The Marriage Bargain - ENGLOT

Chapter 38: Day 19-20

Cadence's POV:

Today's the day. We all gathered for a press conference. Emory and I were seated on stage, flanked by Max, his wife, Stella and the director of our upcoming film. The room was packed with reporters, all vying for answers and clarification on the rumors that had been circulating.

"Thank you all for coming on such short notice," The director spoke first, addressing the rumors head on. "There is no truth to the rumors that Cadence and Max are involved in a romantic relationship. Any such rumors are baseless and unfounded."

Max then spoke, "I want to make it clear that Cadence is not only my co-star, but a dear friend. We are not involved in any romantic relationship, nor have we ever been."

Finally, it was my turn to speak. "I just want to say that I appreciate the support and concern of my fans, but these rumors are not true. I am happily married to my wife, Emory Winslow, and we are committed to each other."

There was a murmur of surprise from the crowd, but I continued. "We have been together for four years, and I couldn't be happier. As for the rumors about my relationship with Max, they are completely false. Max is a dear friend and co-star, and nothing more."

The questions from the press were relentless, but I remained calm and collected, with Emory's unwavering support by my side.

Once the press conference ended, the room cleared out quickly, leaving only us and a small group of reporters. As we were getting ready to leave, one reporter approached us, with a kind yet curious expression on her face.

"Excuse me, Cadence. I hope you don't mind me asking, but your announcement about your marriage surprised us all. You've been very private about your personal life until now. What made you decide to tell the world?"

I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of the question. "It wasn't an easy decision, to be honest. Emory and I value our privacy, especially with both of us being public figures. But my agency and I felt that it was the right move during this bump in my career."

Emory nodded in agreement, adding, "We also wanted to be honest and make it clear that we both are not available. I hope in doing so, rumors like this won't happen again."

The reporter smiled at us, clearly impressed by our sincerity. "Thank you for sharing that with us. It takes a lot of courage to be open and honest in this industry."

We thanked her and left the room, feeling a mix of relief and nervousness. It was one thing to make the announcement, but it was another to see how the public would react.

"So..that went well." I said, turning to Emory with a small smile.

She chuckled softly. "It did. I'm proud of you for being open and honest. And I hope it clears up any misunderstandings or rumors."

I nodded in agreement. "Me too. It feels good to have that weight off our shoulders."

Emory hummed, "I'm sure it does," she opened the car door for me then went in to her side. She started the engine of the rented car then turned to me and asked, "so what now?"

I grinned, excitement bubbling within me. "Now, my love, I want to show you one of my favorite places in Sweden. Is that okay?"

Emory smiled back at me. "Of course. Give me a little tour on the way too."

I nodded eagerly, feeling excited to revisit some of my favorite memories. I took the driver's seat, switching with Emory. As we drove through the streets of Stockholm, I pointed out landmarks and shared stories from my time living there.

As we drove, I told Emory stories about the movies I filmed, the people I met, and the things I did here. She listened intently, her hand on my leg as if to ground me. I drove us towards the coastline, where the sun glistened over the Baltic Sea.