CHAPTER FIVE-- THE ANNOUNCEMENT

The dress was Valentino, the shoes were Louboutin, and Zara's hands wouldn't stop shaking. She stared at her reflection in the massive bathroom mirror, barely recognizing herself. The styling team had transformed her into someone who belonged at Adrian Cross's side—elegant, polished, perfect. The cream-colored dress hugged her curves before flowing gracefully to the floor, its neckline offering just a hint of décolletage. Her dark hair fell in soft waves, and her makeup emphasized her eyes while keeping her looking natural.

A knock at the door made her jump, sending her heart racing.

"Five minutes," Adrian's voice called, deep and commanding even through the door.

Zara took a deep breath, smoothing imaginary wrinkles from the dress. The engagement ring on her finger caught the light, its weight still unfamiliar. The massive diamond seemed to mock her with its brilliance—a perfect symbol of how far she'd fallen, wearing a multi-million dollar ring while her bank account hovered near zero. Adrian had presented it this morning along with a detailed backstory for their relationship, his fingers lingering on her hand as he'd slipped it on.

"Three months of secret dating," she muttered, rehearsing. "Met through mutual friends. Fell in love over late-night conversations about technology and ethics. Private proposal last week at his house in the Hamptons." The lies felt heavy on her tongue.

She opened the door to find Adrian waiting, impeccable in a charcoal suit that made his shoulders look even broader. His eyes darkened as they swept over her, lingering on the way the dress clung to her hips. The heat in his gaze made her breath catch.

"You'll do," he said, offering his arm. But his voice was rougher than usual, betraying that his reaction to her wasn't entirely feigned. "Remember—"

"Let you handle the questions, smile adoringly, and don't mention your brother." Zara took his arm, noting how naturally they fit together. The heat of him seemed to burn through his suit jacket. "I know my role."

"Good." He led her toward the elevator, his hand covering hers where it rested in the crook of his arm. "Because Mark Haynes is in the front row."

Zara's step faltered. "You didn't tell me—"

"Testing your control." Adrian's grip tightened slightly as he pulled her closer. His cologne wrapped around her, making her dizzy. "Consider it practice for dealing with Nathaniel. He'll be making an appearance later."

The elevator descended smoothly, giving Zara time to compose herself. In the mirrored walls, they looked like the perfect power couple—her cream dress a striking contrast to his dark suit, his height complementing her smaller frame perfectly. "Why are you really doing this?" she asked, meeting his eyes in the reflection. "The photos aren't that damaging. You could weather that storm."

"Could I?" Adrian's reflection looked grim, though his thumb stroked small circles on her hand, the gesture almost unconscious. "Or would they be the final piece of evidence my brother needs?"

"Evidence of what?"

The doors opened to the private conference room lobby before he could answer. Camera flashes immediately began going off as reporters caught sight of them. The light seemed to crystallize around them, freezing this moment between truth and lies.

"Smile," Adrian whispered, his lips brushing her ear. The touch sent shivers down her spine. "The show begins now."

Zara plastered on her best smile as they faced the media circus. In the front row, Mark Haynes sat with his notebook ready, his expression hungry for a story. Next to him was a striking woman Zara recognized as Detective Emily Grayson, whose presence made no sense at an engagement announcement.

Adrian guided her to the podium, his hand warm against her lower back. The cameras clicked frantically as he smiled at the assembled press, every inch the powerful CEO about to share his happiness with the world. His arm slipped around her waist, pulling her close against his side in a gesture that looked loving but felt possessive.

"Thank you all for coming on such short notice," he began, his voice confident and warm—so different from his usual cold demeanor that Zara almost did a double-take. "I've gathered you here because I have an announcement that I'm incredibly happy to share."

Zara felt Mark's eyes boring into her, but she kept her gaze focused on Adrian, playing the role of the adoring fiancée. The way his arm wrapped around her waist felt both protective and possessive, his thumb tracing small circles against her hip through the silk of her dress. She could do this. She *would* do this.

"Three months ago, I met someone who challenged everything I thought I knew about love and trust." Adrian turned to her, his dark eyes intense. His free hand came up to cup her face, the gesture intimate enough to make several photographers surge forward. "Zara James came into my life like a storm, turning my carefully ordered world upside down. Today, I'm proud to announce our engagement."

The room erupted with questions, voices overlapping in a cacophony of curiosity and speculation. Adrian fielded them masterfully, his responses smooth and practiced. His hand never left her waist, keeping her anchored as cameras flashed and reporters shouted. The heat of his body seeped through her dress, making it hard to concentrate on anything else.

Then Mark Haynes stood up.

"Ms. James," he called out, his voice cutting through the chaos. His smile was sharp, predatory. "Given your recent... professional setbacks, some might question the timing of this engagement. What would you say to those who might suggest this is more about opportunity than love?"

The room fell silent. Zara felt Adrian tense beside her, his fingers pressing harder into her hip. He started to step forward, ready to intervene, but she squeezed his hand. This was her moment.

She stepped up to the microphone, letting her fingers intertwine with Adrian's. The diamond on her finger caught the light, throwing rainbow sparkles across her vision. "I would say that love finds us in unexpected moments, often when we're at our lowest." She met Mark's smug gaze directly, channeling every ounce of emotion from the past six months into her performance. "Adrian saw past the headlines and scandal to who I really am. And I—"

A commotion at the back of the room cut her off. The double doors burst open with a bang that made several people scream. Nathaniel Cross stormed through, his usually perfect appearance disheveled, his face twisted with rage. Unlike Adrian's controlled power, Nathaniel radiated chaos.

"Liar!" he shouted, pointing at Adrian. His eyes were wild, bloodshot. "Show them the real photos! Show them what you did to Rachel!"

Security moved to intercept him, but he was already pulling something from his jacket. Detective Grayson leaped to her feet, reaching for her weapon. The movement seemed to happen in slow motion.

"Gun!" someone screamed, and the room dissolved into panic.

Adrian yanked Zara behind him, his body shielding her from whatever was about to happen. The movement brought them chest to chest, and she could feel his heart racing against her palms. His cologne surrounded her, mixing with the adrenaline coursing through her veins.

But before the security team could reach Nathaniel, he threw a handful of photographs into the air. They scattered across the room like falling leaves, spinning and drifting in the chaos. Zara caught a glimpse of one as it floated past their heads.

It showed Adrian standing over a woman's body, his hands covered in blood. His expression in the photo was one she'd never seen before—raw, devastated, human. The woman lay crumpled on expensive marble floors that looked exactly like the ones in his penthouse.

The world seemed to freeze as Adrian's grip on her hand became painful. She looked up at him, searching his face for any sign of the man who had kissed her so thoroughly at the gala, who had touched her with such gentle possession. But his expression was carved from stone.

And in that moment, with sirens wailing in the distance and camera flashes still going off like strobe lights, Zara realized she had just become engaged to either a victim of an elaborate frame-job—or a murderer.