Date The CEO.com

Chapter 182: The Photographer and His Muse

"What do you say about changing positions a bit, hm? So we could get more people in the shot."

Blood drained from Eve's cheeks when she looked up. A sense of vertigo washed over her head. The smile on her lips gradually faded away. Her hazel eyes widened millimeter by millimeter.

That was a face she least wanted to see.

Elias Walker pressed his lips together, his smile unwavering. He switched his gaze between her and the kid. His eyebrows shot up when neither of them responded. "Anytime you're ready."

"Lady, what is he saying?" The boy asked Eve. The lazy expression on his face frowned upon receiving zero response. He nudged her with his guitar, hoping it would be enough to wake her up. "Aren't you supposed to be a model? What does the photographer want?"

Eve blinked out of her trance. "I"

"I was saying if you can turn this way so I get more students in the background." Elias got up and moved towards the direction he wanted them to face. He bent on one knee and tested the new angle. The sun shone in the upper right corner this way. It also had a beautiful view of nature way in the horizon.

It was much better than the first one.

"Lady? Hello?" The boy tried again.

"Uh, let's move over here," Eve mumbled, scooching over. The boy followed without questions but his scowl hadn't disappeared. He had resumed practicing. The strings plucked a tiny bit harsher than normal.

"Now, now," Elias commented. He squinted his eyes at the kid with a playful expression on his face. "Is that any to look when in the presence of a beautiful woman?"

Eve stopped breathing. The same blood that left her face came back rushing. She turned her head towards the boy and forced a smile. "You still haven't told me how long have you been practicing."

'What was going on right now?' She asked in her head, alarm bells ringing for her to flee. But she couldn't. It would be unprofessional. She was here to do a job and she would see it throughas long as a certain someone didn't ruin it for her. 

Where was Cale?

Where were her bodyguards?

Did they already know?

The next few minutes involved serious acting from Eve. Unlike other times, she felt the immense effort it took to seem okay. Most of the people were children and the instructors. They paid their session little attention. 

It didn't take long for Elias to scout around the premises for more photos.

"I'll walk around," he said, getting up and scrolling through the photos. He strode towards Mila and added, "Please call me for the next phase. I want to get pictures of the others too if you don't mind."

His chocolate brown hair glowed under the bright sky. The golden hues gave it that luster that came with jewelrynot to mention how it matched his happy-go-lucky demeanor. He truly lived up to the boy-next-door claims from his clients.

Mila nodded her head. She had wanted to wrap up the lesson before changing the setting. "Yeah, sure! We'll finish this in about 15 minutes tops! Why don't we meet back here?"

"Sounds good! Enjoy!"

Eve rediscovered the value of fresh air. It filled her lungs like the sense of freedom when venturing out into an open road. Her right hand stopped strumming. Dull pain coated her left fingertips. She took out her phone and dialled for Cale.

"Everything okay?" He asked as soon as he picked up.

"Did you just see what happened?" Eve could hear her heart hammering in her chest. The reaction came after her initial shock. 

"Ugh, I'm also acting as Avery's proxy today. It involves socializing with the other important folks. Plus convincing anyone new to fund the school." Cale sighed. He wiped the sides of his neck with a peacock handkerchief. "Anyway, what's going on at your end?"

"Elias Walker is here."

"... Can you repeat that one more time?"

Cale swore that sounded like the fake ex-boyfriend was around. His face had to be very thick for him to show up in the same place as Eve. What would he even do? Introduce himself as her ex-boyfriend and watch her unable to counter it?

Eve checked the premises, locating the culprit. She had to make sure he was out of earshot. The boy hardly cared about her lack of attentiveness. "Elias Walker is a photographer for the campaign."

"Shit."

Cale walked further away from his hiding spot. He had only excused himself when he heard the call. His voice dropped to a whisper despite being beside a set of stairs. His aqua blue eyes flickered in different directions, staying alert. 

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"I'm fine. He didn't do anything that wasn't necessary for his work," Eve described. He didn't even acknowledge her like Tae did when he approached Mila. What was his game? 

"We still need to be careful. Do you want to cancel the shoot?"

"No!" She yelled. Then, closing her eyes, a groan escaped her lips. "I made a commitment and I will see it through. Besides, if we leave, doesn't that mean he won? He won by inflicting fear?"

Cale considered her words for a moment. "I understand. I'll see if it's okay if Nanzie joins you. I'll also inform Avery about this."

"What about Ambryan?"

"I'll let Avery handle it."

"Okay. Thank you."

"Not a problem. Just stay safe."

Eve ended the call just in time for Mila to appear in her line of sight. The music teacher had placed the guitar back in its case. She handed it over to a staff and gestured the model to give hers as well.

"We'll be mingling with the other groups," Mila explained as Eve approached her side. "It sounds boring, isn't it? I really wanted to focus on this place being fun while the school showcased the main classes and individual practice sessions."

They waited for Elias to finish his exploration. One group of children beamed at the camera as soon as they saw him. Everyone had something to offer him. The instructors also shared their ideas of how to posesome had done similar to them and pretended to be invested in the music lesson.

"Seems like there will be a lot of good photos," Eve remarked. The corner of her lips curled up from the display of enthusiasm. "I think whatever your message is to potential students comes through clearly. I'm wishing you success in your expansion."

Mila chuckled in the same direction as her gaze. "Music has rules but, at the end of the day, like all creative mediums, the creator is free to do as they wish. I want it to be seen as wide as this feld and as open. The sky's the limit for their musical adventure."

Soon, Elias finished his trip around the area. He walked up to the two ladies with a big smile on his face, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "So what next?"

"I was thinking we could get some photos with the groups," Mila answered. She stared at each of them with her lips pursed together. "Do you recommend any of them?"

Elias spun on his heel and rubbed his chin. He assessed the crowd. "I think we should have at least one instrument per category. We already have guitar for the strings. What about a wind instrument? The clarinet seemed to be an interesting bunch?"

"Yeah?" Mila glanced his way. Then, she searched for the same group. At the sight of them, she already knew what he meant. "Ah, the Lin sisters. Yes, they are lively."

"Okay, then. So we agree on the clarinet?"

"Absolutely."

Eve followed behind the two. She slowed down her pace, careful not to be too close with Elias. Nanzie emerged beside her. A sigh of relief flowed out of her lungs. As if her bodyguard could sense her stiff behavior, Nanzie placed a hand behind her back. 

It was all the sense of security she needed.

Against her knowledge, Elias watched her from the corner of his eye. He conversed with Mila by turning his head in her direction. This allowed him a peripheral view of his beloved 'ex-girlfriend.' 

She was more beautiful than her pictures made her out to be. The crimson hair brought out the natural flush of her fair skin. Pointed round eyes exhibited both innocence and seduction. Her glossy plump lips were the same. 

He could envision an entire collection of photos with her as the main subject.

The moment he laid eyes on her, she became his muse.

"Uh, Elias?" Mila said, shifting her attention towards him. They had stopped walking near the clarinet group. She had watched where they were going and missed his far off gaze. Aware of it now, she followed his line of sight.

Evangeline had stopped a few meters away. She crouched on the ground with a triangle in her hand. The little girl in front of her had the dinger, banging it against the at the bottom of the instrument. Then, the model would take her turn and do the same.

Laughter poured out of Evangeline's system.

It became like a fun little game as the student seemed more invested as they took their turns.

Both of their smiles gleamed like the triangular steel between them.

Not a moment to lose, Elias lifted up his camera and froze the scene in time.