Kimberly' POV
Even as I arrived at the set of my modeling assignment, I was more than nervous -- I was terrified.
The opportunity was supposed to be exciting -- a chance for me to get bigger jobs, so I could get my name out there.
Still, I felt uneasy.
I wanted to cancel and leave, but I was desperate for the money.
The Golden Palm resort was a beautiful place. Its entrance was decorated with massive palm fronds, real and with some sculpted into the entryway. The lobby was even better, with exquisite water features and patterned carpets.
Granted, it was more than an unknown cover model like me deserved, especially at this stage of my career. I was still new, so a place like the Golden Palm, which was famous for being a critical career point for new, upcoming models, seemed scary.
However, the resort and its licensed photographers was not what really scared me.
As pretty as the place was, I did not want to go in at all. Everything about it was terrifying to me, and instantly, I put my guard up.
There was a secret, underlying reputation of the Golden Palm, which others from my modeling agency had told me about.
This resort was notorious for being a place where a lot of women had pictures of them leaked! Hundreds of scandalous photos that had shamed and ruined the careers of hundreds of women came from here!
That was why I was scared to come here. However, due to the money that came with it, it was almost as if I had no choice.
I just hoped and prayed I would not be one of the girls who gets caught up in a scandal!
I promised myself that if a pervert walked in on me while I was changing, I would make sure that he regretted it!
As I walked in, I was startled to be recognized by a young woman -- one of the attending assistants of the modeling agency I worked for. She had a clipboard, and she looked at me with a shrewd expression.
"Kimberly Parker?" she asked.
"That's me," I replied.
She checked off something on the clipboard, then turned around to grab a set of clothes that I would be promoting. She shoved them into my hands and pointed me toward the changing room.
"You're late. Get changed so we can get started, please."
My heart skipped a beat.
The changing room? At this resort?
Not even five minutes in and I was being asked to undress!
I clenched my jaw to steel my nerves, hefted the bag of expensive clothes, and walked in. Even though I could feel my hands trembling, I forced myself to walk in.
The room was mostly hangers and mirrors, and none of the other models were there. I was the only one.
As I set my things down, I took in my long, wavy brown hair and skin, which was a little redder than it should be, in the mirror. It had to be the heat.
I decided to let the make-up department deal with my red skin later and began to get undressed. As I did, I tried to visualize what poses would be ideal for this photo shoot.
I was trying to distract myself by being professional, even though all I could think about was where a hidden camera could be.
Before I even started undressing, I checked every part of the changing room.
When I did not find anything, I surrendered, helplessly, and carefully got undressed so I could get ready.
I was only in my underwear when I heard a bang.
The door had swung open.
Instinctually, I brought the fabric of my new clothes to my chest and whirled around.
A man was standing in the doorway, looking at me with a shocked expression!
This had to be the pervert who was leaking the photos!
My blood began to boil almost immediately as the confusion left.
My anger spilled from my mouth as I picked up a clothes hanger and threw it at him. "Get out of here, you pervert! I'll call the police on you!"
The hanger struck him in the face, but instead of looking hurt, he just turned back to me. He began to stalk forward, like an enraged lion. Anger twisted his face as he snarled, "How dare you! I will make you pay for that, you insolent woman!"
The volume of his voice terrified me, and subconsciously began to retreat until my back was pressed up against the mirror.
As the man was shouting hatefully at me with all his might, people began to fill in the doorway. They seemed to be drawn to the commotion.
For a long moment, they did not intercede. They just watched as this man continued to howl at me.
I felt so angry. He walked in on me in the changing room, so I should have been yelling at him.
"You dare assault me? Who the hell do you think you are?" the man continued shouting.
I clenched my eyes, feeling hot tears brimming. His screaming was so terrifying, and with all the people watching, I felt so humiliated.
Then, suddenly, he stopped.
Then, I heard a weaker voice talking to me, and I slowly opened my eyes to see that it was the agent who had registered me. "You assaulted Jeffrey Benson? The CEO of Sapphire Corp? Are you insane?"
"He-he walked in on me!" I said, stammering beyond my control.
The woman looked to the side sheepishly and minced her words as she said, "Ah… I see. That might be my fault. He was looking for the bathroom, and I directed him here. I was standing pretty far away and thought the sign on the door was for men…"
I was speechless for a long moment, before I harshly hissed, "You made him walk in on me and let me get yelled at by a CEO?!"
The assistant shrunk away, not even apologizing. She turned around slowly, her eyes darting with nervousness when her expression changed into one of horror. She was looking at the doorway now.
I followed her gaze and my heart fell into my stomach too.
There was the CEO, Jeffrey Benson, standing there in a suit and very neat brown hair. He had a darkened expression as he was talking to a familiar older man.
That man was my boss: Franklin Noonan.
The assistant woman and I watched in horror as Mr. Noonan began to walk toward us. He looked furious.
"What the hell were you two thinking?! You're making my company look like it's run by idiots?"
I wanted to say something to defend myself, but I couldn't! There really was just nothing I could say…
"You have brought shame to my company," Mr. Noonan said, and then the next few words that he said were the ones I dreaded the most. I could already tell what he was going to say.
Already, I was beginning to panic, thinking of what I could do to save myself.
I needed the money for my family.
I was on the verge of tears, already trying to come up with what I would do to keep from being unemployed.
I prepared my heart for the words that were about to come, but it already felt like it was breaking.
Why did it have to be like this,
With spit flying out of his mouth, Mr. Noonan yelled with all his might, "Both of you are fired!"
