Charlene's POV
All the confusion in my head finally cleared when Black came to the mansion. He kept apologizing because of the backlash from the fans of his love team with Vionet. I already knew how wildly popular they were, so it wasn't surprising that people got furious when they assumed I was his girlfriend.
I was on the verge of tears while scrolling through the hateful tweets about me. A photo of Black and me together had gone viral, and someone claimed I was his secret girlfriend. That was all it took.
The comments were brutal.
They called me ugly.
Said he and Vionet still looked better together.
Told me I didn't deserve him.
Some even wished I would die.
Homewrecker. Disgusting. Pathetic.
I was dragged back to reality when someone snatched my phone from my hand.
"Stop reading those," Kerill said sharply. He slipped my phone into his pocket. "And stop crying. It's annoying," he added, handing me tissue.
"They're being too much," I muttered. "It's like I committed a crime. Black and I aren't even together."
"That's the dark side of love teams," he replied coldly. "Their fans don't want any woman near him except his partner. You saw their reaction. From now on, you're not going outside until this issue dies down."
"What about the kids? I want to—"
"Enough, Charlene. Do you want to get attacked again? And this isn't just your fault. That idiot should've thought about the consequences before dragging you around."
Right on cue, Black arrived carrying two glasses of apple juice. He handed one to me and sat beside me.
"Are you okay?" he asked softly.
"Of course she's not," Kerill cut in. "If you weren't so reckless, this wouldn't have happened. This is on you."
Black stood up, clearly irritated. "I know it's my fault. That's why I'm here—to apologize."
"Sorry won't undo what they did to her."
"I'll handle it. Stay out of this."
The tension between them thickened. It felt like they were seconds away from throwing punches.
"Your business? She's my wife!" Kerill snapped.
"No, she's not! It's just a contract—"
"Stop!" I stepped between them before things escalated further. "Can you both calm down? Anger won't solve anything. You're acting like children."
They stared at each other. Eventually, Black sat down again, though he still looked furious.
"Kerill," I said firmly.
He glanced at Black before speaking in a low, dangerous tone. "You'd better fix this before I do. You know exactly what I'm capable of."
Then he walked away.
Three days later, the only solution left was to face the media. Black decided to hold a press conference to clear everything up. Kerill insisted it be held at his mansion.
I was trembling while peeking through the window. The reporters outside were overwhelming. My hands felt icy—until Black suddenly held them.
"It's okay. I'm really sorry you got dragged into this," he said sincerely.
I gave him a small smile. "I just hope they leave me alone after this."
"I promise." He smiled and ruffled my hair.
Just then, Kerill arrived and immediately pulled me away from Black.
"Let's finish this," he said.
Black followed behind us. Every step toward the door felt heavy. Time seemed to slow down as I stared at Kerill's hand tightly wrapped around mine. He looked almost afraid to let go.
My heart started racing again. I was scared. Scared that I might be misunderstanding him—that maybe his actions had motives I didn't see.
Saviel opened the door, and the flash of cameras nearly blinded us. Reporters crowded together, pushing for a better view. It was both terrifying and impressive—a reminder of how huge Black's world really was.
"Is that Kerill Wang?"
"Why is he holding her hand?"
"What's going on?"
Whispers spread through the crowd. I tried to pull my hand away, but Kerill tightened his grip.
"Good day," he began confidently. "I'm Kerill Wang, and I'm here to clarify the issue involving my brother and my wife."
The word hit me like lightning.
Wife?
"My wife has always been a good friend to my brother. They spend time together, as seen in the photos that circulated online. But let me make one thing clear—anyone who continues to attack my wife will face legal consequences. Or worse… they'll deal with me."
The room fell into stunned silence.
My cheeks burned as he kept calling me his wife.
"They are not dating. This woman—"
Suddenly, he turned me to face him.
"—is my wife. Mine. Only."
Gasps erupted from the reporters as he leaned down and kissed me in front of everyone.
I froze.
My entire body went cold. My knees felt weak, and my mind couldn't process what had just happened.
All I could hear was the roaring reaction of the crowd—
And the frantic pounding of my heart.