Chapter 16
I scrolled through the trending news headline that had my name plastered all over it
“Renowned designer and owner of New York’s top boutique, Sharon Wright, is caught in an unpleasant scandal. Allegedly, she engaged in an affair while still married to Edgar Hanson”
A wave of panic hit me. The last thing I wanted was my name entangled in a scandal.
Dealing with yesterday’s cyberattack and financial losses was already exhausting–I didn’t need another crisis.
“What’s going on?” Nathan’s voice came from beside me.
“Nothing” I replied quickly, avoiding his gaze. “I need to go!
Nathan raised an eyebrow as if reminding me of Dr. Liam’s advice)
I sighed. “There’s just… something I need to take care of.”%
“Then I’m coming with you.”
“There’s no need. I can handle it alone. He had already driven me to the hospital and back, I didn’t want to trouble him further.
“No.” Nathan shook his head and walked ahead of me toward my car. Tm not letting you go alone.”
Frustration built up inside me as I followed him, realizing for the first time how stubborn he could be
“Come on, Nathan. I promise Im not going to work,” I tried to reason with him. “I just-
“No,” he cut me off firmly
My patience started to wear thin. He wasn’t listening to me, and this wasn’t just about wanting to be alone. Something was happening, and I needed to deal with it.
Instead of arguing, I made a quick decision–I called for a taxi.
“Hey, where are you going?” Nathan matched my pace as I headed out of the basement parking.
I ignored him, focusing on booking an Über..
“Go home,” I said, hoping he’d drop it.
“Not until you go back upstairs, Sharon His voice carried a note of authority that only fueled my imitation
I stopped walking and turned to face him, exhaustion evident in my eyes.!!
I was so damn tired. It felt like my problems never ended.
“Know your boundaries, Nathan. You’re just my neighbor–a stranger to me” My voice was sharp.
“So what?” he challenged, unfazed.”
“Stop trying to control me” I said, my tone firm. “And for the love of God, stop getting close to me.”
His gaze darkened with curiosity. “What do you mean?
I didn’t answer. Instead, I glanced around, scanning the area for paparazzi. The last thing I needed was another photo of us spreading online.
The moment my taxi pulled up, I got in and left without another word.
Through the rearview mirror I saw Nathan still standing there, watching me with an unreadable expression.
I forced myself to look away and focus on the road ahead
I was on my way to Hazel’s office. She had called me earlier, warning me about the article making rounds online.
A small part of me suspected Edgar was behind this. The photos on Gothamist showed Nathan and me together at the hospital. And we had just run into each other recently
But why would he do this? Was ruining my life once not enough?
When I arrived at Hazel’s company in DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass), I wasted no time heading inside!
I informed the receptionist about my appointment, and soon after I was escorted to Hazel’s office on the fifth floor
The long–haired woman, sporting round glasses, was busy at her desk, typing away on her keyboard.
“Hey” I greeted her
“Sharon, you okay?” Hazel asked, concern in her voice.
I nodded, though my mind was racing. A scandal like this could damage my brand and boutique.
“Sorry to be the bearer of bad news,” Hazel said. Tm already looking into who posted that garbage article about you.
I nodded again, watching her work
“I ran into Edgar,” I admitted after a moment.
Hazel turned to me, interest piqued
We didn’t see each other often, both too busy with our businesses, but when it came to things like this, we never kept secrets. “You think he did it?”
“I don’t know.”
“Even if he did, we don’t have proof.” Hazel studied me. “Do you want me to find it for you?”
“I don’t want to trouble you”
Hazel laughed. “Come on, do you even know who I am? I have a whole team of hackers at my disposal”
Right. I had almost forgotten that.
But could this news be erased that easily? I didn’t even know how long it had been up or how many people had seen it already!!
So far, no one had messaged me about it, which was a small relief.
“Can I hire Cero again?” I asked after some thought.
“Of course. He’s the best among them,” Hazal said, pulling out her phone Tll get in touch with him now
“Is he on leave?”|||
Hazel shook her head. “Most of my hackers work remotely. They only come in for emergencies or special client requests”
I nodded, but for some reason, her words made me think of Nathon X
Working from home?%
Only going to the office when necessary?
Could Nathan work like this too?
“He’ll be here in ten minutes, Hazel announced, setting her phone down. Want some coffee? Or hot chocolate?”
Tm cutting back on both I said.
She nodded in understanding. To be honest, I wasn’t in the mood for anything. The news had killed my appetite.
Even opening social media felt terrifying
What if my inbox was flooded with people believing those rumors?
True to her word, the hacker I was already familiar with arrived at the office, dressed in his usual all–black attire, face covered except for his striking blue eyes.
His gaze, usually sharp and intimidating, seemed a little softer today–but it still held an undeniable authority!
I avoided making eye contact letting Hazel handle the introductions?
If I had known this would be the situation, I might have chosen another hacker, preferably a woman. But Cero’s skills were unmatched.X
I could only hope he’d deliver again.
“You already know each other, right?” Hazel addressed him. “Mrs. Wright–the boutique owner you visited before. She’s your client
again, but this time, it’s personal”
Cero gave a slight nod. “What’s the issue?
Hazel turned her laptop toward him, displaying the news article from Gothamist.
“Someone or some media outlet–is spreading false rumors about Sharon,” Hazel explained seriously, “I need you to take it down before it spreads further”
Cero studied the screen, his eyes narrowing. Then, he shifted his gaze toward me
I immediately looked away.
I didn’t want to be under his scrutiny X
Cero turned back to Hazel Tll take care of it as quickly as possible.”
With that, he left the office.
I wasn’t sure if he was going straight to work on it or if he didn’t see the urgency in the situation
Sensing my concern, Hazel gave my shoulder a reassuring pat
“If you’re that uneasy, you can follow him,” she offered.
“Where’s his office? Lasked curiously!
But Hazel only shook her head.
“I already told you,” she said with a knowing smile. “He works from home. Even when he comes in, it’s just to meet the client and get the details. After that, he handles everything on his own turf”
