THE KISS

ROWAN’S POV

I knew they were watching. From the corner of my eye, I saw them — the glances, the murmurs, the half-hearted smiles hiding sharpened tongues.

Our marriage had been the Archer family’s clean-up solution. And now that we were out in public, the whispers followed us like smoke.

“She doesn’t belong in his world.”
“Contract marriage, obviously.”


“He looks annoyed. She looks confused.”
“I give them six months.”

My jaw tightened.

I didn’t care what people thought of me, I’d survived boardroom wars and family betrayals.

But someone talking about me when it came to marriage in a public space, is something I wouldn’t accept.

Her posture was stiff beside me. Chin up, shoulders tense, like she could feel every eye piercing through her skin. I glanced at her, at the way her fingers curled around the clutch bag like it was the only solid thing she could hold onto.

Then I heard it.

"Fake couple. Probably haven't even kissed off-camera."

That was the final push.

I held her tighter.

Pi