The Fake Girlfriend

The press conference kicked off in a blinding flash of camera bulbs. Reporters hurled questions at the director and producers, eager to bait out plot details before shifting their intense focus to the glamorous male and female leads. Sloane deliberately slipped into the background. She took a seat among the frantic production assistants, content to tap away on her phone and let the movie stars shine under the spotlight.

Her hard-earned peace shattered in an instant.

"Hey, you! Come here. Are you deaf or what?" a shrill voice echoed across the crowded room.

Sloane lifted her head. Across the sprawling space, Chloe stood with her hands planted firmly on her hips, a manicured finger pointing straight at her. The female lead’s face twisted in arrogant annoyance. Blindly assuming the woman in casual clothes sitting with the crew was just another lowly, expendable staffer, Chloe prepared to make an example out of her.

A tense silence fell over the room. Conversations died out as heads turned.

Sloane slowly stood up. She straightened her posture and flashed a polite, measured smile. Her eyes, however, carried a chill sharp enough to freeze water on contact. "Are you speaking to me? My apologies, I didn't notice."

"Cut the crap," Chloe sneered, her voice dripping with condescension. "Get up right now and go get me a bottle of water."

Sloane’s smile did not waver, but her steady gaze hardened. "Ms. Chloe, I firmly believe your hands and your legs are currently working fine. Why exactly don't you do it yourself?"

Gasps rippled through the nearby crew members. Chloe’s jaw dropped, her face flushing a livid shade of red. To be publicly defied by someone she viewed as peasant trash was unthinkable.

"Do you have any idea who I am?" Chloe spat, taking an aggressive step forward. "Do you know I can end your pathetic career just like that?"

Sensing the hostility about to derail the press event, Declan scrambled over. He grabbed Sloane by the elbow, steering her away from the stage and into a secluded corner. Behind them, Chloe let out a loud, triumphant laugh, assuming the insolent girl was being pulled aside to be fired.

Declan dropped his hand and rubbed his face in exhaustion. "I thought I specifically told you to stay far away from her."

"Trouble always finds me," Sloane said, calmly adjusting her sleeve. "She came at me first."

"Just keep your distance," Declan warned in a hushed, urgent tone. "She has massive corporate backing in this industry. She can ruin lives. Do not engage."

Sloane merely shrugged, brushing off the hostile encounter as the pathetic tantrum of a diva. "Understood. I will head out early to prep for the dinner."

Leaving the suffocating venue behind, Sloane hit the local luxury boutiques for some much-needed retail therapy. She sifted through endless racks of designer garments, letting the rich textures and fine fabrics wash away the lingering irritation of the morning. After trying on several outfits, she left the stores with an array of shopping bags filled with clothes and shoes. A few hours later, she returned to her hotel room to freshen up.

By the time Sloane arrived at the hotel's exclusive private dining hall, she was unrecognizable from the casual staffer at the press conference. She wore a breathtaking, body-hugging black dress that clung to her curves, featuring a dangerous thigh-high side slit that demanded attention with every step. She paired it with red-bottom heels and a light touch of makeup.

Preferring to observe rather than mingle, Sloane claimed an inconspicuous, dimly lit seat in the corner of the large room. She sipped a drink and listened intently. The early arrivals were already huddled in groups, their gossiping voices carrying over the soft background music.

"I heard Chloe has insane corporate backing. That is why she acts so high and mighty," one makeup artist whispered.

"She is not arrogant, she just has class," another replied defensively.

"Class? Please. That woman bosses everyone around like we are her personal servants."

The gossip came to a screeching halt as the grand double doors swung wide open. Chloe swept into the dining room, her head held high. The hypocritical ladies immediately pivoted. They rushed forward, plastering fake smiles on their faces to shower the lead actress with sickening flattery.

"Ms. Chloe, over here!" a desperate D-list actress called out, eager to wave her over to their table.

Chloe accepted the invitation, basking in the sudden wave of attention.

"You look so beautiful tonight," the actress continued, desperate to curry favor. "I saw the tabloid news recently. It said you are Mr. Rowan Lancaster's secret girlfriend! He is so lucky to have someone as gorgeous as you."

Hidden in the shadows of her corner, Sloane went rigid. Her pulse skipped a beat.

The scandal was a fabricated PR stunt engineered by Chloe's own team to generate hype, but Chloe eagerly played along with the lie. She dramatically blushed, acting bashful as she proudly raised her wrist. A sparkling, expensive gold bracelet adorned with heavy diamonds caught the chandelier’s light.

"Oh, yes. Mr. Lancaster is really such a sweet guy," Chloe lied through her teeth, her voice dripping with fake modesty. "Look, this is the beautiful gift he sent me right before I came here."

In her dark corner, Sloane’s grip on her glass tightened until her knuckles turned stark white. Because she was unaware of the PR manipulation, the words hit her like a physical blow. She genuinely believed the blatant lie spilling from the actress's mouth. The gold bracelet flashed in her vision, mocking her. A sudden, boiling rage ignited in her chest. She silently vowed to interrogate Rowan about his filthy secrets the next time she saw him.

*Men really can be total trash,* she cursed inwardly, taking a sharp sip of her drink to cool her burning throat.

Not willing to let Chloe dominate the room's attention, Tasha piped up from a nearby table. She draped herself over Vance, bragging loud enough for the whole room to hear about his presence as a massive investor.

"Mr. Lancaster sounds so caring, buying you something that expensive," Tasha said, a competitive edge lacing her tone. She lifted her chin, publicly challenging the actress to assert her own dominance. "You should invite him over to the party right now. See? My Vance is here with me."

Caught off guard by the sudden call-out, Chloe stiffened. A fleeting flash of panic crossed her eyes. If someone called her bluff, her entire lie would collapse. But she quickly smoothed her expression into a haughty mask.

"He will certainly visit me whenever he isn't so terribly busy," Chloe claimed, waving a dismissive hand. She relaxed, confident that no one in this lowly room possessed the status to ever cross paths with Rowan Lancaster and expose her.

While the dramatic power struggle unfolded between the two women, Vance sat in silence, ignoring his girlfriend's posturing. His obsessive eyes were fixated elsewhere. He stared at the dimly lit corner, captivated by Sloane in her stunning black dress. The tight fabric and the daring slit showcased a radiant side of her he had never appreciated, and a heavy wave of regret washed over him. He could not tear his gaze away from her elegant silhouette.

Noticing his lingering, spellbound stare glued to her cousin, Tasha stopped talking. Her face twisted in deep, violent jealousy. Without a word of warning, she grabbed Vance by the arm. Her nails dug into his suit jacket as she forcefully dragged him out of his chair, pulling him toward the farthest table in the room, desperate to keep him away from Sloane.