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Chapter 34 — Rumors and Repercussions
The morning started with chaos. Not the kind Alina Ross was used to — not deadlines or press leaks or investor calls — but something far more personal.
The kind that began with whispers.
And laughter.
And the faint sound of her name being paired with his.
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The Office Buzz
When Alina walked into the Aurora office that morning, she immediately sensed it — that strange, buzzing energy that meant something had happened online.
Her assistant Sophie was waiting by her desk, biting her lip to hide a grin.
"What?" Alina asked suspiciously.
"Nothing!" Sophie said, way too quickly.
"You're smiling."
"I smile every day."
"Not like that."
Sophie's grin widened. "Okay, okay. Promise you won't fire me?"
Alina crossed her arms. "Depends on what you did."
Sophie turned her tablet around. On the internal Aurora-Vale joint network feed, one particular post was trending with alarming speed.
> #ValeRoss — The Power Duo We Didn't Know We Needed 🔥
"After yesterday's meeting, the chemistry is undeniable. The rivals to lovers arc is writing itself 😏💼❤️ #WorkplaceGoals #ValeRossForever"
It had over a hundred comments.
"WHAT IS THIS?!" Alina exclaimed, nearly spilling her coffee.
Sophie tried not to laugh. "You have to admit, it's… catchy."
"Sophie!"
"Hey, at least it's not #RossVale. That one sounds like a law firm."
"SOPHIE!"
---
Meanwhile, at Vale Enterprises
Adrian Vale was staring at his own office screen in disbelief.
Liam leaned casually against the desk, sipping his espresso. "It's got over three hundred reactions on the internal board now."
Adrian closed his eyes. "Why do people have this much time?"
"Oh, come on," Liam said, smirking. "You've seen the comments. Half the staff thinks you two are secretly dating. The other half is taking bets."
Adrian shot him a look sharp enough to slice glass.
Liam shrugged. "Don't glare at me. I'm just reporting the facts. Also… you might want to check your inbox."
Adrian hesitated, then opened it.
At least ten emails were sitting there with the subject line:
"About #ValeRoss 👀"
He groaned. "Unbelievable."
---
The Meeting That Made It Worse
By afternoon, both companies had scheduled a joint follow-up meeting — unfortunately, in person.
The moment Alina walked into the conference room, she could feel the eyes on her. Whispers rippled across the table, and a few knowing smirks passed between junior staffers.
Adrian was already there, looking far too composed.
She took her seat opposite him, spine straight, expression neutral.
"Morning," he said smoothly.
"Mr. Vale," she replied with professional coolness.
Someone at the far end of the table coughed. "#ValeRoss!"
The room exploded in muffled laughter.
Alina's jaw dropped. "Excuse me?"
Sophie kicked the person under the table, hissing, "Shut up, Brian!"
Adrian, however, just raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching. "Apparently, we're trending."
"Apparently," she said through gritted teeth.
He leaned back, amused. "It's not the worst thing. Could be good for PR."
"PR?" she repeated. "You think this—" she gestured toward the whispering crowd "—is good publicity?"
He shrugged. "The internet loves drama."
She gave him a sharp look. "You love drama."
He smiled faintly. "Only when you're in it."
Her pulse spiked. "Stop saying things like that in front of people."
"Why?"
"Because they'll believe you!"
He smirked. "Maybe that's the point."
She froze. His tone was teasing — but something behind it felt almost serious.
Before she could respond, Sophie cleared her throat loudly. "Ahem! Can we focus on the agenda now, please?"
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Sophie and Liam's Secret Victory
Halfway through the meeting, while Alina and Adrian debated over a campaign strategy, Sophie and Liam exchanged glances across the room.
Their plan had worked too well.
"Did you expect it to blow up this fast?" Sophie whispered.
"Honestly? No," Liam whispered back. "But watching them argue is better than any show I've seen."
Sophie grinned. "We should sell tickets."
Liam chuckled. "They'd never admit it, but they like the attention."
"Especially him," Sophie said, glancing at Adrian. "You see the way he looks at her?"
Liam nodded. "Like she's both his biggest problem and his favorite challenge."
"Exactly," Sophie said with satisfaction. "And she has no idea."
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Back in the Spotlight
As the meeting wound down, Alina tried to focus on the presentation slides — anything to ignore the soft glances Adrian kept giving her.
When she finished speaking, Adrian stood to add his comments.
But instead of addressing the slides, he casually said, "I think Ms. Ross and I work better together than we expected."
The room erupted.
Sophie nearly choked on her coffee. Liam tried to keep a straight face and failed.
Alina's eyes widened. "Mr. Vale," she hissed under her breath, "what are you doing?"
He smiled — a quiet, confident, infuriating smile. "Just confirming the rumor."
Her jaw dropped. "You—!"
"Relax," he murmured, lowering his voice so only she could hear. "I'm teasing."
She wanted to throw her pen at him. Or maybe herself for blushing.
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After the Meeting
The moment the room cleared, Alina cornered him near the doorway.
"Do you enjoy this?" she demanded.
He folded his arms. "Define 'this.'"
"The rumors, the teasing, the—" she waved her hands wildly "—public humiliation!"
He leaned closer, voice low. "If you really hated it, you'd stop reacting."
"I—what—!"
"Exactly," he said softly, eyes glinting. "You react because you care."
Her breath caught. "That's not—"
Before she could finish, Sophie appeared, phone in hand. "Bad news!"
Both turned toward her.
Sophie grimaced. "The #ValeRoss post just hit the global corporate feed."
Adrian blinked. "Global?"
Sophie nodded gravely. "You're trending in Europe now."
Adrian pinched the bridge of his nose. "Wonderful."
Alina groaned. "This is a disaster."
"Or a marketing opportunity," Adrian said lightly.
She shot him a glare. "Don't even think about it."
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The Ride Down
They shared the elevator ride in silence. For once, the teasing had stopped — replaced by something quieter.
Halfway down, Adrian finally spoke. "You really didn't like that?"
Alina exhaled. "It's not that I didn't like it. I just… don't want to be laughed at."
He glanced at her, tone softening. "They're not laughing at you."
She looked up, meeting his eyes. "Feels like it."
For a brief second, his expression shifted — something gentler, almost protective. "Then they'll stop."
Her brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"
"I'll make sure of it."
She blinked, caught off guard by the seriousness in his voice.
Before she could ask more, the elevator dinged. He stepped out, leaving her standing there — heart pounding, confusion flooding her chest.
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Later That Night
That evening, Sophie was scrolling through her feed on the couch, grinning.
"You're still smiling," Alina muttered, sinking beside her with a cup of tea.
"Because it's hilarious, boss. Everyone loves you two."
Alina groaned. "You mean everyone loves mocking us."
Sophie grinned slyly. "You love it too. Admit it."
"I absolutely do not."
Sophie raised an eyebrow. "Then why did you save that group photo from today as your wallpaper?"
Alina froze mid-sip. "You checked my phone?!"
"Maybe."
"SOPHIE!"
Sophie burst out laughing. "You're hopeless."
Alina huffed, but she couldn't help smiling a little. "Maybe I am."
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Across the City
Adrian was standing by his desk, scrolling through the same feed. The trending hashtag had now reached thousands of reactions, and for once, he didn't mind.
Liam glanced over. "You're smiling."
"I'm not."
"You are."
Adrian sighed. "It's ridiculous."
Liam smirked. "And yet you're still reading every comment."
Adrian tossed his phone onto the table, but there was a faint, almost imperceptible smile on his face.
"Don't say a word," he warned.
"Didn't plan to," Liam replied easily. "I'm just… enjoying the show."
---
The Quiet Truth
Somewhere, between rivalry and rumor, the lines had blurred again.
She was supposed to hate him.
He was supposed to ignore her.
But now, as the city lights flickered across their separate windows, both found themselves thinking the same thing —
Why does it feel like everyone else knows something we don't?
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