𝐎 𝐁 𝐉 𝐄 𝐂 𝐓 𝐈 𝐎 𝐍 (18+)

7

The Trouble Is No Longer Just In Paradise.

♡♡♡♡

I hated drinking.

It didn't take much alcohol to have me waking up with a blank memory and a splitting headache but last night was something an alcoholic couldn't forget. I mean, it was kind of hard to do so when it was surfacing on almost every news network by seven the next morning.

Charlotte Lewis, heir to the Lewis throne is at home comfy in her shared New York palace while her fiancé was out causing bar fights in Georgia. It wasn't a good look especially when most of the broadcaster's introduced their stories with 'Senior fashion editor of Wright Designs spotted having a few too many with Issac Hill, heir to Hill corp.'

Anna called me as soon as my swollen eyes graced the first round of morning news. I had a headache so strong even opioids couldn't fix and my mouth was dryer than the hottest day in the middle of a fucking desert. I was in no mood to be probed by my lovely assistant but damage control would have to be done on both ends, not just Issac's.

"Mom, you shouldn't be watching that shit." I grabbed the remote and turned off the tv and she swatted my hand. She'd been glued to the screen all morning and I was relieved she was finding the humor in all this.

I was more worried about my mother's reputation than I was mine. Wright Designs was directly tied to her dressmaking, a scandal involving me involved the entire family and I stupidly gave our publicist the next two weeks off.

"Oh, it's nothing but gossip dear it'll blow over."

Gossip? Gossip was rumors about which celebrity just got their ass done not clear footage of Issac near mauling a man in the bar and me so drunk I can barely stand. It was downright embarrassing is what it was.

"Well about four networks have called Anna for an interview about me and Issac's supposed past. Ugh, this is exactly why I hate going out."

My mother sighed and smiled softly at me, "I think Issac has it much worse than you dear. I can hear his father yelling from the balcony."

She was right. Issac was probably getting the lecture of a lifetime which was absurd because he was twenty-seven years old and could do whatever he wanted but his father worked too hard to craft this new life for him. Somehow after all his efforts, I was still the one getting in the way of that.

"I'm leaving in an hour, I have to do damage control."

Both my parents looked at me with raised brows, "don't give me that look. I've worked too hard to build this magazine I won't let some trashy reporters ruin what we've all built."

I sighed and snatched the bonnet off of my head, "I should probably go check in on Issac."

"Sweetheart don't—"

It was too late. As soon as I opened the door a flood of paparazzi with big cameras began snapping pictures and asking questions I could barely hear. I covered myself and pushed all of them out of my way but there were far too many to fight off.

"I'll give you all till the count of three to get the hell off my porch!" My father cocked his gun and held it in the air, "one." I swear I'd never seen people move so fast. My father huffed and kissed me on the forehead before putting his rifle back into the closet.

I tossed on some shoes and ran over to Issac's house knocking on the front door without any regard. It opened a few seconds later and Laurie invited me inside throwing a blanket over my shoulders.

"I'm afraid now isn't a good time Leila, Ned isn't very happy."

The screaming match between Issac and his father was near deafening. "Is there ever going to be a good time?" She shrugged and pointed towards the study where the piercing sound was coming from. I knocked twice before entering but the two could hardly hear it over the yelling.