Soft morning light filtered through the curtains of the Dallas hotel room.
Lillian stirred slightly beneath the blankets.
For a moment she stayed still, enjoying the quiet.
The room was calm, the distant sounds of the city barely reaching them this high up.
Then she remembered.
Dallas.
The meeting.
The successful deal.
Dinner with Sebastian.
A small, satisfied smile appeared on her face.
They had done it.
Slowly, she reached over and grabbed her phone from the nightstand.
The screen lit up.
Notifications flooded the lock screen.
Emails.
A few work messages.
And one news alert.
Her brow furrowed.
That was odd.
She tapped it.
The page loaded.
And her heart immediately skipped.
Tech CEO Sebastian Wolfe Spotted in Dallas With Mystery Woman
"…Oh."
The article appeared below the headline.
Then the photo loaded.
Her stomach dropped.
It was them.
Sebastian and her leaving the restaurant the night before.
His hand resting gently on the middle of her back as they stepped outside.
Her small dessert box still in her hands.
It wasn't blurry.
It wasn't far away.
It was very clear.
"Oh no…"
Behind her, the bed shifted slightly.
Sebastian's voice came, low and sleepy.
"Lillian?"
She froze.
"What's wrong?"
He pushed himself up slightly, running a hand through his messy morning hair.
His sharp blue eyes studied her face.
"You look like something exploded."
She slowly turned the phone toward him.
"Not exploded," she said quietly.
"Published."
Sebastian leaned over, taking the phone from her hand.
He read the headline.
Then the short article beneath it.
His expression barely changed.
Lillian watched him nervously.
"Well?" she asked.
He handed the phone back.
"It's a small business blog."
"That's your reaction?" she asked, incredulous.
"Yes."
"Sebastian!"
He leaned back against the headboard casually.
"It doesn't mention your name."
"That doesn't make it better!"
"It actually does."
She stared at him.
"You're way too calm about this."
He studied her face for a moment.
"You're worried."
"Yes!"
"Why?"
She gestured helplessly with her phone.
"Because people already gossip at the office! Now they're going to think—."
He interrupted gently.
"Lillian."
She stopped.
"You know why you're here with me."
Her voice softened.
"I do."
"But other people don't."
Before he could answer—
Her phone suddenly started ringing.
Lillian looked down.
The caller ID flashed across the screen.
Chloe
She groaned softly.
Sebastian noticed.
"She saw it already?"
"Probably."
He leaned back comfortably.
"This should be interesting."
Lillian answered cautiously.
"Hello?"
Chloe's voice exploded through the speaker.
"LILLIAN WHAT DID YOU DO?!"
She winced.
"Good morning to you too."
"Don't good morning me!"
Lillian sighed.
"You already saw it."
"Of course I saw it!" Chloe said.
"You and Sebastian are on a Dallas business blog!"
Lillian rubbed her forehead.
"It's not that dramatic."
"It absolutely is!"
Chloe continued rapidly.
"I knew you were in Dallas for the meeting, but I didn't think you'd end up on the internet!"
Sebastian smirked from the bed.
Lillian shot him a look.
"Stop enjoying this."
"I'm not enjoying it," he said calmly.
"You're smiling."
"I'm observing."
Chloe's voice came through again.
"Wait. Is he there right now?"
Lillian sighed.
"Yes."
Sebastian leaned slightly toward the phone.
"Good morning, Miss Jones."
There was a brief pause.
Then—
"Oh my god."
Sebastian's smirk widened.
"Nice to hear from you too."
Chloe groaned loudly.
"I cannot believe this."
Lillian sighed.
"It's just a picture."
"It's not just a picture," Chloe said.
"It's Sebastian Wolfe and his secretary leaving a romantic restaurant!"
Lillian groaned and buried her face in her hand.
"It wasn't romantic."
Sebastian raised an eyebrow.
"Are you sure about that?"
She kicked him lightly under the blanket.
Chloe continued.
"Wait, hold on. Are you two still in Dallas?"
"Yes," Lillian said.
"When are you coming back?"
"In a few hours."
"Ooooh," Chloe said.
"Private jet ride home?"
Lillian hesitated.
"…Yes."
Chloe groaned dramatically.
"I hate your life."
Sebastian chuckled.
Lillian glared at him.
"You're not helping."
Chloe continued.
"Well, good luck surviving the internet."
"Thanks," Lillian said dryly.
"And Lillian?"
"Yes?"
"I'm absolutely interrogating you when you get back."
"I expected that."
Sebastian calmly reached over and ended the call.
Lillian blinked.
"You just hung up on her."
"Yes."
"She wasn't finished talking."
"She never is."
Lillian sighed.
"She's going to call again."
"Probably."
Sebastian stood and stretched slightly.
"We should get ready."
She nodded.
"Right."
But her eyes drifted back to the article on her phone.
Sebastian noticed.
"You're still thinking about it."
She looked up.
"I can't help it."
He studied her quietly for a moment.
"Come on."
"Where?"
"Back home."
Two hours later.
A sleek black car rolled onto the private airport runway.
Lillian stepped out slowly.
Sebastian's jet waited nearby, gleaming in the sunlight.
The crew greeted them politely.
They climbed aboard.
Inside, the cabin was calm and luxurious.
Soft lighting.
Cream leather seats.
Large windows overlooking the runway.
Lillian sat down quietly, her phone still in her hand.
Sebastian took the seat across from her.
The engines started warming up.
She looked out the window.
"You're really not worried about the article?"
"No."
"What if more reporters start writing about it?"
"They probably will."
She looked at him.
"That doesn't bother you?"
"No."
"Why?"
He leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees.
"Because none of it changes anything."
Her brows furrowed.
"What do you mean?"
His voice softened.
"It doesn't change the fact that you're here with me."
Her heart fluttered slightly.
The jet began rolling down the runway.
"And it doesn't change the fact that I want you here."
The engines roared.
The plane lifted smoothly into the sky.
Lillian looked out at the shrinking Dallas skyline.
Then back at him.
"You're very confident about this."
"I am."
"Why?"
His gaze softened slightly.
"Because I trust us."
Something in her chest relaxed.
She leaned back in her seat.
Outside, clouds drifted past the windows.
And somewhere back in Dallas…
A reporter sat in a quiet office.
Looking at the same photo.
Already writing the next story.