Chapter 6
The next morning brought no rest.
Linsey woke up to her phone buzzing nonstop. The photo from the bookstore had exploded across the internet, sparking all kinds of rumors. People dissected every detail—from the tilt of her head to the faint smile on Collin’s face in the background. Suddenly, everyone was an expert in their “secret love story.”
She tossed the phone aside and headed to the kitchen. Collin was already there, dressed sharp as always, sipping black coffee.
“You saw the news?” she asked, sliding into the chair across from him.
He nodded. “It’s everywhere.”
“People think we’ve been plotting this for years,” she muttered, grabbing a croissant. “Like I’ve been secretly waiting for you to appear in a tux and sweep me off my feet.”
“You didn’t?” he asked, amused.
Linsey shot him a look, but a laugh slipped through.
“I liked the bookstore better,” she admitted. “It was quiet. Real.”
Collin leaned forward slightly. “That day… you talked about becoming a writer.”
Her eyes widened. “You remember that?”
“I remember everything,” he said.
It caught her off guard—how sincere he sounded. Like he’d been carrying her words around for years.
“I haven’t written anything in a long time,” she confessed, voice soft. “I got too busy trying to fit into Felix’s world.”
Collin was quiet for a moment. Then he said, “You shouldn’t shrink for anyone. Especially not someone who wouldn’t do the same for you.”
Linsey blinked. No one had ever said that to her before.
Before she could respond, his phone buzzed. He answered, his expression tightening.
“What is it?” she asked once he hung up.
He hesitated. “Joanna and Felix just gave an interview.”
Her stomach turned.
“They’re claiming you married me for revenge,” he added. “That you planned it to hurt them.”
Linsey stood up. “Of course they would. She faked a hospital emergency and lured him away from our wedding. Now they want to paint me as the villain.”
“They’re good at pretending,” Collin said. “But we’re better.”
“What do you mean?”
He turned to face her fully. “I want to hold a press conference. Make a statement. Let the world know this wasn’t some stunt. That what we have is real.”
Linsey’s mouth went dry. “Real?”
He nodded. “You’ve been through enough. I’m not going to let anyone question your worth again.”
Her heart thudded in her chest. “But won’t that just feed the fire?”
Collin stood. “Then let it burn. We’ll walk through it together.”
Later that afternoon, the press gathered in a stunning rooftop garden overlooking the city. Cameras flashed. Reporters whispered. Linsey stood beside Collin, her hand resting gently on his arm.
He stepped forward to the mic.
“I’m not one to explain myself to the world,” he began, his voice calm and commanding. “But today, I will. Yesterday, I married a woman most of you believe I barely knew. But here’s what I do know—when I look at her, I don’t see scandal. I see someone brave. Someone honest. Someone I once met before I became anyone worth noticing.”
The reporters murmured.
“She didn’t ask for any of this,” he continued. “She didn’t chase headlines. She didn’t try to manipulate the story. All she did was walk up to me when I’d been left behind, and offer something most people wouldn’t—her dignity.”
Linsey’s breath caught.
“I married her,” Collin said, “because I saw someone who deserved more than she’d ever been given. And I’ll spend every day proving I was worth her choice.”
The press went silent.
And in that stillness, Collin turned to her and gently took her hand.
The world had witnessed a hundred fake love stories. But this time… they didn’t doubt.
Linsey didn’t say anything, but her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. This wasn’t pretend anymore. Not even close.
As the crowd erupted in questions and clicks, Collin leaned down and whispered, “Still want to back out?”
She shook her head slowly. “Not a chance.”
And in that moment, they weren’t just playing a part—they were rewriting the story.
Together.