The drive home was silent.
Not the comfortable kind.
Not even the awkward kind.
No—this was tense, simmering with the unspoken weight of whatever had just gone down between Conrad and Vincent.
Eurydice, for once, decided to let the silence stretch, arms crossed as she stared out the window.
She counted exactly seven minutes before her patience ran out.
“So…” she finally said, drawing out the word.
Conrad didn’t react.
Eurydice huffed. “Okay, seriously. Are we going to talk about what just happened, or are you planning to keep brooding all day?”
Conrad’s jaw ticked slightly, but his eyes remained fixed on the road.
“There’s nothing to talk about.”
Eurydice scoffed. “Right. Because it’s totally normal for two grown men to have a conversation so sharp I thought someone was going to bleed.”
Conrad didn’t answer immediately, fingers tightening slightly on the steering wheel.
Then, after a long pause—
“Vincent has a habit of interfering where he doesn’t belong.”
Eurydice raised an eyebrow. “Oh, I noticed. He’s got that annoying little brother energy, except with too much money and an ego problem.”
Conrad exhaled sharply—the closest thing to a laugh she had heard from him all day.
But the amusement didn’t last.
“It’s more than that,” he admitted, eyes darkening slightly. “Vincent has always wanted what he can’t have.”
Eurydice frowned. “And right now… that’s what? Your company?”
Conrad’s expression remained unreadable.
“My position.”
Eurydice blinked.
“Oh.”
Oh.
Suddenly, things started clicking into place.
“So this whole thing between you two,” she mused, “it’s not just family drama, is it?”
Conrad’s fingers drummed lightly against the wheel. “It’s business.”
Eurydice leaned back, processing this new information.
Then, because she couldn’t help herself, she added—
“You know, if he was trying to make me doubt you, he really failed. If anything, he just made himself look creepy.”
Conrad glanced at her briefly, expression slightly softer than before.
“Good to know.”
Eurydice grinned. “So, do I get an award for being the best fake fiancée ever, or…?”
Conrad sighed. “You want a medal?”
“A cash prize would be nice.”
Conrad shook his head, but Eurydice swore she saw the ghost of a smirk before he turned back to the road.
 
The moment they stepped into the house, Eurydice’s phone buzzed aggressively in her pocket.
She glanced at the screen.
Amelia.
Oh boy.
Eurydice answered immediately, putting the call on speaker.
“Hey, bestie, what’s up?”
Amelia’s voice came blaring through the phone.
“OH MY GOD. YOU’RE ON THE NEWS AGAIN.”
Eurydice froze.
“…What?”
Conrad, who had been about to take off his jacket, paused mid-motion.
Amelia was talking at full speed, clearly thriving on the chaos.
“Girl, I swear, every time I blink, there’s a new article about you and your mysterious engagement. But today? Today is a masterpiece.”
Eurydice groaned. “Ugh. What now?”
Amelia giggled. “Oh, nothing big. Just… an article about a certain Montague cousin possibly being interested in his dear cousin’s fiancée.”
Eurydice’s soul left her body.
“WHAT?!”
Conrad’s expression turned to stone.
Amelia kept going, unfazed. “Yeahhh, apparently, someone snapped a photo of you and Vincent talking at the restaurant, and now people are losing their minds. The headlines are wild. Oh! Oh! My favorite one so far—”
She paused dramatically, then read:
“‘Vincent Montague’s Secret Obsession? Why Conrad’s Fiancée Might Be the Real Prize.’”
Eurydice stared at the phone in horror.
“Oh, I hate that.”
Conrad, meanwhile, had pulled out his own phone, already typing something—probably doing damage control before the media got even worse.
Amelia snickered. “Sooo, on a scale of one to ‘absolute disaster,’ how mad is Conrad right now?”
Eurydice glanced at him.
He was silent, but his jaw was tense and his entire energy screamed murder.
She turned back to the phone.
“Oh, he’s at least an eight,” she whispered.
Conrad shot her a look.
Eurydice just grinned.
“Well,” Amelia said, “I’m gonna go grab some popcorn and enjoy the show. Love you! Byeee!”
The call ended.
Eurydice sighed, flopping onto the couch. “Welp. This just got so much worse.”
Conrad ran a hand over his face, exhaling slowly.
“I need to make some calls.”
Eurydice peeked up at him. “Damage control?”
“Something like that.”
She studied him for a moment, then smirked. “So. If people start thinking your cousin has a thing for me, does that mean you’ll have to step up your romantic act?”
Conrad stared at her blankly.
“…I am not entertaining this conversation.”
Eurydice laughed. “Ohhh, this is gonna be fun.”
Conrad sighed, already regretting everything.
And just like that—
The chaos had only just begun.
 
After the absolute disaster of the lunch meeting and Amelia’s very dramatic announcement that their names were all over the news, Conrad had gone straight into work mode.
Eurydice, meanwhile?
She was lounging on the couch, eating cookies, and watching him suffer.
Conrad was on the phone, speaking in clipped, irritated tones.
“Yes, I saw the article.” A pause. “No, there’s nothing going on between Vincent and Eurydice.” Another pause. “Fix it.”
Eurydice snickered, dunking a cookie into her coffee. “Awww, should I be offended that you didn’t even consider letting the scandal play out?”
Conrad shot her a flat look. “Yes.”
Eurydice grinned. “But imagine the drama, Montague.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose. “We do not need more drama.”
Eurydice smirked. “You say that, but the media is already eating this up.”
Conrad didn’t dignify that with a response. Instead, he ended the call, exhaled slowly, and turned toward her.
“Do you take anything seriously?” he asked.
Eurydice tapped her chin thoughtfully. “Hmm. Good question.” She popped another cookie into her mouth. “Nope.”
Conrad sighed, running a hand through his hair.
 
“So,” Eurydice began, sitting up. “Let’s say, hypothetically, that this scandal doesn’t die down quickly.”
Conrad looked unimpressed. “Hypothetically?”
Eurydice ignored his tone. “What if we just... outdo it?”
Conrad’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Clarify.”
Eurydice grinned. “Simple. If the media thinks Vincent is into me, then we need to make them believe that our relationship is so convincing, so head over heels disgustingly in love, that no one will even entertain the thought.”
Conrad was silent for a long moment.
Then, finally—
“No.”
Eurydice pouted. “Aww, come on. You love making me suffer—why not make him suffer for a change?”
Conrad paused at that, considering.
Eurydice, sensing his hesitation, pounced.
“I mean, think about it,” she said, grinning devilishly. “Public affection. Romantic declarations. Longing gazes—”
Conrad rubbed his temple. “That is not helping your case.”
Eurydice smirked. “It’s because you hate this idea that makes it a great idea.”
Conrad muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like a prayer for patience.
 
Before Conrad could shut down the conversation completely, the doorbell rang.
Eurydice raised an eyebrow. “You expecting someone?”
Conrad’s expression darkened. “No.”
A few seconds later, the butler appeared, looking mildly uncomfortable.
“Mr. Montague,” he said carefully, “Vincent Montague is here to see you.”
Eurydice almost spit out her coffee.
Conrad’s entire body tensed.
“Send him away,” he said immediately.
But before the butler could even move, a familiar, infuriatingly smug voice echoed through the hall.
“Oh, cousin,” Vincent called out, stepping into view with a lazy smirk, “is that any way to treat family?”
Conrad’s jaw tightened.
Eurydice?
She just grinned.
“Ohhh, this is going to be so much fun.”
 
Vincent made himself at home—because of course he did.
He took a seat in one of the ridiculously expensive armchairs, crossing his legs like he owned the place.
Conrad remained standing, exuding pure disapproval, while Eurydice plopped onto the couch with popcorn-level enthusiasm.
“To what do we owe the pleasure?” Conrad asked flatly.
Vincent smirked. “Oh, you know. Thought I’d stop by, see how my favorite engaged couple is doing.”
Eurydice rested her chin on her hands. “Aww. That’s so sweet.”
Vincent glanced at her, amused. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”
Eurydice grinned. “Oh, immensely.”
Conrad, meanwhile, was done with this conversation before it even started.
“What do you want, Vincent?” he asked, tone cold.
Vincent sighed dramatically. “You wound me, dear cousin. Can’t I simply visit?”
Conrad’s expression didn’t change.
Vincent’s grin widened.
“Fine,” he said, stretching lazily. “I just wanted to check in. After all, the media is buzzing about our little lunch.”
Conrad’s jaw twitched. “I’m handling it.”
Vincent shrugged. “Oh, I’m sure you are. But you know how these things spiral. Public perception is everything, after all.”
He smirked at Eurydice. “And since your fiancée seems to be quite the media favorite, you might want to be extra careful.”
Eurydice leaned forward, smirking. “Are you warning me, Vincent? That’s so thoughtful.”
Vincent chuckled. “Oh no. Just... offering friendly advice.”
Conrad finally had enough.
“If you’re done, leave,” he said icily.
Vincent stood, unbothered.
But before he left, he paused near Eurydice, lowering his voice just enough to be deliberately irritating.
“Take care, Eurydice,” he murmured, amusement flickering in his eyes. “Something tells me... things are going to get very interesting for you.”
Then, with a lazy wave, he strolled out like he hadn’t just dropped a grenade in the room.
The moment he was gone, Eurydice let out a low whistle.
“Well,” she said, leaning back against the couch. “That was dramatic.”
Conrad pinched the bridge of his nose. “He’s testing us.”
Eurydice grinned. “So... should I kiss you in public just to piss him off?”
Conrad stared at her.
Then, after a long pause—
“If you try, I will relocate you to another country.”
Eurydice laughed. “Admit it, Montague. You’re starting to enjoy having me around.”
Conrad sighed.
“God help me.”