The return flight was much quieter than the journey to Mombasa.
Lily sat by the window, staring at the clouds drifting below.
Her phone remained on airplane mode.
She didn’t want to read another headline or another rumor.
Across the aisle, Damian reviewed business reports, but every few minutes, he caught himself glancing toward Lily.
She looked exhausted.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
He knew the media attention wasn’t something she had asked for.
Back at Wayne Corporation
Monday morning arrived.
By 7:30 a.m., reporters had gathered outside Wayne Corporation’s headquarters.
Microphones, cameras, and photographers crowded the entrance.
Employees stopped in surprise.
“What’s going on?”
“It’s because of the photos.”
“I heard every entertainment website is talking about them.”
Security guards struggled to keep the entrance clear.
When Damian’s black sedan pulled into the driveway, camera flashes exploded.
“Mr. Wayne!”
“Are you dating your executive assistant?”
“Is there a wedding coming?”
“What happened to Victoria Harrington?”
Damian stepped out without answering.
He walked around the car and opened the passenger door for Lily.
She hesitated for a second before getting out.
The flashes became even brighter.
Questions came from every direction.
“Miss Carter!
Look this way!”
“Are you and Mr. Wayne in love?”
Lily lowered her head and walked quickly beside Damian.
He noticed her discomfort.
Without saying a word, he gently guided her through the crowd toward the building entrance.
Once inside, the glass doors closed behind them.
The noise disappeared.
Lily finally let out the breath she had been holding.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
Damian looked at her.
“You’ve done nothing wrong.”
Rumors Spread
Within minutes, the entire office was buzzing.
Some employees smiled warmly at Lily.
Vanessa stood in the break room with two colleagues.
“So, the rumors are true.”
A coworker frowned.
“We don’t know that.”
Vanessa crossed her arms.
“Why else would he open the car door for her?”
Another employee replied quietly, “Maybe because he’s being respectful.”
Vanessa rolled her eyes.
“Please.”
The Emergency Meeting
At 10:00 a.m., Damian called an emergency meeting with the company’s senior managers.
Lily took her usual seat beside him.
The directors looked uneasy.
Mr. Richard Coleman spoke first.
“The media attention is becoming a distraction.”
Another director nodded.
“Our investors are asking questions.”
Silence filled the room.
Finally, Damian stood.
“My personal life is not the company’s business.”
His voice was calm but firm.
“Neither is Miss Carter’s.”
He looked around the room.
“She is an outstanding employee who has earned her position.”
“No one in this company will treat her differently because of gossip.”
His eyes settled briefly on Vanessa.
“If I hear of anyone harassing or disrespecting my staff…”
“…there will be consequences.”
The room fell silent.
Lily looked at Damian with surprise.
He had defended her in front of the entire leadership team.
Victoria’s Interview
Across town, Victoria sat inside a television studio.
The interviewer smiled warmly.
“Victoria, you’ve known Damian Wayne for years.”
“We have.”
“There are many rumors about his assistant.”
Victoria sighed dramatically.
“Damian has always been kind.”
“I just hope people around him don’t mistake kindness for something more.”
The interviewer leaned forward.
“Do you think someone is trying to take advantage of him?”
Victoria paused just long enough.
“I’d rather not comment.”
Her carefully chosen words spread across social media within hours.
People immediately began speculating.
Some supported Lily.
Others questioned her motives.
A Difficult Afternoon
Lily sat alone in the staff cafeteria during lunch.
Normally, the room was filled with cheerful conversations.
Today, she felt dozens of eyes on her.
Some people whispered.
She quietly stood up, deciding to return to her desk.
As she reached the hallway, Damian appeared.
“You didn’t finish your lunch.”
She smiled faintly.
“I wasn’t very hungry.”
He looked at her carefully.
“Walk with me.”
They stepped onto a quiet terrace overlooking the city.
The afternoon breeze was cool.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Finally, Damian broke the silence.
“I know this isn’t easy.”
Lily looked down.
“I don’t want to become a problem for the company.”
“You aren’t.”
“But everyone thinks…”
“I don’t care what everyone thinks.”
His words surprised even him.
He took a slower breath before continuing.
“I care about the truth.”
Lily met his eyes.
“And the truth is?”
“The truth is that you’re here because you’ve worked hard.”
A small tear escaped before she could stop it.
She quickly wiped it away.
“I’m sorry.”
“You don’t have to apologize.”
For a moment, they simply stood there, the noise of the city far below.
Someone Is Watching
From the opposite building, a man lowered a camera with a powerful zoom lens.
He had photographed every moment on the terrace.
Damian standing close to Lily.
Lily wiping away a tear.
The concern on Damian’s face.
The man smiled.
He picked up his phone.
“I’ve got exactly what you wanted.”
A woman’s voice answered.
“Excellent.”
“Send them to me.”
The man ended the call.
Within seconds, the photographs were on their way to Victoria.
She looked at the images one by one.
Her smile slowly disappeared.
Then she whispered coldly,
“If the media wants a love story…”
“I’ll give them a scandal.”
She picked up another phone.
“Call the press.”
“I have a story they’ll pay anything to publish.”