When Rivalry Goes Viral

The sun dipped low in the sky, casting a golden glow over the sprawling coastal cliffs just outside Los Angeles. The production team had chosen a breathtaking spot for the travel teaser—a hidden overlook with panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. Waves crashed against the rocks below, the sound punctuating the crew's instructions as they hurried to set up for the shoot.

Vivien Hart stood near the edge of the overlook, her cream-colored trench coat billowing slightly in the breeze. She squinted against the fading sunlight, watching as a group of assistants adjusted the drone cameras hovering overhead. The scene was perfect—too perfect, really.

"This looks more like a perfume ad than a travel campaign," Vivien muttered to Chloe, who stood beside her holding a clipboard and a thermos.

"Relax," Chloe replied, taking a sip of her tea. "It's atmospheric. Besides, they're paying for 'aspirational,' not 'real.'"

Vivien sighed, glancing over her shoulder. She spotted Ren Ashford standing by the catering table, chatting with the sound technician like they were old friends. He wore a casual navy sweater and dark jeans, his hair tousled just enough to look effortlessly windswept.

"He looks like he walked out of a catalog," Vivien grumbled.

Chloe smirked. "And you look like a Vogue spread. Match made in influencer heaven."

Vivien rolled her eyes, but she couldn't deny that the setting—dramatic cliffs, warm sunset, and all—made them look like the protagonists of some romantic movie.

---

"Alright, everyone!" Kira's voice rang out, cutting through the noise. The lead photographer clapped her hands to grab their attention. "We're losing light, so let's get this right the first time. Vivien, Ren, you're up!"

Vivien straightened her coat and made her way toward the center of the set, where a small table had been staged with props—two steaming cups of coffee, a cozy blanket draped over a bench, and a book strategically placed to look like someone had just abandoned it mid-read.

Ren joined her, flashing her a grin that was equal parts charming and infuriating. "Ready to pretend we're besties for the next hour?"

"Let's aim for 'acquaintances who tolerate each other,'" Vivien shot back, adjusting the collar of her coat.

Kira directed them to sit on the bench, their bodies angled toward the camera but close enough to suggest intimacy.

"Remember," Kira said, adjusting her camera. "We want this to feel natural. Like you're just two people enjoying a quiet moment together."

"Natural," Vivien repeated under her breath. "Sure. Nothing says natural like a drone flying in your face."

Ren chuckled, leaning toward her as he picked up one of the coffee cups. "Relax, Hart. Just follow my lead."

Vivien narrowed her eyes. "The last time I followed your lead, I ended up wearing pasta dough."

"Point taken," Ren said, holding up his hands in mock surrender.

---

The first few takes went smoothly enough. They sipped their "coffee" (lukewarm water, in reality), exchanged rehearsed smiles, and gazed out at the ocean like they had nothing better to do.

Then Ren decided to improvise.

"Let's make this more interesting," he whispered, leaning closer to Vivien.

She stiffened. "What are you doing?"

Ren picked up the blanket and draped it over both their laps, pulling it snugly around them. "We're supposed to look cozy, right? Just go with it."

Vivien's face burned as she glanced toward the crew, half expecting someone to stop them. But instead, Kira's camera clicked furiously, clearly thrilled with the unscripted moment.

"You're enjoying this way too much," Vivien muttered, trying to ignore the way the blanket made them feel like an actual couple.

"Relax," Ren said, flashing her a boyish grin. "I'm just committed to the art."

Vivien was about to retort when a sudden gust of wind whipped through the set, sending the book and a few loose props flying. Ren reached out instinctively, but instead of catching the book, he knocked over one of the coffee cups, spilling its contents all over Vivien's lap.

Her gasp was audible. "Ren!"

"Uh—oops?" Ren said, scrambling to grab a napkin.

The crew burst into laughter as Vivien glared daggers at him, brushing water off her coat. "You're a menace."

"And yet, here we are," Ren said, handing her the napkin with a sheepish grin.

---

As they reset the scene, Kira suggested something different. "Let's try a shot with you two standing near the edge, looking out at the ocean. Something dramatic."

Vivien hesitated. Heights weren't exactly her favorite thing, but she wasn't about to let Ren see her nerves. She followed him to the edge, where the wind tugged at their clothes and the crashing waves sounded impossibly loud.

"Don't look down," Ren teased, stepping closer to her.

"Don't tempt me to push you," Vivien shot back, though her voice was tighter than usual.

As the drone camera swooped in for a close-up, Ren shifted slightly, placing a steadying hand on her back. The movement was subtle, instinctive, but it sent a jolt of surprise through Vivien.

"You okay?" he asked quietly, his voice free of its usual teasing edge.

Vivien nodded, her throat suddenly dry. "Fine."

The moment stretched longer than it should have, their gazes locking briefly before a loud shout from the crew startled them both.

The drone's operator waved them over. "You guys have to see this!"

They walked back to the monitor, where the operator replayed the footage. The shot was breathtaking—golden light casting a halo around them as they stood close, Ren's hand protectively on Vivien's back. It looked… intimate.

"That's the money shot," Kira said, grinning.

Vivien's stomach flipped. She didn't know if it was the height, the exhaustion, or the way Ren's presence lingered in her mind, but something about that moment felt dangerously real.

---

The sun had disappeared beneath the horizon, leaving behind streaks of fiery orange and soft lavender in the sky. The once-bustling set had grown quiet, with only the distant murmur of the crew wrapping up their equipment. Vivien perched on a flat rock near the edge of the overlook, the ocean stretching endlessly before her. The rhythmic crash of waves against the cliffs was oddly soothing, a contrast to the whirlwind of the day.

Her trench coat was still damp from the earlier coffee spill, but she didn't care. It felt good to just sit and breathe without someone shouting directions or shoving a camera in her face.

"Thought you'd be halfway to your car by now," Ren's voice broke through her thoughts.

Vivien glanced over her shoulder as he approached, his hands tucked into his pockets and his hair still tousled from the relentless wind. He looked different in the dim light—less like the overconfident showman she was used to and more… human.

"Needed a moment," she replied simply, turning her gaze back to the ocean.

Ren sat down beside her, his movements surprisingly quiet for someone who always seemed larger than life. "Fair enough. It was a bit of a circus today."

Vivien let out a soft laugh. "A bit? Between your 'artistic improvisation' and the drone nearly taking my head off, I'd say it was full-on chaos."

Ren chuckled, leaning back on his hands. "Yeah, but you handled it like a pro. I mean, sure, there was some yelling and maybe a death glare or two, but you didn't walk off set. That's progress."

Vivien rolled her eyes, though a faint smile tugged at her lips. "Maybe I'm just getting used to your nonsense."

"Careful," Ren teased, bumping her shoulder lightly with his. "Next thing you know, you might actually enjoy my company."

She snorted, shaking her head. "Let's not get carried away."

---

The wind picked up slightly, and Vivien instinctively pulled her coat tighter around herself. Ren noticed and shrugged off his own jacket, holding it out to her without a word.

She blinked, caught off guard by the gesture. "What are you doing?"

"You're cold," he said simply.

Vivien hesitated, her pride warring with her common sense. Eventually, the latter won. She accepted the jacket, draping it over her shoulders. "Thanks," she murmured, her voice barely audible over the waves.

"Don't mention it," Ren said, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

They sat in comfortable silence for a while, the kind that didn't demand filling. For once, Ren didn't feel the need to crack a joke or needle her with sarcastic comments. And for once, Vivien didn't feel the need to put up her usual walls.

"You know," she said after a long pause, "this campaign is a lot harder than I expected."

Ren glanced at her, his expression softening. "Yeah? How so?"

"It's just… everything feels so calculated," she admitted, staring at the darkening waves. "The 'authenticity' we're supposed to be selling—it's all so staged. Sometimes I wonder if I'm even capable of being real anymore."

Ren was quiet for a moment, his gaze thoughtful. "I think you're harder on yourself than you need to be. People love you, Vivien. Not because you're perfect, but because you care about what you're putting out there. That's rare in this industry."

Vivien looked at him, surprised by the sincerity in his voice. "You don't strike me as the sentimental type."

Ren grinned, though it was softer than usual. "I contain multitudes."

Vivien laughed despite herself, shaking her head. "You're impossible."

"And yet, here we are," he said, his grin widening slightly.

---

As the crew's voices grew louder in the distance, signaling the end of the shoot, Ren stood and stretched, his movements languid and unhurried.

"You coming?" he asked, offering her a hand.

Vivien hesitated for a fraction of a second before taking it, letting him pull her to her feet. His hand was warm and steady, and for a moment, she found herself reluctant to let go.

"Thanks," she said quietly, brushing her coat off and shrugging out of his jacket.

"Keep it," Ren said, waving her off. "I've got plenty more."

Vivien frowned slightly but didn't argue. She folded the jacket over her arm and followed him back toward the crew, her mind spinning with thoughts she didn't know how to organize.

As they walked, she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. There was something about Ren that made her want to simultaneously strangle him and… something else. Something she wasn't ready to put into words.

For now, she told herself, it didn't matter.

But as they reached the set and the crew's chatter filled the air, Vivien couldn't shake the feeling that the lines between their staged moments and reality were beginning to blur—and that terrified her more than she cared to admit.