The flat in London was quieter than usual.
Aria Rousseau stood barefoot in the kitchen, one hand wrapped around a mug of lukewarm coffee she hadn't taken a sip from in over fifteen minutes. Her phone buzzed for the sixth time that morning, face-down on the counter like it knew she wasn't ready to look. A press photo from last night's gala had gone viral—Leon Castellan and the mystery woman who now wasn't a mystery at all.
The headlines ranged from flattering to invasive."From Shadow to Spotlight: Castellan's Captive Flame.""Aria Rousseau—The Billionaire's Kept Secret.""What Does This Mean for Castellan Industries?"
The final one hit her harder than it should have.
Leon's footsteps echoed behind her, slower than usual. When he reached her, he didn't speak right away. He just wrapped his arms around her from behind and rested his chin on her shoulder.
"Do I want to know what they're saying now?" he asked, voice low and rough from a morning call.
"They're speculating about whether I'll ruin your business," Aria said flatly, not turning around.
Leon exhaled a short breath against her skin. "That's rich. As if you haven't been holding me together behind closed doors."
Aria didn't respond. Not right away. She was still trying to decide whether the sudden visibility was a step forward or just another kind of prison.
"Is it always like this?" she asked finally. "This… surveillance. Judgment."
"Always," he murmured. "But it's different when it's someone I care about. They don't get to decide who you are."
He turned her gently to face him, brushing a stray lock of hair from her cheek.
"You're not just mine in private anymore," he said. "You're mine in every way. And they can talk all they want—I don't answer to them."
Aria's throat tightened. She wanted to believe that. She wanted to believe the flashing cameras and the whispers wouldn't claw their way into what they'd built. But a part of her still remembered what it felt like to be owned—not loved. And the lines sometimes blurred in the quiet moments.
Her phone buzzed again. This time she picked it up.
Mira had texted.
"I told you. The world doesn't know what to do with a woman like you. Don't let them tell your story for you."
Aria swallowed. That message felt like a lifeline.
"Come with me to the office today," Leon said suddenly. "We don't hide anymore, right?"
She hesitated. "Is that wise?"
"They'll talk either way. Better they see you as my equal than some kept secret. And besides… we have a new contract to finalize. Your consulting work is real now, Aria. Let's make them see it."
She blinked, unsure if she'd heard him correctly. "You're bringing me in officially?"
Leon's gaze never wavered. "You earned it. They'll see you for what you are—or they'll answer to me."
She let out a slow breath. Something inside her untwisted.
The power dynamic between them would never be simple. But for once, the world outside had collided with the one they'd built inside these walls—and instead of crumbling, it was holding.
Maybe even growing stronger.
Later that day, as they walked into the London office of Castellan Industries together, all eyes turned. But this time, Aria didn't shrink from the attention.
Her hand was looped through Leon's arm, chin high, spine straight.
If they were going to write stories about her, she would give them something worth writing.
She wasn't a rumor anymore.
She was real.
And she was done hiding.