The air in the office crackled with tension.
Sasha stared at Ethan, breathless, caught between fury and relief. She hadn't asked for him to barge in, but God, a part of her was glad he had.
The taller executive sneered. "You'd throw away your career for her?"
Ethan didn't blink. "If she goes down, so do I. I'll tell every outlet exactly how scripted this circus is."
The room went still. Even Sasha's heart stopped.
The executives exchanged a look, calculation flashing in their eyes. They couldn't afford to lose him—Ethan Cole, Hollywood's golden boy, the poster child for this season.
"Careful," the shorter exec warned. "You're walking a fine line."
"Then push me," Ethan shot back. His jaw was steel. "See how far I'll go."
Sasha's pulse thundered. He was reckless, dangerous—but for the first time, someone wasn't just saving themselves. Someone was risking their neck for her.
She exhaled slowly, then turned to the executives. "Here's what's going to happen," she said, surprising even herself with the steadiness of her voice. "You want a redemption arc? Fine. I'll give you one. But it'll be on my terms. No crocodile tears. No fake apologies. The audience will see the real me—the woman who won't be broken, no matter how hard you try."
The taller exec's mouth twisted. "You don't make demands here."
Sasha leaned forward, her voice low, sharp as glass. "I just did. And if you don't like it, you'll lose both of us. Then tell me—how do you sell a love story with no leads?"
The silence that followed was thick, electric.
Finally, the shorter exec sighed. "Fine. We'll play it your way. But one misstep, and you're both done. Careers over. Understand?"
Ethan nodded once. Sasha didn't nod at all.
As they left the office, the tension between them was a live wire. The moment the door shut, Sasha turned on him.
"You shouldn't have done that."
"You're welcome," he shot back.
Her jaw tightened. "This doesn't mean I trust you."
Ethan's gaze met hers, steady, unreadable. "You don't have to trust me, Sasha. Just don't fight me. Not yet."
For the first time, she felt the faintest spark of something terrifying and exhilarating.
Not trust. Not forgiveness.
But the beginning of a war fought side by side.