You didn't know this at all but Kendall was strict with everyone about there being no leaks about your relationship with Matsson. Although, nothing public went out, rumors certainly circulated and swirled around the two of you.

These rumors had circulated once before when Lukas released the picture on his socials a few months ago. People thought the two of you were in relationship. But now the rumors were even more rampant with whispers that it was confirmed you were the girl he was fucking.

These rumors were mostly in the circles of Waystar and Gojo. It wasn't necessarily in the public sphere. The relationship the two of you had and because you weren't exactly celebrities kept it private.

But it was not private to your family anymore. Shiv was on a jet in LA when Lukas came aboard. He talked about Living+ before Shiv brought up what Ella said.

"You know my sister said something interesting," Shiv stated. "She said that she's sleeping with you but specifically used the word fuck. Quite the scandal."

"Wow. She, uh, said that, huh?" Lukas hummed. "Well, that...is true. Yeah, we fucked but that's like old news."

"Really?" Shiv raised her eyebrows before she realized. "So my little sister is the girl you're dating?"

"Yeah. Yeah. She is," Lukas said a bit nervously. He didn't really know how much you wanted people to know and he didn't want to upset you.

"So she's your girl on the inside?"

"No, no," Lukas denied. "Ella is...my girl, yes. Not my fucking spy."

"But you want me to be your spy?"

"That shouldn't be a problem, right?" he grinned cutely.

Shiv hummed.

______

When you got back from Norway, you were called in for a sit down with your three siblings in LA. You had your arms crossed. Roman had talked first.

"El, look, I was all messed up and Matsson was being an asshole but I shouldn't have taken it out on you, okay? There, I said it."

"Are you sorry, though?"

"What? Yeah. Of course."

You sighed and nodded.

"Okay, great. That's out of the way. Now, El, is what you said about Matsson true?" Kendall asked. "Did you fucking sleep with him?"

"You know when I kept alluding to the fact that Matsson wanted to fuck you. I didn't mean that you should actually do it," Roman said.

"Yes, I slept with him," you huffed at them. "Multiple times in multiple different positions. Would you like specifics?"

You hated how they were getting into you. Why was it so wrong for you to sleep with Lukas? If it had been any other guy in the world, you bet they wouldn't even know the guy's name nor even care. But because it was Lukas, the enemy, it was suddenly interesting.

"Wow, okay," Shiv replied as her eyes widened. "So what's the scope of this thing? It only just happened in Norway, right?"

"No," you explained. "We're dating. I've been with him for months."

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me?" Kendall stated angrily. "He's more than a decade older than you. It's fucking disgusting."

"It's not disgusting," tears stung your eyes. "I love him."

"He really fucked with you, didn't he?" Roman frowned.

"You love him?" Shiv questioned skeptically, ignoring Roman.

"Yes!" you exclaimed, nearly shouting, and stood up. "And you're not gonna convince me to give him up so I don't want to hear it. From any of you."

And you walked out angrily, pushing the door open harshly. You knew this is what they would be like: completely against it. You hadn't wanted them to know because you knew all it would be from them was trying to convince you to break it off with Lukas. You just wanted them to supportive for once of something that you did. You weren't sure that would ever happen anymore and maybe it was time you stopped hoping for it.

_____

You knew Lukas was in LA currently. He had texted you a goofy picture of himself in his jet saying that he had landed. It had made you laugh. He even informed you of the restaurant he was currently at.

You did not go.

Even though you had been angry at your siblings, you immediately deflated when you thought of Lukas. You were sad. You texted him that you were going back to New York.

it can't wait?

no

You continued to give him these one word responses. You barely answered his calls. You were sure he was going to break up with you if you stayed on the phone for too long. You wondered what you would do if that happened.

You didn't know if you could cope. Would you even be able to move on from Lukas? You wanted to test the theory. You wanted to meet a guy and see if there were any sparks. So you went to a club and drank and danced.

You danced with a guy. Mainly you were grinding your ass against his crotch. You wondered if you would even like a dick of another man. But when this man put his hands on your hips and traveled to grab your ass, you couldn't do it.

You felt immense guilt. You were still in a relationship with Lukas. It wasn't right. But most importantly is that you didn't want any other touch besides the one that came from Lukas. He was the person that you wanted, he was the person that you loved, and he was the person that you needed.

Once you had gotten back to your apartment that night, you called to confess your sins. It was FaceTime call as you sat on your bed with your legs crisscrossed.

"Hey," he smiled slightly as he answered.

"I was at a club," you immediately blurted out in anxiousness.

He sat up straighter as he furrowed his eyebrows, "Alright?"

"Someone touched my ass," you confessed. "It was some random guy. But I just...I wanted you to know."

"Okay," he said slowly like he had expected you to say something more substantial. He relaxed back against the couch he sat on. "Well, I trust you, so..."

"Okay," you breathed more easily.

"I, uh, heard a rumor," Lukas grinned. "That you and I are fucking. I thought you didn't want that out."

"I decided it doesn't matter anymore."

"Oh," he started to gain a suggestive smile. "Does that mean we can go public now?"

"If you want," you said quietly.

"I want to."

"Alright," you complied.

"Alright?" he smiled like he won the lottery even though he was a billionaire and had everything.

"Yes, Lukas," you couldn't help but smile and blush. "Does that make you happy?"

"Very."

"Okay," you shook your head with a small smile as moved to lay against your mattress. "I'm gonna go to sleep now."

"Sweet dreams."

And you hung up the phone. You had a little smile on your face as you went to bed. But it turned into a frown as you thought that this was all just temporary. Lukas would see that he really didn't want you as his girlfriend and definitely not publicly. You fell asleep with nightmares of Lukas breaking up with you. You could not accept that he wanted you; it didn't make any sense. His actions weren't lining up to you.

You had no idea that after that phone call, Lukas went and changed every bio on all of his social media. The first line of every single one read: Ella's boyfriend. You didn't have any social media and didn't know about any of this. If you had, your mind might not have so easily doubted.

AN: I hate this chapter but we're moving on. Next one is the tailgate party