Chapter 5 The First Public Outing

Madison POV

My hands shook as I fixed the diamond bracelet on my wrist. Its cold weight reminded me of the part I would soon play. The dress Ethan had delivered earlier fit my body too well. Its sparkling fabric caught the low light in my bedroom. I felt like it served more as protection than clothing-meant to shield me from curious gazes and harsh opinions.

A loud knock on my door startled me out of my thoughts. I opened it to see a driver in a suit holding a fancy invitation with gold print.

"Miss Russo, Mr. Blackwell's car is ready," he said in a polite but cool tone.

I nodded and grabbed my clutch forcing a smile. This marked my debut as Ethan Blackwell's fiancée in public.

The trip to the venue seemed to drag on, with city lights blurring past as my anxiety grew every moment. Ethan had wanted us to take different cars to avoid raising suspicion, a small blessing that allowed me time to pull myself together.

The car halted right at the grand entrance and I just stood there, stuck. This fashion show was all about glitz and power, what with that red carpet rolled out on the walkway and a horde of camera folks ready for action.

My insides were doing somersaults as I made my way out bombarded by a mess of intense flashes and loud hollers for attention.

"Miss Russo!"

"Look this way!"

"Stoked about tonight?"

All I did was sort of nod gripping my purse for dear life. On the slick surface, my heels were not too steady, and I couldn't help but mutter a few choice words to myself.

And then there he was. Ethan Blackwell was by the door looking sharp in his tailor-made suit, owning the room. He locked eyes with me, and just like that, the mess around us seemed to vanish.

He made his way over with sure steps and reached out to shake my hand. "Glad you're here," he told me in a voice so soft I caught it.

"I almost wasn't," I said under my breath, as our hands clasped.

"Put on a happy face, Madison," he breathed out squeezing my hand a bit more. "Eyes of the cameras are on us."

Arm in arm, we strolled down the red carpet, his hand just chilling on my back. I was all nerves feeling like a total fake in this alien world, every move I made picked apart by cameras and hushed gossip. So it happened. I snagged my shoe heel on the carpet, which made me stumble forward. The audience gasped, and I was ready to be super embarrassed by falling flat on my face in front of all these fancy folks.

But quick as lightning, Ethan whipped out his arm to keep me from falling. He yanked me close, with one hand on my waist, and whispered "Careful" in my ear.

Time just kinda stopped then. His grip was strong, it kept me from wobbling, and I could feel his breath on my ear. Every camera in the place went nuts snapping pics of our every move. Laughing on purpose, I attempted to dismiss it. "Seems I'm not ready for all these eyes on me."

Ethan cracked a grin. "You'll get the hang of it."

Stepping inside, the place struck me even harder. A catwalk spanned the space, and all around, the town's top dogs sat in neat rows. They were the ones who had some pull around here. Ethan led me to our spots right up the front, his hand chilling on my back. Couldn't stand how comfy it felt, like he was nailing the whole perfect fiancé act . As the room got dark and the event kicked off, I put all my effort into watching the models work the catwalk. Yet, my brain kept looping back to the red carpet moment when Ethan snagged me like it was nothing. "It's not too shabby here, right?" Ethan whispered edging in. A quick look his way, and I caught the playful glint in his gaze. "Easy for you to say. I'm all kinds of awkward here." He let out a quiet laugh. "You'll adjust. Just flash a grin and recall your purpose for being here." His comment hit me hard, like a nudge about the agreement that led me to this place. I wasn't genuinely his fiancée-I was a chess piece meant to fix up how people saw him.

As the event unfolded, it didn't escape my notice – the low talk and quick looks from the crowd. It wasn't the clothes they were impressed by; they were sizing me up puzzling over my identity and my reason for being with Ethan Blackwell. A sense of pressure clamped down on my chest. I had dedicated years to chase down leads always in the backdrop digging for facts. Now, I had become the headline, and it was overwhelming. "Ethan whispered, 'Relax,' while his hand touched mine. I gave him a sharp look. 'That's easy to say for you. You're no stranger to all this.'"

His face grew softer though he stayed quiet. , I caught this look in his eyes like he got what was going on inside my head.

The show wrapped up, and everyone headed to some fancy lounge to grab drinks and chat. Ethan didn't leave my side making sure I met a bunch of fashion folks, money people, and fancy types. Problem was, all their names just started to mash up in my brain. I did my best to play my part always grinning and giving a nod when it seemed right. But I started to feel like my facade was faltering. The evening's heaviness was catching up, and I craved some fresh air.

"I need to hit the bathroom," I muttered breaking away from another round of hellos.

Ethan's forehead creased a bit. "Try not to stray too far off."

I gave a slight eye roll. "I'll be okay."

I stumbled upon a hushed spot close to the bathrooms and slumped against the wall, shutting my eyes. The buzz and giggles from the shindig sounded far off, like some muffled commotion in the back of my mind.

Now am wondering why I am even here? This wasn't my scene. I'm a journalist, not somebody who rubs elbows with the elite. And pretending to be engaged to a guy like Ethan Blackwell? That's not me.

But yeah, it was me who nodded yes to this mess. I knew the deal right from the start.

Yet, I couldn't help thinking I'd bitten off more than I could chew.

I stood there gathering my wits, and I sensed someone was behind me. I spun around to see Ethan observing me, with a look I couldn't read on his face.

"You're taking a break this soon?" he questioned, his voice airy but with an undertone I couldn't identify.

"Nah just getting my breath back," I replied getting myself together.

He moved in a bit eyeballing me. "You're holding up better than I thought you would."

I was taken aback unsure if he was giving me a compliment.

Right before I had the chance to say something back, he threw in, "The night's still young though. Think you can dive back into it?"

I paused feeling the heaviness of his question. This was the start, and I doubted whether I had what it takes for the upcoming challenges.

Still, I managed a nod and a fake grin. "Take the lead."

Ethan held out his arm, and when I grabbed it, thoughts buzzed in my head about stepping into a snare I set myself.