Scandal

"Today, we find ourselves outside the grand Collins villa," Harper Nelson, an aspiring reporter, announced eagerly. "In just a week's time, Mr. Collins, the esteemed CEO of Vanguard Holdings, will be joining hands in matrimony with Ms. Kelly Levine, the daughter of the renowned fashion brand Divine Couture's CEO." The camera panned towards the magnificent house, capturing its grandeur.

But just as the scene was set, Harper's attention was diverted by the sight of a woman emerging from the gates. It was Andrea. Sensing an opportunity, Harper quickly directed her cameraman to approach a servant who happened to be outside Andrew's house, disposing of trash.

"Excuse me," Harper called out, her voice tinged with curiosity. "Could you enlighten us about the identity of that woman?" She gestured towards Andrea, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.

The servant's eyes widened as she noticed the camera pointed in her direction. Instinctively, she took a step back, a hint of caution in her voice. "Are you filming me?" she asked, her tone wary.

Harper, quick on her feet, reassured the servant with a smile, "Oh no, the camera isn't turned on, is it?" She exchanged a knowing glance with John, her cameraman, maintaining the facade.

Relieved, the servant decided to share a piece of information. "Well, that woman is Mr. Collins' ex-wife," she revealed, her words carrying a hint of intrigue.

"Are you sure?" Harper hesitated, her curiosity piqued by the servant's revelation.

The servant nodded confidently, a hint of pride in her voice. "Of course, I've been working here for years. I know our neighbors," she boasted. "Her name is Andrea. I don't know her last name, but they say she comes from a humble background. Despite that, the chairman has a fondness for her, and even the other servants hold her in high regard. She always greets me with a smile, even though we've never personally met."

Surprised by the servant's description of Andrea, Harper found herself intrigued by the character of this woman. "Sounds like she is a nice person," Harper mused. "Does she visit him often?"

The servant's response was unexpected. "No, she lives there," she blurted out.

Harper's shock was evident as she continued to dig deeper. "What do you mean? They are already divorced. Why would she live at her ex-husband's house?"

The servant hesitated, placing her hands over her mouth. "Are you sure I won't get in trouble for sharing this?" she asked cautiously.

Harper nodded eagerly, her thirst for juicy news growing. "According to their servants, Mr. Collins didn't know that his wife was pregnant when he asked for a divorce," the servant revealed, her voice filled with regret.

Curiosity burning within her, Harper pressed further. "Do you know why he requested a divorce?"

The servant's anger flared as she responded, "That's because he wanted to marry his mistress!"

Harper's eyes widened with the realization. "You mean... Kelly Levine is his mistress?" Her voice rose with excitement at the shocking revelation.

Both Harper and the servant exchanged cautious glances. They lowered their voices to a hushed whisper, ensuring their conversation remained discreet.

In a subtle act of trust, Harper slid an envelope into the servant's pocket, her actions swift and deliberate. She tapped the servant's shoulder gently, a knowing smile gracing her lips, expressing her gratitude for the information shared. The servant's smile widened in response, a subtle acknowledgment of their shared understanding. 

"What time is it?" Mason Marshall, the Editor-in-Chief, barked at Harper with anger evident in his voice. "Am I paying you to laze around? It's been two hours since lunchtime, and you just came back?"

He sighed in disbelief, his frustration growing. "From the moment I met you, I knew that you were someone incompetent! Look at your colleagues; everybody is busy getting a scoop. They don't even take a break!"

Harper rolled her eyes, placing her tablet on his desk with a defiant gesture. She couldn't help but feel a sense of annoyance at his harsh criticism.

Mason continued his speech, his tone filled with warning. "Watch your attitude," he cautioned, his voice laced with authority.

As Harper pressed the play button on her tablet, the sound caught Mason's attention. His eyes followed the screen, and in an instant, his face underwent a sudden transformation. 

"I knew it!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement. He stood up, slamming his hands on the table. Pointing his finger at Harper's colleagues, he continued, "Look at you! You don't even take a breather. That is exactly the reason why you can't get a big scoop like this!"

The employees exchanged knowing glances, sighing in exasperation at their fickle-minded boss. Rolling their eyes, they continued with their work, accustomed to Mason's unpredictable reactions.

"What did you say?" Kelly blurted out, her voice filled with disbelief. "Why would I pay compensation when you practically begged us to be the cover of your wedding magazine?"

"I'm sorry, Ms. Levine," the voice on the other end of the line responded, "We will be pulling out this month's issue. Many customers have complained about having a mistress on our cover."

Frustration welled up within Kelly as she tried to assert her upcoming marriage. "I am going to be Mrs. Collins in a week's time!" she insisted, hoping to change their decision.

However, the other line remained firm, insisting that she pay for the damage caused by the negative feedback. Kelly's mind raced, contemplating her next move and how to handle the impact it had on her public image.

Finishing her cup of coffee, Kelly stepped out of their clothing store located inside the mall. As she walked past a bookstore, her eyes caught sight of the featured magazine covers displayed on the front shelves. However, the conversations she overheard from nearby customers quickly turned her face red with anger and frustration.

"How could they choose a mistress for the front cover? How disgusting!" one woman exclaimed.

"Kelly Levine is so shameless! She seduced Mr. Collins and drove away his pregnant wife!" another person remarked.

"Just because she is rich doesn't mean she can mistreat the poor wife."

"I pity ex-Mrs. Collins. She must have a hard time during her pregnancy. She lives with her ex-husband, and now the mistress becomes the wife."

"I bet Kelly Levine would make her life hard!"

"She must be jealous that they have a baby!"

Kelly's fists clenched, and she felt the urge to retaliate, to confront those speaking ill of her. But before she could take a step, her bodyguard swiftly intervened, stopping her in her tracks.

"Your mother specifically asked me not to let you get into trouble," he said firmly, his voice filled with authority. "Please restrain yourself."

Kelly took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing emotions. She realized that reacting impulsively would only worsen the situation. With her bodyguard's words echoing in her mind, she reluctantly chose to walk away.

"My boss was pleased with your report," Maya, Penelope's assistant, said as she slid an envelope with a check onto Mason's table.

Mason's curiosity piqued, and he looked up at Maya. "And who is this boss?" he asked, his eyes filled with intrigue.

"It doesn't matter," Maya replied dismissively. "What's important is that she is looking forward to the next one." She shifted her gaze towards Harper, indicating that the boss had high expectations for her.

Curiosity turning into excitement, Mason eagerly opened the envelope, and his eyes widened as he saw the amount written on the check.

"Harper is the best in our field," Mason boasted, looking at her with admiration. "Is there any specific person you would like us to focus on?" His smile took on a sly undertone as he glanced at Maya.

"Wait," Harper interjected, her voice filled with a mix of surprise and concern. "I just received a notice informing me that the Levine family has filed a lawsuit against me."

Maya adjusted her eyeglasses and said, "Don't worry. We will take care of it."

"I've talked to my mom, and she wants me to stay at home for the meantime," Kelly said softly as soon as Andrew answered the phone. He was driving on his way home.

"Alright," he replied curtly.

"She wants me to spend more time with her since I will be marrying you soon," she added, a smile evident in her voice.

"Don't worry about me," he responded.

"Thank you, babe," she said gratefully. "And about the news..." she hesitated.

"I'm sorry. I won't let this happen again," Andrew reassured her. "Just stay with your family until our wedding. There will likely be a lot of reporters outside the villa," his voice worried.

"Okay, see you on our wedding day!" she said cheerfully, her excitement shining through.

Arriving at the front gate of the villa, Andrew was met with a swarm of reporters eagerly waiting for him. The guards quickly opened the gate, allowing him to enter while struggling to hold back the persistent reporters.

As he stepped inside, he was greeted by Aunt Rosemary at the front door. "Young master, they have been there since morning," she informed him with a concerned tone.

Andrew's brows furrowed as he made his way to the kitchen. "Add more security guards tomorrow," he commanded, his voice firm.

Aunt Rosemary nodded, understanding the need for increased security. She began setting up the table, preparing for the evening.

"Did she have dinner?" Andrew inquired, his concern for Andrea evident in his voice.

Aunt Rosemary replied, "Andrea has already finished her dinner." She hesitated for a moment before gathering her courage to ask, "Is she still not talking to you?"

Andrew's gaze turned stern as he looked at Aunt Rosemary, silently warning her not to pry any further into the matter.

Feeling trapped inside my own home, I cautiously opened the curtain of my window, my gaze fixated on the swarm of reporters stationed outside the gates. Fear consumed me, preventing me from venturing outside and risking being spotted and harassed by the relentless media presence. How did my life come to this?

Turning my attention to my phone, I discovered a flood of messages from various individuals: relatives, classmates, former colleagues, and even strangers. Most of them were prying into my relationship with Andrew, seeking to uncover the truth. It appeared that my identity had been exposed to the public, thrusting me into the spotlight.

Curiosity getting the better of me, I searched my name on the internet, only to be bombarded with countless articles about me and my family. Some labeled me as a gold digger, while others claimed I was Andrew's childhood sweetheart. The sheer volume of information overwhelmed me, causing a throbbing headache to form. The weight of the public's judgment and scrutiny bore down on me, leaving me feeling vulnerable and exposed.

I heard a soft knock on the door, and my heart skipped a beat. I walked towards it, my hand on the door handle, wondering who could be on the other side. To my surprise, I heard Andrew's voice. We hadn't spoken since our heated argument that led to me leaving the house. I couldn't help but wonder what had made him decide to reach out to me first.

"Are you okay?" Andrew's concerned voice reached my ears, instantly melting away the anger and disappointment I had felt towards him. His words somehow brought a comforting feeling.

"Hmmm..." I replied softly, my voice filled with a mix of emotions.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

I slowly opened the door, meeting his eyes. As he entered my room, his gaze fell upon the phone in my hand, the screen displaying the article I had been reading earlier.

In the blink of an eye, Andrew wrapped his arms around me, offering his support. In that embrace, I felt a wave of warmth and appreciation, knowing that, despite our differences, we were there for each other.