A man rushed up, secured the microphone on his shirt and stole a glance at Amanda’s long slender legs before he departed. The network’s attempt to create a cozy home-like atmosphere did nothing to relieve the tension in Viggo’s shoulders. Amanda leaned closer on the love seat and placed a hand on his arm. “Relax, honey. There’s nothing to be nervous about.”
He offered a strained smile. With the microphone switched on, and the audience seated, he couldn’t speak his mind. Besides, she already knew. He’d been furious when she’d told him about the public announcement of their engagement. She’d argued it was “good for publicity.”
“Besides, if we cancel the interview, they’ll know something isn’t right, and everything we’ve worked for will be ruined,” she’d said.
She was right, but her tactics proved her true nature. He wished he could have called Svala to warn her, tell her why he agreed to do this, and that she had no reason to worry. But even if he could reach her, he couldn’t tell her without risking everything he’d worked for.
The interviewer greeted them before she took her seat. “This is not live, so if you think of something you’d like to share when we’re done, we can add on afterwards.” She smiled and turned to Viggo. “Try to relax and have fun.”
Amanda reached out to clasp his hand. The oversized diamond on her engagement ring sparkled in the studio light. She’d bought it herself and when Viggo commented on the size, telling her it was unsuitable, she’d smiled and told him ‘size mattered’.
Viggo didn’t say much during the interview. Amanda answered the questions on how they met, making stupid references to the actual events. “Before I met Viggo, it felt like I had been locked up in a cell for centuries.” She met Viggo’s gaze with amusement. “I died when I saw him.”
The interviewer turned to him. “Was it the same for you? Love at first sight.”
He inhaled, and tried to act comfortable. “Well, we met under very special circumstances.”
The woman leaned closer, and urged him to continue. He didn’t know how to elaborate without having to lie, and Svala would be watching this later in the evening. As much as lying would be beneficial to his cause, it would also hurt her.
“Maybe not first sight.” He snickered.
Amanda playfully slapped his arm and grinned. “He’s such a comedian. That’s another thing I love about him. He always makes me laugh.” She grinned but clutched his arm tighter in warning. He forced a smile back, then turned away, refusing to hold her gaze any longer.
The interviewer looked into her notes. “You’re very young to get married. One might wonder if there is some other reason urging your decision?”
Amanda crossed her legs and fingered the hem of her skirt. Her eyes flickered over the room, and her reaction no doubt fed the interviewer’s assumption of a shotgun wedding. Viggo clenched his jaw. “No, there’s no other reason,” he said, his voice flat.
The interviewer searched Amanda’s gaze. She forced a smile and shook her head, eyebrows slightly raised. “No, no other reason,” she said and pressed her lips together.
After the interview, Viggo and Amanda went to their dressing room. He closed the door behind him and tried to keep his voice down. “What the hell are you doing?”
She frowned. “What do you mean?”
“You know very well what I mean. What was that? You intentionally let her believe you’re pregnant. You know Svala will watch this and I’ve told you, I won’t do this if it hurts her.”
She turned to the mirror by the makeup table and leaned in to remove her earrings. “Well, sometimes you have to hurt people to get what you want. You’re focusing on details. I’m only doing what is in the best interest of our assignment.”
He raised his voice, furious over her nonchalance. “How is pretending you’re pregnant in the best interest of our
He offered a strained smile. With the microphone switched on, and the audience seated, he couldn’t speak his mind. Besides, she already knew. He’d been furious when she’d told him about the public announcement of their engagement. She’d argued it was “good for publicity.”
“Besides, if we cancel the interview, they’ll know something isn’t right, and everything we’ve worked for will be ruined,” she’d said.
She was right, but her tactics proved her true nature. He wished he could have called Svala to warn her, tell her why he agreed to do this, and that she had no reason to worry. But even if he could reach her, he couldn’t tell her without risking everything he’d worked for.
The interviewer greeted them before she took her seat. “This is not live, so if you think of something you’d like to share when we’re done, we can add on afterwards.” She smiled and turned to Viggo. “Try to relax and have fun.”
Amanda reached out to clasp his hand. The oversized diamond on her engagement ring sparkled in the studio light. She’d bought it herself and when Viggo commented on the size, telling her it was unsuitable, she’d smiled and told him ‘size mattered’.
Viggo didn’t say much during the interview. Amanda answered the questions on how they met, making stupid references to the actual events. “Before I met Viggo, it felt like I had been locked up in a cell for centuries.” She met Viggo’s gaze with amusement. “I died when I saw him.”
The interviewer turned to him. “Was it the same for you? Love at first sight.”
He inhaled, and tried to act comfortable. “Well, we met under very special circumstances.”
The woman leaned closer, and urged him to continue. He didn’t know how to elaborate without having to lie, and Svala would be watching this later in the evening. As much as lying would be beneficial to his cause, it would also hurt her.
“Maybe not first sight.” He snickered.
Amanda playfully slapped his arm and grinned. “He’s such a comedian. That’s another thing I love about him. He always makes me laugh.” She grinned but clutched his arm tighter in warning. He forced a smile back, then turned away, refusing to hold her gaze any longer.
The interviewer looked into her notes. “You’re very young to get married. One might wonder if there is some other reason urging your decision?”
Amanda crossed her legs and fingered the hem of her skirt. Her eyes flickered over the room, and her reaction no doubt fed the interviewer’s assumption of a shotgun wedding. Viggo clenched his jaw. “No, there’s no other reason,” he said, his voice flat.
The interviewer searched Amanda’s gaze. She forced a smile and shook her head, eyebrows slightly raised. “No, no other reason,” she said and pressed her lips together.
After the interview, Viggo and Amanda went to their dressing room. He closed the door behind him and tried to keep his voice down. “What the hell are you doing?”
She frowned. “What do you mean?”
“You know very well what I mean. What was that? You intentionally let her believe you’re pregnant. You know Svala will watch this and I’ve told you, I won’t do this if it hurts her.”
She turned to the mirror by the makeup table and leaned in to remove her earrings. “Well, sometimes you have to hurt people to get what you want. You’re focusing on details. I’m only doing what is in the best interest of our assignment.”
He raised his voice, furious over her nonchalance. “How is pretending you’re pregnant in the best interest of our
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