The next few days were quieter, but the tension between Ellie and Adrian was palpable. The social media storm had subsided after Adrian's public defense of her, but Ellie still felt uneasy. She couldn't shake the feeling that Damien wasn't done with them yet.

Adrian, meanwhile, buried himself in work. His intensity grew sharper, and though he wasn't outright cold to Ellie, his focus on the company made him more distant.

"You're brooding again," Ellie said one evening as Adrian sat at his desk, scrolling through files on his laptop.

He glanced up briefly. "I don't brood."

"You absolutely do," Ellie replied, sitting on the couch and pulling her legs beneath her. "Is this about Damien? Or something else?"

Adrian sighed, closing his laptop. "It's everything. The board is nervous after the Damien leak. Even though the public has mostly sided with us, any hint of instability affects business."

Ellie tilted her head, her curiosity piqued. "You've built this empire—surely one man can't topple it."

"You'd be surprised," Adrian said grimly. "In this world, perception matters more than reality. And Damien knows how to manipulate it."

Ellie leaned back, studying him. "You really carry the weight of everything, don't you?"

"It's what I signed up for," Adrian said simply.

Ellie hesitated, then softened her tone. "You know, you don't have to do it alone. I may not be a business mogul, but I'm not useless."

Adrian's gaze lingered on her for a moment, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. "I didn't say you were."

The following day, Adrian's assistant Claire arrived with more troubling news.

"Damien has been cozying up to the board," Claire said, her tone clipped. "Rumor has it he's trying to plant doubts about your leadership. He's claiming your 'marriage scandal' has damaged the company's reputation."

Adrian's jaw tightened, his knuckles whitening as he gripped his coffee mug.

"Why does this man have so much free time?" Ellie muttered, pacing the room.

Adrian didn't answer. Instead, he turned to Claire. "Schedule a meeting with the board. I'll deal with this personally."

"Adrian," Ellie said cautiously, "what if Damien's counting on you to react? What if this is part of his plan?"

Adrian looked at her, his expression hard. "Then I'll outplay him."

That evening, Adrian prepared for his meeting with the board while Ellie wandered the penthouse, restless. She hated feeling like a pawn in someone else's game, but Adrian's world was ruthless, and she was beginning to understand just how high the stakes were.

As she passed Adrian's office, she overheard fragments of his conversation on the phone.

"No, I don't need backup," Adrian was saying, his voice low and firm. "This is my responsibility."

Ellie frowned, stepping into the doorway. "What's your responsibility?"

Adrian hung up, his shoulders tense. "Nothing you need to worry about."

"Adrian," Ellie said, crossing her arms, "you can't keep shutting me out. We're supposed to be partners, remember?"

Adrian hesitated, then sighed. "Damien's trying to orchestrate a coup. He's courting the board to vote against my leadership."

Ellie's eyes widened. "Can they do that?"

"It's unlikely," Adrian admitted, "but not impossible. If he convinces enough of them, it could destabilize everything I've built."

"Then we fight back," Ellie said firmly.

Adrian looked at her, surprised. "You're not obligated to help with this, Ellie. This is my battle."

"No, it's our battle," Ellie said, stepping closer. "You brought me into this world, Adrian. I'm not just going to stand by while someone tries to tear it apart."

The next day, Ellie joined Adrian at the board meeting—a calculated move to reinforce the image of their strong partnership.

As they entered the sleek conference room, all eyes turned to them. Ellie squared her shoulders, refusing to let the intimidating atmosphere shake her.

Damien was there, of course, leaning casually against the wall. He smirked as they walked in, but Ellie didn't give him the satisfaction of a reaction.

The meeting was tense. Damien made thinly veiled remarks about "unnecessary distractions" and "public missteps," but Adrian countered every point with calm precision.

Ellie watched him in awe. He was a master of control, his confidence unshakable even under fire.

When the meeting adjourned, Damien approached them, his smirk widening.

"Well played, Adrian," he said. "But this isn't over."

Adrian's eyes narrowed. "It is if you're smart, Damien. Walk away while you still can."

Damien chuckled. "You know me better than that." His gaze shifted to Ellie. "And you, Eleanor—how long do you think you can keep up this charade?"

Ellie didn't miss a beat. "As long as it takes to win. And trust me, we will."

Damien's smirk faltered for a fraction of a second before he turned and walked away.

Adrian looked at Ellie, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "You handled that well."

"Guess I'm learning from the best," she said, her voice light but her eyes serious.

Back at the penthouse, Adrian poured them both a glass of wine.

"To survival," Ellie said, raising her glass.

Adrian chuckled, clinking his glass against hers. "To survival—and unexpected allies."

They sat in companionable silence, the weight of the day lifting slightly. For the first time, Ellie felt like they were truly in this together—not just as part of their fake marriage, but as a team.

But deep down, she knew Damien wasn't done. And as much as she hated to admit it, the growing closeness between her and Adrian terrified her almost as much as Damien's schemes.

To be continued...