The high-energy buzz from the auction still lingered in the air as Ethan and Sophia stepped out into the cool night. The stars glittered like the diamond necklace they had just bid on, and the city lights stretched endlessly before them. The whole evening had felt like a whirlwind—a performance where they had to constantly keep up appearances, but now, under the quiet blanket of the night, things felt… different.Sophia glanced at Ethan as they walked towards his car, her heels clicking softly on the pavement. The tension between them, the constant push and pull, had started to wear on her, but there were moments—fleeting as they were—where she almost forgot it was all an act."Do you ever get tired of this?" she asked, breaking the silence.Ethan looked at her, raising an eyebrow. "Of what?""All of it," she said, gesturing vaguely. "The lies, the pretending. Don't you ever want something… real?"Ethan smirked, though there was something softer in his eyes. "Real is complicated. Fake is easier."Sophia rolled her eyes. "You're impossible."He chuckled and then surprised her by reaching for her hand, stopping her in her tracks. Sophia blinked, looking up at him, her breath catching in her throat. Ethan was serious now, his playful demeanor gone."What if…," he started, his voice quiet, "what if this wasn't all pretend? What if there's more to it?"Sophia's heart raced. She wasn't sure if it was his words or the intensity in his gaze, but suddenly, she felt trapped in the moment, unsure of how to respond. "Ethan, we agreed to keep this strictly professional.""I know we did," he said, taking a step closer, his hand still holding hers. "But what if I don't want to anymore?"Sophia's pulse quickened. She had never seen him like this—vulnerable, almost uncertain. It was a side of Ethan she didn't know existed, and it threw her off balance.Before she could respond, Ethan leaned in, his breath warm against her skin. She could feel the space between them shrinking, her mind racing. Her heart was telling her to give in, to let whatever was happening between them unfold, but her brain screamed to stay in control.The sound of a phone vibrating shattered the moment.Ethan sighed, his forehead pressing against hers for a brief second before he pulled away. "One second," he muttered, digging into his pocket to answer.Sophia took a step back, letting out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. As Ethan answered the call, his expression quickly shifted, a frown pulling at his lips."What?" he snapped into the phone, his voice harsh. His eyes darted toward Sophia, and she instantly knew something was wrong."Yeah. Fine. I'll deal with it," he said, hanging up abruptly. He ran a hand through his hair, the tension from earlier returning in full force.Sophia's chest tightened. "What's wrong?"Ethan's jaw clenched. "It's Natalie," he said, his voice dark. "She's threatening to expose something—something that could ruin us both."Sophia's stomach dropped. "What did she find out?"Ethan shook his head, his eyes filled with frustration and something deeper—fear. "I don't know yet, but if she goes through with it, this whole charade could blow up in our faces."Sophia's mind raced. This wasn't part of the plan. She had always known Natalie was trouble, but this? This was something else entirely. Ethan was hiding something, something big, and whatever it was, it was about to come crashing down on them.