Chapter Text
It was almost noon when Earn and Engfah arrived on the set of FBI My Love, their faces masked with professionalism, but the tension between them was palpable. Aside from the earful over the phone, the young actress was given strict orders from Suzie to hush on the issue while her manager dealt with her agency by playing coy.
Both Earn and Engfah have been in the industry long enough to know how this game was played. By neither admitting or denying rumours—they’d enjoy free PR for their movie and for themselves.
It was a win-win situation—Earn reminded herself as she trailed a few steps behind Engfah for good measure. She couldn’t have predicted Engfah would suddenly stop and reach for her hand.
The more experienced actress smirked playfully at Earn and winked as she took Earn’s hand in her own, “If they’re gonna talk, let them.”
Last night’s events lingered in the air like a storm cloud threatening to break. As they walked through the studio hand in hand, whispers and sideways glances followed them, the gossip mill already working overtime. The grainy photo of them at the bar had made its rounds—not just on morning celebrity gossip but also on news sites and social channels. Everyone seemed eager to catch a glimpse of them to make a decision for themselves and for whatever drama might unfold onset.
Earn avoided looking at Engfah, her mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. She was grateful for Engfah’s kindness this morning, but the reality of their situation was too overwhelming to process fully. Every step she took felt like it was weighted with guilt, confusion, and the ever-present shadow of Fahlada.
As they reached the makeup station, Earn finally forced herself to speak. “Engfah, I’d prefer—”
“Not now, Earn,” Engfah cut her off, her voice soft but firm. “We need to focus on the shoot. We’ll talk later, okay?”
Earn nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat. She knew Engfah was right, but the words still stung.
After she’d said ‘I don’t regret being with you’ in the bathroom, that stuck with her in her brain. In her mind, Engfah could have anyone she wanted—though she also did remember even on the first day, Engfah held her hands and told her with sincerity she’d been waiting to work with her for a longtime.
Still, Earn wanted to clear the air, last night was a mishap, but the timing wasn’t right.
“N’Earn what happened to your neck?”
Earn’s eyes flickered to her reflection in the mirror and felt heat rise in her cheeks at the sight of marks from last night…
“Uh…allergy…new neck cream…can you cover it with makeup?” She forced a smile and let the makeup artists fuss over her, trying to push her thoughts aside.
The set was bathed in soft lighting, creating an intimate atmosphere that mirrored the tension between Earn and Engfah. They stood close, the cameras positioned to capture every subtle emotion. The director called for quiet, and the air was thick with anticipation.
Earn’s heart pounded as she gazed into Engfah’s eyes, their characters lost in a moment of vulnerability. The script called for a kiss—an expression of unspoken feelings that had been building between their characters for the climax of the movie.
“Action!” the director called, and the scene began.
Engfah’s hand gently cupped Earn’s face, their characters sharing a tender exchange of words before the inevitable moment of closeness. Earn could feel the warmth of Engfah’s breath as she leaned in, their lips just inches apart—her mind went blank.
There was a brief hesitation, a silent question in Engfah’s eyes that Earn answered with the slightest nod. Then, slowly, their lips met in a soft, lingering kiss.
Time seemed to stand still as they kissed, the world around them fading away. It was a kiss filled with all the emotions their characters had been suppressing—longing, confusion, and a deep, undeniable connection. Earn felt herself sinking into the moment, the line between reality and fiction blurring as the kiss deepened.
When they finally pulled apart, the set remained silent for a moment, the intensity of the scene hanging in the air. The director called cut, and the crew erupted into applause, but Earn barely noticed. She was still caught in the afterglow of the kiss, her heart racing as she looked at Engfah.
Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, Earn wasn’t sure where their characters ended and where they began. The kiss had stirred something deep within her, something that she wasn’t ready to confront just yet.
A commotion at the entrance of the set caught everyone’s attention. Earn glanced up from over Engfah’s shoulder, her heart skipping a beat as she saw Fahlada striding toward her, her expression a mixture of anger and hurt.
“P’Mor?” Earn’s voice was barely a whisper, her eyes wide with surprise. Had Lada seen the news? Had she seen the kiss? The sight of her ex-girlfriend sent a jolt of nausea through her.
Earn hesitated, glancing around at the curious crew who were all watching the scene unfold. She could feel Engfah’s eyes on her, and the weight of the situation pressed down on her like a vice. “P’Mor, this isn’t the time or place—”
Fahlada's sudden appearance caught everyone off guard. She stormed toward Earn, her emotions boiling over. Without warning, she slapped Earn hard across the face, the sound reverberating through the silent set.
"You lying slut! I saw the picture! I saw how you look at her!” Fahlada spat, her voice trembling with hurt and rage. “Do you think it’s fun toying with me?! Not once! BUT TWICE?! Do you really think I'm STUPID?!”
Earn, stunned and still reeling from the slap, opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. The shock of Fahlada’s arrival, coupled with the intensity of the kiss with Engfah, left her paralyzed.
Before Earn could react further, Engfah lunged forward, placing herself protectively between Earn and Fahlada. “Stop this, Doctor! This isn’t the place nor the time.”
Fahlada’s eyes blazed with fury, barely registering the director had called for security. “And who are you to tell me what to do?! This is between me and her!”
Engfah remained calm, her eyes focused, voice steady but firm. “Earn doesn’t deserve this, and neither do I deserve to have my time wasted on set. Whatever happened between you two, it needs to be resolved privately.”
Gasps were heard from the crew as they watched with bated breath. Fahlada’s hands clenched into fists, her eyes darting between Engfah and Earn, struggling to process the scene before her.
“Please, Fahlada,” Earn finally managed to say, her voice soft and pleading. “I swear I can explain...but not like this.”
“Shut up! Shut up!” Fahlada’s expression wavered, the anger giving way to pain. She took a shaky breath, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
Earn opened her mouth to respond, but before she could, Fahlada’s anger turned physical. In a flash, she shoved Earn backward, her strength fuelled by raw emotion. Earn stumbled, nearly losing her balance, but before she could fall, Engfah was there, catching her and steadying her with a firm grip.
“Enough!” Engfah’s voice was sharp, commanding, as she shoved Fahlada square in the chest, causing the other woman staggered a few steps back. “This isn’t helping anyone. You need to calm yourself down and leave!”
“I'm not going anywhere!” Fahlada was beyond reason. Her eyes were wild, her emotions spiraling out of control. “Get out of my way!” she screamed, lunging at Engfah with a force that caught everyone off guard. Engfah tried to block her, but Fahlada’s momentum was too strong, and they both went crashing to the ground in a tangle of limbs.
The crew erupted into chaos as people rushed forward to intervene, trying to separate the two women. Earn was frozen in shock, her mind unable to process what was happening. She had never seen Fahlada like this, had never imagined that things could escalate to such a point.
Security guards appeared seemingly out of nowhere, pulling Fahlada off of Engfah and restraining her as she continued to struggle, her screams echoing through the set. “Let me go! Let me talk to her!”
Earn’s heart shattered at the sight of Fahlada being dragged away, her once composed and gentle ex-girlfriend reduced to a mess of tears and anger. She wanted to run to her, to comfort her, to make everything right again, but she was paralyzed by the weight of her own guilt and confusion.
As the chaos died down, Earn found herself standing in the middle of the set, her body trembling with the aftermath of what had just happened. Engfah was beside her, her lip cut but otherwise unharmed, her expression a mix of concern and weariness.
“Are you okay?” Engfah asked softly, her hand gently resting on Earn’s shoulder.
Earn nodded numbly, though she wasn’t sure if she was answering truthfully. Her mind was a mess of conflicting emotions, guilt and regret warring with the relief that the confrontation was over. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “This is all my fault.”
Engfah shook her head, her eyes softening with understanding. “It’s not your fault, Earn. You couldn’t have predicted how Fahlada reacts…you’re not responsible for her behaviour.”
Earn looked down, tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. “But I never wanted it to be like this. I never wanted to hurt anyone.”
“I know,” Engfah said gently, her voice filled with empathy. “But sometimes things happen that we can’t control. All we can do now is move forward and hope for the best.”
Earn nodded, though the path ahead seemed more uncertain than ever. She knew she had to face the consequences of her actions, to confront the emotions she had been avoiding for so long. But in that moment, all she wanted was to curl up in a ball and hide from the world.
As the set slowly returned to normal, with the crew working to erase the traces of the confrontation, Earn felt a heavy weight settle in her chest. She knew that things would never be the same between her and Fahlada, that their relationship was irreparably damaged. And she didn’t know how to fix it.
But as she looked up at Engfah, who was watching her with a mixture of concern and affection, Earn realized that she wasn’t alone. Engfah had been there for her, had stood by her even when things got messy and complicated. And in that moment, Earn felt a flicker of hope—hope that maybe, just maybe, she could find a way to move forward.
“Let’s go get some fresh air,” Engfah suggested, her voice gentle. “We can talk more later, but right now I think we both need a break.”
Earn nodded, grateful for the offer. As they walked off the set together, Earn took a deep breath, trying to clear her mind. She didn’t know what the future held, but for the first time in a long while, she felt like she might be able to face it.