Chapter 3: She Was Wearing My Dress

Callum admitted the call sheet was real.

"This series requires a clear relationship dynamic. 'Fiancée' is just a marketing tag."

"Delaney is playing a character. She's not replacing you in real life."

"The name is fake, so my identity is just up for grabs?"

"The footage is only going on the studio's business account. Not my personal social media."

"Once you get here, I'll shoot a private set just for us. Even more formal than this one."

I asked him to terminate the shoot immediately.

The line stayed quiet for a moment. He refused.

"You know exactly what it took to build this account."

"Those first two years out of college, we borrowed gear, pulled all-nighters, split a single pack of instant ramen into two meals just to survive."

"We went through all that just to make projects like this happen."

"Let me finish this episode."

"When I get back, I promise I'll sort everything out."

He paused again.

"It's been seven years. Don't sentence us to death over the phone because of a few video clips."

The next morning, I didn't get on that train.

Mom paced the living room, a nervous wreck. She insisted on overnighting the smoked brisket to Callum's house in a sealed cooler box. She even prepared a separate gift for his parents.

Terrified that Callum's family would think we lacked manners, she filled out the shipping label in meticulous handwriting.

Sender: Nora Vale.

At 3:00 p.m., the studio dropped its second video.

Delaney wore an ivory dress. She unboxed the cooler, plating the brisket piece by piece onto Callum's family porcelain.

Someone off-camera praised the smell. She picked up a slice, tasted it, and laughed, saying she was lucky to get the first bite.

The title: The Reid Family's Holiday Brisket.

The brisket my mom spent three days smoking had just become a prop for Delaney's performance as Callum's fiancée.

I opened Callum's chat and sent one sentence.

"Take it down right now."

He called me immediately.

"The copy has to follow the established storyline. Otherwise, the narrative breaks."

"If I delete it now, the entire hometown series is ruined."

"My mom's name is on the shipping label."

"The camera didn't catch the label. The audience can't see it."

"So because the audience can't see it, my mom's love gets rebranded and handed to your fake fiancée?"

Callum choked on his words for a second.

"Maren, I know you're upset."

"But who cooked the food doesn't literally change just because of a caption."

"Why do you insist on mixing up marketing content with real life?"

I saw my mom walk out of the kitchen, still clutching the FedEx receipt.

She hadn't caught the details of the call. She just looked at me with eager eyes, asking if Callum's family got the package.

"They got it. They're already eating."

I didn't tell her that all they received was the food. Her name had been left outside the box.

Celia contacted me shortly after. She earnestly thanked my mom, then explained that Delaney was just helping unbox and plate the food.

She didn't claim the gesture as her own, but she still urged me to be understanding.

"Maren, I remember your mom's kindness perfectly."

"Delaney was just helping plate it. Whatever was said on camera was purely for work."

"Once Callum starts rolling, he only cares about the final cut. I'll definitely give him an earful."

Terrified I would overthink it, she rushed to add more.

"Don't worry. When the engagement party actually happens, in this house, Callum's only fiancée is you."

I contacted the venue. I put the engagement party setup on an indefinite hold. I left strict instructions that any changes to the schedule had to go through me first.

That night, Callum sent over the day's shoot schedule. He demanded I arrive by 10:00 a.m. on the third day.

Engagement short film: Done in advance.

Parents' welcome video: Done in advance.

Family portrait: Done in advance.

When I called him, he was in the middle of debating lighting setups with someone.

"What exactly does 'Done in advance' mean?"

"During the holiday, the relatives all have their own plans."

"We just ran through the blocking and camera paths first. When you get here, we'll do the real thing."

"Who did you use as my stand-in?"

He didn't give me a name.

"We needed a real person for the blocking. A mannequin doesn't give you the right depth of field."

"Callum Reid."

It was the first time I'd ever called him by his full name.

The background chatter on his end died down.

"Delaney wore the engagement dress I bought. She ate the food my mom cooked. She stood in for me on camera."

"The parents' welcome video, the family portrait. She did it all for me."

"How exactly am I supposed to separate the shoot from reality anymore?"

It took a long time for Callum to reply.

"The person in the lens can change. But the one actually standing next to me for the engagement is you."

I scrolled down to the very bottom of the call sheet.

Right next to "Family Toast," there were three words.

Footage already captured.