The Rumors Begin
1070 Words
Chapter 17
By Monday morning, the rumors were everywhere.
Amelia didn’t know exactly how it had happened.
The gala had ended only two days ago.
Yet somehow the whispers had already spread beyond Knight Manor.
Across social circles.
Across business circles.
Across the city itself.
Apparently, wealthy people had very little difficulty spreading gossip.
Amelia first noticed something was wrong during breakfast.
The staff dining room usually felt relaxed.
Comfortable.
But that morning, conversations seemed to stop whenever she entered.
Not completely.
Just enough to be noticeable.
Clara glanced up from her coffee.
Then quickly looked away.
Mrs. Hawthorne suddenly became fascinated with a newspaper.
Even the younger staff members appeared unusually interested in their meals.
Amelia frowned.
“What happened?”
No one answered immediately.
That alone was suspicious.
Finally, Clara sighed.
“You really don’t know?”
Amelia sat down.
“Know what?”
The room exchanged looks.
Then Clara reached for her phone.
A moment later, she slid it across the table.
Amelia looked down.
And immediately regretted it.
A photograph filled the screen.
A photograph from the gala.
Specifically, one taken on the balcony.
The picture showed her and Xavier standing together beneath the evening lights.
Talking.
Smiling.
Looking entirely too comfortable.
Beneath the image sat a headline.
WHO IS THE MYSTERY WOMAN CAPTURING BILLIONAIRE XAVIER KNIGHT’S ATTENTION?
Amelia nearly choked.
“Oh, no.”
Several staff members winced sympathetically.
She continued scrolling.
Big mistake.
Huge mistake.
The article contained speculation.
Assumptions.
Wild theories.
Some claimed she was secretly dating Xavier.
Others claimed she was a business partner.
One particularly ridiculous article suggested she was a foreign heiress.
Amelia stared.
“Foreign heiress?”
Clara laughed.
“Apparently.”
“I grew up folding laundry.”
“Maybe expensive laundry.”
Despite herself, Amelia laughed.
Unfortunately, the humor disappeared quickly.
Because rumors had consequences.
And she knew it.
People would judge her.
Question her motives.
Assume the worst.
The thought left an unpleasant knot in her stomach.
Meanwhile, across the city, Xavier was having a much worse morning.
A board member had just placed the same article on his desk.
The man looked nervous.
Which was smart.
Most people became nervous when Xavier looked irritated.
“This is becoming a distraction.”
Xavier glanced at the article.
Then back at the board member.
A very dangerous silence followed.
Finally, Xavier spoke.
“Are company profits suffering?”
“No.”
“Stock prices?”
“No.”
“Investor confidence?”
“No.”
Another pause.
“Then I fail to see the problem.”
The board member wisely changed the subject.
Immediately.
Several hours later, Sophia entered Xavier’s office carrying a coffee.
And an absolutely infuriating smile.
“Have you seen the articles?”
Xavier sighed.
“Unfortunately.”
Sophia sat down.
Clearly delighted.
“This is hilarious.”
“It isn’t.”
“It absolutely is.”
She pulled out her phone.
“Oh look.”
She began reading dramatically.
“‘Sources claim the billionaire has been spotted repeatedly spending time with the mysterious beauty.’”
Xavier closed his eyes.
Sophia continued.
“‘Observers describe undeniable chemistry.’”
“Sophia.”
“‘Insiders suspect romance.’”
“Sophia.”
She finally laughed.
“Fine.”
The grin remained.
Unfortunately.
That afternoon, Amelia and Xavier crossed paths in the library.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then simultaneously:
“Have you seen—”
They stopped.
Stared.
Then both laughed.
The tension eased slightly.
“The articles?”
Amelia asked.
Xavier nodded.
“I assume you’ve seen them.”
She groaned.
“Everyone has seen them.”
To her surprise, Xavier looked mildly amused.
“This isn’t funny.”
“It is a little funny.”
Amelia pointed at him.
“There is an article claiming I’m a foreign heiress.”
A pause.
Then Xavier laughed.
Actually laughed.
The sound startled her.
Because it was genuine.
“Okay,” he admitted.
“That’s funny.”
Amelia rolled her eyes.
The laughter faded.
Then a more serious silence settled between them.
Because beneath the absurdity, a real problem existed.
People were talking.
And neither could pretend otherwise.
“Does it bother you?”
The question escaped before Amelia could stop herself.
Xavier studied her carefully.
“The rumors?”
She nodded.
A long pause followed.
Finally, he answered honestly.
“No.”
Amelia blinked.
“No?”
His expression remained calm.
“I’ve been the subject of rumors for years.”
That made sense.
“What about you?”
he asked.
Amelia hesitated.
“A little.”
The answer felt inadequate.
Because the truth was more complicated.
The rumors didn’t bother her because people thought she liked Xavier.
They bothered her because she actually did.
And that made every whisper feel dangerous.
Every headline feel personal.
Every glance feel exposing.
Fortunately, Xavier couldn’t read minds.
Or perhaps unfortunately.
Because for a moment, his gaze lingered on her face.
As though searching for something.
Something neither of them was ready to discuss.
The silence stretched.
Then Sophia suddenly burst into the room.
Without knocking.
Naturally.
“I have terrible news.”
Both looked at her.
Sophia held up her phone dramatically.
“The internet has given you a couple name.”
Amelia immediately covered her face.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Absolutely yes.”
Xavier looked alarmed.
Which was probably the correct reaction.
“What is it?”
he asked cautiously.
Sophia’s grin widened.
“Xamelia.”
The silence that followed was devastating.
Amelia nearly died.
Xavier looked personally offended.
Sophia laughed so hard she had to sit down.
For several minutes, nobody recovered.
Later that evening, after Sophia finally stopped torturing them, Amelia found herself smiling despite everything.
The rumors were annoying.
Embarrassing.
Complicated.
But there was something else too.
A strange realization.
Every article.
Every whisper.
Every speculation.
All of it existed because people were noticing something.
Something real.
The growing bond between her and Xavier.
And no matter how much they tried to ignore it…
The rest of the world had already begun to see it.
Far sooner than either of them expected.
But the rumors were only the beginning.
Because attention had consequences.
And soon, those consequences would arrive in the form of someone neither Amelia nor Xavier expected.
Someone who would make both of them realize just how important they had become to each other.
- Writer
