The press conference room was already packed — reporters, cameras, flashing lights.
Jillian stood quietly beside Ethan, heart hammering so loud she could barely hear.
The moment Ethan Hunter stepped onto the stage, the murmurs rose.
The VIP CEO, the untouchable Ethan Hunter, showing up personally — it was chaos already.
But it was his first words that stunned the world.
Ethan didn't touch the microphone; he simply spoke, deep voice cutting through the noise.
"There have been baseless rumors about Dr. Jillian Smith's relationship with VIP patients," he said, voice cold and absolute.
"I'm here to make it clear."
He turned, extended his hand toward her — and the world held its breath.
"Dr. Jillian Smith is my fiancée."
A loud gasp broke across the room. Cameras flashed blindingly.
"And today," Ethan continued, pulling a small velvet box from his pocket, "I will make that official."
He knelt before her.
Right there — in front of the whole world.
Jillian's vision blurred slightly, overwhelmed, frozen as he opened the box to reveal a stunning ring.
"Jillian," he said, softer now but every word carrying across the room, "marry me."
The crowd erupted — reporters shouting questions, lights flashing — but all Jillian could see was Ethan.
All she could hear was the quiet vulnerability in the man who had shielded her without hesitation.
Tears welled up in her eyes — emotions too big, too overwhelming.
Her voice was a whisper but it carried.
"Yes."
Ethan slid the ring onto her trembling finger, stood, and without any regard for the flashing cameras or shouting reporters, pulled her into a fierce, protective embrace.
At that moment — there was no scandal, no whispers, no rumors.
Just them.
Ethan didn't let her go even after the cameras kept flashing.
He tucked Jillian protectively against him, shielding her from the chaos he knew was about to explode.
"Enough," Ethan said coolly to the reporters, his gaze icy.
"She is under my protection. Anyone who dares touch her reputation from today onward—"
He let the threat hang in the air, sharper than any sword.
Everyone understood. MyCorp's CEO wasn't bluffing.
Security swooped in.
Under Ethan's silent command, they cleared a path through the crowd.
Ethan's hand never left Jillian's back as he guided her out, shielding her from every prying eye.
Inside the black car waiting outside, Jillian sat in stunned silence.
Her fingers trembled slightly, the engagement ring catching the city lights.
Her mind spun: What just happened? Was this real? Was she dreaming?
Ethan turned to her.
"Are you scared?" he asked quietly, his voice losing its cold edge, revealing the raw man underneath.
She bit her lip, trying to find her voice.
"A little," she admitted. "But...not of you."
A shadow of relief crossed his face.
He reached out, threading his fingers through hers — gentle but firm.
"You don't have to be scared," Ethan murmured.
"You're mine now. Let them say whatever they want. I'll handle it."
Jillian stared at their joined hands, heart beating wildly.
A part of her had always known Ethan was dangerous — dangerous to her calm, dangerous to her heart.
But another part... the part that had longed for a place to belong, a hand to hold — whispered that maybe she wasn't alone anymore.
Outside, the media was going into a frenzy.
But inside that car, for a brief moment, it was just the two of them —
two hearts stitched together in the middle of the storm.
The whirlwind outside raged on — cameras flashing, voices shouting — but Ethan shielded Jillian with his body, whisking her into the black car waiting by the curb.
Neither spoke as they drove through Shanghai's neon-lit streets, the silence between them heavy and raw.
Jillian sat stiffly, staring out the window, fists clenched on her lap.
When they finally reached the quiet hotel, Ethan guided her up without a word.
Only once the door closed behind them, shutting out the world, did the tension in Jillian snap.
She sank onto the edge of the bed, her head bowed low, shoulders trembling.
"I—I didn't ask for this," she whispered, voice cracking.
"I know," Ethan said softly. He crossed the room, knelt before her, and gently took her hands in his.
"You shouldn't have done that," she choked out.
"Maybe not," Ethan murmured. "But I couldn't watch them tear you apart."
Tears blurred Jillian's vision. She fought to hold them back, but Ethan pulled her against him, her forehead resting against his chest.
For the first time in too long, she let herself cry.
No words — only his steady arms around her, his warmth anchoring her as the storm inside broke loose.
"I worked so hard...," she sobbed. "I just wanted to save people... not be a headline."
Ethan's hand slid soothingly over her back.
"You're more than their gossip," he said lowly.
"You're everything they wish they could be but never will."
Minutes passed. Jillian's breathing slowly steadied.
When she finally lifted her head, her eyes were red, but her spirit clearer.
Ethan wiped her tears with his thumb, his touch careful.
"You don't have to face this alone anymore, Jillian," he said, voice rough with emotion.
"You have me now."
And for once... Jillian didn't push him away.
Later that night, when the world outside finally calmed and Jillian sat curled up on the hotel couch wrapped in a blanket, her phone buzzed insistently again.
She hesitated.
Then, seeing the names flash across the screen — Chloe and Clara — she answered.
"Jillian! Are you okay?!" Chloe's voice was immediate, frantic.
"We just saw everything!" Clara chimed in, practically shouting into the speaker.
Jillian gave a small laugh, her voice still hoarse from crying earlier.
"I'm fine... I think," she said, managing a tired smile that neither of them could see but would probably hear anyway.
"Fine?! You just became the future Mrs. Hunter!" Chloe shrieked dramatically.
Clara gasped. "Girl, you bagged the CEO of MyCorp! Do you even realize how legendary this is?!"
Jillian leaned her head back against the cushion, closing her eyes.
"I didn't plan any of this," she murmured. "I just wanted to live quietly... save lives... and now—"
"You're still you," Clara cut in fiercely.
"And you're not alone," Chloe added warmly. "We're proud of you.
No matter what the headlines say, we know your heart."
Jillian swallowed against the lump in her throat.
"Thank you... both of you," she whispered.
There was a beat of silence, then Chloe said teasingly,
"So... when's the wedding?!"
Jillian laughed genuinely this time, the sound soft but real.
"Can I survive tomorrow first?"
"Deal," Clara said brightly. "But after that, we want all the details!"
As she hung up, Jillian sat for a long moment, the phone resting against her chest, feeling a quiet, fierce gratitude bloom inside her.
For Chloe and Clara.
For Ethan.
For the messy, unexpected life she was building — one small, brave step at a time.