Behind her, Matteo lounged on the suite’s couch, looking grim. “It doesn’t look good, mate,” he said simply.
“I assume you’ve talked to Dante?” I asked, turning back to Anna.
Her lips pressed into a thin line as she stepped aside to let me in. “Of course,” she muttered, clearly irritated. AnnahatedDante. Their interactions were rare, but if she needed information and couldn’t reach me, she had no choice.
“I’m charging you for emotional damages,” she grumbled before flopping into a chair next to Matteo.
Once we were all settled, Anna launched into a furious lecture. “Do you have any idea how bad this is for Belen? For your career? The damage control alone?—”
I tuned her out as she scrolled through her phone, probably coordinating with every PR team in a fifty-mile radius. When she finally paused her tirade, she exhaled in frustration.
“The story dropped late last night, too late to suppress it properly. Every time I get it pulled from one outlet, it pops back up somewhere else. They’re spinning it badly. Anger problems, reckless Alexander is back, and so on.”
The tense atmosphere in Matteo’s suite thickened, the room buzzing with unspoken worries. I was about to respond when a soft knock sounded at the door. Matteo raised a brow at me, but before either of us could move, the door creaked open.
Lucia stepped inside, holding a sleepy Gia against her chest, her eyes flashing with determination. Even in her pajamas and with her hair in a messy knot, she looked like a force to be reckoned with. She was wearing the same shirt she had so many mornings ago now when I had shown up early. Hot pink letters spellingsurviving on spite and coffee. Gia blinked at us groggily, clutching her little stuffed bunny.
“I got the texts,” Lucia said, her voice low but firm. Her gaze locked on mine, and I felt a jolt of something I couldn’t quite place. “And I saw the news.”
Her tone was steady, but there was a flicker of guilt in her expression, a shadow that told me she blamed herself for this.
“I’m so sorry, Alexander,” she continued, adjusting Gia on her hip. “This whole thing, it’s my fault. You shouldn’t have been dragged into my mess, but I’m going to help fix it.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but she didn’t give me the chance.
“First,” she said, stepping farther into the room, “we’re doubling down on the fake-dating thing. We need to get ahead of this. Appear together more often, give them something to focus on other than the fight.”
Anna, who had been furiously typing on her phone, paused and glanced up, eyebrows raised.
“And second,” Lucia went on, her jaw tightening, “I’ll go to Belen Management myself. I’ll explain the situation. They need to know this was my baggage, not yours.”
“Lucia—” I started, but she cut me off again, her voice sharp.
“No, Alexander. You’ve done enough to protect me and Gia. This happened because ofme. Because Josh wouldn’t leave me alone, and I should’ve handled it before it got to this point.” Her voice cracked slightly at the end, but she held her head high, her fiery resolve unshaken.
Gia stirred against her, and Lucia immediately softened, kissing the top of her daughter’s head. For a moment, the room was silent.
“I appreciate the sentiment,” Anna said finally, her voice measured, “but walking into Belen Management and claiming responsibility won’t magically fix this. The optics are what matter now. If anything, making more public appearancestogethermight help shift the narrative. Show unity, make people root for you two as a couple. Who doesn’t love a man protecting his woman?”
Lucia met her gaze head-on. “Exactly. That’s why I’m saying we lean into it. Hard. Give them a reason to talk about something else entirely. Pictures of us, interviews, red carpet appearances, whatever it takes.”
“You’re serious about this,” Matteo said, speaking for the first time in a while. His tone was laced with both admiration and concern.
Lucia nodded, her grip tightening on Gia. “Dead serious. I’m not letting Alexander’s career take a hit because of me.”
I stepped closer, lowering my voice so only she could hear. “Lucia, you don’t have to do this. None of this is your fault. Josh is?—”
“Stop,” she interrupted, looking up at me with a mix of guilt and fire. “You stood up for me. ForGia. The least I can do is stand by you now.”
Her words hit me harder than I expected. She was fierce, protective, and determined to shoulder the weight of this mess with me.
“All right,” I said quietly, nodding. “We’ll do it your way.”
Lucia’s shoulders relaxed, just slightly, and she gave me a small, grateful smile. Gia snuggled closer to her, unaware of the storm brewing around us.
Anna clapped her hands together, the sharp sound breaking the tension. “Then it’s settled. We’ll start crafting a plan. But Lucia, with regards to management, this has to be handled delicately. I’ll deal with it. I’d rather you don’t speak with them directly.”
We all settled into our respective roles—Matteo offering quiet support, Anna orchestrating the PR angle, and Lucia fiercely taking charge.
