“He can try,” Rafe says. “Contesting it will cost him. I can bury him in legal fees, drown him in legalese.”
There’s something calming and terrifying about the ease with which he says it. I take another deep breath. “He could turn this into a long, drawn-out PR nightmare.”
Rafe hesitates only a second. “Yes.”
“Then I think we need to hit back. His whole argument is that we’re an arranged marriage, essentially, and not in love.”
“Saying nothing is a good strategy. It always has been.”
“It can be, but only if it’s backed up by something else. Right now you’re just confirming our guilt.”
“This is my reputation too, Wilde.” His eyes sharpen. “Since you’re the PRexpert, how would you suggest we handle it?”
“We have the world’s eyes on us right now, so we should make the most of it. Let’s make them all doubt the truth.”
His eyes sharpen on mine. He was dialed in before, but something in him shifts, and the chains around my chest loosen. They usually do if I find another emotion to counteract the panic.
He’s scary when he’s like this.
“You’re telling me,” he says in a low voice, “that we need to perform in front of the media? Show off our… love?”
My throat feels dry. There’s something about the polished, cultured tone and the sharp gaze that makes it seem like he thinks so much more than he says.
“Yes. We need to be photographed in public. Laughing, touching. Make them all question the obvious answer. We can say that we’d been dating in secret for months.”
“No one is going to believe it. It’s too convenient.”
“We don’t need them to be convinced. We just need them to beunsure.”
His fingers tap against the wooden table. “You think youcan pretend to be in love with me, Wilde? I’m not sure you’re that good of an actress.”
“You better hope I am, because you’re the one who wants us to pretend in front of Sylvie Li tonight.”
“That’s an unfortunate situation. Yes.”
“So we expand it to a few interviews and media appearances. We take back control of the narrative.”
“I don’t do interviews.”
“Yes, you do,” I counter. “You spoke at a summit two years ago, and you were interviewed by a podcast a few years ago about the renaissance of luxury. And I mentioned that interview you gave toThe Financial Tribune, didn’t I?”
Rafe’s eyebrows pull together. “You’ve listened to those, have you?”
“Know your enemy.” I cross my arms over my chest. “Maybe I should be worried about you. Can you act like you’re in love with me?”
Very slowly, his lip curves in one corner. “Yes. I can play my part.”
“You’ve never really been photographed with girlfriends,” I say. “It’s okay if you don’t know how it’s done. Maybe you’ve been too busy tearing down companies and getting turned on by profit margins.”
He looks up at the ceiling. “Between those two charming hobbies, Ihavehad time for relationships. Don’t worry about me.”
“So we’re agreed?” I hold up my hand to show him the heavy weight of my new rings. “Are you wearing yours?”
He shows me his own left hand, with the single gold wedding band across a tanned finger. “We begin tonight.”
GROUP CHAT
Alex
