I was lost in thought, struggling to make sense of the chaos unfolding around me. The news reports made no sense, and I could barely comprehend what was happening. I looked at my personal assistant and saw the certainty in his eyes, knowing he believed every word on the news.
I quickly called the president to address the situation. Staying at the hospital that day would only create more trouble for both me and the hospital. As I made my way to my car, I heard whispers growing louder around me. All eyes were on me, and I felt like a stranger in my own hospital. I thought I had loyal people I could rely on during tough times, but I was clearly wrong.
Raymond sounded anxious on the phone, but I tried to calm him down, even though I was just as worried about the potential fallout for the hospital. My phone wouldn't stop ringing; investors were calling nonstop.
"Are you alright, Jasmine? I left work early because I was worried about you. Have you figured out a solution?" Raymond asked.
"I'm fine, Raymond. It's just that my phone won't stop ringing. The information has been removed from the internet, but I still haven't figured out who leaked it to the press. I'm praying this doesn't hurt the hospital. The investors keep calling," I replied.
"Why don't you call the press and address this directly? If you reveal everything to the media, I'm sure it'll all blow over and don't worry about what they're saying about us I'm your boyfriend, after all."
He said a few more words and ended the conversation with a kiss. I spent the rest of the night in turmoil, trying to figure out how to convince the world of the truth. I knew it wouldn't be easy. People are quick to judge, pretending to care but running when things go wrong.
I spent the entire night turning the situation over in my mind, trying to figure out who could be behind this. Suddenly, a name popped into my head: Nicolas. I knew he hated me, but what would he gain from this? While it would affect my hospital, it wouldn't help his, especially since we were based in different cities.
The next day, I called the press and denied all the allegations. But their questions made it clear that they had already made up their minds. I had a sinking feeling that the media's relentless pursuit would only make the investors more nervous and lead them to doubt me. By the end of the day, more than half of them had pulled their investments from the new hospital project I was working on in Asia.
The media had turned against me, and I realized I was up against a dangerous adversary. Whoever was behind this had managed to manipulate the press, something that only someone with immense power and influence could achieve. All the years of hard work I'd put into my career seemed to be unraveling before my eyes.
I went to my office after the press conference to figure out how to salvage the situation. The phone kept ringing, but I had no answers to give. Charles, my personal assistant, entered the room.
"Charles, do you also think I slept with my employees?" I asked, frustration seeping into my voice. "I don't care what you think, but right now, I need you to do your job."
He lowered his head. "The news will die down soon," he said, trying to reassure me. But I couldn't afford to wait for the news to fade when the investors were pulling out and the hospital's reputation was at risk. I almost wished I could go live and reveal everything about Raymond and me, but I knew that would damage his career, and I couldn't do that.
Amidst all the chaos, I received a call from an investigator with some information about my biological parents. I rushed to meet him, eager to hear what he had to say. But when I arrived, his words disappointed me. He told me that the orphanage where I was adopted had been turned into an amusement park, though he promised to continue searching for more information.
"Why didn't you just tell me this over the phone?" I asked, annoyed. "Why did I have to come all the way here?"
He hesitated before speaking again. "I saw the news about you sleeping with your employees, and I thought... since you hired me for an investigation, it means I'm an employee too. So I was hoping we could... do something... maybe a quickie in my office? If not, we could go to my house."
I was stunned. "What? Are you out of your mind? The next time you talk like that, you'll regret it. You're lucky I need your services right now. If not, I'd have you arrested for this disgusting behavior. Now get back to work and find me an update. Or else."
As if my week couldn't get any worse, I returned home and was greeted by Bela, who gave me a tight hug. It was a welcome distraction, but I noticed that she had probably heard something. As we talked, I started feeling nauseous and dizzy, a feeling that made me suspect I might be pregnant.
Just then, Bela screamed my name. I rushed to her, worried, but when I saw what she was pointing at, my heart sank. Raymond was standing in front of a national television camera, his face all over the news.