A Thriller of a Love Story

Chapter Five: "Caught in the Crossfire"

                      (Lily's POV)

The next morning, I woke to a flood of missed calls and messages. My phone buzzed incessantly on the nightstand, the sharp vibrations pulling me out of my restless sleep. Bleary-eyed, I reached for it, my heart sinking as I saw dozens of notifications from friends, colleagues, and numbers I didn’t recognize.

My stomach flipped as I opened the first message—a link to a tabloid headline that read:

“Michael Jackson’s Secret Romance with Dancer Revealed!”

My heart pounded in my chest as I scrolled down, my breath catching when I saw a grainy picture of Michael and I outside the studio, talking closely. The headline framed our private moment as something scandalous, painting me as a mysterious new love interest, with whispers of an affair already circulating in the media.

I panicked. The bubble of our private connection had been shattered. I had known this might happen, but seeing it splashed across news sites and social media felt like a punch to the gut.
My phone buzzed again. This time, it was Michael.

Michael: We need to talk.
______________________________________

An hour later,

I arrived at Michael’s sprawling estate, my heart still racing as I drove through the gates. hadn’t been here since the night of the party, and everything felt different now—heavier, like the weight of the world had descended on us overnight.

Michael met me at the door, his expression grim but calm. He had faced the press more times than anyone could count, but this time, the stakes felt higher. This wasn’t just another rumor about his personal life—this involved me, and he could see the fear and uncertainty in my eyes.

“Come inside,” he said softly, ushering me in.

We walked to his private study, where the thick curtains blocked out the sunlight, casting the room in a dim, somber light. I sat down on the couch, my hands trembling as I held my phone tightly.

“They’re everywhere,” I said, my voice shaky. “I’ve gotten calls from people I haven’t spoken to in years. Everyone knows.”

Michael sat beside me, his gaze steady. “I know. They don’t waste time.”

For a moment, neither of us spoke. The gravity of the situation settled between us, the silence heavy with the knowledge that our relationship—whatever it was—was no longer just between us. It had become public property, dissected and twisted by people who knew nothing about us.

“I didn’t want this for you,” he said quietly, his hand resting on my knee. “I knew the risks, but I didn’t think it would happen this fast.”

I shook my head, trying to push down the rising tide of anxiety. “So, what are we gonna do now?”

He looked at me and hesitated. He had been here before, weathering storms of rumors and false stories, but this time was different. I wasn’t used to this world, and he didn’t want me to be dragged into the chaos.

“We can’t let them control us,” he said finally, his voice firm. “We can’t let them dictate what we do. But we also need to be careful. The more attention we draw, the worse it could get.”

I looked at him, my heart aching at the uncertainty in his eyes. I had never wanted to complicate his life, and now, here we are, caught in the crossfire of his fame.

“What if it’s too much?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper. “What if this ruins everything?”

Michael’s jaw tightened, and for a moment, I saw the weariness in him—the toll that fame had taken over the years, the constant pressure to be perfect, to live up to everyone’s expectations. But then he reached out, taking my hand in his.