By the end of the week, the story had shifted. The bakery kiss had cooled in the press cycle, but in its place came something else—rumors of Elias considering a new luxury development in the Westbridge district. The catch? The proposed location was right across from a historic café that had been in the same family for three generations.
"They're calling you a heartless developer," Serena said, reading from her phone as Elias loosened his tie at the dining table. "And they're dragging me into it too, saying I'm 'turning a blind eye.'"
Elias's jaw worked as he poured himself a drink. "It's not true. The location isn't finalized, and no one's being pushed out."
"But they don't care about the truth," Serena countered. "They care about the story."
He set the glass down, leaning his palms on the table. "Do you want me to pull out of the project?"
The question hit her unexpectedly. "Would you?"
"If it meant keeping you from being in the crosshairs? Yes."
She searched his face, seeing both sincerity and the flicker of a man used to making ruthless decisions. "I don't want you to kill a project because of me," she said carefully. "But I also don't want to watch the press turn me into a villain."
Before Elias could reply, his phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, his expression darkening. "It's Isabelle."
Serena arched a brow. "Answer it."
He did, putting it on speaker. "What do you want?"
"Always so warm, Elias," Isabelle's voice purred through the line. "I was just calling to say I've been approached for an interview… about your marriage."
Serena's grip tightened on the back of a chair.
"Decline it," Elias said flatly.
"Oh, I'm not sure," Isabelle continued. "It could be cathartic. You know, sharing my perspective. Filling in the gaps about how quickly you moved on."
Serena stepped forward, her voice cutting in. "You mean filling in lies."
There was a pause on the line before Isabelle chuckled. "Ah, Serena. Always so feisty. Tell me—how long before you realize you're just a chapter in his book?"
Elias ended the call without another word, tossing the phone onto the table. The silence afterward felt heavier than the conversation itself.
"She's trying to bait you," Serena said quietly.
"She's trying to bait us," Elias corrected.
Later, in bed, the tension between them hadn't eased. Serena lay on her side, staring at the city lights through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Elias shifted closer, his hand finding her waist.
"I'm not going to let her get between us," he murmured.
Serena turned to face him. "Then we have to be more than just fine in private. We have to be unshakable in public."
His gaze held hers for a long moment before he leaned in, kissing her slowly, like sealing an agreement. The kiss deepened, his fingers curling into the fabric of her shirt, pulling her closer until their bodies fit together perfectly.
When they finally broke apart, Serena rested her forehead against his. "Then we stand together. Every time. No cracks."
Elias smiled faintly. "No cracks," he promised.
But in the quiet that followed, she couldn't shake the feeling that Isabelle wasn't done looking for them.