The tension in the room was palpable, a buzzing energy swirling around as Olivia's heartfelt confession echoed in the stunned silence. Ethan stood at her side, still reeling from her words, his hand wrapped firmly around hers.
But across the room, Alexander Quinn was a different story altogether. His face twisted in rage, his normally calm and collected demeanor shattered by the vulnerability and truth in Olivia's words. The press had shifted its focus entirely—away from the scandal and onto the undeniable chemistry between Olivia and Ethan. The revelation had backfired spectacularly, and Alexander's plans to destroy their reputations had crumbled before his eyes.
"They're lying!" Alexander's voice cut through the stillness like a blade, sharp and filled with fury. "You're all fools if you believe them! This is another trick, another performance! Just like before, they're manipulating all of you!"
Reporters exchanged glances, some shifting uneasily. The room remained silent for a moment, the weight of Alexander's accusation hanging heavily in the air. His face was flushed, and his chest heaved with anger, his fingers curling into fists at his sides. The once-powerful business magnate was now unraveling before their eyes, desperate to regain control of a narrative that had slipped from his grasp.
But then, in the midst of the chaos, a single reporter stepped forward—a young woman, her notebook clutched tightly in her hand. She cleared her throat, drawing the attention of the crowd. With a steady voice, she spoke what many had been thinking.
"Mr. Quinn," she said, her tone firm yet respectful, "we've all seen the contracts, yes. But we've also seen something far more telling. We saw the truth in their eyes. Whatever this may have started as, it's clear that what they have now is real."
Murmurs of agreement rippled through the room. The crowd of reporters nodded, their expressions softening as they turned back to Olivia and Ethan. The truth was undeniable—Alexander could shout all he wanted, but no one was buying it anymore.
Alexander's face darkened with barely suppressed fury. He clenched his teeth, realizing he was losing control of the situation, fast. His hands shook as he tried to keep his composure, but he knew there was no salvaging this. The press, the public—they had sided with Olivia and Ethan. They believed the love story, not the deception.
His gaze swept over the crowd one last time, his lips curling into a sneer. "You'll regret this," he muttered under his breath, the threat hanging in the air like a dark cloud. And with that, he stormed out of the room, the doors slamming behind him.
As he walked away, Alexander's mind was already racing. He had expected the shares of Carter Couture and Pierce Enterprises to plummet after tonight's reveal. But now, with the emotional confession capturing the hearts of the press, there was an unsettling feeling that things wouldn't go as planned. He could feel the ground shifting beneath his feet.
And that night, as the stock markets opened in Asia, his worst fears were realized. The shares didn't drop—they skyrocketed.
Inside the now-quieter ballroom, Olivia let out a slow breath, the weight of the night finally catching up to her. The cameras were still flashing, but the intensity had diminished, and the reporters seemed to understand that their moment of vulnerability had come to an end.
Ethan, still stunned, turned to Olivia, his eyes wide with disbelief. Without saying a word, he bent down, slipped one arm under her legs and the other around her back, lifting her effortlessly into his arms.
"What are you—" Olivia gasped, a surprised laugh escaping her lips.
"Time to get out of here," Ethan murmured, his lips twitching into a small smile. He nodded briefly to the press, his way of signaling that the show was over. "Excuse us."
The crowd parted as Ethan carried Olivia through the exit, away from the flashing lights and incessant questions. His stride was steady and purposeful, his grip on her strong and protective. As they reached the curb, their driver rushed over, keys in hand, but Ethan waved him off.
"I've got this," he said, taking the keys. "We need some time alone."
With Olivia still nestled in his arms, Ethan walked to his car, setting her down gently in the passenger seat before sliding behind the wheel. The moment they were inside, the world outside seemed to disappear. The noise, the chaos—it was all left behind.
For a few minutes, neither of them spoke. The city lights flickered past as Ethan drove, his grip on the steering wheel tight, his mind still racing from everything that had happened.
"That shouldn't have been real," he muttered under his breath, glancing sideways at Olivia, as if to confirm that she was still there beside him. "It has to be a dream."
Olivia looked at him, her heart swelling with affection. She could hear his heartbeat, fast and erratic, as if he still couldn't believe what had just unfolded. With a soft giggle, she leaned over, placing a tender kiss on his cheek.
"It's not a dream," she whispered, her voice laced with warmth. "I promise you, Ethan. It's real."
His lips curved into a lopsided smile, the tension slowly melting from his body. He didn't respond, but the way his hand reached over to rest on hers said everything. They drove in silence for a while longer until they found themselves at a small French café on the outskirts of the city, tucked away from the prying eyes of the public.
It was quiet, the kind of place that felt like a refuge from the world. Ethan parked the car and helped Olivia out, their hands still intertwined as they made their way inside.
Dinner was calm and peaceful, a stark contrast to the chaos of earlier. The soft hum of conversation and the faint clinking of cutlery was all that filled the air around them. They barely spoke as they ate, each lost in their own thoughts. But the silence wasn't uncomfortable. It was filled with the unspoken understanding that tonight had changed everything.
Halfway through their meal, Ethan finally broke the silence, his voice low but curious. "Where did you get the courage to confess in front of the press like that?"
Olivia looked up from her plate, a soft smile playing on her lips. "From you," she said simply, her eyes warm and sincere.
Ethan blinked, surprised by her answer. "From me?"
She nodded, her fingers tracing the edge of her wine glass as she spoke. "You've always been brave, Ethan. Even when you were vulnerable, you never held back how you felt. You told me you cared about me, even when I couldn't do the same. And tonight... I realized I couldn't keep running from the truth. You showed me that."
Ethan stared at her, his heart swelling with emotion he hadn't even known was possible. He opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, the quiet ambiance of the café was shattered.
The sound of glass breaking.
Instinctively, Ethan stood, his body immediately tensing as he scanned the room. Olivia's eyes widened, fear creeping into her expression. Without a word, Ethan grabbed her hand, pulling her toward the exit.
But as they stepped into the parking lot, the night air chilling their skin, two dark figures emerged from the shadows.
Before either of them could react, the attack began.