Chapter 8: HIDDING FROM THE WORLD
"Be the death of her? Bradford, Why am I not understanding what you are saying right now?"
Clifford asked, but Bradford just smiled at him and then shooed his hands away.
"Somethings are better off unknown, as curiosity leads to nowhere good."
He said, patting Clifford on the back,
"Go deal with the media, or else your mom will have to clean up your mess once again."
He muttered and quickly strolled to the dining room, leaving behind a dumbfounded Clifford in the living room.
He sighed, gazing at his watch and seeing that he was almost late for classes. Clifford held his backpack as he strutted out.
Bradford wasn't wrong with his words; indeed, there were tones of reporters and cameramen outside their villa,
waiting to capture anything that could spice up their story.
This is one of the things he had to encounter as the son of the wealthiest businesswoman in town.
As a member of the rich elite, getting involved in scandals is what many paparazzi are after, as they get their commission according to the news they report.
Clifford took out his dark shade and wore it. He glanced at the crowd, and his father's words played in his mind.
'Why did he say not to mention her name?' he pondered.
Clifford frowned, thinking the life of a rich person was something else.
A hit from a girl, and the media are all over his house waiting for an explanation.
"What was there to explain when I can't mention her name to the public?"
He mumbled to himself, his gaze never leaving the tall guy that was now standing in front of him—his bodyguard and also his closest friend after Bradford.
"I've called the team; they'll be here to clear this up before you concede. Meanwhile, I've got some news for you."
Steven, Clifford's bodyguard, whispered to him, and he raised his brows and then nodded.
He was still in a daze. And right then, the team of bodyguards arrived.
"Shove them in the truck and give them good wipes on their asses before dumping their fucked-up selves in the garbage."
Steven yelled as he ordered, and the buzzing media journalists were dead silent until a certain female reporter with the name tag, Rosemarie, spoke out.
"Do you mean for them to do that to us? Oh, hell, you all won't dare; that's an infringement on our rights."
She screeched, and Steven laughed out loud.
"Oh yeah, I'm talking about you all bunch of losers; whose job is to gossip about. And talking about the infringement of rights,
What the hell are you doing in this place? Poking your nose in people's private matters"
He retorted and Rosemarie fumed in anger.
"The person in question is the sole heir to El Greco's empire.
He got slapped and humiliated publicly. We and the citizens want to know why he didn't retaliate as usual and what's his next plan."
She yelled back, and he snickered as he pulled out a packet of cigarettes.
"This still has nothing to do with you freaking maggots; just get out or get whipped on the arse and thrown in the garbage."
Steven threatened, but Rosemarie and the rest didn't move, as they were still standing and glaring.
"You won't dare, as we are going to make a police complaint."
Rosemarie's words were stuck in her throat when Steven suddenly called out,
"Boys, do your duties."
The new arrivals immediately brought out electric wipes, and the reporters were stunned as their eyes widened in horror.
"Oh, my God! You don't have the audacity."
Rosemarie fearfully shrieked, taking a step backward, and a team member smirked at her.
He pushed a button on the device he was holding, and a long wire popped out with a visible electric current running through it.
"Let's try this on you, baby; you tell the rest how you feel when we are done."
He spoke up, and her brain went buzzing.
"Ooh, you must be joking. Uh, That's true." She laughed nervously, and they were all ready to run.
"We'll see about it," he said, grinning, raising the rod in the air, and
" Aaah!!"
The reporter's screams came as they all picked up their pace, running out as the team members went after them.
"Hahaha, great Lord."
Steven cracked up, holding his stomach as he giggled.
"Gosh, that feisty, cute lady got guts, but I wasn't expecting her to run away after talking so much.
Bohahaha, scaredy pretty cat."
He continued laughing until he discovered Clifford wasn't laughing along.
"Hey buddy, what's wrong? Why are you looking moody like a lady on her period?
Need some hot bitch sissy to push against the wall for a hard bang! Bang!?"
He questioned, crossing his arm around Clifford's neck, and he just rolled his eyes at Steven as they headed to the car.
"Is all you know just banging on ladies and having fun? Can't you think about something decent for once, Steven?"
Clifford mocked, and Steven snarled.
"You think I hit women more than you do? Why haven't I gotten the Playboy popularity you've achieved?
You are the worst big-time lady fvcker, believe it or not. Your vogue as a playboy in this city is currently at its peak."
Steven snickered, and Clifford puffed.
"You don't mean it."
He said it again, rolling his eyes.
"If I'm at the top, then how about Alexander Marshall?"
He asked, and Steven massaged his temples. He had almost forgotten Xander, Clifford's rival in everything.
But Steven still doesn't think Xander should be compared to Clifford. To him, Xander was merely a copycat who did everything Clifford did.
"He's not someone that you should compare yourself to."
He declared and then, he took a drag from the lighted cigarette stick when Mandy suddenly jumped out of nowhere.
She rolled her cute snow-white fur on Clifford's legs, and his moody expression instantly brightened.
"Hey Mandy, you're looking so clean."
He grinned, picking up Mandy, his adorable white-furred chubby cat with gold facial fur.
Mandy curled herself into a ball as Clifford hugged her. She purred, and he smiled.
"Daddy here has been busy, but he'll make some time for you. Now go back to the house. I'm getting late for classes."
He said, but Mandy just ignored him as she refused to get down and kept holding on.
"C'mon, Mandy, don't be stubborn; stay here with the maid; I promise to take you out for a walk later today."
He said it sweetly, but Mandy refused to fall for his sweet talk as she clung to his shirt.
Mandy: "Purr; I have no trust in your words. Master, you've been saying this for the past six months. I won't fall for your tricks."
"She's not going to listen, Cliff. Just tell the maid to get her leash. You bring her with you to the college."
Steven proposed, but Clifford gnashed his teeth.
"She's a tyrant, chubby cat. She's going to stick to me like glue. This will only limit my freedom."
Clifford grumbled, and Steven sniggered wickedly and then waved at the maid that was bowing at the intersection.
"Get Mandy's leash; she's going to Imperial Diamonds College today."
He ordered, and the maid left in a flash.
The three boarded the exquisite Rolls-Royce with Mady's beautiful gold leash around her neck.
Steven drove, and Clifford sat in the front passenger seat as he browsed through the report Steven had brought to him.
He had contacted both Steven and the private investigator the previous day to get information about Margaret Harper.
He needed no information missing, so he assigned both, but he wasn't expecting his father to call back the private investigator.
A scowl's face settled on his as he turned to glare at Steven.
"But this is absolutely nothing.
She attended Sunshine High School and then heeded Bright Science Scholars College before returning to Mexico.
This is lame and basic; there's nothing about their sudden wealth, her new impression, or anything about her.
Is this what you said you've investigated?"
Clifford berated Steven, and Steven swerved that car as he drove into the college compound.
"Yes, that's basically what can be found, Cliff.
I've tried my best and I've used my connection, but that's all we could find about Margaret Harper."
He replied, and a white limousine drove into the vicinity.
Right before them, the driver hurriedly alighted the car, and Maggie stepped out in her usual baggie clothes and her backpack hung around her shoulders.
She didn't look behind her as she strutted directly inside.
Clifford had a deep expression.
"Until someone had intentionally hidden something about your past life, Margaret Harper, Steven would have found something.
What is it that you are hiding from the world?"
Clifford thought in mystery.
He was so lost in a trance that he didn't realize when Mandy had jumped out of the opened door and then ran towards Maggie,
who were just a few steps away from entering the college's main building.
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