LOGINTabitha:I couldn't stop looking at the clock and thinking about what Nora said. My phone hadn't buzzed with Emily's text yet. If Nora was that angry, then I could only imagine how upset Emily would be.My stomach churned, and I nearly doubled over, sick. I still had so much work to finish up, and the day was almost over. I could barely concentrate. So many things were happening at once. Only a few minutes ago, Enzo texted me that he was at the station. What was going on now? A sigh escaped my lips, and I tried to slow down my pounding heart. I had work to finish, and I could worry about Emily and Nora after. We had to get our numbers up and remain out of the reporter's radar for the meantime. It was nearly closing time, and surprisingly, it wasn't as noisy as I had expected. I knew there were still some persistent photographers watching the entrance, but apart from this morning, nothing crazy had happened yet.I typed furiously, still surreptitiously watching my phone and praying
Enzo:My phone buzzed on the table. I dropped my pen and sighed at the name across the screen. I really hoped that there was good news being delivered. I was already over this whole mess. “Hello, Officer Sandy. Good afternoon.”“Good afternoon, Mr. Ross.” Her voice was tight and hurried. “I know that you have a lot on your plate right now, but we are going to need you to come to the station.”“Why?” I raised an eyebrow. She sounded strange… and I didn’t like it one bit. “Is there any progress on any of the investigations going on so far. It’s been weeks, and I have yet to hear any news.”“I…I can’t tell you that, Sir,” she stuttered, her voice croaking slightly, “but it is imperative that you come to the station immediately. If you refuse, I will get a squad to escort you here.”My chest tightened. Something was definitely wrong. This had to be a trap. “That’s alright. I will be there in a few minutes.”Officer Sandy tried to get another word out, but I ended the call and called Mar
Tabitha:I stood at the window overlooking the city. The reporters had gone… or that is what they wanted us to think. Every now and then, I would see a lady or a man at a restaurant across the street, anxiously looking at their phone or watch, as well as the entrance to the company. My lips turned down at the corners. They hadn’t dispersed. The hungry ones were still hanging around, waiting to pounce on Enzo and me as soon as we walked out of that door during closing hours. I tried not to think about it, but it was hard. This morning was a nightmare, and it was hard not to worry about how nightmarish it could be once we were done with work. My head snapped around at the sound of knocking on my door. “Come in,” I said exasperatedly. “After the encounter with Stephen from finance. I had grown more weary with those who came into my office. A few times during the day, I could have sworn I heard whispering or scratching just outside my door, like there were people pressed against the wo
Tabitha:I was absolutely wrong. Today was exactly what I had seen in my nightmares. Maybe even worse. We were barely at the office when we were surrounded by reporters. I could even swear that some of them had been camping outside the building, waiting for like crazed Black Friday goers. It was scary. The car was soundproof with tinted windows, but seeing people bang on the glass and press their faces against it made my heart skip every time. Enzo shifted uncomfortably next to me, and his face hardened. He was already regretting this idea. If things weren't so tense right now, I'd have gloated. Another male reporter pressed his face against the glass. I gasped and fell back against Enzo. The reporter's mouth was moving aggressively; his eyes stared straight ahead. I knew he couldn't see me, but it didn't make the stare any less unsettling. "Enzo?" I tugged his sleeve and felt his hand move to his pocket. "Someone should get security done here now," he snapped on the phone. I
Tabitha:My eyes were heavy when I dragged myself out of bed. I groaned and looked out of the window. The sun had barely come up over the horizon. I sighed and buried my head in my hands, unsure of whether to be angry, upset, scared or all of the above. I didn’t think that Enzo would go along with Natasha’s suggestion. I hated that woman with every fibre in me: her burgundy smile, her dark, stupid hair, her uppity attitude, but even I had to admit that she was right. I couldn’t run away from this forever. The sooner I got into public, the better. I was much younger than her, but even I knew the way the social media world works. It’s not like Enzo was the first person to get into a scandal like this. Many celebrities and stars get dirt on them, but it all fades in a few weeks. Enzo and I did nothing wrong. We aren’t related, and I am certainly not a minor. The bead creaked as I flopped back down on the mattress, a loud sigh escaping my lips. It all seemed so easy to understand, to
Enzo:This isn’t funny, Natasha.”My hands raked my hair as I paced back and forth in the living room. Natash was smiling, watching me with bright eyes. She said she was here to help, not here to get a laugh out of this.Three more minutes and she was still smiling, still watching me, enjoying my restlessness. I stopped dead in front of her. “If you aren’t here to help, then leave,” I said firmly.“Can you just calm down?” she chuckled. “Can’t a girl be amused? I am here to help, but you have to admit that this is a hilarious situation that you got yourself into.”She stood up, and her heels clicked lightly on the marble floor. “I mean, I want to help you clear your name and all, but it’s going to be hard. The media is eating this story up like hot apple pie. Mr. Enzo Ross, the hottest, eligible bachelor billionaire, controlled, composed, content, disciplined, falling head over heels for his ward.” She chuckled and took a step closer; her breath was warm on my face. “Just saying it
Tabitha:The day felt longer than it usually was and I felt every minute in its essence. Nothing about today was anything to be happy about, it was a total mess.One after the other, we received emails from our partners, right from La Mega down to Ultra Tech. Signing these collaborations was no ea
Enzo:As Sandy’s voice trailed off and the call ended, I stared at the blank screen of my phone for what seemed like forever. Everything was happening at once, and somehow I was caught in the center of it all. I couldn’t start thinking about the recorded losses that occurred as a result of the
Enzo:By morning, the damage was no longer small or abstract. It had become real and damning.I felt it the moment I stepped into the building, in the way conversations stopped mid-sentence, in the way people avoided eye contact.The lobby was filled but it still felt empty. People were around me b
Tabitha:I didn't want to let go of him.Not in the car. Not when the driver’s eyes flicked to the rearview mirror and then moved away to focus on his driving, but I didn't care, especially now. I just couldn't. Not even when we reached the penthouse and the doors closed behind them with a soft, fi







