⸻
THE MORNING AFTER THE GALA
Jay woke up peacefully for exactly twelve seconds.
Then her phone exploded.
Buzz. Buzz. Buzz. Buzz.
She groaned, reaching for it blindly.
Ryan:
"YOU'RE TRENDING."
Alexa:
"Open social media. Now."
Unknown numbers.
Family group chat.
Corporate alerts.
Jay sat up slowly.
"Oh no."
Across the suite, Keifer was still asleep — hair messy, blanket half on the floor, completely unaware that their lives were about to implode.
Jay opened the first article.
"Mariano Heiress and Watson Heir Spark Engagement Rumors After Intimate Gala Dance."
Her jaw dropped.
"INTIMATE?!" she whisper-yelled.
Another headline:
"Corporate Power Couple: Is a Billion-Dollar Marriage Alliance Coming?"
She stood up so fast she almost tripped.
"KEIFER."
He groaned. "Five more minutes…"
"KEIFER WATSON GET UP."
That tone did it.
He shot upright. "What happened? Did we miss a meeting? Did Ryan set something on fire?"
Jay threw her phone at him.
He caught it — scanned the screen — blinked once.
Twice.
Then slowly:
"…Oh."
"OH? That's all you have to say?!" Jay snapped.
He scrolled further.
There were pictures of them dancing.
Him looking at her like she hung the moon.
Her smiling at him like she trusted him completely.
One zoomed-in photo looked almost like a proposal angle.
Keifer muttered, "That's actually a great shot."
"KEIFER."
"Right. Crisis."
⸻
THE FAMILY CALL
Before they could even process it, both their phones rang.
Video call.
All four parents.
Together.
Jay and Keifer looked at each other in horror.
"Don't smile," she warned.
"I'm not smiling."
He was absolutely smiling.
They answered.
Mrs. Mariano beamed. "Good morning, you two."
Mr. Watson leaned forward. "Congratulations."
Jay's eye twitched. "On WHAT."
Mrs. Watson clasped her hands dramatically. "The internet is convinced you're engaged."
Jay almost fell off the bed.
"WE ARE NOT ENGAGED."
Keifer coughed to hide a laugh.
Mr. Mariano nodded thoughtfully. "Well… not yet."
Jay stared at her parents. "WHY ARE YOU LIKE THIS."
⸻
THE PRESSURE BUILDS
Within hours, reporters were waiting outside headquarters.
Employees were whispering again.
Investors were speculating about a "historic merger through marriage."
Jay paced in her office. "This is insane. We just started dating!"
Keifer leaned against the desk, far too calm. "Technically, we've been in love for like… years."
She threw a pen at him.
He caught it easily. "Okay, bad timing."
She stopped pacing. "They're turning us into a business strategy."
That wiped the smirk off his face.
He stepped closer, serious now.
"Hey. Look at me."
She did.
"We decide what this is. Not the board. Not the media. Not our parents."
Her voice softened. "And if they pressure us?"
He shrugged slightly. "Then we push back."
⸻
THE PRESS CONFERENCE SURPRISE
That afternoon, the director called an emergency press statement to calm speculation.
Jay and Keifer stood side by side in front of cameras.
Flashes everywhere.
A reporter shouted, "Are wedding plans underway?"
Jay inhaled slowly.
Before she could speak, Keifer stepped forward.
"We're here as interns," he said clearly. "Our focus is the partnership between Mariano and Watson Enterprises — professionally."
Jay blinked at him.
He continued, steady and confident:
"Our relationship is personal. And it's not a corporate negotiation."
The room went quiet.
Jay felt something warm bloom in her chest.
A reporter asked, "So you deny engagement rumors?"
Keifer glanced at Jay for half a second — just long enough.
"Yes," he said. "When that day comes, it won't be because of stock prices."
Jay's breath caught.
The press conference ended shortly after.
⸻
AFTERWARD
Back in the hallway, Jay grabbed his arm.
"That was… mature," she admitted.
He grinned slightly. "I have moments."
She shook her head, smiling despite herself. "You protected us."
"Always," he said quietly.
For a second, the chaos outside didn't matter.
It wasn't about empires.
Or headlines.
Or alliances.
It was just them.
⸻
If you want next we can do:
• 💥 A rival company tries to sabotage Jay specifically
• 💔 A fake scandal tries to break them up
• ✈️ They secretly escape for a quiet weekend
• 💍 Or a time skip into the future
Pick one