Chapter Fourteen — Weekend Hustle & Fashion Fire
(Sienna's pov)
The weekend had never felt so… scheduled.
I groaned as I slid out of bed, midnight-blue hair half-tangled from a late night editing clips of yesterday's episode. Twenty-two years old, famous since sixteen, and somehow I was already exhausted.
"Coffee first," I muttered, grabbing my hoodie and phone. Notifications were already blowing up.
Axel texted:
A: "Don't spill your coffee on set. See you in thirty."
I rolled my eyes. Already prepared for him to be charming and infuriating in equal measures.
By the time we arrived at the location for the weekend sponsor shoot — a glossy, sunlit penthouse the brand had rented — the chaos hit immediately. Crew members bustled around racks of clothes, assistants scrambled with cameras, and the social media team hovered with iPads displaying fan edits from Episode Three.
"You two are trending harder than any celebrity launch I've ever seen," a rep said, adjusting his glasses. "We literally booked this weekend to capitalize on the viral kiss and the behind-the-scenes footage."
I groaned. "So, now I'm a walking, talking meme."
Axel smirked, dark hair messy from the early morning wind. "Memes pay the bills."
The moment that really made my jaw drop was when Elara Paris Carter and Aidrien Carter arrived.
Elara was stunning — sharp cheekbones, striking brown eyes, and that effortless elegance that screamed fashion royalty. Aidrien was equally impressive, tall, broad-shouldered, perfectly dressed, the kind of man who carried the weight of a business empire while still managing to look like he'd just walked out of a magazine spread.
Elara extended her hand gracefully. "Sienna, Axel — welcome. It's such a pleasure to finally meet you both in person."
I shook her hand, overwhelmed by her aura of calm authority. "It's an honor. Your work is incredible."
She smiled, soft but knowing. "Thank you. It's been a lot of hard work, but when you love what you do… it's worth it."
Aidrien stepped forward, offering a warm handshake. "And thank you for representing our brand. We've been following the buzz — social media can be brutal, but you two are handling it beautifully."
Axel nodded politely. "We try."
I added softly, "Mostly trying not to spill coffee on anyone important."
Elara laughed — a soft, melodic sound. "You'll do fine. We're just thrilled to have you with us."
The photoshoot began. Cameras flashed, racks of clothing swirled, and fans were already speculating online about Sienna and Axel's "fashion chemistry" — the captions practically wrote themselves.
Between takes, I caught Axel glancing at me over the racks. That smirk, dark eyes scanning me like I was both a puzzle and a challenge. He leaned closer while we adjusted collars and sleeves.
"You know," he said quietly, voice low enough only I could hear, "if these photos go viral, I'll never hear the end of it."
I rolled my eyes. "I think we've reached that point already."
Ember popped up beside me mid-shoot, practically vibrating with excitement.
"SIS! Look at this — they've already made fan edits of you two in the new outfits. Someone put you in a slow-mo walking scene with jazz music! It's perfect."
I groaned. "Ember, can we not go viral for every blink we take?"
"Nope. You're trending whether you like it or not," she said with a grin.
Axel chuckled softly beside me. "Looks like we'll need a game plan for surviving the weekend."
I just shook my head, halfway laughing, halfway groaning. Game plan indeed.
By mid-afternoon, Elara and Aidrien invited us to a private coffee in the penthouse lounge — a rare quiet moment amid the chaos.
Elara gestured toward the balcony. "We built this brand from the ground up," she said, voice gentle but firm. "Every late night, every negotiation, every sleepless moment — we did it together. And now seeing you two bring it to life… it's surreal."
Aidrien nodded. "And to think, it all started with a dream and a lot of stubbornness. You two should take notes — chaos and media attention included."
I laughed softly. "That sounds… familiar."
Axel smirked. "Yeah. Famous since sixteen. I can relate."
Elara's eyes twinkled. "You handle it well. And it shows. That's part of the reason your following is so devoted — they can tell you care about your work, even when it's overwhelming."
I felt my chest tighten slightly. This was real. Not a script. Not a fan edit. A real compliment from real people who had worked their asses off to create something meaningful.
The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of photos, poses, and more viral-worthy moments. Between takes, Axel and I had small, charged glances — accidental touches that somehow sent sparks, quiet smiles that no one else noticed.
As the sun began to dip behind the city skyline, Elara called us over for a final photo together — casual, relaxed, elegant. Cameras flashed. Fans would go insane. Sponsors would go insane.
And in that moment, I realized: the weekend chaos, the social media storm, the viral edits, the first kiss, and every brush of Axel's hand… it was all part of a fire I couldn't ignore.
I stole a glance at him. He caught my eyes and just smirked — calm, confident, infuriatingly magnetic.
And I knew: no matter how viral, how chaotic, how overwhelming this world got, with him by my side… it felt like the one thing I could survive.