After the Bloom,No Looking Back

Five years of a secret marriage, and Ferdinand Sanchez had finally agreed to go public during my livestream.

I dressed to the nines and told my followers tonight's broadcast would have a surprise.

Ferdinand appeared on screen right on schedule, polite and distant.

"Good evening. Happy birthday, Ms. Winfield!"

I froze. This wasn't quite the declaration I'd been expecting.

The live chat exploded.

"Holy crap, that's Ferdinand Sanchez from Channel 5. THE Golden Voice. No way."

"Mr. Sanchez, what's your relationship with Jade Winfield? Why are you on her stream?"

I held my breath, my heart hammering so hard I could feel it in my throat.

Then I heard his voice, cool as ice.

"Just a casual friend."

The chat went berserk.

"LOL, don't get your hopes up. Ferdinand belongs to our girl Vera."

"Their love story from the war zone nearly destroyed me. I sobbed for DAYS."

"Soulmates always find their way back. Vera literally announced she's moving home just an hour ago."

"The second she announces her return, he distances himself like this? They're SO meant to be. Turns out the clown was the streamer all along."

The entire internet was waiting for their fairy-tale reunion.

And here I was, on my thirtieth birthday, watching my love story flatline.

——

I glanced at my phone, keeping my expression perfectly neutral.

One hour ago, Ferdinand had sent me a message.

"After careful consideration, I don't think it's the right time to go public with our relationship."

Why exactly one hour ago.

Was he really still hung up on Vera Summers?

But in all these years, he had never once mentioned her name.

If the fans were just spinning fantasies, Ferdinand would set the record straight. Wouldn't he?

After all, the last time a tabloid reporter caught me getting out of his car, his team had issued a statement within minutes.

"She is a friend of a colleague who was simply offered a ride. Please refrain from speculation."

Whenever I brought up how much it hurt, he'd let out that weary sigh of his.

"Jade, my career is different. Any exposure of my personal life could compromise my credibility."

I told him I was a public figure too.

He smiled, and something unreadable flickered behind it.

"It's not the same."

He was the face of Channel 5, untouchable behind his golden reputation. I was an influencer who lived and died by clicks.

In his world, my career probably wasn't even worth mentioning in polite company.

Faced with the chat's mockery, Ferdinand didn't correct a single word. He just logged off.

My heart sank.

After I ended the stream, my assistant handed me my phone like she was handling a grenade.

In the span of minutes, I'd been pushed to the top of the trending page.

"Mr. Sanchez called Jade a 'friend,' but honestly, he looked like he barely knew her."

"Right? He called her 'Ms. Winfield' with her full name. My boss doesn't even sign emails that formally."

The replies were a warzone of their own.

"That's called professionalism. Unlike certain influencers who manufacture ship content 24/7 just to clout-chase."

"Wait, wait. Look what I just dug up."

I tapped the link. It led to a forum post from years ago.

The title: A Power Couple of Equally Matched Geniuses.

Every photo was of Ferdinand and Vera.

Sharing a helmet during a warzone interview. Huddled under the same umbrella in a downpour. Embracing on an awards stage.

"They were the golden couple of our department. Inseparable. Rumor has it Ferdinand took a bullet for Vera in the field. They were practically engaged before they split. Nobody ever found out why."

Fans were tripping over each other to comment.

"Vera is incredible. That piece she and Ferdinand did on refugee children had me in tears."

"I heard they broke up because of the distance. One came home, the other stayed overseas."

"Anyway, there's zero chance Ferdinand would ever go for that influencer. They're not even in the same league."