MELISSA’S POV

The phone call from Marco the previous morning had been short and upbeat, the way he always sounded when he was organizing something big.

“Melissa,” he’d said, his voice carrying that familiar enthusiasm, “tomorrow’s shoot is important. It’s going to be different from the usual—more emotion, more connection. You’ll do great. Just be at the studio at 9am..,okay?”

I’d agreed without thinking too much of it, because honestly, my brain was still ...