All Chapters of Scandal with the ruthless billionaire : Chapter 1 - Chapter 8

RAELYNN I woke up with a dull ache behind my eyes and the uncomfortable awareness that something was wrong. I lay still for a moment, blinking slowly as my eyes adjusted to the soft lighting of the room. The sheets beneath my fingers felt too smooth and too cool. The faint scent of cologne in the air was definitely not mine. The bed beneath me was too big, and the ceiling above me wasn’t familiar. My room back at the apartment barely had space for a bedside table. This bed could fit three people comfortably. The ceiling above me was high and spotless, the soft glow from the lights casted faint shadows along the edges. Nothing about this place felt lived-in in the way a student apartment did. There were no scattered clothes, no mismatched furniture, no signs of chaos. That was when it sank in. I wasn’t in my apartment. When I tried to move, a sharp wave of soreness hit between my thighs, forcing a quiet breath from my lips. My heart skipped as I glanced down and realize

LUCIO ASHFORD “I need you to stop this news from spreading any further,” I said, keeping my voice steady as I stared at the trending headlines on my tablet. “My team’s tried everything, sir, but the rumors aren’t slowing down,” my PA Cal replied, fingers flying across his tablet. “Any calls from Sophie yet?” I asked, my chest tightening at the thought. “None, sir. But Mr Elliot has been trying to reach you.” “I know,” I said, waving him off. “That’s all for now.” He left quietly, leaving me alone with my thoughts. My phone rang again, probably for the twentieth time today. I swiped to answer. “Come on, bro, you can’t ignore me forever,” Eli’s voice said from the other end. “I can, and that’s exactly what I’ve been doing,” I replied, exhaustion weighing on every word. “I can’t blame myself for pushing you that night,” Eli continued, almost too casually. “I mean, you liked her first, I just nudged you along and It’s not like what you and Sophie have is serious,” “

RAELYNN I woke earlier than I wanted, my stomach twisting the second my eyes fluttered open. Today was the day I’d step into Lucio Ashford’s world, fully aware that every step might make me a headline or worse, a punchline. I stared at the ceiling for a long moment, wishing I could vanish back under the warm cocoon of my blankets. But I couldn’t. Bills waited. Mom’s prescriptions waited. And somehow, I was stuck between fear and determination. I dressed slowly, choosing a crisp white blouse tucked into a navy pencil skirt. Not flashy. I didn’t want to look like I was begging for attention. I wanted to look professional, invisible, but capable. I pulled my hair into a neat ponytail and lingered a second too long in the mirror. You can do this, Rae. It’s just a job. But the thought of seeing him again, the man who had turned my life into a headline, made my chest tighten. The city was alive with its usual chaos, but I felt invisible. People hurried past me, coffee in hand, earbuds

RAELYNN By the time I walked into the office the next morning, I could already feel it.Something was… off.The usual hum of keyboards and muted conversations felt heavier, like the air itself had decided to mind its business a little too seriously. Ava shot me a look from across her desk, eyebrows lifting in a way that made my stomach tighten.“What?” I mouthed.She rolled her chair over. “Your fan club is in a mood today.”I frowned. “My what?”She tilted her head subtly toward the glass walls of Lucio’s office. “Him. He’s been asking for you. Like… repeatedly.”My chest tightened. “I just got here.”“Exactly.” She grimaced. “Good luck.”That didn’t sound comforting.I barely had time to drop my bag before my phone buzzed.Lucio: In my office. Now.I closed my eyes for a second, inhaled slowly, then squared my shoulders and stood.So much for easing into the day.Lucio didn’t look up when I entered.“Good morning, sir,” I said, stopping just inside the doorway.“Resend the projecti