Aria pov
Damien and I exchanged glances. I nodded slightly, letting him answer.
"It sends the message that partnerships—real partnerships built on mutual respect and shared vision—are powerful." His voice was firm. "That two strong leaders can work together without one dominating the other. That love and ambition aren't mutually exclusive. And—" He glanced at me with a small smile. "That sometimes the best business decisions come from choosing to build something with someone you trust completely."
The reporters ate it up. More flashes, more questions shouted over each other, but our PR team stepped in to close the conference.
"Thank you all for coming. Full merger details will be available in the press packet. Have a wonderful afternoon."
As we left the stage, Damien's hand found the small of my back, a gesture so natural I barely noticed until I saw a photographer capture it. That photo would be everywhere by tomorrow—the new power couple of Ravenwood's business world.
