CHAPTER TWO

Arielle’s POV

I confidently rushed to the door, opened it to maybe have a clearer view of the black car or even the driver. 

I saw a man on dark suit on the driver’s seat and also close to him was another man on hoodie covering his face. I stood perplexed at the spot confused on the next action to take. But before I could actually raise an alarm the car zoomed off

My fingers were still tightly holding my phone with his voice echoing in my head like something I can’t shut off.

“I know everything I need to know, Arielle.” He continued.

I swallowed hard with fear written all over my face, forcing myself to sit back on my cushion.

I turned my head towards the window, watching the city move like nothing had just shifted in my life. 

I realized the implications of last night actions because it had just brought eyes on me and my business and this type of people don’t give up easily so I have to brace up for wht the next action could be.

I exhaled slowly, encouraging myself to get a grip and not be paranoid. Just when I tried to put my feelings in order, my phone buzzed again, I looked at the screen. It was Anna, I picked that call immediately.

“Anna, where are you? I think I'm in trouble,” I said with my voice sounding very anxious.

“Arielle, Go online now and check the news,” she cuts in, with her voice tight.

“What happened again?” I asked with my heart almost running out of my chest.

“Just do as I say,” she answered.

I hesitated for a second, then switched on the data icon on my phone. Instantly notifications flooded in with messages, missed calls, Email and the like. My heart dropped.

“What is really going on?” I asked Anna

“ I think the best thing to do is to go online and see for yourself”. She answered.

I tried so hard wrap my head around what was happening. My fingers moved on my phone screen almost immediately. When I opened the first link, what I saw made me scared.

It was a blog headline and boldly written on it was;

“UNKNOWN WOMAN SPOTTED WITH RECLUSIVE BILLIONAIRE VIKTOR SOKOLOV”

“No.No, no, no, what is this?” I exclaimed while still scrolling on my phone with my heart skipping violently.

A video popped up, it had clear images as I could see a tall man in his dark suit. My face was really clear and visible enough for people who know me and enough to ruin everything that I have built.

“Oh my God… this is not happening” I whispered.

For a moment, I knew that I was in for a bigger bid as I just realized that for this videos to have an headline like this then a lot was at stake. And I could not afford to be entangled in this like this. I have lived and built a lot and everything about me and my high profile were all at stake. My reputation and work are all on the line.

At the same time I was also worried that the man in question is not an ordinary man because the news headlines just mentioned him to be a high profile billionaire and this type of men are hard nuts to crack.

“You can see it for yourself now?” she asked exhaling sharply from the other end.

“ But how…how did this appear online?” My voice dropped.

“ This is not all there is, but I have been meaning to ask, what really happened last night?”  Anna asked.

I ignored her and continued scrolling down on my phone. Then I began to see other videos and articles from different blogs. When I clicked on the comments, it was not helping matters at all.

“Trafficking claims are incoming?” One comment read.

My stomach twisted violently that I feel it so much,

“No, how did I get myself into this messy situation”, I said, shaking  my head in disbelief.

“This is really messy,” she said quietly.

Then one last scroll ended everything. I saw my name there .

“Arielle Volkov, she works in a fintech company as a finance manager, isn't she engaged? Wow how scandalous”. Read the last comment and I instantly broke down.

 “This news can’t get out to the public, my reputation, everything that I have built ” I said trying to reassure myself.

“It already has, can't you see it for yourself” she said bluntly.

I paused briefly trying to figure a way out 

“What about the man in the videos?Do you know who he is?” Anna added, suddenly worsening the situation.

“No, I don't,” I answered almost immediately.

“That’s Viktor Sokolov. Are you telling me that you have not known him”. She asked again.

“Anna, I just told you that I don't know him, can you just tell me already.”

“ Okay, he is Viktor Sokolov, he has never been seen with women or in any form of scandal. He maintains a clean image,” she said quietly. 

“And now you’re all over the internet with him.” she concluded. 

“Anna,  listen to me carefully,” she said.  “I don’t care who this man is right now or whatever status he holds because everything I have and have wotked for is also at the verge of collapse. So right now what I’m thinking of is how to figure out a way to get ahead of this before anyone else including him and his team before they could get a hold of anything against me and control everything” I said with so much reassurance in my tone and in a bid if not allowing fear take it’s course in me.

“Yes girl that’s the spirit, this is actually the Arielle that I know and I trust you to handle everything so well” Anna said.

To me, I knew I was in grave danger because he is a man that likes not to be exposed but rather controls tte narratives around him but I was not backing down either for anybody because I knew that both of us has something to lose if  the situation gets out of hand.

As I got off the phone with Anna, I locked all  the doors and windows immediately, then leaned against the wall with my eyes closed as I thought about how to fix everything.

Before a thought could come to my mind, my phone buzzed again. It was my news trending online with different comments and narratives about me. I knew I was doomed.

Just then, I heard a knock, I was surprised because I was not expecting anyone.

I moved slowly to the door then another one came, I stopped before moving again.

“Who is it?” I asked. There was silence then a male voice came from outside

“We know you are inside there” the voice said.

I pushed the door handle without thinking and I knew for sure what I was walking into but still had no other option because running away was not part of my agenda.