripheral vision.

"Yes," Agatha nodded, looking at Penelope as if she understood what was the problem, when she clearly couldn't even have a clue. "I felt it was important to discuss this with you personally as, while it was on your contract that such scenes could happen, you obviously weren't expecting it, given the character you auditioned for. In case you feel uncomfortable, let me know and we will find a way around it," she explained kindly, and Penelope would have hugged the woman if only that was the actual problem. "Give it some thought; but rest assured your disagreement, should you express it, won't change my opinion of your performance."

Penelope nodded almost absentmindedly, her mind going a mile per minute. She wished she could better appreciate Agatha and Anthony's absurd kindness, a stark contrast to the industry's harsh realities. But she was too overwhelmed to think straight.

"You too, Colin," Agatha added, noticing his silence. "You can always speak up if anything on set makes you uncomfortable."

He nodded, grateful for the gesture but too stunned to respond. He also noticed Penelope barely looking at him, which was a concerning sign in itself.

"But I suggest you both make a decision before next week. Tilley will be returning to set next Monday, and if we decide to proceed with the scene as scripted, I want you to meet with her," Agatha said.

For the tenth time in their conversation, Penelope felt the world tilt on its axis. She stared at Agatha, her mouth slightly . As in, the intimacy coordinator. Because they needed an intimacy coordinator for that scene. It wasn't just a simple peck and go home kind of scene; it was probably a full-on make-out scene. Now, she deeply regretted her decision to stop reading atAnd then, Leonidas' lips trailed to her mouth.

She eventually managed to nod, noticing Agatha's expectant gaze. She didn't even dare to look at Colin to see the expression on his face, it was just too terrifying.

"Alright," Agatha said. "Right then, that's everything we needed to cover for today. Why don't you grab some breakfast before you get started with the shooting?"

With another shaky nod, Penelope rose, her legs unsteady beneath her, affecting an air of nonchalance as she left the trailer. Opening the door and stepping outside, she immediately began to walk at a faster pace, her hand instinctively going to her heart as she gasped for air.

"Pen!"

She squeezed her eyes shut, the frantic sound of Colin's voice barely registering as she just tried to breathe. She stopped at a weathered, small wooden bannister overlooking the trees, the rough wood cool against her palms as she gazed down, seeking solace in the quiet landscape.

Colin finally caught up with her, feeling his anxiety rise with each step she took, completely ignoring him and not offering a word in reply. Panting slightly, he said, "Pen, if you don't want to do it, it's okay. Just have a word with them, Agatha and Anthony will understand. They can always film things from a different angle, or perhaps get a stand-in."

Penelope gently placed her hand on her forehead, opting to take a deep breath instead of succumbing to the temptation to scream. The issue wasn't that she was uncomfortable with the idea; in fact, she was far too comfortable.

"No, I want to do it," she replied, while keeping her gaze averted. "If it's what's best for the movie, I want to do it."

He shook his head, finding her reasoning absurd considering how distressed she appeared about the prospect of a romantic scene with him. "What's truly best is you feeling safe while filming," he said. "If you don't want—"

"That's not the problem, Colin, okay?" she interrupted, finally mustering the courage to look at him.

His concerned blue eyes almost devastated her, as the whole situation felt like a relentless assault on her already fragile heart. Out of all the ways she had ever envisioned kissing Colin, an acted kiss was undoubtedly the least appealing. But did it truly make a difference? Deep down, she knew that she would never have the chance to kiss Colin in any other scenario, neither now nor in the future.

"The problem is that I'm inexperienced." she admitted, her hand trembling as she gestured to herself.

Taken aback by her reply, Colin's eyebrows furrowed. "I know that you've never had a kissing scene, but I'll—"

"No, you're not understanding me," she said, stopping him with a raised hand, her lip caught between her teeth. "I'm inexperiencedin life."

Colin blinked, unsure if he'd heard correctly. No, it couldn't be true—the idea of Penelope having never kissed anyone felt utterly improbable, a fact too strange to accept. "Pen, how—" he trailed off, his voice barely a whisper, and she shook her head, her red hair falling around her face, and somehow that was all the answer he needed. "It doesn't make any sense, you're—"

"I know my age, Colin, okay?" she said, her voice trembling slightly, shoulders lifting as the weight of her years, or more precisely her thirty-plus years, settled upon her. Because surely, his next words would be about how unbelievable her confession was. "I know it better than anyone, I assure you."

Colin could only stare, struggling to wrap his mind around the inconceivable truth she had just revealed. It was beyond comprehension, so far outside the realm of believability that his brain couldn't even begin to grasp it.

Observing his perplexed expression, she couldn't help but grimace. "I mean, I know you heard me when..." her voice trailed off, recalling her embarrassing slip-up when he mentioned her need to learn how to drive. However, she took a deep breath and pushed through. It didn't really matter if Colin knew, things would remain the same whether she revealed intimate details about herself or not. "I mentioned I'm a virgin, so this shouldn't be surprising," she stated.

He raised his eyebrows and said, "Well, I thought you were just waiting for the right moment and the right person, Pen, like so many do. Age shouldn't really matter when it comes to this sort of thing," he said with a casual shrug, as if it were no big deal at all.

Penelope pressed her hand to her forehead once more. Naturally, Colin would be understanding about it all; he really did have an allergy to being a jerk most of the time, and it drove her absolutely insane.

"Or have I got that completely wrong?" he asked, confused at her reaction.

"No," she replied, dropping her hand. "You didn't. It's just..." she swallowed hard. "In terms of kissing, it didn't feel like my choice, but rather the universe's choice in general," she said, a slight tremor in her voice as she pursed her lips, the unspoken implication hanging heavy in the air: she was utterly undesirable.

Fighting it was pointless; she had been aware of her situation for a while, and the internet only amplified her insecurities. She was a spinster, with the only difference being her lack of funds to afford a cat. Perhaps now that she had an income, she should just buy five.

Meanwhile, Colin was shaking his head, the repeated words "That doesn't make any sense" tumbling out in a low, exasperated murmur.

A pathetic, almost soundless scoff escaped her lips. She'd spent her whole life being utterly overlooked by men, and now Colin was saying it made little sense, as if that would actually change anything. "Colin, I'm not sure if you've picked up on this, but I'm not exactly what you'd call a pretty girl. I don't have a queue of guys asking me out or a flood of messages on Instagram begging for my attention. I don't draw any eyes when I enter a room, or any attention at all. Honestly, if you and Eloise hadn't stumbled upon me by some twist of fate, no one would have even batted an eyelid at me, not in school, not in college, not anywhere really. I'm invisible; that's who I've always been."

Colin's forehead became so wrinkled that it seemed certain to give him a headache as he simply gazed at her. It was as if she was speaking in languages that were completely beyond his comprehension. She didn't draw any eyes when she entered a room? She was invisible? The same girl who couldn't even buy a kebab without causing a scene, the woman who found herself on countless lists of the most promising actresses of the year, that person?

"Pen," he said, his voice low and intense, his eyes boring into hers, eyebrows arched. "I've never… heard you spout so many stupid things all at once," he repeated her words, which had held great significance when she had said them to him. Now, it only seemed fitting to bring them back for an even nobler purpose.

Penelope pressed her fingers to her eyes, the memory of those words bringing her to the brink of tears.

"You're one of the most talented, intelligent, and beautiful women I know," he said, and she squeezed her eyes shut even tighter, as he really wasn't helping the situation at all. "When I say it's absurd for you to believe that you haven't been kissed because you're unwanted, I'm not guessing, I'm telling you."

She shook her head, finally gathering the courage to meet his gaze once more. His efforts were commendable, but she knew he was mistaken. If the person speaking those words wasn't attracted to her, why should she believe him? "Well, reality still is what it is," she said, gesturing towards their surroundings. "No matter how much you think it isn't true."

Now it was his turn to shake his head, determined to prove his point. "Pen, have you ever considered that maybe the problem is that you're just too closed off?" He crossed his arms as she avoided his gaze, pursing her lips as if she didn't want to hear it. "If you don't put yourself out there, nothing will happen. If you feel like people don't see you, then make them see you, like you did with Eloise, like you did with me."

She bit her bottom lip, glancing at him and wishing she could explain to Colin why he was completely wrong. "Regardless of the reason, the fact remains that my first kiss will be on-screen, which is exactly what I didn't want," she said.

An odd sensation, almost like pain, churned in Colin's stomach. He didn't know what it was about Penelope's words that cut so deep, whether it was the fact that he hated the idea of this happening to her, or perhaps, more enigmatically, the realisation that he ended up being the person she was so averse to kissing. Either way, he chose to attribute his discomfort to a more logical explanation, and a solution formed in his mind. "You still have time, Pen. Maybe…maybe you can find a way. I know I gave you a bit of a hard time about your girl's night, but perhaps…" he trailed off, feeling a sickening churn in his gut and a bitter taste in his mouth.

She chuckled, "I haven't managed to find a way in nearly twenty years. I can hardly see how a few weeks will really change anything."

He saw the glistening tears in Penelope's eyes, the frustrated, almost painful set of her jaw, and the hopeless emptiness in the faraway look she wore. It was then that he uttered the five words that would forever change everything between them.

"Let me help you, then."

A/N:

*EVIL LAUGHS*

Okay i know everyone will have a lot of questions or maybe screaming and that sort of thing I won't even attempt to address it all here we will see each other again on the comments hahahahaha feel free to ask anything you want there or comment anything you want, you guys know how much I love talking to you.

As always I'm leaving my LIKE OLD HOLLYWOOD playlist here, this time I didn't change it (for now) but...as a little birdie told me (and this idiot author didn't realise) everyone that doesn't have spotify premium can't listen to it in order so, I transfered this playlist also to youtube for anyone that wants to listen to everything in order/without adds, that sort of thing: LIKE OLD HOLLYWOOD (YOUTUBE) (the link will be on my profile)

And finally, because it felt only fitting after this chapter, I also made a playlist just for kanthony. Of course it's way smaller but for my polin/kanthony girlies out there (and just for whoever wants to have fun): like old hollywood (kanthony's version) (link also on my profile). I also added some fun songs along with serious ones, please don't make me take out Chloe or What is this feeling (just like I didn't take out HM from LOH it's just too fitting and hilarious not to have them around)

That all being said, please don't forget your reviews and likes!

God bless you and have a great day!