Captured by the Paparazzi
1181 Words
After the meeting, once Claire had left, Anne politely declined the lunch invitation, mentioning she had a doctor's appointment. The rest of the group headed to the hotel that Mark had arranged.
As they arrived, Karen went parked the car while Samantha followed closely behind Jake, who strode ahead with long, confident strides, his face cold and distant, hands buried in his trouser pockets. She couldn’t help but smile as she noticed the admiring glances from passersby. Samantha knew that people of the upper class liked to gossip and she would you that to her advantage.
During the car ride to the hotel, Karen had suggested the idea of arranging some paparazzi to snap a few photos of her and Jake together, hoping the photos would go viral online. Samantha had liked the idea. She knew the elders of the William family were conservative and valued their reputation. The thought of them seeing those photos and forcing Jake into marriage with her thrilled her. She could already picture herself as the young hostess of a powerful family, envied by everyone.
As they reached the private dining room, Mark was already waiting for them, having rushed ahead from parking the car. He greeted them with a polite nod and opened the door.
"Miss Anderson, here's the tablet menu. You can order whatever you like," Mark said, handing the device to Samantha.
Feigning modesty, Samantha smiled and handed the menu to Jake. "Jake, you can order first. I’m not picky about food," she said sweetly, hoping to make a good impression.
Jake shot Mark a sharp look, and Mark quickly intervened. "Miss Anderson," he said smoothly, "Mr. Jake prefers not to be addressed so informally by people he's not familiar with. I’ve already placed his order online before we arrived."
Samantha’s smile faltered for a brief moment as she took the menu back, feeling slighted by the secretary’s correction. Mentally, she added Mark to her list of people to get rid of once she married Jake. However, she masked her irritation with a smile. "I understand, thank you," she replied.
Mark, still composed, gestured toward the menu. "Please feel free to order for yourself and your secretary."
Just then, Karen burst into the room, slightly out of breath from having searched for them after Samantha didn’t answer her phone. She hadn't sensed the tension and tried to engage Mark in small talk while they waited for their meals.
Halfway through their meal, the door opened abruptly. Erickson entered the room, his eyes immediately searching for Samantha. His appearance caught everyone by surprise.
Erickson walked into the room rudely , ignoring Jake’s angry glare. "Sam, are you alright? I heard what happened," he said, concern evident in his voice.
Samantha looked up, clearly annoyed. "Erick, what are you doing here? How did you know I was here?"
He scratched his head, sheepishly replying, "I tried calling your phone, but then I came across a post online saying you were here, so I came to check on you. A waiter outside saw me and mentioned that Miss Anderson was in this room."
Samantha momentarily forgot about Erickson’s fame and powerful connections, which made it easy for him to gather information.
Mark, eager to leave, chimed in, "Don’t worry, Miss Anderson. Mr. Jake and I will take our leave now; he has other matters to attend to. You can take your time and talk with your 'boyfriend.'" He pretended not to know who Erickson was. "The meal is paid for; enjoy yourselves," he said, hurriedly exiting with Jake, both visibly relieved to escape the awkwardness.
Samantha shouted after them, trying to follow, but Erickson gently pulled her back. "No, Jake—I mean Mr. Jake, he is not my boyfriend. He’s Claire’s fiancé and my future brother-in-law," she explained hurriedly, attempting to distance herself from Erickson, but they had already closed the door.
Mark sighed and rushed to retrieve the car, preparing to drive his boss back to the company.
Inside the car, Jake spoke coldly. "Your monthly bonus will be cut by half. Next time, don’t make decisions on my behalf."
Mark, a savvy man, didn’t argue. He simply nodded, knowing it could lead to worse consequences. Having observed Jake’s interest in Claire, Mark had taken the initiative to invite her and her group for lunch, unaware she would turn down the offer, leaving him no room to explain. He made a mental note not to make the same mistake again.
Meanwhile, Samantha simmered with annoyance at Erickson for interrupting her time with Jake, but now that Jake was gone, she masked her irritation, knowing she still had some use for him.
Karen excused herself and left the two alone.
"Erick... Claire refused to give me the project," Samantha said tearfully, her voice laced with faux helplessness. She had mastered the art of manipulation.
"Don't worry. I already told her I would cancel the engagement if she didn't return it to you," he replied, embracing her.
His words startled her. "No, don’t! She likes you very much, and she will be heartbroken when you break up with her..." Samantha protested, more tears streaming down her face.
Erickson felt a pang of pity for her. "Why do you still think about her at a time like this? She’s wronged you. She’s evil," he said, trying to comfort her.
"But..."
"No ‘buts’ this time. If she doesn’t give you the project, I will cancel the engagement and ruin her reputation, then propose to you. Let’s make our relationship official since we like each other. I’ll protect you from her," he said, gently holding her face and wiping away her tears.
Samantha was momentarily taken aback and felt unease but masked it well in front of Erick. She soon felt calm again, reassured by the knowledge of Claire’s obsession with Erickson, she knew Claire couldn't let him break off the engagement. She convinced herself it was a win win situation for herself.
"Erick, I told Mr. Jake that you were my future brother-in-law because I didn’t want him to know about our affair and use it against the Martin Group. Don’t be mad; I know he’s a ruthless businessman and could use it against you," she explained.
"Shh, you don’t have to explain. I understand," Erickson replied.
Samantha smirked inwardly, thinking how naive he was and how easily she could manipulate him.
After putting on an act, she excused herself, heading to the restroom to retouch her makeup while reflecting on her victories. "Claire, just wait and see," she told herself, stifling a laugh.
Later, she met Erickson at his black Maybach, and they drove to his apartment, where they spent the night together. Unbeknownst to them, a paparazzi had camped outside, capturing photos of them arriving arm in arm that afternoon and leaving together the next morning.
The paparazzi made a phone call the following morning, and after exchanging a few words, he sent the photos to his contact.
In his office, Jake smirked, satisfied that he had managed to hit two birds with one stone.
- Writer
