Deceiving The Billionaire

Chapter 1

MAYA

"Maya Coleman is the right person for this job!" Mr. Barker, Editor of Day Star News declared and immediately I could feel everyone's hostile glare boring holes.

"No way she's the one…"

"Mr. Barker must have made a mistake…" 

"She doesn't even have any reputable qualifications to handle this kind of task.."

"It's apparent, she's definitely going to fail…" 

"She has no experience, no doubt this task is going to be an utter fail…"

Their whispers kept haunting my ears, ripping every ounce of courage I had and even though I hated it, I couldn't help but wonder why Editor Barker had chosen me for this task. 

Why did my Monday have to start on a dreadful note? 

**

Monday, one of my dreaded days in the week. In fact, most of the days have been dreadful for me recently. I could start with the well conditioned bright lights illuminating this large room, filled with several people enchanted in one work or the other. Some were positioned at their desks, engrossed in their work, typing effortlessly the next breaking news, some were scaling from one spot to another, chattering about one gossip or the other.  Perhaps I could start with my desk, my sad gaze solely at my laptop screen as I read the disheartening email.

How was I supposed to pay a debt of seventy thousand dollars within two months? Even if I worked hundred times as hard my salary can't even pay back five percent. A heavy sigh escaped my breath as I closed the mail. How did my life take this miserable turn? 

I should simply have stayed back at my hometown and not have been a fame crazed little journalist who thought she could take New York by storm. In the beginning it had started fairly well, I procured a job at Day Star News but then it turned disastrous overnight when this debt came. 

"Hey newbie, quit staring at your laptop. We have a meeting to attend." Mia's harsh tone tousled my thoughts as she walked past me. Mia Ackerman, one of Day Star's top notch who never falls short in torturing me at every opportunity. 

I heaved another sigh whilst closing my laptop. I then straightened my skirt before trailing behind Mia. We took our respective seats surrounding the large rectangular table and I dared not to sit beside Mia. 

Mr. Barker entered shortly dressed elegantly in his black suit, red tie, perfectly styled black hair and his accustomed straight face. Ever since I started at Day Star, never for once have I seen this man smile. 

"Since we're all here I won't waste time. We're going straight to business." He said without giving any of us a face. Instead, he focused on the projector screen. 

"I'm sure you all know the current status of this News agency. Recently, we have received a drop in our credibility and our competitors are far outshining us."  He continued while his hands pointed to statistical data. 

"At this rate, it won't take long before the higher ups take a drastic decision. And I'm pretty sure none of us here would like to lose our job." He toned in a deadly manner as he glanced at each of us. His blue eyes especially focused on me and my heart picked pace instantly as I gulped down my saliva.

"How do we overcome this problem?" He asked in a lucid tone. 

"We have to double our efforts. If we can find something Newsworthy, that can go viral, something that can take the masses by storm, then it will be a huge step."  Mia's eloquent voice pierced through the silence. 

"Good suggestion, Miss Mia." Mr. Barker nodded. "But what is that something? Something that could be so powerful to put us on the front lines again." He pursed his lips as he slowly walked around us. 

"If we really want to be on the Frontlines again we need a series of mind blowing stories which are credible of course. And I just happen to have a lead." He paused again as he reached the screen. I gulped down my saliva again. Whatever this lead was, I wasn't definitely going to handle it. Of all the people gathered here, I was more or less the incompetent one.

"We all know the famous Desmond Hunter, CEO of The Hunter Hotels." He muttered as he pointed to the image of the stunning man displaying.

"Who wouldn't? This man built the tallest Hotel in this city." One of my colleagues answered.

"He's been trending for days non stop now. It's almost tiring seeing him appear on the news feed for one thing or the other."  Another commented. 

"What do you expect? He comes from the Hunter Family. Besides, have you seen that Hotel, it's unlike any other!"

"Mr. Barker, do you intend on making us write something about him?" Mia asked. 

"Of course not! There's nothing we could probably release now that could make any change." I nodded, there was nothing that we could publish about him that the masses haven't probably heard. At the same time I knew Mr. Barker too well. He was definitely good at making an ant lift an elephant.  

"But there's one juicy catch that hasn't been explored yet, The Billionaire recently had a divorce with his wife. Nobody knows why, there have only been speculations." He began to trail around us again. "That is what we need to uncover. To find the truth behind their fallout. His wife has been busy slandering him ever since but this man hasn't even reacted in the slightest. 

So even if we have an interview with his wife it still wouldn't make any difference." 

"But that still brings us to a deadlock, Mr. Barker." 

"That's what you think." Mr. Barker replied. "But haven't you noticed that no one has been able to get his side of the story, haven't you questioned yourselves whether the statements of his divorced wife are actually true? What if this man everyone admires is truly a monster and not this upright man he portrays himself to be?" 

I frowned, slightly irritated at the way my colleagues were inspired by Mr. Barkers words. This man in question just had a divorce, who knows what kind of emotional trauma he went through but all they were concerned about were scooping for dirty secrets just to be on the headlines again.

"But Mr. Barker..." I didn't know when my lips moved but I certainly regretted it. Everyone's eyes fell on me, probing me like I was going to say something stupid. And indeed, I was beginning to feel stupid but I couldn't give up at the same time. I had already started so it's best I finished. 

"Mr. Hunter isn't just any man we can approach, besides this is a sensitive issue. If we end up basing our facts on the wrong speculations we could end up in a terrible circumstance." 

"So are you suggesting we chicken out?" He queried sharply. "Mr. Hunter is a public figure so naturally it's our utmost priority to dig into this issue. If his wife's claims are true just imagine how scandalous it would be for him, imagine how viral the news would spread." 

 My palms slightly curled. "And what if her claims turn out to be fake, wouldn't it all be wasted effort in the end?" 

"What are you driving at Miss Maya?" Mia shot me with a quizzical look but deep within, we both know she was barely taming her irritation. 

"I'm just saying that if we need a story that could push us to the top again, it's need to be something more credible and reliable. 

“So many things are happening in the world, government politics, the rising poverty, climate change -" 

"Miss Maya, those topics are our secondary priorities. Right now Mr. Hunter is the perfect story for a Headline." Mia cut me off abruptly. "Or are you trying to question Mr. Barker's opinion ?"

My eyes twitched and my breaths ceased for a second. She had perfectly cornered me. I looked around and none of them seemed eager to support me. At that point, I knew nothing I said was going to change anything. 

"I'm sure you understand now, the level of importance this task is. We need our agency to be back at the top and it's definitely not by telling stories the world knows. People have always shown more interest in scandalous cases like Mr. Hunter for example." She added with one last glare at me before focusing on Mr. Barker. 

"I believe your doubts has been cleared Miss Maya." Mr. Barker quoted with a sense of grand accomplishment filling his tone. It only made me further irritated but who was I to argue further. After all, I was only a newbie.

"Even if his wife's claims are false, then we have to find something that could still taint him, tell a side of him we've never seen before. After all, nobody is pure." He muttered.  

"So our main task is to find something rather unsightly of him," Mia proposed bluntly. 

"Indeed." Mr. Barker affirmed. "One of you is going to publish an expose on Mr. Desmond Hunter." 

My teeth gnashed against each other as those cold words toured out of my Editor. I wondered how they were all comfortable with ruining someone's reputation just to be relevant again. 

"So the question is who is the right person for this task?" One of them asked. At the same time, Mia was gleaming excitedly. No doubt my Editor was going to pick her. 

"Maya Coleman is the right person for this job!" Mr. Barker declared and immediately I could feel everyone's hostile glare boring holes.

My jaw almost dropped while my eyes exclaimed from apparent surprise and there he was, holding my gaze with a tiny smile gracing his lips. This was the first time seeing Mr. Barker smile. One so endearing but it didn't put me at ease at all. Rather, my heart raced like sport cars, I couldn't breathe properly and my body trembled. 

"No way she's the one…"

"Mr. Barker must have made a mistake…" 

"She doesn't even have any reputable qualifications to handle this kind of task..."

"It's apparent, she's definitely going to fail…" 

"She has no experience, no doubt this task is going to be an utter fail…"

Their whispers kept haunting my ears, ripping every ounce of courage I had and even though I hated it, I couldn't help but wonder why Editor Barker chose me for this task. 

"Uhm Mr. Barker -" I tried to say but he abruptly cut me off with a wave. 

"Are you going to refuse? If I recall, you haven't handled a single project for a while now. This is your chance, Miss Maya." He toned but his words still failed to allay my fears. Indeed I haven't been useful for these few months but this task was just something too magnanimous for me. 

"B-but…"

"There are no buts! show us what you've got." He retorted. "Unless, you have another job waiting for you in another News agency." 

I gasped, immediately recalling my life's miserable ordains. I had a huge debt to pay, there's my family I have to support and this was a good chance to get my career going. I must have been a fool to have hesitated but at the same time, I wasn't sure if I had the heart to ruin someone's reputation. This project was certainly tempting but at the same time it was coming at the cost of someone's future. 

My palms curled into a fist whilst wondering what to do. 

"Can you handle this Miss Maya?" He queried sternly at the same time the hostilities only seemed to pressure further. 

I exhaled deeply before staring straight into those probing blue eyes of Mr. Barker. And with firm resolve, my lips instinctively moved. "Yes. I shall do my best in making this project a success!" I declared boldly.

Silence immediately descended with an awestruck expression decorating my colleagues. I especially found delight in Mia's petrified gaze. 

"Good." Mr. Barker nodded with another tiny smile gracing his lips.

"But there's one slight problem…" I mumbled with a slight frown. "Mr. Hunter is an extremely important figure. I doubt I will be able to meet him, let alone conduct any research." 

His smile deepened. "I sorted this out already. Hunter Hotels has it's secretary position vacant and it's looking to hire. But not to worry, I've prepared the necessary details for you to apply for the interview in three days' time." His lips pursed as his palms laid on the table. "You have no idea how much it cost me to get this information. You should consider yourself lucky and I don't expect you to waste this opportunity, Miss Maya." 

I gulped, hoping my racing heart would return to its normal pace but it didn't. 

"Do come by my office for the details." He added before heaving a sigh. "This meeting is over." He toned authoritatively before exiting.

I quickly dashed after him, I wasn't ready to be a sheep in the lion's den. At the same time I wondered why the Editor chose me. Whether it was luck or for other reasons, I wasn't going to fail even if it requires me ruining the powerful Desmond Hunter.