Chapter 22: Paparazzi Ambush
The city skyline blurred past the window as Ava guided the SUV smoothly through the busy streets of Sumturm City.
Her eyes were fixed on the road ahead while Aurora sat in the back, mentally preparing for the role she had to perform.
Claire, the associate casting director at Paramount Studios, had set everything up, and today, Aurora would be meeting other actors for a crucial rehearsal.
Aurora tugged at the brim of her face cap, adjusting it over her eyes. She didn't want to draw attention. She wore a simple T-shirt and sneakers, trying to keep things low-key. The last thing she needed was to deal with unwanted attention from the press. The flashes of their cameras always unsettled her.
The SUV came to a stop outside the towering Paramount Studios building. Aurora glanced through the window, her gut tightening slightly as she noticed a few men and women lingering nearby, cameras in hand.
"Great," she muttered under her breath.
Ava turned around in her seat. "All good, Ms. Aurora? We're here."
Aurora nodded. "Thanks, Ava."
She stepped out of the car, pulling her cap down further, hoping to slip inside unnoticed. But before she could take more than a few steps, the small crowd of reporters and photographers spotted her.
"There she is! Aurora!"
The whispers quickly turned into shouts, and in an instant, they were on her, surrounding her with their cameras flashing relentlessly. The sharp bursts of light made her wince as she instinctively recoiled, trying to shield her face.