Unmasking Love

Chapter Three

A week after Lucy and Ethan’s lunch at Bella’s Bistro, Lucy found herself in the middle of a media storm. The news of her engagement to Ethan Bennett had spread like wildfire, and the tabloids were having a field day. Headlines screamed about the romance, complete with speculation and wild theories about their sudden engagement.

Lucy’s day started with a phone call from her best friend , Sarah.

“Lucy, have you seen the news?” Sarah’s voice was laced with panic.

Lucy frowned, switching on the television. Every channel was talking about her and Ethan, but one headline stood out, “Greg Paul claims Lucy Green’s engagement is a Sham!”

Her blood ran cold as she listened to Greg, her ex-fiancé, speaking to a reporter.

“I just want to warn Ethan Bennett that Lucy is not who she seems. She’s using him to climb the social ladder. Our relationship ended because she was never satisfied. She wants power, money and she’s using Ethan to get it.”

Lucy felt the room spin Greg was lying through his teeth, but his words would have repercussions. She knew the media would eat it up, and people would start questioning the legitimacy of her relationship with Ethan.

Before she could fully process what was happening, her phone rang again. It was Ethan.

“Lucy we need to talk. Now,” jis voice was calm, but she could hear the underlying tension.

They agreed to meet at Ethan’s penthouse, a luxurious space overlooking the city. When Lucy arrived, Ethan was waiting for her, his expression unreadable.

“We have a problem,” he stated bluntly as she walked in.

“I don’t know how they knew who I am or it’s just some random assumptions about the whole social ladder thing,” Ethan said.

“I saw and I think they did some findings about you,” Lucy replied, her voice barely above a whisper. “Greg is trying to ruin everything. I don’t understand why he’s trying to ruin me after breaking up with me,” as she placed her hand on her forehead in confusion.

Ethan nodded, his eyes narrowing. “This changes things. We need to address this head-on before it spirals out of control.”

“How? what do we do?” Lucy asked, feeling a wave of helplessness wash over her.

“We go on the offensive,” Ethan said, his tone decisive. “We need to show the world that we’re a real couple. That means more public appearances, more media coverage, and a very public display of our commitment.”

Lucy’s heart pounded in her chest. “Are you suggesting…?

Ethan’s gaze was intense. “Yes. We we need to move the wedding date up.”

Lucy’s breath caught in her throat. This was moving way too fast. But Ethan was right, they had to counter Greg’s narrative before it took root.

“But Ethan, we barely know each other,” Lucy protested, though she knew it was a weak argument.

Ethan stepped closer, his voice softening. “I know this is sudden, if you’re not okay with it, we can end it all now and apologize to the public for deceiving them. But if you don’t want that, this is the only way to protect both of us.”

“If we don’t act now, Greg’s lies could destroy everything we’ve built.”

Lucy looked into his eyes, searching for any sign of doubt, but Ethan was resolute. This was a business decision for him, just like everything else. She took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay.let’s do it.”

The following days were occupied with a lot of activities. Wedding planners were called, venues were scouted, and invitations were hastily sent out. The media went into overdrive, covering every detail of the impending wedding. But amidst the chaos, Lucy couldn’t shake the feeling that things were spiraling out of control.

Then came the rehearsal dinner, a lavish affair at a five star hotel, attended by close friends, family, and a few select members of the press. Lucy was nervous, trying to play the part of a blushing bride to be, but inside, she was a mess.

As the evening progressed, Ethan pulled her aside. “You’re doing great,” he said, offering her a reassuring smile.

But before Lucy could respond, they were interrupted by a voice that made her blood run cold.

“We’ll, isn’t this cozy.”

Lucy turned to see Greg standing there, a smug smile on his face. He had somehow crashed the event, and the press had already started snapping pictures.

“Greg, what are you doing here?” Lucy demanded, trying to keep her voice steady.

Greg shrugged nonchalantly. “I just wanted to congratulate the happy couple. After all, it’s not everyday that a woman goes from one billionaire to another.”

Ethan stepped forward, his expression dark. “You’re not welcome here, Greg. Leave.”

But Greg didn’t back down. But instead, he leaned in closer to Lucy, lowering his voice so only she could hear. “This isn’t over, Lucy. You might think you’ve won, but I’m not going down without a fight.”

Before Lucy could respond, Greg turned and walked away, leaving her standing there, shaken.

Ethan immediately took her hand. “Are you okay?”

Lucy nodded, but her mind was racing, Greg’s words felt like a threat, and she knew he was serious. But she didn’t seem to understand why he’s suddenly acting that way when he was the one that cheated on her. This wasn’t just about revenge anymore, it was war.

As the night went on, Lucy couldn’t shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen. And as she lay in her bed later that night, she couldn’t help but wonder if agreeing to this marriage had been the biggest mistake of her life.

Lucy felt really uneasy about Greg’s sudden appearance and veiled threats. It rattled her more than she cared to admit. She rolled over in bed and reached for her phone, hoping for a distraction, but instead, she found a string of text messages from Ethan.

Ethan: Good morning. We need to talk. Can you meet me at the office tomorrow?

Lucy frowned. Ethan rarely asked her to come to his office; thier interactions usually took place in more private settings. Something about this felt off. She quickly offed her phone and went to bed.