Chapter 3 Making the Headlines

The next morning, just as James was about to walk out of his home, he received a call from Simone, "Boss, you made the headlines once again." James stopped in his tracks and rushed back into his study to turn on his computer. He was met with articles and pictures from all angles of him holding onto a woman and walking into a hotel room the night before. The woman was none other than Maya. The headlines read "Aslan playboy at it again," "Is there ever an end to his fooling around," but the last headline got him really upset "Office fling or the real thing."

Maya and James didn't realise that someone had secretly followed them to the hotel room and took pictures of them entering the suite together. The pictures which were uploaded on various internet sites show two people in a warm embrace and in another shot, it looked like James leaned in to kiss Maya's lips, with Maya closing her eyes.

James immediately instructed Simone to get their PR team to remove all articles from the web and to pull all print media from this story. His phone continued buzzing in his ear, so he hurriedly ended the call with Simone and checked his phone screen only to find a call from his mum and dad simultaneously. He felt a headache coming on and sat back on his chair before picking up his dad's call. "Dad, it's not what it looks like. I can explain if you just give me a chance." Ferret just laughed out loud and said, "It only took you a few years to notice Maya, but your mother and I are overjoyed by these news articles and what's more, the board members will be happy to see you settling down with an intellectual and kind hearted woman."

"Dad, what non-sense are you talking about? The press has spun this rumour so it's nothing more than gossip which I'm going to put a stop to. I have nothing to do with that woman. Not now, not ever." James tried to explain but his father chuckled and ended the call. James didn't give what his father said a second thought before rushing out of his apartment and driving towards his office before an idea entered his mind. James banged his palm on the steering wheel when the idea of Maya working with Alex popped into his mind. "She planned all of this. May and Alex planned this whole damn thing. They are working together to destroy my reputation. I will not let that happen." James hissed between clenched teeth.

Maya didn't have a sound sleep since her talk with Grace last night. Maya relayed to Grace all that happened between her and James since they met in the boardroom. Grace closed her eyes and took a deep breath in before giving Maya's hand a soft squeeze. "Maya, I don't have to tell you about James' personality because we have been friends for so many years and you have witnessed his behaviour over those years. What you don't know is that after James left to study in New York, he continued a long-distance relationship with Lia Smith. They would meet over holidays and long weekends for a while however when our company in New York faced a major financial crisis, James had to step in and help at the office while still completing his studies. Lia wasn't the most understanding or supportive partner and she cheated on James with his rival from school, Alex.

Alex and Lia met once when she went to New York to spend the week with James. They somehow managed to hook up several times during her stay there, while James was busy trying to salvage the company. James became even more closed off after Lia's betrayal and he swore never to forgive the two of them. Alex never stopped trying to take what belonged to James. First Lia, a few months later, James went to an auction to purchase a piece of land that dad had his eye on for warehousing space however Alex managed to bribe an official who leaked James' bid price to him, and he increased his offer, which was accepted and James lost the piece of land. The dossier you worked on was important to James because it was the first big project since the loss of the bid, and he didn't want to lose to Alex again that's why he was so angry and suspicious about why you didn't submit the dossier on time." Grace said apologetically.

Maya decided that she had to meet James this morning and try to explain to him again and let him know that she will assist in any way she could to ensure they launch a product that is even better than the one they were planning on submitting. As Maya walked into the office building, she couldn't help noticing that people were giving her the eye and whispering to one another. She brushed it off and got into the elevator however as soon as she walked into her office she was greeted by Ferret, Jill and Bill Marlow from the PR office. All three of them greeted her but Maya was still confused as to why they were waiting for her in her office so early in the morning. A thought crossed her mind and she asked in panic, "Mr Aslan, is there a quality issue with one of our products or a customer complaint? If so, please don't worry our team will work with the PR department to address these as soon as possible." "Maya, we take it that you haven't seen this morning papers or checked your social media feeds yet." Jill said with concern in her voice.

Maya quickly took her phone out of her handbag and realized that it was switched off. She quickly turned it on and was taken aback by the number of missed calls and messages she had from Grace, her grandmother, Nelia and of course James. As she was wondering why he would call her, James barged into her office and slammed the door shut. He was taken aback when he saw his parents and the head of the PR team gathered around Maya. "You sly vixen, what have you done?" James screamed at Maya and placed both his palms on her desk. "What's going on? I don't understand what you're so upset about." Maya looked around the room for someone to reply but no one moved a muscle. "Mr Aslan, do you mind explaining to me what's happening right now?" Maya asked in confusion. "Oh, she's good. Dad, you were right. She's really good at what she does. Now you're gonna play innocent after you helped create this mess." James hissed and threw the newspapers on her desk.

Maya's eyes widened in absolute disbelief. She covered her mouth to stop herself from screaming profanities and turned to James. "Why would you think that I did something this vulgar. Are you insane?" Maya asked with tears forming in her eyes. "Mr Aslan, Jill, I would never do such a thing. This goes against my principles, and I would never do something to hurt the reputation of this company, its CEO and most especially my own reputation. Oh, my goodness, my family. I need to talk to them before they think that this is true and..." before she could finish her sentence James said "That's enough of your drama. You colluded with Alex last night, didn't you? Now it explains why you were at the same hotel at the same time as me. Oh my! You overheard my conversation when you bumped into me at the office, so you knew where I was heading to, and you followed me there! Just admit it or are you afraid of damaging your perfect reputation in front of the Chairman who thinks the world of you? Dad, I told you before and I'm telling you now, I don't want her on my team. I want her fired." James sneered.

Maya couldn't take it any longer, she walked over to James and pulled his collar and said, "You jerk, do you think I'm so idol and desperate that I would want to follow the likes of you all over town? Think again. You have no evidence of any wrong doing on my part so you can't fire me! I quit." Ferret couldn't stand this anymore and interjected, "James, that's enough. I don't want to hear another word against Maya from you and Maya, you are not quitting. We are here to help you fix this situation because the board members and our new investors are already calling to find out what's this story about. James, I think you know how they feel about your recent casual relationships and the impact they have had on our company image. The company is just turning the corner thanks to your contribution but it's not enough and we need to give these investors assurance that you are the best person to spear head this company.

Your mother and I have been brainstorming with Bill on a few responses and we think that its best for you admit to having a romantic relationship with Maya." "What?" Both Maya and James said at the same time. Jill and Ferret nodded at one another and walked forward. Ferret took James by the arm and dragged him out of Maya's office together with Bill, while Jill gestured for Maya to come over to the couch. Jill started off by saying, "Maya you have been a part of our family for a long time, and you know that we have always wanted the best for you. We are proud of all that you have achieved, and we will continue to support you in your ambitions and dreams. Right now, we need you more than we have ever needed you. I know that James is a difficult man to be around but deep down, he is truly an amazing soul." Maya chuckled and thought that only a mother would think so, but she bit her tongue and didn't speak out her thoughts.

Jill understood Maya's reaction and she gently smiled at her. "My son needs someone to support him and give him back the confidence that he once lost. Grace told me about your chat last night, so you understand what he has gone through over the past few years. He turned to alcohol and women to shut out the pain and emptiness he felt. He is trying his best to continue his father's legacy and while we are proud of him, we feel that he could achieve greater things if only he managed to settle down and find some stability in his personal life." Before Jill continued, Maya stopped her and asked, "So, you want me to pretend for the sake of the investors and board members that we are in a romantic relationship with one another?" Jill nodded her head in agreement. Maya couldn't believe it.

She opened her mouth to speak when Grace walked into her office in her huff. After a few minutes of persuasion, Maya relented and agreed to Jill's request however she told them that she would only go along with the plan if James also agreed to it. In another part of the office, Ferret was having a similar conversation with James however the latter was not having any of it. While his father sighed in frustration, James' phone kept ringing. He pulled it out of his pants pocket and looked at the screen. He excused himself and stepped out of the office to take a call which he was expecting from his private investigator. He listened attentively to the reports from the man on the other end of the phone, who promised to email him the full report within the next two minutes.

James walked into the office with his hands in his pockets and agreed to his father's plan. He asked Bill to work through the logistics of the press briefing and to draw up the press release. He didn't care if Maya agreed to the plan or not because he would find a way to get her to comply. He had one goal in mind and that was to get revenge. Get revenge on Alex and his accomplice.

Ferret's phone pinged with a message from Jill stating that after a long discussion, Maya finally agreed to giving a statement that she and James had been in a romantic relationship with one another for the past few months and that they kept this private for the sake of their professional relationship. Jill was letting her thoughts run away with her when Grace pulled her out of her thoughts and reminded her that this was just a pretence and that they are not really in love with one another. Jill still couldn't stop hoping that one day they would develop feelings for one another. She always saw Maya as a part of her family, and it would be wonderful if James would get to know Maya and give himself a chance to have a meaningful relationship again.

Maya on the other hand was pacing her office thinking about how to break the news to her grandmother and aunt especially after complaining to them a few days ago about her maniac of a boss. Just then her phone rang, and it was Nelia. After speaking to Nelia and explaining the whole situation, she decided to switch off her phone, lock herself in her office and crashed onto the couch thinking about the mess she just got herself into. Something just occurred to her, and she cursed herself for not thinking about this. How long would she have to pretend to be in a relationship with James and to what extent would she have to pretend? Would she have to be seen with him on a regular basis or just special events and occasions? She plopped herself back onto the couch and decided that she would make a list of questions she had and discuss them with Jill later in the day.

Maya kept thinking back to her discussion with Grace where she explained the depression that James sunk into after Lia's betrayal and his efforts in trying to prove to everyone that he could fill his father's shoes as CEO of the company. Grace cried for a while before Maya hugged her friend and comforted her. Maya knew only too well what it felt like to be betrayed by the one you love therefore she understood why James reacted the way he did when he saw her with Alex.

Maya packed up her stuff and headed to her car, just then she received a message from Jill saying that she had explained everything to her grandmother and aunt and they had no problem with the situation. Maya's eyes opened wide in disbelief when she read this message as she knew that Jill must have worked hard to pacify her strict grandmother.

She drove to her grandmother's home in a panic only to be welcomed by her in a warm embrace. "Maya dear, I'm so happy you came to see dadi. Come, let's have dinner together. Sheetal and aunt have just prepared the table for dinner. Let's eat. Thereafter, we can have a nice little chat." Her grandmother said while showering Maya with kisses. Sheetal shrugged her shoulders and smiled at Maya. Maya went close to her cousin and said, "Clearly grandma doesn't know what a player he is so don't say anything to her." Maya pleaded with Sheetal. The latter zipped her lips and gave Maya a hug. Maya is third generation of Indians who settled in America years ago. With no siblings, Sheetal, her cousin was 2 years younger than her and was the closest thing to a sibling and they got on well with one another. Maya's paternal family didn't quite acknowledge her because Maya's mum was from a poor background while her dad's family were quite rich and well known in the business circle. The family was against the marriage but because Maya's father was the eldest son and the main heir, the family gave in and allowed them to register their marriage, however they never made the marriage nor Maya's existence public. That was the family condition and her parents complied because they were happy just being together that it didn't matter to them.

On Maya's first birthday her parents went out to get her a birthday present and decorations for the party which was to be held at her maternal grandmother's home, however they met with a fatal accident and was pronounced dead at the scene. Maya met her paternal family a few times while growing up, but they didn't acknowledge her nor did they try to foster any relations with her until she turned 21years old a few years ago. She got a call from her paternal grandmother who was the only family member to care for her, inviting her for coffee at a nearby restaurant. After that meeting, she was convinced that although her life with her grandmother and aunt wasn't an easy one financially, she was truly loved and cared for and they put her happiness ahead of everything else.

The four of them had a wonderful dinner and grandma explained to Maya that she was worried when she saw the article, however Jill explained that it was just a misunderstanding and that both James and Maya were never intimate with one another. Although Maya and James had been dating for a while, they took things slow and respected Maya's culture and values. "If only Dadi knew that all these were lies, she would skin me alive." Maya thought. As with most Indian families, they were very conservative. Many people still practiced no sex before marriage therefore Maya felt relieved that Jill understood this and explained to this to her grandma. Maya's family knew the Aslans very well because her grandmother would only allow her to go out with people she knew and trusted therefore when Maya first met Grace, Jill came over to introduce herself to Dadi, and asked if it was ok for Maya to visit their home on a regular basis since Grace and her were such close friends. Dadi reluctantly agreed but after a while she really warmed up to Grace's parents. She had met Luc once when he dropped Maya off at home, however she never met James nor had Maya ever spoken of him at home, so her family was shocked when they heard that James, the second son was taking over the business a few months ago.

Dadi held onto Maya's hand and said, "You deserve a love as strong as the love your parents shared. No one could shake their bond and just like that, they left together. They loved one another unconditionally and their status didn't matter. Your father stood firm against the world and supported my daughter. That was true love. Maya, I pray that you and James find the same love in your relationship." Maya's sense of guilt increased ten-fold however she shyly smiled at her grandmother and nodded in understanding. Dadi continued, "Although we agree in principle, we still need to meet this, James. I must see for myself if he is as handsome in person as he is in these newspapers. The ladies at the senior's club are hungry for gossip. Finally I have some news to share with them." Maya laughed and agreed to bringing James over to meet her family.