The day began bright , cool and calm but Zara knew that the cool and calm day is kind of deceiving, she knows that things won't be as smooth. A high profile investor lunch was scheduled for today and the the company insisted that both she and Ethan attends and make presents themselves as a perfect couple in order to impress the guests.
Zara went to the mirror and adjusted her blazer in the mirror one last time, checking the hem and the crease of her sleeves, this is a special occasion. Every detail mattered. Suddenly she paused , why am I even channeling all my energy into this just to walk with that guy , then she shook her head ,this is just a performance, she reminded herself, nothing more, just a deal.
Meanwhile, Ethan was already waiting at the parking lot looking calm and collected , dressed in a fitting suit dress , reviewing some files on his tablet , he was so concentrated as if nothing else in the world is his concern.
Zara stepped out of the building and walked towards the parking lot where Ethan is standing . Ethan raised his head when he noticed her presence, "heyy Zara good morning " he greeted , " morning" she replied , carefully neutral.
Ethan went back to scrolling through his tab , while scrolling he asked her, are you ready for the spotlight ?, I was born ready, she said, sharper than she intended. Her words even made her smirk faintly, though she quickly erased it so that he won't notice.
Ethan got in the car , she went to the other side of the car and also got in and then he drove off. They drove down to the restaurant in relative silence , Ethan mind was fully focused on the driving but Zara on the other hand was battling some thing in her mind, her thoughts raced, cataloguing every potential complication, Cameras, reporters, investors, casual observers… every glance could be scrutinized. Every misstep would be noted , she was feeling nervous , she took a side glance at Ethan but he still maintained his calm appearance , ugh let's just forget it, she shook her head.
Finally, the car stopped, they're already at the location, immediately they stepped down from the car , a small group of photographers had gathered discreetly outside, ready for a shot. She looked from the windows, subtle flashes lit the sidewalk, and whispers floated up to them.
Zara stiffened "Great," she muttered under her breath.
Ethan noticed her muttering and raised an eyebrow but he didn't even bother commenting, simply opening the car door for her. The calm confidence in his actions made her aware of how unsettlingly smooth he was at this act.
They walked towards the entrance, Inside, the atmosphere was polished and intense. The hum of conversation, clinking of glasses, and faint music in the background made her hyper-aware of every movement.
While she was lost in her thought , a reporter suddenly approached, notebook in hand. "So, are you two… actually involved? Or is this just for show?"
Zara froze for a fraction of a second. Ethan looked at her and he giggled , he moved slightly closer, subtly shielding her. "Public image," he said evenly, voice low, that's all there is to it.
She opened her mouth to clarify but stopped when she realized the journalist was scrutinizing her reaction, she has to be careful because one wrong word or one flicker of expression and the story could be twisted.
The lunch unfolded like a minefield, each incidents tested them, ranging from when a waiter spilled wine near their table, and their hands brushed briefly as they steadied the glasses, Zara felt a small, involuntary shiver, She pulled back subtly, but not before noticing the faint smirk on Ethan's face and during a casual conversation with another executive, Ethan leaned in slightly to whisper something about a mispronounced name, his proximity leaving her unusually conscious of his presence.
At a certain point, she felt the urge to step back, but he guided her gently with a calm hand, never intrusive, always controlled then she hated herself for the faint awareness that crept into her chest each time he did it.
Ethan looked at her and said, Zara what's wrong, you don't look fine , his gaze steady, she didn't deny or argue because it seems like he had a way of seeing through her defenses .
The event continued with subtle challenges such as media questions, casual remarks, and the constant pressure to appear perfect. Every laugh, every tilt of the head, every nod had to be carefully executed and still, Zara felt herself reacting, slight smiles, or unnoticed awareness of his presence,things she immediately told herself were irrelevant.
By the time the lunch ended, it was already at noon , they stepped out and went straight to the car , she felt the lingering weight of the day ranging from Ethan's calm composure to the faint attentiveness in his actions, the subtle way he guided and covered for her , everything was just so disarming.
He glanced at her briefly and said, you did well today, she replied, "yes I did", Ethan replied "Good" .Her hands gripped the edge of her seat, pretending the racing in her chest was nothing more than adrenaline.
She started feeling as if the edges of the act is getting blurry , as if the lines of agreement were getting fragile and she hated how much she noticed it.