Chapter 6: The Rumors Begin

Elena’s fingers hovered over the keyboard, staring at the half-finished email to her biggest remaining client…., the fashion startup founder who’d been teetering on the edge of pulling out even before the Vanguard deal. The subject line read “Re: Horizon Campaign Update & Reassurance.”

She deleted it. Started over.

The rumors were already everywhere.

By mid-morning, her inbox had exploded. Three clients had forwarded the same anonymous LinkedIn post: “Reyes & Reyes instability confirmed, CEO personal baggage risking major Vanguard partnership. Proceed with caution.” The post had 1,200 likes, comments speculating wildly: divorce drama, financial troubles, even whispers of “questionable past relationships.”

None of it named specifics. But the damage was surgical.

Elena’s phone rang. It was Lila.

“Tell me you’re seeing this,” Lila said without preamble.

“Unfortunately.” Elena pinched the bridge of her nose. “Sterling’s fingerprints are all over it. Theo probably fed them the angle.”

“Or someone closer.” Lila’s voice dropped. “That debt collector came back this morning. Didn’t threaten outright, just ‘reminded’ me that old Vegas markers don’t expire. Asked if you were still wearing that poker-chip bracelet. Word for word.”

Elena’s stomach twisted. The bracelets clinked as she moved, old one and new one, now permanent reminders.

“Stay away from him,” she said. “Lock the office if you have to. I’m at Damian’s penthouse still. Security here is tight.”

“Speaking of tight…” Lila’s tone lightened fractionally. “How’s living with the billionaire? Any accidental towel-dropping incidents?”

Elena glanced toward the hallway where Damian had disappeared to take a call. “Not yet. But he kissed me in the elevator last night. Almost. Then the photo threat came through.”

Lila whistled. “Romantic….terrifying. Both!!”

“Mostly terrifying.” Elena lowered her voice. “Mia’s here. She thinks it’s a ‘big adventure sleepover.’ I can’t let this touch her.”

“Then fight back. We’ve got the creative deck ready. Push the campaign hard. Show them results speak louder than rumors.”

Elena ended the call and opened her laptop again. She needed to focus. But her mind kept drifting to Damian, how his hand had felt on her knee under the table at lunch yesterday, how his body had crowded hers in the elevator, breath hot against her mouth.

She forced herself to type.

A shadow fell across the screen. Damian, sleeves rolled, coffee in hand.

“You’ve been staring at the same paragraph for ten minutes.”

Elena closed the laptop. “Rumors are spreading faster than I expected. Three clients forwarded the post. One is threatening to pause billing.”

Damian set the coffee beside her. “Sterling’s playing the long game. They want us distracted so they can swoop in on Horizon.”

He sat on the arm of the couch beside her, close enough that his thigh brushed hers. Elena’s skin heated instantly.

“I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “This is my world bleeding into yours.”

“It was always going to.” She met his eyes. “I chose this deal.”

His gaze dropped to her lips. “And I chose you.”

The words landed like a spark. Elena’s breath hitched.

Damian glanced at his screen that just turned on with vibrating souns… it was a call from Theo.

He answered on speaker. “What now?”

Theo’s voice came through crisp and smug. “Board just received an anonymous tip. Photos of you and Elena entering your penthouse last night. Timestamped. Looks cozy.”

Damian’s expression turned lethal. “You sent them.”

“Didn’t have to. Someone else did. But the optics are terrible. CEO shacking up with new agency partner the day after signing? Board’s asking if there’s conflict of interest. Personal involvement compromising judgment.”

Elena’s nails dug into her palms.

Damian’s tone went ice-cold. “Tell the board the truth: Elena and her daughter are under my protection because of threats tied to the deal you helped amplify.”

Theo laughed. “Protection. Right. Keep telling yourself that. Meanwhile, Sterling’s PR team is already drafting a statement about ‘ethical concerns.’ Clock’s ticking, brother.”

He hung up.

Silence stretched.

Elena stood. “I should go back to my apartment. This is making things worse.”

Damian rose with her. “No. You stay. We fight this together.”

He caught her wrist, gently, but firm. The bracelets touched, metal on metal.

“I don’t want you running,” he said. “Not from rumors. Not from me at least.”

Elena looked up at him. She could feel the pull, his body heat, the faint scent of his cologne, the memory of how he’d kissed her in the garage after the chase.

“I’m not running,” she whispered. “But I’m scared.”

“Of the threats?”

“Of everything.” Her voice cracked. “Of losing the agency. Of someone hurting Mia. Of… this.” She gestured between them. “It’s too fast. Too dangerous.”

Damian’s thumb stroked the inside of her wrist. “Then let me make it safe.”

He leaned down slowly, giving her time to pull away.

She didn’t.

His mouth brushed hers, soft at first…. Testing…..Then deeper. Elena’s hands fisted in his shirt as he backed her against the wall. His tongue swept in, claiming, tasting like coffee and restraint finally snapping.

She moaned into the kiss. Her body arched toward him instinctively. His hand slid to her hip, pulling her flush against the hard length straining his slacks.

“God, Elena,” he growled against her lips. “I’ve wanted this since the moment you walked into that boardroom.”

Flashback hit her hard: Vegas, him pinning her to the bed, thrusting deep, whispering filthy promises as he came inside her.

She broke the kiss, gasping. “We can’t. Mia could wake up.”

Damian rested his forehead against hers. Breathing ragged. “I know.”

But he didn’t move away. His hand stayed on her waist, thumb circling slowly.

Her phone buzzed on the couch, loud, insistent.

Elena pulled back reluctantly. Unknown number.

She opened it.

Photo: Elena and Damian kissing in the hallway just now. Taken from inside the penthouse.

Text: Rumors are just the beginning. Next comes proof.

Elena showed Damian.

His face went blank with fury.

“Someone’s watching us. Right now.”

He grabbed his phone, dialing security.

Elena stared at the image, her lips swollen, his hand in her hair, the moment raw and private.

The rumors weren’t just beginning.

They were about to explode.

And whoever held the camera was already inside the walls.