By eight AM, the front gates were swarmed with photographers.
I watched from the bedroom window as camera flashes went off like lightning, reporters shouting questions at anyone who came near. Three news vans had parked across the street. A helicopter circled overhead.
"Jesus," I breathed.
Adrian came up behind me, hands settling on my shoulders. He was already dressed in a sharp charcoal suit, looking every inch the billionaire CEO. "Welcome to life in the spotlight."
"I'm not ready for this."
"Yes, you are." He turned me to face him. "You faced down Ethan yesterday. You charmed my grandfather last night. A few reporters are nothing."
"A few? There's at least thirty out there."
"Then we'll face thirty." His hands moved to cup my face. "Listen to me. They're going to ask invasive questions. They're going to try to rattle you. Don't let them. Just smile, hold my hand, and let me do most of the talking. Can you do that?"
I nodded, not trusting my voice.
"Good girl." He pressed a kiss to my forehead the first time he'd kissed me anywhere and the gesture felt surprisingly intimate. "Now get dressed. Something elegant but understated. We leave in twenty minutes."
He chose a dress from my sparse wardrobe a cream-colored sheath dress I'd bought for a job interview years ago and paired it with heels I'd forgotten I owned. When I looked in the mirror, I barely recognized myself.
I looked expensive. Put together. Like I belonged next to Adrian Blackwood.
"Perfect," Adrian said from the doorway. "One more thing."
He held out a small velvet box. My breath caught.
"Adrian, we don't need.."
"Yes, we do." He opened it to reveal a ring that made my vision blur. A massive diamond surrounded by smaller stones, set in platinum. It caught the light and threw rainbows across the walls. "People will expect to see a ring. This was my grandmother's."
"I can't accept this. It's too.."
"It's yours. For as long as we're engaged." He took my hand, slid the ring onto my finger. It fit perfectly. "There. Now it's official."
The weight of it felt foreign, but not unwelcome. I stared at the ring, then at Adrian, trying to find words.
"Thank you," I managed finally.
"Ready?"
"No. But let's go anyway."
The moment we stepped outside, chaos erupted.
"Sophia! Sophia, look here!"
"Mr. Blackwood, when did you two start dating?"
"Sophia, does Ethan Cole know?"
"How do you respond to accusations of being a gold digger?"
The questions came from everywhere, overlapping, aggressive. Camera flashes blinded me. Microphones were shoved in my face. The noise was overwhelming.
Adrian's arm went around my waist, pulling me close. "Keep walking," he murmured in my ear. "Don't answer anything."
His security team formed a barrier, pushing reporters back as we made our way to the car. Someone grabbed my arm a reporter, trying to stop me but Adrian's hand shot out, gripping the man's wrist hard enough to make him yelp.
"Touch her again and lose the hand," Adrian said pleasantly.
The reporter stumbled back, and we made it to the car. The door closed behind us, muffling the chaos outside.
I was shaking.
"Breathe," Adrian instructed, his hand finding mine. "You did great."
"I didn't do anything. I just walked."
"Exactly. You didn't let them see you panic. That's all you need to do." He squeezed my hand. "It gets easier."
"Does it?"
"No. But you get better at faking it."
Despite everything, I laughed. The sound was slightly hysterical, but it was something.
The car pulled away from the curb, photographers chasing us for half a block before giving up. Through the tinted windows, I watched the city pass by. Normal people going about their normal lives, unaware that mine had just exploded across every news outlet.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"Blackwood Empire headquarters. We're holding a press conference at nine."
My stomach dropped. "A what?"
"We need to control the narrative. If we hide, they'll assume we have something to be ashamed of. Better to face them head-on, tell our story on our terms."
"Our story," I repeated. "What story is that, exactly?"
Adrian glanced at me. "The truth. Or close enough to it. We met, we fell in love, we're getting married. Keep it simple."
"They'll ask about Ethan."
"Let them. I'll handle it." His jaw tightened. "Trust me, Sophia. I won't let them tear you apart."
I wanted to believe him. But the memory of those reporters, their aggressive questions, the hate messages still flooding my phone it was terrifying.
My phone buzzed again. Another call from my father.
"You should probably answer that," Adrian said quietly.
"I don't want to."
"I know. But he's your father. He deserves to hear this from you, not from the news."
He was right. I hated that he was right, but he was.
I answered the call. "Hello, Dad."
"Sophia Marie Hart!" My father's voice was so loud I had to hold the phone away from my ear. "What in God's name have you done?"
"I called off my wedding to Ethan."
"I can see that from the hundred news articles blowing up my phone! Adrian Blackwood? The Adrian Blackwood? Are you insane?"
"No. I'm finally thinking clearly."
"You were supposed to marry Ethan in four days! Four days, Sophia! Do you have any idea the embarrassment you've caused this family?"
"The embarrassment I've caused?" Anger flared hot in my chest. "Did Ethan tell you why I called it off?"
"He said you had some kind of breakdown, that someone poisoned your mind against him—"
"He's been stealing from us, Dad. From Mom's company, from the family trust. He's been embezzling for years."
Silence on the other end.
"That's..." My father's voice was uncertain now. "That's a serious accusation, Sophia."
"It's the truth. I have proof."
"Ethan would never..."
"Ethan has been sleeping with Vivian since before our wedding. He never loved me. He wanted our money, our connections. That's all he ever wanted."
Another long silence. Then, "Vivian? Your sister?"
"Step-sister. And yes."
"I don't... Sophia, this is a lot to process."
"I know. That's why I'm telling you now, before you hear it somewhere else." I took a breath. "Adrian and I are holding a press conference in an hour. If you want to talk more after that, I'm willing. But right now, I need you to trust that I know what I'm doing."
"Do you?" His voice was small, lost. "Because from where I'm sitting, it looks like you've lost your mind."
That stung more than it should have. "Maybe I have. Or maybe I've finally found it. Either way, this is my choice. My life. And I need you to respect that."
"Sophia..."
"I have to go, Dad. We'll talk later."
I hung up before he could respond, before the guilt could make me change my mind.
Adrian's hand found mine again. "That was brave."
"That was terrible. He thinks I'm crazy."
"He'll come around. Once he sees the proof about Ethan, he'll understand."
"Will he?" I turned to look at Adrian. "Or will he just find another reason to be disappointed in me?"
Adrian's expression softened. "Is that what you think? That he's disappointed?"
"I know he is. He always has been. I'm not the son he wanted, not the perfect daughter he imagined. I'm just... me. And that's never been enough."
"Then he's a fool." Adrian's voice was fierce. "You're brilliant, strong, brave. Any father would be proud to have you as a daughter."
The words made my throat tight. "You barely know me."
"I know enough." He lifted our joined hands, pressed a kiss to my knuckles. "And I'm going to make sure everyone else sees it too."
The car pulled up to Blackwood Empire headquarters. The scene was even worse than at the house. Reporters packed the sidewalk, cameras already rolling, a podium set up near the entrance with microphones clustered like flowers.
"Ready?" Adrian asked.
"No."
"Good. Let's go."
This time, when we stepped out of the car, I was prepared for the onslaught. The noise, the flashes, the shouted questions. Adrian's hand was firm on my lower back as we walked toward the podium, his security creating a path through the crowd.
Lucas was waiting at the podium, looking harried but professional. "Boss. Miss Hart. Everything's set. Just say the word."
Adrian nodded, then turned to face the cameras. The crowd quieted slightly, though camera shutters continued their mechanical clicking.
"Thank you all for coming," Adrian began, his voice carrying easily over the crowd. "I'll make a brief statement, then take a few questions."
More camera clicks. Someone coughed. The helicopter overhead was back.
"Two days ago, I asked Sophia Hart to marry me, and she said yes." Adrian's hand found mine, our fingers threading together naturally. "I know the timing seems sudden. I know there are questions about her previous engagement. But the truth is simple Sophia and I have been friends for several months. Our relationship developed naturally over time. When she realized her engagement to Ethan Cole was a mistake, she ended it. Shortly after, I told her how I felt, and here we are."
Friends for months. The lie came so easily I almost believed it myself.
"Sophia is an incredible woman intelligent, compassionate, strong. I'm honored that she's agreed to be my wife. As for the timing, when you know, you know. We're not interested in a long engagement. Life is short, and we'd rather spend it together."
He turned to me then, and the look in his eyes was so genuine it made my breath catch. Was he acting? Or was some part of this real?
"Sophia, would you like to add anything?"
Every camera swung to focus on me. Dozens of lenses, hundreds of eyes, all waiting for me to speak.
I thought about Ethan, watching this somewhere, probably furious. About Vivian and my stepmother, their plans crumbling. About my father, confused and hurt.
Then I thought about the woman I'd been in my past life weak, naive, easily manipulated. Dead on a restaurant floor while the people I loved laughed.
That woman was gone.
"Adrian is right," I said, surprised by how steady my voice was. "The timing looks strange, I know. But sometimes life doesn't follow the timeline we expect. Sometimes the person you're supposed to be with is right in front of you, and you just didn't see them before."
I looked up at Adrian, let some real emotion show. "Ethan and I weren't right for each other. I realized that, and I ended things. It wasn't easy, and I'm sorry for any pain that caused. But I won't apologize for choosing happiness. I won't apologize for choosing Adrian."
The crowd erupted with questions.
"Sophia, is it true Ethan Cole was cheating?"
"Mr. Blackwood, did you pursue Sophia while she was engaged?"
"Sophia, your step-sister Vivian posted on social media calling you a traitor..."
"That's enough," Adrian cut in smoothly. "We'll take one more question."
A woman in the front raised her hand. "Rachel Chen, City Post. Mr. Blackwood, there are rumors that this engagement is revenge against Ethan Cole for business dealings gone wrong. Care to comment?"
Adrian's smile was sharp. "Ethan Cole and I have had our differences professionally, yes. But my relationship with Sophia has nothing to do with business. It has everything to do with the fact that she's an extraordinary woman who deserves to be treated with respect and love two things Cole clearly couldn't provide."
Boom. The crowd went wild.
"That's all we have time for today," Lucas announced, stepping forward. "Thank you."
Adrian pulled me toward the entrance, security closing ranks behind us. The questions followed us inside, muffled once the doors closed.
I was shaking again, but this time from adrenaline rather than fear.
"You were perfect," Adrian said, pressing the elevator button. "Absolutely perfect."
"I was terrified."
"Didn't show." The elevator arrived, and we stepped inside. As soon as the doors closed, Adrian turned to me. "That bit about the person being right in front of you nice touch."
"I meant it." The words came out before I could stop them.
Adrian's expression shifted, something heated flickering in those gray eyes. "Sophia..."
The elevator dinged. Seventieth floor. The doors opened to reveal Lucas and three other executives waiting.
"Boss, we have a situation," Lucas said urgently.
The heat between Adrian and me evaporated. "What kind of situation?"
"Ethan Cole just filed a lawsuit. He's claiming breach of contract, emotional distress, and defamation. He's suing you both for ten million dollars."
My blood turned to ice.
Adrian's jaw tightened, but his voice remained calm. "When?"
"Twenty minutes ago. Right before your press conference started. It's already making headlines."
"Of course it is." Adrian's hand found mine, squeezed. "Let him sue. We'll bury him in court."
"There's more," Lucas said grimly. "He's holding his own press conference. Right now. And he's brought Vivian Hart with him."
The elevator doors closed behind us, but I couldn't move. Vivian. Ethan. Together. Publicly.
This was his counter-attack.
"Show me," Adrian demanded.
Lucas pulled up a livestream on his tablet. There was Ethan, looking devastated and sympathetic in a perfectly tailored suit. And beside him, playing the part of supportive sister, was Vivian in a demure dress with tears streaming down her face.
"..absolutely heartbroken," Ethan was saying to the cameras. "Sophia and I were building a life together. We were in love. And then Adrian Blackwood began pursuing her, using his wealth and power to turn her against me."
Lies. All lies.
"My sister is not herself," Vivian added, dabbing at her eyes. "She's been manipulated by a man who sees her as nothing more than a trophy. We just want her to come home, to remember who she really is."
"I'm considering legal action not for the money," Ethan continued, "but to hold Adrian Blackwood accountable for his actions. He deliberately destroyed my relationship, destroyed my life, just because he could. That's not right. That's not justice."
The screen went dark as Lucas shut it off.
"Bastard," Adrian muttered. "Playing the victim card."
"He's good at it," I said numbly. "He's always been good at it."
My phone buzzed. Another unknown number. I ignored it.
Then it buzzed again. And again. Dozens of messages flooding in, most of them variations of the same thing: *You ruined his life. You're disgusting. Go back to Ethan.*
Adrian plucked the phone from my hand and powered it off. "Don't read those."
"They think he's telling the truth. They think I'm the villain."
"Let them think what they want. We know the truth." He turned to Lucas. "Get our legal team on this. I want every communication between Cole and Sophia documented. Every instance of his embezzlement exposed. We're not playing defense we're going on offense."
"Already on it, boss."
"Good." Adrian looked at me. "Sophia, I need you to trust me. Can you do that?"
Could I? This man I barely knew, who'd turned my life upside down in two days, who was now standing between me and the wolves?
"Yes," I said. "I trust you."
Something fierce and possessive flashed across his face. "Then let's show them what happens when you come for what's mine."
What's mine. The words should have bothered me.
They didn't.
Because for the first time since waking up three years in the past, I wasn't just surviving.
I was fighting back.
And I had no intention of losing.