Page 109 of One Nightstand With My Ex's Uncle
LUCAS’ POV.
“This is a crime, you know?” I shouted to stop them all bickering. They stopped abruptly, looking at me with fear.
“If I find that you have something to do with this crazy sexual deep fake, then you will regret it. Trust me when I say you will regret it. You might end up having no jobs forever, and live on the streets begging from house to house, and you might as well spend your life in prison with heavy labor. But if you come out now, take the photos down, and apologize to Derel, my family and the media, then I can reconsider.” I said menacingly, and they looked at each other.
“But why are you so convinced one of us did it?” Paris asked.
“Because someone told me that one of you has come here for the sole reason of causing my family distress.” I answered, and the annoying silence continued.
“Is anyone not willing to talk!?” I bellowed, and Jenny dropped to the floor, holding her chest. It took a minute before we realized she was having a panic attack, due to the fear.
She was a huge problem. At the littlest thing, she crumbled.
The girls crouched around her, trying to help her breathe, but she continued to choke, and cry.
“Damn it.” I muttered forcefully, and turned to the men behind me. “Search their things. Every one of them.” I commanded , and the girls looked like they were in trouble.
The men searched their rooms, and the house, thoroughly checking everywhere, but they didn’t find anything suspicious.
By then, Jenny had calmed down, and was crying, looking like her world was falling.
Unfortunately for her, I was going to send them all away if I couldn’t get to the bottom of everything, and she would be affected by it.
She said she had nowhere to go and people to protect, and that had touched me a little, but I feared she’d need to look elsewhere to find the protection to give them.
As for me, I was done with the lying girls.
~
“Could it be any of them?” Tray asked, as I threw a ball on the wall, catching it as it bounced back.
“I have no idea. How do I even know I can believe what Tenor says.”
“You should have told me about this earlier.”
“Then what would you have done? Install secret cams in their rooms?” I asked, and he sighed.
“How is your family taking this?”
“Not well. They’re furious, and they won’t even listen to anything I say. They insist on taking it out on Derel.”
“Can’t we find the first person who posted it?”
“There have been lots of reposts, and different anonymous accounts who also took turns in uploading it. It’s hard to find the first person who posted it, with so many reposts all around.”
“Then tell the people to take down their posts, or they’ll be penalized.” He suggested.
“This is not good. It’s a huge opportunity for us to lose our power and reputation. If it affects us politically, then we have lost. We need to put a stop to this.” I said, dropping the ball.
“How do we do that when every reporter is bringing up stories to match the images?”
“They want answers. Let’s give them their answers. Arrange a press conference. Let them ask all they want to ask. I’ll try to see Derel.”
“Don’t you think Sandra probably had those photos, and edited them onto these deep fakes that look hideously real?”
“No. Her sister knew way too much about Derel, and plus, Derel’s pictures are everywhere on the internet. Meetings, parties, birthdays, photoshoots… He must be going crazy right now.” I said, leaving the office.
Derel was restless in his room when I got there.
“Did you manage to sort anything out?” He asked, immediately he saw me.
“I arranged for an urgent press conference tomorrow. I’ll explain to the reporters, and have them spread the news that the images were photo shopped.
Don’t worry too much. The case will be solved.
What about Genevieve? Have you spoken to her?
” I asked, sitting on his bed, and he sat next to me with a sigh.
“No. They went out for meetings. Mum wants to take the photos down, but I don’t want her to.
It’s only confirming that I’m the one in those photos.
That’s wr0ng. I posted something on an anonymous account about it being photo shopped, but I got a load of hateful comments in return.
They all think the family is going to say that because the family always tells lies to cover things up.
The reporters will be different, right? It won’t make things worse, right?
What if they decide Uncle Raymond is getting too weak to rule over the different packs, and is unable to carry out his role to prevent them from clashing and fighting? ” He asked, with troubled eyes.
“That won’t happen. We have been the strongest pack for centuries. Nothing would make us any less strong now.” I replied to console him, even though it was the major worry on my mind.
The next day, I was knotting my tie in front of the mirror when Sadie came in.
“It’s not Derel in those pictures, right?” She asked.
“Sadie, did you look at those?” I asked, alarmed.
“I didn’t. My friends say it’s really awful.”
“It’s not Derel.”
“Who did it?”
“One of the ladies I hired recently.” I replied.
“Why do you think it’s one of them? Deep Fakes can be done by anyone.” She replied, and she was right. Why didn’t I see it that way?
Why would the culprit need to be an influencer—my influencer before using Derel to wreak havoc?
“I heard from someone.” I replied.
“Well, it’s either that someone is the real culprit, or the real culprit had another motive, or still has another motive, and is using this as a distraction.” She replied.
That sounded true. How come I didn’t think of it?
“Where’s John? I haven’t seen him since yesterday. Doesn’t he care about what’s going on?”
“John’s not home. He and Emily went on a three-day trip.”
“Three-day trip?” I asked.
“Yes. They went early yesterday.”
“So, he doesn’t know what’s happening?” I asked, feeling a little unsure of how I ought to feel about the information.
“I don’t know. He’s not of any use anyway. Why bother him?” She said, and left my room.
~
The thought of Emily and John didn’t leave my mind all morning. Even in the car with Tray, I couldn’t help losing my focus.
“The meeting is at one in the afternoon. Are you prepared?” Tray asked, as we drove to the large hall where the conference was to be held.
“Yes, I’m prepared.”
“What’s that sour look on your face? Did anything worse happen?”
“No. Emily went on a three-day trip with John?”
“Wow. You’re awesome, Lucas Granger. You mean to tell me you have the time to be jealous?”
“Gosh, you’re right. That should be the least of my problems right now.” My phone rang. “It’s Derel.” I said, and picked it.
Derel sniffed.
“You’re crying?”
“Mom fainted again.” He said, and I sighed.
“When she wakes, tell her I’ll take care of it. She should sit and relax. Gosh, she had surgery recently.”
“She won’t listen. All she wants to do is blame me and confront the people bad mouthing us with a head-on battle.”
“I’ll talk to her about it. Don’t worry about anything. It’ll be fine. I promise you that. The press conference will begin soon. I’ll let them know about the photo shopped images.” I said, and heard him give a little sigh.
“Thanks, Lucas.”
“You’re welcome.” I replied, and ended the call.
Leaning back into the car, I released a sigh of my own. It was going to be a long day.
~
1PM came quite quickly, and reporters filled the hall, talking among each other excitedly, as they prepared their cameras, laptops, phones, notepads, and everything they needed to get their information quickly.
“Nervous?” Tray asked, slapping my back lightly.
“Nervous about what will happen if things go wrong.” I said, and left. Immediately I came out the door, the cameras began to flash, and it became a total disaster. None of them had the courtesy to wait. They all wanted to ask their questions at once.
“Is it really Derel Granger in those photos?”
“Are you here to cover up for him?”
“What’s the situation like at home?”
“He stopped going to school. Is he ashamed of what he did?”
“Did he really sexually harass two innocent friends, and asked the family to cover it up?”
“Is it true he commits incest with his twin sister?”
“Are you here today to deny it?”
“Is it true the Pack Alphas are reconsidering keeping the Granger family in control?”
“Will Alpha Romeo take over?”
“What’s your take on Derel’s disgraceful behavior?”
The questions went on and on, and my vision went dark. It felt like all I could see were the flashing lights, and the sounds of their voices gradually becoming faraway.
If I caused any scene by losing consciousness or acting funny, it would ruin things, but that seemed pretty much like what was about to happen.