Entangled With My Rival CEO

Chapter 102

The sun had barely begun to peek through the curtains of Alexander's bedroom, signaling the start of a new day.

Yet, his peaceful sleep was abruptly shattered by the persistent ringing of his phone.

A soft, groggy grunt escaped his lips as he reached out, his hand fumbling in the tangle of blankets until his fingers found the elusive device.

"Hello?" he mumbled, his voice hoarse from sleep without bothering to check the caller ID, only to be greeted by his grandmother Harriet's stern voice.

"Alexander Aziel Cena... what on earth has gotten into you?" Her anger was palpable, and it left Alexander feeling utterly bewildered.

Confused, he furrowed his eyebrows getting up on the bed. "Grandma, what happened?" he asked, trying to make sense of her ire.

"Everything!" Harriet's voice crackled with frustration. "You know how much I hate scandals, and yet you had no problem creating one."

Scandal?

The furrow in Alexander's brow deepened as he struggled to comprehend the accusation being thrown his way.

"What scandal...I didn't do anything," he insisted, his voice tinged with both concern and surprise.

Harriet's reply was sharp and unyielding. "Go online, just read some of what people are saying about you, and after you do, I want you to immediately book a flight back to Los Angeles."

Alexander's mind raced, trying to make sense of the situation.

He knew he had a significant online presence, but he had always been careful to avoid anything that could be misconstrued or lead to controversies.

"Grandma, I can't just drop everything and fly back right now," he began to object, only to be cut off by the sound of a beep, indicating that the call had been abruptly ended.

He sighed and ran his hand through his messy hair, a mix of frustration and concern welling up inside him.

With a heavy sense of trepidation, he unlocked his phone and logged into his social media accounts.

As he scrolled through the feed, the color drained from his face, and his heart sank.

•~•~•~•~•

Charles sat in his car, parked on the deserted side of the dimly lit road.

His left hand rested casually on the steering wheel, while his right hand held tightly onto his mobile phone as he stared fixedly at it.

A sinister smile began to crawl across his lips as he delved into the abyss of negativity that surrounded Alexander on social media.

Thousands of negative comments flooded the screen, each one like a venomous arrow aimed at Alexander's character.

"He's definitely abusive; just watch the video again and look at how he dragged her out."

"Camilla should file a restraining order against him. He is a danger to her."

"Who knows, he was probably the reason they lost their baby, and the family silenced the whole matter... Poor Camilla, she deserves better."

"After everything he put her through, he still can't see her moving on with another person. Glad Edward Caruso was there to protect her from that scumbag!"

"His family should be ashamed for having such a son who doesn't know how to treat women properly. Kudos to Edward for going after Camilla."

As Charles read on, scrolling through the sea of disparagement, satisfaction washed over him like a dark wave.

"Now, let's see how you get to win her back," he murmured, his voice dripping with malevolence.

He closed the app and tossed the phone onto the passenger seat, his eyes still burning with the pleasure of his vindictive actions.

Staring ahead for a moment, he seemed lost in thought.

"Now, who's next?" he questioned himself aloud, a twisted excitement coursing through his veins.

Suddenly, an idea struck him, and his eyebrows shot up with sinister delight. "Ahhhh... Aunt Clarissa... but what should I do to you... tsk tsk." He mused, contemplating.

And then another dark smile crept across his face as he started the car's engine and pulled away from the desolate spot, driving off into the night, his mind already fixed on a particular devious plan.

•~•~•~•~

Two days after the incident of the leaked video showing Alexander taking Camilla out of the restaurant, which was wrongly labeled by social media as him forcefully dragging her, Alexander hadn't returned to Los Angeles as Harriet had requested.

Though he felt it was best to keep his distance from Camilla until the media frenzy calmed down.

Meanwhile, Camilla spent the day with Edward at the studio, but she couldn't shake off the discomfort caused by the relentless criticism not only aimed at Alexander but also at his family.

She had hoped the news would die down, but it persisted, and believed the media had exaggerated the actual event.

Camilla was so immersed in her reading that she didn't notice Edward's manager, Ava, approaching her.

Suddenly she felt the snug fit of a headset on her head and the sweet, melodic male voice filling her ears through the soft ear cup cushions of the headset.

Looking up at the excited brunette standing beside her, Camilla saw Ava's green eyes wide with enthusiasm, but Camilla couldn't decipher the words she was mouthing due to the song playing from the headset.

Curious, she removed one side of the headset and inquired, "What did you say?"

With a smile, Ava replied, "Edward wants you to listen to this part of the song." Camilla nodded in understanding, put the headset back on, and placed her phone in her pocket.

As Camilla listened to the song, she nodded slightly, intrigued by its mix of Italian and English lyrics, finding it both sensual and love-based.

A smile brightened her face as the song ended, and Edward emerged from behind the tempered glass.

As she took off the headphones, Edward approached her with excitement. "So, what did you think?" he eagerly asked.

"It's amazing," Camilla praised sincerely.

"Your voice sounds fantastic, and the song has a unique and catchy vibe. One can really feel the passion you put into it," she said, genuinely impressed.

"I think it's going to be a hit... right Ava?" She said, turning to Ava, but instead noticed a thoughtful expression etched on her face, which puzzled her.

Ava blinked, slightly caught off guard by the direct question. "Oh, uh, yes! Absolutely," she stammered, quickly regaining her composure.

"The song has a lot of potential, and I'm sure it will resonate with the audience."

Camilla noticed a hint of hesitation in Ava's response, causing her brows to furrow as she questioned, "And?..."