Chapter 79


    Chapter 79: The Anonymous Donor


    Edrick


    As soon as I saw the picture on the tabloid, I knew that I had to have it taken down as soon as


    possible. I immediately felt my heart sink and, without another word to Selina or Moana, I called the


    tabloid straight away. This specific tabloid had been known to cause trouble in the past, so it was


    needless to say that I already knew the CEO somewhat well.


    When I called his office, however, he didn’t sound too keen on selling me the image.


    “I don’t know…” he said into the phone. “Tell you what; let’s talk about this in person, and maybe we


    can make a deal.”


    I frowned. Why couldn’t he just speak over the phone, just like he always did? Either way, I had to get


    that image taken down; if my father saw that picture, and it was very possible that he already did, it


    would cause an uproar. So, I did what the CEO asked and immediately drove over to his office.


    When I arrived, he was waiting for me in his dinky little corner office. It was honestlyughable to me


    that I had to meet a weasel like this in person.


    “You can take your mask off,” he said, leaning back in his chair as I entered his office. I closed the door


    behind me and warily slid my mask down once I was certain that I wouldn’t be seen.


    “So… You wanna pay me off, huh?” he said with a condescending chuckle. “You know, that’s a very


    valuable image I’ve got. You’re gonna have to offer more than the first person did.”


    I felt my eyes widened. “Someone else paid for it already? Who?”


    He shrugged. “That’s confidential, unfortunately,” he said. “They paid me a pretty penny to keep it on


    the website, if you’d believe that. How much are you willing to pay me to take it down?”


    I was bbergasted by this situation. Who would seriously pay this tabloid to keep that photograph


    public? I couldn’t imagine anyone who would be willing to pay so much money for something like that.


    “Fine,” I said with an exasperated sigh. “How much did they pay you?”


    The CEO grinned. “A hundred thousand.”


    My jaw practically hit the floor. I stood, shaking my head and folded my arms. “You’re bluffing,” I said


    angrily. “No one would pay a hundred thousand to keep that photo up.”


    N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner.


    However, the CEO merely shrugged. He then pointed to a check that was sitting on his desk; when I


    leaned over to look at it, I saw that it was made out to the amount of one hundred thousand dors.


    The beneficiary seemed to use only their initials: K.M.


    I frowned, holding the check up to the light. It looked legitimate.


    “Time is ticking,” the CEO said as he tapped his wristwatch. “Do you want the picture to stay up or


    not?”


    A deep, agitated groan escaped my throat, but nheless, I pulled out my checkbook and began to


    scribble furiously. When I was finished, I tore it out and mmed it down on the CEO’s desk.


    “Here. And I don’t want you publishing photos of me or anyone else in my personal life on your shady


    little tabloid again,” I snarled. “Got it?”


    The CEO picked up the check, his eyes widening as he saw the amount. “A… Million?” he croaked.


    I nodded as I tucked my checkbook back into my suit jacket pocket. “Consider it a gift, and keep it off


    the books,” I said. “Do anything like this again, and I’ll sue you.” I pressed my fingers into his desk then


    and leaned forward,ing face to face with him. This close, he was fairly greasy-looking, and one


    eye was lower than the other. “Mywyers are a whole hell of a lot better than yours,” I growled. “I’ll get


    not only that money back, but I’ll take everything from you if you cross me again.”


    The CEO gulped, nodding vehemently. I watched with disdain as he slowly took the check off of his


    desk with a shaking hand and folded it, slipping it into his pocket. “Right away, Mr. Morgan,” he said


    quietly. “It won’t be a problem anymore. I-I’m sorry.”


    Satisfied, I stood and put my mask back on, straightened my jacket, and stormed out.


    …


    After visiting the CEO, I sorely needed to rx. I had the driver take me to the Morgan-owned bar,


    where I had a few drinks and sat by myself for a while. As I drank, I couldn’t stop thinking about the


    mystery donor who tried to pay the CEO into keeping the image up. K.M…. Who could that be? I didn’t


    know anyone with those initials.


    A few drinkster, however, and I was finally feeling a little more rxed now that the business was


    over. It was gettingte, so I decided to return home.


    When I arrived back at the penthouse, everything was dark except for a singlemp in the living room. I


    sighed, loosening my tie as I walked over to shut it off, but stopped when I saw the reason behind why


    themp was left on.


    Moana had fallen asleep in the armchair. There was a book sitting on herp; she must have fallen


    asleep while reading.


    I went to shake her shoulder and wake her up, but then paused. She looked so peaceful. Her chest


    was rising and falling gently with her head leaning to one side on the back of the chair, causing a loose


    curl from her hair to fall into her eyes.


    For several moments, I just stood there, admiring her. Maybe it was the alcohol… But I thought that she


    was beautiful. I couldn’t bring myself to wake her up when she was sleeping so soundly, especially


    after all the stress she’d been undertely — so, slowly and quietly, I gently took the book out of her


    hand, then slid my arms underneath her and picked her up.


    Surprisingly, she didn’t even stir when I lifted her up. She let out a small, content sound that made a


    slight smile twitch at the corners of my lips, then nuzzled her head against my chest.


    I gently carried her to her room, where Iid her down on her bed and pulled her quilt up to her waist.


    In the moonlight, she looked even more beautiful. She was like a sleeping angel, and all I could think


    about was the baby inside her belly. For the longest time, as I watched her sleeping, I didn’t think about


    the tabloid or the mystery donor. I didn’t think about my father or the differences between her status


    and mine. I only thought of how lovely and peaceful she looked, and for a brief second, I couldn’t help


    but hope that our baby had her curly red hair.


    As I watched her sleep, something strange happened. Maybe it was the alcohol after all — but, without


    thinking, as though I was in a trance, I slowly walked around to the other side of the bed andid down.


    And within just a few moments, I was fast asleep beside Moana.