"Should we hold a press conference?" Caden asked when he saw how anxious I was. "What's the point?" I sighed. "Even if we do, without the money to grease the wheels, the press will still spin the story however they like." I stretched lazily and flopped into Caden's arms, curling up until I found a comfortable spot and closed my eyes. "I've already arranged for everything to be handled," Caden said, his voice calm. "As for that reporter—if he dares to say one more word, he'll be hearing from our lawyer." I tilted my head back and pouted as I stared up at his jawline. "Can't even get a proper break during the holidays." Caden lowered his gaze and pressed a kiss to my lips. Naomi's POV: "You two ... Just thinking about you two gives me a headache," Sandra groaned. Even though the last incident had blown over a few days ago, it had stirred up a fresh wave of gossip online. My manager looked at me like I was a hopeless case. "I told you ... that scene didn't feel right to either of us. And in the moment, it just kinda happened," I muttered, biting the inside of my cheek. Honestly, I was still in shock from what happened that night. Jasper ... he'sseriouslythechaos in mylife. "You really think anyone's going to believe that? Huh?" My manager snapped, rolling her eyes. "That excuse is so flimsy, it sounds ridiculous." I puffed out my cheeks and stayed quiet, my tongue pressing against the roof of my mouth. "The studio sent a production team to the bar," she continued. "They filmed a scene based on what happened and spliced it into the teaser trailer." She slid a revised script across the table toward me. I didn't say anything. My eyes just rested on the script while my fingers curled tightly in my lap. "Naomi, tell me the truth," she said suddenly, serious now. "Do you actually like Dr. Foster?" My hand froze around my cup. I looked up and met her eyes, overwhelmed with guilt. "Duh! I mean ... if I didn't like him, why would I be dating him?" I said with a sheepish smile and quickly took a sip of water.She stared at me for a moment, then let out a long sigh. "Samuel really crossed a line, you know. Confessing his love at the kickoff ceremony? You're still rising in your career—getting caught up in a public relationship could seriously affect your image. What was he thinking?" "Can you not blame him?" I said softly, unable to help myself. "Knew you'd defend him," she huffed. "You two are just—" Before she could finish, my phone buzzed. She caught a glimpse of the contact name and smirked. "Your sweetheart coming to pick you up again?" "Sandra!" I protested, cheeks flushing as I shot off a quick reply to Samuel. "Alright, alright, I'll give you two some space," she chuckled, standing up. "I'll come back to get you later." As soon as Samuel got my message, he called me right away. I stared at the screen for a long moment before finally answering. "Hey, are you busy?" His voice was gentle. "Did I catch you at a bad time?" I said apologetically, "No, I was just reading through the script. Sorry—I won't be able to do dinner tonight. The crew added some last-minute scenes." "That's okay," he said warmly. "Just don't overwork yourself." I hesitated, fiddling with the edge of my shirt. Then, in a quiet voice, I said, "Samuel ... " "Yeah?" "I want to see you," I whispered. "Right now." He didn't even hesitate. "Okay, I'll be there." Samuel's POV: The second I stepped into the hotel lobby, Naomi came running straight toward me. I opened my arms and caught her tightly in my embrace. She buried her face against my neck and didn't say a word—just held on quietly. "What's wrong?" I gently ran my fingers through her hair and lowered my voice. We weren't alone. Other guests and members of the production team were around, and some had already started staring. I even saw someone pull out their phone, so I moved quickly to shield Naomi's face.She noticed the stares too—but didn't care. She rose on her toes and kissed me right there. I froze. I hadn't expected it at all. Her lips were cool, soft, and sweet ... and for a moment, I forgot how to move. When the kiss ended, she grabbed my hand and led me upstairs. Once inside the room, she threw herself face-first onto the bed, but her expression was cold. I walked over and gently cupped her face, asking cautiously, "Are you upset?" She sat up halfway and gave a small shake of her head but said nothing. My heart ached seeing her like this. I knelt beside the bed and looked up at her. Her eyes flickered, uncertain. She leaned down to kiss me again, but I creased my brows and turned my head away. She looked confused, so I held her face in my hands and said softly, "When you did this, it hurt me too. I want to be someone you can rely on—not someone who just stands by helplessly while you shut me out." I truly loved her. But right now, it felt like she was trapped in a shell I couldn't break through. "Why?" Suddenly, Naomi threw herself into my arms, her voice muffled against my chest. "Why are you so good to me?"