The Blackmail Bride

Chapter 1

Playboy

Even in my disoriented state, the shockingly silver eye color got me.

And of all the things that I could process at that moment, my senses registered the smell. His scent in particular. It was something that reminded me of crushed mint and ice underset by musk perfume.

But before I could look at his whole face, there was a distinct click before a flash of light from the side.  I froze. That was a camera and it didn't take a genius to know who those people would be. The heavy footsteps were approaching.

"Jace, is that the woman you were to meet at this hotel?"

"Jace Black, what about Miss Rachel Yuan?"

"Mr Black—"

"Hell!"

Reporters. What rotten luck I had. I tried to calm down but my heartbeat spiked on automatic. my body had gone cold. And though I tried to will it away, the memories were already coming back. It was freshman year, just outside the school gates. Of all the times for my driver to be late...

I would never forget that reporter's face...

"Ms. Porter? Isla Porter!"

He came out of nowhere. One moment, I was standing alone and the next thing, that man was in my face.

"Is it true that you had caused a bright scholar to lose her scholarship here in LCA?" The continuous clicking of the camera that he shoved in my face....

"Her name is Paige Smith." I was thought never to just entertain the media. It was one of our golden rules. But as I moved to turn away from the man, he grabbed my arm and whirled me back to face him. "Her mother is a waitress and father is a janitor! Did it give you satisfaction to ruin her future in a snap?"

"Is this the so-called entitlement of the mega rich? To further bury those beneath them? Wouldn't it be considered as cruelty from the upperclass of the society? Do the rich feel no pity for the poor in this day and age?! We need your answers on this matter!" I had never before had an encounter like this with any reporter. It was just my luck that there was no one around in the most grueling five-minutes of my life.

When I tried to leave, he'd easily pull me back. The camera steadily taking those pictures especially when he saw the fear in my face. That reporter had taken satisfaction, a sense of accomplishment as he harassed me.

"Isla!" That was Anyna's voice. I snapped back into reality, my head turning to the direction it came from. Anyna stood frozen a few feet away but her eyes were on the man with his arms supporting me.

"Jace Black?!" She turned to the right where the camera flashes came from. There was a horde of reporters coming in this direction. I wanted to throw up. It wasn't just one man. What would they do to me this time?

"An-nyna..." I called. Anyna was quickly on my side. Her hands quickly replacing the guy's from around me.

Anyna still looked to the stranger. "I'm sure you're Jace Black. What the hell were you doing to her?!" there was accusation in her tone as she glared at the man.

"Can you shut up and just take your friend?!" I was so rudely pushed into Anyna's . "Dammit!" the stranger had turned around then, getting lost in the sea of pedestrians. The reporters completely passed us, chasing after him and they too disappeared. Then silence. I didn't realize then that I was holding my breath and I let it out in relief.

Everything happened too quickly.

"What was that all about, Isla?! That was Jace Black!"

"M-My iPhone."