21st Century Knight

Chapter 25 To Cheer an Angel

Warning! Steamy hot content ahead. Be prepared. 💖🔥

Friday finally arrived. After what felt like an incredibly long and trying week, the familiar anticipation of the weekend and the rest it promised was palpable in Gabriella. Only, there was one more day to get through at work.

Things had gotten a little better, but not much; people seemed too cowardly to discuss the purported scandal involving Gabriella in her presence, but it didn't stop them from discussing it behind her back. And the pantry had turned into a regular gossip center since she never frequented it. Still, she didn't miss the snatches of gossip on passing by.

"Just one more day," she told herself, struggling to maintain her peace. She wondered what exactly Brandon had planned to fix the mess Archer made. In addition to that, she couldn't stop thinking about her job being at stake. How was she going to make ends meet without a job?

"That's a bridge I'll cross when I come to it," she convinced herself, but her stomach did not stop churning at the thought.

After work, (she got through the day in one piece) she waited in front of her office for Brandon to come pick her up. Wanda, Marci and her other coworkers stood a little ways from her at the bus stop. She kept her eyes fixedly on the road. She didn't need to turn to know that their gazes were on her – she could feel the heat of them on her neck.

Brandon's Acura appeared within seconds – his punctuality always touched her; he never made her wait if he could help it and it showed that he really cared for her. She smiled at him as he got out of the car to get the door for her as was his habit.

"Evening, my Angel. How was work?" He asked.

"Oh, you know, mostly the same," Gabriella replied, glancing towards her coworkers. They were gazing curiously at her and Brandon, hushed murmurs issuing from their mouths. Brandon noticed it and suddenly wrapped his arms warmly around Gabriella. She gasped.

"Brandon, people are watching!" She hissed. He merely smiled.

"It's not a crime to greet my girlfriend with the affection she deserves, is it?" He kissed her daintily on the lips. Gasps arose from the watching crowd.

"I hope no one gave my Angel a hard time at work today," Brandon spoke up for everyone to hear. "My lawyers will have to get busy if they do."

"Okay, Mr. Millionaire, get in the car before they start quaking in their pumps!" Gabriella whispered to him with laughing eyes. Brandon winked at her, got in the car after her and drove away, leaving all Gabriella's coworkers alarmed with mouths agape. Gabriella broke out in laughter with Brandon in the car.

"Any subtler and they would've fainted!" She said, wiping her eyes.

"I'm getting really good at suing people lately," Brandon chuckled.

"Oh, how did it go with Archer?" Gabriella asked, bringing his name out with some difficulty as it left a bitter taste on her tongue. Brandon smiled reassuringly at her.

"Hmm, he should be on the five-thirty news."

"Huh?" Gabriella looked confused but Brandon didn't answer. Instead, he drove to Times Square and found a spot to park his car.

"What are we doing here?" Gabriella asked him.

"Oh, you'll see." Brandon pointed out to the news screen flashing on their right. Suddenly a breaking piece of news came on and Brandon's name appeared on screen. Gabriella gasped as the news reporter spoke.

"And as notable millionaire Brandon Whiteley does some damage control, light is shed on the truth surrounding his mysterious love interest. Over the past week, uncensored speculations have been circulating like a wildfire over his undisclosed relationship. The lovestruck millionaire has requested news agencies maintain his privacy in the midst of a series of lawsuits. He has publicly attacked several defaming tabloids and demanded just compensation for publishing false articles about his, and I quote, 'Angel'. The source of the slanderous articles was alleged to be a spurned ex-lover of Mr. Whiteley's girlfriend, Archer Steele. He came forward with a video today, openly apologizing for his fallacious comments:" the video shifted to one of a shame-faced Archer and Gabriella covered her mouth which had fallen open: