The moment the episode aired, the world exploded.
Layla's phone didn't stop buzzing for hours.
Notifications flooded in waves—praise, shock, gossip, outrage.
"Is this scripted or real?"
"Layla Hart and Cole Hart—relationship confirmed?"
"Ratings hit record high!"
Her name trended worldwide.
She stared at the screen, paralyzed.
A mixture of exhilaration and terror coiled inside her like a storm.
For once, the fake drama she'd played for years had become something more dangerous—and far more addictive.
By evening, the network held an emergency press briefing.
The stage was set like a crisis summit.
Reporters lined the front row, microphones clustered together like hunting birds. Flashbulbs flashed relentlessly.
Layla and Cole sat side by side, stiff but composed.
The host, forced into cheerfulness, introduced them as "stars whose chemistry has captured the hearts of millions."
But the questions came fast and sharp.
"Was this a publicity stunt?"
"Are you in a real relationship?"
"Do you regret crossing boundaries?"
Layla's pulse thundered in her ears.
Cole's jaw tightened, but his eyes never left hers.
The host turned to them.
"Would either of you like to answer?"
For a split second, Layla hesitated.
Then she glanced at Cole.
His eyes were calm, steady, unflinching.
Something inside her clicked.
"I'm not lying," she said.
The room went silent.
Cole's eyes softened.
He nodded.
"We care for each other," he added quietly, deliberately.
A thousand pens scratched at once.
Reporters shouted overlapping questions.
But neither of them moved.
Backstage, as soon as the cameras cut, Damien exploded.
"This is madness!" he snapped, gripping Layla's arm with white-knuckled force.
"You're spiraling, and you'll drag me down with you!"
"Do you realize what this will do to your career?"
Layla yanked her arm free.
"I've realized I'm tired of living a lie," she shot back.
Damien's eyes narrowed, his face flushed.
"You're throwing away everything for one reckless moment!" he growled.
"I'm throwing away years of pretending," she countered.
He opened his mouth to argue again but froze when Cole stepped between them.
Cole's presence was silent but unyielding.
"I'm not going to let you tear her apart," he said, his tone low and steady.
Damien's eyes flared, but he stepped back.
For the first time, Layla felt something shift—not just between her and Cole, but between her and the world that had caged her.
Later that night, the two of them sat together in an empty studio lounge, far from cameras, fans, and flashing lights.
The silence stretched comfortably this time.
Cole reached for her hand without thinking.
She didn't pull away.
"I don't know where this is going," she whispered, "but I'm not afraid anymore."
Cole smiled softly, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
"Neither am I," he replied.
For the first time in years, the fear of losing fame, control, or reputation didn't paralyze them.
They didn't know what the future held.
But they knew they wanted to face it together.
The next day's shoot felt different.
The cameras captured smiles that didn't need to be forced.
The scenes were scripted, yes—but the undercurrent of real emotion made them magnetic.
Even the director, once skeptical, leaned in with excitement.
"Keep this energy," he whispered. "This is what viewers live for."
The contestants gossiped in whispers but kept their distance, unsure whether they should envy or fear the rising connection between Layla and Cole.
But none could deny that something had changed.