A Delicate Balance

Ava.

The house felt too quiet once Alex and Emilia left. I leaned against the kitchen counter, coffee cup in hand, trying to ignore the pounding in my temples. This was not how I'd planned to start my day—hungover, exhausted, and now with Alex Russo driving my daughter to school. The fake engagement was spiraling out of control faster than I could manage.

"Ms. Ava, would you like me to prepare something for lunch later?" Rosa asked, appearing in the doorway with an armful of freshly folded laundry.

"No thanks, Rosa. I'll probably be stuck in my office all day." I forced a smile, my voice rough from last night's excesses. "I've got a PR nightmare to manage."

Rosa's expression remained neutral, but I caught a flicker of something—concern, maybe—in her eyes. "I saw the photos. On the news."

I winced. Of course she had. Everyone probably had by now—the kiss on the balcony, Alex's hands on my bare ass, my fingers tangled in his hair. "It's not what it looks like," I said automatically, then caught myself. That was exactly what it was supposed to look like.

"Many things often are not what they seem," Rosa replied simply, her wisdom cutting through my hangover haze.

I watched her disappear upstairs with the laundry, grateful for her discretion. Rosa had been with us since Emilia was a baby. She was more family than employee at this point, but still, there were boundaries. Explaining my fake engagement to my housekeeper wasn't on today's agenda.

I retreated to my home office, shutting the door firmly behind me. My sanctuary—walls lined with business awards and degrees, all reminders of what I'd built from nothing. My desk faced the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Seattle, the view both calming and empowering on most days. Today, it just seemed overwhelming.

My phone buzzed. Jared, my assistant, had sent a text: Morning crisis #1: Tokyo investors threatening to pull out. Call scheduled in 10 mins. Briefing docs in your email.

Great. Exactly what I needed to take my mind off Alex fucking Russo.

I opened my laptop and quickly scanned the documents Jared had sent. The Tokyo deal was crucial—a cornerstone of our Asian expansion. Losing it would set us back months, maybe years. I straightened my blouse, checked my reflection in the small mirror I kept on my desk (professional, composed, definitely not a woman whose life was falling apart), and dialed into the call.

"Tanaka-san, good evening." I smiled into the camera, my voice steady despite the chaos in my mind. "I understand you have some concerns about our timeline."

The next hour passed in a blur of negotiation, reassurance, and the occasional calculated silence. By the time I hung up, the Tokyo investors were back on board, albeit with some additional concessions on our part. Small price to pay for keeping the deal alive.

I barely had time to exhale before my phone rang again.

"Silver," I answered, not recognizing the number.

"Ms. Silver, this is Diane Montgomery from PR Associates." The woman's voice was crisp, efficient. "We need to meet immediately regarding the... situation with you and Mr. Russo."

Right. The balcony kiss. The photos that had gone viral. The reason my head was threatening to split open.

"I'm booked solid until 2 PM," I said, scanning my calendar.

"This can't wait, Ms. Silver. The media is running wild with the story, and without a unified response, your company risks significant reputation damage."

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Fine. Can you be at my office by 11:30?"

"We'll be there."

I hung up, resisting the urge to throw my phone across the room. Instead, I sat back in my chair, trying to gather my thoughts. What was I going to tell them? I couldn't exactly admit this was all a charade. But how far was I willing to take this lie?

The truth was, I'd agreed to Alex's insane plan because it benefited our businesses. The clean energy project needed positive publicity, and apparently our "romance" was providing it in spades. But I hadn't counted on Emilia being affected, on my father getting excited about a fictional wedding, on feeling Alex's mouth on mine and actually enjoying it...

I shook my head, trying to dislodge that particular memory. The kiss had been for show, nothing more. The heat that had rushed through me, the way my body had responded to his touch—that was just biology. Basic chemistry. It didn't mean anything.

So why couldn't I stop thinking about it?

"Ms. Ava?" Rosa's soft voice interrupted my spiraling thoughts. She stood in the doorway, holding another phone. "Your private line. Mr. Jared says it's urgent."

I sighed, taking the phone. "Jared, what is it?"

"Boss, the board is demanding an emergency meeting. The photos of you and Russo are everywhere, and the stock's already up three points. They want to know if this changes the company's strategic direction."

I suppressed a groan. "Tell them I'll call in from home for a brief update at 10. And Jared? No questions about my personal life. Make that very clear."

"Got it. Oh, and—" he hesitated, "—your father called again. Said to remind you about Thursday dinner. Something about you bringing your 'young man'?"

"Thanks, Jared," I said, deliberately ignoring the last part. "I'll be in the office after my PR meeting."