I waited patiently for Dave to explain himself, and when he finally did, his excuse left me puzzled.

“Ms. Lana,” he stuttered nervously, avoiding eye contact. “I… uh… had to use the restroom.”

As if I already knew he would say something like that, I tilted my head and replied, “Isn’t the restroom in the opposite direction? Or did the company layout suddenly change without my knowledge?”

His eyes widened immediately as he realized I didn’t believe his lie and had most likely figured out the truth.

“I’m sorry,” he apologized quickly.

I chuckled softly before speaking firmly. “If this happens again, I might forget how good you are at your job, and then you’ll be out of one.”

With that, I returned to my office.

Truthfully, I would never fire Dave, even if I’d caught him in the middle of the act, but he still needed a reminder that this was a respectable company.

I let out a deep sigh, I’d successfully gained my clients trust back and I should be relieved but somehow Austin’s warning replayed in my head.

“You have no idea who you are involving yourself with.”

It’s clear as daylight that Richard isn’t a saint but I still felt unsettled. So, I opened a new tab on my computer and searched for Richard Clinton, even though I already knew most stories online were usually exaggerated or false.

I could simply ask Bella since she knew the Clinton family very well, but maybe I wanted to do things my own way. Or I just wanted to know what the public thought about him.

Uncertain about what I might find, I came across several articles describing Richard as mannerless, arrogant, and difficult to deal with.

Honestly, I wasn’t surprised.

But one article caught my attention more than the others. It mentioned Richard’s aggressive behavior and claimed that one of his ex-girlfriends accused him of physically abusing her.

Oh shit. My curiosity was definitely piqued.

Just then, a trending podcast suddenly popped up on my screen, and without realizing it, I clicked on it instead of canceling it. The moment the video started playing, my eyes nearly fell out of their sockets.

What the fuck?

The guest on the podcast was Dr. Odetade…my so-called mother. She openly declared that I was her first daughter and explained that the reason I was never part of the family was because I was a product of rape during her teenage years.

The interviewer looked completely shocked and immediately started throwing several questions at her.

I couldn’t continue watching and instantly felt constant pangs in my head, causing massive headaches.

I instantly shut down my system and grabbed my phone, only to realize it had been on silent mode the entire time.

Shit.

Numerous missed calls flooded my screen. Four from Tina, my so-called stepsister. Six from Bella. Four from Austin. Two from Richard. Not to mention the endless missed calls from clients, business associates, the press, and many others.

Just now, a voicemail from Tina. I didn’t even bother listening to her voicemail because I already knew it would be filled with her usual complaints and insults, so I deleted it immediately. She was worse than a thorn in my flesh.

Ever since Dr. Odetade introduced us as step-sisters, Tina had hated me for reasons I never understood. Then, I had absolutely nothing. I was just an homeless girl that was saved from the street by an Angel, when she was already a successful young model. Even now, her wealth was still far greater than mine, so was her beauty. This why her hatred toward me made no sense.

I sighed deeply. I don’t know how many times I have to tell that family that I never want to be associated with them.

A gentle knock on my office door suddenly made my heart race, and I stood up immediately. It could be one of my clients, since my phone was still full of missed calls, and honestly, I had no intention of removing it from silent mode.

Thankfully, it was only Dave.

“Ms. Lana, there’s a big problem,” he said anxiously as he rushed into my office.

“I already know about the podcast…or is there something else?” I asked, trying my best to remain calm.

He nodded quickly.

“There are many reporters outside demanding to interview you. We’ve tried to stop them from getting inside, but more cameras and reporters keep arriving,” Dave explained nervously.

I walked toward the window beside me and opened the blinds slightly to look outside at the crowd of paparazzi.

“This is all because of the trending video online. Dr. Odetade publicly announced that you are her first daughter,” Dave continued.

I turned back to face him.

“Ignore the paparazzi and return to work. I’ll handle the rest,” I instructed firmly.

He nodded immediately before leaving my office.

Holy shit.

How am I supposed to handle this fucking scandal? Why can’t this woman just let me be? Must she ruin the little life I have left.

Thank you for reading ❤️

Continue Lana’s story in chapter eleven.