Bed Sheets II

14. Eric vs Reporters

"Eric Valence!"

"Eric Valence!"

Ever since Draven's press conference, Eric was having reporters follow him whenever he walked around the streets. He was hassled by them more often than not, that he was debating whether to hire body guards. Many times he needed to sprint inside the closest building to avoid any conflict, and he would stare at them from the window, panting.

They continuously asked for his side, wanting his piece and although he kept quiet for long enough, he wanted to put the entire story to bed. That morning, he headed to his office on the outskirts of the city, and was on the phone with Kyle when a reporter brushed past him out of nowhere and slammed into his back. The phone fell from his hand and hit the cement.

Instantly, the reporter attempted to apologize but Eric shoved him aside aggressively, "Watch where the hell you're going!" He reached down for his cellphone, and his screen had a crack, that it caused his entire mind to explode. He faced the reporters, "You guys are the most annoying bunch I've ever met!"

"You know what? Fine, you want a damn response?" Eric's jaw tightened, his eyes jumping from reporter to reporter and he was soon surrounded with microphones in his face. "Truth is, I don't care about that comic book. Draven did what he thought was right, and if writing that comic book gives him closure, then so be it. At the end of the day, that's a man that I once loved, had relations with, and I respect him and he will always have a special place in my heart because I have to acknowledge the fact that he put me on the map."

"So I know you guys are trying to find any means to make us go against one another, as you've done before. I fell for it first, but not this time because I have people I care about, and I don't want to hurt Draven any more than he's already in pain—"

"Are you still in love with him?" One of the reporters questioned bluntly, and Eric was fuming in rage.

"I have a fiancé! Are you out of your mind?" Eric starting menacingly stepping forward and a random reporter blocked his path. "Move out of my way."

"I don't want you to do anything you will regret, so please be on your way sir, we got our answers."

Eric, with gritted teeth and clamped fists, scoffed and swerved around on his heels, picking up his pace and heading inside his building.

It was only a couple hours later, when Draven reached his office late, he stepped in on his editing team staring at the big screen on their floor. When his eyes turned to the screen, he was surprised that it was a news reportage station. They had not realized he had reached the floor, and his eyes widened when he saw his name with an angry Eric on the screen.

"Eric still in love with Draven? Hi I am your host Jillian Andy, and this morning at around eight a.m on Tellubar street, Eric Valence was reported to have admitted his feelings for Draven H. Malcom. When asked if he was still in love, his response was not no."

The screen changed to the reporter filming Eric outside his building, and the video was him saying, "At the end of the day, that's a man that I once loved, had relations with, and I respect him and he will always have a special place in my heart."

The host returned on the screen, "Eric Valence, author of Love Has Tears, was on Draven H. Malcom's editor, and as their relationship continued, they were soon exposed as secret lovers and Valence gained his titles as co-author. It was during the time Malcom was still husband to Adelina Malcom, and Valence left his office shortly after it was reported his best friend committed suicide."

"Now fiancé to Kyle Merchi, it was not predicted that Eric Valence and Draven H. Malcom still have relations, but as proven, Valence has confirmed that he is in love with Malcom. As for—" the screen went all black.

When Draven's confused eyes turned towards his editors, all of them were staring back at him with paralyzing fear plastered on their faces. Even Rebecca was sweating, but when Draven realized Jason had the remote, he said, "Turn it back on.

"No," Jason refused, shaking his head. "It wasn't right for us to be watching that here."

"Just turn it on."

"Maybe you should head into your office," Miranda said softly.

Draven, exhausted in having to argue these past days, decided to roll his eyes and walk towards his office, saying, "I saw the whole thing anyway."

It was the first time he walked by Sophie's desk and saw it empty, which caused his teeth to grit and he slammed his door shut.