Media Frenzy

The tension from the vineyard visit still clung to me like a second skin. Nathaniel’s message had sent a chill through my bones, but what haunted me even more was the way Cole had reacted. He hadn’t said a word the entire drive back, but his grip on the steering wheel had been tight, his jaw clenched, his energy radiating something dark and dangerous.

Now, as I sat in the back of his car once again, heading toward an event I hadn’t even agreed to attend, I felt like I was spiraling into something I couldn’t control.

"Why are we going to this gala?" I finally asked, my voice sharp, tired of the silence stretching between us.

Cole didn’t look at me. His gaze remained fixed on the city lights flashing past the windows. "Because the media needs to see us together."

I exhaled slowly, pressing my fingers against my temples. "So, we’re pretending to be the perfect couple for the cameras?"

A hint of amusement flickered in his voice. "That’s the deal, isn’t it?"

The deal. The contract. The marriage that wasn’t real.

I bit the inside of my cheek, ignoring the way my heart twisted at the reminder. I shouldn’t care. I didn’t care. This was a business arrangement, nothing more.

And yet, last night…

I shook the thought away before it could settle too deeply inside me.

We arrived at the event minutes later, and the moment Cole stepped out of the car, flashing lights erupted all around us. The media had been waiting. Cameras, reporters, voices calling his name, my name. My chest tightened as I forced a composed expression onto my face.

Cole turned toward me, offering his hand. His fingers brushed mine as I took it, and for a second, the warmth of his touch sent a jolt of something through me. But I didn’t have time to think about it before he pulled me in closer, his lips grazing the shell of my ear.

"Smile, sweetheart," he murmured. "Let them see how in love we are."

I lifted my gaze to him, searching for something beneath his cool exterior, but all I found was a mask of effortless charm. He was playing a role, just like always.

So, I played mine.

The event was a blur of flashing lights, murmured greetings, and perfectly rehearsed smiles. I had mastered the art of small talk long ago, but tonight, every interaction felt hollow. The weight of last night’s events sat heavy in my chest, and no amount of polite conversation could shake it.

Cole, on the other hand, was effortless. He moved through the crowd like he owned it, commanding attention with every step. He never let go of my hand, keeping me anchored to his side like I was something precious, something he chose to hold onto.

And the cameras ate it up.

"Mr. Montgomery! Over here!"

"Aria, how does it feel to be married to one of the most powerful men in the country?"

"Any wedding plans yet? Will there be a honeymoon?"

The questions came like bullets, rapid and relentless. I forced a smile, prepared to give the same practiced answers I had rehearsed a hundred times. But before I could speak, Cole suddenly pulled me flush against him, one arm wrapping around my waist, his grip firm and possessive.

Then, before I could even register what was happening—

His lips crashed against mine.

For a moment, the world stopped.

My breath caught in my throat as heat surged through my body, every nerve ending burning from the intensity of his touch. It wasn’t a soft kiss, not gentle or hesitant. It was fierce, demanding, owned. The kind of kiss that left no room for doubt.

Gasps echoed through the crowd. The clicking of cameras became frantic. Reporters whispered in excitement.

I knew this was staged. I knew this was for the cameras.

And yet…

The second his lips moved against mine; the second his fingers tightened against my lower back, I forgot how to pretend. My body betrayed me, melting into his touch, my fingers gripping the lapels of his suit before I could stop myself.

Cole pulled back slightly, his lips barely an inch from mine, his breath warm against my skin. His blue eyes locked onto mine, searching, waiting.

Daring me to deny what had just happened.

I swallowed hard, my pulse hammering in my ears. "You—"

"Smile, sweetheart," he murmured again, but this time, his voice was lower, rougher, like he wasn’t just saying it for the cameras anymore.

And then, just like that, he turned away, flashing the press a smug smirk before leading me further inside, leaving me standing there, my lips still tingling, my thoughts a chaotic mess.

I didn’t speak to him for the rest of the night.

I didn’t look at him.

I was afraid that if I did, I wouldn’t know what was real anymore.

But Cole, being Cole, didn’t give me the space I needed. As soon as we were in the car, alone, away from the flashing cameras and eager reporters, he leaned back against the seat, watching me with an unreadable expression.

"You're quiet," he observed.

I clenched my fists in my lap. "What was that?"

He tilted his head slightly, pretending not to understand. "The event? The media? You’ll have to be more specific."

I turned to him, my frustration spilling over. "The kiss, Cole. You didn’t have to do that."

A slow smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, and it made me want to slap him. "Didn’t I?"

I narrowed my eyes. "You’re enjoying this."

His expression shifted slightly, something more serious flickering behind his eyes. "You think I kissed you just for them?"

I opened my mouth, then closed it.

Of course, that’s what it was. It had to be.

Didn’t it?

Cole leaned in, his gaze never leaving mine, his voice dropping lower. "I think you liked it more than you want to admit."

Heat rushed to my face. "I think you like playing games."

He chuckled, but there was something darker beneath it. "You’re the most interesting game I’ve ever played."

I hated the way my stomach flipped at his words.

I hated the way I wanted to kiss him again just to prove that it had meant nothing.

But before I could say anything, before I could even begin to untangle my thoughts, my phone buzzed inside my clutch.

I pulled it out, my breath catching the second I saw the message on the screen.

Unknown Number: You looked beautiful tonight. Almost too beautiful. I wonder what Cole would do if he knew someone else was watching you so closely.

I felt my blood run cold.

Cole noticed instantly. "What is it?"

I swallowed, gripping the phone tighter.

Nothing. I could say it was nothing.

Or I could tell him the truth.

And for the first time since this whole mess had started, I wasn’t sure if I was more afraid of the person sending the message…

Or the man sitting beside me.