Power Plays With My Love

Chapter 2 The Scandal

Someone knocked on the car window.

The next second, the unlocked door swung open, and there stood Liam, dressed in a flamboyant pink suit. Leaning casually against the door, he smirked at Adrian.

"Adrian, I have to say... impressive stamina there. Who knew you could rock a car this big?" Liam quipped.

Liam and Adrian had been friends since childhood, as close as brothers, always teasing each other.

Adrian glanced at him, expressionless, and said nothing. He pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, placing one between his lips and lighting it.

Liam laughed. "I know that girl. Vivian Mitchell, the new project manager Prosperity Holdings just hired. Isn't she dating someone? Some deputy general manager at a listed company, if I remember correctly..."

Adrian took the cigarette from his lips, exhaling a thin stream of smoke before lazily asking, "Is that so?"

Flicking ash from the cigarette with his long fingers, he remained unbothered.

Liam scoffed, "Oh, give me a break. I might not have met her, but I've seen plenty of her photos. Isn't this your little mistress? Couldn't wait to get your hands on her, huh?"

Adrian's eyes narrowed, his expression growing serious. "I never intended to get my hands on her. She started it."

Jokes aside, Liam knew exactly what Adrian was thinking. Adrian had been supporting Vivian financially ever since she started college, yet even after she graduated and worked for two years, he hadn't made any move to approach her.

If he had intended to cultivate a lover, there was no need to wait this long.

Liam's expression grew serious as he asked, "So, what's your plan?"

Adrian gazed out at the dim streetlights with a meaningful smile. "Well... the prey is already in the hunter's sights. No way she's getting away."

Adrian had no intention of pursuing her, but when she made the first move, whatever happened next wasn't entirely on him.

Liam could already tell that poor Vivian's life was about to become a lot more... interesting.

"The CEO of Spencer Group caught in a scandal as the 'other man.' How juicy would that be?" Liam continued to mock, but Adrian barely listened. He caught a glimpse of something red under the passenger seat, and his smile deepened.

Ignoring Liam's incessant chatter, Adrian picked up his phone and sent a text to a number already saved.

*****

Unknown Number: Ms. Mitchell, you left your underwear in my car.

Vivian sat in the bathtub, her mind racing with everything that had happened that night. She'd just realized that the juice she drank had been spiked with an aphrodisiac when Adrian's text came through.

She frowned ever so slightly. The number on her phone was unlisted, but she quickly guessed who the message was from. The words were neutral on the surface, but there was a subtle undertone of something more.

She deliberately pushed the insinuations aside, choosing to believe it was simply a polite notification. Calmly, she tapped out a reply.

Vivian: Thank you, Mr. Spencer, but please dispose of it.

After sending the message, Vivian remembered something, checked the date on her phone, and transferred ten thousand dollars to her mother, Caroline Mitchell. Then she set her phone to silent and closed her eyes.

Five years ago, when she'd just entered university, her father, Robert Mitchell, had fled after his business collapsed, leaving behind a mountain of debt. Though she managed to complete her studies with the help of kind-hearted benefactors, the burden of Robert's debts still hung over her.

People in the industry said she worked too hard, but no one knew that she was just trying to pay off the debts sooner so she could bring Caroline to live with her in peace.

The next morning, after breakfast, Vivian drove to work as usual.

The moment she stepped into the office, she overheard the receptionists whispering to each other.

"Do you think those photos are real?"

"With pictures that clear, how could they be fake? Ms. Mitchell sure didn't waste any time, doing it right in the car on the street..."

"From the height difference, it doesn't seem like that guy's her boyfriend."

"No way! Cheating and having car s*x? That's slutty."

"Honestly, his face isn't clear in the photo, but that guy has an amazing body. It's making me drool... So jealous of her."

They kept their voices low, but Vivian still caught enough to set off alarm bells in her mind.

Sure enough, as soon as she reached her office, her assistant, Tylor, nervously handed her his phone. On the screen was a chat history from their company's work group, and a series of scandalous photos featuring her had sent the entire group into a frenzy.

After making sure Vivian wasn't angry, Tylor said quietly, "These photos were posted in the work group chat early this morning. They've not only appeared in the lower-tier work groups but also in every executive's inbox."

Vivian's expression was unreadable as she stared at the photo of her pushing Adrian against the hotel hallway wall.

She had no memory of it, likely taken when the drug first took effect.

In the photo, his jacket on her was slipping off, revealing her bare shoulders as she stood on tiptoes to kiss Adrian's chin.

Obviously, Adrian was trying to avoid it, turning his face away.

Anyway, he was right about one thing. She did have s*x with him, and she started it.

Whoever took the photos clearly didn't want to anger Adrian, as his face was blurred, but she was unmistakably exposed.

Vivian let out a cold scoff, right as her phone rang with a call from her boss, Rolando Black.

The moment she answered, his furious voice exploded through the line, "Vivian! Get to my office, now!"

Being summoned now could only mean one thing.

She didn't care about her personal life being gossiped about, but if it affected her work, it would be troublesome.

After giving Tylor some instructions, Vivian took the elevator upstairs to see Rolando.

She already knew what awaited her. By the time she was in the lift, she had rehearsed her response. As she reached Rolando's office door, her hand paused mid-knock when she heard a voice inside.

"Mr. Spencer, are you here for the Southside project?"

Vivian frowned. Before she could figure out which Spencer it was, Adrian's teasing voice reached her ears.

"I heard the manager in charge of this project got involved in a scandal last night?"

Vivian's brow furrowed deeper, and her hand froze mid-air.

The manager responsible for this project was none other than herself, Vivian.

And the person embroiled in the scandal with her was none other than him, Adrian. 'What is he playing at with that indifferent tone?'