Chapter 7 ____ The Worst 24 hours

|| Kiera Stevens's POV ||

" Mumma!", my little happiness shouted from the stairs, jogging in his small feet all the way down. I screamed back instinctively, snapping back to the reality that I was a mother not any model,

" Be careful, Ryan!"

My son giggled, throwing himself at me as we both knocked on the ground. I kept showering peeper kisses on his face, his smiles taking all the uneasiness from my heart. Even Luca's warning disappeared from my mind as soon as I saw him. Ryan wrapped his arms around my head, his tight felt possessive as if I would vanish in a moment.

" You can't believe how long he has been waiting for you!", Aisha spoke from the stairs in her night gown. I thanked God several times to bless me with this best friend of mine. In my absence, Aisha took care of Ryan's needs always. I knew my baby well. He preferred Aisha's company more than his grandfather.

I smiled, standing up from the ground,

" Thanks mate!"

Aisha rolled her eyes in response. She didn't like to hear my apology every now and then. Before she could give me her lecture, her eyes stared down at me in concern. She spoke, turning around to find her maid,

" You look dreadful today. Were you working too much, Ki? Wanna get some drinks?"

I nodded gratefully, hoping that a drink would clear my thoughts. Mixed emotions hit me hard when I looked down at my four year old son, Ryan Stevens. He got nothing like me. His eyes were dark grey, an overly fair skin unlike mine. His hairs were ink-black, so opposite than mine. Sometimes, I was in such difficult thoughts that I feared about switching my baby in the hospital.

Ryan left my lap when he spotted Aisha's pet dog in a little distance. A bittersweet exhale left my mouth when I thought about the proposal, Luca made to me.

A mistress, whore?

What will Ryan think of me when he grows up that her mother was someone's bed partner?

24 hours!

I had 24 hours to feel how my consequences would be if I tried to deny Luca's proposal. In the last 24 hours, I have enjoyed the best moments of my life. My dream band, Lenora had come at my door just because I was attached to Luca. Even Molly said that she had received several offers for brand endorsement. But I refused to accept a single offer. Because I knew that all this came for Luca not because of my hard work or merit.

" Is everything okay with you,Ki?", Aisha dropped the glass in front of me, her eyes stuck on me with concern. I stifled a smile, grabbing the glass to finish it in a gulp,

" Yeah, why? Do I look pale?"

Aisha nodded her head before letting out a heavy exhale. She suggested, placing a hand over my palms,

" Ki, I know that you are worried about your son but generally, I suggest you find a father for Ryan. Do you know what he asked me today?"

My pulse was racing at high speed. I taught my son well from his early childhood. He grew up to believe that his father didn't want us and lived abroad. Ever since that day, he has considered me his whole world. I stammered, glancing back at my son who was busy playing with Aisha's dog,

" Wh... what..?"

Aisha hesitated uneasily, peeked at the look of Ryan before whispering nervously,

" That.. what's his father's name? He asked me because you don't want to tell him. I think, it's time that you should give him a proper identity. At least, get a boyfriend."

_____________

The next day,

I woke up to hear my phone ringing consistently. Last night, I cried, sobbed and blamed myself repeatedly until I fell asleep. Perhaps, I was so consumed into my career that I stopped seeing through my son's emotions. He, asking for a father after years hit my emotions hard,made me feel guilty as a mother.

" Kiera, what the fuck have you done?", Molly screamed through the speaker, causing my ears to brust literally. I stumbled over my bedsheet, after swallowing hard to ask,

" Wh.. what..."

Before I could ask for more, Molly sent me multiple links, freezing my phone for a second. I tapped on the links with a bit shaky hands, gasping midway to see the headline,

" KIERA STEVENS! A SEDUCTRESS OR SPOILED HEIR?"

" VIEWERS CLAIMED THAT KIERA WAS ALL OVER MR.AZRAEL THAT NIGHT!"

" HER EX-BOYFRIEND LEFT HER FOR HER CHARACTER! QUESTION: ARE WE SHIPPING A SEDUCTRESS AS AN IDOL?"

Tears of shock slipped from my eyes. Luca had done everything like he promised. With a snap of his finger, the press had turned their back on me. Even yesterday, they were just writing gossip. But today, they all attacked with all their might.

Damn! I was finished!

Maintaining a public image was the key to a public figure. I hurried back to my office without breakfast. Molly was on her computer, fuming and muttering curses silently. She got up after seeing me and held her forehead,

" Kiera,did you see the articles? For fuck, why did you had to slap him? Do you have any idea how much power he holds? All the newspapers are writing trash about you. If it doesn't stop, your career will end in less than a week. I have received two contract breaching letters already."

" OUT!", I managed to blurt furiously, tears stung from my eyes. Molly opened her mouth to say something but I shut her up again with a coarse voice,

" LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Molly jumped off on her feet then left after a heavy sigh. I fell on the chair as soon as she left, my eyes reading the contents on the screen. Never in my life have I faced such a huge scandal. Most likely all the tabloids were claiming that I slapped him to earn his attention. Some fuckers also testified that I was clinging to Mr.Azrael De Luca that night.

____

The press was like fire. If you try to suppress them, it will erupt like a volcano. After sobbing for hours, it was nearly evening, I got up from my sleep. Three contract termination letters were lying in my emails. It was some small companies that I signed for endorsement recently. They were afraid that Luca would show their wrath on them. But I knew that it wasn't the end. More termination letters were on their way to reach my emails. No company would like to offend such a big investor like Luca, the mafia king.

Coming out of my office, I saw that Molly had left already. I felt guilty for shouting at her. After all, it was me who was at fault. Wiping the tears from my eyes, I headed for the backdoor to exit in case those papparazis were waiting for me on the front door.

It was dark and gloomy in the evening when I came for my car, making sure that no one was around. Not long after that, a voice scared me to death,

" Miss Stevens!"

I jumped, whipping my head back to see a white bearded man. Barely, I recalled him from my father's business meeting. He gave me his cocky smile before saying,

" Sorry, I was looking for you in your office. I hope, I didn't scare you. Well, can we talk about a collaboration?"

My brows tightened in suspension. Just today, I got tons of scandals. It was impossible to get a new offer today. Besides, I wasn't in my mood to talk about collaboration or anything else. I mumbled, intending to get in my car,

" I can't.. Maybe later..I have to go.."

Just when I got on my feet to climb inside, his words froze me midway abruptly,

" I can help you to get rid of Mr.Luca, Girl!"