As Alexander and Dominic exited the boardroom, their banter continued, punctuating the air with a playful energy.
"That was an epic one, Mr. CEO," Dominic remarked sarcastically, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips.
Alexander chuckled, matching Dominic's tone. "You did a nice job as well, Mr. Vice President," he replied, the corners of his mouth quirking upwards in amusement.
As they strolled down the hallway, Dominic nudged Alexander with his elbow, a mischievous glint in his eye. "On a good day like this, you should at least post our new bagged deal on your social media," he suggested, his voice laced with mock seriousness.
Alexander shrugged, considering the suggestion. "The news will be out before twenty-four hours anyways, so what's the point?" he countered, his tone tinged with indifference.
Dominic nodded in agreement, but his persistence remained unwavering. "That's true, but posting on your page doesn't hurt, you know," he reasoned, a playful grin tugging at his lips.
Alexander sighed, a hint of exasperation creeping into his voice. "People will always have something to say and make their assumptions whether I post or not. Besides, I just hate social media generally," he admitted, raising his shoulders in resignation.
"Okay, fine. Can we at least take selfies so I can post on my page?" Dominic pleaded, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.
Alexander relented, albeit reluctantly. "Just one picture, Dom," he agreed, his tone firm but affectionate.
"Thank you!" Dominic exclaimed, pulling out his phone with eager fingers.
As they posed for the selfie, Alexander couldn't help but smile at Dominic's infectious enthusiasm. "We look so good in our tuxedos," Dominic remarked as they snapped the picture, his satisfaction evident in his voice.
The moment captured, they continued their journey down the hallway, their laughter echoing in the corridors as they reminisced about their latest triumph.
As Alexander basked in the glow of his recent success, his heart swelled with joy. Securing one of the most coveted contracts in the real estate industry was no small feat, and he knew he owed much of his triumph to the support and collaboration of his best friend, Dominic.
"I see you're not that incompetent after all," a voice suddenly interrupted their jubilation. Alexander recognized the voice instantly, and he tensed as he turned to face the source: Victor Blackwell. Victor's presence was a stark reminder of the fierce competition that had surrounded the coveted contract, and Alexander braced himself for whatever barb Victor had come to deliver.
"I see you have a lot of time on your hands that you came all the way here to play around," Alexander retorted, his tone laced with sarcasm as he met Victor's gaze head-on.
Victor's expression remained unreadable as he delivered his message. "My father sends his congratulations," he stated evenly, his words dripping with thinly veiled resentment.
Alexander couldn't help but smirk at Victor's thinly veiled attempt at civility. "I guess the news of my success has made you feel uncomfortable at home since your father has heard about this," he shot back, a hint of satisfaction in his voice as he prodded at Victor's obvious irritation.
Dominic couldn't contain his amusement, and a snicker escaped him as he watched the exchange unfold. "We'll be on our way now, Victor. The CEO and I have a lot to do, you know, with the new contract and everything," he added mockingly, his tone dripping with playful mockery.
With that final jab, Alexander and Dominic turned and walked away, leaving Victor seething in their wake. As they disappeared down the hallway, Victor's anger simmered beneath the surface, fueled by the knowledge that his failure to secure the coveted contract had not gone unnoticed by his father. In that moment, the sting of defeat cut deeper than ever, and Victor vowed to redouble his efforts to surpass Alexander and reclaim his father's favor.
As Dominic and Alexander entered Alexander's office, the air was thick with tension, fueled by their recent encounter with Victor Blackwell.
"That guy never fails to disgrace himself," Dominic muttered under his breath as he settled into a chair.
"Let's forget about him; he'll be fine. Do I have anything else on my schedule?" Alexander asked, sinking into his chair with a sigh.
"I'm not your secretary," Dominic replied, rolling his eyes at the thought of Alexander's newly hired assistant.
"But you know I'm comfortable with only you knowing all my activities for the day. I can't trust a stranger with that," Alexander explained.
"Why do you have a secretary then?" Dominic questioned.
"I'll buy you those latest pairs of Berluti shoes you've been wanting for a while now; just keep doing what you've been doing, Dom," Alexander offered with a grin.
"Bribe accepted," Dominic chuckled, rising to retrieve his iPad. "You are meant to have a blind date with Madison Pierce in two hours," he announced, scanning his tablet.
"The only daughter of Elegance Interiors Enterprises?" Alexander inquired.
"Yes, she is well known for her saucy attitude though," Dominic confirmed.
"Whatever, it's not like I'll be going," Alexander declared.
"Your father wouldn't like the sound of that, and I'll be scolded as well," Dominic reminded him, busying himself with his phone.
"Just tell him I'm in a relationship or something," Alexander suggested nonchalantly.
But Dominic's next words shattered the calm. "Oh my goodness, that's what this blog is actually saying," he exclaimed, his shock evident.
"What are you saying, Dom?" Alexander demanded, panic rising within him.
Dominic turned his phone screen towards Alexander, revealing the damning headline:
"ALEXANDER STERLING HARRINGTON'S LOW LIFE GIRLFRIEND REVEALED: VIDEO ATTACHED."
Alexander's heart sank as he watched the video, his anger and anxiety rising with each passing second.
"We are yet to make it public due to his social status," the girl in the video claimed.
"Alexander Sterling Harrington!" someone squealed from the background.
"Yes, yes, but please, let's keep this among ourselves," the girl pleaded.
"Is that all?" Alexander asked, turning away from the screen to face Dominic.
"Yes, that's the only video attached. A little backstory about her is also attached," Dominic explained, his voice tinged with concern.
"Okay," Alexander responded, his mind racing with thoughts of how to handle the situation.
"Name is Sophia Bennett, works as a Front Desk Concierge at Elysium Grand Hotel and claimed to be Alexander Sterling Harrington's girlfriend at a high-school reunion held by Crestwood Academy alumni earlier this evening," Dominic read from his screen.
“That's a quite prestigious school for someone who has been tagged as a low life” Dominic added raising his head from the screen
"The school is known for its numerous scholarship programs" Alexander mused, his anger simmering beneath the surface.
"Find this attention-seeking girl for me, Dom. She needs to pay for this," Alexander declared, his fury evident in his voice.
Sophia buried her face into her pillow, her sobs muffled by the soft fabric. Emma sat at the edge of the bed, a comforting presence beside her friend. She reached out and gently stroked Sophia's hair, offering silent support as tears streamed down Sophia's cheeks."It's just... I've finally started to get my life together, you know?" Sophia's voice wavered as she spoke, her eyes red and puffy from crying. "With the promotion at my job and everything..."Emma listened quietly, her heart aching for her friend. She had seen the hateful comments online, the cruel words cutting deep into Sophia's already wounded spirit."You don't deserve any of this," Emma reassured her, her voice filled with sincerity. "Everything will be fine, I promise."As the night wore on, the darkness outside slowly gave way to the soft light of dawn, casting a gentle glow into the room. Sophia's sobs gradually subsided into quiet sniffles, her exhaustion finally catching up to her. She leaned into Emma's comfortin
As Alexander sat in his office, he couldn't shake the feeling of urgency gnawing at him. His private investigator's words cut through the silence, snapping him back to the present."I've finally found her address," the investigator announced, his voice tinged with relief.Alexander let out a frustrated sigh, his patience wearing thin. "Took you long enough," he muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes in exasperation.Dominic interjected from his position in the corner of the room. "I think you should take it easy on him," he advised, his tone calm and measured.Alexander turned to face his best friend, his expression incredulous. "Take it easy? Do you know how fast the news is spreading?" he countered, his frustration boiling over.Determined to put an end to the chaos once and for all, Alexander made a snap decision. "I'm going there right now," he declared, his jaw set in determination.Dominic offered to accompany him, but Alexander shook his head. "No, you can stay back. You've
Sophia's irritation was palpable as she addressed Alexander. "What? You want me to act as your girlfriend for a while?" she questioned, the annoyance evident in her voice. "How did we get here? From you being all mean and arrogant," she added, her frustration mounting.As Sophia spoke, Emma couldn't help but roll her eyes, her frustration evident in her composure. "Okay, we get it. Yes, you're a billionaire, but that doesn't mean you can just do anything you like and order people around!" Emma exclaimed, her voice rising with every word.Jake, sensing the tension, intervened with a firm tone. "If that's all you have to say, Mr. Alexander, we would like to bid you farewell now," he stated, his voice unwavering.Sophia, maintaining her composure, addressed Alexander once more. "I've already apologized to you personally. I'll make a public apology to you in the media," she stated calmly.Alexander, rubbing his temple in frustration, responded, "I know that came off as rude, but it's the l
Sophia looked up at the high-rise building in front of her. It was Alexander's company headquarters, an imposing structure of glass and steel. She was here to sign the contract for their fake relationship, a charade she had reluctantly agreed to. She had suggested he send the contract via email, but Alexander had refused.“I left my business schedule to come over to your house. Others would have considered that an honor,” Alexander had replied to her text, his arrogance palpable even through the screen.Now, Sophia stood outside the building, a scarf draped over her head and face, hoping to avoid recognition amidst the swirling scandal that had taken over the media. She took a deep breath, steeling herself for what lay ahead.“You must be Sophia Bennett,” a male voice said from behind her.Sophia turned to see a man with dark skin dressed in an expensive monochrome beige suit. His demeanor was calm yet authoritative.“I’m Dominic. Mr. Harrington has asked me to escort you to his offic
Sophia was relieved to return to work after the turmoil of the weekend. The uncertainty had gnawed at her, especially since she hadn’t received any calls from Elysium Grand Hotel regarding the scandal. She had spent the entire previous day at home, reflecting on her meeting with Alexander and waiting for a sign from her employer.Finally, her phone rang. “You really thought we would throw you under the bus? You've been our best employee of the year for three years in a row now,” her boss reassured her, instructing her to resume work since the hotel's reputation remained untarnished by the chaos.Dressed in her blazer, Sophia carefully pinned her "Best Employee" lapel on the left side and glanced at herself in the mirror, a smile spreading across her face. She felt a sense of pride and normalcy returning.“We’re going to be late!” Emma called out from the living room.Sophia and Emma both worked at the prestigious Elysium Grand Hotel. Emma, as the head of the marketing department, rare
Sophia sighed deeply as she slipped off her kitten heels, the weight of the day's events pressing heavily on her. She had just returned from work, exhausted and frazzled. Emma, who had arrived home earlier, handed her a chilled bottle of water."Welcome home, darling," Emma said, patting Sophia on the back with a comforting smile."I had a really rough day," Sophia said, collapsing into one of the living room sofas with a weary thud. "Mr. Blackwell almost made me lose my mind. Who asks for a bubble bath after just taking a shower? That man was out to get me.""Did you do anything to upset him at any point?" Emma asked, her brow furrowing with concern."No, I didn't. But he smugly mentioned me being Alexander's girlfriend," Sophia replied, her frustration evident."Oh, that makes sense. I heard he and Alexander are rivals, and Alexander just took a big step ahead of him yet again. Maybe that’s what caused all the rudeness. I'm so sorry, love," Emma said, rising to her feet."I'll order
Sophia was relieved to hear that Mr. Blackwell had checked out early in the morning when she resumed work the next day. “Thank goodness,” she thought to herself, setting to work with a high spirit. Sophia enjoyed her job, loving every bit of the hospitality industry.Her mother had been the Director of Guest Services at a luxury cruise line before she passed away. Sophia remembered being inspired at a young age by her mother’s dedication to creating memorable experiences for guests, which had fueled her determination to pursue a career in hospitality.“You have a delivery,” one of Sophia’s junior staff said, bringing her attention back to the present.“I don’t remember ordering anything,” Sophia replied softly. “Please send it to the locker room for me. Thank you,” she added, focusing back on the guests she still needed to attend to.Sophia finished her day early, glad she could catch a ride home with Emma and still have time to meet Alexander at the location he had sent her via text
Alexander noticed the blood drain from Sophia's face immediately as the camera flashes started. Her complexion turned ashen, and her eyes seemed distant. He was alarmed at her sudden change in demeanor. “Are you alright?” he asked, concern evident in his voice. Sophia didn't respond. She used her right palm to shield her face from the blinding lights, her legs beginning to wobble.Quickly, Alexander pulled off his blazer and draped it over Sophia's head. Wrapping his arm firmly around her shoulders, he guided her swiftly through the crowd. “It's okay. You’ll be fine,” he reassured her, his voice steady despite his internal panic. A group of bouncers arrived and helped control the throng of reporters.Alexander led Sophia to her side of the car and then entered through his own door. He lowered the partition shield between the front seats and the back seats, providing them some much-needed privacy. Sophia was now at the brink of tears.“I need you to take a deep breath, Sophia,” Alexan