THE SCANDAL

"Kira? What the hell are you doing in my room?!"

Edward's voice was sharp enough to cut.

Kira couldn't answer. She was leaning against the door, breathing fast, her face red, her eyes glassy. Her gown was on the floor.Her body was sticky with sweat that her undergarment clinged to her that her revealing almost everything.

Kira herself was confused too when she saw Edward there and her brows furrowed — why is he here? She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. Her body was betraying her, heat rushing between her thighs, her chest tightening and her mind going blank.

And that did not sit well with Edward because her silence made him conclude that she was there to actually seduce him.

He walked towards her grabbed the bathrobe from the bed and threw it around her.

Immediately their skin touched,his touch felt like a antitode to the heat in her,it was warm,Erotic feelings rushed through her whole being.She caressed his bare chest and leaned in closer to him.Edwards stiffened and his hand on her tightened.

Kira....he called and from the tone of his voice,kira could tell he was very angry and irritated.

As if his chest burned her,she immediately snatched her hand away from his chest and stuttered.

"I... I'm... Sorry... i had wine ... Her words were slurring.Edward could barely make out words from what she said.

Just then —

BANG BANG BANG on the door.

Keira flinched at the sound.

""Who is it?Edward asked but he got no reply,instead the knocking came again.He gestured at kira to keep shut by placing his finger on his lips and kira nodded.

He moved her quietly to the side of the door and opened the door.Reporters immediately rushed in,their camera clicking fast,the light almost blinding them.The hallway was filled with reporters and they struggled among themselves to get in.

---

Flash. Flash. Flash.

Edward immediately shielded kira behind him, one arm stretched back — holding her protectively behind him, pushing her further out of their view.she was underdressed in his oversized robe and looked distraught.

The reporters were messy and loud,  talking all at once, 

---

"Mr. Wellington! Mr. Wellington! What's your relationship with Miss Kira Dickens

"Are you two having a secret affair? How long has this been going on?"

"Mr. Wellington, were you two planning to announce this tonight?"

"Miss kira, did your grandfather know about this relationship?"

"Mr. Wellington, how long have you been together behind closed doors?

Edward whole body tensed up, his jaw clenched so tight it could break. He was seething with hate.

"What is the meaning of this kira?" Edward whispered coldly to her his voice like ice.

Kira immediately shook her head,Edward was clearly misunderstanding her.From the situation it seemed he thought she set him up in that situation,but she clearly didn't know why reporters were there.

------

The next morning, london,stood still.

*BREAKING NEWS: MISS  KIRA DICKENS CAUGHT IN HOTEL ROOM WITH BILLIONAIRE EDWARD WELLINGTON!*

It was everywhere — on TV stations, on I*******m blogs, on X, on every gossip page. A blurry photo of Kira in the oversize hotel robe and Edward bare chest with just a towel, shielding her behind him.Their faces was covered though.

The comment section was wild.

“The Dickens daughter has no shame!”_

“The Wellington heir caught in a hotel scandal 

-----

The next morning, Kira woke up to her phone buzzing non-stop.

100 missed calls. 300 W******p messages.

She picked it ,Most were from her best friend riele— , the text was screaming.

“KIRA!  GO ON THE INTERNET NOW”

With shaking hands, she went online and immediately went offline.

*[LIVE] BREAKING NEWS: DICKENS HEIRESS IN SEX SCANDAL WITH WELLINGTON BILLIONAIRE*

On the screen was HER. A clear photo — her gown on the floor, her standing in a big robe that still showed some of her, her face red and sweaty. And Edward, bare chested with a towel shielding her from the cameras, . The headline in big red letters: *“ONE NIGHT STAND OR HIDDEN RELATIONSHIP?”

Her chest started tightened. She couldn't How was she to explain to Edwards that she had no hand in this neither did she set him up,but how was she to explain her behaviour in the room yesterday too.

A call suddenly came through her phone ,it was Grandpa Dickens.she took the call.

"Grandpa........she sulked like a child who was wronged.

****

In less than twenty four hours since the scandal,the Dickens family name has taken a nosedive in the internet with everyone bashing at them,their reputation was currently in ruins.The wellingtons were not having it easy either.

Just that morning,The wellington Group confirmed losing over fifteen million dollars in the last one hour.Foreign companies was withdrawing their contracts and some were putting theirs on suspense,with reference to the scandal as reputational risk.

Mr. Wellington stared at the large screen where his company shares were displayed. RED. Crashing fast.

He had put a call across Mr Dickens for a urgent meeting just minutes ago and he hoped to do the damage control fast before any more damage could be done.

*****

Mr Dickens had called for a Meeting of the staffs involved in the birthday party of yesterday.

Kira stood by his side looking rather drained.Grandpa Dickens was not angry at her,He was never angry at her.He dotes on kira more than he dotes on any other person in his life.

Kira's father Killian,Eva's first husband  was one of his most trusted and loved staff by Grandpa Dickens in his company.

He was Grandpa Dicken's personal PA and grandpa would usually hand most company official even private dealings to Killian.

Even when Eva came clean to him about her relationship with killian,he quickly gave them his blessings even though she (Eva),was his only child.

Sadly Killian died in an accident when kira was only six and not long after kira's mother remarried again leaving kira alone without a parents love in the world.

Naturally the love , Grandpa Dickens had for Killian and more transferred to kira not just because she was Killian's child,but also because she was his only biological granddaughter.

****

Grandpa Dickens had called for an meeting with the hotel staff who were present at the party yesterday .

---

The staff of The Corinthia Hotel, Mayfair were all lined up in the staff hall — receptionists, security, cleaners, room service, even the night shift that was about to go home. Nobody dared to breathe.

Mr. Dickens walked was sitting, his hands on the desk in front of him. His face was dark.

He was silent for a while.....

Then he spoke — his voice low, but every word cut like a knife.

“Yesterday night, A room's number that was known to only staff members somehow got leaked out....

He paused.

“Can someone tell me — how those reporters — dirty and hungry with cameras — walk through my security unnoticed? How did they get past the lobby? Past the elevator? And how — how the hell — did they know the EXACT room number?”

Silence.

Some receptionist shook at his voiced laced with anger.

“I have owned this hotel for fifteen years. Nobody enters without my knowledge. So this was not a mistake. This was a betrayal.”

“I am going to say this once. If I find out that ANYONE in this hotel — ANYONE standing here — had a hand in leaking that room number or letting those bastards in...”

He leaned forward.

“You will not just lose your job. I will make sure you never work in any hotel in London again. And I will make sure the police handle you personally. Do you understand me?”

The whole staff nodded quickly.

“Now, I want the CCTV footage from yesterday, 6 PM to 2 AM. Every floor. Every entrance. Bring it to my office.He said and he turned to his personal bodyguard.

"Have you got the car ready Israel"?He asked.

"Yes sir.Israel replied.

"Kira dear...Get ready we leave for the wellington residence in five.