❣️LOVE IN THE ELITES’ WORLD❣️
🌏🌏Her new world 🌎 🌏
📖📖CHAPTER FORTY. 4️⃣0️⃣
❣️❣️The article❣️
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*
Micheal bowed his head speechlessly, unsure of how to answer her question. He knew from the moment he was her that she was his childhood friend, Paulina. She never changed from how she was from ten years ago. He was surprised at first that she didn’t recognize him but putting it all together, they have only been friends for few weeks, while he has known her for a long time, although they aren’t friends then. He decided to keep things the way they were, he already made a promise never to return to his past, so he pretended like she didn’t exist. Even though, he wanted things for remain the way they were, he couldn’t just sit still and watch Ava bully her. She has always been bullied since elementary school because she was a nerd, and likely an introvert. She never stand up for herself, and even now, Ava just walked over her. He became frustrated at the thought, and ensured to attend Lia’a last party to find a way to rescue her from whatever Ava was plotting, but fate had other plans, and he ended up entangled in their plans, building a connection between them. From that moment, he made up his mind to be her hero again, but a real hero this time. She has always been special to him singe they were children, and seeing her again remained him of his cute friend who is only chatty with those she is comfortable with. There was no way he could show himself as her childhood friend because he would have to explain how it all came about to her, so being the Micheal he is now, and protecting her in his own way in form of an agreement was the only way, until he unknowingly fell for her. He knew from the start that he was attracted to her, but he thought it was bonded by the relationship between them in the past, but now it was crystal clear, he love her and was willing to go through any length to protect her, but revealing his past as her childhood friend was never a part of his plans.
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“Mike, are you just going to stay quiet?” She snapped, and he looked at her immediately.
“Lina… there is a long story behind it,”
“How is it even possible? No, how long have you known that you were Mikey,”
“From the first day I was you. When I came to school that morning, and saw Ava bullying you, I knew from then, that was why I got involved,” he said, and she scoffed in disbelief.
“You’ve knew for that long, and you didn’t tell me. You even got angry whenever I compare you to Mikey. How does these makes sense, Mike?”
“Because I like the way things are now. I don’t have to be Mikey to be friends with you. We are cool even now,”
“You can say all that because you aren’t the one deceived. You called is friends and you kept something so important from me. How is all that even possible, Mike? How can my childhood friend who always go fishing with me became an elite over night?”
“It all happened within a blink, that’s why I couldn’t tell you. There is a story behind it,@
“That’s enough. I don’t want to hear any words from you. You always use every circumstance to your advantage even when you Mikey, and now, you still haven’t changed. I don’t want to hear any of your stories. You lied to me from the start about being Mikey, so how sure am I that you will be honest with me now?” With that she stormed out, and he ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.
*
Paulina ran out, and bumped into Sage on way to the parking lot.
“Line, are you ok?” He asked, and she looked at him.
“Do I look ok?” She muttered, and he embraced her.
*
He lead her to his car, and gave her a bottle of water.
“Thank you, Sage,” she muttered, and sip from the bottle.
“What happened to you?” He asked, and she shook her head.
“Why are you still at school?” She asked back.
“I forgot to return a book to the library, so I went to do that. Let me give you a ride home,” he said, and she nodded.
*
She asked him to drop her at the bus station, and she board a bus head in to the noddles restaurant. She alighted from the bus and took a taxi to the noodle restaurant, but she saw the delivery bike. Wondering if he was out to deliver, she eyesearched, and saw him surrounded by thugs.
“What? Steven. Sir, can you reverse?” She asked the taxi driver who drove back, and she dropped at the scene.
She ran down from the taxi, heading to where Steven was. Even though there was nothing she could do, she can’t sit by and watch her friend being bullied.
“Steven,” she called running up to him, and everyone around looked at her —they looked more like gangsters than thugs, and she flinched in fear but managed to compose herself.
“No, no, Lina, stay away,” Steven muttered,in a low whisper so she didn’t hear him.
She find her way to him, and rushed to hold him glaring at the scary looking men like she got something on her.
“I see… you found yourself a lover girl,” the man who looked like thier leader sneered, and Steven held her hand to hid behind him
“Don’t you dare hurt her!” He blurted, and Paulina started to panic. She has never seen Steven that angry before, and being caught in a scene like that was also beyond her imagination.
“I… I’m going to call thee police,” she shuddered, and her hands trembled as she hold her phone but Steven collected the phone from her.
The man chuckled, and left in his car while the others followed.
“Lina, are you ok?” He asked, and she looked at him, collecting her phone from him.
“I should be asking you that,”
“I can take care of myself. Why did you get involved?” He lashed.
“I saw thugs bullying you, so you expect me to act blind and just keep going?”
“Yes! You were supposed to act blind and keep going. Getting involved will only put you in danger,”
“Who are you really? You work in a noodle restaurant, and met up with the elites standard. Even now, you’re getting bullied by thugs. Are they even thugs or gangsters? Who are you really?”
“That shouldn’t be your problem, just stay away from me. I’m not someone you should get involved with. Don’t come to the noddles restaurant anymore, there are other places you can get noodles and never interfere in events like this again,” with that he left and she glared at his retreating back.
“What an ingrate,” she thought. “Fine! I won’t come to the noddles restaurant anymore, and I won’t ever talk to you again!” She shouted, loud enough for him to hear.
“Those boys are just messed up with a lot of secrets, I shouldn’t have gotten involved with them. Who could have thought Mike was Mikey, and Steven has business with thugs,” she thought, and stopped a taxi.
**
**
Micheal couldn’t go home after Paulina left, he went to the bar in his suite and couldn’t even bring himself to drink anything. He sat there without doing anything until his phone rang, he picked up without checking the caller because he knew that it must be his worried secretary.
📲*Sjr, where are you?”
📞*At school,* with that, he dropped the call.
*
The door unlocked less than an hour later, and Mr. Jones hurried in looking all over the place for Micheal until he saw him at the bar.
“Sir, are you ok?” He asked, and Micheal nodded.
“It’s late. Your parents want to have dinner with you,”
“My parents? Hmmm… they probably want to discuss something, right?”
You should find out yourself, sir,”
“I don’t want to,” he lament, and placed his head on the table.
“Sir, there is an article about you, you might be in trouble,” Mr. Jones said, and Micheal looked up immediately.
**
CHAIRMAN RUSS’S MANSION^^^
^
Mr., and Mrs. Russ sat in the main dinning hall in silence when Mr. Russ dialed a number.
📞*Why am I still seeing the post? Why is it taking so long to bring down a single article?*
📞*Did you just say first group?*
📞*Ok,” with that he dropped the call and Mrs. Russ looked at him.
“What’s about first group?” Mrs. Russ asked.
“The first group seems to be behind the article,” he muttered.
“What do you mean? How is that possible?”
“I don’t know. But the first group are the once’s sponsoring the organization,”
“What? But it’s a small organization,”
“They seem to be digging into us. This is bad,”
“I believe it’s because we are yet to give them a response concerning the engagement,”
“It can only be Mr. Packard, that ambitious politician. He is the one pulling the strings in first group,” Mr. Russ muttered clenching his fist.
Micheal joined them at the dinning hall later, and they both glared at him.
“How will you tell responsibility for this?” Mrs. Russ blurted.
“The article didn’t say anything to be worried about,” Michael muttered.
“Micheal Russ, returned from Australia when he was 8-year-old, and also went to Australia when he was 8-year-old. So where have he been on these years? What’s that if it’s not a scandal?! People will start to gossip, ambitious reporters will get greedy, and start to dig into you. What are you going to do then? How will you take responsibility for the future crisis?!” Mr. Russ shouted, hitting the table.
“How is that my fault?” Micheal grumbled. He has isn’t in the right state to argue with them.
“What did you just say?” Mr. Russ muttered.
“I went to Australia when I was eight, and returned when I was eight. How is that any of my fault? Did I sent that that to the Jornal? How is that any of my faults? Why should I be the one to take responsibilities for it?” He lament, and his parents were confused on why he was being too emotional.
“The Stanford’s are the ones behind the article, that means they are digging into you. This is bad for us, Mike. I gave you options before, but there are no options left. You’ve to accept the engagement!” Mr. Russ said, with that he left the table.
*
Micheal exhaled heavily and went to his room to see numerous messages from his friend’s group chat, and also from few other people. He let out a sigh, and a video call came in from his friend’s group —only Austin and Steven were online.
📳Austin: *What’s going on, man? What’s that article saying?*
📳Stanley: *Why haven’t you bring down the article?*
📳*Austin: *Is it real? What’s really going on, man?*
Micheal ended the call without uttering a response, and dropped his phone.
**
**
CHAIRMAN HEWLETT’S MANSION^^^
^
Stanley gasped after Micheal ended the call, and Austin sent him a text message immediately.
💬Austin: *Man, why do you think Mike was quiet? He didn’t even show him face during the call,*
💬Stanley: *What nonsense! Mike is probably stressed out,*
💬Austin: *Man, I thunk otherwise. Try to dig into it. Mike claimed to have been in Australia all his life, if this suddenly came out now, and Mike does nothing about it… do you think the allegations are true?*
💬Stanley: *Getbivwr it, man. Mike needs us by his side now, doubting him shouod be the last thing we should be doing,*
💬Austin: *I know, man, I was just curious that’s all,*
Stanley left Austin DM and sent a direct message to Michael.
💬*Man, are you ok?* with that he dropped his phone.
His room door slugs open after a knock, and his mother winked at him making a heart symbol with her fingers.
“I’ll join you in a jiffy,” he sneered, and she smiled.
“You must be stressed out from school, I’ll send your dinner to your room,”
“No, mum, I won’t be able to digest it properly. You’re my appetizer,” he said, and she laughed.
“Hurry and come down before your father returns, she said, and he nodded.
**
**
CHAIRMAN WILSON’S MANSION^^^
^
Austin dropped his phone and exhaled heavily before picking it back to send a DM to Micheal.
💬*Man, what really happened? Why are you quiet? You’re making me curious. 🧐 * with that he dropped his phone and heard a knock the door.
He exhaled heavily and went to freshen up, before going to the main dining hall to join his parents.
“Austin, how has school been? I’ve been all over the place that I didn’t even have time to checkup on my boy,” his mother said, patting his hair and Austin sniffed away from her.
“I bet he is doing just fine, skipping classes and hanging out with his friend,” his father added, and Austin looked at him.
“Are you still hanging out with those kids? Austin, when will you ever be serious? I told you those kids are bad influence on you. You go around like a gang intimidating others while skipping classes,” Mrs. Wilson blurted.
“I rather say I’m the bad influence,” Austin grumbled.
“What did you say?” Mr. Wilson asked.
“Your mid-semester examination is fast approaching, how are you preparing for it?” Mrs. Wilson asked.
“Nothing special, mummy. I’ve more than enough on my plate. The world basketball tournament is also around the corners, competitions will start soon so I’ve to resume my regular training before that,”
“Did I just hear you said you have enough on your plates?” Mr. Wilson blurted.
“Daddy… I’ve been representing my school all these years, and I always make it to the final. I won a medal last year, although none of you were there but you could watch it on TV if you actually cared. I’ve my things to take care of, ok? I’m entirely useless like you two assume!” He said, and stood up to leave.
“Sit back young man, we aren’t done talking!” His mother snapped, and he sat back immediately.
“You always at the bottom of your class, so I want you to do better. At least 20% increases in your grades, and I will allow you do whatever you want. Your sisters are very intelligent, but you as the heir is always lacking behind. Everything is meant for you, son, but you’ve to be intelligent to run the company properly,”
“I’ll do my best, daddy, but I can’t promise 20% increase,”
“I’m not negotiating with you, young man. It’s either you do better, 20% and above, or I ground you from basketball!” Mr. Wilson said, and Austin eyes widened.
“You do no such! Basketball is my only source of happiness. That’s the only thing I’m good at,”
“Then you should do better in other things too. If you want to keep what you really want, then do better in other things,” Mr. Wilson said.
“Austin, just do your best. Your father and I raised you better. Reduce hanging out with those friends of ours, and focus more on your studies,” Mrs. Wilson added.
“There is even a scandal about that Russ’s son. Goodness, Austin, you should really avoid those kids,”
“Thank you or the meal,” Austin muttered, and returned to his bed.
He went online and saw many more post about Micheal. Many some blogs already reposted the news about him.
“Why is he not replying his message?” He thought, and placed his phone on his cabin.
**
**
HOLLAND HIGH^^^
^
Everyone at school started talking about the article about Micheal, and doubting its credibility.
Paulina arrived at school, and few students came to ask her question about the article, confusing her.
She was taken off guard by their questions and they crowed her bombarding her with questions. She was trying to find an escape when Michael came, and dragged her away leading her to his car.
“Why did you dragged me down here? They were asking questions about you, you should have answered them,”
“What’s the point? I’ll only lie to them. You’re the only one I can be honest with,” he muttered, and bowed his head.
She let out a sigh, and held his hands which made him look at her.
“Mikey, what really happened?” She muttered, and he looked at her.
“Will you be jibe anything I tell you?” He asked in a sober tone, and she nodded.
“I’ll believe you, so let’s go somewhere else to talk,” she said, and he smiled.
“Thank you, Lina,” he muttered, and embraced her.
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TO BE CONTINUED…
