Adira's POV
The headlines wouldn't die down.
No matter how many calls I took, no matter how many polished "no comments" my assistant delivered, the story kept growing.
I thought Jayden would stay quiet. He never liked interviews, never courted the press. He was the man people whispered about, not the man they quoted.
But then I saw it.
A full-page spread in the Financial Times.
His photo: sharp suit, sharp jawline, sharper eyes. The headline:
"Jayden Craig: Why I Chose to Back Adira Williams"
My hands shook as I read.
"When I invest, I don't gamble. I study people. I study fire. Adira Williams built an empire out of nothing but grit, vision, and sleepless nights. I saw what others missed: a woman capable of building something that could outlast any storm. My capital didn't create her company. It only gave her the fuel to burn brighter. Make no mistake she is the force, not me."
My throat tightened.
It was bold. Strategic. Brilliant. He hadn't denied the investment. He'd reframed it painted me as the visionary, himself as the witness. And just like that, the story shifted.
But instead of relief, I felt fury boiling inside me.
He had gone public. Without telling me. Again.
That evening, I stormed into his office. The skyline behind him glowed, but all I saw was red.
"You had no right," I snapped, slamming the paper onto his desk.
He leaned back, maddeningly calm. "I had every right. Ashley made this public. I made sure it was told correctly."
I glared at him. "Do you have any idea what it feels like? To work my entire life to prove I don't need anyone, only for you to swoop in and—"
"And what?" His voice cut through, low and sharp. "Protect you? Remind the world of who you are? I didn't steal your fire, Adira. I told them what I've always known. That you're unstoppable."
The room went still. His words hung heavy between us.
I hated how they made my chest ache.
I hated how much I wanted to believe him.
But most of all, I hated how close he was standing now — close enough that if I leaned an inch, I'd be caught in something I couldn't undo.
I forced myself back. "Stay out of my story, Jayden."
His eyes darkened, something unreadable flickering there. "I can't."
I walked out before he could say more, heart hammering.
Because the worst part was...
I didn't want him to.
Jayden's POV
She thought I was stealing her light. She didn't understand I'd burn the whole world down just to make sure hers never dimmed.
But she would.
In time, she would.