Chapter 3: The offer

CHAPTER THREE: THE OFFER

Ethan's pov:

I stared at the men standing outside my apartment, for a moment, I considered closing the door, the thought became even more tempting when I looked past him and saw the two security guards waiting in the hallway. “About what?” The man adjusted the cuff of his suit. “The photograph.” Of course.I tightened my grip on the door.

“I've already told everyone who asked that I didn't leak it.”  “We know.” That caught me off guard, the man held out a card. “Daniel Reeves. I represent Noah Ashford and the Black Wolves organization.” I looked at the card but didn't take it.

“If you represent Noah, why are you at my apartment?”“Because your name and address are now circulating online.”My stomach tightened. “I noticed.”  “And because the situation has become dangerous.”

I couldn’t help but laugh.“Dangerous for who? Noah?” “For both of you.” Before I could respond, a voice came from behind him. “Let me talk to him.”

I knew that voice,i had heard it on television countless times. Noah Ashford stepped into the hallway, for a second, I simply stared, seeing him on television was one thing, having him standing outside my apartment was something else entirely.

He looked exhausted, hiis championship jacket was gone, replaced by a dark hoodie and baseball cap. There were shadows beneath his eyes that the cameras usually managed to hide, his gaze settled on me. “You took the picture.” “Yes.”   “You knew what it was.”  “Yes.”  “And you kept it.”

I could feel  my temper rise.“Would you like me to apologize for owning my own photograph?”His jaw tightened. “You have no idea what that picture has done.” I opened the door wider.“Neither do you, apparently, because someone else leaked it.”

He went quiet, Daniel spoke “That is exactly why we're here.”

I folded my arms.“Then say what you came to say.”Noah stepped into the apartment.I immediately moved aside, irritated by how naturally he acted as though he belonged there.Daniel followed him, while the security guards remained outside.

Noah looked around my apartment, his gaze moving across the old sofa, the secondhand dining table and the stack of unpaid bills sitting beside my laptop.

His eyes stopped there.I reached over and covered them with a magazine.“Don't.”He looked at me.“Don't what?” “Look at my life like it's a documentary!” “Fine.”

Daniel cleared his throat.“We believe the photograph was taken from your camera, but we also believe someone accessed the original memory card.” “I lost it.” “Where?”  “I don't know.”  “When?” “During the chase.” Noah looked at me sharply. “You were chased because of the photograph?” “ you noticed.”  “I didn't order that.”  “I didn't say you did.”  “But you thought it.”  “I think your security team wasn't exactly interested in asking politely.” Noah rubbed a hand over his face. For the first time, I noticed how tired he looked.

Daniel placed a folder on my table.“The sponsors are demanding answers.”

“That's unfortunate.” “Three have already suspended promotional appearances.” “Also unfortunate.” “Two more are considering terminating their contracts.”

I looked at Noah, he didn't say anything. Daniel continued, “If the scandal continues without a believable explanation, Noah could lose his largest endorsement.” I shrugged. “I'm sorry.” Noah's eyes narrowed, “You're enjoying this.”   “No, I'm not enjoying any of this.” “My mother is sick. I have hospital bills I can't pay. My landlord is threatening to throw me out. I took that photograph because I needed money, not because I wanted to destroy your life.”

Silence settled over the room.I hadn't planned on telling him that. “I didn't know,” he said. “You weren't supposed to.” Daniel closed the folder. “That's why we're offering you a solution.” “what solution?”

“The public already believes you're connected to Noah.” “How? because of the photograph?.” “Yes.”  “And somehow that's my problem?” “It is now.”  “What exactly are you asking me to do?” Daniel exchanged a glance with Noah.

Then he said, “We want you to spend time with Noah publicly.” I blinked. “Spend time with him?” “Appear together. Attend selected events. Be photographed together. Nothing much ” I looked at Noah, he looked just as uncomfortable as I felt. “So you want me to be his friend?” “An ambiguous friend,” Daniel corrected.

“You have to be joking.”  “We're not.” I shook my head. “You want to distract the media from the man in the photograph by making them speculate about me.”  “Exactly.” “And you think that will work?” “It has a strong chance.” “No.”  Daniel's expression remained calm. “You haven't heard the compensation.” “I don't care.”  “You should.”  He opened the folder and slid a document toward me. I glanced at the figure, I almost choked on my breath.

It was more money than I had seen in one place in years, enough for the hospital bills,  rents, to clear the debts that had been following me for months.

I looked away. “No.” Noah frowned.  “You said you needed money.”  “I do.” “Then why are you refusing?” “Because I don't want to become another piece of your public relations campaign.” His expression hardened.  “You think I want this?”  “I don't know what you want.”  “Neither do I anymore.” The honesty in his voice was shocking.

He looked down at the contract. “My entire life is being discussed by people who don't know me. My sponsors are threatening to walk away. My team wants me to smile and pretend everything is fine.” He looked directly at me. “ and now this photograph has made everything worse and it's not the only problem.”

“What do you mean?”

“The man in the picture is someone important to me. He's straight, and  wants nothing to do with the public side of my life. He doesn't want his name or face circulating online.”

Looked at him, my curiosity getting the better of me, “Who is he?”, his face immediately hardened.“That's none of your business.” I raised an brow. “I was only asking.” “And I'm telling you to leave it alone.” I decided not to push further 

Daniel stepped forward and opened the folder again.“The problem is that the leaked photograph has already attracted attention. The man's face was cropped out, which means the media can't identify him.”  “So……”

Daniel looked directly at me.“Your build is similar to his.” I blinked.“What about it?” “From the photograph, the resemblance is enough to create doubt. And because you're the photographer who took the original picture, placing you beside Noah gives us a believable explanation.” I stared at him.

“You want people to think I'm the man in the photograph?” “We want them to believe you're someone close to Noah.”   Noah finally spoke, “I want to find whoever leaked that photograph. If we control the story, we can buy ourselves time.”  I folded my arms.  “And your solution is me?” “Yes.” “You want me to pretend to be close to you?”  “Only in public.”

I let out a disbelieving laugh. “You've got to be kidding me.” “We're not,” Daniel said. I looked at the contract again, the amount printed on the page was still difficult to ignore, It could pay Mum's hospital bills, the overdue and  take care of the debts that had been following me for months, but agreeing to this meant allowing strangers to photograph me, speculate about my relationship with Noah and turn my private life into entertainment.

“I don't want to become part of your publicity campaign.” Noah's eyes met mine , “And I don't want my life turned into one either.”

Daniel pushed the contract slightly closer.“You don't have to decide immediately.” I looked at the papers, then I thought about Mum, there wasn't much of a decision left to make.I picked up the pen, “If I sign this, the payment is made immediately?” “Yes.”  “And the rules in this contract are the only rules I have to follow?”

“Everything you need to know is there.” I  scanned the pages one more time, six months of public appearances, photographs, events and Confidentiality.

I took a breath and signed my name, the sound of the pen scratching across the paper seemed strangely loud in the quiet apartment. Daniel collected the contract.

“Good. We'll have the first payment transferred tonight.” I  leaned back against the sofa, suddenly exhausted. “So that's all right. ” “Almost.” I looked at him suspiciously. “You'll be moving into Noah's house.”

I stared at him, “What?”“Your address is will start circulating online  and staying here isn't safe.” “I can find somewhere else.” Noah shook his head, “that won't solve the problem.” I turned toward him. “Why not?”  “Because if we're supposed to be close, disappearing to different places every night won't exactly make the story convincing.”

Daniel nodded. “You'll have your own room. Your privacy will be respected, and you'll be able to continue working.” I looked at Noah. “You knew about this?” “Yes.” “And you didn't think to mention it before I signed?”

His expression remained frustratingly calm, “you were already considering refusing.” “So you left out the part where I have to live with you?” “I didn't leave it out. Daniel just hadn't explained everything yet.”

I looked around my apartment, the old sofa, my battered camera equipment, the photographs scattered across my desk, the little life I'd built despite everything that had gone wrong, and now I was supposed to pack it into a few bags and move into the home of the most famous hockey player in the country, for six months.

I rubbed my forehead, “what have I gotten myself into?” Noah picked up his cap. “You signed the contract.”

I glared at him, “I know.” He opened the door, then looked back at me, “we leave in an hour.”

 “An hour?” He nodded. “Fine.”

I had signed the contract for the money, didn't realize I was also signing up to live with Noah Ashford.