Chapter 29: Chapter 29

Minutes passed, stretching like an eternity, until the door finally swung open. Ava emerged, her eyes locking onto Bryan's in an instant. Relief flooded her face, and without a word, she dashed towards him.

" Bryan! " Her voice carried a mixture of relief and joy as she wrapped her arms tightly around him. His surprise melted into a smile, and instinctively, he embraced her, enveloping her in a comforting hold.

" Are you alright? " Bryan's voice was gentle, filled with concern as he held her close.

Ava sniffed and nodded against his chest, her voice muffled, " Yeah, I'm okay now. Thank you for waiting. "

" Always. I was worried, " he murmured softly, his fingers gently caressing her back.

" I'm sorry for the way I acted back there " She said quietly as she withdrew from the hug.

Her eyes were red and it looked like she had been crying.

Bryan shook his head " You handled it pretty well, baby " He said softly, placing a comforting hand on her arm.

Her eyes went huge in an instant " Ba... Baby? " She asked, not sure she heard him right.

He cleared his throat " Nothing " He said and propelled her towards the exit.

Unbeknownst to them, a figure lurked in the shadows, camera in hand, capturing their embrace.

The anonymous man, a sly smile playing on his lips, knew he had stumbled upon something intriguing. With each click of the camera, he envisioned the headlines and the frenzy it would cause once these photos reached the media. The man continued to snap away, his excitement growing with each shot. He relished the thought of the story these photos would tell, the secrets they would unveil.

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Lily hurried into Bryan's office, her breath slightly ragged, clutching her tablet tightly. She found Bryan seated behind his desk, engrossed in paperwork, until her abrupt entrance startled him.

" What is it, Lily? " Bryan inquired, sensing the urgency in her expression.

" You should see this, sir, " Lily replied, her voice slightly trembling as she handed him the tablet.

Bryan accepted the tablet, his curiosity piqued. As he skimmed through the screen, his brows furrowed, his demeanor transforming within moments.

" What in the...? " Bryan muttered under his breath, his usual composed facade breaking as a mix of shock and anger etched across his face.

Lily watched Bryan closely, noticing the shift in his posture, the slight clenching of his jaw, and the intensity in his eyes.

" Sir, are you okay? " Lily asked tentatively, concerned about the sudden change in Bryan's demeanor.

" Who did this?! " He asked, with his teeth gritted in anger.

" I have no idea, the photos were uploaded online this morning " Lily replied calmly.

They were pictures of him hugging Ava. If the news was about him alone, he wouldn't have cared so much. But he had to protect Ava at all costs. It was a relief that the douchebag wasn't able to see her face.

" Sh*t " He said and cursed under his breath.

He slowly looked up from the tablet, his gaze piercing yet clouded with a hint of distress. " Lily, cancel all my appointments for today. I need to deal with this immediately. "

" Of course, sir, " Lily responded promptly, understanding the gravity of the situation.

Bryan stood up abruptly, his movements determined yet troubled. He paced the office for a moment, his mind clearly preoccupied with the pictures on the tablet.

" Lily, contact our legal team. I want them here as soon as possible, " Bryan instructed firmly, his voice tinged with urgency.

" And one more thing, " He added " Find him "

Lily nodded, swiftly moving towards her desk to comply with Bryan's directives. She could sense the gravity of the situation, recognizing that the uploaded pictures of him and Ava had stirred Bryan into action unlike anything she had witnessed before.

He wondered if Ava had seen it yet. The last thing he wanted was for her to be troubled. He picked up his phone to call her but another call came through so he picked.

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The door to Ava's office swung open, and Bella hurried inside, holding her phone with a mixture of concern and disbelief on her face.

" Ava, you won't believe what I just found online, " Bella exclaimed, her voice edged with urgency.

Ava glanced up from her work, surprised by Bella's sudden entrance and the worry etched on her friend's features. " What's wrong, Bella? " Ava inquired, her curiosity piqued.

Bella approached Ava's desk and placed her phone in front of her, swiping through a series of images. " Take a look at this, " she urged.

Ava's eyes widened as she observed the pictures on Bella's phone. Her heart skipped a beat at the sight of images displaying Bryan hugging her just outside the Ladies' restroom.

" Who... Who did this?! " She asked Bella, her voice trembling.

" I have no idea, they were uploaded on the social media this morning " Bella said and it was obvious that she was annoyed too.

On seeing Ava's expression, Bella touched her lightly " Hey, are you okay? " She asked, concern etched on her face.

Ava nodded but Bella knew she wasn't okay so she nudged her again " Ava? Why do you look so worried? "

" Who the hell did such a thing, and why? " Ava asked, looking pained and annoyed.

Bella shrugged " A reporter maybe. It could be an employee here too "

" Why? " Ava clenched her hands in fists and she looked like she was ready to kill.

Again, Bella shrugged " Probably someone who had a beef either with you or Bryan. But it's definitely someone who's not happy about you guys' sudden closeness "

" Oh God " Ava muttered and closed her eyes.

" Well, be grateful that the douchebag wasn't able to capture your face " Bella said in a bid to comfort her.

" How soothing " Ava snapped.