Chapter 5 Miniature Version and Explosive Headline

D*mn it.

WHAT A MESS.

Alessia, sensing the weight of Olivia’s emotions, rushed to explain, desperation lacing her words. ‘No, Miss Anderson! It’s a misunderstanding. I am in no way involved with Mr Wilde. We were just—’

But before Alessia could finish speaking, Logan’s restraining arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer to him.

The sudden closeness sent a shiver down Alessia’s spine.

A flush of embarrassment coloured her cheeks as she realised the physical evidence of Logan’s desire pressing against her backside.

They stood together, facing Olivia, their bodies almost melding into one.

Logan shot a cold look at Olivia. ‘Have you seen enough?’

Olivia pursed her lips. ‘Well, aren’t you touchy? Fine, I won’t disturb you any longer. Carry on. Although, I suggest you take this party to a hotel room. Too many prying eyes here.’

Olivia shot Alessia one last look of jealousy before she turned and walked away.

The door closed once again.

‘Ugh!’ Alessia fumed, her anger mounting.

She elbowed Logan in the ribs.

The man let out a muted groan.

Finally breaking free from his grasp, Alessia swiftly took a step back, unable to hold back her frustration. ‘You jerk! Are you done taking advantage of me?’

Her face was flushed crimson from both anger and embarrassment.

However, this time, this man hadn’t said a word.

She raised her head, glaring at Logan.

Under the bright light, she could see his face clearly.

Alessia gasped.

The man before her bore a striking resemblance to her five-year-old son, with his strong jawline, sharp eyebrows, deep-set eyes, impossibly long eyelashes, straight nose, and even lips of the same shape.

Most important was the man’s eye colour, a unique blend of stormy grey and vibrant blue, just like her son’s.

Alessia knew that on a sunny day, there’d be flecks of silver dancing within the azure hues.

Milo was like a miniature version of this man.

A wave of guilt and confusion washed over Alessia.

Could he be...?

No, it’s impossible!

After a brief moment of shock, Alessia suddenly snapped out of it, avoiding looking at Logan.

This was no time to dwell on the man’s incredibly good-looking face.

She quickly turned around and hurried away, leaving Logan frowning after her.

Flustered and confused, Alessia made her way to the exit of the banquet hall, only to bump into Olivia again.

Olivia folded her arms. ‘Well, well, if it isn’t Mr Wilde’s mysterious date in the lounge.’

Alessia, undeterred by Olivia’s disdainful tone, held her ground. ‘I need to set things straight. There’s nothing going on between me and Mr Wilde. In fact, I don’t even know the man.’

Olivia’s sardonic smile widened. ‘Is that so? And why should I believe a word you say?’

Alessia’s eyes narrowed, her voice laced with defiance. ‘Believe what you want. It doesn’t change the truth. And maybe I shouldn’t have tried to explain myself to you. After all, it’s not as if you’re Mr Wilde’s girlfriend or anything.’

Olivia’s face flushed with humiliation. ‘At least I have a shot!’

She leaned closer, her voice dripping with contempt. ‘As for you? Hoping to be with Logan Wilde? Please, darling. Look at you. Twenty-dollar t-shirt, worn-out jeans, no makeup, no jewellery. You don’t belong here, and you don’t stand a chance.’

Alessia’s gaze remained steady, her tone calm but firm. ‘I couldn’t care less about your opinion, Miss Anderson. Perhaps you should focus on honing your acting skills instead of criticising a stranger’s wardrobe.’

Olivia’s lips curled into a sneer. ‘I don’t need advice from strangers like you.’

Alessia shrugged and turned on her heels.

***

As Logan stepped out of the luxurious lounge, he scanned the crowded banquet hall, his eyes searching for a glimpse of Alessia.

But she was nowhere to be found.

Frustration welled up inside him as he realized she had slipped away.

Just as he was about to give up, Olivia approached him with a coy smile.

She leaned closer, her voice a low whisper. ‘Logan, I’m sorry for earlier. It was rude of me to intrude. Can we forget about it?’

Logan barely spared her a glance, his focus still on finding Alessia. ‘I’m not interested in your apologies.’

Olivia tilted her head, studying him curiously. ‘Looking for that woman, are you? Well, she’s already left. Maybe she’s more your type?’

Logan’s eyes narrowed, his patience waning. ‘What I do or who I associate with is none of your business.’

Olivia’s expression shifted, a mix of surprise and amusement.

She smiled, stepping closer, her perfume filling the air.

But instead of the alluring effect she hoped to produce, it made Logan’s nose crinkle in distaste.

Unfortunately, Olivia was oblivious to his reaction.

She purred next to his ear, her voice dripping with implication. ‘Logan, why don’t we continue our conversation in my suite upstairs? I’m sure we can find other ways to entertain each other tonight.’

Logan’s thoughts were elsewhere, his mind still captivated by Alessia’s unadorned face and her intoxicating scent.

He quickly stepped back, creating distance between them.

His voice held a warning edge. ‘Olivia, if you ever dare to insinuate something like that again, I assure you, you’ll be blacklisted from the showbiz industry.’

A wave of panic washed over Olivia’s face, her arrogance faltering.

Logan turned away without another word, striding purposefully through the banquet hall.

His assistant, Terence Baird, approached, holding out a tablet. ‘Sir, I’ve gathered some information on the woman from the lounge. Her name is Alessia Jansen, twenty-five years old, recently joined BuzzBeat.’

Logan took the tablet, scanning the details briefly.

Alessia’s face stared back at him, igniting a spark of curiosity within him.

He could sense there was more to her than met the eye.

Leaning against the glass wall of the banquet hall, Logan gazed out into the night, lost in thought.

His mind replayed their brief encounter, the fiery exchange between them.

***

***

As Alessia stepped out of the hotel, her heart raced with a mix of excitement and nervousness.

Without wasting a moment, she dialled Lara Morris, her supervisor at BuzzBeat.

The phone rang, and Lara’s voice echoed through the receiver. ‘Alessia, what do you have for me? I hope it’s a juicy scoop.’

Alessia couldn’t help but smirk. ‘Oh, it’s definitely spicy, Lara. It involves none other than A-list actress Olivia Anderson and our very own Mr Logan Wilde.’

Lara’s excitement grew, her voice practically crackling with anticipation. ‘Logan Wilde? The billionaire CEO? That’s huge! Tell me everything!’

Alessia’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. ‘Olivia Anderson and Logan Wilde are more than just acquaintances. They were caught in a, well, let’s call it a compromising position at the hotel.’

Lara let out a gasp. ‘Photos, Alessia! Do you have the photos?’

Alessia’s lips curved into a mischievous smile. ‘Of course, I do.’

When Logan asked her to delete the photos earlier, she did.

But he didn’t know that she’d already made a backup copy on her cloud drive.

Lara’s excitement skyrocketed. ‘Brilliant, Alessia! This headline will be explosive. Logan Wilde, the enigmatic billionaire, and Olivia Anderson, the stunning actress, embroiled in a scandal. Get back to the office immediately. We need to discuss how we’ll break this story.’

Alessia nodded, even though Lara couldn’t see her. ‘I’m on my way. I just left the hotel. I’ll take a taxi straight to the BuzzBeat office.’

As Alessia settled into the backseat of the taxi, her mind raced with thoughts of payback.

This news would teach Logan a lesson for his inappropriate behaviour towards her earlier.

She couldn’t help but relish the satisfaction that soon, the whole city would know about his indiscretions.

***

The next morning, the front page of BuzzBeat screamed with bold letters, capturing the attention of anyone passing by.

The headline blazed across the page, declaring the alleged tryst between Olivia Anderson, the A-star actress, and billionaire CEO Logan Wilde.

Accompanying the headline was a photo of Olivia in Logan’s arms, their expressions intimate and vulnerable.

As the news spread like wildfire, Veridian City was captivated by the scandal.

The rumour mills churned, and people hungered for every sordid detail.

Logan’s carefully guarded reputation was now at stake, and the city couldn’t get enough of the drama, casting curious eyes on Logan’s company—

Logan’s company, Wilde Enterprises, occupied the prestigious Skye Tower, an architectural masterpiece that loomed over the city skyline.

The president’s office, located on the eighty-eighth floor, boasted luxurious French windows offering panoramic views.

Standing in front of these windows was Logan Wilde himself, radiating an untouchable aura that sent shivers down the spines of anyone who crossed his path.

Terence Baird, Logan’s most trusted assistant, stood before the desk, a look of remorse etched on his face.

He knew he had let his guard down, failing in his duty to protect Logan’s image from the media onslaught.

‘I apologise, sir,’ Terence said, his voice laced with regret. ‘I underestimated the audacity of BuzzBeat. I never thought they would dare to publish something that could tarnish your reputation.’

Logan’s eyes narrowed as he stared at the article displayed on the tablet in front of him.

The headline screamed sensationalism, and the words beneath it threatened to unravel everything he had worked so hard to build.

With a dismissive flick of his hand, he tossed the tablet back onto his desk, frustration emanating from his every pore.

‘You should have been more vigilant, Terence,’ Logan said. ‘I trusted you to keep tabs on the media, especially the tabloids. It seems I’d overestimated your diligence.’

He added after a pause, ‘And I’ve also underestimated this Alessia Jansen.’

Terence’s confusion was evident. ‘But, sir, the article is attributed to Lara Morris, a senior reporter at BuzzBeat.’

Logan leaned back in his chair, his expression a blend of annoyance and self-reproach. ‘Alessia Jansen is the woman who took those compromising photos. I should have anticipated that she would have backup copies.’

But in the chaos of their encounter at the hotel lounge last night, he was too distracted by her scent and his own reaction to her.

Logan’s jaw tightened as he thought of Alessia.

The woman manipulated the situation, taking advantage of his momentary lapse in judgment.

And now, he was left to deal with the consequences.