Chapter 201: Signs of Nausea
Time flew by, and before anyone realized it, the scheduled shoot for Zeller Fragrances' new ad campaign was upon them. Both Lucas Zeller and Claire Grace were spinning like tops, utterly engrossed in their respective work.
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#### At the Zeller Fragrances Ad Campaign Shoot
"Miss Grace, when we call 'cut,' your smile should linger for at least a minute before you relax," the director instructed with a friendly tone.
"Understood," Claire responded, matching his demeanor with a gentle smile.
"You're doing great, really. Even this morning's takes were excellent. The repeated retakes earlier were mainly because you seem a bit tired. Be sure to rest well tonight," the director emphasized.
"Thank you for your concern," Claire replied earnestly, her gratitude evident in her tone.
"Alright then, let's take a ten-minute break."
Claire nodded and headed toward the break room.
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"Claire, your complexion looks pale," Blaine Jackson commented as he followed her in, carrying his precious makeup kit to touch up her look.
"I don't know what's wrong. I just feel so sleepy, and my stomach feels unsettled," Claire admitted, dropping the professional front as exhaustion clouded her features.
"Is it the workload? Or the long hours? You've been at this since nine in the morning, and it's already past five. Repeating the same shot over and over—just watching is tiring, let alone performing," Blaine said sympathetically.
"It's not that. Compared to the commercials I shot for Mivienne CN in France, this is much more humane," Claire quipped, her tone sincere. The French directors often required at least four different expressions for a single scene, which were then reviewed extensively.
"Then maybe you're not getting enough rest?" Blaine suggested offhandedly. To his surprise, Claire's face flushed crimson in an instant.
How was she supposed to answer that? Admit that late-night "couple time" with Lucas was cutting into her sleep? That would be too mortifying. Blaine, ever observant, quickly pieced together the situation from her reaction.
"Tsk! You two are together for life; is there really such a need to overdo it?" Blaine muttered, shaking his head in bemusement.
"Do you think you can manage the next session?" he asked after a pause.
"I'll do my best. I can't let the director and crew put in so much effort for nothing," Claire replied, her sense of responsibility shining through.
"Don't push yourself too hard. If you collapse, it'll be me who gets blamed," Blaine teased lightly, though his concern was genuine. After all, Lucas had tasked him with looking out for Claire during the shoot.
Claire laughed softly. "I'll be fine. It's just some discomfort in my chest. Maybe I ate something bad," she said, pressing a hand to her lower abdomen unconsciously.
"Are you sure it's not your stomach bothering you? You say it's your chest, but you're holding your stomach," Blaine observed, his sharp eyes catching the inconsistency.
"Really, it's nothing. Just touch up my makeup—there are only two minutes left before we resume," Claire urged, brushing off his concerns.
"Alright, but promise me you'll speak up if something feels wrong. Your safety comes first," Blaine insisted.
"Got it," Claire replied, exasperated. Why was everyone treating her like a child lately?
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#### 6 PM: End of the Shoot
The day's work finally wrapped up.
"Miss Grace, you were amazing. Even though you didn't feel well, you powered through, and we all appreciate it. Thank you for your dedication," the director said as he approached Claire to express his gratitude.
"You're too kind. On behalf of Zeller Fragrances, I should be thanking you for your support," Claire replied with a polite smile.
"Ah, my apologies!" The director chuckled, smacking his forehead. "I was so focused on your performance that I forgot you're Mrs. Zeller, the CEO's wife. Please forgive me!"
"Please continue supporting us in the future," Claire said, her tone poised and professional.
"Of course! See you tomorrow, Miss Grace."
"See you tomorrow," Claire replied before heading back to the dressing room to remove her makeup.
To her surprise, Blaine was still there.
"Blaine, didn't you say your shop was busy today? Why haven't you left yet?"
"I was worried about you. Now that the shoot's over, let's get you cleaned up. I'll drop you off with Lucas—he's already called twice," Blaine said, his concern unmasked.
"He called? Did you tell him I wasn't feeling well?" Claire asked nervously, worried about Lucas's reaction.
"Not exactly. Before I could say anything, he bombarded me with questions—if you were annoyed, stressed, or unhappy with the shoot. He even said you should quit if it was too much for you. Honestly, he was going on so much I didn't have the chance to mention anything else," Blaine said, shaking his head.
Claire chuckled. "He's been like that lately—so nervous because he knows I don't enjoy this kind of work."
"You're hopelessly in love, Claire. Just hearing his concern has you glowing. If he walked in now, you'd probably faint from happiness," Blaine teased, handing her a bottle of makeup remover.
"You didn't tell him I felt unwell, right?" she asked as she began removing her makeup.
"Didn't have the chance. Before I could say anything, Roy Lin dragged him off to a meeting. If I'd told him, he probably would've left the meeting and rushed over here," Blaine remarked, fully aware of Lucas's overprotectiveness.
"Good. No need to make a fuss over nothing," Claire said, dabbing her face with a cotton pad. Suddenly, a wave of nausea hit her. She turned away, clutching her chest as though she might retch.
Strangely, the sensation passed without her actually vomiting. Something wasn't right.