章 1: Scandal
"That gold-digging bitch!" Snapped Andre, pacing, his left hand in his trouser pocket. He paced back from the window to stop in front of his desk."After everything she put me through during our stupid relationship, still, she had the guts to lie to the press about me?" He clenched and clenched his jaw, bringing out his hand from his pocket as he leaned back against his desk, crossing one of his legs over the other. He pinned his look at Simeon, his assistant who looked about the place, unable to meet the dark look of his boss.
"Maybe we should sue the newspaper company...They had no right to release such an atrocious story knowing the impact it would have on the company's name." Suggested the nervous assistant.
"Sue them? Of what use would it be, huh? Of what use? This story has already spread to every nook of this country. Do you even understand the implication of what is happening? My father will kill me!" he slammed his hand on the table and pushed off it, bringing out his phone that just beeped.
It was a notification from one of the most popular blog sites in New York City. It read...
'Son of the infamous CEO of D'Lukas dynasty has been accused by his ex-girlfriend, Madeline Andrew to have raped her following her refusal to sleep with him during the course of their relationship'
"Shit!" he plunged the phone into the chair close to him. "Simeon we have to do something about this and fast," he hastily said, picking up his phone again. He dialed Madeline's phone which rang for some time and stopped. He tried severally but still, she wouldn't pick.
"Vedi, non risponderebbe a quella dannata chiamata. Figlia di Jezebel! Giuro su Dio che quando poggerò i miei occhi su di lei non le piacerà l'esito di quello che sarebbe successo!" He bellowed in fluent Italian.
Simeon flinched squeezing his face in worry. He hated when his boss was in a fit like this it usually don't bore well for anyone around him at that moment. He knew that Madeline girl and how much she clamored for the limelight. This wouldn't be past her quest for attention and revenge, he knows.
"Let's try to be rational about this, boss. We could keep trying her line or probably drop a voicemail for her. Let's find out what she wants so we can just reach an acceptable agreement with her," he tried again, earning a glare from Andre.
"May God curse your mouth, Simeon, for spilling such balderdash." Andre barreled at Simeon. " I pay you to be rational, fast, to always come up with something reasonable in moments like this, not to talk nonsense. Posso mai abbassarmi per contrattare con una puttana bugiarda~" he said hitting his chest with a fierce look on his face. He swirled around and went back to sit on his desk. He intertwined his hands drifting away in deep thought.
His phone started ringing, jerking him back to the present. He looked at it. His father.
The fuck! He swore.
"Dad," he picked up
"Home, now!" his father bellowed, cutting off the call. He slammed back his phone on the desk and stood up. He knew this was going to happen. His father doesn't take lightly anything that would in any way ruin the 'perfect' image of his company which according to him he has fought hard over the years to preserve.
"Start making calls across all the publishing houses. Call anyone. Anything. We have to do something and very fast." he shrugged on his Armenia pleated black tuxedo and picked up his briefcase striding to the door.
"That's Lukas. I have to go face his wrath. Make sure you give me good news before dawn," he ordered and closed the door behind him. He ambled down the hall of his office to the elevator and punched in the last floor number, waiting patiently as the machine flitted downstairs.
The moment he walked out of the office, Meggie, one of his strategic managers approached him.
"Andre, I was about to come up to your office. What's going on with the news? Is it true?... I_"
"Not now, Meg," he cut her off with his hand raised at her. She paused, her mouth slightly open from whatever she was about to say.
"But..."
"Don't you understand when I say not now? I am not in the mood for your meaningless tattles...back off!" he barked at the girl who flinched with her eyes widened. Andre has never used that tone on her before.
She watched as he passed through the double sliding doors that automatically closed behind him. She turned around to check if anyone had witnessed the exchange and nearly fainted as the curious eyes of the other workers quickly averted back to their computers the instant she caught them staring.
"You losers should learn to mind your fucking business!" she screeched at the top of her lungs at them.
"Language, Meg!" came the voice of the HR from his cubicle.
"Whatever you say, James." she rolled her eyes and sauntered off towards her cubicle. Everyone knew how much effort she has been putting into getting the attention of their boss which had proven futile over time.
~
Andre drove through the gate of his father's different-shaped flower-decorated alleyway down to the garage.
Exiting the car, he made his way up the porch, ignoring the greetings of the bodyguards. He pushed through the transparent Greecian doors, entering the living room.
His mother who was climbing down the stairs ran to him with worry etched on her beautiful visage.
"Andre il Mio bambino, tell me the news is not true." she let out, grabbing his two hands. He exhaled, feeling a nut tighten in his stomach at seeing how worried his mother was. He hated seeing her like this.
"Madre, do you honestly not have faith in me? You know I would never do something of that disposition. You know how conniving Madeline can be. This is probably her feat for revenge for breaking up with her." he assured her. She sighed and made a sign of the cross.
"I told your father you would never exude such horrible behavior but he wouldn't believe me." she confided in him as they walked towards another door that opened to a spacious pool area. His father was sitting in the beach chair and quickly stood up when he saw him.
"Before you say anything, father, I want you to know that I didn't do it. I know you won't believe me because of my escapades with the girls, but this one-time father you have to believe me. Madeline is a conniving bitch and this time I am not going to let her get away with this I promise, father." he appealed to his father who pinched his face into a frown, his chest heaving with outrage. His wife who stood close to Andre was nodding her head all the while.
"How am I supposed to believe you? I warned you to stay away from those gonne leggere. But you wouldn't listen. You keep traipsing about town with these American Bambinos. Now see what you have gotten us into!" Lukas berated him with his hand akimbo.
"I will fix this. father, I promise," Andre told his father with a determined look.
"How? How do you envisage solving this? The news is everywhere can't you see? The most popular magazine and newspapers including the news channels in America are carrying the story...So enlighten me on how you would solve this." his father went on his, Italian assent becoming pronounced because of his anger.
Andre wiped his brows. The truth is that he didn't even have any idea how he was going to solve the problem. Though he had ordered Simeon to have a solution for him by dawn, but as much as Simeon was good, he had seen the fear in his eyes when he had told him, meaning that this one was beyond him.
"Lukas, why don't we take it easy on him. That good-for-nothing chit has never meant well for our son. Please let's calm down and think about everything. After all, they can all go to hell with whatever they think. I know my son will never do that." His mum induced the husband in her peculiar harmonious voice.
"Giuro cure, this is no time for you to pamper him. I have condoned his overindulgence, now look at what it has caused. You caused all this"
"Me? How?"
"Yes, you. If only you don't support all his stupid childish misdemeanors he wouldn't have brought this hegemony upon the dynasty's reputation. Now I will have to hustle to clean his mess!" he boomed, walking away towards the door leading to the pool. His wife stared after him, appalled by his accusation. She turned back to Andre the moment her husband disappeared into the house.
"I am sorry, mama. This is all my fault. Dad is right. If only I had listened to him and not involve with these conniving sluts I wouldn't have gotten us into this mess. Now he blames you for it." he expelled remorsefully, taking his mother's hand to squeeze.
"It's okay, mia bambino. I know he can handle this. He is just angry, so let's just give him some time." she crooned, rolling her lips inside her mouth. Her worried face highlighted her aging wrinkles which she works so hard to hide.
"Let me go and make sure that he's okay. Try to relax. Sunita made something in case you are hungry" she informed him. He nodded and watched as she whirled around and sashayed back to the house.
"Fuck you, Madeline. I would make sure you pay direly for this!" he growled out and walked to the sit his father was sitting on. He picked up the glass that was on the side table, filled it with Hennesy that was on the table, and gulped it down, grimacing as he felt the sting on his chest.
This was the first time scandal was hitting the Rossi family which was why Lukas was finding it had to digest. All through the years he always worked hard to make sure that the company remained at the top chart of America's financial wardogs. Anything that had to daint the image of the company was highly avoided which is why he has been bothered over Andre's continuous Casanova personality.
He always told Andre how he had married immediately he clocked twenty-five because he didn't want to be caught in an unnecessary female exchange charade.
But then, Andre was lucky to have been born into a multi-billionaire household and has been blessed with mouth-watering looks which had made him the favorite among the ladies.
Many times when Andre woke in the morning, he would take a resolution not to be involved with any woman henceforth, but then the moment he walks out the door, they swarm him, leaving him no choice but to revel in their reverence.
He scowled so hard he feared his jaw would break. Gulping down the second glass of the Hennessey, he stood up and strode into the house.
In as much as he was faced with a serious problem, he need sustenance.
"Good afternoon, sir, can I get you anything?" the Chef scampered to ask him.
"What's in the kitchen?"
"I made Bolognese Spaghetti with Irish chicken sauce."
"Then get me some. Add some veggie toppings, for dressing." Andre informed the girl, sitting down at the dining table.
If he was going to face some stupid scandal, he should at least do it on a full stomach. Madeline has done her worst he just hopes she is ready for his payback!
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