02

The sound of the impact jolts Marco’s nerves. He’s only been on the job for a day, but already the weight of his boss’s reputation looms over him like a dark cloud. Marco’s mind races as he tries to piece together what he’s hit, hoping it isn’t anything important. The stakes are high, with his pregnant wife and triplets on the way, he can’t afford to lose this job.

« What was that ? »

« It’s nothing sir. »

Alexander Black, the notorious business mogul, watches Marco with a calculating gaze, fully aware of the lie dripping from his lips. But Alexander’s own problems are weighing heavily on his mind, distracting him from the situation at hand. A scandal with his ex-girlfriend, Liza Woods, threatens to unravel his carefully crafted image. His publicist has urged him to take control of the narrative, but Alexander is too consumed by disbelief to act.

Liza is a force to be reckoned with, and Alexander knows it. He could use his power to crush her, but something holds him back.

He hates it.

As they are on their way to his company, he braces himself for the inevitable onslaught of paparazzi waiting outside. His security team is already in position, but Alexander can’t shake the feeling that he’s in for a rough ride.

Alexander’s fingers swipe across his phone screen, his eyes glued to the endless stream of blog posts. Liza’s face beams at him, all sweetness and light. It makes him sick to his stomach, but he can’t seem to tear his gaze away. The paparazzi are having a field day with their recent breakup, and Alexander knows it’s only a matter of time before the rumors and lies reach a fever pitch. Liza thrives on attention like this, he thinks bitterly.

As his car pulls up to the company, he sees the swarm of paparazzi waiting for him, their cameras trained on the front doors. Alexander hesitates, his hand on the door handle. He doesn’t want to face them, doesn’t want to deal with the endless questions and accusations. But he has a job to do, and he can’t let his personal life get in the way of his business.

« Sir, we are here, » his driver announces, breaking the tense silence. With a deep breath, Alexander opens the door and steps out into the blinding sunlight.

The paparazzi haven’t noticed him yet, their attention focused on the doors of the company. Alexander’s security team springs into action, creating a path for him to walk through the sea of flashing cameras. With every step, the pressure mounts, but he forces himself to keep moving.

Liza is a thing of the past, and he has to keep moving forward, no matter how much it hurts. As the rays of sunlight stream in, Alexander steels himself for the battle ahead. There goes nothing.

Cara’s heart pounds as she twists the throttle, accelerating her motorcycle to its limit. The wind rushes past her, tangling her hair as she weaves through traffic, her focus solely on catching up to the person responsible for the damages.

As she screeches to a halt at the scene, her eyes scan the crowd of onlookers, searching for her target. She parks her motorcycle safely on the corner to prevent further damages from blind lunatics like the one she’s chasing after, her hands trembling with adrenaline and anger.

She spots him just as he begins to exit the car, and without hesitation, Cara charges towards him. But as she stands face to face with the man she’s been cursing under her breath, her voice fails her.

Her eyes trace his features, from the tousled midnight black hair that begs to be touched, to the emerald green eyes that capture her attention. His lips are small and perfectly molded to his chiseled face, his jawline carved to perfection. Cara’s gaze drops down to his chest, noting the tailored grey suit that accentuates his broad shoulders and strong arms.

He looks sinfully good in this suit as angry as Cara is, she cannot deny it.

Alexander’s steady stride falters as he comes to an abrupt stop, halted in his tracks by an unexpected obstacle. A girl, with wild curls cascading down her back, stands before him. Her eyes are fixed on him, unblinking, with an intensity that makes him uneasy.

« You need to get out of my way, » he says, trying to push past her, but she stands her ground, unyielding.

For a moment, Alexander wonders if she’s part of the paparazzi, a relentless horde that’s been hounding him all day.

Alex words snap Cara out of her hypnosis and she mentally scolds herself for staring like an idiot. That is just a moment of weakness, now she focused on the reason she is in front of the rude man.

« Not a chance, » Cara retorts, her voice firm and unyielding. « You ruined my bike, and now you owe me for the damages. »

Alexander’s confusion is evident as he furrows his brow, trying to make sense of her demand. But before he can say anything, Cara steps closer, her eyes blazing with a fierce determination.

« You’re not going anywhere until you pay up, » she says, her tone leaving no room for negotiation.

Alexander sighs in exasperation, feeling his patience wearing thin. He gestures to his security team, silently signaling for them to be on alert. He can’t afford to waste any more time with this crazy

Woman. The paparazzi will soon catch up to him, and he needs to be long gone before then.

Cara’s frustration boils over as she grits her teeth and locks eyes with Alexander. « Hey, » she growls, « look at me while I’m talking to you. » The craziness bubbles just beneath the surface, threatening to burst forth at any moment.

Alexander scans the crowd, searching for a way out. He spots a woman with a camera and knows he has to act fast. Without hesitation, he pushes past Cara, determined to make his escape. The raving lunatic is quickly swallowed up by the throngs of people, lost in the chaos.

Cara yells after him, but it’s too late. The crowd descends upon Alexander, showering him with questions and demands. « Liza says you’re on a break, is it true ? » one voice shouts. Cara frowns, confused. Who the hell is Liza ?

She knows she has to act quickly if she wants to catch him before Mr Popular disappears. The seconds slip away, the opportunity to speak with him slipping through her fingers.

An idea pops, not the best but Cara never has a good idea.

« Haaa… » she lets out a loud cry, her hands flying to her face in a show of desperation. No one pays her any attention at first, so she cries out again, louder this time, until finally, she has their attention.

The flash of cameras turns away from Mr. Popular and swarms towards Cara like a flock of hungry birds. A microphone shoves under her mouth, and she holds back a smile as she knows it’s her turn to shine. She considers herself Oscar-worthy, and for good reason. Cara has a talent for crying on cue and putting on a performance that could rival any Hollywood star.

Her hands clasped in front of her, tears stream down her face like a river, but her gaze remains fixed on Alexander. He is the one she craves attention from, the one she wants to hurt. The first question from the crowd rings out, as she prepares to put on one hell of a show.

Without thinking, she points a finger at Alexander, about to enter his company, and makes a statement that shocks everyone.

« This douche got me pregnant and won’t take responsibility, » she says, her voice filled with anger and accusation. The crowd erupts into a frenzy, but all Cara can focus on is Alexander’s frozen expression. He looks shocked, but more than anything, he looks furious.

As the realization of what she has just done hits her, Cara can’t help but wonder what she has gotten herself into.

Cara’s heart pounds in her chest as she sizes up the angry man stalking towards her. She realizes the gravity of her mistake and makes a desperate decision to flee, leaving the cash behind. But her escape is cut short as Alex scoops her up and carries her on his shoulders, ignoring her protest and the constant blows she gives to his lower back.

« Let me down ! »

As they march past the crowd and into the building, Cara’s fury boils over. She screams and kicks until the door slams shut, leaving her alone with the man who has captured her.

« Hands off the merchandise, pervert, » she shoves his arms off her butt, as he lets her down. Cara takes two steps back.

With each passing second, Cara’s initial rush of adrenaline fades, leaving her with a sinking feeling of regret. She acted impulsively, like the protagonist in a movie who rushes toward danger without thinking of the consequences. In Cara’s case, claim you are pregnant for one of the most talked-about celebrities at the moment.