The soft glow of my laptop illuminated the dark circles beneath my eyes as I scrolled through the latest barrage of articles. It had been a week since the grand opening of Raphael's restaurant, Cibus, and while the event itself had been a roaring success, the aftermath was proving to be a bit more complicated, at least on my side.

Amidst the glowing reviews and effusive praise for the new hotspot, a troubling trend had emerged. Article after article focused less on the culinary delights and chic ambience and more on dissecting my character, motives, and relationship with James.

"Gold Digger or Girlboss? The Truth About Noreen Hunter"

"Is NexusWave's Golden Boy Being Taken for a Ride?"

"Sources Say: 'She's Only After His Money and Fame'"

Each headline felt like a sucker punch to the gut, the air whooshing from my lungs as I clicked through link after vicious link. The comments section was even worse, a cesspool of cruel speculation and blatant misogyny.

"She's so obviously using him. What does a guy like James even see in her?"

"I give it six months before she bleeds him dry and moves on to her next target."

"He could do so much better than some wannabe social climber."

Hot tears of frustration and humiliation pricked at the corners of my eyes. I was no stranger to criticism, but this somehow felt different and more personal. What had I done to deserve such abuse?

Blinking back the tears, I reached for my phone, my thumb hovering over the contact I knew I could always count on. Katherine picked up on the first ring, her bubbly voice like a balm to my battered soul.

"Nori! What's up, buttercup?"

The dam burst, and suddenly, I was pouring out the whole sordid tale, my voice shaking as I recounted the nasty articles and vicious comments. Kat listened patiently, making sympathetic noises in all the right places.

"Oh honey," she sighed when I finally ran out of steam. "People can be so awful sometimes. Especially when they're jealous."

I frowned, twirling a strand of hair around my finger. "Jealous? Of what? My fake relationship and media circus of a life?"

"Of you," Kat said firmly. "Of your success, your drive, your gorgeousness. You're the whole damn package, Nor, and that scares the hell out of some people. So they try to tear you down to make themselves feel better."

I mulled that over, my teeth worrying at my lower lip. "I don't know, Kat. It feels like more than just petty jealousy. Like there's something else going on that I'm not seeing."

"Fuck 'em," Kat declared, startling a laugh out of me. "You're Noreen fucking Hunter. You've worked your ass off to get where you are, and no two-bit gossip blogger is going to take that away from you. You hear me?"

I smiled, some of the tension easing from my shoulders. "Yeah. Yeah, I hear you."

"Good. Now repeat after me: I am a badass boss bitch."

"Kat!" I giggled, feeling lighter than I had in days.

"Say it!"

"Fine. I am a badass boss bitch." The words felt good on my tongue, empowering.

"Damn straight you are. Don't you forget it!"

We talked for a few more minutes before saying our goodbyes. Kat was making a promise that I would call whenever I needed a pep talk. Feeling marginally better, I fired off a quick message to Clara.

Her response pinged back almost immediately.

I bit back a sigh, tapping my nails against the screen. Of course, Clara would be unfazed. To her, any publicity was a win. But that didn't stop the sting of the barbs being flung my way.

Pushing back from my desk, I started pacing the length of my office, my mind whirring. There had to be something I could do to stem the tide of negativity, to change the narrative. But what?

A soft knock at the door interrupted my spiralling thoughts. "Come in," I called, expecting Mateo with my afternoon coffee.

But it wasn't Mateo who poked his head in, a sheepish grin on his face. It was James.

"Hey," he said, stepping inside and holding a familiar blue and black cup. "I come bearing gifts. Thought you could use a little pick-me-up."

My eyebrows shot up as I accepted the offering, the rich aroma of my favourite blend wafting to greet me. "You brought me coffee?" I asked, doubtful and frowning.

James shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I was in the neighbourhood. And I know you have that big meeting with the Nakamura group today. Figured you might need the extra fuel."

I took a sip, my eyes fluttering closed as the perfectly brewed elixir hit my tongue. "You're a lifesaver. Thank you."

When I opened my eyes again, James leaned against my desk and watched me. There was an odd expression on his face. "Anytime," he murmured.

An awkward beat passed before he seemed to shake himself, his signature smirk sliding back into place. "Well, I'll let you get back to it. Knock 'em dead, Noreen. You'll crush it."

With a wink, he was gone, leaving me staring after him with a bemused frown. That was unexpected. Nice, but unexpected.

Shaking my head, I settled back at my desk, taking another fortifying sip of coffee. I couldn't afford to get distracted, not today. I had a major deal to close and a board to impress. Everything else would just have to wait.

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of presentations, my focus laser-sharp as I pitched and negotiated. By the time we shook hands with the Nakamura execs, I was riding high on a potent cocktail of caffeine and adrenaline, confident we had sealed the deal.

Mateo gave me a discreet high five as we saw our guests out, his grin stretching from ear to ear. "Nailed it, Ms Hunter."

I allowed myself a small, satisfied smile. "Thanks, Matheo. I couldn't have done it without you. Why don't you head out early? You've earned it."

"Don't need to tell me twice!" He laughed.

My smile softened into something more genuine. "Go before I change my mind."

Chuckling, Mateo grabbed his bag and hustled out, leaving me alone in the sudden quiet. Blowing a breath, I began gathering my things to head home, looking forward to a large glass of wine and a novel to unwind.

A glint of soft blue caught my eye as I reached for my purse. Frowning, I turned to find a small velvet box sitting innocuously on my desk, a cream notecard propped beside it.

Curiosity piqued, I flipped open the card, my breath catching at the bold, angular scrawl inside.

Noreen,

I saw these and thought of you. I hope you close the deal. Consider this an early congratulatory gift. Wear the earrings and good luck!

Yours,

J

My heart stuttered as I lifted the lid with trembling fingers, revealing a pair of stunning sapphire earrings nestled against the satin. They were exquisite, the deep blue stones flashing brilliantly in the light.

I swallowed hard around the sudden lump in my throat, at once touched and deeply unsettled. Is James gifting me something?

Snapping the box shut, I shoved it into my bag, my mind awhirl.

Tugging out my phone, I tapped out a quick message for him.

The earrings are beautiful, but you didn't have to.

My thumb hovered over the send button, my gut churning. Was I overreacting? Reading too much into a simple gift? My lip was caught between my teeth, and I hesitated momentarily before erasing the message entirely.

No. I wouldn't send it. The last thing I needed was to create more awkwardness and tension between us. It's better to just accept the earrings graciously and move on. There's no need to make a big deal of it.

Decision made: I grabbed my bag and headed for the elevator, studiously ignoring the little voice in my head that whispered, "This was a mistake."

When I stepped into the brisk evening air, I had almost convinced myself it was alright; James was kicking the pretence a notch.

But as I fingered the velvet box in my bag, the memory of James's smile as he handed me that coffee, the way his eyes had lingered just a beat too long. Just part of the show...

✦﹒✦﹒✦

As the weekend passed in a blur of Netflix and Chinese takeout, my thoughts drifted back to James and his unexpected gestures. The coffee, the earrings, the note... Each one alone could be brushed off as friendly, even playful. But together? They painted a picture I wasn't sure I was ready to see.

Come Monday morning, I was determined to put it all out of my mind. I had a company to run and too much to worry about. I couldn't afford to get sidetracked by one day of small somethings. Let's not focus all the energy on my charming blue-eyed devil...

But fate had other plans.

I was settling in at my desk, sipping my first coffee of the day, when my phone pinged with an incoming email. I nearly choked on my latte as I read the subject line.

*ATTN: Interview Request - NexusWave/Hunter Enterprise Power Couple Exclusive*

My heart started to pound as I scanned the message, my eyes widening with each word. It was from Arianna Winters, one of the city's most respected business journalists. She wanted to do an in-depth feature on James and me, our history, our relationship, and our plans for the future.

I sat back in my chair, my mind racing. This could be the opportunity I'd been looking for, the chance to set the record straight and put all those nasty rumours to rest. If we could control the narrative, give the public a glimpse into our "love story"...

But the thought of baring my soul, even in the context of a carefully crafted lie, made my stomach twist. Did I want to open myself up to even more scrutiny? Invite the vultures to pick over the bones of my life?

Chewing on my lip, I picked up my phone and dialled James's number before I could second-guess myself. He picked up on the second ring, his rich baritone sending me an involuntary shiver.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of a call from the illustrious Noreen Hunter?"

I rolled my eyes, even as my lips twitched with the ghost of a smile. "Business, I'm afraid. Have you checked your email this morning?"

"Can't say that I have. Why did we make the cover of Forbes again?"

"Not quite. But we did get an interesting interview request. From Arianna Winters."

There was a beat of silence before James let out a low whistle. "Winters? Damn. She's a heavy hitter. What's the angle?"

I took a deep breath, my fingers drumming a nervous staccato on my desk. "Us. Our relationship, our future. The whole shebang."

"Ah." Another beat. "And you're thinking this could be our chance to do some damage control. Get ahead of the gossip."

It wasn't a question. I felt a flush of grudging admiration at his quick response and keen business insight. "Exactly. If we can paint the right picture and really sell our story, it could go a long way in shutting down all the speculation, turning the tide in our favour."

James hummed thoughtfully. "It's risky. Winters is no slouch - she'll dig deep. We'll have to make sure our story is airtight."

"I know. But it's a risk we have to take. We must do more than remain reactive; we must play defence. We need to get control."

A low chuckle rumbled across the call, raising goosebumps on my skin. "Control...if I didn't know better, I'd think you were talking about something other than business, Ms. Hunter."

I flushed, my grip tightening on the phone. "You're incorrigible."

"Part of my charm."

"Keep telling yourself that."

I could practically hear his smirk through the phone. "Oh, I will. But in all seriousness, Noreen...if you think this is our play, I'm in."

Something warm and gooey unfurled in my chest at his words, "Yeah?"

"Yeah," he said softly. "Now, what do you say we strategise over dinner tonight? We have some storytelling to do."

I smiled the first genuine smile in days. "Dinner sounds great. I'll make a reservation."

"Perfect. It's a date."

As he said the words, I felt my heart trip over itself, a bud of trepidation—or maybe anticipation—unfurling in my stomach.

A date. With James.

I hung up and returned to my email, which I had already forwarded to Clara. Something suspiciously like excitement buzzed beneath my skin.