Page 68 of Only Ever Mine

Had I won this battle only to lose something bigger?

Would Amélie recover from all of this?

I glanced at Christian, his steady presence grounding me. He squeezed my waist gently, as if sensing my turmoil.

“It’ll all work out,” he murmured. “I promise.”

The sun was barely up when my phone started buzzing.

At first, I ignored it, savoring the warmth of the sheets wrapped around me, the quiet hum of Christian’s steady breathing beside me.

After everything we’d been through, waking up in his arms felt like a small victory—one I wasn’t ready to give up just yet.

But my phone wouldn’t stop.

With a groan, I reached for it, blinking at the screen.

12 missed calls. Text after text flooded my notifications.

My stomach clenched. Had something else happened? Had Victoria found a way to strike back already?

Heart pounding, I sat up, scrolling through the messages.

And then I saw it.

BREAKING NEWS: Business Mogul Christian Valen Stands By Girlfriend Scarlett Lane—Rival Victoria Snow Caught in Career-Ending Scandal.

Another headline:

Scarlett Lane Vindicated—Amélie’s Success Stands Strong Despite Attempted Sabotage.

One after another, articles and posts flooded my screen. Social media was ablaze with my name—and for once, it wasn’t attached to whispers of scandal or failure.

People believed in me again.

I exhaled sharply, pressing a hand to my chest as relief flooded me.

“Scarlett?”

Christian’s deep, sleep-rough voice pulled me from my thoughts. I turned to find him watching me, his dark eyes laced with concern.

“Everything okay?” he asked, his fingers brushing against my thigh.

I looked at him, my heart swelling. This man—he had stood by me through everything. Even when I pushed him away, even when I let my fears cloud my judgment, he never wavered.

Instead of answering, I leaned down, pressing my lips against his in a slow, grateful kiss.

He smiled against my mouth before pulling back slightly. “Not that I’m complaining, but what was that for?”

I held up my phone so he could see the headlines. “We did it,” I whispered. “It’s finally over.”

Christian sat up, taking the phone from my hand and scrolling through the articles. His expression remained unreadable for a moment, then he smirked. “Took them long enough.”

I let out a breathy laugh, shaking my head. “I still can’t believe it.”

He cupped my cheek, his thumb brushing lightly against my skin. “Believe it, baby. You won. Victoria’s finished. Amélie’s reputation is stronger than ever.”

I swallowed hard, emotions swelling inside me. “I couldn’t have done this without you.”

---