Chapter 80 - CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD

SIENNA.

It all sucked.

I was all nervous, breathing like crazy, and my hands were shaking. Tabloids were everywhere on the fancy marble floor when Lauren grabbed me and shook me like crazy.

“No! Chill, I already told you not to worry!” she yelled.

“Seriously, how am I supposed to be calm with all this yelling?” I was a mess, with tears streaming down my face as I looked at the newspapers all over the floor. “Why are there so many gossip magazines?” I asked, with my eyes wide open.

Lauren pulled me into a tight hug. It was so good and warm.

“No need to stress,” she reassured me.

I realized how awful it was and just collapsed. Lauren took a step back to give me some room, like she was giving me space to mourn. I managed to get my hands on a copy of Big Mouth with my rigid fingers.

Roberts and his wife’s secret and scandalous life were all over the headlines! There was a blurry photo of me on his lap, my bare ass in the air, and him spanking me on a patio.

I couldn’t catch my breath. I knew something like this would happen, eventually.

Another pic clearly showed us getting in the car, my face totally visible.

I collapsed on the ground, feeling lightheaded, and snatched a copy of the VIP. This one was even worse. There was a pic of me on a terrace, with someone holding a leash and hitting me from behind. It had only been a short while since then.

I felt like throwing up.

“Oh my God,” I sighed.

Lauren clumsily took a seat next to me.

“You’re not as messy as last time,” she noted.

I let out a shaky chuckle.

“They’re blurry. You might not be able to tell who we are... or are you able to?” I asked, not really expecting anything. I must have been out of my mind. Our names were like, totally obvious.

“Oh, girl, don’t kid yourself. It’s definitely you.”

I shook my head.

“Lauren, this is not looking good. That’s terrible.”

Lauren sat with me, unsure of what to say.

“Sometimes, sex scandals have actually boosted celebrities’ careers.”

“What career? What are you talking about? I’m doomed...”

“Come on, don’t be shy! You’re something girl. This will make some people jealous, and others intrigued to try the forbidden fruit—being part of a scandal.”

“Lauren!” I covered my face with my hands. “I’m not joking around here.”

She gave me an awkward pat on the shoulder.

“It will be okay, alright? The world isn’t ending today. And think about it: you’re not alone in this.”

I felt slightly better.

“Maybe I should talk to the press about this. Like a press conference,” I said, rubbing my palms together.

Lauren nodded, eager to change the subject.

“I think that’s a terrible idea. How about Thai food for dinner?”

I grinned.

“Lauren...” I began.

She smiled.

“More importantly, how do you think your spouse will react to Thai food, heaving it directly from your body?”

I chuckled again.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Lauren laughed softly.

“Well, you won’t have to find out. Now, let’s get you up. We need a plan.”

I nodded, taking her offered hand to stand.

“Okay, so first, if talking to the press is a bad idea, I need to speak to Aiden. He needs to know what’s going on.”

“Yes, that’s a must,” Lauren agreed. “You need to get your side of the story out there.”

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves.

“I hope I can handle the media frenzy.”

Lauren gave me a reassuring smile.

“You’ll handle it like a pro.”

I sighed, glancing at the tabloids again.

“Why does this have to happen now? I was finally getting somewhere.”

“It’s just a setback,” Lauren said. “You’ll bounce back from this.”

A sudden thought hit me.

“What if this affects my personal life? My relationships?”

Lauren shook her head. “It might cause some turbulence, but the people who truly care about you will understand.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” I said, though still uncertain. “I just need to stay strong.”

Lauren patted my back.

“You’ve got this. Now, let’s think how are you going to go through this. So, Thai food?”

I laughed, feeling a bit lighter.

“Sure, why not? I could use something spicy to distract me.”

“That’s the spirit,” Lauren said, giving me a wink. “You’ll get through this. One step at a time.”

***

It took me two hours, but I finally got to Aiden’s company. Since everybody already knew me, I didn’t have to sign in again.

I gave a quick smile and checked out his secretary at the front desk. She quickly turned her eyes elsewhere.

My stomach twisted in knots once more. What would my mother or sister say when she found out? And how would my father react? Although he didn’t seem to care about protecting me, if his daughter’s compromising photos ended up in the newspapers, he would definitely react differently.

My nerves were buzzing with anticipation as I pushed the elevator button. People ignored me, which made me even more uncomfortable. My cheeks burned with embarrassment.

In the elevator, I pressed the button for the highest floor. There were a couple of businessmen nearby, straight up, pretending I wasn’t there. I didn’t mind; all I wanted was to reach Aiden’s office as swiftly as possible.

Attempting to steady my nerves, I took slow, deep breaths. Aiden had the whole fame and media thing under control. He’s got this situation under control for sure.

But why had he risked our privacy in public? Why hadn’t I questioned it further?

I already knew the answer. In the heat of the moment, I had been too overwhelmed to think clearly. Aiden was all I could think about.

As the elevator reached its destination, I stepped out onto the top floor. Aiden’s personal assistant greeted me with a smile that seemed a tad forced. Or perhaps I was reading too much into it?

Politely acknowledging her, I made my way to Aiden’s office door. With trembling hands, I pushed it open.

Aiden was seated at his desk, focused on his computer. As I approached, he glanced up, raising an eyebrow inquisitively.

“Hey,” I greeted him softly.

He returned my greeting with a tentative smile.

“Is something wrong? Do you need my assistance with anything?” he asked, his fingers still tapping away at the keyboard. “Sorry, I totally missed a ton of work this morning.”

Ugh, I groaned to myself. His involvement in the wedding was cutting into his free time, thanks to my mom. Yet, seeing him here, I realized he was much happier working than catering to my mother’s whims. Maybe he did it because he cared or it was just easy. I cringed when I saw him.

“Sienna?” he murmured, noticing my expression.

“Take a look at these.” I took out the tabloids from my bag and handed them over to him. “Can you check this out?”

He raised an eyebrow, motioning for me to come closer. As I got closer, I handed him the tabloids, my hands shaking.

What would he make of this? Would he hold me responsible in any way? And what impact would this have on his business? He checked out the tabloids on his desk while I nervously bit my lip. Then he raised his eyes to me.

“Your figure looks stunning.”

It caught me off guard.

“Is that all? Is that all you have to say?”

His expression reflected genuine surprise.

“What were you expecting me to say?”

Throwing up my hands in frustration, I replied, “How the hell should I know? Anything at all, but not this!”

“But I did say something. Your figure looks magnificent… or was it striking?”

I’ve never had such a strong desire to slap someone.

“Is that really all you have to say?” I demanded.

Glancing at the scandalous images, he remarked, “I wish they had captured a shot of my physique, too. It’s equally impressive.”

I wanted to strangle him right then and there!