Chapter 110

When the school day was over, I couldn’t leave because the reporters had returned.

I watched them through the safety glass at the school's front entrance. There seemed to be more of them than there were this morning.

How could I reach the gate to meet Victor with the reporters waiting to pounce on me?

I texted Victor and told him I couldn’t leave the school because reporters had me trapped inside the building.

He instructed me to wait inside the school for him.

I was curious as to what he was going to do. The last time he used his Alpha voice to get them to stop crushing me. What was his plan this time?

Within a few minutes, he came through the double doors and motioned for me to follow him outside.

Instead of football players, Victor brought the police. At least twenty officers held the crowd of reporters and onlookers back while Victor and I walked to his car safely.

As the reporters continued to shout questions, Victor and I sped away from the school and toward Alex’s office building.

“We have to do something about the reporters,” Victor said.

“I don’t understand,” I said. “Why do they think Alex is dead?”

The one football player that morning had an excellent point. Why would I go to school and act normal if my father had just died?

“I have my suspicions about who started the rumor,” Victor replied.

I did too.

“Do you think it was the man from the board of directors?” The timing was very suspicious. I could tell they were angry with how I stood up to them the previous evening.

The reporters at our door a few hours later were too big of a coincidence.

“I’m almost positive that’s who started it,” Victor answered. “They want to keep you shaken and off-balance, and they are trying to use public opinion against you.”

“We need to address the problem immediately. It will also show them, the shareholders, and the public that you can handle difficult situations.”

“How?” I asked. All this drama was exhausting. What other dirty tricks did those rich Alphas have up their sleeves?

“We’ll discuss it more in your office.”

Victor soon pulled the Lamborghini into the parking garage, and we took the elevator upstairs.

Once we were settled at my desk, he revealed his plan.

“You need to tackle the problem of the reporters head-on,” Victor said. “I’ll help you prepare a statement for the press, and then you will deliver it to them yourself.”

“What …me …give a speech?” I squeaked. I couldn’t give a speech. I hated talking to crowds.

“No. I’m suggesting you hold a press conference,” Victor explained. “All you’ll need to do is read a few prepared paragraphs and then take a couple of questions.”

I shook my head. “I can’t. I’m afraid of being crushed by them again if you let them near me.”

“That won’t happen,” he assured me. “There is a special room on the first floor of this building where you can read a prepared statement and then leave without getting close to them.”

“Are you sure I will be safe?” I asked.

“I wouldn’t suggest you do this if I wasn’t positive you would be safe,” he replied. “And I will be at your side the entire time.”

“Why do you think this will make them leave me alone?”

“If they get what they want, a story, they won’t have any reason to keep hounding you.”

I was doubtful. The whole situation was scary. But I knew Victor was right. I had to do something to make them go away. Maybe this was it.

“Trust me,” Victor said.

“I do trust you,” I said. “But I’m still scared.”

“I understand why you’re scared after your experience with the reporters. But don’t doubt yourself. You can do this, and you’ll do great.”

He picked up a tablet, and we began preparing the statement.

After an hour, we had a few paragraphs that Victor and I were confident would satisfy the reporter’s need for a story.

“Read it to me exactly how it’s written,” Victor requested. “Take your time. Don’t rush through it.”

I picked up the tablet. “Good afternoon. My name is Daisy Wilson. I am Alex Wilson’s daughter. I understand that there is concern about my father’s health, and even though I will not go into the details of his illness, I want to assure you that he is very much alive.”

I looked up at Victor, and he nodded. “Keep going.”

“My father was recently in the hospital for a few days due to complications of his chronic illness. He has been discharged from the hospital since then and has returned to our home.”

“He needs time to rest and recover enough to continue his duties for Wilson, Inc. and The United Association of Alphas.”

“We ask for your understanding and that you respect our privacy at this time.”

“That was a perfect delivery,” Victor said with a grin. “You sounded professional yet friendly.”

“That’s because I was reading it to you and not a room full of strangers.” I put my elbows on the desk and rested my head on my hands. “I don’t want to do this.”

“But you must do this,” Victor reminded me. “Read it to me again, but stand up this time. In the press room, you’ll be reading it while standing at a podium.”

I reread the statement as I stood in front of my desk facing Victor. I didn’t stumble or stammer at all. But I didn’t have any problem speaking clearly in front of Victor.

“When you’re reading it to the reporters, pretend you’re reading it to me like you just did,” Victor suggested.

“You’ll be there, though?” There was no way I could do this alone.

“I’ll be right next to you the whole time,” he promised.

“Now, let’s go over some of the questions they may ask after you read the statement,” Victor said.

“What questions do you think they’ll ask me?” What if I couldn’t answer their questions? Everyone would think I was stupid or unfit to run the company.

“They will want to know more about Alex’s illness,” Victor replied. “It has been reported before Alex found you that his illness is terminal, so you can’t lie about that. But try to make them feel confident that he still has time.”

“Maybe he does have time left,” I said. I didn’t mean to sound defensive, but I didn’t like talking about when Alex was going to die. “What else are they going to ask me?”

“They’re going to want to know who is running the company and if you have any plans of taking over.”

“Should I tell them the truth?”

“Sort of,” Victor said. “Tell them you are learning to run the company from experienced people, and things are going well. You can also tell them you plan to take over completely someday.”

“Should I tell them you are teaching me?”

“Absolutely,” he replied. “It would be strange if I wasn’t. Alex just officially announced our engagement, and I’ll be standing right there with you.”

“Will there be some questions for you?” I wished he could answer them all. What if I said something stupid?

Victor nodded. “It’s possible. If I hear a question that I should answer, I will jump in and tell them what I want them to know. Otherwise, the show is all yours.”

My heart began to race, and I began to pace the room.

Victor stopped me by pulling me into his arms. “You’re going to do fine, Daisy. You can do this, and I will be by your side the whole time.”

“Then let’s call the press conference and do this.”

——————————————————————————————————

My dear readers, Thank you for stopping by and reading this story. I hope you enjoyed it. I’m trying my best to update assp. I’ll appreciate it if you explore my other stories as well. Please follow my facebook page riley above story if you wanna chat or keep updated on my writing schedule.

Yours, riley above story