chasing perfection

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/61803178.

Rating: Mature
Archive Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of
Violence, Major Character Death
Category: F/M
Fandom: Bridgerton (TV)
Relationships: Colin Bridgerton/Penelope Featherington, Anthony Bridgerton/Kate
Sheffield | Kate Sharma, Alfred Debling/Penelope Featherington
Characters: Penelope Featherington, Colin Bridgerton, Anthony Bridgerton, Edwina
Sheffield | Edwina Sharma, Eloise Bridgerton, Kate Sheffield | Kate
Sharma, Portia Featherington, Featherington Family (Bridgerton),
Archibald Featherington, Marina Thompson, Benedict Bridgerton,
Alfred Debling, Caroline Basset, Violet Bridgerton
Additional Tags: Colin Bridgerton Loves Penelope Featherington, Enemies to Friends to
Lovers, Protective Colin Bridgerton, Colin Bridgerton Being an Idiot,
Oblivious Colin Bridgerton, Jealous Colin Bridgerton, Dark Colin
Bridgerton, Confident Penelope Featherington, Strong Penelope
Featherington, Bridgerton Family Feels, Alternate Universe - Modern
Setting, Jealousy, Obsession, Oral Sex, Rough Sex, Public Sex, Friends
With Benefits, No Strings Attached, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Angst and
Hurt/Comfort, Comfort No Hurt, Romantic Fluff, Unplanned Pregnancy,
Pregnancy Kink, Dom Colin Bridgerton, Office Sex, Shameless Smut
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2025-02-21 Words: 7,765 Chapters: 6/?
 chasing perfection
by Aks_rain

Summary

Colin is a popular idol known for his arrogance and unruliness. However, with the help of
Penelope, his new assistant, he begins to address his flaws and unlock his potential, slowly
transforming into a talented singer. Throughout this process, Colin starts to develop feelings
for Penelope. Their relationship starts as enemies to lovers, where Penelope aspires to be a
singer but finds herself entangled with her arrogant boss, who makes her life a living hell.
Colin harbours dark secrets behind his fame, and as Penelope spends more time with him, a
more dangerous side of him begins to emerge.

In short, having a no-strings-attached relationship with your enemy or cruel boss can drive
you insane, even if you are an independent, strong woman.

(Regular updates)

Notes

Please try to comment this story has dark themes I will make that marriage one ff too but
please try to comment I want some motivation to write the next chapter.
 still lines

The stage was bathed in a mix of violet and crimson colours, and the walls were adorned with
images of the moon. There was no music playing, and the atmosphere had a light, almost
ethereal quality to it. Everything felt surreal as if it were all just an illusion.

The concert was scheduled to start in five hours. Colin’s new costume had just arrived. He
was dressed in a white, flowy shirt reminiscent of Victorian fashion, crafted from silk that
highlighted his muscular frame. He looked even more handsome in that shirt than he usually
did.

His chestnut brown hair flowed in the cool air of the air conditioner, which emitted a slightly
dry scent. The faint smell of sweat had faded from his skin, replaced by a cherry blossom
perfume that his sister-in-law, Kate Sharma, had gifted him. It was from a classic collection
—sweet but not overpowering.

Since his older brother got married, the house had become a much happier place. Reflecting
on his childhood was painful; it was filled with darkness and terrible memories. He could still
hear the sirens of police and ambulances from that time. He remembered his father's body
lying on the cold marble floor and his mother in distress, vomiting. Colin felt so small and
helpless.

He didn’t want to become like his father; he longed for his mother to wake up and hug him
again. That was what she used to do whenever someone needed her—to hold them until they
felt better.

The house was no longer lonely. Anthony was happily married to Kate, while his sisters lived
their own lives. Daphne was married to a famous actor, and Benedict was exploring Italy to
find himself as an artist.

Their mother now lived with Anthony and Kate, and they all seemed to be living perfect
lives. Yet, Colin still felt the anxiety of that fateful night overwhelming him as he stared at
his reflection in the mirror.

‘Ah Colin my dear get ready you have to perform soon’ WILLIAM came from the door and
whispered into his ear "You must prepare yourself."

Colin was here another night in LA where he would perform his so-called songs in front of
millions of people. It didn't matter to him that everyone knew who he was he didn’t care
about the fame. All he cared about was performing and getting out alive. The only thing that
mattered was his art.

His stylist came as William left the room William was his CEO the one who owned his
company 6 years ago when colin was left with nothing he wanted to come out of his family
name and start working on something new so he chose a path of singing you see in
Hollywood the male singers always get the privileged as they are seen as some sort of
perfection the innocent guys who haven't done anything wrong in their life but that was far
from the truth.

Colin gulped as he looked at his stylist velvet who was an average woman she had some
fancy hair that looked a lot different from usual people. She had tattoos on her skin she
looked chic.

Her name was Velvet.

“So what should we do today?” She asked.

"ask my assistant Velvet" He replied and rolled his eyes as he brushed the ends of an inch out
of his hair.
she grumbled "She no longer works for us Colin"
"why?"
Velvet shrugged, “You know... the usual"
“What usual?” his eyebrows knitted together.
But he gave her a smile His smile was tainted with sarcasm, leaving no doubt as to his true
feelings.
“Velvet honey, his voice dripping with intrigue. "I'm curious, what do you mean by 'the
usual'?" With just a few simple words, he had piqued her interest and left her eager to share
more.

"your Assistant left the work as she got tired of your dramatic ass" Her voice was filled sass
he groaned as she ran a hand through her half dyed hair.
"This is the 8 assistant that has quit her job"He pulled his hair in frustration "Get me a new
one"

"How do you expect me to get you a new assistant?"

Colin raised an eyebrow at her he didn't like being questioned by other people.
he looked down, "Fine I'll find someone for you"
"Just put on an advertisement or something I have to perform in a few hours do It fast or else
I won't perform at Coachella" He said impatiently. "Besides it's not my fault my fans are
dying to see me perform..." His tone turned sultry and sexy.
Velvette seem to get pissed off with his attitude "Fine I will put on an advertisement " She
muttered and stood up "But if anyone asks what happened then you're a total asshole"
She stormed out of the room leaving colin alone who is smiling at the camera and fixed his
hair.
He looked at himself in the mirror as if examining him closer, "My smile makes me believe
in lies that they have never heard or seen" he mused. "They believe the truth is that I am a
good actor but I don’t care... What matters is my power..." He spoke to himself. "I can lie and
twist reality around, convince people I'm telling them the truth or that it's real. When it comes
down to it... I am just a fake... a liar...."

…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…….

Penelope's mornings were lazy, quiet days for her. She had gotten used to going to bed late
most nights. But this morning she woke up earlier than ever she got dressed quickly and ran
downstairs to get breakfast and coffee.
"Hey Dad!" She called out as she entered the kitchen. Her father was cooking breakfast and
humming along to whatever song came on the radio while flipping pancakes.
‘Hey dear’ Archibald said as he looked at his youngest daughter her curly hair was a mess as
she had just woken up "Didn't sleep well huh?"
“No Dad” Penelope opened a book and started reading one she didn't try to find her mother
and sister because she knew that they must have gone shopping or other stuff that they do
together.
Archibald placed a pancake onto two plates and handed them to Penelope.
“We are proud that you finally graduated college!" He hugged his daughter tightly
she hugged her father back. "Thanks, Dad" She mumbled against her father's chest.
"so I am going to apply for a job I guess temporary "
She said after pulling away. She had decided that she was going to keep looking for jobs and
eventually find somewhere to live in Los Angeles.
“Do you need any money to take care of yourself?"
"No I want to do my own thing Dad" She politely declined the offer she didn't want to
pressure her family anymore.
She needed her new identity.
"Are you sure?
“Yeah Dad there are some places I've looked at but they weren't hiring" She said sadly.
“If you need anything let me know"
"Sure I will look for a job at some entertainment company or something," Penelope said
nonchalantly. It wasn't that she minded working at a place to earn money, she didn't mind
doing work that she enjoyed. But she had to do it herself, no one expected her to get anything
done. So she just had to go out and find something to do on her own without bothering
anyone.
"Okay then" Archibald smiled.
she said. "Don't worry about me Dad I can take care of myself."
He smiled and nodded he was happy that his daughter was doing something for herself.
“I am going out with Edwina we are having brunch together at a cafe”
“Okay sweetheart just be safe and take care”
she sat on her desk thinking about the crossroads of her life. She couldn't help but feel
conflicted about what she wanted. her computer screen was open the tab of Dream Company
was open she glanced at the banner picture of Colin.
"This man has become a global idol whereas I stand at the crossroads of my life"
Her fingers tapped on the keys slowly, hesitantly almost like a prisoner who was afraid to
break free from the handcuffs on his wrists. Her fingers trembled as she hit the enter button.
a small notification popped up in her email and she opened her inbox and found that Dream
Entertainment had written to her
" This is dream Entertainment we are pleased to let you know that we have accepted your
application for an interview with Penelope Feathering-ton we would like you to meet on 20
May 2024 at 10: 00 pm "
She felt excitement surge through her body "Oh my gosh! I got in! I GOT IN!" She shouted
out in disbelief. She stood up and spun round and round excitedly
. She threw her arms up into the air and let out a joyful yell. Tears of joy began to form in the
corners of her eyes.

The tears streamed down her cheeks uncontrollably and left little puddles on her shirt, her
hands clamped around her mouth to muffle her noise of delight.
She felt a hand pat her shoulder and turned round to see her father smiling down at her "How
did I know you'd be happy today"
"Dad now I can fulfil my dream once I start earning money I can do that!" she said happily
hugging him, jumping up and down with happiness. "and I'll finally be able to buy an
apartment in LA," She said and archi nodded and smiled
"You should probably start packing then dear... You wouldn't want to be late" Archi joked and
gave her a gentle push towards her bedroom
"haha yes, Dad but I haven't yet cleared the interview " she laughed.
“Oh you will sweet bird”
“Hope so Dad”
 chapter 2 {the banter}
Chapter Notes

please try to comment i will update the next chapter tomorrow since I have breaks going
on but for the next chapter I need your comments so I can see if you guys are reading it
or not or else I will delete this book due to lack of interest I am sorry but comments are
important.

“I am happy for you pen that means you can move out of here” Edwina commented.

They were celebrating at a club that Edwina had booked for Penelope to commemorate the
job interview offer her best friend just received. Penelope adjusted her curly hair and sipped
her gin and tonic.

Penelope wasn’t very familiar with drinks since she often spent most of her time at home
reading her favourite books or scribbling song lyrics on crumpled pieces of paper with ruled
lines tucked away in her drawers and hard to find.

The soft violet lights bathed the club, and Penelope looked ethereal in her emerald green
dress, which fell to her knees. The dress accentuated her figure, and she wore only a hint of
makeup on her face.

“To be honest I am kind of glad I am leaving this place to focus on myself but i don't want to
leave my father”

Penelope remarked she hated how even though she got her apartment and moved a little away
from this place she will miss her father. They have a relationship where her father supports
her the most than her mother and sisters.

“I know your mother and sister have an orthodox mindset I don't even know why” Edwina
laughed hearing a chuckle from Penelope who got up from the lounge she was sitting on and
opened her arms she felt a little bit high.

The bitter alcohol was running through her body system and her pale cheeks were moist red
from the drink she was feeling a bit bold.

"I am going for a dance" She roared as she stood up. Edwina nodded and continued to talk
with a guy who was by her side.

He looked a bit cute and was interested in her conversations That is the type of a woman a
girl wants who listens to her talking and tells her that she is right That is what happened with
Edwina she attracted a guy who liked her personality.
Colin rolled his eyes and laughed as he listened to Simon and Daphne argue over trivial
matters. Although Daphne was his sister, he found it annoying to be there with the couple,
who were bantering about their sex life. He had no interest in hearing any of it.

He hated couples more than anything.

"I'm going to get some drinks quickly," Colin said as he stood up from the couch and walked
toward the minibar at the end of the room.

He walked through the sweaty strangers, who made way for him and reached the bar. He
grabbed a bottle of vodka and smiled as he heard his favourite music playing on the dance
floor.

He nodded at the waiter grabbed the drink and went back towards the lounge where the
couples were sitting he was humming the music so he didn't notice a person collide with him
since the lounge came in between the people who were dancing as Penelope was dancing and
she didn't notice what was going inside her surrounding since she was so lost in the dancing
she could not process how the bitter beer spilt on his favourite silk shirt that he decided to
wear today.

The blood rushed through his veins “shit shit shit!” Penelope cursed under her breath because
of the embarrassment that just happened.

She thought of dancing for the first time in the club and this tragedy happened.

She tried to give a polite smile to him but his face was showing another story.

Before she could take a step further, Colin grabbed her hand to stop her from running away.
His grip on her wrist tightened making her yelp and hold her breath.
She froze for a moment when she realized he was holding onto her and slowly She pulled her
hand away.

"You always ruin things for me, you little brat!" Colin growled.
He turned to leave, but she called after him, "I'm not a brat! I never cause problems!"
Colin looked surprised by her words. "You have no idea how much trouble you cause me," he
muttered under his breath.
"I'm meeting you for the first time!" Penelope shouted.
"Do you even know who I am?" Colin asked, glaring at her.
"Aww, did the poor baby forget his name? Do you want me to show your ID card?" she
teased.
No girl had ever talked to him like that and here this short-heightened girl who he had never
met before was treating him like a plague and dared to talk back to him like that before. Colin
scoffed and gave her a wicked smile.
“What did you say to me!?’” he asked again as he leaned a bit towards her.
“Are you deaf or something I don't care whoever you are I have my own life to think and
worry about?” she crossed her arms and bravely gave him a stern glare.
Do you know why you aren't welcomed at these kinds of places?" He growled at her.
"cause they don't like ugly girls with a big mouth?" Colin shoots back sarcastically, glaring at
her.
Colin was an insecure man he didn't have anything else to point out so he talked about her
face even though he also made up this she is not ugly but she does have a big mouth he
looked at her from toe to face her nose was burning up as her nostrils started to fill up she
was ready to throw hands with him.
as furious now "What did you say?" She demanded, "Did you call me ugly?" She asked in
anger.
"yes, I did!" Colin yelled back angry at her attitude.
Their banter continued until Simon Daphne and Edwina had to come and separate them from
each other. Colin whole body was filled with sweat and the beer that was spilt onto his shirt
his breath was getting heavier Simon took him away his sister was trying to calm him down.
Edwina made sure that Penelope was fine now as she made her feel comfortable in the lounge
they were at before.
"you should not have fought with Colin like that!" Edwina said
sternly.
"I didn't fight with him! He started it! " she replied.
"He is from the company you have interviewed with him and he is a famous singer end up
working with him in future," Edwina said fixing pen hair and trying to cheer her.
"He is not my boss ed, he only works for Dream Entertainment, he doesn't even know me or
care about me." she restored. "but that idiot will ruin my day I don't want to work with him"
"pen all I can i say is good luck with your interview for tomorrow "
"yeah, I am gonna need that! or that Colin would freak me out more"
She fixed her hair for the last time. She wore a white turtleneck that elegantly revealed her
cleavage and paired it with her favourite jeans and black boots.
Before heading downstairs, she decided to apply a bit of makeup. She put on a light layer of
concealer, along with blush and mascara, but she didn’t bother with any lip gloss. After
taking a deep breath, she made her way downstairs.
“Sweetie, are you ready for the interview?” Archibald asked.
“Yeah, I am…” she sighed. “I hope this interview goes well.”
“Me too, honey. You have nothing to worry about. You've already proven yourself to be a
great singer in Charlotte.”
“But I don’t want to be a singer. I’m fine with any work,” Penelope said, looking frustrated.
Archibald gave her a soft smile. “Just enjoy your job, sweetheart.” He kissed her forehead.
“Penelope, do your best,” Portia said as she came in from the kitchen and hugged her
daughter.
“Thanks, Mom,” Penelope replied, giving Portia a peck on the cheek. She grabbed the car
keys and made her way to the door, taking a deep breath before exhaling it all out.
She opened the car door and drove to the address the company had written down on the
paper.
She took a deep breath “we can do this”
She can take this and impress charlotte she is a hard person to impress since she is a veteran
singer and owner of this company.
“I just hope this colin does not mess things again”
.
 A notice important

Hi everyone I am kinda stressed these days because of my mental health issues and my
exams have started that's why I am not updating I will try to update after the 24th even
though comments do not matter to me but it's very disheartening to see a lack of responses on
this story sometimes I wonder should I even continue to write it or not thank you for your
support I will see if I have the motivation to come back or not:)
 chapter 3 the time

Note: please do comment the next chapter will come out tomorrow after a long time I finally
got the motivation to write so please give me your feedback.
Penelope opened the car door and drove to the address written on the paper provided by the
company. Dream Entertainment was a large organization with offices throughout the city. She
parked outside one of the many glass skyscrapers and walked briskly to the elevator.
As she entered the spacious lobby, Penelope noticed a woman at the reception desk typing
furiously on her computer, while another receptionist handed out business cards to various
guests.
Penelope approached the counter and picked up a name tag and badge from the table. "Thank
you. Is the interview room over there?" she asked, pointing to a door at the far end of the
office space. The receptionist gestured behind her toward the door that led to the interview
rooms.
"Thank you. I'll head there now," Penelope replied with a nod before making her way to the
interview room.
A tall brunette woman greeted her as she entered. ‘Good morning’
"Hello," Penelope greeted them.
she saw lady danbury sitting on the interview table with a cocky smirk adorning her face.
“Oh look it's the Featherington sister are you also here for the singing job like your mother
who destroyed her successful singing career after marrying your father’
Penelope took a seat and remained silent; she was well aware of Charlotte's bitterness toward
her mother. Both Charlotte and her mother had debuted as singers at the same time and found
success. However, amid her thriving career, Portia married Penelope's father and retired from
singing.

"I am here for the job interview," Penelope said.

"And what is your background?" Lady Danbury asked.

Charlotte was selective; whenever she recognized talent, she wished for that person to
succeed. She wanted Portia to be someone who could achieve much in life rather than settle
for marriage and becoming a housewife. She watched Penelope's body language intently.

Feeling hesitant, Penelope realized she hadn’t prepared much aside from her educational
background. Although she had completed a management course, her true passion was writing
lyrics, and she dreamed of pursuing a singing career. However, she knew her mother would
oppose it, and her sisters would not be supportive either.

"I have some work experience from my internship at Eden Hotel," Penelope said.

"Eden Hotel is your father's establishment, so that doesn’t really count as internship
experience," Charlotte interjected.

"Charlotte, let the poor girl speak," George replied. He was Charlotte's husband and one of
the most renowned retro pop stars in the world, standing in a league of his own.
"Fine, fine," she said mockingly. "So, you’ve never had real work experience, right?"

Penelope smiled apologetically. "I may have never worked before, but I am confident that I
can handle any work situation I encounter."

"Well, we’re sure you’re capable and smart," George smiled kindly, and Penelope mentally
thanked him.

As the interviews progressed, surprisingly, Penelope was performing well.

"We can offer you a position as one of our artist managers; we just need to check for any
vacancies," George said, handing Penelope a stack of forms.

"Yes, thank you," Penelope replied, smiling as she took the papers.

Charlotte scoffed. "She’s a rookie; we can’t let her manage our idols yet."

Penelope clenched her teeth, resisting the urge to argue, but she didn’t want to allow
Charlotte to insult the position either.

"Why are you so rude?" George asked. "Penelope is new to work, and we must keep her
happy."

"George, I am simply following the rules we established, regardless of how capable she may
be! She should start as an assistant first," Adam complained.

Lady Danbury sighed in annoyance. "Fine, but next time, don’t be mean to Penelope when
she has something to prove."

Penelope decided to speak up. "I can work in any position; I will even work as an assistant if
that’s what you want."

"Well, Colin's assistant just left, so you can work temporarily as his assistant," Charlotte
smirked, glaring at Penelope.

"I don't mind doing whatever job you can offer," Penelope said, smiling.

"Then please go see Mr. Colin; he will be waiting for you," George instructed.

……………………………………………………………………

"Where are my new song lyrics?" Colin shouted, irritated by the lack of response from his
staff members. He scanned the room; some people were preparing his outfit for today's
performance while others were busy doing makeup for other idols.

Colin waited for his assistant but couldn't find her anywhere. Suddenly, he heard the click of
someone’s heels. It couldn’t be Velvet, as she didn’t wear small heels like this woman. The
sound of the heels carried a sense of elegance in her walk.
"Colin," a soft voice called out to him, laced with a hint of warmth and genuine care. This
voice belonged to Lady Danbury, the management director of the company. She had always
been attentive to her artists' well-being, knowing when they were stressed or scared, and she
understood their needs better than anyone else. Her words had a way of soothing anyone in
distress.

"Yes, Lady Danbury?" he turned around, raising an eyebrow in question.

Colin respected Saera because she truly cared about his talent in the company, unlike others
who imposed their opinions and concepts of music on him, especially the higher-ups who
preferred trending concerts and wanted Colin to conform to popular concepts that everyone
else was doing.

"Your previous assistant has taken a leave of absence for a few months," she explained.

"What?? Why?" he asked, shocked.

"She got pregnant, and we have arranged a new assistant for you," she said calmly.

Colin was taken aback by the news and was even more surprised that someone new would be
replacing his assistant.

"Her name is Penelope, your new assistant," Lady Danbury stated with a composed
expression.

Colin sighed. He didn’t like this girl, and now he had to work with her as his assistant. What
could be worse than this? Lady Danbury left the studio, leaving Colin alone in the room with
Penelope.

“Get me a jasmine tea”

His voice sounded stern and Penelope fidgeted with her fingers but she hurriedly went
towards the shelf to make the tea for him and after a few minutes she served him tea Colin
was on his phone his eyebrows were knitted he had a pissed off expression on her face which
was nothing new.

But he just discovered that his Twitter password was changed without his permission and the
person behind it was Penelope it wasn't her intention but she was ordered by the higher-ups to
change so he won't post the controversial stuff.

"Hey, I have a feeling you might have changed my Twitter password. Am I right?"
As his face drew closer to hers, she could feel the gentle warmth of his breath grazing her
neck, creating a delightful, tingling sensation that spread throughout her body.
"I didn't mean to change it" she replied her voice sounded a bit tired but she tried to add
confidence to her voice hiding the fact she was getting scared of him. She was adamant on
the fact of trying to prove to him that she was not scared of him and she wanted to prove to
him that she was not at all scared of him so that in future he wouldn't make her more
uncomfortable.
"He raised his eyebrow at her as he asked, "Then explain why I can't log into my account?"
Charlie slowly moved a little away from him.
“Lady danbury informed that you posted some content that is not good for your image and as
your assistant i have to monitor your activities”

Colin gave her a wicked smile

as he slowly pulled away from her. penolpe huffed out a small sigh and looked at him with a
mix of unease and haf. This man was starting to creep her out. She couldn't fathom how other
teenagers could be so enamoured with his music.
On stage, he pretended to be an angel, but in reality, he was nothing but a devil in disguise.
"pen was it?" He asked in a soft voice.
Penelope realized that the softness in his voice was insincere.
“Its Penelope for you”
Oh, angry little kitten, aren't we?" He said with a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Just because someone is physically attractive or has a tall stature, it doesn't automatically
make them a good person or entitle them to believe that the world revolves around them."

"Do you think I'm attractive?" asked Colin with a flirty spark in his eyes as he exchanged a
look with her. She rolled her eyes and huffed out a heavy breath.
"You know what!!" Penelope took out her middle finger "fuck you!"
she rushed out of the room after a tense confrontation with Colin. She had anticipated the
heated exchange and his attempt to provoke her, as he always did.
He has been doing this since the day they met.
Colin checked his phone as he heard the message it was an unknown number.
Xx00082920xx

"Tomorrow we have a photo shoot with Elle and it's my number penlope be ready at 10 am I
will pick you up"
Colin smirked and saved her number in his phone as
"Annoying kitten"
 chapter 5 { boba work}
Chapter Notes

please drop a comment it really notivates me please please I need some feedback for
motivation

‘Get me an iced latte!"

That was the fifth cup of coffee he had ordered today. Penelope sighed; she had no choice but
to bring another cup of coffee to her so-called boss once again. The sunlight was warm, but it
wasn't the pleasant kind of warm. The temperature was rising rapidly, and her top wasn't
enough to keep her cool. She felt like tossing her blouse aside and going home to take a nap
on her couch, which seemed old since she had ordered it from a thrift shop.
She had recently moved out of her parents' house and rented an apartment that wasn’t very
big, but at least it suited her well. Ever since high school, she had been writing articles for
magazines and selling song lyrics anonymously to upcoming artists, earning decent money
from her work.
Her apartment had plants and a soft touch of paint on the walls that matched her personality.
It featured minimalist furniture with touches of music records and writing materials scattered
around in the dim light. The wine bottles in the cabinet added to her vibe.
The studio was illuminated by red lights that highlighted Colin. He was wearing a dark-
colored shirt, possibly navy blue or a deep shade of black. The shirt clung tightly to his skin,
resembling a snake. It was taut around his torso and chest, making it clear that the outfit was
making it difficult for him to breathe.

"Why is he wearing such a tight-fitting outfit in this hot weather?" Penelope muttered.

"Where is the model?!" the photographer yelled over the thunderstorm raging outside their
hotel room.

"What model?" Penelope asked, her nerves fraying. It felt like it was her first day on the job,
and her luck was slipping away. How could she have missed the most important part of the
job—a female model who should have been there earlier?

"The female model is not here!" the photographer yelled. "She's late, like always." He was
dressed in a dark blue shirt and dark jeans. His blonde hair didn't allow them to get a good
look at his amber-colored eyes. He wasn’t handsome in a striking way; he looked simply
average.

"We need to get this album shot done today!" Colin commented. He had changed into the
clothes for the photo shoot, which consisted of a loose shirt and black pants. The theme was
an academic vibe inspired by vintage London, with a sexy twist. Sweat beaded on his
forehead from his frustration—it was understandable, considering they had been stuck in the
hotel room for an hour trying to get the shoot started.

"Sir, how can we do this shoot without the female lead?" the photographer tried to explain the
obvious problem. They needed a model, and that model was supposed to have arrived half an
hour ago.

Penelope was beginning to feel annoyed too, sensing Alastor's irritation. This day seemed to
stretch on forever, and she was feeling exhausted.

"Pen! You!" Colin pointed a finger at her and shot her a glare. "Wear this outfit now! You’re
going to be the replacement for that damn model!" he barked.

Penelope sighed and nodded, realising she didn't want to wear those outfits anymore anyway.
But what choice did she have if she wanted to survive this shoot? She'd put on anything and
everything in order to get through it.

She had seen plenty of girls dressed like this and had no idea why Colin insisted they would
be shooting in this outfit instead of something else.

"Are you sure!?" the photographer asked. "The clothes aren’t flattering on her..."

Colin snorted, "Of course, they’re not flattering on her! She looks like weird—I don’t even
know what!" he snapped. "Look, I'm already pissed off with you! Just try to get some
pictures!"

Penelope went inside the changing room with her stuff to calm herself down. It was bad
enough that she'd have to act as a model, but Colin couldn't see her that way right now, she
was still mad at him about their argument earlier in the morning. had yet to speak properly
since then.

The stylist coordinator dressed Penelope in a black leather trench coat. Underneath the coat,
she wore a white shirt with a messy tie, showcasing her rough side. Her makeup was smoky
yet flattering, and her wavy hair was straightened. The glow on her face made her look fresh
and beautiful.

"Perfect!" the photographer commented. Penelope looked at herself in the mirror. She
couldn't believe how beautiful she was.

She still felt a bit discomforted about this photoshoot.

Colin noticed how she bit her lips and her eyes were looking down on the floor.

"Well now Penelope, come here, put your head on Colin's lap. We will click the first picture
like this, " the photographer said while pointing to a couple that looked like they were
enjoying their time together. "Okay, now put your leg across his lap and put your arm around
his shoulders."

Penelope obeyed his orders and Colin lifted her leg onto his lap and held it while putting his
other arm around Penelope's waist holding her firmly against his body.
As soon as he touched her skin, Penelope felt goosebumps rising all over her body and she
shivered.

The photographer kept clicking, and the photographer kept muttering words under his breath
saying things that didn't make much sense to both of the models since the photographer was
speaking gibberish.

Now their clothes were changed Penelope was in a bridal outfit which was a bit torn off and
her make-up was blue this fit was inspired by corpse bride. Colin was in a tuxedo.

"Now pose !" the photographer exclaimed.

Penelope frowned and she gave a confused look towards the photographer, before slowly
leaning in and placing her chin on Colin's shoulder.

"Yes, yes, perfect! Colin, you are a natural.

This pose is the perfect one! Now pose with him"

the photographer shouted.

Colin raised an eyebrow "Kiss her for this pose" he ordered

"Kiss me?" Penelope mouthed, confusion written all over her face. "But, we don't want to
kiss each other," she replied.

The photographer rolled his eyes "That isn't what I meant. Kiss him like this" he
demonstrated
Penelope chuckled softly "You're not making any sense pen." Colin laughed once again

"Come on little kitten kiss me for this shoot " he added

Penelope was surprised that Colin was willing to go so far as to have this stupid photo taken,
but she also understood why. As a famous idol and celebrity, colin's reputation was extremely
high even among celebrities. He had fans, fans who loved to hear his voice.

"Trust me for once"

He whispered, as he leaned forward and gently placed his lips on hers.
Her eyes widened in shock. penolpe's lips were cold and soft. He was gentle and careful,
unlike his usual rough and violent ways. Her rivers began to run down her spine and she
found herself leaning closer to him as she kissed him back. She pulled away and looked into
Colin's eyes, noticing he was staring directly into hers.

"Wow," Penelope breathed out.

"This kiss means nothing so don't dream about our marriage" Colin spoke in a low, husky
voice, smirking devilishly at her.
people's eyebrows furrowed; she hated Alastor's guts; he always found ways to make her
angry. Sometimes, she didn't understand why anyone would find pleasure in hurting people
and causing others pain, especially for a stupid reason like this.
It just made her sick and hurtful to know she was one of those people he caused pain and
suffering for.
The shoot was done quicker than expected as the photographer kept saying things like 'good
work' and 'great job' in a monotone voice. Penelope was so exhausted she didn't realize how
late it was.
They had spent hours trying to get the best angles and lighting they could.
Colin was one hell of a jerk.

"can't we go home yet?" she moaned. She felt tired and sore. They finally got the photos
done, but she felt completely drained.

"Why the long-faced little kitten? we are almost free!"

she groaned "I don't want to talk about that idiot! Let's just hurry up and leave this
godforsaken place!"

Colin looked at her tired face, trying to figure out how to cheer her up. It's true, he liked to
tease her, make fun of her, mock her, and tease her. That's why, every time they fought he
ended up getting angrier and angrier towards her, and every time she ended up hurting his
ego more and more.

He noticed her facial features, her eyes, her hair, her curves. Her smile, her laugh, her beauty.
His eyes trailed upwards to the top of her head, seeing the way the light was hitting her fiery
red locks, making the whole colour shine. He had never liked redheads.
He always thought they were very weird but somehow seeing her now made him feel...
weirdly attracted to her.

He noticed how her cleavage was revealed to him and he noticed how small and delicate her
frame was.
He put his denim jacket on her and pulled her close to him.

"kitten don't you feel cold?" he questioned, as his hands caressed her bare upper arm.
she blushed and quickly stood up "n..no, I am warm" she lied as she quickly averted her gaze
away from his eyes.

"Then get me a Boba " he ordered her as he sat in the chair. "I'm hungry pen, don't keep me
waiting. "

She left with a pouty look he laughed “It's so fun to pick on her sometimes”
 bar starts an another story

Powder on one of the background dancers' faces. Powder is visible on the face of one of the
background dancers. Their costume was crimson and matched the patterns of the crimson
lights on the background wall, and the background dancers' outfits were not tight like
Alastor's.

Makeup can be seen as a facade that individuals use to conceal their inner struggles and
emotions behind a veil of beauty. It's like a mask that covers up the pain and sorrow that
they've experienced. There may be hidden scars and imperfections behind the flawless façade
of foundation and concealer.

Even the vibrant colour of lipstick and lip balm can hide the cracks and peeling skin,
symbolising the effort to present a perfect image despite the challenges faced.
The blazing sun beat down relentlessly, and the dedicated makeup artists toiled tirelessly,
bearing the weight of societal pressures created by toxic beauty standards
It's disheartening how the music industry, which should celebrate the soul-stirring voices of
singers, has become fixated on superficial appearances.

Sadly, teenagers and preteens seem more fixated on physical attractiveness than an
individual's true essence. This has led to a trend where people feel compelled to conceal their
natural features with makeup."The outfits are from a high-end, expensive brand,"
the stylist said as she fixed Colin's dress. He was preoccupied with his phone and typing
something while the hairstylist worked on his hair, which he had dyed for the fifth time that
year.

Penelope approached him, serving him his iced latte. He didn't even look at her as he took the
glass and continued typing on his phone.

'pen, get me another one from the coffee shop across the road,' he commanded.
her body tensed at the sound of his voice, knowing exactly what he meant. It meant she
would have to rush in the sweltering heat to fetch another drink for him.

'Yes, sir,' was all Penelope could manage. She grabbed the car keys and hurried towards the
cafe, her body drenched in sweat, her blouse clinging to her skin. She hastily tied her long
hair into a bun, a few loose strands of baby hair framing her flushed cheeks.

'I can't wait for this music video shoot to be over,' she thought.
It was only the first week of working with Colin, and if this was any indication, the next days
were sure to be just as demanding."

Colin insisted, "You have to feed me," as his nails dried with the black nail polish he had
applied.
The music video had a dark concept, with all his costumes in crimson or musky tin shades.
“What do I have to feed you?"

Penelope asked as she checked his work schedule

Colin flashed her a disarming smile before uttering words threatening to stoke Penelope's
anger again. "

Your love!" he declared.

she responded with a feigned look of confusion, casting a sceptical gaze at colin as he
struggled to maintain an innocent facade. Despite his efforts, it was clear to everyone that his
true intentions and feelings told a different story

"Feed me that damn taco idiot” Colin sneered at her and she moved a little closer to him so
she could feed him the taco that she ordered for him when he was busy shooting the first
scene of the music video.

In the scene, Colin, depicted as a devil, is surrounded by devotees. One of the girls,
symbolizing a devotee, is fervently praying to him, seeking the gift of love.

The song draws inspiration from Greek mythology, exploring themes of love and lust. As the
devil, Colin sings passionately about love and obsession, captivating his followers with his
words.

Penelope was close to him, his soft breath falling onto her shoulders. She slowly fed him
without making eye contact with him.

Colin chewed the food slowly and his breath was getting heavier. It was the third time he was
letting her be close to him.

The first time was when he bumped into her in the cafe. The second time was when he
threatened her as she was not giving him his Twitter account password he could not interact
with his for a few weeks but after begging Lady Danbury for a few hours which he didn't
want to he had to keep his ego aside and that damn boss of his finally agree but it was all
because of Penelope he had to face the final boss from that moment he grew more hatred
towards her.

This girl was a walking trouble for him. Her eyes carried a different story that was not
interested in but here she was feeding a piece of taco an idea lingered inside his mind as he
observed her she was trying to make an invisible wall between him that colin was now keen
to break.

He scooted a little accidentally or more intentionally moving his arm which was close to
Penelope he bumped his arm onto the hand from which she was feeding a taco “Oops I am
sorry I didn't mean to”

The taco fell onto his lap “Will you clean me up?” he asked.
she groaned “You can clean this yourself” she defended herself as she moved a little away
from him.
There was no way that she was going to wipe the saucy taco off his lap. She had some space
that she wanted to make between him and her.

“My nails are still wet,” he reminded her.

she cringed her face at his words “Fine let me get a towel first”

she brought the towel to his lap and wiped it after wiping the taco sauce from his slacks colin
looked at her and held her wrist in his hands ‘pen why are you like this?’ Alastor mumbled.

“Like what?’ Penelope asked looking straight into his eyes.

Trying to act confident in front of him.

"Your vibrant presence is akin to a bustling circus, with your infectious laughter and dazzling
attire that never fails to catch my eye. Your radiant smile is so brilliant that it almost hurts to
behold.

Your brightness is overwhelming, and I can't help but feel a mix of awe and disdain for it."

The air conditioner was on, and the sun seemed to wither in the darkness of the evening sky.
It was the beginning of June, and her head was hurting, colin's words ringing inside her mind.

She could not find the right words to answer him at that moment.
Her mind was so foggy since the moment she got home from the tiring shoot she had been
doing—only God knows since when maybe since the morning or even the midnight of last
night.

She didn't know, with sweat dripping from her clothes.

stank like a musty vegetable, her nose wrinkled in disgust. She sighed and grabbed the towel
from her drawer, going towards the bathroom. She checked her phone to see if there were any
messages or emails from her work area.

There were some memes from edwina and voice notes from her dad that she had forgotten to
check.
She replied to all of them, then she called her mother because it had been a while since she
had talked to her.

She had some questions that she wanted to ask her mother. The phone continued to ring, but
she still had not picked up her call.

After two or three more tries, Penelope gave up, and her eyes fell onto the new message that
was sent to her, inviting her to the bar that opened downtown a few months ago.

She moved to LA so she could work with dream Entertainment, and since then she has been
only busy with work and could not find the right time to hang out with her friends who were
already living in LA because of their work.

A soft, mittened smile adorned Penelope, lighting up her tired face that seemed to grow paler
than the moon that would hide behind the slit sheets of dark and greyish silvers that were
known as the blues of the sky. She typed back to her friend.
Eddie ;]

“Hey pen, me and Lizzy are going to the bar that is near the subway at 8:?”
Me

“Sure! I would love to join you. I will see you at the bar.”
Penelope took out the light denim jacket from her closet and a pair of baggy black jeans,
which she paired with a baby-pink tank crop blouse underneath.

She was smiling and mumbling the lyrics of the song she heard somewhere on the radio. She
did not notice the notifications that she received from someone and her phone was being
loaded by that person.

My boss is a dick!!!!

“Kitten, can you get me some medicines??

“ My cough medicines are finished??”
“Hey, can you hear me?”

“ This is the only time I am saying please.”

“Please, kitten, just answer me this time."

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