Alex could feel the tension in her own shoulders no matter how hard she tried to loosen them. Too much had happened in the last few hours—James's betrayal, the comments online, the knowledge that one careless photograph had somehow become a national discussion about her character.
Ethan noticed and his hand found hers without ceremony, fingers closing around hers in a warm, steady grip. When she looked over, he gave her the small smile he usually saved for moments when he knew she was overthinking something.
It helped. The reporters noticed immediately.
Several cameras shifted toward their joined hands before their put them under the table. Whispers moved through the room, curiosity sharpening, but nobody called out a question yet.
Leila stepped to the podium. "Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for coming on such short notice. As you already know, a photograph of Alex having dinner with another man has received far more attention online than it deserved."
