Scandal

The next day, Nick stood at the front of the room, his hand clenched around the podium, the hum of reporters and camera flashes surrounding him. Jane was just outside the door, her hands trembling as she clutched her formal outfit, dreading the moment she would have to step in front of the media. The questions from the reporters flooded Nick in waves.

"Is it true that your girlfriend cheated on you? That she was dating the director behind your back?" a reporter asked loudly, her voice cutting through the air.

"What do you have to say about this scandal?" another one pressed.

"How did your family react when they found out about her past?" a different voice chimed in.

Jane stood just outside the door, listening to every word. The pressure was building inside her chest, suffocating her. She could feel the heat of the media's judgment already. Every word felt like it was aimed at her, accusing her of something she had never done. She could already imagine the headlines.

In a moment of panic, she thought of running. She couldn't take it anymore. But then, she felt a hand on her shoulder, a comforting weight. She turned to see Adam, Nick's friend, giving her a reassuring smile.

"Don't listen to them, Jane," he said gently. "Everything will be fine. Don't let them intimidate you. You've got this."

Jane gave him a weak smile, grateful for the support, but her mind was still racing. She took a deep breath, lifted her chin high, and steeled herself for what was about to happen.

Inside, Nick's voice rose above the chaos, loud and clear. "I will answer all of your questions. I called this press meet to clarify the rumors."

Jane heard him calling her name, and despite the sinking feeling in her stomach, she took a step forward and entered the room. Her eyes flicked to the sea of reporters, all staring at her. The weight of their gazes was like a thousand sharp needles. She kept her chin high and walked toward Nick, doing her best to keep her composure.

She sat down next to him, avoiding the eyes that were trained on her. Nick reached over and took her hand in his, giving it a light squeeze. The gesture was small but enough to steady her nerves.

Nick cleared his throat, his voice unwavering as he began to speak. "This is Jane, my girlfriend. I met her a while ago, after I got into an accident in a dark alley. While everyone else just watched and walked away, she was the one who saved me. She took me to the hospital and stayed with me, taking care of me. After I got discharged, I wanted to thank her. I left her a blank cheque. But she didn't know who I was. And without even thinking about it, she tore it up and threw it away."

Jane's heart thudded in her chest as she listened, remembering that moment so vividly. She had never been interested in the money, just in helping someone in need.

 This is Jane my girlfriend. I met her when i got into accident. While others just watched and walked away she was the one who saved me and admitted me in the hospital and took care of me. That day when I got discharged I left her a blank cheque. i wanted to thank her but also i wanted to see how she would react. I was watching her. 

But she didn't know who I was. And without even thinking about it, she tore it up and threw it away. Jane's heart thudded in her chest as she listened, remembering that moment so vividly. 

Nick continued, his eyes never leaving hers. "I didn't know what to make of it. Here was this woman, who didn't know me at all, but she cared enough to help a stranger. She didn't expect anything in return. So, I watched her for a while. I wanted to see what kind of person she really was. I followed her, and after a while, I got to know her. We became friends."

Jane's throat tightened at the honesty in Nick's words, feeling the warmth of his feelings for her.

"I fell for her before I even realized it," Nick went on. "But before I could confess to her, I messed up. I almost lost her. She's a woman who values people, who doesn't care about status or money. She's self-made, and I admire that more than anything."

A reporter in the back raised her hand, eager to ask her question. Nick nodded, and she stood up, her voice sharp. "So, you're saying that Director Paul just kissed a random girl he didn't know? How is that possible?"

The room went silent, the tension thick as the reporters all murmured among themselves. Nick's face remained calm, but the flicker of anger in his eyes was clear. He leaned forward, looking directly at the reporters.

"I know you're having a hard time believing this, but I can show you the truth." He nodded to his assistant, who stepped forward and clicked a button on the projector. A video began to play, showing the footage of the company's corridor from the day of the incident.

The room went quiet as the footage unfolded. It clearly showed Jane walking down the hall, oblivious to Paul's presence, and then Paul suddenly moving towards her, kissing her. Jane's shocked expression was evident in the footage, and the audio made it clear that she had no idea who Paul was.

Nick's voice broke the silence. "You can clearly see that Jane didn't know Paul. She didn't recognize him. She didn't even know who he was."

The reporters exchanged looks, their murmurs growing louder. The truth was undeniable now, right in front of their eyes.

One reporter raised a hand again, looking a little more uncertain. "But… if she didn't know him, why would Paul just kiss her out of nowhere?"

The other reporters were asking the same question, disbelief lingering in the air.

Nick glanced at Jane, squeezing her hand tighter. "That's exactly what we've been trying to tell you. Paul acted on impulse. He's been obsessed with Jane ever since she saved him, and he didn't stop to think about what he was doing. He didn't care that Jane had no idea who he was. And now, it's all being twisted into something it's not."

"Ms Jane do you not know Mr Paul?" One of the reporter asked her. Jane cleared her throat. I didnt remeber until Mr Paul mentioned about it that day in the parking when he chased after me. A few months back i visted a construction site to gather some data for my work thats when I saw a bunch of workers attacking a man. Out of instinct i went to help him.

His face was covered in blood. Taking a steady breath, she met the reporters' gazes head-on. "I didn't know who he was," Jane said firmly, her voice unwavering despite the pressure pressing down on her. 

A reporter in the crowd let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "Ms. Jane, your kindness put you in deep trouble," he said mockingly. "That's why people avoid helping strangers."

Laughter rippled through the room. Jane felt her nails dig into her palm. Her blood boiled at their cruelty, at the ease with which they dismissed something as simple as human decency.

Her eyes darkened as she sat up straighter. "If everyone thought like you," she said, her voice cutting through the laughter like a blade, "there wouldn't be any kindness left in this world."

The room fell silent.

"As human beings, we should step forward when we see someone in need instead of being selfish and thinking only about ourselves. If we all lived in fear of consequences, where would that leave us?"

The same reporter who had joked earlier cleared his throat, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. The once-amused expressions on the faces around her had faded, replaced by a quiet tension.

Nick turned to Jane, his heart swelling with pride. His fingers brushed against hers beneath the table, giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

"So, Ms. Jane, you're saying that when you helped Mr. Paul, you had no idea who he was? You didn't recognize him at all?"

Jane met the reporter's gaze, her expression unwavering. "That's right," she said firmly. "His face was covered in blood. He was badly beaten. I just did what I thought was right. I wasn't thinking about who he was. I didn't ask for his name. I just helped him because that's what any decent person should do."

The reporter scribbled in her notebook before looking up again. "Then how did you find out it was him later?"

Jane exhaled softly, frustration flickering in her eyes. "Like I said before, I didn't remember him until that day in the parking lot. When Mr. Paul chased after me and started talking about the girl who saved him, that's when it clicked. Before that, he was just another stranger I had helped."

A murmur rippled through the press room—not of skepticism this time, but of understanding. The footage Nick had shown had already proven Jane and Paul had no prior connection. And now, hearing Jane's words, the pieces were finally coming together.

A new voice broke the silence. "Ms. Jane," another reporter called out. "After everything that has happened, do you regret helping him?"

Jane's jaw clenched slightly, but she sat up straighter, her determination unshaken. "No," she said without hesitation. "I don't regret helping someone in need. What I regret is the way this whole situation was twisted into something it wasn't. But that won't stop me from doing what's right."

A hush fell over the room. Even the reporter who had mocked her earlier now regarded her with quiet respect, giving her a small nod—an unspoken acknowledgment of her strength.

Beside her, Nick couldn't hold back his smile.

"I think that's enough questions. I called this press meet to clear Jane's name, and I believe we've done that." He stood up, gently pulling Jane up with him. "I hope from now on, the truth is what you report—not baseless rumors."

The cameras flashed, their bulbs flickering like lightning as Jane and Nick turned to leave, their hands tightly intertwined. And as they walked away, Jane held her head high, knowing that she is free at last. 

Paul's grip tightened around the glass, the cool surface now a sharp contrast to the storm building inside him. He stared at the press release on his phone, the image of Nick holding Jane's hand searing into his mind. Nick, standing there with unwavering confidence, speaking up for her—every word a reminder of what Paul had lost. His chest burned with fury, a hot wave of rage surging through him. He had believed he could manipulate the situation, make Jane come to him willingly, but Nick had crushed that hope—and, with it, his patience.

Without thinking, he flung the glass across the room. It crashed violently against the tea table, shards flying in every direction. A sharp pain shot through his palm as a piece of glass sliced into his skin, blood trickling down. But Paul barely felt the sting. His mind was consumed by a single, burning thought: If I can't have her, no one will.

His heart pounded, and his thoughts raced as he stood there, his eyes fixed on the pieces of glass scattered across the floor. There was no turning back now. He couldn't let it end like this. He wouldn't.

With a steady breath, Paul reached for his phone and dialed a number, his fingers moving with cold precision. His voice, when it came, was low, dangerous—laced with venom.

"She'll never come to meet me willingly," Paul said, the words dripping with bitterness. "But I just want to apologize to her. I don't want to meet her privately and make things difficult for her…"

He leaned back in his chair, his mind working through the plan that had begun to form. This time, he wasn't going to fail. This plan would be simple, effective—he'd use someone Jane trusted, someone she wouldn't suspect. If he could lure her out and make sure she was alone, he could control the situation.

Paul's lips curled into a dark smirk as he ended the call. Her CEO—he had his next move. And this time, he wouldn't be left empty-handed.