Chapter Four: Paper Promises

~ ZEPHYRA LIONE

I had just stepped out of my room after spending quality time in the bathroom like I usually do everytime I'm feeling choked. I came out still dressed in my bathrobe, my hair wrapped up in a towel, when I spotted someone lounging on my living room couch like she paid rent.

"Elara?" I blinked. "What the hell are you doing here?"

She casually sipped her coffee—my coffee—like this was a regular thing. She's my personal assistant so she knew my passcode and could enter my home anytime she liked. "Morning to you too." She said, a fake smile plastered on her lips.

"Don't try to be cute. Did you come to nag me about the live video? Because I don’t regret a single second of it. It was worth it. Don't you see? Everyone knows what kind of person that jerk is now."

"I’m not here to nag, even though you went against your promise to me." she said, setting the mug down. "I'm here to fix this disaster you started with Kairo Draven."

I rolled my eyes and moved toward the kitchen. "Please. Don't make it sound like I went out and lit his company on fire. I only let everyone see the kind of cold jerk he was."

"No, but you threw a match into a room full of gasoline. I don't want to nag you really, I'm done with that. I just want to settle it."

I opened the fridge, brought out milk and slammed it shut, and faced her. "So? What's your plan, Miss Firefighter?"

"Get dressed. Something classy. We're going out for a meeting. Call me if you need my help with makeup or something."

"Where to?"

She smirked. "Just follow my lead. Unless you don't want the spring launch to happen. Or your designs to go out this season. Or the Designer of the Year award..."

That made me stop.

My heartbeat slowed. "You didn’t have to bring the award into this."

"But I did," she said, arms folded. "Because that award is yours. If you want it, follow me. Do what I say."

I stared at her for a long second. Then finally sighed. "Fine. But if you make me sit in another boring PR meeting where they would all lecture me about my life and how I should act professionally, I’m walking out. I'm sick of getting lectured every freaking time."

"Trust me. I wouldn’t put you through that again."

---

We pulled into a quiet, upscale neighborhood I didn’t recognize. The kind of place where the silence felt expensive.

I glanced around and then at her. "Where are we?"

She didn’t answer. Just stepped out and gestured for me to follow.

I narrowed my eyes. "Elara..."

She walked ahead.

We entered the house, and the moment I saw him, I stopped in my tracks.

Kairo Draven.

Sitting across from another man in a sleek navy suit. Tall. Clean-cut. Probably his secretary.

I turned to Elara. "Really? You brought me to his house? What do you want me to do, beg him? Should I cry too? Maybe throw in a dramatic monologue?"

Kairo looked up from his drink and scoffed. "Do you think I want to be here? Let’s just sit and hear what they have to say. We both don’t want losses, do we?"

I held my glare a second longer, then sat.

The man next to him gave a polite nod. "I'm Percy. Mr. Draven's secretary. Elara and I have been in contact over the past two days."

I crossed my arms. "And?"

"And we believe a simple truce isn’t enough. We need a sign to the public that what happened between you two wasn’t real."

I laughed. "Not real? I said it live. I don’t lie on my live videos. My fans know that."

Kairo scoffed like the arrogant devil he was.

Elara leaned forward. "Which is why we’ll be releasing an article that frames it as a lovers' quarrel."

I blinked. "What?! Lovers’ quarrel? We hate each other. Who will that stupid lie?"

"Exactly," Percy chimed in. "Which is why the narrative will be: lovers turned enemies, now reconciling in public."

"So we’re what—in a fake relationship now?"

"You are," Elara said, pulling out her phone. She dialed a number and spoke "Go ahead. Publish it."

My mouth dropped. "You didn’t."

She ended the call with a grin. "Oops. The media has posted it. You two are officially a couple."

---

~ KAIRO DRAVEN

A relationship with that despicable woman? Never.

That was my first thought.

But the truth? She spoke my mind before I could.

Why would I want to be in a fake relationship with her?

Then her manager made that ridiculous call. Like manager, like boss. Same chaotic energy. The boss was just crazier. I'm sure her manager picked up her attitude from working long term with her.

Percy cleared his throat. "We plan to take it further. The article will say the fight happened because Mr. Draven didn’t have time for his girlfriend—

"Why should I be the bad guy in the relationship? You could say she didn't have time for me, instead. Isn't this just confirming the words she said about me in her live video." I spoke.

Zephyra laughed. " Why? I didn't say anything wrong in my video. Also, it fits your personality and your smug face. You have just the face of a man that'll ignore his girlfriend."

Percy would clear his throat. " Let's not fight. Let me finish. There's a reason why you're the one ignoring your girlfriend."

I paused and waited for him to continue.

" The reason you're were too because is because you were too busy planning a secret surprise... a marriage proposal."

I froze. "Proposal?"

Zephyra choked on air. "Marriage? What marriage?!"

Elara beamed. "It’s the only believable happy ending that can smooth this out. A whirlwind love story."

Percy slid a folder across the table. "These are the contract terms. One year. Public appearances together, subtle public show of affection if the situation demands it. No public drama. No slander. Complete media access to the wedding photos."

Zephyra scowled. "I would never get married to a man like him."

"Don’t flatter yourself," I muttered. "I didn’t want this either. But do we have a choice?"

She didn’t respond, but something in her eyes changed.

She was thinking.

Scheming.

So was I.

If we were going to do this, I’d make sure she regretted that live video for the rest of her life. Every smile in front of a camera would come with a price.

She went quiet. That silence was dangerous.

I took the contract, scanned through it, and nodded. "It seems fine to me."

Zephyra smirked. "I'm game."

We both signed.

I stood, extending a hand. "Let’s fix our reputation together, Mrs. Draven."

She scowled at the name, but shook my hand anyway.

She was my wife now.

I would teach her manners.