The Secrets of Scandal

Chapter 7

***The photo above is of Coral

Logan's POV

I wake up with a pounding in my head. I feel like someone is repeatedly stabbing me with a fork in my skull. This hangover is a bitch.

To my annoyance, I am all alone in my bed. Didn't I bring that saucy brunette home last night? I wrack my brain trying to remember, but my mind turns up dry. Frankly, I don't remember anything from last night after setting eyes on the gorgeous brunette. Everything after that is a foggy haze.

Tristan slams my door open in a rage. The sound makes my headache only pulse more painfully. I groan.

"Get up," Tristan pulls the covers off of me but I fight to stay in bed, "I'm not playing around, Logan. It's already 3 o'clock. Dad needs you in his office."

I groggily get up, clutching my front temple to hopefully stop the pain, but it doesn't work. "What the hell does Henry want now? Didn't he yell at me enough last night?" Tristan doesn't respond.

"What did I do?" I ask again, completely clueless. This only makes him angrier as he grabs my hand and pulls me into the office where my dad and Coral are waiting with angry expressions on their faces.

Who pissed in their frosted flakes?

"I can't believe you, Logan. You really have no regard for anything but yourself." Dad snaps at me.

"What are you talking about?" I ask as I rub my eyes while they try to adjust to the bright lights of the office. Henry hands me his tablet and tells me to press play. It's a video. Of me? It shows me kissing this fine ass lady. When the clip finishes, I look up at them with a smirk on my face. So I did end up hooking up with that sassy brunette. Score.

"Go to the next video," Henry folds his arms as I scroll to the next video. It's of me, again. I am being interviewed by paparazzi. Gosh, I'm handsome. No wonder all the girls throw themselves at me. I preen in my own thoughts.

I look up once the video finishes, "I don't see the problem here."

He starts, his arms unfolding to scold me properly, "You don't see the problem? You told the media that you have no attraction to Amanda..."

"Yes," I interrupt, "Which is a true fact."

"But you were supposed to marry Amanda! Now we have to deal with this brand new scandal."

"Isn't that what you wanted? A scandal to distract the media from my 'womanizer' ways?"

"I can't believe you. Hopefully, my friendship with Alfred will sustain our business partnership. We are on thin ice right now, young man."

"Well, at least we aren't in the ice cold water, right?" I add with a smirk.

"You don't get it, do you! You can't just go around claiming girls! That's not right and it reflects badly upon not only Coral and I but also our company as well. If you still want to inherit this company, you better shape up and find a solution to this."

Henry promised me on my 15th birthday that I will inherit the family business, which includes ownership of everything from a string of 5-star hotels to oil mining plantations. He didn't give it to Tristan because he claimed Tristan was too kind and lighthearted for the cutthroat nature of the business world.

"Maybe I was wrong," he mumbles to himself, "Maybe Tristan is better suited to inherit the company."

"Now wait just one damn minute," I start, but am quickly interrupted by the slice of Henry's words, "How are you going to fix this? You don't even know the girl's name, do you?"

My gaze casts down in defeat.

Coral pipes in, "Henry dear, I may have an idea that can save our company."

Henry sighs and gives his attention to his young wife, "I'm all ears. Let's hear your idea, sweetheart."

"So Logan claimed to be in a long-term relationship with this girl he called Cinderella, right?" We both nod in unison. "A long-term relationship could be just the thing to prove to everyone that Logan is capable of commitment and that he is not just a mindless womanizer."

"Hey, I'm not just a-"

"Shut up Logan, I'm trying to think," Henry cuts me off, "Maybe your mother is right,"

"She is not my mother," I snap at Henry, who simply ignores my outburst.

"Perhaps your sympathy for a girl stemming from a lower class would make you appear more humble in the eyes of the public. She will surely improve your image." He muses.

My arms fold on their own accord, "What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying that I think you ought to get with that poor girl instead of Amanda now," Coral states as if she wasn't deciding my future for me. If I had been drinking something, I would have done a spit take.

"What?" I shout, "No way Jose! I will not marry a complete stranger, and a poor one at that. I will not degrade myself that far."

"It's either that or you can kiss your father's company goodbye," Coral snaps.

"And it doesn't have to be forever. You don't have to actually get married. Just Engaged. Then wait it out for a while before breaking up."

"Great idea, sweetheart, but there's one problem. What about the Livingstons and our plan to take down the Vanderbilts?"

"Screw Amanda! We can deal with her later. Our reputation is at risk. We can arrange the deal on another footing."

"Great thinking. Logan, you have to find this girl and convince her to play along. You have one week. Let's go Coral."

They both leave the office leaving me to wallow in hopelessness. What the fuck am I supposed to do now? I have no leads. I don't even know her name. I decide to go for a walk to clear my head. Walking in the fresh air has always helped me calm down. I set out into the cold air as the sun begins to wind down above me.

____________________________________________________________________________

Author's Note

What's shakin' bacon? 

Oh god, did I actually just start my author's note with "what's shakin' bacon". Kill me plez. 

Anyways... It's Queen Libby here *wink wink*

Also thank you so so much for 100 reads! That may not seem like a lot but 

How do you think Henry and Coral's plan will go down?

Will Emma go along with it or will she fight against their fake relationship?

See you all in the next chapter. Keep leaving comments! I love hearing what you guys think!

xoxo, Libs