Chapter 216

Christian went back to the penthouse later that evening.

He expected to find Kylie asleep.

Instead, when he pushed open the door to her bedroom, he found her curled comfortably on her bed, with a bowl of popcorn balanced beside her, and her laptop propped against her thighs as some movie played across the screen.

Kylie looked up the moment her door opened. "How is Emilia?"

"Oh, hey, Kylie. I’m fine, thank you for asking. I had a long day. How was yours?"

Christian stared at her for a second.bThen he laughed under his breath.

Kylie swallowed.nShe paused her movie, stood up from the bed, and moved toward him.

Christian stood near the door, looking effortlessly relaxed in his grey tank top and white shorts.

Kylie moved toward him, a playful smile tracing her lips as her fitted grey romper shifted with every step.

Without saying a word, she reached up and wrapped her arms tenderly around his neck, leaning into his solid presence.

Christian’s expression immediately softened.

He gathered her close, with his hands settling comfortably around her waist as he pulled her against him.

Before she could say anything, Christian effortlessly lifted her off her feet.

Kylie let out a soft laugh, instinctively wrapping her legs around his waist as her hands cupped the back of his neck.

"Christian—"

He drew her face toward his and kissed her.

Deep, and slow. Sweet enough to make her forget, for a moment, that the day had been anything but simple.

Kylie smiled against his lips.

When he finally pulled away, his forehead rested against hers.

"Missed me?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe?" He smiled. "That’s a first."

"Don’t get too excited."

"Too late."

Christian kissed the corner of her mouth once more before gently placing her back on the floor.

He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Emilia texted me saying she’s with Adrian and fine again," Kylie said. "I just needed to be sure."

"She got an explanation." Christain nodded.

Kylie studied him. "And?"

Christian shrugged.

"Apparently, they’re working through it."

A relieved smile spread across her face. She turned toward the bed. "Come on."

Christian followed behind her.

Kylie climbed onto the mattress and settled against the pillows. She picked up another piece of popcorn and tossed it into her mouth.

Christian watched her for a moment.

"You were really planning on finishing that entire bowl?"

"Obviously."

"That explains a lot."

"What does it explain?"

"Nothing."

"Christian."

He laughed.

She pointed accusingly at him with a piece of popcorn.

"You’re judging me."

"I would never."

"You are."

"I love everything about you."

Her expression softened for half a second. Then she narrowed her eyes. "That was suspiciously smooth."

"I’m naturally charming."

"You’re naturally annoying."

"Am I charming?" He climbed onto the bed beside her.

Kylie immediately leaned against his shoulder. "Not really," she smiled, catching a glimpse of his annoying dimples she was begining to love.

Christian smiled. For a few quiet seconds, neither of them spoke.

The movie continued playing.

Kylie reached into the bowl.

Christian stole a piece of popcorn from her hand.

She slapped his chest lightly. "Get your own."

"You’re my own."

She stared at him. "That didn’t even make sense." She rolled her eyes, but the smile on her lips gave her away.

Ding.

Christian’s phone vibrated against the mattress before he woukd respond. He ignored it.

Kylie kept watching the movie.

Ding. Ding. Ding. Ding.

Christian frowned. "That better not be Adrian." He reached beside him and picked up his phone.

The screen lit up.

His brows pulled together. There were notifications everywhere.

Mentions, tags, and messages. Hundreds of them.

Christian sat up slightly. "What the hell...?"

He opened the first notification. Then he stopped breathing for a split second. A photograph filled the screen.

It was him, and Kylie.

At the club.

Kylie was laughing beside him, one hand around his arm while he leaned down toward her.

The picture had clearly been taken from a distance. Without either of them noticing.

Christian’s thumb moved, and he opened another photograph. It was him walking Kylie through the entrance of her old apartment.

Another was taken of him leaving the building.

In another, Kylie sat beside him at the club again. In another photograph, he had his hand resting protectively at the small of her back.

There was another of Kylie getting into his car.

His jaw tightened. Someone had been watching them.

He opened the page. It was a celebrity blog. The headline was already spreading across the internet.

CHRISTIAN SINCLAIR’S MYSTERY WOMAN: WHILE STILL ENGAGED TO ISABEL DOLCE?

Christian’s stomach dropped.

He scrolled.

The article had been uploaded less than an hour ago. And it was already exploding.

The first paragraph claimed that Christian had been spotted repeatedly with an unidentified young woman over the past several weeks.

The next one mentioned his engagement. Then came the speculation.

Who is she?

Is Christian Sinclair cheating on Isabel Dolce?

Has the billionaire heir already moved on from his fiancée?

Christian’s eyes moved faster. Then he saw Kylie’s name. Someone had found her. Her social media, her old photographs, her university posts, her party pictures, her birthday celebrations, pictures with male classmates, pictures from nights out, and pictures of her laughing with men.

Some were years old.

Others were recent.

They had taken everything. Every photograph that could be twisted into something ugly. And they were twisting it.

Comments flooded the screen.

"So this is the girl?" One read.

"She looks hot but more like trouble." Another read.

"Isabel deserves better."

"She’s obviously been around."

"How many guys has she dated?"

"Christian is just next. She needs money."

"Don’t tell me she’s sleeping with Christian while he’s publicly engaged."

"She has pictures with so many men. She clearly does this with every rich guy."

"It’s just Christian’s turn now. Enjoy while it last b#tch."

Christian’s expression hardened.

He kept scrolling. There were thousands of comments. Some people were defending Isabel.

Others were calling Kylie disgusting names.

Some were calling her a slut. Others were dissecting her entire life as though they had known her personally.

"Apparently this isn’t her first billionaire."

Christian’s hand tightened around the phone.

Kylie noticed. She turned toward him. "What’s wrong?"

He didn’t answer.

She glanced at the phone in his hand. "Christian?"

He scrolled again. There were screenshots of her social media stories.

Someone had even dug up a photograph from years ago of Kylie sitting between two male friends at a party.

The caption beneath it read:

"Guess Christian isn’t her first wealthy boy either. She chase after the rich."

Christian’s jaw clenched. Then he saw the newest update. The blog had uploaded another article.

THE WOMAN BEHIND CHRISTIAN SINCLAIR’S SECRET NIGHTS OUT. WHILE ISABEL DOLCE WAITS DEVOTEDLY FOR THEIR WEDDING.

Underneath it was a photograph of him entering Kylie’s apartment building. The timestamp was from weeks ago.

Christian stared at it.

Someone had been following them. And now the entire internet knew exactly where to look.

His mother. Isabel, the engagement, and Kylie. Everything was about to collide.

Christian slowly lowered the phone.

Kylie was sitting beside him now. "What happened?"

He looked at her.

All the warmth disappeared from his face. The playful man who had stolen her popcorn moments ago was gone.

His face had lost all colour.

Kylie sat up straighter. "Christian?"

He stared at the phone again, then back at her.

"What is it?"

He swallowed. He couldn’t tell her. Not yet.

Because if she saw those comments, if she saw the photographs, if she saw how quickly strangers had turned her life into a public trial, she would be hurt.

And Christian didn’t know how much worse it was about to become.

Isabel would see this. The Dolce family would see this.

And tomorrow morning, the entire world would be discussing Kylie’s supposed place in his life.

Except she wasn’t a Sinclair.

And Christian suddenly realized how badly he wanted to protect her from all of it.

Kylie touched his arm. "Christian, you’re scaring me."

He looked at her.

For one second, he almost told her. Instead, he leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to her lips.

"I need to go to my apartment."

Kylie blinked. "Now?"

"Yeah."

"What happened?"

"Nothing."

She frowned. "Christian—"

"I’ll call you."

He was already moving. He climbed off the bed, grabbed his phone, and headed toward the door.

Kylie watched him, completely confused. "Christian?"

He stopped for half a second. He looked back at her. His expression was unreadable. "I’ll explain."

Then he walked out.

The bedroom door closed behind him.

And Kylie remained sitting on the bed, the movie still playing quietly in the background, completely unaware that while Christian had walked into the room expecting a peaceful night with her, the internet had just declared war on her.