erself; every new headline appeared to pull her deeper into a web she had not signed up for. Without thinking, she grabbed her phone when it buzzed on the coffee tab

she already was; the more she resisted, the more she was pulled in. In the days after the scandal, the media frenzy had only grown. Reporters swarmed outside Andrew's penthouse, pursuing them at every turn, taking pictures, and yelling questions. Victoria couldn't even stroll down the corridor without being pursued by flashing cameras. The world had abruptly turned into a prison of their own design. Sitting in the living room, she fingered tremblingly over her phone's most recent news. Though the pieces differed, the narrative remained: Victoria Harrington, the fallen journalist turned fiancée, caught in a scandal with a mystery man. The media's murmurs, the public's inquisitive gaze, all grew intolerable. Andrew entered the room dressed in well fitted suit but with stormy eyes, the burden of all things bearing down on him. "We have to steer the story," he remarked tersely standing in front of her. I'm announcing a news conference. Victoria gazed up at him, the force of his words striking her like a bodily blow. You believe that will end this? You believe a news conference will make any difference? Andrew's face remained unchanged. "It will let us control some things. They seek a narrative. We provide them one. We reclaim what belongs to us. The doorbell rang before she could answer. Turning to face her, Andrew's expression tightened. "Remain here." Allow me to take care of this. Victoria, however, was not going to sit back. Her phone rang once more as Andrew departed to get ready for the press conference. A fresh note. Reading the words made her stomach plummet. Someone wishes us to fail. The message's weight, more than anything before, descended upon her. Staring at the bright screen, she came to the bone-chilling realisation that there was no way out of this. Victoria stood on the balcony's edge, wind pulling at her hair as she gazed out over the cityscape. Its size staggering, the metropolis lay before her like a labyrinth of lights. Trying to make sense of all that had occurred, she found nothing logical. The phoney engagement, the media circus, and now the growing conflict between her and Andrew; it was all getting rather real. The door behind her opened; she didn't have to turn to know who it was. His quick strides slicing the quiet, Andrew's presence filled the room like a hurricane. "We have to do this correctly," he stated quietly yet forcefully. He ordered, not asked or requested. Victoria felt his stare searing into her from across the room rather than turning to face him. What do you mean? You believe this still a game? His voice had the same frigid edge she had become accustomed to, but now there was something more. More pressing. "I neve