CHAPTER 218: CHAPTER 218: THE FEAR BENEATH THE HEADLINES

~Zayn’s POV~

I heard the frantic ringing of Evric’s phone and listened as his manager demanded he go straight to a live interview.

A few minutes later, Evric received a call from his father. After listening for a moment, he hung up and sighed. "Father said I shouldn’t worry about it," he muttered. "He’ll handle everything."

I moved closer to Evric, trying to calm him down. Just then, a notification popped up on my phone. When I checked, my heart skipped a beat; it was a breaking news alert.

Evric’s father, Rogan Draeven, had just released a powerful, formal statement that instantly dominated all the news channels and social media feeds. The immediate pressure was off Evric.

I read the text, feeling a complicated mix of relief and unease.

Official Statement by Rogan Draeven

"The Draeven family has long maintained a strict boundary between our business ventures and our private lives. For decades, I, Rogan Draeven, successfully led this company while deliberately keeping my personal life and family out of the public spotlight. My son, Evric, has followed this tradition, and that is why most people did not know his face until he assumed the role of CEO.

I was successful without parading my private life, and Evric will be too.

The media needs to be reminded that success and personal life are two separate matters. Evric just delivered a project that will shape the economy for years to come. Instead of celebrating this unprecedented achievement, some elements of the press are engaged in invasive, irrelevant speculation.

His revolutionary work is not even twenty-four hours old, and already he faces attempts to discredit him. We must ask: Is this an effort to bring him down simply because he is young and successful?

Evric Draeven will not be granting any interviews regarding his personal life. He remains focused entirely on the success of the new project. We expect the media to focus on his work, not his privacy."

He hadn’t denied the rumors, but he had used his immense authority to silence the gossip by framing it as a professional attack. The message was clear: Dare to attack my son on personal grounds, and you attack the entire Draeven legacy. It was a powerful, if cold, defense.

After reading the statement, we just stayed together. Neither of us went to work that day. The thrill and the subsequent fear had drained us. All we did for the rest of the day was hold each other, seeking refuge in the soft, quiet space of the bed. We just needed to be near each other.

The next day, I had to try to return to normal. I went to my restaurant, determined to focus on the routine. But the atmosphere was different. Whispers followed me, and I tried to listen discreetly to nearby conversations, needing to know what people really thought behind the shield of Rogan’s statement.

A group of business-lunch patrons near the counter started the topic.

"Did you see the news about Evric Draeven?" one asked.

"Yes," another replied.

"Honestly," a third woman chimed in, stirring her coffee. "All I see is people being bitter. Evric isn’t the only one on that project. Why are people targeting him only?"

"It’s because of his father," one man stated knowingly. "Rogan’s statement yesterday certainly silenced the media, but the truth is, the best thing for Evric is to truly not be gay."

"Why?" the woman asked.

"Because he’s going to lose a lot in their line of business," the man explained, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Most of the people he works with, the investors, the long-term partners—are highly religious. Tell me, who wants to work with a gay CEO when they can choose someone else?"

"But that doesn’t mean anything to his product!" the woman argued, frustrated.

The man shrugged, making it sound like an unavoidable reality. "It is a big deal to them."

"I just hope he’s not gay," another patron confessed. "I’m genuinely happy for his success. I won’t like to see his downfall over this."

"Yeah, he’s just too fine to be gay," a woman giggled.

"Too fine and talented," her friend agreed. "He should want a beautiful lady like me, not his own gender."

Then, a new voice cut in with curiosity, "But with everything, I’m dying to know who this partner is! Do you see those leak pictures? The guy looks so fine from those side views..."

"Enough," one person finally said firmly. "Let’s eat our food."

My stomach clenched. Hearing everything they said, it felt like I might be the reason for Evric’s downfall. The consensus was clear: Evric choosing me was like setting himself up for destruction.

I couldn’t do anything productive for the rest of the day. I retreated to my private office and just sat there, frozen. My fear came rushing in. What if Evric realized the pressure was too great? What if Evric left me or broke up with me to save his career and his father’s reputation? What was going to happen to me then?

The sheer thought of being without him was paralyzing. I didn’t even know if I could still perform with a woman, and I knew with chilling certainty that I could never let any other man into my life. If that person wasn’t Evric, then I didn’t want it.

I dropped my head, covering my mouth with my hand to stifle the sound, and cried a silent prayer, hoping this would not be the reason we had to separate.

The hours ran faster than I realized. When closing time finally arrived, I went back home. Evric and I had a quiet dinner, showered, and went to bed.

At midnight, I woke up, realizing Evric wasn’t beside me.

I crept out of bed and went downstairs. I stopped at the bottom of the staircase, just watching him for a moment. Evric was already in the living room, deep into work with his earphones on. He was bent over his laptop, focused and completely absorbed. I watched the intensity in his profile and thought about how hardworking he truly was, sacrificing sleep for his vision. It was one of the things I loved most, but it was also the thing that made his career so vulnerable now.

I walked softly toward him. He didn’t see me or hear me because of the earphones. I gently reached out and tapped his shoulder, then carefully climbed onto his lap.

"Babe," Evric murmured, pulling back instantly.

I gently removed his earphones. He paused what he was doing and reached up to cup my face. "Do you need anything?" he asked softly.

"Yes," I replied.

"What is it?"

"Kiss me," I whispered.

Evric didn’t hesitate. He kissed me, sincerely, tenderly, a silent apology for all the stress. I wrapped my arms around him, burying my face in his neck as he slipped his hand around my waist, pulling me tightly against him.

"Is everything okay?" he asked after a long moment.

"Babe," I started, my heart pounding against his chest.

"Yes?"

I took a deep breath. "Can I move back to my place?"

The words hung in the air, heavy and unwanted. Evric immediately pulled my shoulders back to see my face clearly. His eyes were wide with shock.

"No," he answered, the single word firm and unquestionable.