The evening swayed on as the city's elite gathered under the crystal chandeliers of the Hilton Grand Hall , for the annual Hearts for Tomorrow charity gala.
In about an hour, their car pulled up infront of the venue. The press swarmed outside, their flashing lights like restless stars, came from all directions. Coupled with whispers about Maya's supposed pregnancy, still rippling through every corner of the entertainment world.
The atmosphere inside was glittering with elegance which was quite suffocating as they stepped in.
Impulsively, Maya adjusted the strap of her satin gown, her nerves on edge. She had tried to convince herself not to come, but Adrian had insisted.
"Let them see you. Let them know you're not hiding." His voice had carried that same weight. The same iron command that always made her spine straighten against her will.
Standing now beside him, beneath the bright chandelier, she understood why.
All eyes were on them.
Adrian looked every bit the commanding CEO he was. Dressed elegantly in a tailored black tuxedo, his expression unreadable, and his presence radiating authority. The moment he placed his hand on her lower back to guide her forward, the murmurs began. Cameras clicked like firecrackers.
"She came with Adrian Dave."
"Is this a confirmation?"
"They look… close."
The air around them buzzed with speculation.
Maya smiled politely at passing guests, pretending not to hear. A practiced thing she had always been doing. But this time, she could feel Adrian's steady composure beside her, a silent shield against the storm. Just what she needed right now but didn't want to admit.
"You didn't tell me this was your plan," she muttered between her lips, still smiling for the cameras.
"It's effective, isn't it?" He said without glancing at her. "They can't attack what they can't define."
She wanted to argue, but the weight of the flashbulbs made her throat close. He was right. This public appearance would shift the narrative. But being seen with him like this… it felt like stepping into a different kind of fire. Was it safe? She questioned herself.
When they got to the center of the ballroom, Adrian greeted the investors, politicians, and actors who had lined up, with effortless charm. Every so often, his hand deliberately brushed hers. Subtle, but enough for people to notice. Just the in the right way to spark new rumors.
Beneath her skin, Maya's pulse thrummed, "You're enjoying this," she whispered as they paused near the dessert table.
He glanced at her, eyes dark and unwavering. "No. I'm making sure you survive this." He said, there was something fierce in his tone, not that cold, but protective. Dangerously even.
"Maya! Over here!" A familiar voice interrupted before Maya could say anything.
It was from a reporter. One of the less scrupulous ones. She lifted her mic, flashing a too-sweet smile. "Is it true, Miss Kim, that your recent absence was due to health reasons? Some sources say you might be expecting..."
Before she could finish, Adrian stepped forward. "That's enough," he said, his hand resting at Maya's lower back once more. "Miss Kim's personal life is not a topic for tonight's gathering. We're just here for charity, not gossip."
The firmness in his voice froze the air around them. Cameras instantly turned,their flashes slowed, and the reporter faltered, before mumbling an apology and stepped back.
Maya swallowed hard, her heart pounding. "You didn't have to.."
"I did," Adrian snapped. "Get used to it."
Her gaze lifted to him, torn between gratitude and frustration. "You can't keep saving me like this."
"Then stop putting yourself where you'll need saving," he replied, calmly, but with a note of warning that made her breath catch.
They stood there for a long moment. The music swell in the background while the world watch. But despite the chaos, Maya felt an unfamiliar calm settle over her. Not that of safety. But a strange sense of being seen.
She wasn't sure if it was for the better or worse, but Adrian Choi had just made it clear to everyone in that ballroom and to her, that she wasn't alone anymore.
♡♡♡♡♡
The Weeks after the gala, blurred into chaos everywhere Maya looked. Online, billboards, and even whispers in coffee shops had her name paired with his.Maya Kim and Adrian Choi.
Photos from the gala had gone viral; the elegant model in silver silk beside the commanding CEO of Steele Enterprises. Some outlets praised their "unexpected chemistry." While others speculated about a hidden romance.
But what caught her off guard most, was how her agency responded to it all.
It was early Tuesday morning, when she was called into Mr. Han's office, again.
"Sit," Han sharply said, sliding a folder across the glass desk. His expression was unreadable, though the faint smile tugging at his lips told Maya he already had something on his mind.
Maya sat carefully, the tension in her shoulders tight. "What's this?"
"An opportunity," Han replied. "Steele Enterprises just secured sponsorship for Eclat Beauty's new campaign. And They requested you as the face of it."
Maya blinked. "They what?"
"It's an international campaign, Maya. Korea, Japan, and Singapore. The biggest of your career. And before you ask, yes. Adrian personally approved your name."
Her heart sankvat the revelation. She understood where this was added to and she didn't need to ask why.
"So this is—"
"Damage control," Han concluded. "You and Adrian appearingprofessionally together, gives structure to the rumors. It'll look like partnership, not a scandal. It's a win, win for both sides."
Maya exhaled, staring at the folder like it might bite her. "And if I refuse?"
Han leaned back. "Then you lose more than a contract. The press will eat you alive. And the sponsors who froze your pending deals? They'll walk out. You need this as much as we do."
There was a long pause. The kind that pressed against her chest like invisible hands. On an impulse, she signed.
.
.
.
The days that followed went on silently without any special happenings. Just like that, the rumors died down with no media outlets dragging on her.
By Thursday, Maya found herself in a conference room at Steele Enterprises. It was an all glass walls, a skyline view, and the tension in the room was so sharp it could cut.
Adrian was already there when she walked in, standing near the window with his hands in his pockets. His reflection shimmered against the cityscape behind him.
"Miss Kim," he greeted without turning.
"Mr. Choi."
They sounded polite , almost distant but the silence that followed said something else.
When he finally faced her, his expression softened just enough to make her heart thrum. "You're here earlier than expected."
"I was told this meeting was mandatory." She replied.
"It is," he said, a hint of amusement flickering in his eyes. "I wasn't sure you did show up though."
She crossed her arms. "I didn't have much choice, did I?"
He didn't deny it.
It all felt as though they were alone. But behind them, the marketing team shuffled nervously. Pretending to focus on presentation slides that no one was really looking at. The room practically hummed with the undercurrent between them.
Without further banter, he gestured Maya to her seat.
As the meeting began, She tried focusing on the campaign details. The schedules, travel, and concept shoots. But her attention kept drifting to Adrian.
His voice was smoothing with every word uttered. And his tone controlled. The kind that made even silence sound deliberate.
As the presentation came to an end, the team dispersed, leaving only the two of them. Maya rose to her feet, strolling towards the door when Adrian's voice interrupted.
"You're still angry." He stepped out of his desk.
"Angry?" Maya's laugh was low, but sharp as she halted midway-- turning to him. "You dragged me into a fake narrative, made it worse with that gala appearance, and now I'm tied to your company. Angry doesn't even begin to cover it."
His gaze held hers. "It's not fake."
Her pulse skipped. "What?"
"The narrative," he said slowly. "It's not fake if I meant what I did. Protecting you wasn't just about PR."
She stared at him, the words lodging somewhere between disbelief and curiosity. "Then what was it about?"
He didn't answer immediately. Instead, there was a long pause. Then he stepped closer. "Let's say, I just felt like doing so. So, I did."
Her jaw tightened. "I didn't ask you to."
"No," he said quietly, holding her gaze. "but you needed me to."
The room suddenly felt smaller. Maya wanted to argue, to tell him he was wrong, but deep down she knew he wasn't.
The cameras. The articles. The way even her agency had pushed her into compliance.
She wasn't fighting in the same league. Excusing herself, she hurried out. Adrian watched as the door snapped shut behind her.