JARED

A knock sounded on my door, I was very much in a bad place and would so like to order that person away but this was a business place.

I had to be careful, it could be an important client.

"Who is that?"

The door opened and whoever it was walked in.

"What gave you the right to walk in, Miss Bordeaux?" My head was still bent over paperwork.

No client would walk into my office without being invited.

"Have you read the news, Jared?"

I whipped my head up. "Uncle Pete. Good morning."

"Morning, Jared. Here." The man who looked so much like my father, he was his twin actually, slid his phone across to me and took one of the chairs opposite mine.

"What's happening on the news?" Perplexity could be heard in my voice as I took his phone and read what he was trying to show me.

Anger tightened. "You know this is not me, uncle."

He observed me. "Who is that girl? She seem to be pretty certain of knowing you."

"She's a lunatic. Who even allowed this to be posted?! I should shut down that media house." Too restless to seat, I stood to pace my wide office.

She was the reason behind my angry mood. I could not stop thinking of the embarrassment she'd brought me, right before my potential clients.

Thanks to being a business guru and a sweet talker, I would have lost one of the biggest deals of my life all because of a strange loon.

"That's not going to solve the issue, Jared. This is your career we're talking about." He reasoned.

"And it's saved. I had her arrested and she'll be remaining there for as long as I see fit."

"You do have the plans to go into politics some day, that's what you told me, right?"

I paused to study his calm, patient expression with furrowed brows. "What has that got to do with anything, uncle Pete?"

"The internet never forgets, son. Do you want this scandal to come up when you're reading your manifesto or doing a campaign? Moreover, you're globally recognized in the business world as it stands, it could ruin your reputation."

"But I had the police arrest her. They caught that on camera too. Surely they should know I have nothing to do with her. I don't even know her name!" Frustration gnawed deeper and wider.

"People doctor videos, Jared. They cut out the good, liberating parts and showcase only the bad parts. They work to make it go viral and as soon it's done, it's done. No one will ever believe you tried to show your innocence at the end. The world is brutal and competitive." He explained rather firmly.

I ran a hand through my head.

"But why would she even do this? Was she paid to? Maybe business rivals? Because you know me, uncle Jared. I'm not careless with things like this." At this point, I was desperate and really needed the man who had become a father figure since I lost my father. "Moreover, I have a woman I love so dearly. I wouldn't cheat on her."

"I know and I'll like to understand what's going on as well. Although, I do have a guess who might be responsible." His look told me everything.

But I disagreed. "No, it can not be him. He's not even in the country."

He raised both his hands. "Fine. Let's forget that and focus on this. Now you need to find a way to make this right because that video is going viral and the articles written alongside it is just shows your rivals are going to enjoy using this opportunity to ruin you."

"So what do you suggest I do, uncle Pete?" I sat back down.

"You go to the station and release her."

"Release her?" That was a crazy idea.

"Yes. Then I'd contact every social media house to take down the video and delete the articles."

"No, uncle. I can not release her." I disagreed.

"Because...?" He quirked a brow, waiting for my response.

"Because she might embarrass me worse. Moreover, I still am angry over what she did yesterday at the restaurant."

"You'll let your emotions make decisions important to your career for you?"

"Uncle, please. Another suggestion. How about I tell the police to torture her so she would confess who sent her. I'm sure she was sent." That sounded better to me.

"You want the police to torture a pregnant woman? What if she's innocent?"

I controlled my annoyance just because of how much respect I had for him. "Did you see what she did? You know what, I think this will die down quick enough. She'll remain there and I'll get back to climbing the societal ladder."

Another knock came on the door.

"Yes?" I snapped, angry enough as it was.

"It's me, Celine, sir. I have a call from Mr. Black."

"Come in." That was my client from yesterday. He'd said he would reach out to me today after being impressed with my speech yesterday.

She walked and handed the phone to me.

"Mr. Black." I paused to listen, blood drained from my face. "What? No, you..I promise it's a mistake. I don't even know the girl. You were there...I..."

I heard the beeping sound of the call.

"Mr. Black? Are you there? Fuck!" I threw the phone on the table.

"Sir, I also have received two emails this morning. One from the Portugal client, he said you should not bother making the journey next week, that he's no longer interested. The one from Sydney also said he's cancelling the contract and would want his money back." My secretary informed me though warily.

I sank into my chair and had my head bowed.

"Thank you, Miss Bordeaux. You can leave." Uncle Pete discharged her.

Seconds later, I heard the door locked. I raised my head then. "I am losing my biggest clients, uncle Pete. What the hell is happening?"

My phone rang, I checked the caller ID. My mother.

I heaved a sigh and picked. "Not now, mom. Let's talk later."

"Hold on, Jared. What is this I'm seeing everywhere?" She sounded unhappy. "Is this how I raised you?!"

"Let's talk later." I ended the call, I edged forward desperately. "Do you think if I release her, this whole news will die down?"

"If I know anything about fame and the world at large, you and this strange girl's path have just become more entangled because you need to do more than release her, given the state of things."

"What else are you suggesting, uncle? I'll do it." I was desperate at this point. I needed clients to keep winning Business Man of The Year.

"You also need to marry her."

"Where are you taking me to?" I asked, taking note of the different route he was driving.

He had come to bail me few minutes ago. I had spent thirty six hours in a holding cell. I'd had my morning sickness just this morning and it was a kind female cop that had helped me with a bucket.

I was itchy and unkempt but I didn't care about my physical looks, not when my heart was bruised. This emotional turmoil was too much for me.

"Is that the apology you should be rendering?" His tone was as I'd heard it the last time — unfriendly and hard.

"You want me to apologize to you after what you've done to me?" My voice shook badly with sadness and disbelief.

I blinked back tears. "Take me to my husband, let's go talk to him. You're the only one who can clear this air! You had sex with me."

"Shut up!" He bellowed.

His deep angry voice had me flinching as though he'd slapped me.

"Someone — who was definitely not me — had sex with you and you didn't even know?! What are you? A child? How can a full grown ass woman like you not know when you're having sex?!" He seemed to be undergoing some turbulence of his own.

I opened my mouth, then closed it again. I felt dumb. He was right. How could someone had slept with me and I would not be aware?

Except...

I curled my lips in an angry sneer. "Nice try, mister. You might have drugged my drink and had your way with me. And now you're acting all innocent as though you actually are!"

"And you want me to believe you were not paid to ruin my life?" He passed me an angry glance. "Tell me, who paid you to do this? It must be one of my competitors. I knew I should not have let you out of police net yet until you confess."

"Confess what?!" I yelled back, frustration and desolation clawing viciously inside. "You should be the one confessing, you mean snake!"

He narrowed his eyes. "Do not call me names, you psycho!"

"I'm not, you are the psycho!" I retorted.

"You really are. No wonder your husband, whoever he is, decided you were no good for him. If I was him, I'd have done the same."

His words were like bullets, they shot straight to my chest. They hurt and I bled, not physically but emotionally.

"Fuck!" He hit his palm against the steering wheel.

My vision got blurry as tears fell. I didn't have the strength to argue anymore. I was tired and ill. This pregnancy, barely a month, was already sapping my strength.

I'd not had anything to eat and honestly, I was not hungry. I had lost everything, including the man I loved. But it was cruel what he had done to me.

I trusted him with my inheritance. My family's legacy. He took them all and made me a stranger to my own wealth and property.

The gate opened to reveal a gigantic mansion. As much as my house was big and luxurious, this was bigger and exuded enough wealth.

But I was in no mood to appreciate its beauty and size.

He opened the car and stepped out, strode towards the building without waiting for me.

I trudged behind him, wrapping my arms around me, feeling lost and overwhelmed.

I stepped into the foyer and followed — from a distance though — into a very large living room.

"Where is she?"

I heard a male voice asked.

This man — I didn't remember his name — turned and pointed at me. "There she is."

Another older man was beside him, he had kind eyes. He frowned as soon as he saw me. "What did you do to her, Jared?"

So that was his name. Jared.

"I didn't do anything to her, uncle Pete." He mumbled angrily.

"She's crying." He pointed out.

I stood, unsure of my presence in this house and what it meant, not going close to either of them.

"That's crocodile tears. Some women are so manipulative with their tears and expression. She's ruining my life and acting like I'm the devil." His response was acrid.

Ignoring Jared, his uncle beckoned on me. "Come have a seat. Ignore my nephew."

Wordlessly, I moved forward and took a seat. "Please sir, I need you to help me beg your nephew to right the wrong he has done to me."

The man sat facing me, beside his nephew who was giving me the death glares. "What do you mean?"

"I...he..." Emotions clogged my throat, making it difficult for me to talk.

"Relax yourself, uh..."

"Hailey. Hailey Baldwin." I provided, "Baldwin is my husband's name." I explained, trying to pull myself together.

"Calm yourself Hailey, we'll try to find a way to settle this dust, okay?" He seemed really nice and considerate.

I nodded, sniffling. "Okay sir."

"You can talk whenever you're ready." He said.

I took deep calming breaths that did very little to calm me. "I found him on the bed with me the morning after my birthday. We were naked. My h-husband caught us and now I'm here. Out of the house and..." I broke down into tears I couldn't control anymore.

None of them said anything. I tried to stop the tears but the more I tried, the more they fell. I was feeling so hopeless.

"You're pregnant, I presume?" Uncle Pete asked.

I nodded, using the back of my hand to wipe tears from my eyes that I was sure were now red and puffy.

"Then for the sake of that child, you need to stop stressing yourself. You're stressed enough as it is." Uncle Pete gently advised.

"I just want him to go with me and explain things to my husband. I don't have a home, nowhere to go. No money to live on, talk more of taking care of this child." I patted my stomach gently.

Jared's eyes followed my hand, staring at my stomach for a short while before he raised his eyes to meet my gaze.

He sneered and looked away. He was probably angry I'd caught him staring.

"You..."

"What is going on here?" Uncle Pete's words were interrupted by a female voice.

For some reason, my heart jumped. A woman came out from one of the hallways. Our gaze met, she stared at me as though she was trying to recollect a memory, her brows were furrowed.

Recognition dawned and a scowl followed.

"You're the girl in the video who accused my son of raping and impregnating her." She accused hotly.

Her next action took the breath out of me.

She moved so swiftly to where I was, raised a hand and brought it down my face hard.