Chapter 62
Chapter 62:
Alden’s car rolled quietly through the rear exit of Nexus TV.
Meanwhile, the front entrance remained a mess—reporters blocked the path, their flashing cameras and shouted questions creating a nightmare for the staff trying to come and go.
News of the scandal had taken on a life of its own, spreading faster than Helena could have ever predicted.
In the staff group chat, complaints poured in by the second. A few reporters even joked bitterly that they’d chased headlines for years, yet never imagined they’d be surrounded at the entrance of their own workplace.
Watching the building shrink in the rearview mirror, Helena felt her throat tighten. The sting behind her eyes burned harder than she expected.
She had held her own against Laurence earlier, but deep down, she was lost. She had no idea what came next.
Taking Nexus TV to court sounded noble in theory, but the reality was that it would bleed her dry—financially and emotionally.
And as if that weren’t enough, the second-round news anchor exam was only three days away. Months of effort had been shredded by Cassandra’s slander.
There was a good chance she had just walked out of that building for the last time.
“Quit looking behind you.” Alden’s warm hand gently covered her eyes, catching her tears before they had the chance to fall.
“You’re going to anchor again. That’s not a maybe. It’s a certainty,” he added, quiet but firm.
Helena swatted his hand away with a pout, not unlike a child resisting comfort she secretly craved.
Sniffling softly, she stared down at her lap. “You really believe that?” It was rare for Alden to speak so openly, but this time, he didn’t hold back.
“You’re not some major star, and Nexus TV’s glory days are long gone. Just give it until tomorrow—by then, this will all be old news that no one cares about p>
That surprised Helena. Alden hardly ever talked like this.
She turned to him slowly. Their eyes locked, and she realized he hadn’t looked away once.
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“So that’s why you won’t divorce me?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
If the scandal would vanish soon, maybe he didn’t see the point in ending what they had. That thought took root in her mind before she could stop it. A flicker of something passed through Alden’s eyes. He didn’t answer immediately.
Without warning, the car veered sharply onto a narrow side street. The sudden turn jolted Helena sideways, sending her toward the window. Before she could hit the glass, a hand slipped behind her head, steady and warm, absorbing the impact.
When she opened her eyes, she found Alden inches from her—his bangs brushing her forehead, their noses almost touching.
She had been this close to him before, but this time felt different. Helena didn’t move away. If anything, a strange anticipation coiled in her chest.
If he kissed her now—for a third time—she might finally ask him about Nyno.
That thought had barely finished forming when Alden’s gaze dropped, and his fingers grazed the edge of her blouse.
Only then did Helena notice something resting lightly against her chest—his spare hearing aid.
The sharp swerve must have knocked it loose, and somehow, it had landed in an undeniably awkward place. Instead of reaching for it, Alden hesitated.
Helena gently picked it up with care. “Let me help you wear it again.” Her fingertips brushed the curve of Alden’s ear as she carefully returned the device to its place.
The space between them suddenly filled with tension. Alden parted his lips to speak, but Xavier’s anxious voice interjected before he could get a word out.
“Mr. Wilson, we’re being followed p>
That snapped the moment in half. Helena straightened and turned toward the rear window. Two high-end cars tailed them at a close distance, their presence impossible to ignore. Her brows drew together in disbelief.
“Who would go this far just for a story? What kind of outlet is this desperate p>
Alden didn’t answer. His gaze shifted to the side mirror, eyes narrowing as a chill settled over his expression.
Almost simultaneously, both his and Xavier’s phones lit up with calls. This wasn’t some overeager reporter trying to score an exclusive. It was far more likely that someone from the Wilson family was taking advantage of the moment to cause a scene.
Alden had a feeling something wasn’t adding up for a while. Nexus TV didn’t pull strong ratings, and even with Helena’s situation, the scandal shouldn’t have caught fire so quickly.
There was no doubt that Rylan had been pulling strings behind the scenes to fuel the fire.
Rylan had been in Cheson for years and understood the flow of public opinion far better than Alden ever could. Seizing on Helena’s situation, Rylan took actions aimed at backing Alden into a corner.
Alden picked up the call, and just as expected, Rylan’s taunting voice came through, saying, “Hey, Alden, I heard your wife’s landed herself in a mess. The entire family’s concerned, especially Grandma p>
No emotion crossed Alden’s face, but the air around him seemed to chill. “Skip the theatrics. What do you actually want p>
Rylan dropped the act. “I understand how the media in Cheson works better than you ever will. If you’re willing to let me co-manage the redevelopment project, I might consider giving her a hand p>
Alden’s face hardened, but before he could respond, Helena snatched the phone right out of his hand.
She adopted a voice dripping with sweetness and said, “Honey, don’t waste your time with those reporters. They’re just a group of no-ones, chattering from the edge. Honestly, even the small dog I see in the neighborhood every day is more important than they are p>
Alden tilted his head, mildly amused. “Small dog p>
Helena laughed softly and shrugged casually. “Yeah. Give it a bone and it’ll spin around, way more grateful than some people who don’t even have a conscience p>
Her voice was sharp and strong, each syllable landing squarely in Rylan’s ears. He was caught off guard for a second, then color rushed to his face in fury.
Helena hadn’t even bothered to mention his name, yet every word out of her mouth hit like a slap. Marrying that deaf man must’ve given her some nerve, because now she thought she could talk down to him like she was somebody.
Rylan opened his mouth, ready to tear into her, but the line went dead before he got the chance.
Helena had rattled off everything she had to say, then ended the call and powered off the phone without missing a beat.
Alden let out a low laugh. He hadn’t expected that from her.
So, Helena was capable of being both teasing and shy. If Rylan hadn’t called, he might have gone on without ever catching a glimpse of this side of her.
He squinted slightly. “Were you able to tell who was on the line p>