Chasing Eden Ch. 01-03

"I'd like to think I'm not."

"There are a few women that showed up," Camilla pointed out. "I guess some of the models decided to come with their agents. Do you find any of them attractive?"

Looking forward at the group of people before them, the mysterious man explained in a flat tone. "I have no interest in women like that."

"What do you mean by women like that" she asked, furrowing her eyebrows. "You mean, models? Why not? I did some modeling for Moonlight. Is there something wrong with me, too?"

Looking back into Camilla's fake blue eyes, Peter simply repeated, "I have no interest in women like that."

With a little gasp, Camilla clutched her fist before whispering in an angrier tone. "Are you gay or something? Is that it? I mean, what man isn't into models?"

"Is that your line of reasoning? You find a man who isn't into you or other women similar to you, so he must be gay? Do you think that highly of yourself?"

"No, I didn't mean it like that... I'm just very confused by..."

Without letting her finish, Peter got up from his seat and addressed the entire room. "Welcome everyone. As you know, Eddie and I are here representing Moonlight in search of endorsements and brand deals."

Camilla stared up at Peter, feeling awkward from the unfinished argument they were having. However, seeing him address the crowd made her wonder if she had put herself in a bad position with the man that was in charge of her trip.

"This year, things are going to be a bit different," he said before pointing his hand towards his blonde coworker. "Instead of hiring a recruiting team, we have decided to have Miss Camilla conduct all the initial meetings with all the agents. She will be making all the decisions, and as a highly touted woman in the industry, I suggest you have your ducks in a row before meeting with her, and we expect you to treat her with nothing but the utmost respect."

Suddenly, Camilla looked up at the man before tilting her head quizzically. Looking back and forth, she wondered to herself, Did he just compliment me?

"Although she's a young woman, she's highly accomplished," Peter continued. "She has even done some modeling for Moonlight so she knows exactly what the company is looking for."

"Let us make this very clear," Eddie said, joining in on the announcement. "Any disrespect to Miss Camilla will not be tolerated. Before you get to the contract negotiations with Peter and myself, you must get an approval and a contract recommendation from Miss Camilla. There is no other way."

Once again, Peter spoke up, causing the open-mouthed woman to turn her head between the two. "Today is just a meet and great, so I suggest you at least get Miss Camilla's card today, and schedule a meeting with her and your client whenever possible. I'm not sure what her schedule is tonight, but she will be in town for the next few weeks, so get that worked out with her. And like Eddie said, there is a one-way street to an endorsement deal with Moonlight, and it runs through Miss Camilla."

The two men then proceeded to make their way out, but before leaving the table, Peter made a point to quickly finish his conversation with Camilla. "I don't care what you think," he said, returning to his nonchalant demeanor. "But since you're so curious, I'm not gay. I just have a one-track mind, and I suggest you get on the same page. Now, no more personal questions. Just get to work."

Eddie then patted the confused woman on the shoulder in a comforting manner. "We'll be right back, but if you need anything in the meantime, text either one of us."

"Okay..." Camilla responded, with her head still spinning.

They sure seem to respect me, she thought to herself, as a line started to form in front of her. Maybe they really do think I'm an asset to their mission... Either way, I need to stay sharp.

***

After almost half an hour of chatting with different agents and setting up meetings, Camilla started to feel at ease. Being indulged in her own work with others respecting her was a good way of getting her mind off things.

There was, however, one agent who rubbed the blonde woman the wrong way. Despite the lengthy introduction she received, one older male still decided to make a comment about her appearance.

It was something she was used to, being a young and attractive woman in the business industry, so she had no plans to bring it up. However, when her two coworkers rejoined, and Eddie asked, "How is everything going?" she decided to let them know.

"Everything is going pretty well, for the most part," she explained, before looking at the creepy man's business card. "Except for one asshole who made an inappropriate comment. But everything else has been productive."

Both men looked at each other for a second before Eddie asked, "What did he say to you?"

"It wasn't that bad. He just made a comment about my breasts."

"Miss Camilla... What was the exact comment?"

Feeling nervous all of a sudden, Camilla explained, "It was something like... 'You should have stuck with modeling, because I could make you so much money, especially with a rack like yours...' And then he asked me to meet with him privately... at his place..."

There was another pause, but she could sense her coworkers seething underneath. Then, Peter pointed at her hands and asked, "Is that his card?"

"Umm... Yes..."

"May I see it?"

"Uh, sure..."

As soon as Peter grabbed the card, he walked off to address the room. "So, I guess I didn't make myself clear when I said Miss Camilla will be treated with respect," he expressed in a slightly more urgent tone. "It wasn't a suggestion or anything like that. It was a demand."

He then walked over to a security guard and showed him the card. "Please escort this person out of the building." Then, looking over to Eddie, he instructed, "We need to find all his clients and let them know he ruined their chances with Moonlight."

Quickly taking a look at the name on the card, Eddie responded, "I'm on it."

Once the agent in question was forcefully removed, Peter stepped up again to address the group. "I know there are a lot of pretty girls around, but that doesn't change that this is a professional setting with serious contracts involved, not a porno.

"This is a serious business, Miss Camilla is a serious talent evaluator, and Moonlight industries is a serious company that operates by taking the correct course of action..." Then, much to Camilla's shock, he turned his head towards Eddie and whispered, "At least most of the time."

As Eddie laughed to himself, Camilla turned her head back and forth, confused by the two men's banter. Just what the hell did he mean by that?! she asked herself. What do they know that I don't?

Thinking back to the conversation she had with Jane over the phone, the blonde woman wondered, Did he say that because he thinks I'm the mole? The thoughts continued to flow through her mind as she put her head down in frustration. Maybe they think I'm here for the wrong reasons, and that was... some kind of shot at me... This is all so confusing...

While the crowd was left in silence, the male coworkers retook their seats next to Camilla. "Thanks for letting us know," Eddie said, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Next time, feel free to tell us immediately."

"Uh, sure... Thanks..."

The rest of the agents in the room slowly started to mingle once again. Then suddenly, a woman who had been in the room for only a few minutes approached the table. Wearing a tight dress with the top half red and the bottom half black, the young woman made a direct beeline towards Peter.

"That was a great speech," she said, smiling as she flipped her long and shiny black hair with her hand. "I was really hoping I'd get a chance to talk to you."

Peter stared at her for a moment, unwavering in his appearance. Then, pointing at his blonde partner, he explained, "This is just a meet and greet for the agents. Your agent has to set up a meeting with Miss Camilla."

"Oh, I actually am an agent... and a model," the young woman quickly explained. Then, extending her hand, she introduced herself. "My name is Leah, and here's my card. I do much more than modeling. Like I said, I'm an agent... and a content creator... and I was really hoping to speak to you privately..."

"You're an agent, huh? How many clients do you represent?"

Looking a bit nervous, the black-haired woman answered, "Well... just myself for now, but I'm..."

"Speak to Miss Camilla," Peter interrupted, before turning his head and walking off. "There is no bypassing her. Of course, I already explained that, but I guess you missed it since you showed up late."

As the woman was left standing there with her mouth wide open, Peter turned around to make one last comment. "Miss Camilla has had a long day, so I don't even know if she can fit you into her schedule tonight. Be respectful of her time and her position."

Suddenly, a smile came over Camilla's face. Though she still had a lot of unanswered questions, she enjoyed the position of power that was entrusted to her for the moment. As she stared at the back of the annoying woman's head, she told herself, I know there is a lot going on, but I think I'm going to have a little fun putting this bitch in her place.

Once the young woman pulled her jaw from the floor, she slowly turned her head before realizing she was face to face with the Moonlight consultant. "Oh, hi..." she said, looking visibly shaken. "I guess you're the one I need to speak with..."

"That's right," Camilla responded, folding her arms. "I'm Miss Camilla... and all roads go through me."

***

Chapter 3

Suddenly, the two women were left standing in front of one another. Tension flowed through the room as their eyes met. Camilla noticed a familiar feeling; she was in charge, and this new woman feared her.

It wasn't that she was any less confident than she was in the past. She just needed this moment to remind her how powerful she truly was. Now that another woman was looking up at her, desperate to achieve something only she could give, the blonde Latina felt like herself again.

"Oh, hi... Miss Camilla..."

"That's right; there's no bypassing me. All roads for a deal with Moonlight run through me."

Looking around for help, there was panic in Leah's eyes as she explained, "I was really hoping to talk to Peter... or any other man..."

"That's too bad," the platinum blonde said with a smirk. "If your goal was to flirt with a man, you can switch to a different strategy now. You're dealing with me."

"It's not like that! I was just hoping..."

"I saw the way you approached Peter," Camilla interrupted, folding her arms. "I saw the look in your eyes. You're one of those women that are used to getting what they want just by flirting their way to the top. "

"I'll have you know that's not true!" the jet-black-haired woman said, clenching her fists. "I'm an extremely hard working woman! As a matter of fact, I'm not just some model; I'm an agent, an entrepreneur, and a social media personality. I bring a lot to the table, you know?"

"And what is that supposed to mean to me?" Camilla asked, looking as confident as ever. "I'm one of the top women in the fashion industry, and I've done some modeling myself. Do you seriously think you've done something that I haven't? Do you seriously think you deserve a leg up in this industry when there are hard-working women like me who put you to shame?"

"No, I didn't mean it like that! And I know that you're..."

"It doesn't work like that, Honey!" the blonde interrupted with a stern look on her face. "Your bullshit won't work with me, especially since you're just a watered-down version of me. I'm everything you wish you were, and it only came through hard work. Wait your turn, do everything the right way, and I'm sure you'll get your chance. But until then, there is no skipping the line."

Fighting off tears, Leah put her head down before going quiet. "Yes Ma'am..."

"Here's my card," the platinum blonde said, giving the woman the last bit of her attention. "It's been a busy day for me, so I would suggest you attempt to schedule a meeting later. Good luck."

Camilla walked off, feeling like the badass bitch again. After the past few months of constant heartache, this was the boost in confidence she needed.

Leaving for the day, she held her head up high and told herself, That's right; I might be a crazy bitch, but I'm the crazy bitch every other woman wishes they could be.

***

That night, Camilla joined Peter and Eddie at the bar of the hotel. After a long day of traveling and hard work, she was relieved to finally get a chance to sit down and unwind.

"What a crazy day, right?" she asked, proposing a toast to both the boys. "I'd say we did a good job today."

Without even looking, Peter sipped on his drink. Eddie, on the other hand, tapped Camilla's glass with his own, giving her the approval she craved.

"This feels just like New York, doesn't it" asked Camilla, before laughing at her coworker's rude behavior. "Seems fitting that you would pick a hotel with a bar in it."

"It is fitting, isn't it?" Peter replied, not paying any attention to the platinum blonde.

After throwing down her own drink, Camilla decided to humor her impolite partner. "Just be thankful I took care of that bitch, Leah, for you. She seems exactly like the type of woman you wouldn't want to deal with. No wonder you two needed me for this trip."

"What do you mean by that?" Eddie asked with a little smirk.

"Was I the only one that saw it? She was totally trying to hit on you, Peter. And you know what? She's not that bad looking."

"That's of no importance to me," the dull-faced man explained, not even looking Camilla in the eyes. "I did find her a bit annoying, but attempting to use sex appeal has no effect on me. I honestly couldn't care less."

"You really expect me to believe that?" Camilla asked with a devious smile.

"I don't care whether you believe it or not. But if that's what she's trying to do, I see her no different from that agent that was speaking inappropriately to you. Both have wrong intentions"

Silently, Camilla remembered the agent Peter was talking about, and felt grateful for the swift actions they performed to drive him away. "I forgot about that guy," she said, as a more genuine smile came over her face. "Thanks for defending me earlier... You didn't have to. I'm quite used to men treating me like that."

"It's no problem, Miss Camilla," Eddie said, before giving her another cheers. "It's the least we can do for all your hard work."

Suddenly, the smile on Camilla's face disappeared as she remembered something else that came up during the interaction. "By the way, what were you guys referring to when Peter made that comment about Moonlight trying to do the right thing?"

The two men looked at each other as if they were trying to decipher who would answer. Finally, Peter spoke up, explaining, "Not everyone before us has handled things the way we would have."

"Oh... really?"

"But that doesn't matter now. The three of us are handling this project the correct way."

Feeling a chill in her heart, Camilla decided to bring up an even more daunting subject to the two men. "Speaking of not handling things the correct way, I received a troubling phone call from Jane earlier. She said Sunshine's head lawyer contacted her earlier today."

Placing his hand on his chin, Eddie asked, "Are you talking about Marco?"

"That sounds right... What I found troubling was that he contacted Jane to ask about me. Apparently there's some kind of mole, stealing private information from our company."

"So they think it's you?"

"I honestly don't know," the blonde answered, putting her head down. "But why else would they contact my previous supervisor? I guess the way I left Sunshine after not receiving the promotion looked suspicious to them."

Suddenly, both Camilla and Eddie were brought to a complete stop as Peter let them know, "Marco contacted me too."

"He did?!" the woman asked with fear in her eyes. "What did he ask?"

"He just asked my opinion about you."

"And... what did you tell him?"

"I told him I don't have an opinion about you," Peter explained, looking completely unamused. "But then he asked me what I thought about your sudden departure from Sunshine. I told him it wasn't a sudden departure; I recruited you."

Feeling an odd sense of relief, Camilla looked at the man and asked, "So you don't think I'm the mole?"

After a sip from his glass, Peter stared off into the distance before addressing his new coworker's question. "I guess anything is possible... but that doesn't really make sense to me. This whole thing has been going on for about three years now. You had no plans of leaving Sunshine until I contacted you a few weeks ago.

"I think they're desperate at this point. They've checked every avenue and now they're just chasing their tails. They've even switched data security companies and still can't find anything.

"At this point, they're just trying to look good for the investors. It's more about proving they're doing everything in their power than it is about actually being productive. The CEO just wants to show he's doing everything in his power."

"But what kind of information was taken?" Camilla asked, looking back and forth between the two men.

"Nobody even knows," Eddie began to explain. "As of right now, there isn't even an actual crime that's been committed. For all we know, an employee could just be taking screenshots for their own information. This whole mole operation could be a false alarm."

"Unless Sunshine is hiding something," Peter suggested, looking over at Eddie. "Why else would they be so frantic to find this person?'

"That's a good question..."

"Of course, catching this person doesn't really interest me," Peter continued in a nonchalant tone. "However, I am interested to see what information was allegedly stolen."

With a frustrated voice, Camilla asked, "Are there any leads at all?"

"There was a rumor that they had someone about three years ago," Peter said with the cold voice, staring off into the distance once again. "But that rumor died."

An awkward silence filled the air as Camilla was left staring at the two men. "I just don't know what I should do... " she finally expressed.

Making eye contact with the blonde, Eddie explained, "There's nothing to do. Like I said earlier, we don't even have a crime yet. But you should probably expect to be contacted from time to time regarding this situation. They're checking all avenues."

"Aside from receiving phone calls and answering stupid questions, there's really nothing more to it," Peter added. "If I were you, I would just try to keep a one track mind and focus on your assignment here."

Taking a peek at her watch, Camilla let out a little yawn. "I guess you're right," she said, finishing her last drink. "It's been a long day, and my first meeting tomorrow is pretty early. I should probably get to bed."

Eddie smiled at her before waving his hand. "We'll see you tomorrow, Miss Camilla."

After the blonde said her goodbyes and left the bar, he looked over at his long-time partner and asked, "Did Marco really contact you?"

Peter took a peek at his phone before shaking his head. "I spoke with a few others, including Sasha, but you know it's all the same."

"Right... Do they really think she might be the mole?"

"I doubt it. We're on the other side of the country. Hopefully, they realize that soon."

***

The next day, Camilla went to a nearby conference center, where she met with some of the agents and their models. It was a chance for her to kick things off and get her feet wet.