Lucian wasn't a fan of noise, especially when his name was the reason for it.
He thought things would calm down after a couple days, yet the news kept going strong.
That "secret girlfriend" rumor spread fast, twisted and reposted until even he was tired of seeing his own face. His grandparents didn't make things easy for him either, demanding to see their "daughter-in-law".
He stood by the tall glass window of his office, looking down at the city below. His reflection stared back ,calm but with a hint of annoyance, while Caleb stepped in, a folder in hand.
You'll definitely wanna check this out, Caleb mentioned while setting it down on the table.
Lucian turned. "You found her."
"Yeah. Ariana Hale." Caleb flipped open the file. "Twenty-four. Lives in the city. She's been staying with a friend now, reporters were swarming her old place so badly she had to leave."
Lucian's gaze flicked toward the file. "Reporters?"
"They won't leave her alone. People keep showing up at her job, taking pictures, asking questions. Some even tried to offer her money for interviews."
He said nothing. The faint sound of traffic below filled the pause.
"She works four jobs, morning at Sunrise Bakery, evening at a diner, part-time nurse assistant at City General, and helps cater private events on weekends," Caleb continued.
Lucian looked up, expression still even. "Four jobs?"
"Yeah," Caleb said. "Most of her pay goes to hospital bills. Her nephew Ethan Cole has a chronic heart condition, being in and out of the hospital for months now. His parents are dead, Ariana and her mother have been the ones taking care of him."
Lucian's fingertips grazed the corner of the file. The silence stretched.
"She's clean," Caleb added quietly. "No criminal records, no scandals. She's not connected to any of the media leaks. She didn't even recognize you in that elevator. People online are calling her a liar, but she hasn't tried to profit off it."
Lucian closed the folder. His face remained composed, but his eyes lingered a second too long on her picture before he turned away.
"She's not into some game," he muttered, almost like it was just for his own ears, not really talking to Caleb.
"Doesn't look like it. But the media's not dropping it either. The bakery's been getting harassed since yesterday. Her name's trending again."
Lucian's tone stayed calm. "And you're telling me this because?"
"Because it's your mess," Caleb said. "You're the one who grabbed her arm. Now she's paying for it."
Lucian didn't respond immediately. The stillness around him thickened, quiet but sharp. Then he said, simply,
"Find her. Quietly. I'll handle it myself."
....
Aria hadn't caught any real rest for several days straight.
The racket just went on forever, journalists camped by the pastry shop, bright bursts from cameras every time she headed back, random people shouting that she was Lucian Knight's hidden lover as if her name had vanished completely.
She'd left her apartment two nights ago. The reporters outside her gate had grown so persistent that she couldn't even step out for groceries. One had even followed her to the hospital.
Now she stayed with Maya, her best friend and the one constant thread holding her sanity together.
"You should've told me if you were seeing someone like that," her bakery manager snapped earlier that morning, throwing anxious glances at the windows.
"I'm not seeing anyone," Aria said, voice tired. "I've said it a hundred times."
"Then say it louder, because no one believes you!"
She felt like shouting, but why bother? The internet had already made up its mind.
After dark, she headed to the clinic. Ethan looked washed out yet grinning, eyes stuck on a cartoon playing from the old screen beside his bed.
"You shouldn't stay so long," he murmured. "You'll get sick too."
"I can't get sick," she said softly. "Someone's got to take care of you."
The following day, she headed back to her job, hoping to slip into the usual rhythm. Although the bakery smelled like fresh loaves, her insides were buzzing nonstop.
The door chimed. Heads turned.
A lanky guy in black clothes walked inside, confident and sharp. Folks murmured under their breath, still nobody chose to talk freely.
He looked around quick, then spotted her.
"Ariana Hale?" he asked, tone quiet but steady.
Aria stiffened, cold prickling down her spine. "Yeah?"
He moved nearer, dropping his voice so just she'd catch it.
"Mr. Knight would like to see you."
Her grip tightened on the counter."That guy, Lucian Knight?"
"Yes. He asked that you come with me." He showed her his business card.
Aria hesitated, glancing around, a few customers pretending not to stare. Her pulse thudded.
"Why does he want to see me?" she asked quietly.
"He didn't say," Caleb replied. "But he's not the kind of man who asks twice."
She loosened the knot on her apron while thoughts raced through her head.
"Alright," she replied at last, keeping her tone steady. "Let's go."
…..
Ariana's hands were cold as she stepped into Lucian Knight's office.
The place was all glass and sharp edges ,the glass walls reflected the city below.
He didn't bother to look up immediately. When he did, his gaze was steady, assessing.
"Miss Hale."
She nodded once. "Mr. Knight."
Lucian pointed at the seat across from where he was sitting. "Sit."
She hesitated, clutching the strap of her bag. "I don't plan to stay long."
"Good," he said simply, setting down his pen. "Neither do I."
The silence between them was taut. Only the low hum of the city filled the air.
Lucian leaned forward, his tone measured , like he was in a boardroom, not facing the woman whose life is being turned upside down because of him.
"You've seen the news, I assume."
Ariana let out a small, humorless laugh. "You mean the part where the internet calls me your secret girlfriend? Or the part where I can't even buy groceries without a camera in my face?"
His jaw flexed slightly, but he didn't look away. "The media has a talent for twisting stories. They just needed a face to pin it on."
"Yeah," she said, voice shaking. "And that face was mine. You could've told that reporter the truth."
Lucian's tone dropped, calm but cold. "If I had, they'd still have spun it their way.
"So you just let them eat me alive instead?" she snapped, voice trembling.
Lucian exhaled quietly, fingers tapping once against the desk. "That's exactly why you're here. I intend to put an end to it."
Ariana folded her arms. "By calling your people and telling them I'm not your girlfriend?"
He shook his head. "That won't stop them. The only way to control a lie is to make it look like the truth."
She squinted. "What are you getting at?"
Lucian leaned back slightly, eyes locked on her. "You and I pretend to be in a relationship, for a while. Until this noise dies down."
Ariana blinked. "You can't be serious."
"Completely," he replied. "You play along, the story fades, and your life goes back to normal. In return, I'll make sure your nephew's hospital bills are covered."
Her jaw tightened. "So you did look into me."
"I look into anyone tied to my name," he said matter-of-factly.
Ariana rose halfway from her chair, anger flashing through her eyes. "You think you can just buy me off? You ruin my life, and now you want me to pretend to date you like I'm some desperate…"
"You're desperate," he cut in, quietly but firm. "Or you wouldn't be working four part-time jobs."
Her breath caught. "You don't know me."
"Then prove me wrong," he said evenly, leaning forward. "But if you walk out, you'll still wake up tomorrow to cameras outside your door."
Ariana looked his way, breath coming quick. Just then, the room seemed icy, almost biting.
"Hold onto your deal," she said at last, her tone quiet."I'm not for sale."
Lucian didn't move, his gaze following her as she turned for the door. "Think about it," he said. "The media isn't going to leave you alone. This way, you at least have a choice."
Her hand froze on the handle. A flash of Ethan's pale face came to mind. But she pushed the thought down.
"I'll survive," she whispered, opening the door.
It shut behind her with a dull click.
Lucian leaned back in his chair, tapping his pen against the desk