When Rivalry Goes Viral

The sunlight streaming through the tall windows of The Luxe Hotel's ballroom felt warmer than usual, casting a golden hue over the polished marble floors and towering floral arrangements. The air was abuzz with murmurs of excitement as influencers, journalists, and brand executives gathered for the much-anticipated press event launching the Unfiltered campaign.

Vivien Hart smoothed the lapel of her tailored beige blazer, glancing at the sleek branding for the campaign projected on a massive screen at the front of the room. She was used to events like this—polished, high-stakes affairs where one wrong move could go viral in minutes.

But this time, her nerves weren't because of the cameras. They were because of him.

"Ready for round two?"

The voice sent a familiar shiver of irritation down her spine. She turned to find Ren Ashford standing beside her, looking infuriatingly casual in a fitted dark green blazer and an open-collar white shirt. His trademark grin was firmly in place, as if he hadn't a care in the world.

"You're late," Vivien said, crossing her arms.

Ren raised an eyebrow, holding up a cup of coffee as if it were a valid excuse. "Traffic. And coffee priorities. You should thank me for showing up at all."

Vivien sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Let's just get through this without embarrassing ourselves—or me, at least."

Ren chuckled. "Relax, Hart. What's the worst that could happen?"

---

The panel was running smoothly until a journalist from a popular gossip blog raised their hand, their smirk suggesting they had something spicy in mind. "Ren," the journalist began, their voice carrying the playful tone of someone setting a trap, "your reputation as a risk-taker is well-known. Do you think working with someone as structured as Vivien will be a challenge?"

Ren leaned into his microphone, his grin widening with mischievous delight. "Challenge? Absolutely," he said, pausing for effect. He glanced sideways at Vivien, his expression a perfect mix of teasing and admiration. "Vivien's about as structured as a spreadsheet on steroids."

The room erupted in laughter, the kind that fills every corner and lingers longer than it should. Vivien's cheeks burned, the flush creeping up her neck. She forced herself to sit perfectly still, her hands clasped tightly in her lap as her mind raced for a comeback that wouldn't sound petty.

Ren, of course, wasn't finished. "However," he added, turning fully toward Vivien, his tone softening just enough to catch everyone's attention, "she's also ridiculously good at what she does. So, if anything, I'm the one who has to keep up."

The laughter subsided into murmurs of approval, the crowd clearly impressed by the sincerity behind his words. Vivien's glare softened slightly, though she kept her lips pressed together, refusing to let a smile slip through.

"And if Ren can survive a week without breaking something," she quipped, leaning into the microphone with her usual poise, "I might consider him tolerable."

This time, the laughter was accompanied by scattered applause. The cameras zeroed in on them, their banter creating the kind of viral gold that LuxLife had no doubt been banking on. Within minutes, clips of their exchange were already making their way onto social media, the captions ranging from playful to downright speculative.

---

The panel ended with a round of applause, and Vivien quickly excused herself, weaving through the crowd to the refreshments table. She grabbed a glass of water, savoring the brief reprieve from the spotlight. Her heart still raced from the back-and-forth with Ren, and the sound of the crowd's laughter echoed in her ears.

She barely had a chance to catch her breath before a smooth, familiar voice sliced through the air like a knife.

"Impressive performance."

Vivien turned sharply, her fingers tightening around her glass. Vanessa Monroe stood a few feet away, her sleek dark hair perfectly styled, her designer jumpsuit radiating effortless glamour. Everything about Vanessa screamed polished perfection, from the cut of her outfit to the subtle gleam of her diamond earrings.

"Vanessa," Vivien said, her voice steady but cool. "Didn't expect to see you here."

Vanessa's lips curved into a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm a LuxLife ambassador. Of course, I'm here."

Vivien resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She knew Vanessa's type all too well. Polished on the outside, ruthless on the inside. What made it worse was that Vanessa wasn't just another influencer—she was Ren's ex. And judging by the subtle glances she kept throwing in his direction, she wasn't over him.

"You and Ren make an… interesting pair," Vanessa said, her tone dripping with false sweetness.

Vivien took a measured sip of water, her expression calm. "We're professionals. That's all that matters."

Vanessa's smile widened, her teeth gleaming like a predator's. "Oh, I'm sure. But just a word of advice—Ren's great at playing the long game. He knows exactly how to make people think he's on their side."

Vivien's grip on her glass tightened. "Thanks for the advice," she said evenly, though her voice carried an edge. "But I can handle myself."

Vanessa shrugged, the movement casual but calculated. "Of course. Just don't say I didn't warn you."

As Vanessa walked away, her heels clicking against the marble floor, Vivien felt a knot tighten in her chest. She hated the idea of doubting Ren—especially after he'd shown rare moments of sincerity—but Vanessa's words lingered, planting seeds of suspicion she couldn't ignore.

---

The event was winding down, the crowd thinning as journalists and influencers filtered out of the ballroom. Vivien found herself back at the press panel table, her fingers scrolling absently through her phone. Social media was on fire. Clips of her and Ren's banter had already gone viral, with hashtags like #VivienAndRen and #EnemiesToLovers trending for the second time that week.

The captions ranged from flattering to downright ridiculous.

"They can pretend all they want, but THAT chemistry is real. #VivienAndRen"

"If enemies-to-lovers was a marketing strategy, they'd be billionaires by now."

"How are these two not dating already? #EnemiesToLoversGoals"

Vivien sighed, setting her phone down. It was all so exhausting. The public seemed determined to turn their professional collaboration into a personal love story, and while it was good for business, it was terrible for her sanity.

"Looks like we're a hit," Ren's voice interrupted her thoughts.

Vivien looked up to see him approaching, holding two glasses of sparkling water. He set one down in front of her before sliding onto the chair beside her.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Vivien asked, studying him carefully.

Ren shrugged, his grin as casual as ever. "What's not to enjoy? We're trending, the campaign's off to a great start, and nobody's thrown a tomato at us yet. I'd call that a win."

Vivien narrowed her eyes, trying to read him. He seemed completely at ease, but Vanessa's words echoed in her mind, casting a shadow over the moment.

"Yeah," she said finally, picking up the glass. "Let's see how long it lasts."

Ren tilted his head, his grin fading slightly as he caught the shift in her tone. "Everything okay?"

Vivien hesitated, her fingers tightening around the glass. She could feel his eyes on her, waiting for an answer. For a moment, she considered bringing up Vanessa's warning, but something stopped her.

"Of course," she said, forcing a smile. "Just a long day."

Ren didn't look convinced, but he didn't press the issue. "Fair enough," he said, standing and adjusting his blazer. "Get some rest, Hart. We've got more chaos to cause tomorrow."

As he walked away to mingle with the remaining guests, Vivien watched him, her emotions a tangled mess of trust, doubt, and something she wasn't ready to name.

For the first time, she wondered if Vanessa's words might hold a sliver of truth. And that thought unsettled her more than she cared to admit.