Chapter 9

NATASHA

I had a lot to say but I kept my mouth because Nicholas looked so embittered. I waited for him and he eventually came around. He held both shoulders of mine and looked into my eyes. His eyes penetrated into my soul and somehow, it felt as if I was being hypnotized.

“You can talk to anyone. You can get close to anyone. I mean everyone apart from Austin!” Nicholas said firmly.

“Why? Would you at least tell me the reason?” I wanted to know. Nicholas turned around, pacing around the room. “If you can't tell me the reason, I will never be able to understand you!”

“Later. I will tell you later!” Nicholas replied. He brought out his phone, dialed a number, and I heard him say, “Send Vivian in. Within a minute, Vivian entered. She was dressed not not in a party outfit. She gave me a big smile before acknowledging Nicholas.

“Vivian, you know I have a private meeting with a potential investor,” Nicholas muttered.

“The room has been prepared, boss. He is waiting for you,” Vivian replied readily.

“I want you to keep Natasha company. She will go out now and meet with other people. Make sure Austin doesn't come close. Your job is to protect her until I'm done with that meeting. Do you understand?” Nicholas asked. This time, his eyes were fixed on Vivian. For some reason, she seemed to hesitate.

“Yes, boss,” She replied eventually. Nicholas left us in the room and after taking a deep breath, Vivian led the conversation. “Boss wants you to grant an interview to some reporters. They are waiting in the garden. Follow me, Miss.”

I followed in silence. For some reason, I could tell that Vivian was well trusted by Nicholas. Perhaps she knew the story between Nicholas and Austin.

“He told me to ask you for favors whenever he was unavailable…” I reminded Vivian.

“Yes, of course. Do you need something?” Vivian asked politely as she faked a smile. If there was something I could always differentiate, it was a fake smile to a real one. I knew it because I faked smiles a lot myself.

“Austin. He is Nicholas's stepbrother but it seems Nicholas hates him…” I muttered. “I have a theory about them anyway. Is Austin an illegitimate child by any means?”

“Correct!” Vivian replied. “After Nicholas’s mother died, his father had a thing with his secretary and that brought Austin to life. Boss's father could have married the secretary but he didn't do that to preserve Nicholas’s position as the heir.”

“Oh!” I exclaimed. “This thing about rich men and their secretaries is alarming!”

“You do realize I am also Nicholas's secretary, you know?” Vivian added playfully. This made me laugh.

“You are a funny one,” I told her. “I can be sure there is nothing going on between both of you anyway.”

“Really?” Vivian asked with a smirk on her face.

“Yeah,” I replied nervously. I wondered why she looked so serious. I decided to drift back to the original topic. “A child is a child. Illegitimate or not. Is that why Nicholas hates him? Fuck! I've seen many dramas and the legitimate kids are always hating on the weak, illegitimate child. That must be the scenario here as well.”

We were in the garden. I could see the reporters gathered in front.

“Two things to correct, Miss,” Vivian suddenly paused. “One, Austin isn't weak. Two, those dramas are shit! Follow me, please.”

I wanted to hear the full story but before I could reach her, she was with a reporter, discussing the guidelines of the interview. A script was handed over to me to rehearse. This was because whatever I said must match Nicholas's story to the press.

The press is bullshit, I concluded.

“Action!” I heard. It was as if we were shooting a drama.

“Miss Natasha, some sources say your marriage happened suddenly. Was it a whirlwind romance?” The reporter asked, flashing his milky teeth at me.

“Love and time are related but it's not that deep for me. A year, six months, three days… it doesn't matter. Our relationship has been kept a secret for a while actually. Whirlwind romance or not, we love ourselves to the moon and back!” I answered as I blushed a little. Camera flashes in-between.

“How do you respond to the critics who suggest that your marriage with Nicholas was for convenience or image?” The reporter asked. Again, he flashed his milky teeth. Was he trying to brag about how his teeth looked like that of a baby?

I laughed like a lady. Trust me, Vivian had spent more than fifteen minutes illustrating how a lady laughed in public. She looked meticulous. Hopefully, she wouldn't have many chances to frustrate me.

“It is no marriage of convenience. Love happened and we were the perfect match. That's all,” I answered.

“Lastly…” The reporter looked into my eyes. “Some speculate that you were recently disowned from your family. What is your comment on the matter?”

More camera flashes. I looked at Vivian for help. The script she gave me didn't have that question. It was a live interview which meant I had to answer that question definitely.

If I said I was declaring war on my family that abandoned me, there would be speculation that I was attempting to use Nicholas to get my revenge. Telling them the whole story will do me no good as well. I had only one choice and it was taking the coward's way out.

“That is my personal issue, dear reporter. I would like to keep family matters as such from the press!” I told him firmly.

“Have you been disowned or not? A yes or no, please…” The reporter pushed ahead.

“Thanks for having me!” I ignored the reporter. The interview was over and that was it. Vivian followed me, holding a file.

“You did well, miss,” Vivian told me. I stopped.

“Why did you do nothing when I was being put on the spot?” I asked her, searching her eyes for answers.

“Well…” She sounded nervous while averting my eyes. “I didn't know if…”

“Enough!” I shouted at her. “Before tomorrow, I want that reporter fired.”

“But Miss…” Vivian tried.

“Did that sound like a request?” I asked.

“I will have him fired,” She replied with her head bowed.