Divorcing The Billionaire On Valentine's Day

12. Grayson

GRAYSON

I flipped page after page searching for a company that had no connection with the Blacks. The more pages I turned, the sooner it dawned on me that I may have made a mistake walking out on baby Black.

A knock at the door interrupted my self berating. “Come in.” I called not bothering with who it could be, there were only four people who had the guts to enter my office and only one of them knocked. My assistant, Alicia.

She walked in clad in yet another pencil skirt, her eyes everywhere but in my direction. She held an iPad in one hand while her free hand ran down the length of the black skirt, a nervous habit she still hadn’t outgrown after working with me for over two years.

I didn’t look up from the endless files on my desk as I asked, “What is it, Alicia?”

Instead of answering like I expected, the room remained in silence. I spared a glance to make sure she was still in the room and leaned back when I caught the concerned look in her eyes. “Just spit it out, nothing could make this day any worse.” I rubbed my temples, nothing helped.

“It’s the blogs, sir.” She began, but I already moved passed it.

“I don’t care about the blogs Alicia,” I immediately cut her off. There was barely enough time to get anything done, the blogs were the least of my worry.

She turned to leave, but a moment later just stood by the door. Her eyes darted from the iPad in her hands to me and back like she was contemplating if risking her job would be worth it. Not like I was ever really going to fire her, she was too efficient and had somehow gotten he hand of dealing with my worst days, but letting her think so kept her in check, especially in times like these.

“If you’re just going to stand there, you might as well out with it.”

She forced a nonexistent lump down her throat before she spoke, “ Sir, you’re on the blogs,” She squeaked.

I was what?! I stood up and reached for her iPad. I didn’t know the look I had on my face, but whatever it was, it made her take a step back like I was actually going to transfer my frustrations on her.

“Alicia, show me.” I fought hard to keep my voice calm despite the havoc that had been let loose in my mind. She handed me the iPad and an already bad day became even shittier.

In more years than I’ve lost track off, I was never on any blog for anything other than a savvy businessman who close more deals than he left his office. And suddenly, all of that was down the drain, and the reason for it stared back at me with nothing but rage on her face. Going to that restaurant was a bad idea.

“Leave.” My voice was cold even to my ears, but it was either that or transfer the aggression. Alicia didn’t deserve that. I handed her property back to her and re-assumed my seat.

“But sir, there’s mo-” She tried to hand the iPad back to me.

“Get back to work, Alicia.” I pinned her with a warning gaze.

She clamped her lips shut and nodded before she exited the room.

I pulled up the blogs immediately the door shut behind her. It was worst than I thought, pictures from the restaurant when I had hauled Adeline over my shoulders, from the sidewalk when I basically dumped her into my backseat, and even some caught the anger behind our back and forth, It was the worst possible thing that could have resulted from last night. Before I could toss my phone into the wall, it vibrated in my hands and just like the universe had been sent deliberately to make my day horrible, my phone vibrated in my hand and I just knew she had seen the blogs.

“Mother.”

“How can you be so careless, Grayson?!” Straight to the point as always.

“I'm already handling it.” I rubbed between my eyes,easing a bit of the tension.

“It doesn’t look like you’re doing anything. It all my friends could talk about all morning. Fix it.” Her voice took that edgy tone I knew all too well from when I was much younger. “We cannot afford to have that gold digger’s name attached to ours.” She ranted off. If I didn’t stop her, she could go on and on.

“I’ve heard you mother. I’m already on top of it.”I cut her off before she could say anything

else. I dropped the call with a scowl on my face.

A knock interrupted my thoughts second before Alicia peeked though the door.

“Alicia what is it this time?” I dragged, on the last thread of patience.

“Sir I have an idea.” She rushed out determination in her eyes.

“I’m listening.” I pulled my head from between my palms and gave her my full attention.

“I could arrange a press conference,you can defend yourself explain wh-”

I shook my head before she even finished, “No. I’m not feeding their assumptions.” I decided, “The hype should die soon.” She pursed her lips, nodded and left.

I didn’t. It was almost 5pm and my phone hadn’t stop buzzing every two minutes!

I slammed the laptop shut a little harder than necessary, every muscle fibre in me wound tight as I exited the office with only one place in mind. There was only one person that could have done it and she was going to undo it. She started his and I wasn’t going to be the one to clean up her mess!

Edwin had been to her friend’s place before so I didn’t need to say much before the car slowed to a stop outside. I slid out of the car rigid as a pole and knocked. I don’t know why but I was expecting to see her, instead it was her friend, the over zealous one.

“What do you want?” He demanded immediately.

“Where’s she?” I fired back, meeting his gaze squarely. It was obvious to anyone with eyes what his true intentions for Adeline were, everyone but Adeline herself.

“I don’t know.” A stronger wave of annoyance hit me at his response.

“What do you mean? She lives under your roof.”

“Yes, but unlike you I don’t leave my place of work just to micromanage her movements like a creep.” He leaned against the doorway, a smile on his lips like he was enjoying himself. I clenched my hands into fist, the urge to wipe that smile off his face strong.

“Any idea where she could be?” I forced out despite everything screaming at me to hold on to my pride and just leave.

“Nope,” he said, popping the ‘p’ in an annoying way, “she left before I got back from work.” This is a waste of time.

Without a word, I left him there and headed back to the car. One more poorly veiled insult from him and I would have given the tabloids something else to talk about.

“Take me to Damian’s school.” I told Edwin and that was the only thing I said until I was in Damian’s office.

“I knew she was bad news, but I was careful.”

“Were you?” He arched an unimpressed brow at me.

“Yes!” I hissed. “The reason ant of this happened is because she planted the paparazzi or leaked the information about our relationship or both!”

“Did she?” He drawled.

“Yes!” I snapped. “I just know she’s going to milk every moment of this, use it to either get a bigger pay day or make me ask for an extension of the contract where she reclaims her access to my black car I’m sure.” I paced the room. It wasn’t exactly the largest, but it was big enough with just the right amount of spacing seeing as Damian only added a bookshelf, a table and two chairs on either sides of it.

He nodded, focused on flipping through blog after blog, not even bothered in the slightest by my predicament.

CEO of Archer conglomerate, married? Mystery wife revealed.

CEO of Archer conglomerate argues with wife?

CEO of Archer conglomerate abusive or not?

The headlines were endless and the next one always more bogus than the last.

“Are you even listening to me?” I glared at his head.

“Every word.” He dropped the tablet he was scrolling through. He leaned back and I knew I wasn’t going to like what he had to say. “But all I hear is a delusional man.”.

I glared at him, “What do you mean?” I dragged.

He arched a brow at me, “I mean who interrupted whose date? Not Adeline. Who carried who through a very high end restaurant? Still not Adeline. You knew it was a popular spot, yet you did it. And who still hasn’t signed the divorce papers they received over a month ago?” He listed like he was ratting them off of a mental checklist. “You, Grayson.”

I was ready to shove his point back at him, but the words died in my throat. He was right. Risking falling into public eye for the wrong reasons was not my thing. What was I doing? I was supposed to be making her fall in love with me, not making myself go crazy.