The world found out before Lila had time to breathe.
It started with one headline.
Then ten.
Then hundreds.
"TRILLIONAIRE ADRIAN COLE SECRETLY MARRIED?"
"MYSTERY WOMAN IDENTIFIED AS NEW MRS. COLE"
"WHO IS LILA BENNETT?"
Lila stared at the TV screen, her heart pounding as her own face flashed across it.
"This… this is insane," she whispered.
Images from the restaurant.
Photos of her entering the penthouse.
Even a blurry shot of her signing the contract—taken from outside.
Her stomach twisted.
"They were watching the whole time…" she said, her voice shaking.
Behind her, Adrian stood with his usual composure, though his eyes were colder than before.
"Yes."
She turned sharply.
"And you're just saying that like it's normal?!"
"For me," he replied, "it is."
That answer hit harder than anything else.
Lila ran a hand through her hair, pacing the room.
"I didn't sign up for this level of exposure," she said. "People are digging into my life like I'm some kind of criminal."
"They'll stop."
She let out a short, bitter laugh.
"Oh really? When?"
"When something more interesting replaces you."
She stopped pacing.
"That's not comforting."
"It's not meant to be."
A knock came at the door.
Sharp.
Precise.
Lila froze instantly.
Her body reacted before her mind could catch up.
Fear.
Adrian noticed.
"Relax," he said. "If it were a threat, they wouldn't knock."
"That's not reassuring either," she muttered.
The door opened, and the same suited man from before stepped in.
"Sir, the press is gathering outside," he said. "They're demanding a statement."
Lila's eyes widened.
"Outside? As in… right now?"
"Yes, ma'am."
Her pulse spiked.
"No. No, I can't go out there. I'm not doing that."
"You don't have to," Adrian said.
Relief flooded her—
Briefly.
"Not alone," he added.
She blinked.
"What?"
Adrian walked toward her, his presence instantly filling the space.
"You're my wife now," he said calmly. "Which means everything you do reflects on me."
Her jaw tightened.
"This is exactly why I didn't want to agree to this."
"You already did."
Lila stared at him.
God, he was frustrating.
Controlled. Calculated. Unshaken.
"I'm not ready for this," she admitted quietly.
For the first time—
Adrian paused.
Really paused.
His gaze softened… just slightly.
"You don't have to be," he said. "You just have to stand beside me."
Something about the way he said it—
Steady.
Certain.
—made her chest tighten.
Before she could respond, the man in the suit spoke again.
"There's something else."
Adrian turned.
"What is it?"
The man hesitated.
Then—
"We found a device in the hallway outside Miss Bennett's temporary room."
The air shifted instantly.
"A device?" Lila repeated.
"A listening device," the man clarified.
Silence.
Lila felt her stomach drop.
"You're telling me someone bugged this place?"
"Yes."
Her breathing became uneven.
"That means… they can hear us? They've been listening?"
"Not anymore," the man said quickly. "It's been removed."
"That's not the point!" Lila snapped. "It was there in the first place!"
Adrian's expression darkened.
"Who placed it?" he asked.
"We're still investigating."
Lila let out a shaky breath and stepped back, her mind racing.
"They were inside," she whispered. "Someone got inside."
Her eyes darted around the room.
Suddenly, every corner felt unsafe.
Every shadow felt alive.
"I can't do this," she said, her voice trembling now. "I thought this was just… pretend. A fake marriage, media attention—fine. But this?"
She shook her head.
"This is something else.
Adrian stepped closer.
"Look at me."
She didn't want to.
But she did.
"You're safe here," he said.
"Someone literally planted a listening device!" she shot back.
"And they won't do it again."
The certainty in his voice should have reassured her.
But it didn't.
Not completely.
"Why are they doing this?" she asked quietly. "What do they want from you?"
Adrian held her gaze.
For a moment—
He said nothing.
Then—
"Control."
Her brows furrowed.
"What does that mean?"
"It means they can't beat me openly," he said. "So they try other ways."
"Aren't you worried?" she asked.
"I'm always worried."
That answer surprised her.
"But I don't show it," he added.
Lila studied him.
Really studied him this time.
For the first time since she met him—
She saw it.
Not just power.
Not just control.
Pressure.
Weight.
Danger.
"You live like this every day?" she asked softly.
"Yes."
Her chest tightened.
Before she could say anything else—
Her phone buzzed.
She froze.
"I thought you said my phone was secure," she said slowly.
"It is," Adrian replied, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Answer it."
Lila hesitated.
Then picked it up.
Unknown Number.
Her hands trembled slightly as she answered.
"…Hello?"
Silence.
Then—
A low voice.
Distorted.
"Mrs. Cole."
Lila's blood ran cold.
She couldn't speak.
"I hope you're enjoying your new life," the voice continued.
Her grip tightened on the phone.
"Who is this?"
A soft chuckle.
"You should have walked away when you had the chance."
Her heart pounded violently now.
"What do you want?" she demanded, though her voice shook.
"Nothing from you."
A pause.
"But everything from him."
Lila's eyes snapped to Adrian.
He was already watching her.
Already knew.
The voice continued—
"You're just… leverage."
The line went dead.
Lila slowly lowered the phone.
Her hands were shaking now.
"They called me…" she whispered. "They knew—"
Adrian took the phone from her and handed it to his security.
"Trace it."
"Yes, sir."
Lila stepped back again, her breathing uneven.
"This isn't just watching anymore," she said. "They're contacting me now."
"Yes," Adrian said.
Her eyes filled with fear.
"Then what's next?"
He didn't answer immediately.
Because they both knew—
It wouldn't stop here.
Adrian stepped closer to her again.
This time, closer than before.
"You stay close to me," he said. "At all times."
She swallowed hard.
"And if I don't?"
His gaze locked onto hers.
"Then you won't be safe."
Silence.
For the first time—
Lila didn't argue.
Because deep down—
She knew he was right.
Outside the penthouse—
Hidden among the growing crowd of reporters—
A man stood still.
Watching.
A small earpiece in his ear.
A faint smirk on his lips.
"She's scared," he said quietly.
A voice responded through the earpiece—
Cold.
Satisfied.
"Good."
The man's eyes remained fixed on the building.
"Let's see how long she lasts."