The next morning, Sophia couldn't shake the heaviness of Ethan's words. As she sat at her desk in Synergy Brands Inc., reviewing the latest reports, her mind kept drifting back to the previous night. That moment outside, when Ethan almost… kissed her, played on repeat in her head.But more than that, Natalie's threat hung over her like a dark cloud.Sophia wasn't stupid. She knew Ethan had skeletons in his closet, but the fact that Natalie had something so powerful it could ruin them both made her feel sick. She tapped her pen against the desk, her nerves eating away at her focus.Ethan had been uncharacteristically quiet since that phone call, leaving her with more questions than answers. What was he hiding? And what did Natalie have on them?Her phone buzzed, breaking her train of thought. It was Ethan.Ethan: "Meet me outside Synergy at noon. We need to talk."Her stomach flipped. She quickly glanced at the clock—it was already 11:45 a.m. Without thinking twice, she grabbed her purse and hurried out.Outside Synergy Brands Inc.Ethan was already there, leaning against his car, looking as effortlessly handsome as ever despite the clear tension in his face. Sophia walked up to him, her heart pounding."What's going on?" she asked, keeping her voice low but urgent.Ethan pushed his hands through his hair, clearly frustrated. "Natalie's got something… from a few years ago. Back when things were, uh, more chaotic for me."Sophia crossed her arms, sensing he was about to finally reveal something major. "Chaotic how?"He sighed, glancing around before lowering his voice. "There was a scandal—a relationship that went public. I didn't think much of it at the time, just brushed it off. But Natalie was there when it happened. She saw everything."Sophia's brows furrowed. "A relationship?"Ethan hesitated, and that pause told her more than any words could. "It was an affair. Messy. And the woman involved wasn't just some random girl. She was the wife of a major executive. A client of Synergy."Sophia's mouth went dry. "What? You were involved with a client's wife?"Ethan clenched his jaw, looking away. "It was complicated. It's been over for a long time, but Natalie… she's threatening to dig it up again. She knows that if this comes out, it'll destroy me. And it won't stop there—Synergy's reputation would take a hit, and by association, so would you."Sophia's mind reeled. This was worse than she'd imagined. Natalie had her hands on a bomb that could not only ruin Ethan's career but also drag her down with him. The fake relationship, the media attention, all of it would collapse under the weight of this revelation."What does she want?" Sophia asked, her voice barely above a whisper.Ethan met her eyes, and for the first time, he looked… defeated. "She wants to ruin me. But I think there's more. I think she's jealous of us—this whole fake relationship thing is making her feel sidelined. She doesn't like to be ignored."Sophia couldn't believe it. They were dealing with a woman who had a personal vendetta. "So what do we do? We can't let her blow this up.""We play along, for now," Ethan said, his eyes darkening. "We stick to the plan. But we need to be careful. One wrong move and she'll make sure the press eats us alive."Sophia took a deep breath, the weight of the situation sinking in. She had thought the fake relationship was just a way to keep up appearances, but now it was turning into something far more dangerous.Ethan stepped closer, his expression softening for a moment. "I'll protect you, Sophia. I won't let her drag you into this mess. But we need to be on the same page."Sophia swallowed hard, unsure if she could trust him fully. "What's your plan?"He gave her a determined look. "I'll handle Natalie. But we have to look more united than ever. If we falter, she'll pounce. We need to be believable."Sophia felt a chill run down her spine. She hadn't signed up for this level of deception, but now she was in too deep to back out. The stakes were higher than ever, and the lines between their fake relationship and reality were becoming dangerously thin.Ethan stepped even closer, and for a second, Sophia saw that glimmer of something real between them again. "I won't let her win," he said softly, his voice filled with conviction. "And I won't let you get hurt because of my past."Sophia looked up at him, torn between the growing tension in their relationship and the looming threat Natalie posed. She was about to respond when a car pulled up to the curb.It was Natalie.Her smirk was unmistakable as she stepped out, her eyes fixed on them like a predator stalking its prey. "Well, isn't this cozy," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I didn't expect to catch the lovebirds in such a tender moment."Sophia's heart pounded in her chest as she exchanged a look with Ethan. The game had just gotten more dangerous.