Chapter 456 Beautiful Scandal
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CHAPTER 456
"Damn, that witch!" Victoria cussed.
Victoria sat at the centre of the large white bed her expression stony as her eyes seemed to dart about in the room.
The silk sheets, usually soft against her skin, felt like ice, as the memories of what had transpired that morning flooded back into her mind.
"I expected to see a headline with Andromeda Kai on it but rather I see you in it?" Zheng Ying thundered as she glared dangerously at Victoria.
"What do you have to say for yourself?!"
Victoria's fingers curled tightly into fists by her side, the fabric crinkling beneath her grasp as she listened on to Zheng Ying vent her frustration.
"Answer me!"
She bit her lip, a nervous habit she'd long since tried to break. Her normally crystal-clear, cobalt eyes were glassy, clouded by the events of the past. The room felt both too big and too small, the emptiness echoing her fear and the walls closing in with her mounting anxiety.
Gao Yuemi and Zheng Ying stood in front of her, their expressions unreadable save for the deadly look in their eyes, one that Victoria did so much to avoid looking at.
Their silhouettes were statuesque against the soft light coming from the minimalist lamp on the bedside table, their dark green and dark blue gowns a stark contrast to the bright, airy room.
"Hold it a minute. She will talk," Victoria heard Gao Yuemi speak.
Up until this day, she had never seen both ladies, only a phone call connected them until she did a video call with Zheng Ying when she requested it but for the other lady Gao Yuemi… It was the first.
They were supposed to be her protectors, her walls against the world while she fought their shared battles together but now… they acted as though they were above her in class and everything and she was nothing more than a puppet and right now, even, they felt like threats.
'That Zheng Ying, curse you.' Victoria voiced inwardly.
"Speak. How did things turn sour and ruined that your name is the one trending as a scandalous evil slut bribing a judge in order to disqualify Andromeda Kia out of petty jealousy?"
The second Gao Yuemi finished speaking, Victoria lifted her eyes to meet hers. Anger swirled in them as she saw the same amount of rage inside Goa Yuemi's.
"That bloody Andromeda," she cursed under her breath, the name slipping out through gritted teeth. Each syllable was bitter, laced with the poison of rage.
Suddenly, the world around her morphed, the gleaming white of her bedroom disappearing and being replaced by the more familiar, less comforting surroundings of a hotel room.
The memory was vivid, far too real, far too close. The once-muted colours of the hotel room were now garish, each detail standing out in stark relief, from the worn-out carpet to the overused drapes.
Victoria lay cocooned in the magnificence of a lavishly furnished hotel room, the extravagant decor a soothing feel of her enjoyment.
A massive king-sized bed with plush, feather-filled pillows, nestled under an ornate canopy, dominated the space. The bedspread was of the finest silk, a deep red that contrasted with the white blanket that was pulled over her chest.
The room was drenched in warm hues, cast from the crystal chandelier hanging low from the high ceiling, its shimmering light reflecting off the polished surfaces. The walls, papered in a subtle paisley pattern, lent an air of quiet sophistication, while the heavy velvet curtains framing the large bay window kept the rest of the world at bay.
A large mahogany armoire stood to one side, its polished surface gleaming in the soft light.
Taking a deep breath, her nostrils were assaulted by the air in the room which was scented with a blend of vanilla and sandalwood, a sweet, comforting aroma that belied the unpleasantness that Victoria was about to face.
The noise outside the room was slowly becoming louder, breaking through the tranquil bubble of the room. The once distant hum of voices grew into a steady drone, the cacophony of sound becoming impossible to ignore.
Victoria groaned, rolling onto her side and pulling the soft blanket closer to her body in an attempt to block out the outside world.
"What... Who is that? Tone down the volume," she muttered.
Her mind, fuzzy with sleep, could barely process the reality of the situation. The steady increase in noise was like a needle pricking at her sleep-laden consciousness. Her fingers tightened around the plush material, her body tense as though wanting to fight the inevitable.
The bright lights from the hallway had spilt into the room as the door suddenly burst open. The intruders were like locusts, invading her peace with a speed and voracity that left her dazed.
Paparazzi.
Victoria had instinctively turned her head, trying to hide her face from the intrusive lenses and flashes of the cameras. But as she did so, her eyes landed on the sleeping figure beside her.
He was an attractive man, his features relaxed in sleep, oblivious to the chaos unfolding around them. His presence there was a surprise. A dreadful, gut-wrenching surprise. She had no recollection of inviting anyone into her room, let alone this man.
Her room?
As realization dawned, her heart pounded in her chest. She had been set up. Her personal life, her privacy, was under attack.
At the thought, she swept a glance around, taking in her surroundings. This was not her room, that was sure. Besides, how in heaven's name was she the one on the bed instead of…
Just then several questions from the paparazzi were thrown at her, disturbing her thought process. Reaching for her phone, Victoria's hands trembled as she quickly sent a text to her security team, seeking help to remedy the situation.
In a matter of minutes, the door to her hotel room was once again thrown open. This time, it wasn't the paparazzi who came rushing in, but her security team.
Three men, dressed in black suits, their faces serious and focused. They chased the paparazzi away, their authoritative voices and imposing statues acted as effective deterrents.
Left with no choice, the paparazzi left but Victoria was sure the damage had been done.
Once they were gone, her security guards escorted her out of the room, shielding her from the curious and prying eyes, till they were safely in the confines of the parking lot with their vehicle in sight when suddenly a figure stepped out from behind one of the pillars.
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