The Billionaire's Sweet Trouble

06

Sebastian

Two weeks after Sweet Treble's exposé, the issue still did not die down. In fact, the media turned my life into a circus. False articles kept on coming, inviting more trolls and fame whores riding my coattails to gain more followers.

Media camped outside my penthouse and paparazzi followed me around, trying to annoy me by shoving their cameras in front of my face. I could barely open my window without cameras there. I felt like I was under house arrest.

I kept a low profile by staying away from public places—especially the bar. I spent most of my time either in the office working or at home in my personal gym or watching all action packed movies I could find on TV.

I was also forced to take time off hooking up with girls after some women talked shit about me on the internet. That I don't date a girl twice, that I don't answer their texts and calls, or that I don't do relationships and girlfriends and am afraid of commitment.

All the write-ups annoyed me because they were all true.

My parents were still upset with me, too. I disappointed even my grandparents. I could not stand it every time we had our family dinner on Wednesday night and they grilled me with questions about Sweet Treble.

What the hell, as if she's connected to me already.

What helped was that my weirdo (but lovable) sister, Luna, did crazy things that diverted my family's attention. She baked black cookies, cooked pig blood curd, rode public transport while everyone thought she was a vampire, and punched a guy.

But the focal point of their attention was still always me. Grandpa Kristov called me often, monitoring if I was in a safe location. Safe location meaning I was not in the bar or hooking up with a woman.

It became very overwhelming. I was being treated like a child. It just made me more determined to stop all of the nonsense and get my normal life back.

Well, I did what I needed to do.

Sweet Treble made my life miserable. Everyone turned against me, including my family. I hoped that Andrews cutting the potato deal with her father would bring her to the negotiating table with me.

I learned that there were various machinery purchased lately for their family's potato farm under her name. She was passionate about growing more potatoes—as much as growing more followers.

Well, well... you can't have it all, Miss Treble. Let's see how you take the news.

My office door immediately opened. It was Mom.

"Have you seen the stock market today?" she snapped at me, storming inside the room.

"Not yet, why?"

"The Stavrakos stocks went down! My God, Sebastian. This has never happened before. This is all because of Sweet Treble's exposé and the numerous scandals that you've been involved in."

I couldn't make anything right in Mom's eyes anymore. She'd blame me for every mishap that involved our family and company.

"I'm sure it's not entirely my fault..." I reasoned, but she cut me off.

"This is the final straw, I'm done with you! You're out of the board and your position as COO! I'm removing you as heir of this family business."

"What!" I raked my hair in agitation. "You can't do that to me, Mom. Come on."

"You know I can." One of her eyebrows rose. "You're not acting appropriately for your role in this company. You're supposed to be the heir of this business empire, and yet you neglected your duties and responsibilities. You only brought the Stavrakos and Pallis names to shame."