The Beard

- One -

Y/N St. James stared at the sleek conference room table, the folder in front of her sitting like a brick on her chest. Across from her, Taylor Swift sat poised, her expression unreadable, while Clara, Taylor's manager, explained the latest damage-control plan.

"As I said, Travis Kelce has agreed to this arrangement. His public image is spotless, and he'll draw attention away from the rumors. For Y/N, Elizabeth Olsen is perfect—high-profile enough to make it believable but not so much that it overshadows Taylor's relationship with Travis." Clara's voice was clipped, as though they were discussing a business merger instead of people's lives.

Y/N let out a bitter laugh, cutting her off. "Unbelievable."

Clara frowned. "I don't see what's funny about this."

"No, of course, you wouldn't," Y/N snapped, finally looking up. Her gaze fell on Taylor, who was avoiding her eyes. " look Clara, just give me the NDA about Taylor and the contract with Elizabeth and I'll sign it. I know how this things go."

Clara handed Y/N the contracts and as Y/N read through them she said.

"Dianna Agron," Y/N said, her voice low but biting. "Remember that? The secret glances, the rumors, and then suddenly, Harry Styles shows up as your 'boyfriend.' That went well, didn't it?" She didn't wait for an answer. "Then there was Karlie Kloss. God, you two were practically inseparable—until Calvin Harris came into the picture. And when that didn't work, you tried Tom Hiddleston."

"That's not fair," Taylor said quietly, her voice barely audible.

Y/N pressed on, ignoring her. "Then Lily Donaldson. She was great wasn't she? The Champagne Problems with the engagement ring in her pocket... You covered all that romance up with Joseph Alwyn..."

"Y/N," Taylor tried again, but her voice cracked, and her calm facade was slipping.

"And now it's me," Y/N said bitterly, her voice sharp enough to cut glass. "I'm the next chapter in this endless cycle of PR games. You get Travis Kelce, America's football sweetheart, and I get to fake-date Elizabeth Olsen. Until you actually fall in love with him..."

Taylor finally met her eyes, and for a moment, guilt flickered across her face. "It's different this time," she whispered.

"How?" Y/N challenged, her voice rising. "How is this different, Taylor? Because I'm the one you actually love? Is that supposed to make this easier for me? Do you want to grab Your phone so we can call Karlie and Dianna and Lily and see how that worked out for them?"

Taylor flinched at the words, and the silence in the room was deafening. Clara shifted uncomfortably but didn't interrupt.

"You're asking me to sell a lie," Y/N continued, her voice trembling now. "A lie that says we're not together. That I don't love you, and you don't love me. And for what? To protect an image? To appease people who don't even know you?"

Taylor's shoulders sagged, and for a moment, she looked utterly defeated. "If this gets out," she said softly, "you know what they'll do to us. To me. The headlines, the speculation, the hate. I'm trying to protect myself and protect you."

"Protect me?" Y/N's laugh was humorless. "Taylor, this isn't protection. It's erasure. It's forcing me to live in the shadows while you hold hands with someone else in the spotlight. Do you have any idea how that feels?"

Taylor's eyes glistened, but Y/N didn't care. She was too angry, too hurt to stop now.

"You've done this over and over, and every time, it ends the same way. You're left picking up the pieces, and everyone around you gets caught in the fallout. Why do you think this will be any different?"

Taylor didn't answer. She just sat there, staring at Y/N as if she didn't have the words to fight back.

Clara cleared her throat, breaking the tension. "Y/N, I understand this is difficult, but the arrangements are already in motion. You'll meet Elizabeth tomorrow to go over the logistics. The sooner we start, the sooner this will all be over. We just need you to sign the NDA and the contract."

Y/N let out a shaky breath, as she signed the contracts and shoved them back to Clara before she leaned back in her chair. She looked at Taylor one last time, her voice quieter but no less cutting. " I didn't want to sign this, but it looks like I don't have much or a choice, but You've made your decision, Taylor. I hope it's worth it."

And with that, Y/N walked out of the room, leaving Taylor sitting there, tears pooling in her eyes but unable to fall.

Taylor knew she loved Y/N, and Y/N loved Taylor more Than anything, they were going To move past it. It was just a beard contract, it was just two years. They could survive it.