AGAINST ALL ODDS

heavily on her. The grand room, with its plush furnishings and gilded accents, felt more like a gilded cage than a sanctua

ide table, jolting her out o

tone light but tinged with concern. "How's

, rubbing her temple

y in overdrive trying to spin yesterday's mess. Clara's fa

omach sinking. "Wh

reasons," Jasper said, his tone grim. "Headlines like Runaway

ty of the situation crashing do

said. "But hey, at le

ing," Sam

nd modern sophistication, with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, leather armchairs, and a massi

see me?" she as

xpression unread

rves fraying with

ed yesterday," he began, his voice me

herself for

e continued. "The media won't stop digging un

nfused. "What a

his eyes locking onto hers. "At least for now.

ped. "You can'

eputations. If we go public with the truth now, it'll be chaos. But i

idea was insane-but was it any more insa

ter a few months?" s

t ways. By then, people will have moved on

risky, but it might be the o

aid finally.

image. Luke's PR team worked tirelessly, arranging intervi

r she had never asked for. Designer gowns, high-profile c

began to settle into her role. She and Luke developed a rhythm-a

e surface, crac

motionally guarded. He was polite and respectful, but t

rly grueling charity gala, Sam

as they sat in the back of a limo, th

his expression weary.

u put on this perfect façade, bu

letting people in means givin

the air, heavy w

nts to hurt you,

stant. "Maybe not. But I'm no

ere moments when Luke let his guard down-like when he shared stories of h

uestion everything she t

, she found herself

red the picture. She showed up unannounced at the Ashford estat

she said, her eyes dart

ned. "You've done

pleaded. "I just

ly, they

for putting Sam in an impossible position. She insisted she had no intention of recl

ture of her arrangement with Luke. No matter how much progress th

lur. Sam and Luke found themselves grappling with unexpected emotions,

ntal partnership evolve into something real,