Aria knew this question was coming.

In fact, she had spent hours meticulously preparing for it.

She needed a narrative that was sweet but chaotic, dramatic but believable, and most importantly, it had to make sense given Damien’s notoriously terrifying public persona. A classic, clumsy rom-com meet-cute was never going to fly. She needed just a tiny speck of truth to anchor the lie.

Aria let out a soft, theatrical sigh, leaning back into the plush white armchair. She looked out at the sea of eager faces in the studio audience, instantly slipping into her element.

"Well, Savannah," Aria began, her voice projecting with the effortless, captivating cadence of a seasoned storyteller. "It definitely wasn’t a fairy tale. Actually, it started on one of the worst days of my life."

The audience instantly went dead quiet, leaning forward in their seats.

"I had just gone through a spectacularly messy, very public breakup," Aria continued, waving a dismissive hand in the air. "We all know the one, so let’s not give him any unnecessary free airtime today."

A ripple of knowing laughter and applause echoed through the crowd. Beside her, Damien’s lips twitched upward into a dark, highly amused smirk.

"I was hiding out in a hotel hallway, just trying to process my life falling apart," Aria narrated, her eyes wide and animated. "And that was when I literally bumped into him... into Damien Sinclair."

A collective gasp swept through the audience.

"I had no idea who I bumped into at first," Aria lied flawlessly, turning her body slightly to look affectionately at her husband. "All I saw was this handsome, towering man in a suit, radiating an aura of...well...homicide."

The audience giggled nervously, glancing at Damien to see if he was offended.

He wasn’t. He was watching his wife with a look of pure, undivided fascination.

"Don’t ask me how but I noticed he was suffering from a tension headache," Aria explained, dropping her voice into a conspiratorial whisper that made the entire studio lean in closer. "His security detail was terrified to even breathe near him. Everything was happening right in the hallway, so I was there and I watched them try all sorts of medication, and nothing was working; even the doctors gave up after a while. At that time, he was basically like a wounded bear."

Aria hummed then laughed as she added, "Not really the cuddly kind."

"So, what did you do?" Savannah asked, leaning forward, genuinely captivated.

"It was painful to watch and despite all the warning bells in my head, I marched right up to him," Aria declared proudly. "I learned Traditional Chinese Medicine from my grandmother. So, I know acupressure and acupuncture like the back of my hand. He was being stubborn of course and refusing my help, but I looked this terrifying billionaire dead in the eye, pulled a three-inch silver needle out of my hair, and told him to sit down and shut up so I could help him."

The studio audience shrieked, a mix of shock and laughter filling the room.

Damien squeezed her hand, playing along with Oscar-worthy perfection.

"She was extremely bossy," Damien rumbled, speaking directly into his lapel microphone for the first time since the story began. His deep, gravelly voice sent a visible shiver through the crowd. "I didn’t have a choice but to submit."

The crowd lost its mind. The ’taming the beast’ trope was playing out right in front of their eyes in high definition, and they were eating out of the palm of Aria’s hand.

"I hit his Fengchi acupressure points," Aria smiled, soaking in the applause. "Cured the migraine in under five minutes. He looked at me like I had performed actual magic."

She turned back to Savannah, her emerald eyes dancing with wicked, playful humor. "Honestly? I’m pretty sure he only married me for the free, on-demand healthcare."

The audience roared with laughter, entirely charmed by her spin on their billionaire romance.

Savannah’s polite, professional smile strained so hard her botoxed cheeks looked like they were going to snap.

"That is an incredible story, Aria," Savannah cooed, seamlessly shifting the gears of the interview. "A real ’beauty soothing the beast’ moment. But speaking of powerful love stories..."

Savannah paused, her eyes glinting with manufactured innocence.

"Many people were really shocked when Damien Sinclair settled down, considering his notoriously high-profile past," Savannah noted smoothly. "Specifically, his long-term relationship with Vittoria Rossi. The Italian millionaire. The visionary."

Aria didn’t even blink.

She knew exactly what this was. This was the classic, misogynistic ’ex-girlfriend trap.’ Savannah was deliberately trying to pit two successful women against each other on live television to stir up the possibility of a viral, petty catfight. She wanted Aria to look jealous, insecure, and threatened.

"Have you ever met Vittoria?" Savannah pressed, leaning in like a shark tasting blood in the water. "Is it intimidating to step into the shoes of a woman with such an immense, global legacy?"

The studio audience went dead silent. The tension spiked instantly, thick and suffocating.

Damien’s grip on Aria’s hand tightened. His golden eyes darkened, fixing Savannah with a stare so cold it could have frozen the air in the room. He was half a second away from ending the broadcast himself.

But Aria squeezed his fingers back, silencing him with a gentle touch.

She turned her gaze to Savannah, her expression composed, regal, and simply untouchable.

"I have never had the pleasure of meeting Vittoria personally," Aria answered, her voice ringing clear and steady over the hushed soundstage. "But I am certainly familiar with her work and her influence. And frankly, Savannah, I find her to be an absolute inspiration."

Savannah’s predatory smile faltered. "Oh?"

"Absolutely," Aria nodded, looking out at the cameras with unwavering confidence. "Vittoria Rossi has made massive, unprecedented strides for women in a male-dominated corporate sphere. She shatters glass ceilings for breakfast. As a fellow woman trying to build her own legacy in the entertainment industry, I have nothing but profound respect and admiration for her."

Aria tilted her chin up, delivering the final, flawless kill shot.

"I don’t believe in competing with other women," Aria stated, her voice dropping into a smooth, cool register. "Especially not over a man who has already put a ring on my finger. There is more than enough room at the top for all of us to shine."

The studio audience erupted.

It wasn’t just applause; it was a deafening, thunderous standing ovation. Women in the crowd were cheering, completely won over by her classy, feminist takedown of a deeply sexist narrative.

Damien let out a low, dark hum of approval, his thumb stroking the back of her hand. He looked at his wife with a pride so fierce it was almost palpable.

Savannah sat frozen on her plush armchair. She had thrown a live grenade, and Aria had effortlessly caught it and dismantled it without breaking a sweat. The host was almost out of ammunition, and her allotted segment time was rapidly draining.

Desperation clawed at Savannah’s throat. She needed a viral soundbite. She needed a headline that didn’t just read ’Aria Sinclair is Perfect.’

"That is a very mature perspective, Aria," Savannah forced out, her voice slightly strained as she quickly checked her final cue card. "And speaking of legacies and business... let’s talk about your family."

Aria’s flawless smile didn’t waver, but internally, her guard went up.

"It has been a highly publicized, tumultuous few weeks for the Vale family," Savannah pivoted, her tone dropping into a grave, serious newscaster cadence. "Your father, Raymond Vale, remains in the ICU. It was reported that an anonymous donor actually had to step in to cover his life-saving medical bills. Doesn’t it look a bit... bad, Aria, that a man with two incredibly successful, wealthy daughters had to rely on the charity of a complete stranger to survive?"

The audience quieted down.

Aria maintained her poker face; she wasn’t about to give Savannah the satisfaction of a reaction.

"And on top of that," Savannah continued relentlessly, desperate to strike a nerve, "your stepmother, Lydia, has officially filed for divorce. And while your sister Bella has been making the media rounds, industry insiders are reporting that Lydia has officially washed her hands of the family, liquidating her stake in Vale Entertainment to walk away with a massive payout."

But Savannah wasn’t finished.

"Vale Entertainment rapidly became a sinking ship," Savannah pressed, her eyes locking onto Aria with a desperate, triumphant gleam. "So, the question on everyone’s mind isn’t why the company was sold... it’s who bought the shares."

Aria subtly glanced at Damien out of the corner of her eye, but Damien’s face was completely unreadable.

"I see the news hasn’t reached you yet," Savannah smiled.

"Fifty percent of your family’s company is now officially owned by the Rossi Group. Vittoria Rossi’s company. The public would love to know your thoughts on all this," Savannah announced, her voice echoing over the silent studio.