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FIVE: THE NEWS 2

LIAM

I sat down to have my breakfast alone. I have always eaten alone since I turned ten and sometimes I ate with Aiden, but this morning, I was alone at the large dining table in the large dining room that would contain a minimum of twenty people. The servants brought plates of food and drinks. I heard the door of the living room open and my staff greeting someone. In no time, Mr. Hugh came to the dining, looking neat and sharp in his well-ironed grey suit and the briefcase he always carried about. One look at him, I could tell something was wrong. He took out the tablet and kept it in front of me.

I glanced up at him. "What is that? Can't you see that I am about to have breakfast? You want me to work while eating?"

"Just take a look," Mr. Hugh said and gestured to the device in front of me.

I took the device and looked at the news. I saw myself holding a woman I don't even know. My brows knitted in a scowl and I looked up at Mr. Hugh in confusion. "What is this? Who is this woman and when was this taken?"

"You don't remember?" Mr. Hugh asked somewhat surprised.

The scowl still on my face, I asked. "Was I supposed to? Was this taken in New York? No... I just came back yesterday, and was certain I didn't go out with any woman..." My words trailed off as I recalled the event at Coffee Delight yesterday. I looked back at the picture. That was it, that was the woman that had confronted me and how did they snap us hugging? We never hugged.

"Was this photoshopped? When did I hug this woman?"

"You caught her when she was about falling, sir."

I shut my eyes momentarily as remembrance crossed my memory. "Crazy media, they would do anything to get money. Me in a relationship with this woman? She is not even my type!" I stood up, suddenly losing my appetite, anger was seeping into me at the comparison. How could they spark such a rumor? How could I even be in a relationship with a girl like that? I wouldn't even spare her a glance on a normal day. I quickly walked toward the living room and to the window, Mr. Hugh followed me, I went and stood at the window and struck both arms inside my sweatpants pockets.

"I want that rumor debunked immediately, do everything to clear that trash."

"That would be better and more believable if you do that yourself."

"I don't care just debunk the stupid rumor..." The ringing of my phone interrupted me, I took it out and looked at the screen, mum flashed on the screen. "Shit," I muttered, slid to the green button, and placed the phone to my ear.

"What is this news I see all over the internet?" mum's steel firm voice asked once I put the phone to my ear. She never cared if I was fine or not.

"Good morning to you too, Mrs. Pamela McGillivary, I am awake and healthy."

"I am in no mood for jokes. Who is this scruffy woman I see you with? I hope that news is a fake one from one of those unfortunate imbeciles, looking for crumbs to feed." That was my mum for you, she just says anything that comes out of her mouth, without thinking of the latter outcome. "Jade is coming to town next week, for the engagement and I don't want her to be disheartened with the news."

Jade was a top actress and the daughter of Mr. Franklin Smith, one of the richest men in the country, and my parents wants Jade and me to get married, to merge the two businesses and fetch them a lot more money. It was all about business, I didn't believe in love anyway, but I didn't want any responsibility. It was only Mr. Hugh and Aiden that believed in it. It was just a delusion that happens in movies and stories. Once I meet a woman that meets my standards, I speak to her about what I want, if she consents, we would have sex and move on. But I have been dodging this engagement because I don't want any commitments and I have promised my parents three years ago when the engagement would have taken place that I would do as they wish now, I had used the excuse that I was young and inexperienced to keep the engagement on hold for three years. What excuse am I going to use to evade this time?

Then the idea suddenly hit me. I looked back and thankfully, Mr. Hugh was still there staring at me, I gestured with my hand for him to wait, then I turned back to the window. "Mum, that news was right. That girl is my girlfriend and we have been dating for a year now. We were keeping it secret but I guess nothing is hidden under the sun." I could hear Mr. Hugh gasping behind me, but I didn't bother to look back.

"What rubbish are you spewing out of your mouth?" my mum asked calmly after a while.

"She is the woman I love. I don't want to get engaged to another woman."

"You are joking, I will call you tomorrow when your head is straight enough and you will tell me a different thing."

"I..I.." I started to say but I heard the click on the other end and the line went dead. I quickly turned to Mr. Hugh. "Change of plans, do not debunk that news, I will claim the rumors to be true."

"What? Do you have any reason for that?"

I started walking back to the living room and Mr. Hugh followed my trail. "I don't want to get engaged," I said and sat down on the fluffy couch and stretched out my legs.

"So you want to use this dating rumor to evade that this year?" I nodded and Mr. Hugh remained quiet for a while. "But, I don't think it would work, if your parents find out about this, it might not be good and I might be put in a bad place"

"Don't worry yourself, Mr. Hugh." I picked up the TV remote. "It's not true anyway, I would just use it to hold the engagement off for a while, I won't even make it public."

"What if they want to meet her?"

"Then, I will present her."

"A woman that told you off that day, do you think she would give in to this absurd plan?"

"She didn't know who I was that day, now she knows who I am," I said with my signature smirk. "Get me all the information about her. Everything I need to know."

"Yes sir."

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