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Talia smiles.

“Lean into it. A curated romance narrative could be what we need to redirect attention away from the scandal.”

My mouth drops open. “You want us to fake a relationship?”

“I want you to control the story instead of letting it control you.”

“That's insane.” I stand up again, unable to stay still. “I can't ask Sean to do that. And I can't subject myself to even more public scrutiny.”

“The thing is,” Talia counters, “this would give you the perfect excuse to be seen together everywhere without raising suspicions about security concerns. Plus, the public loves a good romance. It humanizes you.”

“I’m already human just like them. I don't need to be humanized.”

“Everyone who's been portrayed as a villain does.”

That stings, but she's not wrong. The scandal has painted me as a corporate shark who steals from the little guy.

I shake my head.

“I can't do it. The media would be all over us. They'd dig into Sean's life. Eric would be confused. It's too complicated.”

“It's temporary,” Talia argues. “Just until the product launch. Just until we gather enough evidence to stand against Marlowe and Camille. Six weeks, max.”

“No, I can’t. I’ve kept my private life private for a reason. I don’t want to drag Sean into this circus.”

“I think this is a good idea.”

Sean's deep voice cuts through our debate. We both turn to stare at him.

“You what?” I blink, certain I've misheard.

“It’s a good idea. I’ll do it.” His face is calm, his tone even calmer. “If it helps take the negative attention off you and the company, I'm in.”

Talia claps her hands once, beaming as if Christmas came early.

“Perfect!”

“Wait, you can't be serious.” I look at Sean, hands on my hips. “This would put you in the spotlight. Everything you hate.”

“I hate seeing you and your son stressed even more. This is my job, Wren. Protecting you and your interests. If it helps you. If it protects Eric. Then yeah. Let’s do it.”

His job. Of course. This is just another security tactic for him. Nothing personal. The realization shouldn't hurt, but it does.

“It would be for appearances,” Talia clarifies, sensing my hesitation. “A few public sightings. You know, soft launches. Coffee dates. Some strategic articles. Nothing over the top.”

“I’m in. If you agree, of course.”

They're both looking at me now, waiting for my decision. The smart move would be to say yes. To use this unexpected development to our advantage. To protect my company.

“Fine.” I let out a slow exhale. “But we set boundaries. And it ends after the product launch.”

“Sure!” Talia's already typing notes into her tablet. “I'll draft some guidelines for appearances, social media engagement, all of it.”

“And Eric?”

“We keep him out of it,” Sean says in a firm tone. “We’ll have to tell him we're spending time together because I'm helping you with work.”

It's a sensible plan. Clean. Professional. So why does my heart feel so tangled?