His name was Nathaniel

83

The morning after Adaliya's video went viral, she realized that something had shifted.

It started small—more notifications than usual, her phone buzzing non-stop. But by the time she stepped onto campus, the shift became impossible to ignore.

People weren't just whispering about her anymore.

They were staring.

Some were smiling, some looked at her with curiosity, and others—mostly girls who had likely admired Nathaniel from afar—wore expressions of thinly veiled judgment.

Adaliya kept her head high, forcing herself to act normal, but it was hard when she could feel the eyes following her with every step.

She walked past a group of students sitting by the fountain when she heard it.

"That's her."

"She actually spoke out... damn, that takes guts."

"She's pretty, I'll give her that, but dating someone that rich? I'd be nervous as hell."

"I bet she's loving all this attention now."

Adaliya clenched her jaw and walked faster.

She could handle the whispers, the sideways glances. What she wasn't prepared for was what happened after her first lecture.

As she stepped outside, a group of actual reporters stood by the entrance, cameras at the ready.

Her stomach dropped.

"Adaliya! Over here!"

She instinctively turned away, but that only made them more eager.

"How do you feel about the public's reaction to your video?"

"Was this all planned? Are you looking for social media fame?"

"Are you and Nathaniel planning to move in together?"

She froze. How did they even know she'd be here?

A few students nearby pulled out their phones, filming.

Adaliya's hands tightened around the straps of her bag. Ignore them. Keep walking.

She pushed past the cameras, keeping her expression blank, but inside, her mind was racing.

She knew people would react to her video, but this?

This was something else entirely.

⸻

Even Work Wasn't Safe.

By the time she made it to the café for her shift, she was already exhausted. She just wanted to blend in, to have a few hours where she wasn't "Nathaniel Donovan's girlfriend" but just Adaliya.

But the moment she walked behind the counter, Mia—her nosiest coworker—let out a dramatic gasp.

"Oh. My. God." Mia grinned. "The celebrity has arrived."

Adaliya groaned. "Not you too."

Jordan, another coworker, leaned on the counter. "How does it feel knowing half the internet is obsessed with you now?"

"Annoying," Adaliya muttered, tying her apron.

Mia ignored her. "You know, I was on Twitter last night, and damn, girl—you have fans now."

Adaliya sighed. "I don't want fans, Mia. I just want coffee orders."

"Well, good luck with that," Jordan said, nodding toward the front of the café. "Because I think someone just recognized you."

Adaliya followed his gaze and—sure enough—a customer was watching her, phone in hand, whispering excitedly to the person next to them.

And then, to her horror, the woman actually came up to her.

"Excuse me," she said, eyes bright with excitement. "You're Adaliya, right? The one dating Nathaniel Donovan?"

Adaliya forced a polite smile. "That's me."

The woman gasped. "Oh my God, I loved your video. You're so inspiring."

Adaliya's smile softened slightly. "Thank you."

"So... is Nathaniel as perfect as he seems?"

The question caught her off guard. "Um—"

"Oh, and does he really fly you around in private jets? Or do you guys take, like, normal flights too?"

Adaliya blinked. "Uh—"

"Oh, wait! Are you guys planning to get engaged soon?"

Okay, what?

Adaliya's polite smile froze. "I, uh—"

Before she could respond, Jordan stepped in. "Ma'am, would you like to place an order?"

The woman finally realized she was holding up the line. "Oh! Right! Um... just a caramel latte."

Adaliya quickly punched in the order, giving Jordan a grateful look.

Mia, meanwhile, grinned. "I give it a month before people start asking you to take selfies with them."

Adaliya groaned.

⸻

That night, after her shift, Adaliya collapsed onto her bed, her phone still buzzing with notifications.

It wasn't all bad.

Most of the responses were supportive, people calling her "brave" and "real." But mixed in were comments from strangers asking personal questions:

"Where did you and Nathaniel meet exactly?"

"Have you met his father? What's he like?"

"When's the wedding??"

And then there were the entitled ones.

"If you really love Nathaniel, prove it by posting more about him."

"Why don't you guys go public more often? What are you hiding?"

"We deserve to see more of your relationship."

Adaliya sat up, her chest tightening.

We deserve?

These people didn't even know her, yet they felt entitled to her entire life.

Her world had changed overnight. She was no longer just a normal college student—she was someone people wanted access to.

And the worst part?

She wasn't sure if she could ever go back to the way things were.

⸻