d out of the boardroom.His meeting had run over, dragging into t

meetings ended with noise. His staff knew bet

d of the hallway, a tablet in hand

ask him about it .

owed as he scrolled. "Adrian," Julian said lowly as

n. "If it's another de

an cut in, tone sharp.

owly, catching the flicker of something

hout a word. The screen lo

-style post already racking up

urces Claim Private Ceremony Took Place a Wee

k car outside City Hall. Another of a woman stepping

ar

pped w

to dull, like someone turned

howed nothing else. The in

een for a beat too l

ied him. "W

N

ho leak

didn't

and walked through the gl

ow who le

guessing a photographer caught wind of the City H

e remained unreadable. Then he

m. I want every single version of

pulled out his pho

him and began walking

n't just

s a m

hat side of the family had been too quiet lately. And t

tone now made of iron. "If it's coming from insid

erst

Jul

, bo

media structure on fire just to prot

idn't have to. They both kn

. His reflection in the mirrored panels looked just a

erate. Every staff member

one vi

ked the

ar

? I thought we were

htened aroun

was

had a

through the same mud that follow

it r

't panic. I'll expla

t it, he had no ex

t y

appeared. T

wai

ing

e and shut them behind him. The city view stretched out be

is veins.Something deep inside him stirr

leaked

st made a

dangero

omised he

had crosse

make sure th

-

the estate felt l

y in the tinted glass beside her. She hadn't spoken much since she saw the news . Even Cat had

he was anythi

s pani

, fashion forums, even the front page of PulseOnline.

ried in secret. B

ike she di

as the estate gates open

o open her door, as always.bu

," she

omething in his eyes-a flicker

licking in the quiet estate. The house felt

ra barely heard the words. She mumbled something about going upstairs a

stairs, she saw the light

stop

o to her room. Shut the doo

w it, her feet mov

slightly ajar. She

s rolled up to his forearms. There were papers on the table.

when he

eyes l

. Calm but tense. In a way sh

softly, almost

t answer

de, shutting the

his would s

't flinch. "A

lines about a secret wedding and an unknown bride?

ittle. "It wasn't me. I don't know h

orry ab

how it felt to sit in a room full of people laughing a

w tigh

ara

this..." She motioned vaguely,

agreed. "

ed between them,

an contact every outlet running the story. Cease and

d. "Just l

htly .no smile, just steel

o wrap her head around the

t slowed, ju

, "You can't er

ain. "But I can sh

eyes

olfe fortune. No tabloid gos

people in

n't want them to destroy it before it had

etween them turned warm. "Then let's decide what

slightly. Not a

he turn

d," she s

nod

you in the

er heart beating fas

tling feeling

d sof

a l

ed to leave ,he w

or after her but stopped himsel

ing that could make her feel better.But nothing came,all

t came o

ll, watching

er back straight

en today? She looked thinner like the stress was quietly carving at h

st a

carrying the weight of some

unsettl

mised to p

hen the world came hunting w

out his ph

lanted the leak. I want every platform that's carrying tha

t about the ones wh

s voice

erate. I don't

, tossing the pho

the world went on.

orm was brewing i

ly certain o

that fire ar

o face the