The sound of your phone buzzing against the nightstand pulled you from your thoughts. You glanced over at the screen and saw the same thing you'd been seeing all week: notifications about Nicholas and his co-star. Another fan edit, another article praising their on-screen chemistry, another picture from set showing them laughing together. You told yourself not to click on it, but your fingers betrayed you, scrolling through the endless sea of comments.
"They look so good together!"
"Nicholas and her would be such a power couple."
"Honestly, they have more chemistry than he and his girlfriend ever will."
The last comment stung more than you wanted to admit. You threw your phone down with a little more force than necessary and sighed, running your hands through your hair.
When you started dating Nicholas, you knew this would be hard. You'd heard the warnings from your friends: "He's an actor. He's going to be surrounded by beautiful women all the time." You tried to ignore them because you believed in Nicholas. He was kind, honest, and nothing like your ex.
But now, with the world buzzing about his new movie, you couldn't help but feel those familiar doubts creeping in. Your last relationship had left you broken, shattered by lies and infidelity. And now, as you scrolled through images of Nicholas smiling at another woman, the cracks in your trust began to widen.
You jumped slightly when the front door opened, and Nicholas's familiar voice echoed through the apartment.
"Babe? I'm home!"
Taking a deep breath, you plastered on a smile and walked out of the bedroom. He looked up from the bag he was placing on the counter, his face lighting up when he saw you.
"Hey," he said, walking over to you and wrapping his arms around your waist. He leaned down and kissed your forehead. "I missed you."
You melted into his embrace, as you always did. He had a way of making you feel safe, like nothing else in the world mattered when he was near.
"I missed you too," you replied softly.
He pulled back slightly, studying your face. "You okay? You seem...off."
You hesitated. Part of you wanted to brush it off, but the weight in your chest was too heavy to carry alone.
"I've just been...seeing things online," you admitted, your voice barely above a whisper. "About you and your co-star."
His brow furrowed as he led you over to the couch, sitting you down beside him.
"Go on," he said, his tone gentle but serious.
You played with the ends of your hair, avoiding his gaze. "Everyone keeps talking about how good you two look together, how much chemistry you have. And I know it's stupid, but I can't help but feel..." You trailed off, not wanting to say the word.
"Jealous?" he finished for you.
You nodded, your cheeks burning with shame. "I know it's your job, and I trust you, but...after what happened with my ex, it's hard not to overthink."
Nicholas reached out and took your hand, his thumb brushing over your knuckles. "First of all, it's not stupid. Your feelings are valid, and I get why this is hard for you. But I need you to know something."
You finally looked up at him, his brown eyes locking onto yours with an intensity that made your breath catch.
"I only have eyes for you," he said firmly. "Yes, my co-star is beautiful, and we have to create chemistry for the movie, but that's all it is—acting. When the cameras stop rolling, the only person I'm thinking about is you. The only person I want to be with is you."
Tears welled up in your eyes, and you quickly looked away, embarrassed.
"Hey," he said softly, cupping your cheek and turning your face back to him. "I'm serious. You're the one I come home to, the one I laugh with, the one I love. Nothing and no one is going to change that."
You searched his face for any sign of doubt, but all you saw was sincerity.
"I don't deserve you," you whispered.
He shook his head. "Don't say that. You deserve all the love and happiness in the world, and I'm going to spend every day making sure you know that."
A tear slipped down your cheek, and he gently wiped it away with his thumb.
"I don't care what the internet says," he continued. "They don't know us. They don't see the way your nose scrunches up when you're concentrating or the way your eyes light up when you're excited about something. They don't get to see the real you—the person I fell in love with."
Your heart swelled at his words, and for the first time in days, the tightness in your chest began to ease.
"I love you," you said, your voice trembling.
"I love you too," he replied, leaning in and pressing a soft kiss to your lips.
When he pulled back, he smiled. "Now, how about we order some takeout and watch a movie? Something totally unrelated to my job."
You laughed, nodding. "That sounds perfect."
As the night went on, the weight of your doubts and fears started to lift. Nicholas didn't just say he loved you; he showed it in the way he held your hand, the way he looked at you, and the way he made you feel like the most important person in the world.
The internet could talk all it wanted, but you knew the truth. Nicholas only had eyes for you, and that was all that mattered.
