You belong in the dark

Jamie's POV

The moment I slid the phone across the table and saw the color drain from his face, I knew lunch was over.

Aiden didn’t touch his food.

His fork never touched his steak. The food sat cooling in front of him, untouched, while his jaw tightened and his fingers twitched restlessly against the table. His phone lay facedown beside his plate like a loaded weapon.

I watched him, his elbows now on the table, trying to make him lift his eyes. I could see the headlines as they make way across his brain, the whispers behind every camera lens, the suffocating pressure of being perfect, of being the man everyone wanted a piece of.

This can’t be happening,” he muttered, more to himself than to me. His voice was low, tight with fear. “Not now. Not like this”.

I leaned back in my chair, keeping my expression calm. “It’s just noise.”

He flinched, glanced up at me. “Noise? Jamie, they think they know. They think they saw us—”

“They don’t know,” I cut in. My tone was firm, measured. “All they saw was a shadow. A silhouette. Nothing that proves it was me.”

He shook his head, his fingers now running through his perfectly dark hair, already a mess from the stress.

“It doesn’t matter. In their minds, it’s already me with someone. Someone I can’t ever admit to loving.”

The words were soft, but they hit me like a blade. I kept my face calm, controlled. I had learned a long time ago that composure was power—and I always held the power between us.

“Then let them think what they want,” I said evenly, crossing my arms. “I know the truth, and so do you.”

He looked at me, his eyes heavy with something between fear and longing. His hand twitched on the table, like he wanted to reach for mine, but he didn’t.

The car ride back to the hotel was suffocating.

The city lights blurred past the tinted windows as silence settled between us. I tried to distract him, to coax him back into the world that belonged only to us, but it was like talking to a ghost. He tapped his thigh in an anxious way, while his eyes were fixed on nothing.

Why are you letting them crawl under your skin? I murmured, turning slightly to face him. “Are you afraid they’ll think you were with a man,” I asked my voice commanding now, “or are you afraid they’ll think you were with me?”

He turned then, his eyes locking with mine. For a second, the car felt too small for the weight of that look.

His jaw clenched. “You don’t get it, Jamie. “I’m afraid they’ll take everything from me,” he said finally, his voice raw. “And I’m afraid that in the process… they’ll destroy you too.” One wrong move and everything I have, everything I’ve built—gone.

I let the silence stretch for a bit, then leaned closer, letting my voice drop into that tone he couldn’t ignore. “What you’ve built doesn’t own you. I do. That’s what’s important. Don't forget that.”

He inhaled sharply, his shoulders stiffening at my words, and for a moment I saw the truth in his eyes. He knew I was right.

We reached the hotel, and the moment the car stopped, Aiden bolted.

He didn’t wait for me the way he usually did. He didn’t pause for me to gather the bags, to carefully trail behind him in our little dance of secrecy. He just walked in like a man being hunted.

I followed, slower, methodical. I carried his things like the professional assistant the world believed me to be, but my eyes stayed on his back, on the tense line of his shoulders.

By the time I entered the suite, he was pacing like a caged animal.

“This is bad, Jamie. Really bad,” he said, his voice tight as he ran a hand through his hair again. “They’ll think it’s a man. They’ll connect the dots, and if they do it's over.”

I set his bag down with a soft thud, leaning against the wall. “It’s not over. It’s a blurry silhouette. That could be anyone.”

His laugh was sharp, almost bitter. “Silhouette or not, it’s a scandal waiting to happen. You don’t understand, This could destroy me—

“You mean us,” I corrected, my voice soft but cutting.

He faltered for a second, guilt flickering in his eyes. “Jamie… you know that’s what I meant.”

I pushed myself off the wall and crossed the room in three steps, my hand catching his wrist, firm but not rough. He froze, staring at me like the world had stopped.

“Look at me,” I said, my voice low and steady.

His eyes met mine, and the storm inside him faltered for just a second.

“You’re spinning out,” I said quietly. “And if you let this eat you alive, we’ll both lose. I told you before—I won’t be a ghost forever. But I’m not afraid of shadows, and you shouldn’t be either.”

His chest rose and fell too fast. His lips parted, then closed again, like the words trapped inside him might shatter us both.

Finally, he broke. “We can’t… go to the event tonight together. Not after this. We should ride separately.”

The words hit harder than I wanted to admit. I’d always known I was a secret, but hearing it spelled out loud still burned.

You want to pretend I’m not even there?”

“It’s safer this way,” he said, his voice firm now. “I can’t risk us being photographed again.”

I took a breath, letting my dominance hold me steady. “If that’s what you need to breathe tonight,” I said calmly, “then fine. I’ll meet you there.”

The event that night was a blur of lights and voices. I slipped into the pre-event dinner like a ghost, arriving through a side entrance while the world cheered for him outside.

From a distance, I watched Aiden slip into his performance with ease, his laughter rolling from his lips, he charmed influencers with a casual brush of his hand, his hand resting lightly on the arm of another actor as they posed for photos.

He was dazzling. He was untouchable. He was also mine—and I felt every second of longing like a tight pull in my chest.

At one point, his gaze caught mine across the crowd. A flicker. A silent call. My lips curved into the faintest smirk, and his throat bobbed like he’d swallowed something heavy. Then someone touched his arm, and he looked away.

I turned, gently sipping my drink while trying to keep my face blank, and my jaw tightened. I wasn’t weak, but I wouldn’t be the man chasing crumbs in the dark while the world got the feast. But God, wanting him hurt sometimes.

I excused myself and went out to the terrace for air.

The night was cooler, quieter, the city buzzing softly below. I let my fingers brush the stone railing, while listening to the rhythm of the distant traffic.

That’s when I heard her.

“Comfortable, aren’t we?”

Victoria Vale’s voice was sharp like steel. I turned slowly, to find her in a sleek black dress, her expression cold like ice.

“Evening, Victoria.”

She stepped closer, her heels clicking against the floor. You think you’re untouchable because he lets you stay? Or do you think this little arrangement gives you security?” She said softly.

Let me remind you”, She came closer and whispered, perhaps hoping it would scare me away.

“Don’t forget where you stand. Men like you are replaceable. You’ll always remain a shadow. Stay that way if you know what’s good for you.”

I let her words hang in the air, then smiled faintly. “Funny thing about shadows, Victoria,” I said softly. “They only exist when there’s light. And your son…” I leaned closer, letting my words cut. “…he only shines for me.”

Her lips pressed into a thin line, and for the first time, I saw her flinch. Then she turned, her heels echoing down the hall as she headed back inside.

I exhaled slowly, but the victory was hollow. Because when I turned towards the far end of the terrace, that's when I saw it.

A figure. A camera raised. A flash sparking in the dark.

And then they were gone.

The echo of the shutter lingered in the night, sharper than Victoria’s threat, more dangerous even.

They hadn’t caught us together. Not yet.

But they didn’t need to. Because once they had a face, even a shadow of one—it was only a matter of time before they gave me a name.