Zack's mind went completely blank, his eyes fixed on Alicia's no-nonsense expression as her words sank in. **Pretend you're dating Kieran.**
Out of all the crazy things that had happened in the last 24 hours, this one took the cake. His heart raced as the absurdity of the situation began to overwhelm him.
"Wait," Zack finally managed to say, his voice shaky. "You want me to do what?"
Alicia leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms like she'd just proposed something as simple as grabbing coffee. "It's the most logical solution. The rumors are already out there, and denying them won't stop the media from prying further. But if you play along, just for a short while, we can control the narrative."
Zack's gaze flicked to Kieran, hoping for some sign that this was all a joke. But Kieran simply shrugged, the corners of his mouth twitching up into an almost amused smile.
"Yeah, I know it sounds insane," Kieran said, his voice easygoing, like this was just another day in his bizarre celebrity world. "But it's really not that big a deal. People do this kind of thing all the time in Hollywood."
Zack blinked, still processing. "So… what? You just want me to lie to everyone? Pretend we're a couple? Why would anyone even believe that?"
Alicia sighed, as if explaining something obvious to a child. "Because they already do believe it. The photos are out there. The story's spreading. You've seen it yourself." Her gaze softened just a touch, though her tone stayed professional. "We can't unring this bell. The best we can do is manage it. If you cooperate, this will blow over faster than you think."
Zack's stomach churned as the weight of the situation hit him. He wasn't built for this kind of chaos—he was an ordinary guy with an ordinary life. But now, he was being asked to dive headfirst into a fake romance with one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood.
This is insane. Completely insane. There's no way this can work. I'm not cut out for this kind of thing—I can barely manage a normal date, let alone pretend to be in a relationship with a celebrity. What am I even doing here? I'm just a regular guy, not someone who knows how to handle press conferences or public events with Kieran freaking Knight.
But... can I really just walk away from this? Would they even let me?
And why does Kieran seem so calm about it?
Zack's silence stretched out for a few moments longer, the air in the room thick with tension. Kieran, sensing Zack's growing discomfort, leaned forward, his easygoing smile slipping into something more genuine.
"Look," Kieran said, his tone softer now, "I get that this isn't exactly normal for you. Hell, it's not normal for me either. But trust me, it'll be fine. You won't have to do much—just a few public appearances, maybe an interview or two. We'll keep it simple."
Zack stared at him, his throat dry. "And then what? What happens after this 'relationship' ends?"
Alicia answered before Kieran could. "After a few weeks, we'll quietly announce that you two broke up. No drama, no fuss. The media will move on to the next scandal, and you can go back to your normal life."
"Normal life?" Zack scoffed, more to himself than to them. "My life is already far from normal, thanks to that one stupid picture."
Alicia didn't miss a beat. "Which is why we're offering compensation."
Zack blinked, his brows knitting together. "Compensation?"
Kieran leaned back in his chair, shooting Alicia a look that was somewhere between exasperation and amusement. "You didn't lead with that?"
Alicia ignored him, her attention focused solely on Zack. "Of course, you'll be compensated for your time and cooperation. We'll pay off any personal inconvenience this causes. A generous sum."
Zack's breath caught in his throat. This whole thing was starting to sound more and more like some kind of business deal, one that was teetering on the edge of being too good to pass up. He wasn't rich—far from it, actually. His office job barely paid the bills, and he wasn't about to pretend a chunk of cash wouldn't make his life a hell of a lot easier.
But was it worth it? Worth getting tangled up in Kieran's world?
They're actually offering me money to fake-date Kieran Knight.
God, what kind of life am I living right now? This isn't real. This can't be real.
But…
I could really use the money. I could pay off my student loans, finally take a vacation, maybe even move out of my crummy apartment. It'd solve a lot of my problems.
But it'd also give me a whole new set of problems. Problems I'm definitely not equipped to handle.
Kieran was watching Zack closely, as if he could see the internal struggle playing out on his face. He leaned forward again, his voice dropping to something almost conspiratorial.
"I'll make it easy for you," Kieran said with a lopsided grin. "If you agree, I promise I won't make this weird. We'll keep it professional. I'll even do most of the talking when we're in public. You just have to smile and let me handle the rest."
Zack's eyes darted between Kieran and Alicia, both of them sitting there like this was just another day at the office. He couldn't believe he was actually considering this.
Alicia glanced at her watch, clearly growing impatient. "I'll need an answer soon, Mr. Williams. We have to get ahead of this before it spirals further."
Zack exhaled shakily. The logical side of his brain was screaming at him to walk away, to run as fast as he could from this ridiculous proposition. But the practical side—the one that knew how much debt he was in and how hard it was to keep afloat—was pulling him in the opposite direction.
Finally, he spoke, his voice quieter than before. "What… what kind of compensation are we talking about?"
Alicia's smile was thin and professional. "More than enough to make this worth your while."
More than enough, huh?
How did my life turn into this circus? I went from a boring office worker to someone negotiating fake relationships with movie stars.
But the money… it would help. A lot.
Screw it. I'm in way too deep already.
Zack sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as the weight of his decision settled over him. "Okay," he said finally, his voice resigned. "I'll do it. I'll fake-date Kieran."
Kieran grinned, looking far too pleased with the outcome. "Great! This is going to be fun."
Alicia stood, already pulling out her phone to start coordinating the next steps. "I'll have a contract drawn up for you by tomorrow. This will be strictly professional."
Strictly professional, Zack thought. Sure, because fake-dating a celebrity is totally normal and professional.
As he watched Alicia and Kieran fall into easy conversation, making plans like this was just another business transaction, Zack couldn't help but wonder if he had just made the biggest mistake of his life.