The punch became the headline before the night was even over. By the time Liana reached home, still shaken and exhausted, her phone buzzed nonstop with notifications. She turned it face down on the counter, refusing to look, but the muffled sound of alert after alert made her stomach twist. She didn't want to know what was being said. She didn't want to see the pictures. She didn't want to relive that moment when Ethan's fist connected with Adrian's jaw and the entire room turned toward her, eyes filled with shock, curiosity, and judgment.
But the world didn't care what she wanted.
The next morning, the scandal had already reached every corner of the internet. "Liana Rivera's New Lover vs. Her Billionaire Ex!" the first headline screamed. Another read, "CEO Ethan Cole Loses Control at Gala, punches Rivals Over Former Fiancée." Videos of the punch, taken from multiple angles, had already gone viral. Gossip blogs tore apart every expression on her face, dissecting the tension between Ethan and Adrian frame by frame.
Comment sections were filled with people choosing sides, arguing over who she "belonged" with, as if she were a trophy instead of a person.
Her company's receptionist avoided eye contact when she walked in. Coworkers whispered just a little too loudly. Every few steps, someone's phone lit up with an article that featured her picture. She felt exposed, humiliated, dragged back into a spotlight she'd thought she'd escaped when she left Ethan's world behind.
She ducked her head and walked faster.
She had barely stepped into her department when Adrian's assistant intercepted her. "Mr. Hale wants to see you," she said gently.
Liana swallowed, bracing herself, and made her way to his office. Adrian stood near his desk, a faint bruise forming on his jaw, though he had tried to cover it. His expression softened the moment he saw her.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
Her throat tightened. "I'm sorry," she whispered, though she knew she shouldn't be apologizing. "You didn't deserve-"
"Stop." His voice was firm but kind. "You did nothing wrong. Do you hear me?"
She looked down, struggling to believe it. "People are talking."
"People will always talk," Adrian said as he guided her to sit. "What matters is the truth. And you did nothing but exist while a man who still has feelings for you lost his self-control."
The way he said it made something sharp twist inside her chest. She looked up at him carefully. "I didn't ask for this attention."
"I know." Adrian exhaled slowly, leaning against the edge of his desk. "That's why I'm handling the PR fallout myself. You're not making any statements. You're not facing the press. You're not answering questions. You don't deserve to carry a scandal that isn't yours."
His protectiveness unsettled her, not because it frightened her, but because it was… gentle. Thoughtful. Different.
"Adrian, I-"
A knock on the door cut her off. When it opened, her entire body froze.
Ethan stood there.
He looked nothing like the confident, sharp CEO the world knew. His tie hung loose, his shirt sleeves were wrinkled, his hair slightly disheveled as if he hadn't slept. But it was his eyes that struck her the most, red-rimmed, pained, desperate.
"Liana," he said softly.
Her pulse stumbled.
Adrian straightened immediately, stepping between them with a quiet authority that made Ethan's jaw tense. "You're not supposed to be here without an appointment."
Ethan barely glanced at him. His eyes were locked on Liana as though she was the only thing in the room. "I came to apologize."
She stood slowly, but not to go toward him. She moved behind her chair, putting distance between them. Not out of fear, out of self-preservation.
"There's nothing to apologize for," she said, voice steady. "Just… leave it alone."
Ethan shook his head. "No. Liana, I shouldn't have, last night I just, seeing you with him-"
Her expression hardened. "You don't have the right to talk about who I stand next to."
Ethan flinched.
A small ache flickered inside her, but she crushed it down. This wasn't the man she had once loved. Or maybe he was, and she simply hadn't noticed how flawed he'd always been.
"I'm not here to control you," Ethan said, stepping forward. Adrian moved subtly, blocking him again. Ethan's eyes flicked to him, angry for a moment before returning to her. "I just need you to know I'm sorry. For the punch. For the scene I caused. I know I made everything worse for you."
"Please leave," Liana said quietly.
He took another step. "Liana-"
"Don't make me say it again."
Her voice wasn't loud. But it was final.
The pain that crossed Ethan's face was raw enough to make her chest tighten despite everything. He nodded slowly, breath trembling, and stepped back. For the first time since she'd met him, he looked… small. Fragile.
He left without another word.
The door clicked shut behind him, and Liana's knees almost buckled. Adrian reached her before she fell, gently guiding her to sit once more.
She pressed a shaking hand against her forehead. "I didn't want to hurt him."
"But you did what you had to," Adrian said softly.
Her heart twisted painfully. "I don't understand why all of this is happening again. I thought I was done with that part of my life."
Adrian crouched in front of her, his voice low, steady, grounding. "You're not responsible for his actions. You're not responsible for the past. You're responsible only for yourself. And you've been doing everything right."
Tears stung her eyes, but she blinked them back. "People think I'm with you now," she whispered. "It's everywhere."
"Let them think whatever they want," he said gently. "I don't care about the rumors."
She looked at him carefully. "But you're the one they're talking about too."
He gave a faint smile. "I've survived worse headline storms than this. Trust me."
Something unexpected fluttered inside her chest again. It wasn't the wild, consuming love she once had with Ethan. It was quieter, steadier, like the warmth of sunlight on skin after months of rain.
She tried to pull back her hand when she realized he was still holding it, but Adrian kept it lightly, not possessive, reassuring. "Liana… listen to me," he murmured, his thumb brushing lightly over her knuckles. "I've watched you fight through things that would've crushed most people. You deserve peace. You deserve someone who values you."
Her breath caught. "Adrian…"
"You deserve better," he whispered, squeezing her hand softly, "and I intend to prove it."
Her heart thundered in her chest. She couldn't pull away. She didn't want to.
And she didn't know whether that terrified her… or made her feel alive.
Because for the first time since everything fell apart, Liana realized she was standing between two very different futures, one tied to her past, and one slowly reaching out to her.
And Adrian Hale was no longer hiding how deeply he wanted to be part of hers.