The fragile peace we had started to rebuild did not last long. The next few days were filled with wedding preparations and family obligations. Bruce and I stole moments together when we could. Small conversations. Gentle touches when no one was looking. It felt like we were slowly finding our way back to each other. But the undercurrent of secrets and tension never fully went away.
One morning I woke up to my phone buzzing nonstop. Messages from Vivian. Missed calls from my old colleagues. I opened one of the links she sent and my stomach dropped.
Photos of Bruce and me were splashed across several news sites. They were the ones Stella had leaked earlier but now they were everywhere. The headlines screamed "Bruce Roccaforte's Secret Fiancée" and "Roccaforte Heir's Hidden Romance Exposed." Some of the images were photoshopped to look more intimate than they were. Others were real moments from the parties and gatherings at the mansion.
My old company, the Daily Pulse, had run the story prominently. The article painted me as a gold-digger reporter who had seduced the hockey star for a story. Comments online were brutal. Some called me opportunistic. Others questioned if the relationship was even real.
I felt sick. This was exactly what I had been fighting to avoid. My career. My reputation. Everything was being dragged through the mud.
Bruce found me in my room staring at the screen. His face darkened when he saw the articles.
"Stella," he said immediately. "This has her fingerprints all over it."
I nodded. "My old company amplified it. They have been waiting for something like this."
He sat beside me and took my hand. "We will fix this. I will make a statement. We will control the narrative."
Before we could plan anything Richard stormed into the room. He rarely came to my wing unannounced. His face was red with anger.
"What is this?" he demanded holding up his tablet. The headline was glaring. "You two were supposed to be discreet. Now the entire business community is talking about this scandal."
Bruce stood up. "It is not a scandal. It is our relationship. We will handle it."
Richard laughed bitterly. "Handle it? The deals I have been working on are at risk because of this nonsense. Fix it. Make it look real or end it. I do not care which but do not let it damage the family name any further."
He left as abruptly as he had arrived. The door slammed behind him. I felt overwhelmed. The public exposure made everything feel more real and more dangerous at the same time.
Stella appeared shortly after. She pretended to be concerned but the satisfaction in her eyes was clear.
"I saw the news," she said. "It is awful how these things get twisted. If you need help managing the narrative I have contacts."
Bruce cut her off. "We have it under control."
She shrugged and left but not before giving me a look that said she was enjoying every second of this.
The scandal spread fast. My phone would not stop ringing. Vivian called to warn me that more outlets were picking it up. Some were digging into my past. Others were speculating about a secret engagement.
Bruce and I spent the afternoon crafting a response. We decided to lean into the relationship story. He posted a statement on his social media calling me his girlfriend and asking for privacy. I did the same on my professional accounts. It helped a little but the damage was done. The story was out there.
That evening Richard called another family meeting. The atmosphere was tense. My mother looked worried. Stella sat quietly but I could see the triumph in her posture.
"We need to control this," Richard said. "The business associates are asking questions. I want a public appearance. Something that shows unity."
Bruce nodded. "There is an event next week. We will attend together."
The meeting dragged on with discussions about damage control and how to spin the narrative. By the end I felt exhausted. Bruce walked me to my room afterward.
"We will get through this," he said. "Together."
I wanted to believe him. But as I closed the door another notification popped up on my phone. A new article from my old company.
"Exclusive: Inside the Roccaforte Fake Romance – Sources Claim It Is All for Show."
The article included more photoshopped images and anonymous quotes suggesting the relationship was a publicity stunt. My hands shook as I read it. The public scandal was exploding and it was only getting worse.
I sank onto the bed. The partial progress we had made felt like it was slipping away again. Stella had struck at the perfect time. And with the event next week looming I had no idea how we were going to come out of this unscathed.
The scandal had erupted fully. And I feared it would consume everything we were trying to build.
