Chapter 5 - Rumors

Author's pov

By the next morning, the internet was on fire.

"Heiress Ivy Monroe and Billionaire Bad Boy Liam Calloway Engaged?!?!"

"Is This the PR Stunt of the Century?"

Ivy woke up to chaos.

Her name was everywhere.

T*****r. I*******m. TikTok. Blogs. Gossip sites. Even her favorite skincare brand posted, "We stan our icy bride-to-be"

Mason was lounging on Ivy’s couch like he paid rent as he kept on reading every headline dramatically.

“Ivy Monroe got married??? Since when?!”

“Girl boss move or blackmail?? I need answers.”

“WHY is Liam Calloway looking at her like that in every pic??”

“From Runway Queen to Trophy Wife?”

He looked at her and saw she wasn't reacting to all he was saying, he continued, “I swear, these gossip writers must have delusion for breakfast,” he glanced at her before muttering quietly. “Trophy wife? You’d stab a man before ironing his shirts.”

Ivy sipped her coffee and said nothing. Her phone was already blowing up with emails, press requests, and congratulations from people who hadn’t spoken to her since high school.

She wasn’t surprised.

The Elite Affairs engagement shoot had gone viral in under three hours.

Mason paused and looked at her again. “You okay?”

She looked up, her tone even. “I’m fine.”

She wasn’t lying. Not entirely.

She’d known this would happen. The moment she agreed to the marriage, she expected the media storm. What she didn’t expect… was how easy it was to tune out.

Her phone buzzed again. A message from Liam:

"Enjoying the attention, Princess?"

He had gotten her number from her father and kept on sending random messages, some full of sass or just when they were to meet to keep up the public persona.

She rolled her eyes and typed back:

"Thoroughly. You?"

He didn’t reply.

Meanwhile, across town, Liam was not existing peacefully.

He was in his office, staring at his phone like it had personally betrayed him.

Another headline popped up.

"The Monroe-Calloway Arrangement: Ice Queen Meets Playboy Prince?”

Below it, there was a photo of Ivy mid-laugh, laughing at something he had said, while he was looking like his entire universe was wrapped around her finger.

His assistant peeked in. “You okay, Mr. Calloway?”

“Peachy,” he muttered, tossing the phone down. “Schedule the board dinner. And get me the updated PR projections.”

“Yes, sir.”

He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

He didn’t know what was more annoying, the fact that Ivy was playing this so effortlessly… or the fact that he couldn’t stop noticing it.

He told himself it was the arrangement. That’s all. She was upstaging him, and he didn’t like losing.

The next day brought more chaos.

A follow-up photoshoot, a joint interview request and a dinner event with top investors who wanted to see the “happy couple” in action.

Ivy showed up at the venue ten minutes early. She was dressed in a sleek white jumpsuit, her hair swept into a sleek bun, subtle diamonds at her ears, lipstick as red as blood.

Liam arrived a little late and when he saw her from across the room, his breath stalled just slightly.

She didn’t even notice.

Not right away.

She was too busy charming one of the board members with a story about her recent fashion line. Her laugh was soft. Elegant. The kind of sound that made people lean in.

When he got close and she finally looked at him, her gaze was blank and cool.

“Hello, fiancé,” she said smoothly.

He offered his hand for the cameras. “Ready for another fake evening in paradise?”

She placed her hand in his.

“Smile wide,” she whispered. “And try not to look like you’re dying inside.”

After the photoshoot they had to go back and get dressed to attend a formal dinner with the investors.

“Wow,” he muttered, eyes scanning her from head to toe when he saw her again at the dinner. “Trying to kill me?”

“I’m trying to eat,” Ivy said. “Move.”

She walked past him like he was a waiter.

Liam swallowed whatever insult he had lined up and followed behind her.

By dessert, they were still playing the perfect couple.

“Ivy, Liam, how’s wedding prep going?” a board member asked, smiling.

Ivy didn’t miss a beat. “He wanted skydiving. I said no. He cried.”

Everyone laughed.

Liam smiled too, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

In the car ride home, it was dead silent.

Ivy was checking emails.

Liam was… breathing too loud.

Finally, he said it.

“You really enjoy this, huh?”

She didn’t even look up. “What? Being successful? Yeah. Kinda do.”

He leaned back. “No. Making me look like the side character.”

Ivy paused.

Then looked at him. Calm and cold.

"Liam, you’ve always been the side character. You just didn’t know it."