Delta's Deceit [ShadowPack #4]
Prologue: The Break

"Look at me over here,"

"A slight tilt, excellent,"

"Now, smile like you mean it, perfect,"

The blinding flashes of the cameras that were capturing the models were filling the room as Anika Regio, a rising supermodel was staring at nothing before she was making her face to express the sensation that she was not feeling it.

Joy, happiness, enthusiasm. Freedom...

She was still working when everyone else was having a little break because her agent, Sasha Kazakov, a woman with brunette hair and blue eyes, was making sure that she will not be having breaks until her work was done.

And Anika was about to explode for she was exhausted and she wanted to have a fucking break!

"Okay, gorgeous. We're done here. You can have your break now, sweetie," the photographer said before Anika was sighing with relief. Getting off the stage, she was making her way to the refreshment table before she was taking a glass of cold water and drank in seconds.

She was reaching for another one when Sasha was coming at her and smiling brightly.

"You will never guess what I just got for you, honey," Sasha said before she was typing away on her phone screen as Anika was sipping on the water.

"What is it?" she asked before Sasha was looking at her. She put her phone away before slinging her arm around her shoulders.

"Pierre has approved of my submission for you to be making your debut in the Milan Fashion Week runway. I have Dior, Giorgio Armani, and Chanel that they wanted YOU to be their rising model of the season," her agent said before Anika's heart was beating again.

Not another work again...

Anika was looking around before she was about to pull Sasha aside when the designer of Romano's Reality, Christina Romano, and her husband, Antonio, were approaching them as the models were gathering. She went to hear what the designer has to say to her models.

"Okay, good work everyone! I cannot thank you enough for making this dream of mine possible and not to mention to my husband who has been supportive to me all the day," she said as her husband was hugging her by the waist.

"So, I would like to get you all together for a party this evening at our house to thank you for your hard work all week. I cannot thank you enough and you can bring your friends as well to the party. We will be partying all night, girls," the designer said before her husband was whispering to her. Christina smiled before she was gripping her stomach.

It looked like they shared some big news when Christina was smiling before she was pulling her husband and kissed him on the lips. Everyone cheered at their intimacy.

Lucky, Anika thought before Sasha was pulling Anika out of her trance as she was looking at her agent.

"So, will you be going to the party? We have a free schedule tonight if you would like to join," Sasha said before Anika was looking around. She was tired of the blinding lights and flashes of the camera. Perhaps a party tonight would not be so bad. Then, she turned to Sasha as her mind has been made.

"Sure, that would be fantastic to get some stress off my back and shoulders," Anika said before Sasha pulled her phone and typed away about their plans tonight.

*****

Anika has taken a bubble bath as she was sighing in the bathtub right now, looking out the window of her suite for the city of Roma was delightful in the dusk light. She was washing her arms as she was looking at the ceiling before she was remembering the moment where Christina and her husband were kissing each other.

I wanted someone like that as well in my life, she mused before she was shaking her head. She wiped the water from her hands as she was reaching for her phone, wanting to text her brother, Timothy, that was now residing in Romania, working as a bartender before he continued his study later on.

'I miss you,' she typed before her brother replied to her.

'I miss you too. Working late?'

'Haha, very funny. No, I have to get going for a party tonight for our hard work this week. The designer insisted,'

'Who's going with you?' Tim asked her before Anika was rolling her eyes at his protectiveness. Brothers, she thought before typing to reply to him.

'Sasha will be there. And don't worry. I will not be drinking anything alcoholic. Even though I will have to mention that I am 23 years old now. I can make my own decision, you know,' she replied before another second passed.

Then another before her brother replied.

'I know. I was just...worried when I was not around to look after you. You have been doing fine on your own, Anika. But you will always be my little sister,' Tim said before Anika smiled and typed again to say that she will be careful and she had to get ready soon. She put her phone aside before she rinsed off and drained the water as she took the towel and dried herself.

It has been years since their parents died in a plane crash to get to their business partner's party. Tim has been 18 years old and she was barely 16 years old. Tim has sworn to protect her with his life and he has been the steady rock to get her past through the difficult times in her life. And now, she was a rising supermodel with a bright future if she wanted to do her modeling as her stable job.

Or she could pursue her degree liked she planned to do but some plans changed when Anika realized that she will be working full-time. Anika sighed before she went to the wardrobe and put on the best dress that money could buy. She was a model and an heiress to a multinational company that her brother will be taking over someday.

But for now, she was just Anika Regio, the rising supermodel as someone was knocking on the door after she was putting on effortless makeup. Sasha was here and she was ready to hit the party in style.

*****

"Well, it was something else, this party. I never thought that I would be going to a party like this. it must be one of its kind," Sasha commented when they had arrived at the private manor of Christina and Antonio Romano before they parked their car and walked into the party.

It was a full house as the music was blaring and the models were mingling with everyone else that she might know or not.

Sasha remained at her side.

Her brother made her promise that Sasha will be protecting her anywhere they went and mostly, Tim was scared that Anika would get drunk and got laid with someone that she did not know. Or worse, got pregnant from it.

Like I will ever replace someone that was interesting enough for me who did not look at me for my looks or my wealth, Anika thought before she was pulling Sasha to the side. She needed to tell her about her concern after all.

And what good timing for her to tell it here.

"Sasha, I have been thinking," she started before her agent was arching her eyebrows.

"Oh uh. What is it that you want this time? I told you I can't buy you a pony even if you wanted to," Sasha said before Anika was rolling her eyes at her.

"I told you that was years ago. And I was 20 years old that I don't even know what to do with my first salary,"

"It's a good thing that your brother told you to put it in a saving account. I don't think you would survive if you did not put it away for rainy days," Sasha said before she was smiling at Anika. She grimaced.

"Will you focus and listen? I think...I want you to ask Pierre that I need to get some break from my career. I feel like I was drowning with work," she said as Sasha became alerted.

"What? You think you're overworking, Anika?" her agent asked her before Anika bit her lower lips. Then, she nodded.

Sasha sighed before she was rubbing her dried mouth.

"Your brother is going to kill me if he knows about this," Sasha said before she was looking at Anika. "Did you tell your brother yet?" she asked before Anika shook her head. Sasha sighed in relief.

"Well, I think I can come up with something for you to get some break. I'll talk to Pierre later but do you even have any plan where you will be going?" Sasha said before Anika blurted out.

"Cyprus,"

"Cyprus? Why Cyprus?"

"Why not?" Anika asked before Sasha was looking at her. Then, her agent was shaking her head.

"I know you will be different. I tell you what, Anika. I will let you off from your work and I will tell Pierre. How's that sound? Good enough?" she asked before Anika was hugging her.

"You're the best. I know I can count on you since I will be leaving tomorrow," she said before Sasha blinked.

"What?!"

"Oh, don't be so dramatic, you know how it is. We always live in the rush and I have prepared for everything. So don't worry. Oh, look! Christina was about to announce something. Come on," she said as she tugged her agent to listen to the designer as she was announcing that she will be having a baby later this year.

And what could be better when Anika will be having her break for the first time in her working career as a model? This was the best night of her life!