The Scandal
1450 Words
Two Years Later...
My fingers tapped repeatedly on the huge mahogany desk in my office.
Glancing at the time, I discovered that it was lunchbreak already.
I had come in very early today, so I could tie up all loose ends before my inauguration tomorrow as the CEO of Richardson corps after my father.
Over the past few years, I had worked tirelessly and relentlessly to get to where I was today.
Having been born into a family that valued results over efforts, life had been grueling.
It had not been easy but I had done it, I had gotten my extremely demanding father to approve of me as the next CEO.
There had been major hiccups along the line too.
Like the one that happened two years ago, when I lost a contract with our best partner.
There had been few problems after that, but none of them posed too big of an issue for me to solve.
I was so excited at the thought of achieving my lifelong dream and a wide smile blossomed on my lips.
"Well done, you have done well." I whispered to myself.
I closed my computer, stretching and yawning widely. Getting things together for tomorrow had been so hectic and it's now taking a toll on me.
I got up and decided to go get a cup of coffee to keep me focused.
On getting to the breakroom, I noticed our employees giving me unnatural stares.
Their looks were that of pity and concern and whenever I locked eyes with any of them, they would turn away whispering quietly.
What was going on?
I grabbed my coffee and headed back to my office completely bewildered.
"Miss, you have to see this." Rose came rushing into my office few minutes later, panting heavily, she had not even bothered knocking.
She handed me her phone and what I saw made all the blood drain from my face.
Splashed across the day's news headlines were the words: "Heiress: Embezzlement and a Night of Secrets" and attached below were pictures of my wild night with that stranger.
Although the pictures had been blurred out, anyone who looked closely would surely recognize me.
There was also claims that I was involved in an embezzlement scheme and apparently, I had stolen a huge amount of money.
"What's going on?" I asked my voice trembling shakily.
"I do not know Miss, people were whispering in the marketing department and I overheard them. On checking the Internet, this was what I saw." She replied, worry etched on her face.
I recognized the pictures, it was the night I had gotten drunk and had s*x with a stranger at an hotel.
But still, how did they find out?
It had been a one time affair and I had forgotten about it ever since, so how exactly had this picture come to be?
What baffled me even more was the news stating I was involved in an embezzlement scheme.
I had no idea who the people involved were so how exactly had I been roped into this?
My head began to spin as all kinds of thoughts raced through my mind, I had to hold on tightly to my desk to prevent myself from collapsing.
"Miss are you alright." Rose asked as she moved forward to steady me.
"I'm fine, Have the public relations department take down this news immediately." I said to her.
"I already did so the moment I saw it, but they informed me that there was little they could do to keep the news from spreading. Even if they were to delete the post, it would not stop people from talking about it." She answered.
"No this can't be, How did this even happen? Are all these people trying to ruin me?" I lamented.
"I'll try to keep the situation under control." Rose said reassuringly and headed out but I knew there is absolutely nothing she could do against a scandal like this.
I crumpled to the ground the moment I heard her close the door gently.
Oh f**k!
So this is why people in the breakroom had been staring at me strangely and whispering to themselves.
What was I going to do now?
What scared me even more was my father and how he would react to this news.
Fear gripped me.
The door opened with a loud bang and in walked my father, Charles Richardson with a furious look on his face.
My stepmother Stephanie was right behind him.
"You i***t, what have you done? Do you realize that you have ruined everything? Destroyed this family reputation. The stock prices are dropping by the minute." He bellowed, his face flushed red with anger.
My eyes laced with tears.
"Dad, please I'm innocent. Just listen to me, give me a chance to prove myself. I don't know anything about what's happening. Please just listen to me." I pleaded.
"Darling, even if you believe her, you can't possibly go through with her appointment as the CEO. It will damage our reputation even further." Stephanie said, a sinister look in her eyes.
"As of this moment, I'm stripping you of all rights to take over this company. You don't deserve to represent this company." He said.
Then, he turned to his assistant "Report to the board of directors, tell them the inauguration ceremony tomorrow has been canceled. Also, arrange a press meeting. I'll try to get the situation under control so it doesn't affect the reputation of our company even further."
"Dad please, just give me a chance to redeem myself, I swear I have no idea how I got roped into this. Someone must be trying to frame me." I pleaded again, tears rolling down my cheeks but he wasn't listening.
"I have given you enough chances but you have let me down every single time." He replied as he glowered angrily at me, disappointment clearly written on his face.
Stephanie stood beside him, a look of triumph evident on her face.
She had never liked me and I was sure she was happy at my current plight.
"Please Dad, at least give me a chance to clear my name and prove my innocence to you." I choked out, my voice trembling with the force of my emotions.
"It's over Isabella, I can't watch you ruin the good name and reputation of my company." He said.
His words hit me like a truck and as I stared into his eyes, I discovered that nothing I had to say would change his decision.
He had made up his mind.
Everything I had ever worked for had fallen apart, my hopes were crushed and my dreams shattered.
I walked out of the office, each step I took felt like a stamp, sealing my fate.
My whole world had crashed before me sinking me into despair.
A stream of reporters were waiting outside clearly expecting me and they pounced on me immediately I came out.
They shoved their microphones in front of me and the white light flashing from their camera shutters as they took pictures, almost blinded me.
It felt like everyone was here to see me crumble.
Their stares were judgmental and mocking and I sank my nails into my palm to keep myself from lashing out at the injustice of it all and making further mockery of myself.
Eventually I was able to make my way to my car.
The reporters were right behind me, still chasing after me.
In my haste to enter my car, I stumbled and fell and the reporters that were after me encircled me.
Their cameras flashed even more, capturing the humiliating moment and getting ready to splash it across the headlines once again for the world to see.
I could imagine what the headlines would read: "Isabella Richardson, fallen from grace."
I sat there trembling like someone that had been drenched by a heavy rain but no one made a move to help me.
Not even one person.
It was as if they were all reveling in the joy of my disgrace and pain.
Mustering the last of my strength, I stood up, straightened my shoulders and raised my chin.
I refused to let them see that they had broken me, I would not give them that satisfaction.
I got into my car, slammed it shut to keep them out and drove off.
As I drove, my eyes laced with tears until it streamed down my face.
I had been stripped bare of everything that mattered to me.
The feeling of Pain, despair and betrayal coursed through me and I felt like a ghost fleeting in a world where it shouldn't have existed.
- Writer
