Alia blinked rapidly as cara flashes assaulted her eyes, reducing the reporters to faceless spots between the lights. Microphones were brandished in front of her face, almost smacking her as they taunted her for an answer, yet Alia couldn’t find the right words to reply.
They had ambushed her while she thought she was safe, and now Alia was this close to retching whatever she had eaten right on their shoes.
"Miss Kentwood, please answer our questions!"
"Miss Kentwood, how do you feel about Caleb Walton? Do you know about his recent livestream exposing you two’s marriage?"
"Miss Kentwood, is it true that you’re two-timing Matteo Montgory?"
Matteo clasped her smaller, shivering hand in his larger one and tucked her to his side. Alia breathed in the scent of pine and crisp apple and felt her heart settle, feeling more reassured. Things would be fine. Matteo was here. She wasn’t alone.
The cara flashes intensified, but Matteo seed unaffected. Instead, he pulled himself to his full height, and shielded Alia with his body, before turning a flinty glare at the reporters. Almost imdiately, the yelling subsided, as all of them held their breath, waiting for his response.
"Scram," Matteo growled out. "You’re interrupting our date."
Alia’s eyes bugged out and she wanted to groan into her hands. Of course, they weren’t going to listen to Matteo! If they cared so much about public decency, they would never have interrupted their dinner date to begin with.
At Matteo’s words, the reporters were riled up even further, shooting questions indiscriminately.
"Does this an your engagent with Emline Hawthorne is over?"
"Is Emline Hawthorne aware that you are dating Alia Kentwood?"
"Did you purposely get Miss Kentwood to et with the Hawthorne patriarch to cancel the engagent?"
Matteo cleared his throat. "It is as I said before. There is only one woman in the world I would be willing to marry, and that woman is Alia Kentwood, who is standing right next to . There is nothing more to clarify."
He moved slightly to reveal Alia, but he made sure that their sides were still plastered together. Matteo then held up their joined hands as if daring them to question his judgnt.
Caras continued to roll as they got their pictures taken. More reporters yelled out questions while the restaurant staff tried to push them aside.
Alia thought that Matteo would lead her out of the restaurant and to relevant safety, but instead, he had stayed put, his mouth firmly shut. He stared down at the crowd with the impassivity of a glacier judging the wildlife that depended on it for survival.
They needed him more than he needed them, and he wanted them to know it.
As such, Alia could only follow his lead. If she pulled away now, it would destroy the united front Matteo had displayed. She held her head high and tried to channel an image of a woman unbothered by the masses, but it was undoubtedly harder for her to accomplish as they continued to fire questions that insinuated her lack of character.
Matteo squeezed her hand, a silent show of support and a wordless thank you.
Alia counted down in her mind. She was only in front of the caras for ten seconds, but it felt like a lifeti. Just as she found herself unable to take more of such scrutiny, Matteo cleared his throat.
"We will be leaving now since our dinner was so rudely interrupted," he declared imperiously, making Alia wonder if he sohow managed to sense her emotions.
But just as Matteo was about to lead her out of her seat, a new voice joined in the fray.
"What’s this I hear about you seducing my father-in-law?!" The woman all but shrieked. "He’s old enough to be your grandfather! Have so sha! And you Matteo, how could you break off the engagent with sweet Emline for soone like her? Open your eyes!"
Alia’s eyebrow twitched. The reporters had said nothing about her seducing anyone’s grandfather. This woman was just pulling lies out of her ass!
The reporters imdiately sward her like flies. "Mada Annalise! What do you have to say about this?"
Matteo stifled a curse under his breath, while Alia squinted at the newcor. The woman looked strangely familiar― oh, it was the sa woman who led Horace Hawthorne away the first ti! So this was his daughter-in-law, Annalise Hawthorne.
"We should go while they are distracted," Alia mumbled, but Matteo gave a minute shake of his head.
"If we leave now, we risk her dragging our nas through the mud with her untruths," Matteo said, a muscle twitching in his jaw. "Don’t worry. I’ll handle matters."
anwhile, Annalise Hawthorne was theatrically dabbing at her eyes as her lower lip wobbled. She was putting on a performance worthy of an Oscar winner.
"I cannot believe this... My father... How could she shalessly take advantage of him like this? Oh, this was all my fault, for leaving him alone during his dical appointnt!" Annalise wailed, a hand on her bosom, an expression of pure heartbreak on her face.
"He’s so old, so his mind isn’t as sharp as before. This young miss hoodwinked him with her looks and sank her claws into him!"
"Call him over and prove it," Matteo said, his cold voice cutting through her crying like a hot knife through butter.
Annalise blinked, all traces of hysteria gone from her expression. "Excuse ?"
"Mrs. Hawthorne, if you believe that Alia and your father are having a torrid affair behind everyone’s backs, you might as well call him to clarify himself," Matteo said. "I’m sure Mr. Hawthorne would be very keen to know why his daughter-in-law is so intent on slandering his na in his absence."
"It’s not slander if it’s true!" Annalise squawked. "I have proof! So do the reporters!"
"Call him over, and we shall know what is true or not," Matteo said evenly. "If you are reluctant to do so, I shall do it for you."
While Annalise spluttered, Matteo pulled out his phone from his pocket and proceeded to make the call.
"Good evening, Mr. Hawthorne, it’s Matteo Montgory," Matteo said politely. "I’m calling you because your daughter-in-law seems to believe you are having an affair with a woman young enough to be your daughter."
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