The Former Marine

In the days that followed, Ana de Armas continued to show up at Derek's gym regularly, always focused on improving her skills. Each session was a significant step forward, both in hand-to-hand combat and in handling weapons. Ana, always disciplined, listened attentively to all of Derek's instructions, and he was increasingly impressed by her dedication.

One morning during training, Derek found her already on the mat, stretching to begin the session.

"Good morning, Ana. Are you ready for the next step?" he asked, already positioning himself to begin the day's exercises.

"Very ready," she replied with a confident smile. "Thanks to you, I feel like I'm getting stronger every day. This movie is going to be a success."

Derek smiled slightly, pleased with her progress.

"You're doing great, Ana. The way you absorb each movement is impressive. It's not easy to do what you're doing in such a short time."

As they trained, the conversation flowed naturally. Derek liked the relaxed atmosphere he had created with Ana. Even though the training was tough, they both managed to have fun and learn at the same time.

"You know, I'll post a picture of this training on my Instagram," Ana said at one point, as they rested between sessions.

Derek shrugged, nonchalant.

"Sure, feel free. Just let me know before you schedule anything, because I don't have social media."

Ana laughed.

"I know, I've heard that before. You're the only one I know who can completely stay off the grid, especially here in Los Angeles."

"It's a bit of peace. I prefer to focus on my work and the people around me," Derek explained, pulling a bottle of water from his backpack. "Everything else is just a distraction."

"That makes sense," Ana agreed. "But I'll give you credit for the training, because you deserve to be recognized."

Derek nodded.

"I appreciate it, but remember, it's all your credit. I'm just guiding you along the way."

At the end of the week, after a particularly intense session, Ana took a photo of the two of them together at the gym. She was sweaty but smiling, with the expression of someone who had overcome a challenge and come out stronger. Derek, next to her, was in his usual relaxed posture, but proud of his student's progress.

"This one's for Instagram," Ana said with a twinkle in her eye, already scrolling through her phone.

Within minutes, the post was up, with the caption:

"Nothing like a good workout with the best of the best! Thank you, Derek, for preparing me for my next role. You are a true master!"

What Ana didn't expect, however, was the immediate impact the post would have. Within hours, the photo began circulating around the internet, especially since some people recognized Derek as Kylie Jenner's boyfriend, seen in photos with her and her children in recent months.

Before long, headlines began to appear: "Ana de Armas trains with Derek Rogan, Kylie Jenner's new boyfriend!"

Meanwhile, Derek was at his gym, finishing up the cleaning of his equipment, when his phone started buzzing incessantly. He saw a few messages from friends and acquaintances, mentioning that he was "blowing up" on social media. Although he was used to avoiding the virtual world, he knew something was up.

At the same time, Kylie, who was in a work meeting, also started receiving notifications. Her friends were sending links to Ana's post, asking about Derek's involvement with her. It wasn't long before Derek and Kylie's connection was mentioned on practically every social network.

Later that day, when Derek returned home, Kylie greeted him with an amused smile.

"Looks like your secret of avoiding social media didn't last that long after all."

Derek frowned, confused.

"What are you talking about?"

Kylie showed Ana's post on Instagram.

"She mentioned you in the picture. Now everyone knows you're the Derek who trains celebrities and, of course, the same Derek who dates Kylie Jenner."

He looked at the post and chuckled lightly.

"Well, it's not exactly the end of the world. I knew it would happen eventually."

Kylie nodded.

"Yeah, and it's not like it's a problem. People have been speculating for a while. Now it's just more confirmed. Anyway, are you ready to deal with a little more media attention?"

Derek sighed, a relaxed smile on his face.

"I'll try. But as you know, I'd rather keep to myself and focus on my work."

Kylie walked over and wrapped her arms around him.

"Don't worry, we'll get through this together. I know you don't like the spotlight, but trust me, the attention will pass."

Derek kissed her forehead.

"As long as I have you and your family by my side, the rest is just noise."

The next day at the gym, Ana arrived early and immediately apologized to Derek.

"I don't know this was going to be a big deal. I swear I didn't mean to."

Derek smiled reassuringly.

"It's okay, Ana. Don't worry. I knew this would happen eventually, and honestly, it's not that big of a deal."

"Are you sure?" Ana asked, still looking a little guilty.

"I am. I'm just going to keep doing what I do best training and helping people. The media will keep speculating, but that doesn't change who I am or what I do."

Ana sighed in relief.

"Thank you for understanding. I just wanted to give you credit for the amazing work you've been doing."

"You're doing a great job, and that's all that matters," Derek replied. "Now, let's get back to training. We have a movie to make sure is a success."

Ana smiled, renewed by Derek's confidence. "Right, let's get back to work!"

With that, they went back to their training, both knowing that while the media was paying attention, the real focus remained on the work and dedication they put into each shoot. For Derek, this was all part of a new phase in his life, a phase in which he was learning to balance the Hollywood spotlight with his desire to stay focused on what really mattered.