"You're joking."
My voice sounded weaker and shaky than I intended.
Liam didn't even blink.
"Sit."
It wasn't a request, more like a command.
I hesitated for half a second… then slowly lowered myself onto the edge of the couch. My legs felt unsteady, like they might give out if I stood any longer.
He walked past me, calm and composed, like he hadn't just turned my life upside down.
"Everything is already in motion," he said, pouring himself a drink.
"The media picked it up faster than expected."
My chest tightened. "What does that mean?" I was confused.
Instead of answering , he turned the tablet toward me again.
My heart dropped.
It was worse.
Way worse.
Bitter comments
More headlines. More blogs. More photos.
"Billionaire Liam Knight Caught in Overnight Scandal!"
Holly, Molly!
"Mystery Woman Spotted dancing with him. A mystery woman is seen going into a lovers position into his Penthouse!"
"Face Card King Finally Falls!"
And then,
My hands started shaking, trembling, my eye balls popping out.
"They found my name!"
There it was.
Oh! Written boldly.
Zara Williams.
Not anonymous anymore.
Not hidden.
Exposed.
"I told you," Liam said quietly, taking a sip of his drink, swallowing it so hard.
"This wouldn't stay quiet."
My throat tightened as panic began to rise.
"My job, my reputation" I whispered.
"My clients will disappear," he finished flatly.
Tears burned behind my eyes, but I forced them back.
No.
I wasn't going to cry in front of him.
"You did this," I said, looking up at him. "You and your world, your enemies, this has nothing to do with me!"
He set the glass down slowly.
"And yet," he said, his gaze locking onto mine flirtatious.
"You're the one standing here."
I clenched my fists tight.
"I didn't ask to be part of your mess."
"And I didn't ask to wake up next to a strange goddess who would become a national headline."
The words stung.
More than they should have.
A knock came at the door.
Sharp. Urgent.
I rose up sharp and frightened.
Liam didn't move at first, like he already knew who it was.
"Come in."He said with an authoritative tone.
The door opened, and a woman in a fitted, well ironed suit stepped inside, holding a tablet and a file.
Her expression was serious, professional, but her eyes flicked to me briefly with curiosity. She ran her eyes through me in a split second.
"Sir, the situation is escalating,"
she said.
How bad? Liam asked with his eyes closed.
"Your investors are requesting clarification. Your social media accounts are being flooded.
And, mmm, she cleared her throat".
She hesitated slightly, "your rival's company just released a statement hinting at 'moral instability in leadership.'
Liam's expression darkened, it was emotionless, I couldn't read him at that moment.
So it was true.
This wasn't just gossip.
This was war.
"And the solution?" he asked calmly with eyes still shut.
The woman stepped forward and placed a document on the table.
My stomach twisted.
"A marriage announcement," she said.
This will help reframe the narrative.
I stared at the paper like it might explode into flames.
"No," I said quickly, standing up.
"No, I'm not giving consent to this."
Neither of them looked surprised.
In fact… it was like they expected it.
Liam turned to me slowly.
"You don't have to agree," he said.
Anger flared in my chest. "Excuse me?
Something inside me snapped overruling the tempo of attraction rising before.
"I am not some tool you can use to clean up your image!". I barked in my loudest voice.
His eyes hardened.
"And I am not a man who lets his empire collapse because of one mistake."
Mistake? Am I mistaken?
That's all I was to him.
A mistake.
The woman cleared her throat gently.
"If I may," she said, looking between us, "If we don't control the narrative within the next few hours, this could permanently damage your brand."
Brand.
Empire.
Image.
Everything about his world felt cold.
Calculated.
And I was being dragged into it whether I liked it or not.
"I won't do it," I said again, more firmly this time.
Silence.
Then Liam walked toward me.
Slow. Controlled. Dangerous.
My heart started racing again.
"You think this is about what you want?" he asked quietly.
I lifted my chin. "Yes. It is. It's my life and reputation."
"And it's already falling apart."
The words hit harder than I expected.
He stepped closer with firm strides.
"Look at the reality, Zara," he continued. "By tomorrow, you'll be the woman who slept her way into a billionaire's bed."
My chest tightened painfully.
"You'll lose your work. Your reputation. Any chance at a normal life."
I hated that he was right.
I hated it.
"So what?" What if I lose it? I snapped. "I should just marry you and become your home decoration or vacuum cleaner for your mess?"
His gaze darkened slightly.
"You'll become untouchable."
I froze.
"What?" I asked, taken aback.
"No one will dare touch you," he said. "No one will question you. No one will destroy you, because you'll belong to me. You will have my covering."
The words sent a strange chill through me.
Not comfort.
Not assurance.
Something else.
Something dangerous.
The room fell quiet again.
I looked at the contract on the table.
Then at him.
Then back at the headlines flashing on the screen.
This was insane.
Completely insane.
But…
What choice did I really have?
"There have to be rules," I said finally, my voice quieter now.
Accepting the situation.
Something flickered in his eyes.
Interest.
"Of course," he said.
I took a shaky breath.
"No real relationship," I said quickly. "This is fake. Strictly for the public." Strictly for reputation.
"Agreed." he said with his two hands up.
"No controlling my life."
A slight pause.
"Within reason."
I frowned. "That's not reassuring."
"It's realistic, only realistic, but what do I do ?"
I exhaled slowly.
"And when this is over, the smoke of troubles all settles and we go our separate ways."
His gaze held mine for a moment longer than necessary. As if he was contemplating.
Then, he muttered slowly.
"Fine."
I wasn't sure why that felt like a lie.
The woman stepped forward immediately, placing a pen on the document.
"Then we should proceed."
My hand hovered over the paper.
This was it.
The moment everything changed.
I looked up at Liam one last time.
"Who did this?" I asked softly.
"Who leaked those photos?"
For the first time,
His expression shifted.
Something darker. More dangerous.
"My enemies." He groaned
A chill ran down my spine.
"And now," he added, his voice low, "they've made you one too."
My fingers tightened around the pen, it felt heavy like a rock.
Then,
Slowly,
Quietly,
I signed.
"Good," Liam said.
And just like that…
My life was no longer mine.