Maya's POV

My blood ran cold.

I was now a tabloid sensation.

But the news that made my blood boil was the fact they exposed I was an illegitimate daughter.

At first, I thought the press dug that information up, but when I saw the news of me being removed out of the family's register, I knew Kim's family had a hand in this.

It was most likely Kim since her mother would be too busy to do such a thing, but she would likely support her daughter once she gets an idea of what's going on.

Why did they hate me so much? I was her daughter too, right?

My name was number one on most search engines and at the moment, more famous than the president of the country.

I stopped dead in my tracks when I came across Nik and Tina's engagement news. As expected, the press claims the International playboy proposed to his ex-girlfriend on the gala night - a reignited flame.

I assured myself it was okay, but my heart still tightened painfully, I felt like dying but I didn't let it show on my face.

A picture of me standing beside him with the caption: Niklaus Spencer finally proposed to girlfriend Maya Octavia, was supposed to be on the front pages, not this!

I felt used, betrayed, disgusted, and angry! I wished our memories together would just vanish forever from my mind - If wishes were horses.

But some reporters doubted Nik's sincerity in this engagement, else why would he come with his nanny girlfriend as a companion in a party he allegedly proposed to his ex-girlfriend.

"WAS THIS ONE OF HIS MANY GAMES? "

"IS THE LEGENDARY PLAYBOY INCAPABLE OF BEING FAITHFUL? "

"WHO IS TRULY THE ONE? "

Appeared another headline that made me squeeze my eyes close, my mind was being overloaded. A photo was attached to this particular post: Niklaus was standing in the middle while Tina and I stood respectively on his right and left side.

Though I was bitter but inwardly, I praised whoever photoshopped that picture, he or she made sure to show off my striking side - I must be crazy, who cares how they look in this situation.

"Don't read all of the news and comments else you get depression " Eden told me when he discovered how fast I was absorbing everything. His phone had more information than the newspaper , so he had given it to me to glance through the news.

I put on a brave front " Some are nasty but the comments aren't so bad, just some vulgar gossip mongers finger-pointing into the life of someone they have no clue about " came my reply while going through the comments

"She is such a whore! " Someone commented and I rolled my eyes towards heaven in total disbelief.

It's funny how people think they have the supreme right to pry into someone's private life and judge them. They look at the splinter in my eye, but not notice the beam in their own eye?

I couldn't blame them anyway, the stories were published in such a way that made me seem like a relationship wrecker. Like I was the one who drove a wedge between Niklaus and Tina's happily ever after.

Oh please.

Their relationship was already falling apart before I came - that is if their arrangement could be regarded as a relationship.

Some of the posts which didn't portray me as a gold digger or relationship wrecker, subtly hinted while making caricatures of the youngest billionaire choosing his daughter's nanny over his rich ex-girlfriend.

My gaze was torn away from the cellphone when Eden snatched it away from me.

"I told you not to read too much into those comments " He scolded me with a disapproving look.

"I'm totally cool with it, " I told him but he didn't believe me

"Your face seems convincing but I don't trust your heart since I can't see it "

I looked away, afraid I would really burst into tears if he began those pep talks.

"Where is your cell phone? You need to block unimportant calls and news. In a time like this, it's easy to develop depression and with a history of catatonia, I can't help but worry about you "

I looked up surprised, then asked him "Why should you be worried about me? I'm not your girlfriend neither are you my boyfriend. I don't owe you anything neither do you, if anything we're strangers now your cousin and I have broken up "

He quirked a brow at my comment "So I must be any of the above before worrying about you? "

The side of my lips twitched " I didn't mean it that way, but I don't need any of you worrying about me, especially not from a Spencer " I said to him straightforwardly.

But a smile touched his lips causing me to wonder what's amusing him.

"It seems you're forgetting something here," he said and my brows furrowed together

"What are you talking about? "

"Have you forgotten that you're signed under my company " he reminded me and my eyes went wild.

Crap, I totally forgot about that!

When Nik and I were still lovey-dovey with each other, he convinced me to sign into his company's subsidiary. An entertainment agency managed by Eden, in order to make my acting dream a reality.

At first, I was hesitant, but the terms and conditions were good and I had the chance to audition for a lead role in an upcoming movie. The audition was even next week, I guess the dramas lately made me forget about it.

The universe was seriously against me, I didn't want to get involved with the Spencers anymore. But there was nothing I could do, I couldn't afford to pay for breaching the contract.

"I lost my cell phone " I quickly changed the topic. Our eyes connected but thankfully he didn't quibble on the issue.

"Much better " Eden commented on my missing phone "I'll get you a new one "

"You don't need to bother yourself, I'll get it myself, " I told him with an irritated tone - I was financially capable of getting my own phone.

Thanks to the kidnap yesterday night, my cell phone got lost - I should've asked Sakuzi for compensation.

"Right now your face is all over the internet, magazine, and television. So unless you don't want what happened earlier to repeat itself, stay put and let me handle everything "

I hated this, I hated being helpless and unable to do anything. But why were people so biased? I simply wanted a relationship, wasn't I allowed to have one? Was it such a crime to date a rich shot?

"While it's true that the netizens are pointing fingers at you, you're thankfully still not the most hated 'yet- to -debut actress' "

I gave him a dirty look, was that a compliment?

"You just need to go under the radar and the frenzy will dissipate in a few days, " He told me, causing me to release an exasperated sigh.

My freedom was snatched away from me just because of a few words someone typed on a keyboard and published to the whole world. Reality was really harsh.

"Fine, whatever "

I looked away through the window before remembering I had no clue where we were heading to.

"Where are you taking me? "

Eden took a deep breath, looked straight ahead as he answered "My place "

I froze, then turned around to face him with compressed lips

" Stop the car " I ordered.

"Why? What's wrong with my place" he asked.

"In case I haven't made it clear Eden, but I want nothing to do with you Spencer's from now on "

His eyes narrowed, "It's just temporal until the buzz dies off "

"Just drop me off at a hotel, Eden "

"The paparazzi would still track you down there, don't underestimate their prowess. You're most safe with me " He explained but those fell on deaf ears.

My eyes flashed "Don't you get it? You guys are the reason I'm in this shit in the first place. If the engagement wasn't interrupted, I wouldn't get chased down by the paparrazo. If you guys haven't used and seen me as a pawn in your game, I wouldn't end up in this state! "

I got so riled up that I forgot I was injured and poked myself in the stomach mistakenly while gesturing, drawing a soft gasp and grimace.

Eden was quick to catch my expression. And movement.

"What is wrong with you? " He asked, a look of suspicion on his face "Are you injured by chance? "

"It's nothing! "I snapped at him, hoping he would take that as a cue to leave me alone.

But Eden ignored me, instead, his gaze traveled below where I had one hand around my stomach.

Without asking for my permission, Eden abruptly tugged up my shirt exposing a purplish-red bruised stomach.

"Are you crazy! What do you think you're doing?!" I shouted at him and brought down my shirt.

"Who did this to you? "

I winced, "None of your business " while smoothing the rumbled edges on my shirt.

" Maya! "

I jumped out of the skin when he yelled at me.

He growled, " I asked you a question? "

I swallowed down my saliva when I saw the fire in his eyes, why was he getting so worked up on my case?