TRAPPED WITH THE PLAYBOY

oy

-

E'S

net was b

I ignored most of it-until my manager, Cam, call

n it?" he bar

ill half-asleep, the sheets tang

where. Twitter. Instagram. Fucking TikTok e

ure enough, there it was - #Zariana trending worldwide. P

an and rubbed my te

ur fan pages are split between heartbreak and conspiracy theories. Some t

they want," I muttered, d

've got a concert this weekend. The press

do I

le

on't ans

ed back at me from the mirror - bare chest, tired eyes, faint hic

wasn'

't do

do future

ld had decided I

-

OV – The S

babe.

scrolling through her feed. She'd barged into my

ed dramatically. "Your engagement is li

muttered,

-freaking-Carter. Rockstar, bad boy, panty-dropper.

e my place," I mum

ot in those photos. Especially the one where he's just staring int

I said. "I didn't know they we

of his fans are freaking out. But the smart ones?

g for my phone. Notifica

: "he's off the market and I'm devastated." @sugarbabyzane: "she better not hurt h

"This is

ust the beginning. You kno

ha

e's son. You're marrying a celebrity.

-

Night of th

ew hours befor

" Cam said, handing me a water bo

e been dealing with your so-c

w. "You mean yo

t him. "Do

e band was still running through one of the ballads. I'd barely made

ny eye

ny hea

much

na M

tabloid, in every reel, in every dumb fan edit with slow music and sparkles. And as much as

never

I didn't do lies-at least not when they looked like

nd tossed the bottle asi

off the beat. I stepped up to the mic, let the rhyt

coul

er how loud the

t flashing b

-

concert, t

wd was

voices chanted my name,

spine, adrenaline pulsing through my veins. The applause was dea

still

na M

posted something, t

k so good

him with Lyd

s PR or

e banners in the front row screamed Z

nd, tech crew hauling wires, groupies waiting for a chance t

, we need to address the engagement soon.

amn about the int

reams are up. The Carter name is everywhere. The

didn't ask fo

t, "maybe for once, things are falling int

past him, my ears still ringi

-

NA'S

ame night, i

ting up beside me. I'd turned off my notifica

SEEN the new edits? Yo

y look like his weak

he dinner, the cameras, the photographers-it had all

e next

xt to Zane

like he knew me. Like he remembered that n

rk, the way he'd flirted with me like I was just ano

essed?" h

even

eyes, brea

fect couple. They

em really knew

-

as it

and c

xo