HE

d the moment I opened my phone, I was gr

R EX'S ARMS-STUNNING F

FALLEN KING: IS LOV

IONAIRE ALESSANDRE MARCELLO R

pped on the stairs, the frozen second when I crashed into him, the wa

it played. It

acky love song in the background. Another one sl

tting the phone at a

ew my phone

, already pacing the l

sheveled, phone buzzing in one hand, and

s all on fire. Socials, press, blogs, investor lines-heck, even TikTok has a slow-mo vid

God! N

u have any idea how long I've worked to build this brand

it." Was a

h!" My voice cracked like a whip

outing at her but didn't take it back. Not when h

on my face. "They're afraid of a scandal by association. They think

sharp and bitter laugh. "Because I

d, her voice barely audible. "You fell in

ed, scrubbing a

d I could practically feel

e in six years, I

utely fucki

ady. "Call an emergency meeting. Now. Everyone-the board, legal, PR,

ed and moved,

go to the compan

nd yet, he wasn't satisf

in in my chest and focused on the rage instead. Af

f directors was seated at the long glass table, talking in low, concerned voices. Charlotte stood off to the side with

tos from the ball, and even a blurry picture of him crossing

of our control. We ran sentiment scans on key platforms an there's a fifty

I cut in, my

hat matters is perception. We're losing market confidence. Tw

re mounting, like invis

ot," Charlotte

ole thing. "Another press release? A public a

rred solution. One that has a higher chance of gett

l looke

ke that," I said. "O

ent," he said. "W

. I must have heard him wrong

" I wh

m?" I said, my voice sky

t... a relationship. A united front. Something to placate the press and

but at this point I didn't care what they all thought of me. They could all rot for all I care. "That

in public for that matter. This could be the coup de grâce we desperately

at. "Absol

ad. There'll be no legal marriage, just public appearances and a few exclusives here and there. You

g with bottl

o do damage control for him?"

ur control, Ophelia. Don't you get it? Right now, you've lost the upper hand a

. I could see my reflection-frosty eye

ated them for it. Most

"Fine," I said. "You want

cautiously optimistic

at. "But he's going to pay for it. He doesn't g

chair screami

ered, "then he just hande