The first time I stood beside Damien Cole in public, cameras were already waiting.
Flashes exploded the moment he stepped out of the black car, his hand firm around mine.
I almost pulled away—until he leaned close and whispered, "Smile."
So I smiled.
To the world, we looked perfect.
Powerful man. Beautiful woman.
A love story everyone wanted to believe.
"Mr. Cole, is this your girlfriend?" a reporter shouted.
Damien didn't hesitate.
"Yes," he said smoothly. "The woman I love."
My heart skipped.
Love.
The word felt too heavy for something fake.
His thumb brushed my knuckles, slow and deliberate. A warning. Play your part.
Later, inside the elevator, I pulled my hand away. "You didn't have to say that."
His eyes met mine in the mirror. Dark. Unreadable.
"People don't question a man in love," he replied. "That's the point."
The elevator doors closed. Silence filled the space between us.
Then he spoke again, softer this time.
"Get used to lies," he said. "They're safer than the truth."
I wanted to tell him I wasn't afraid of the truth.
But something about the way he looked at me told me he was.
And for the first time since signing the contract, I wondered…
Who was Damien Cole really hiding from?