Chapter 5 Clearing the Air

Caleb stared at the disturbing photos of Lucy with red X's over her face, his jaw clenched so tight it ached. This wasn't just harassment anymore. This had been a targeted campaign with deadly intentions.

"Sir?" his assistant Sarah knocked on his office door at seven AM. "You wanted to see me early?"

"Schedule a press conference for this afternoon. I want every major entertainment outlet there."

Sarah blinked in surprise. "A press conference? You never do press conferences."

"I'm making an exception. Someone tried to destroy an innocent woman's life and drag my studio's reputation through the mud. It ends now."

"What should I tell them it's about?"

"Tell them Caleb Sinclair is setting the record straight about recent events involving Sinclair Studios talent. That should get their attention."

After Sarah left, Caleb called his PR team and legal department. By noon, the studio's main conference room was transformed into a media circus with cameras, reporters, and enough lighting equipment to power a small city.

Caleb adjusted his tie and walked to the podium, commanding the room with his presence alone. He rarely spoke to press, preferring to let his work speak for itself. But desperate times called for extreme measures.

"Good afternoon. I'm here to address the recent attacks on Sinclair Studios talent and set the record straight about what actually happened."

The room fell silent except for camera clicks.

"Two days ago, individuals acting with malicious intent targeted one of our actresses with a coordinated harassment campaign. This included leaking confidential casting information, posting personal addresses and work schedules online, and creating fake social media posts designed to damage reputations."

He paused, letting that sink in.

"I want to be absolutely clear. The individuals responsible have been arrested and are facing federal charges for cyber harassment and criminal conspiracy. The fake posts about Miss Montenegro were fabricated entirely. Anyone continuing to spread these lies will face legal action from both the studio and Miss Montenegro's legal team."

A reporter raised her hand. "Mr. Sinclair, can you comment on your personal involvement in protecting the targeted actress?"

Caleb had anticipated this question but it still hit like a punch to the gut.

"Sinclair Studios has a responsibility to protect all our talent from criminal harassment. We provided Miss Martinez with secure accommodation until the threats against her could be neutralized. Any implication that this was anything other than standard studio protocol is categorically false."

The lie came easily, but it tasted bitter.

"Mr. Sinclair," another reporter called out, "sources say you personally intervened to help Miss Martinez. Can you explain why an unknown actress would receive such high-level attention?"

"Miss Martinez earned her role through talent and hard work. The fact that someone tried to destroy her over professional jealousy says more about this industry's toxic culture than about her worthiness. We will not tolerate criminal behavior directed at any of our people."

After thirty more minutes of carefully deflecting personal questions, Caleb escaped to his office feeling like he'd just run a marathon. His phone was already buzzing with news alerts about his rare public appearance.

Twenty minutes later, it rang with the call he'd been hoping for.

"Baby, I just watched your press conference," Theresa's voice was warm for the first time in days. "You were incredible. So commanding and protective."

"Did it help?"

"Vogue called ten minutes ago. They want me back for the cover shoot. Apparently your statement convinced them the affair rumors were fabricated." She paused. "I'm sorry I was so harsh yesterday. I know you were just trying to protect someone who needed help."

Caleb closed his eyes, guilt washing over him. "You don't need to apologize."

"Yes, I do. I let my insecurities get the better of me. It's just... sometimes I feel like I'm losing you to that business, and when I saw some girl getting your personal attention, I panicked."

"You're not losing me." The words felt heavy on his tongue.

"Good, because I love you too much to let some wannabe actress come between us. Not that she was really a threat anyway."

If only she knew how wrong she was.

After they hung up, Caleb should have felt relieved. The press conference had worked, Theresa was happy, and the threat to Lucy had been neutralized. Instead, he felt hollow.

His phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number. His blood chilled, thinking it might be another threat, but the message made him smile despite everything.

"Saw your press conference. Thank you for defending me. You didn't have to do that. - Lucy"

He stared at the message for a long time before typing back: "Yes, I did."

Three dots appeared, then disappeared, then appeared again. Finally: "Can I cook you dinner tonight? It's the least I can do."

Caleb knew he should say no. The smart thing, the safe thing, would be to maintain professional distance now that the crisis was over. Theresa was happy, Lucy was safe, and he could pretend the last few days had been nothing but business.

But the thought of Lucy in his kitchen, cooking for him in the apartment where he'd imagined her belonging, was too tempting to resist.

"I'll be there at eight."

That evening, Caleb used his private key to enter the downtown apartment quietly. The smell of something delicious hit him immediately, followed by the sound of Lucy's laughter mixing with Tiana's voice from the kitchen.

"No, you absolutely cannot put that much garlic in the sauce," Lucy was saying. "Do you want to kill the man?"

"Maybe a little. He's been way too perfect. There has to be a flaw somewhere."

Caleb smiled despite himself, staying hidden in the hallway to listen.

"He saved our lives, Tiana. Show some gratitude."

"Oh, I'm grateful. I'm also suspicious. Rich, powerful men don't usually go this far for strangers unless they want something."

"Maybe he's just a good person."

"Honey, I love you, but you're naive. Did you see the way he looked at you yesterday? That wasn't charity."

Caleb's chest tightened. If Tiana could see it, how long before everyone else did too?

"You're imagining things," Lucy said, but her voice was uncertain.

"Am I? Because the way you've been talking about him doesn't sound very professional either."

Silence fell in the kitchen. Caleb knew he should announce his presence, but he found himself waiting for Lucy's response.

"It doesn't matter anyway," she finally said quietly. "He has a girlfriend. A famous, gorgeous girlfriend who he's clearly crazy about."

"And if he didn't?"

Another long pause. "Then I'd be in serious trouble."

Caleb's phone chose that moment to buzz loudly with an incoming call. The conversation in the kitchen stopped abruptly.

"That's probably him now," Lucy said, and he could hear the panic in her voice.

Caleb looked at his phone screen and his heart dropped. Theresa's photo smiled back at him, and for the first time in two years, he didn't want to answer her call.

Which meant Tiana was right.

He was in serious trouble too.