Chapter 4 Spotlight

Julian stood by the door, holding a newspaper with my face on the front page. He tossed it onto the sink.

"Well," he began with a dry voice,

"Congratulations! You're famous now."

I thought I knew what pressure felt like..... double shifts at the diner, late bills and Josh's hospital appointments.

But that was nothing compared to waking up with my face on the tabloids, blogs, and gossip channels.

Different headlines with different stories.

"The Gold-Digger Bride"

"Julian Cross's new bride!"

"Mystery Wife or Master Manipulator?"

By the third day, I stopped checking my phone. I had no idea where all of these were coming from. I guess I forgot the fact that I had married an influential man and this was what my life would look like now.

Not checking my phone didn't help, because even the house wasn't safe as Paparazzi camped outside the gates. Helicopters flew over the mansion and the staff had started whispering also.

And worst of all, strangers online, in fact, thousands of them, acted like they knew me. I was just an ordinary lady a few days ago, struggling to survive. No one knew me.

I walked past one of the guest rooms where a maid was dusting and caught a glimpse of the news on TV.

"Play stupid games, win rich husbands," a talk show host was laughing. "Aria Lane, if that's even her real name, knew exactly what she was doing."

I closed the door quietly and kept watching.

And so, it got interestingly worse when a lady decided to speak out. She introduced herself as Victoria Hale and said she was Julian's ex-fiancée.

She knew how to act on camera. She gave a public interview on a live television programme, where she wore a tight white dress and shed tears.

"I loved Julian," she said with a broken voice. "I tried to warn him about that girl but he wouldn't listen. Aria trapped him. She's a snake in silk clothing using him to get rich."

I stood frozen watching with my heart pounding. Is this what I signed up for?

Victoria smiled at the camera. "She's nobody she has no background and no class. She knew what she was doing and I just hope Julian realizes it before it's too late. At this moment, my anger was overboiling. My hands were already balled into fists. I'm done keeping quiet. I have to find Julian right now!

I stormed into Julian's office and met him pacing his office with his tie undone and his phone in his hand.

"Did you hear what she said? Who was that? And why is she so interested in spoiling my name when I don't even know her?" I questioned furiously.

"I saw and heard it," he replied without even looking up to meet my gaze

"Are you just going to watch and let her drag me through the mud"

He finally looked at me with his dark eyes. "I told you to stay off the press."

"I haven't spoken to anyone! I've done every f*cking thing you said!"

He slammed his table. "Exactly. So do more of it. Stay hidden until this blows over."

"You think this will blow over?" I stared at him.

He walked around his desk while he rubbed his temples. "It always does."

"Julian," I called, moving closer to him, "this isn't just some business rumour. They are making people think I married you because of your money. They're said I trapped you, and all sorts of unspeakable things. I can't even look out the window without cameras flashing at my face."

He looked me over in my messy hair and the hoodie I got from the guest closet, meanwhile, fear was written boldly on my face despite my resolve, and I noticed his expression almost softened. But then, he shut it down.

"This is what you experience in worlds like mine. So get used to it."

My stomach turned. "The scandals weren't written in the contract, were they?"

"You should know I didn't plan for this to happen. So stop making things worse, ok?" he hissed coldly.

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" I lifted my chin. "Don't act like you're the victim here when I am."

"I never said I was the victim. But I am the one who stands the chance of losing something. You don't have anything to lose."

"Then maybe you should have married someone who could play your games better," I snapped. "And for your information, I have a name to protect,"

He turned back to his desk, picked up the phone again, and waved me off like I wasn't important.

After the heated argument between us, I stayed in my room. I didn't eat dinner and I didn't check the news either.

I lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling and wondering if this would ever end.

Around midnight, I got up to get water. The mansion was very quiet and the hallway lights were dim. As I passed Julian's office, I heard voices and I slowed down.

The door was opened a little, so I could see faintly some figures in his office. What they were doing or how they got in is what I couldn't explain. I guess there are so many things I haven't yet figured out. But where was he when these strangers were in his office? Yeah, I wasn't going to get an answer to that question. I leaned close to the door.

"...the press is tearing him apart," I heard one man said. "We can't afford another scandal."

"He's not thinking clearly," another added.

"Marrying that girl was a mistake. The mistake should have been corrected immediately. His Damage control team made a mistake paying a low life waitress instead of a rich and influential woman who could stand up for him in cases of situations like this, and they immediately suggested to correct it by paying the girl off, but he insisted on pushing through to marry her, with the excuse that it was too late to start looking for someone better. She's going to be his doom."

"If he won't fix it, we need to consider replacing him. Temporary leadership. Just until the heat dies down." A third voice suggested.

This made my heart stop. So this was what he meant when he said I wasn't what he ordered? I was a mistake all this while? One that could cost him his position.

I backed away quietly, trying not to make a sound. My hands were shaking as I slipped down the hall and shut myself in my room.

I sat on the bed and wrapped a blanket around me.

Right now I don't care what the press feel about me. But Julian wasn't going to lose all he worked hard for because of me.