By the time the feature was set in motion, Sloane had already planned every possible outcome.
She had been in this world long enough to know how the press worked. They weren't in the business of truth, they were in the business of narratives. And she wasn't about to let them spin her into anything less than untouchable.
The moment the announcement went live, it spread like wildfire.
Saint-Clair & Montgomery: The merger of the century or a love story for the ages?
It was everywhere. Business magazines, luxury fashion blogs, even gossip sites that typically had no business covering the world of billion-dollar empires. The perfect engagement. The perfect couple. The perfect illusion.
And as planned, it was working.
The market was eating it up, stock values holding steady, investors loving the fairy-tale aspect of it all.
It should have felt like a win.
Except Sloane knew better than to think Vincent would let her have this moment unchallenged. Which was why she wasn't surprised when two days later, she walked into her office to find him already there. Sitting behind her desk like he owned the damn place.
Sloane barely broke stride as she stepped inside, closing the door behind her with a soft click. "You know, most people schedule meetings instead of breaking into my office."
Vincent didn't look up from the magazine in his hands. The latest LUXE Business Issue, with their faces on the cover.
He flipped a page lazily, the picture of boredom. "And yet, you don't look surprised to see me."
Sloane exhaled a quiet laugh, rounding the desk before leaning down, placing her hands on the polished wood as she stared at him. "Because I knew you'd come."
Vincent finally looked up, blue eyes sharp, assessing. Dangerous.
"I have to say," he murmured, tapping a finger against the glossy cover, "I didn't expect you to push this out so quickly."
She smirked. "You gave me an inch, Saint-Clair. I took a mile."
His gaze flickered, something dangerous and entertained sparking in his expression. "You do that often, don't you?"
Sloane tilted her head. "Only when the other party isn't paying attention."
Vincent leaned forward, his elbows resting on her desk, closing the space between them. "Oh, sweetheart. I'm always paying attention."
Her pulse jumped before she could stop it.
Not fair. Not fair at all.
She straightened, rolling her shoulders, eyes never leaving his. "Then what exactly are you doing here, Vincent? Come to congratulate me on my brilliance?"
Vincent smirked, slow and lazy. "Oh, sweetheart. I came to remind you who you're playing with."
Before she could react, he reached for something on her desk. A stack of papers she hadn't noticed when she walked in.
She recognized them instantly.
The finalized contracts from the Saint-Clair Holdings and Montgomery Atelier partnership.
Her eyes narrowed. "You went through my files?"
Vincent exhaled a quiet laugh. "Please. Your assistant handed them over the second she saw me."
Sloane made a mental note to have a conversation with Lena later.
Vincent flipped to a specific page, tapping his finger against the fine print. "You see, while you were busy playing the press, you seem to have overlooked one tiny detail."
Sloane crossed her arms, waiting. "Enlighten me."
Vincent leaned back in her chair, smug as ever. "Clause 17C. The one that ensures Saint-Clair Holdings has equal branding rights in any international campaign using my name."
She knew exactly what it said. She had read the contract a hundred times. But the way he was looking at her? She knew he was up to something.
She grabbed the papers, scanning the section he had pointed out. And then she saw it.
A single subclause she hadn't accounted for.
If one party initiates a feature, the other reserves the right to launch a follow-up.
Her grip on the papers tightened. She lifted her gaze, already knowing exactly what he was about to say.
Vincent smirked. "So, since you had the first move, it's only fair that I get the second."
Sloane narrowed her eyes. "What are you planning?"
He tapped his finger against the magazine. "You wanted a power couple feature?" He stood, smoothing out his ridiculously expensive suit. "I'm giving them the next best thing."
Sloane folded her arms, eyes sharp. "Which is?"
Vincent strode toward the door, pausing just long enough to throw a smirk over his shoulder.
"An exclusive on the wedding."
Then he walked out.
Sloane's blood simmered.
Oh. He wanted to play?
Fine.
He was about to find out exactly what happened when you pushed Sloane Montgomery too far.
Sloane didn't move for a full five seconds after Vincent walked out of her office. She just stood there, staring at the door as his words echoed in her head.
An exclusive on the wedding.
Her fingers tightened around the contract.
Vincent thought he was so damn clever. Thought he could turn the game on her, flip the script, and force her into his version of this farce.
Not happening.
With slow, deliberate movements, she set the contract down on her desk and reached for her phone.
"Lena," she said the moment her assistant answered. "I need an update on the LUXE feature."
"Yes, Ms. Montgomery," Lena responded immediately. "The photoshoot is set for next week, and the final interview questions should be sent over by the end of the day."
Sloane nodded. "Good. Now, find out exactly what Saint-Clair Holdings is feeding to the press about this wedding feature. Every. Single. Detail."
Lena hesitated. "The wedding feature?"
Sloane exhaled through her nose, pressing her fingers against her temple. "Yes, Lena. The one Vincent Saint-Clair just decided to drop into our lives unannounced."
Silence.
Then, a quiet, impressed, "Oh."
Sloane let out a humorless laugh. "Yeah. Oh."
Lena got herself together quickly. "I'll look into it and report back in an hour."
"Thirty minutes," Sloane corrected.
"Yes, Ms. Montgomery."
She hung up, dropping the phone onto her desk before pressing her palms against the cool marble surface.
Vincent had done exactly what she would have done. And that infuriated her more than anything else.
She had spent years perfecting the art of control, the ability to anticipate every possible move before the other party even realized they were making one. But Vincent?
Vincent was playing the game too well. And worse, he was enjoying it.
A soft knock at the door pulled her from her thoughts. Lena stepped in, looking far too excited for someone delivering bad news.
"You're going to love this," she said, setting a tablet down in front of Sloane.
Sloane arched a brow. "Doubtful."
Lena just smirked, tapping the screen. "The leak already hit the press."
Sloane narrowed her eyes as the webpage loaded.
Vincent Saint-Clair & Sloane Montgomery: The wedding of the century?
The article was immediately everywhere. Luxury publications, business sites, even lifestyle magazines that usually only cared about celebrity drama.
She scanned the contents, her annoyance deepening with every sentence.
An intimate, exclusive look into the wedding of the two most powerful heirs in the world. Private interviews, personal anecdotes, a never-before-seen glimpse into their romance.
Sloane let out a slow breath, tapping her nails against the desk.
Vincent didn't just announce the feature. He made it personal.
The media was eating it up.
Lena shifted beside her. "You have to admit, it's genius."
Sloane cut her a sharp look. "It's manipulative."
Lena just smiled. "Right. Which is exactly what you would've done."
Sloane didn't respond. Because Lena was right. She would have done this. But she would have done it better.
She reached for her phone.
Lena blinked. "Who are you calling?"
Sloane exhaled slowly, the beginnings of a dangerously perfect plan forming in her mind.
She looked at Lena, her smile slow and sharp.
"The one person Vincent Saint-Clair doesn't see coming."
Then, she made the call.
And just like that, the game had shifted again.