Offer

Roland’s POV

When I resumed my position as Prime Entertainment’s new Public Relations Manager yesterday morning, I expected challenges—rumors, scandals, or the occasional ego crisis that came with handling celebrities.

But I didn’t expect to be thrown straight into a wildfire.

My first meeting that afternoon after I returned from the hospital was with Ethan Cole.

He’d walked into my office dressed immaculately in white, his expression calm but his eyes betraying a hint of panic. I had already read the brief—the trending hashtags, the screenshots from a livestream, the alleged $520,000 transfer. It was a mess.

“Mr. Williams,” he began smoothly, “I’ll handle it. Just give me a few hours.”

His confidence was unnerving. He spoke like a man who had already mapped out every move on the chessboard. “It was a misunderstanding,” he’d said. “She has always been jealous of her cousin and, with her recent scandal, she is hoping to clear her name this way.”

I nodded but said nothing. Public relations was rarely about what people said—it was about what they didn’t.

And something about Ethan’s calm composure made me believe he had everything under control.

He assured me the matter would be resolved before nightfall, and I gave him space to try. After all, Prime Entertainment valued him too highly for me to intervene without cause. The company had too much at stake—endorsement deals, investors, ongoing projects. A single scandal could cost millions. This was my first trial and I wanted to handle it well without causing the company to lose money.

But by late night things had only gotten worse.

I was still in the office when my assistant forwarded me a clip—Gina Greenwood’s post. A recorded phone call. Ethan’s voice, unmistakably sharp, furious, and threatening.

“Then I’ll ruin you. Completely.”

“She just came out of surgery. Don’t you dare involve her.”

The audio spread like wildfire. Every media outlet was dissecting it before dawn.

I leaned back in my chair, exhaling deeply. Ethan had said he’d fix it. Instead, he’d poured gasoline on a burning house.

I called him immediately.

“Ethan,” I said the moment he picked up. “What the hell happened?”

He sounded irritated and tired, like someone cornered. “I just thought that giving her a simple reminder would work. I did not expect her to twist facts.”

“That doesn’t answer my question. Did you really send her that money?” I asked even if I could guess the answer already.

There was a pause—long enough to tell me everything before he even spoke. Then he sighed. “Yes. But it wasn’t what it looked like. I just… wanted her to record a confession video. She claimed innocence about stealing Emily’s work. I thought with a confession all doubts would be cleared. Emily just joined Prime Entertainment; I did not want it to affect her. As her fiancé, it was my duty.”

“Emily,” I repeated—his fiancée. “So this was a private deal?” I remembered the trending topics I have seen about this couple when I had just returned.

“Yes. I didn’t hurt her. I didn’t threaten her… well, not until she crossed the line. I only wanted to enjoy some peace without drama,” he explained.

He sounded convincing—too convincing. His voice carried a rehearsed steadiness, the kind people use when they’ve told the same story too many times.

Anyone could have believed him, but I did not. I felt there was a lot he was not saying, but I did not press. Ethan was an asset the company wanted protected, so I intended to do just that.

So that morning, I decided to meet Gina Greenwood myself. I wanted to settle everything and ensure no more drama.

When I saw her the previous day, she had been sad and broke, so I expected her to be defensive, maybe desperate.

What I didn’t expect was her calm—her composure, her defiance.

And when she pointed at me with those steady eyes and said, “You’ll pretend to be my boyfriend—for three months,” I froze.

It was absurd. Reckless. Impossible. When she threatened to pull me into the mix, I thought she was clever. Ever since my assistant drew my attention to her case, I had found myself interested in her. Now, seeing how well she could negotiate, I couldn’t help but be intrigued.

This also made me realize that she wasn’t just a woman craving attention, as Ethan claimed—she was desperate to protect her mother and herself.

Although her threat meant little to me—given my family’s connections I could easily gather evidence to prove her wrong—I couldn’t help wanting to play along when I saw the determination in her gaze.

“I will consider your offer on the condition that you become my personal assistant during this time,” I offered. I am someone who values talent, and I could tell that Gina was intelligent.

Gina was stunned by my proposal. “You do know about my reputation, right?” she asked.

“Yes. You have a sharp mind and I need it to work effectively,” I said. I didn’t really believe the allegations against her. She looked too pure and brilliant to do something so reckless. Besides, who would steal and leave themselves no way out?

“I agree,” Gina accepted the moment I finished speaking. I was amazed by her quick response. I thought she would be scared I was setting her up, but none of that happened.

“Then you will send out the notice,” I asked.

“My mother should be conscious this afternoon. Once you come and see her, I will do my part of the bargain—but we must have a written contract first,” she