Tammy was quietly crying, looking completely defeated. “I told you—I never liked you in the first place. And you already have a boyfriend. You think it’s okay to mess with people like that? That’s just disgusting.” Adrian’s tone was sharp. He’d clearly misunderstood, and he didn’t hold back. “I don’t!” Tammy shot back, panicked. “He’s not my boyfriend—he’s my cousin!” She scrambled to explain. “I swear I’m not lying. He’s my actual cousin—my aunt’s son. We’re just close, that’s all. It’s not what you think.” Adrian looked embarrassed, but some of the tension in his face started to ease. “Okay. Got it.” Tammy wasn’t clueless—she could see the shift in his mood. She wiped her tears, and her whole face lit up with a hopeful smile. “So... does that mean you can be my boyfriend now?” Damn, I thought, watching from a few feet away. Say what you wanted about celebrities—Tammy’s smile was no joke. She knew exactly how to turn it on. Even Adrian, who never reacts to anything, looked like his brain just short-circuited. He turned bright red. “I didn’t say that! Don’t just make stuff up!” “Oh, come on. You said you understood. Understood what? That I like you, right? So if you get it, that must mean you’re saying yes.” Tammy had a real talent for twisting logic in her favor—and for once, it was working. Adrian was clearly overwhelmed. His eyes darted everywhere, looking for an escape route. He clearly couldn’t keep up—and finally decided to run. Tammy, seeing he was about to bolt, reached out and grabbed his arm. But she pulled too hard, lost her balance, and fell right into him. Adrian, completely caught off guard, yelped. “Tammy! What are you doing?” She winced and rubbed her forehead—she’d smacked her head right into his chin. “I only meant to grab you—I didn’t mean to knock you over!” Tammy started to push herself up, but her heel caught her long dress, and she slipped again—falling right back onto Adrian’s chest. He let out an exasperated groan. “Can you please just get off me already?” “I’m trying!”She braced herself, but her foot slid again, and boom—third fall. This time, their lips accidentally met. Oh my god, I thought. Did they just kiss? Seriously? Moon Goddess, they actually kissed? I couldn’t stop myself—I leaned forward, peeking out from where I’d been hiding to get a better look. Adrian was bright red and furious. “Tammy! What the h*ll are you doing?” Tammy blinked, completely innocent. “Why are you yelling? It’s not like I did it on purpose.” Before she could say another word, Adrian gently pushed her aside, got to his feet, and brushed himself off. “That was my first kiss,” he muttered. Tammy’s cheeks flamed. She frowned, mumbling, “It was mine too, okay? I’m not the one freaking out.” Adrian glared at her, face still flushed, then stormed off without another word. Tammy stood there for a second, then gently touched her lips, processing what had just happened. Suddenly, she beamed. “He said that was his first kiss... so that means I got his first kiss?” She whispered to herself. “Yes!” I stepped out from behind the corner, watching her bounce away, and couldn’t help smiling to myself. Those two... honestly, they were kind of adorable. That’s when a voice spoke up behind me. “I saw everything.” I spun around—Randall, of course. I had no idea where he came from, but he was watching me with an amused smirk. His smile didn’t sit right with me. Something about it set off an alarm in my gut. “What do you want?” I asked sharply, instantly on guard. He held up his hands in mock innocence. “Nothing at all. Just thought I’d chat with Ms. Beck about what we both happened to witness.” He was clearly referring to Tammy and Adrian. I didn’t appreciate the implication. I narrowed my eyes. “So what if I did?”“Nothing… unless the person watching had been a reporter.” He gave a lazy shrug. “If I remember right, Tammy’s whole image is built on being sweet and innocent. But if her fans found out she’s crushing on someone—and that they kissed? That perfect image? Gone. Her career? Probably gone with it.” His smile turned almost playful, but the tone under it was anything but. “And let’s not forget—Tammy didn’t just invite a bunch of close friends tonight. There are influencers here. Society people. The kind of crowd where one whisper turns into a headline. It doesn’t matter what’s true. If the wrong person spins the story, it’s over.” I crossed my arms. “But the only people who saw it were you and me. As long as you keep your mouth shut, it won’t go anywhere.” I could hear the threat buried underneath his words, and it pissed me off. “Unless... you’re planning to use this against her. Is that it? Don’t tell me you’ve got nothing better to do, Mr. Randall.” He raised a brow. “Is that really what you think of me?” “No,” I said flatly. “I’m hoping you’ll think this through.” Randall chuckled, low and easy. “Funny. You’re usually so sharp, Ms. Beck. And now it seems you’re missing the obvious.” My eyes narrowed. “What’s that supposed to mean?” He leaned in, his voice dropping just above a whisper. “We weren’t the only ones watching.”