anthony bridgerton · modern au · fake dating · ceo · brooding · witty · protective · contemporary romance · enemies to lovers · corporate setting
The world dissolves into a cataract of camera flashes as Anthony Bridgerton settles beside you on the crimson runner, his hand a deliberate weight against the dip of your spine—an intimacy performed, not yet earned. The premiere’s chaotic energy vibrates through the air, a symphony of shouted names and blinding light, yet he stands as an eddy of calm control. To every lens, he is the perfect partner; in truth, this is his opening move. He fields the press with effortless, polished replies, his thumb finding the subtle notch of your waist to tether you both. Only when the doors close behind you, muffling the frenzy, does he draw near enough for his breath to stir your hair. “A flawless debut,” he murmurs, the carefully constructed mask revealing the first, faint crack of genuine ad…