Defying Fate: The Unstoppable Eileen



The photographer's shutter clicked with the decisive sound of a moment being captured forever.

"Alright, let's mix it up a bit," the photographer encouraged, having swiftly taken several shots from various angles. "Same pose, but this time, I want the groom to take the lead."

With a slight step back, Eileen's lips parted from Egbert's in a graceful retreat. From this new distance, she caught a glimpse of the look on Egbert's face across from her - a triumphant smirk that made him look like the cat that got the cream.

"Damn it," Eileen muttered under her breath, knowing full well Egbert was up to no good.

Egbert lifted his hand, gently tucking a stray lock of hair, tousled by the sea breeze, behind her ear, his voice warm as he said, "My apologies, okay?" Eileen just huffed, turning away from him.

The photographer seized the moment, capturing the tender scene of Egbert tending to Eileen's hair.

Just as she shot a glance at the photographer, Egbert seized the opportunity to plant a quick peck on her lips.

The photographer got two more shots.

Eileen stared at Egbert, incredulous. "What the heck?"

Egbert replied coolly, "What do you mean? You asked for initiative, I'm just following orders."

The photographer's enthusiasm only grew. "That's it, keep it natural. Now, let's try something new. Lean on the chair, groom kiss the bride's hand... perfect."

Eileen was almost suspecting a conspiracy between Egbert and the photographer. But she still played along, eager to wrap up the shoot.

The photographer wasn't quite satisfied yet. "Bride, flash us a smile, will you? You look like you're plotting murder. Lighten up, this is your wedding shoot."

Eileen wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all.

"Come on, bride, show some love. Give the groom a kiss, like at the start," the photographer pushed.

Growing tired of the charade, Eileen asked, "How many more kisses do we need?"

The photographer pondered for a moment before saying, "Oh, about four or five more hours' worth."

Eileen was flabbergasted.

Wedding shoots aren't about capturing a single moment; they're about creating a collection of memories. Eileen had chosen a seaside bench for one shot, but that didn't mean their entire wedding album would just be them kissing on a bench. There were shots to be taken on the beach, by the water, and yes, even in it.

Upon hearing they had to get into the water, Eileen nearly short-circuited. "In my wedding dress?"

The photographer clarified, "No, just dipping your feet in. It's not like you're going diving. The water isn't clean enough here for that."

Eileen sighed in relief, only to be told that they would indeed be taking underwater kissing shots in an indoor pool with crystal clear water.

Come 6 PM, after a whole day of shooting, they had only completed half the session. The photographer finally called it a day, promising to continue the next morning.novelbin

Eileen hadn't realized the "two-day" timeline wasn't an exaggeration.

Exhausted, they returned home past eight. Eileen collapsed onto the couch as if her strings had been cut.

Egbert sat beside her, his hands reaching out to gently knead her lower back, eliciting a startled jump from her.

"What are you doing?" she demanded.

Rolling up his sleeves, he replied, "You look beat. Thought I'd give you a massage."

Her resistance was strong, "No need!"

Five minutes later, Eileen was sprawled on the couch, instructing Egbert with a muffled voice from behind a cushion, "A bit higher... no, too high... lower... yes, right there, a bit harder, more pressure."

Laughter bubbled up from behind her.

"What's so funny?" she asked, turning to face the man who had become her impromptu masseur.

Egbert continued his work, his hands firm on her shoulders. "This pressure okay?"

Her response was a content grunt.

They spoke of the day's trials - the heavy, waterlogged dress, the tedious beach walk shots, the sheer exhaustion. Egbert's hands moved with care, offering comfort.

"You know," he mused quietly, "getting used to this now will make it easier when you actually get married."

Eileen's eyes snapped open, her voice rising in mock indignation. "There you go again!"

He just chuckled, which only made her more irate.

"It's not always about you, you know?" he teased, ruffling her hair.

Eileen buried her face back into the cushion, grumbling something about him being a pain.

Meanwhile, in the control room, the show's director was practically swooning, watching the couple's every move on the monitors, daydreaming about being invited to their future wedding.

The assistant director, swamped with preparations for the show's launch, could only roll his eyes at the director's distraction, urging him to focus on the task at hand.

"I am working hard," the director sighed, reluctantly accepting the pile of promotional tasks for the show.

Through the banter and teasing, Eileen and Egbert's connection grew - a blend of affection and annoyance that makes for the most engaging reality TV.

The assistant director casually tossed a document into the director's arms, "This is the launch benefit package from the platform, including featured positions, website banners, and admin configurations. You're responsible for following up on these!"

The director, holding the folder, complained unhappily, "This is so strenuous."

The assistant director, with an intimidating tone, retorted, "Who is this for? Isn't this your show?"

The director, intimidated by the scolding, didn't dare to respond. Flipping through the documents, he questioned, "Isn't it too rushed to launch tomorrow? I've said before that we could release it after completing the filming."

The assistant director replied, "The first few episodes are already edited, and with the social heat of the Frostsglow rebels still on, launching now is good timing. We can also see the audience feedback and adjust the content of our final task accordingly."

The director was taken aback, frowning, "The final task cannot be changed."

The assistant director glanced at him, saying, "It might not change, but we might need to make some adjustments..."

The director suddenly became stern, "No adjustments are acceptable either!"

The assistant director, not understanding his insistence, reluctantly said, "Let's wait and see the reaction after it goes live tomorrow. We'll launch at noon."