After Divorce, Billionaire Ex Found Me Pregnant
Chapter 86 Disaster Overnight.

Chapter 86: Chapter 86 Disaster Overnight.

Overnight, that’s how long it had taken for Leonica’s not so peaceful life, to take a sudden turn, for the worse.

Now this wasn’t talk about Gabriel’s actions that night, no, the kiss had nothing but at the same time everything to do with what Leonica was facing and she had sworn that she would have a bone to pick with Gabriel concerning his constant actions projected solely to annoy her, once she has successfully sorted out the matter at hand.

And what was the said matter that had caused her so much trouble in a matter of mere hours? Simple; Leaked photos of she and Gabriel kissing, or better yet of Gabriel kissing her. But no one knew that, at least those she hadn’t explained the situation to. People like those brainless outsiders, who even though were entitled to their opinion, couldn’t use their sense and type reasonable things in comment sections of articles.

At first, their late night comments had started out as speculations, harmless ones. Someone, obviously too jobless for their own good, started a debate on if Angelina’s engagement with Gabriel had been cancelled because of Leonica’s interference. A few hours went by before that one comment began to have a huge impact on the entire story and without knowing the full story or even bother to hear her side of the story, which she didn’t even want to give, seeing as only she and she alone was entitled to the events that happens in her life, People all over social media tagged her all sort of names, ‘Home wrecker’ ‘Fiancé snatcher’ ‘Shameless mother’. Some of them even going as far as saying that Leonica should be stripped of her status in the business world, after all, someone who dared to commit such a disgraceful act in public didn’t deserve to hold a title in the business world.

Amidst all those hate comments, Leonica only saw a few people who tried to defend her, pointing out that people, outsiders especially, shouldn’t jump to conclusion before knowing the full story. But as always, the negative side of society was quick to gobble those defenders up.

Not that she really needed them. As grateful for their support and believe in her as Leonica felt, she knew she was innocent. The real culprit here was the person who released those photos to the press. Sure, Gabriel had committed the act, playing a huge part in stirring the waters, and obviously she was going to take that up with him, but even at that, who would have thought that some weirdo was lurking around the corner, camera position at an angle and photos ready to be taken at any moment.

Thinking about it now not only gave Leonica the creeps, it also angered her.

With yet another sigh, the fifteenth one if Kennedy had kept count right, she placed her tablet down, halting her patrol across social media and articles that were carrying her name all around.

It was a total mess and she wasn’t even sure the right action to take. Give a speech? Deflect the blame onto Gabriel? As much as she and Gabriel wasn’t on the same terms and as heartless as she may seem, Leonica couldn’t bring herself to do that.

If Gabriel suffers, Ashley suffers and then, she’d indirectly suffer. That was the motto she told herself each time she had the urge to set up a meeting and give a public speech.

And so far, the motto had restrained her from even giving the order to her assistant.

Sighing once more, this time around, loud enough to have Kennedy stop the work he was doing; Leonica shut her eyes and rested her head against the back of her chair, only peeling her eyes open at the sound of footsteps.

“Are you sure you don’t want me to set up a public meeting with the press?” Kennedy questioned and watched her shake her head. Although Leonica hadn’t given him the order; he could feel that was what was meant to be done. Yet Leonica hadn’t done it and was taking the brunt of the entire matter.

Was she trying to protect Gabriel? Because she still had lingering feeling for him after their failed marriage? Kennedy silently snickered at the thought. Impossible. He may not have been present during the years of their marriage, but from all the articles he had read, Gabriel seemed like a pretty shitty husband and father to their once unborn son.

But then again, thinking long and hard about Gabriel’s actions... some of Gabriel’s actions lately, most of the ones he had been there to witness, Kennedy wasn’t sure if he was a changed person completely, but one thing was certain, from the stares and glances the man threw at his employer, he was realizing how much of an asshole he had been in the past and piece by piece was trying to make up for it.

‘Maybe it was that that’s got her catching feelings for her ex husband once more.’

“Argh! Damn you Gabriel Bryce. Why do you always have to fuck things up for me?!” Leonica kicked her table as she vented, causing Kennedy to flinch slightly and quickly take back his previous thought, praying that his employer couldn’t read minds.

She was already scary enough as is.

“You’re twelve o clock meeting start in the next five minutes.” He informed her as he placed a cup of freshly brewed coffee on her table.

Leonica stared at the cup, unlike always, she didn’t reach for it, didn’t show any sign of wanting to drink the caffeinated beverage, she just stared, thinking all about the said meeting that was coming up in... five, four minutes?

Under normal circumstances, she would have ditched the meeting. Her newest sets of shareholders were nice business individuals and wouldn’t mind if she missed a meeting or two. At least most of them wouldn’t. But you see, this wasn’t a normal circumstance, this situation was tense and hotter than the normal one, all thanks to a certain Rodrigo Romero who had been exceptionally jobless at the crack of dawn.

So jobless till to point that the moment the article became wild fire, he had pulled a string or two of his own and gotten some pretty convincing pictures of Leonica with Arvan and even ones of her with Owen, presenting it to majority of her shareholders and claiming that her indulgent image could seriously affect the company’s stocks.

Thinking back to the first day she had met Owen, she recalled having heard the shutter of a camera going off in the distance but it quickly faded amongst the noisy chatters of his fans.

Who would have thought that was Rodrigo in the making. But even at that, she wondered why he had kept someone to watch her. Was he also behind the person who had leaked the photo? Was this all his doing?

The thought of it being so, annoyed Leonica. But the feeling of anger was soon swallowed by the dawn of reality setting in. No matter how much she’d like to deny it, Leonica couldn’t handle the situation alone.

But she was sure with his help; things would be a lot easier.

With a sigh, Leonica picked up her phone, scrolled through her contact and dialed the number she had been seeking. The line only rang for a few seconds before it was answered.

“Hey. I think I need your help.”

~*~

“...Leonica? Hm, she’s a wonderful woman who I’m sure isn’t capable of doing the things she’s accused of in various articles.” Owen’s voice boomed from the television turned on In Gabriel’s office. Seated in his chair, he held the remote in his hand, ready to change the channel at any given time.

And he did, the very moment Owen began crossing the line and expressing his very much unwanted admiration towards the mother of his child.

“...this is Casey from NN news and today, were going to be taking the statement of Norway’s very own Senator, Mr. Arvan Richardson, as regards to social media’s latest hot topic.” The news anchor said before nearly pushing her microphone in Arvan’s face, but a warning stare from his body gauds had her rethinking that option. “Mr. Richardson, please tell us, do you believe in the accusations begin laid against Ms. Romero? As someone who seems acquainted with her, could you tell us?”

“The accusations being laid against Leonica are clearly false. I know her well enough to believe such baseless and tarnishing comments. And I also don’t care if this may be an abuse of my power, but from this moment forward, legal actions would be taken against comments with intentions of defaming her name-”

The rest of his words died out with the television screen turning blank.

“Mr. Bryce? The press and netizens all over social media are demanding answers from you; the media team wants to know what action they should take. How should they respond?” Bill, who had stood in the corner for quite a while, watching Gabriel, tentatively asked.

Despite being addressed, Gabriel remained silent, mind replaying Arvan and Owen’s unfinished words. Although he had not heard it finished, it was clear what they meant, more so, what the intentions of their words conveyed.

Arvan’s own wasn’t a total shocker, but Owen? Who the hell was he to butt in and try to compete for Leonica’s affection? No, scratch that, who the hell were both of them to try and compete for Leonica’s attention?

More than anything, Gabriel wanted to put those two to shame and show them that, even if the chances of getting back with Leonica was little, they still existed and his was very much bigger than whatever chances they believed they had, but, in doing so, he knew he’d annoy Leonica. And as of late, he was aware he had done an awful lot of that, and couldn’t afford to annoy her anymore.

At least not after the final warning she gave him on the phone after Ashley’s birthday party which had ended in a rather messy way.

His train of thoughts was suddenly interrupted by the sound of his phone ringing. Bill was quick to fetch it from the coffee table and hand it to him. After confirming the caller was Doctor Bailey, he answered the call and pressed the device to his ear.

“Hello Doctor Bailey.”

“Oh, Mr. Bryce, I’m so glad you picked up.”

“Is everything alright?”

“Yes, yes all is well. I was just calling to remind both you and Ms. Leonica to prepare for the matching procedures of the IVF. Hope I didn’t catch you at a bad time?”

At a bad time? With everything happening? What the hell was his answer meant to be.

“No, Doctor Bailey, of course not.”