Day Four doesn't ease in.
It kicks the door down.
8:45 a.m. – The Internet Has Opinions
🔴 LIVE
Viewers: 3.6 MILLION
I wake up to Darian already scrolling through his phone with that particular expression that means something is wrong but he hasn't decided how wrong yet.
"What did I miss?" I ask, rubbing my eyes.
He tilts the screen toward me.
A reaction video.
Posted three hours ago.
By Alina Kapoor.
She's sitting in soft lighting, perfectly styled, voice calm and sympathetic.
"I don't want to interfere," she says gently,
"but watching your private moments turn into content is… uncomfortable.
Some relationships are meant to be real, not consumed."
I stare.
"Oh," I say. "She's concerned."
Darian's jaw tightens. "She shouldn't have said anything."
The comments are already split into battle lines.
@AlinaIsRight: THIS FEELS TOO INTIMATE
@TeamLyra: STAY AWAY FROM HER
@MessyButReal: WHY DO I FEEL JEALOUS FOR LYRA
I shouldn't care.
I absolutely care.
11:00 a.m. – The Journalist Incident
We're still live when Darian takes a business call and steps into the study.
I'm left alone with the comments.
That's when Aarav Mehta joins the livestream.
Verified. Journalist. Too charming for his own good.
@AaravM: Lyra, proud of how you're handling this.
Must be hard being married to a man who controls the narrative.
I blink.
"That's… loaded," I say aloud.
More comments pour in.
@He'sFlirting: IS HE FLIRTING
@DarianComeBack: CEO YOU BETTER SEE THIS
I laugh awkwardly. "Hi, Aarav. Thanks, but I think my narrative is doing just fine."
Another comment pops up.
@AaravM: Blink twice if you need rescuing 😉
I snort. "I don't blink on command."
Behind me, a presence.
Darian's back.
He reads the screen.
The temperature in the room drops five degrees.
11:07 a.m. – Jealousy, CEO Edition
Darian steps into frame, calm, collected, terrifying.
"Good morning," he says to the camera.
Then, very casually:
"Who's Aarav?"
I swallow. "A journalist."
"I know," he replies. "I meant why he's inviting my wife to blink."
The chat EXPLODES.
@CEOENERGY: HE DID NOT
@THAT TONE: SIR IS POSSESSIVE
@THIS IS NOT FAKE: I REPEAT THIS IS NOT FAKE
Aarav types again.
@AaravM: Didn't mean to offend. Just concern.
Darian smiles.
It's not a nice smile.
"Appreciated," he says.
"But unnecessary."
Silence.
Aarav leaves the chat.
I stare at Darian. "You didn't have to do that."
"Yes," he says evenly. "I did."
3:00 p.m. – The Aftermath
The stream continues, but something has shifted.
Darian stays closer. Not touching. Just… present.
Every time I laugh at a comment, his eyes flick toward me first, like he's checking my reaction before the world's.
The chat notices.
@He'sWatchingHer: EVERY TIME
@SoftProtective: THIS IS TURNING ME INTO A ROMANTIC
I hate how warm my chest feels.
8:30 p.m. – The Question
During dinner, someone posts a superchat.
@TruthSeeker: Lyra, are you actually in love with him?
The room freezes.
Even the comments slow.
I look at Darian.
He looks at me.
He doesn't interrupt.
Doesn't rescue me.
Doesn't control the answer.
The camera waits.
"I don't know," I say honestly.
"But I know I don't feel fake."
The chat goes feral.
@SHE DIDN'T DENY IT: I'M SCREAMING
@LET IT HAPPEN: THIS IS REAL
Darian exhales quietly.
Not relief.
Something closer to hope.
11:59 p.m. – Day Four Ends
The camera clicks off right on time.
🔴 DAY 4 ENDED
I sit back, exhausted.
"You were jealous," I say softly.
He doesn't deny it.
"You didn't like it," I continue.
"I didn't," he agrees.
I smile faintly. "Good."
He meets my eyes. "That scares me."
"It should," I say. "Me too."
And for the first time since this livestream began,
neither of us pretends that what's happening is harmless.