I blinked, my fingers tightening around the desk as I stared at the glossy tabloid cover. My own face, alongside Keith's, stared right back at me under the bold headline: "Billionaire Heir's Matchmaking! Is it a Love Story or an Arranged Setup?"

The air in my lungs felt heavy, and my heart thundered in my chest. The words blurred together as I skimmed through the article, which was nothing but an exaggerated tale of our so-called romance. They had dissected our engagement, our supposed "whirlwind" love, even adding unnecessary details about how I had "charmed the billionaire heir."

I knew exactly when this had gone out last night, after the drinks with my colleagues. Just as Keith had predicted, the conversation had traveled, but I never thought it would make it to the headlines.

I exhaled shakily, gripping the edges of the paper, as an unexpected voice made me turn.

"Vienna, I... I'm really sorry." Jenny stood there, her expression filled with guilt as she stepped closer.

I glanced up at her. 

"You knew?"

She sighed, rubbing her temples. "I didn't realize at first, but when I went home and told my sister about meeting the infamous Keith Devlin, I must've given away too much. She's a news editor, Vienna. I didn't think she'd actually—" She groaned, shaking her head. 

"I swear, I scolded her the moment I saw this, but it was already out by then. I never meant for this to happen."

I stared at her, my stomach twisting. I wanted to scream, to yell at her for being so careless. But what was the point? The damage was already done. Instead, I took a deep breath and shook my head.

"It's fine." My voice was quiet, detached.

Jenny frowned. "It's not fine, Vienna. I know this isn't what you wanted."

Before I could respond, Jesse's voice cut through the room.

"You look like you're about to pass out."

I turned to see him leaning against the doorway, arms crossed. His sharp gaze flickered to the tabloid in my hands before settling on me. All of a sudden, he looked different from yesterday. He looked at me with questioning eyes and with a straight face.

"Let me guess," he said, stepping forward. "You're upset because some news article is questioning your engagement?"

I didn't answer.

"Vienna," he pressed, his tone firm but not unkind, "why do you care? You know the truth. Isn't that what matters? Or... does it bother you because you don't know where you stand with Keith?" He took a step closer, eyes probing. 

"Do you love him?"

Silence.

I could feel every eye in the room on me, waiting, anticipating. Jenny, Jesse, my colleagues, everyone. My hands curled into fists, my pulse roaring in my ears.

What kind of question is this? Did I even love Keith?

Maybe it didn't matter.

Maybe it did.

But in that moment, I lifted my chin and let the words slip out before I could stop them.

"It doesn't matter," I said, voice steady. "Because I do love Keith."

A collective gasp rippled through the room. Jenny's face broke into an excited grin. "Atta girl!" she squealed, clapping her hands as the others cheered, laughing and nodding in approval.

Jesse, however, did not join them. His expression remained unreadable as he studied me, eyes dark with something I couldn't quite place.

Before I could dwell on it, my phone buzzed in my hand. My heart still racing, I looked down and saw a message flash across my screen.

Keith.

A response to the screenshot of the tabloid I had sent him earlier.

A simple wink emoji.

My stomach dropped, and any flicker of warmth I had felt vanished.

That was all he had to say? It's a joke to him?

While I was here, feeling everything conflicted, exposed, vulnerable he was sitting somewhere, finding amusement in all of this? Just like yesterday?

My grip tightened around the phone as I stared at the message, the cheers in the background fading into a dull hum.

Of course.

Of course, he wouldn't take this seriously.

I had just admitted, out loud, that I loved Keith. And yet, here he was laughing about our scandal like it was nothing.

And just like that, whatever momentary warmth had settled in my heart turned ice cold.

The morning went up with more tabloid coming up about me and Keith with netizen starting a trend on social media wanting to know more about us. Some called me a golddigger and said I might have forced Keith into marrying me. As if? 

Some even brought up my history which irked me. But the most annoying part was when I saw some of the replies from my school mates. 

Instead of helping me with the situation they shared how I was the unpopular person in school, but a nerd and my worst nightmare prom night incident with my photo in that polka dots dress which trended in X, some people even made some memes out of it and even though it brought back worst memories I was already expecting it. 

But there were people who even pointed out that love happens and why people are referring to me as gold digger when my family had a well established company while nobody is going after Keith. 

I huffed a sigh as I made my way towards the hospital corridor for a break. Some people recognised and pretended they didn't know me for which I was and I didn't realise when I reached a certain patients' room. 

Reggie was lounging on the sofa, his crutches propped beside him, chatting animatedly with Kaitlyn, who was laughing from her bed.

"You two are surely having fun," I commented, drawing their attention.

"Well, you're not welcome," Reggie shot back sarcastically.

I faked a slap at him, which he dodged, glaring at me in mock offense.

"And you two are getting along just fine," Kaitlyn teased, watching our antics with amusement.

"Miss Golddigger doesn't seem happy today," Reggie quipped, earning himself a sharp glare from me.

"What are you talking about?" Kaitlyn's voice carried concern, but I just shrugged and sank onto the seat next to Reggie.

"My dad can buy your whole existence, asshole," I fired back at him.

Reggie laughed. "Then why the hell are you interning here? This place is a snooze fest."

"I said my dad, not me. There's a difference."

He huffed in response while Kaitlyn watched us, perplexed. I took the next few minutes to fill her in on the chaos unfolding outside the hospital walls. When I finished, she sat there smiling.

"So, it's an arranged marriage?" she asked, and I nodded.

"Oh, how old-fashioned. Rich people and their arrangements," Reggie remarked, earning an elbow to his ribs from me.

"If this information gets out," I warned him playfully, "I'll put up posters all over the country labeling you a pervert and a molester."

He just chuckled.

For reasons unknown, I found myself telling them everything. I laid it all out—transparent and raw. Maybe I just needed someone to listen. Maybe I wanted to feel heard.

"But it doesn't matter as long as you love each other, right, honey?" Kaitlyn offered me a small smile.

I didn't respond.

"You don't love each other?" she asked again, and while I sat in silence, Reggie took the opportunity to chime in.

"I don't know about her, but I'm here because of her fiancé. That guy would have killed me that day. He loves this woman."

I lowered my gaze to my hands.

"Vienna?" Kaitlyn's voice was softer now, worried.

"The truth is, I don't know," I admitted. "I don't know anything about him. I can hardly read his expressions, and I can't fathom what he thinks. Sometimes he's cold, sometimes he's caring. I know I don't want this forced marriage. And he doesn't either. There's been no confession, and I don't think I've fallen for him, nor has he for me. I'm at point zero."

A long silence stretched between us.

I exhaled and forced a chuckle, standing from my seat. "I hope you guys can keep this a secret. I just needed to share it with someone. Not that it matters—if this gets out, it'll only lead to what Keith and I want anyway."

Kaitlyn smiled as I reached for my phone from my trouser pocket.

"Be patient with your own feelings, Vienna," she advised gently. "You're still figuring things out. It's okay."

Her words made me pause, but before I could say anything, she continued, "Can I see him?"

I hesitated before unlocking my phone and pulling up one of the tabloid pictures of Keith. Turning the screen toward her, I watched as her eyes widened. She stared at the image for a few long seconds before finally saying, "He's a handsome man."

Something in her expression made me frown. I glanced between her and the picture before murmuring, "It's weird, but... I feel like he looks like you."

Reggie, who had been only half-listening, perked up at my words. "Lemme see," he yelped, reaching for my phone just as it vibrated with an incoming call. Jesse's name flashed across the screen.

"I need to take this," I said quickly, excusing myself and stepping out for work, leaving behind a room full of unspoken thoughts.

I am back! Let's continue this story. :)