The Press Conference

A Storm Before the Battle

Ariana Carter had never feared the public eye.

She had spent years in the courtroom, standing before ruthless prosecutors and impossible odds. But this? This was different.

The media had declared war. And Damian Kingsley was about to fight back.

As she sat in the grand conference room of Kingsley Corporation, surrounded by the top executives and Damian's PR team, she felt the weight of a storm brewing.

Her past was being dragged through the mud.

And worse? Ryan's name had surfaced.

She kept her expression calm, her fingers laced together on the mahogany table. But inside? She was on fire.

Across from her, Damian sat with a glass of whiskey in hand, completely unbothered. But Ariana knew better.

Beneath that cool façade, he was pissed.

Vincent Langley, the company's chief legal officer, cleared his throat. "The media frenzy is escalating. We have two options—damage control or complete media suppression."

Ariana leaned back. "And what does media suppression entail?"

Vincent smirked. "Shutting down the narrative before it spreads. Lawsuits, injunctions, financial pressure—take your pick."

Ariana's lips twitched. "Sounds illegal."

Damian finally spoke, his voice smooth. "Not if you know how to play the game."

She turned to him. "And how do you plan to play it?"

Damian's smirk was slow and dangerous. "We rewrite the narrative."

He slid a folder across the table. Ariana flipped it open—and froze.

Inside were pages of carefully crafted counter-headlines, exposing the real orchestrators of the scandal.

Every journalist. Every news outlet. Every corrupt hand pulling the strings.

Ariana's pulse quickened. This wasn't just defense.

It was a declaration of war.

She met Damian's gaze. "You were waiting for this."

He didn't deny it. "The moment I put that ring on your finger, I knew they'd come for you. I just wanted to see who dared to strike first."

Ariana exhaled sharply. "And now?"

Damian leaned in. "Now, we burn them."

---

The Press Conference

The grand hall of Kingsley Corporation was packed with journalists, cameras, and flashing lights.

Ariana stood beside Damian as the whispers grew louder. The world was waiting.

Damian stepped forward, exuding power, confidence, and control.

"Good afternoon," he began, voice smooth yet commanding. "There have been… rumors."

The murmurs grew. He had their attention.

He continued, "These false accusations against my fiancée, Ariana Carter, are not only baseless but strategically placed by those who fear her brilliance."

Ariana's breath hitched.

He wasn't just defending her.

He was elevating her.

"I chose Ariana," Damian declared. "Not just because she is the best lawyer I've ever met, but because she is a woman of integrity, resilience, and intelligence. Qualities that some, apparently, find threatening."

A ripple of reaction spread through the crowd.

"But let me be very clear." His voice dropped into dangerous territory. "If anyone believes they can manipulate the media to destroy her, they are gravely mistaken."

The air shifted.

And then—the final blow.

Damian turned to Ariana. "Ms. Carter, do you have anything to say?"

She stepped forward, heartbeat loud in her ears.

She could stay silent. Let Damian handle it.

Or—she could show them exactly who she was.

Ariana met the cameras head-on. "Yes."

The room stilled.

"I have spent years building my career, proving my worth in a field where men like to believe they hold all the power." Her voice was steady, unwavering. "And I will not be reduced to a headline written by cowards hiding behind anonymous sources."

A sharp silence followed.

Then—applause.

Ariana held her head high. Let them watch. Let them learn.

She wasn't just Damian Kingsley's fiancée.

She was Ariana Carter.

And she was here to stay.

---

The Moment That Changed Everything

As soon as they left the press conference, Ariana barely had a moment to breathe before Damian pulled her into his office.

The door slammed shut.

The air crackled.

"You handled that well," Damian murmured, stepping closer.

Ariana tilted her chin. "Was there ever any doubt?"

His smirk deepened. "Not for a second."

Then—suddenly—he was too close.

His scent. His warmth. His presence.

"Tell me something, Ariana," he murmured, his voice dangerously soft. "Are you afraid of me?"

She met his gaze without flinching. "No."

He chuckled. "Good."

And then, in the most unexpected move yet—

He leaned in.

Not enough to kiss her. Not enough to break the moment.

But just enough to let her know—

This war was far from over.

And neither was whatever this was between them.

---

To Be Continued…