The living room had transformed into a crisis headquarters. Adrian's phone rang nonstop. Nancy's laptop had twelve tabs open—news sites, social media, crisis PR guides, and one tab for emergency brownie recipes. You know, priorities.
"The media's having a field day," Nancy muttered. "I'm trending. And not in the good way."
Adrian frowned at the screen. "They're twisting everything. Camille planted every photo, every bit of misinformation."
Nancy scrolled through the comments. "'Gold digger.' 'Fake wife.' 'Scholarship scammer?' Wow. Who knew the internet was so creative?"
He looked at her, worried. "We don't have to fight this. I can take the blame. Say I manipulated you into the marriage."
She raised an eyebrow. "You did."
Adrian sighed. "Okay, fair. But I meant I'll take full heat. Publicly."
Nancy shook her head. "No. You're not the only one with a spine around here."
She stood. "Let's hold a press conference."
Adrian blinked. "Wait, what?"
"You heard me. If they want a story, we give them one. But it's going to be ours."
---
Later That Evening – Press Conference Venue
Nancy stood behind the podium, wearing a sharp blazer and a colder expression. The room was packed with reporters, cameras flashing like fireworks.
Adrian stood beside her, silently supportive.
Nancy cleared her throat. "I didn't come from money. I didn't dream of marrying a CEO. I was just a college student trying to survive. And yes—our marriage began as a contract. But don't mistake a beginning for an ending."
Whispers swept the room.
She continued, "What you see now is not a con. It's two people who didn't plan to fall into this, but who now refuse to be pawns in anyone else's game."
Someone shouted, "Are you in love?"
Adrian took the mic.
"Does that matter more than truth? Than loyalty?" He glanced at Nancy, then back at the crowd. "But if you're asking—yes. She's become more than I ever imagined."
Nancy's breath caught, but she said nothing.
---
Backstage Moments Later
Nancy turned to Adrian. "That was quite the declaration."
He chuckled nervously. "Too much?"
"Depends. Did you mean it?"
He looked into her eyes. "Every word."
Before she could reply, his phone buzzed again. This time, it was from his lawyer.
Adrian read the message and frowned. "My uncle's challenging the will. He says our marriage is fraudulent."
Nancy crossed her arms. "Then let's give him a front-row seat to how real this gets."