Chapter 108: No Scandal Can Separate Us

Chapter 108: Chapter 108: No Scandal Can Separate Us

~Third- POV~

"Are you sure, sweetheart?" Frederick pressed, his lips twitching with a suppressed smirk.

Reynold huffed lightly, tilting his head. "Yes! Why do you keep asking me?"

Without saying another word, Frederick reached down under the heavy duvet. He took Reynold’s hand, guiding it lower until his soft palm landed directly against the thick, hard shape of his cock straining beneath his lounge pants.

"Are you sure you don’t want this banana?" Frederick whispered against his ear.

Reynold gasped as his hand rested over the impressive, heavy length, the heat radiating right through the fabric. His heart gave a sudden, violent thud against his ribs. He swallowed hard, his face instantly flushing a bright, burning red as his fingers reflexively twitched around the firm shape.

"Is... is that what you call a banana?" Reynold spoke slowly, his voice suddenly breathless and small.

Frederick smirked down at his blushing face, his eyes dark with affectionate teasing. "It’s your favorite kind, isn’t it?"

Reynold let out a tiny squeak and playfully smacked Frederick’s broad chest with his free hand, though he didn’t pull his other hand away from Frederick’s cock.

"Stop teasing me!" Reynold whimpered, a helpless smile breaking across his red face. He buried his face into the crook of Frederick’s neck, murmuring, "Of course I want this banana... I love it and I enjoy it. But I seriously just wanted to be warm for real tonight!"

Frederick’s deep laugh echoed through the quiet room as he wrapped both arms securely around Reynold, pulling him flush against his chest and kissing the side of his burning cheek.

"Alright, baby," Frederick murmured, running his long fingers through Reynold’s dark hair. "I believe you."

Reynold snuggled closer, letting out a long, happy sigh as he rested his head against Frederick’s chest.

Frederick wrapped an arm around Reynold’s waist, pulling him close as his hand traced soothing circles over his back.

"Better?" Frederick whispered, resting his chin on Reynold’s hair.

"Much better," Reynold sighed contentedly, listening to the steady beat of Frederick’s heart. "Goodnight, Daddy."

Frederick kissed the crown of his head. "Goodnight, sweetheart. Sleep well."

Wrapped in each other’s warmth, they soon drifted into a peaceful sleep, undisturbed by the world outside.

The soft morning sunlight streamed through the sheer velvet curtains, casting warm golden stripes across the master bedroom. Reynold stirred first, shifting against Frederick’s chest. He smiled sleepily, enjoying the peaceful warmth of their bed.

Frederick’s arm remained wrapped around his waist, his steady breathing brushing against the back of Reynold’s neck.

After stretching lazily, Reynold reached for his phone on the nightstand to check the time. The moment he tapped the screen, it began vibrating nonstop.

Hundreds of notifications flooded his screen—missed calls, tagged posts, and countless messages.

Is this because of the picture I posted yesterday? Reynold wondered, frowning at the screen. Why are there so many notifications?

Curious and slightly uneasy, he unlocked his phone and started checking. However, instead of the usual reactions to his post, several alarming headlines caught his attention.

His smile faded.

@TrendingDaily: EXCLUSIVE: Billionaire Frederick Corvin Accused of Abandoning Family for Teenager! Is This a Manipulative Ploy or a High-Society Scandal?

@GossipBlast_Official: SOURCES CLAIM: Ex-Wife and Daughter Left in the Cold While Corvin Funds Lavish Lifestyle for College Student. Read the Full Tell-All Inside!

@Uni_Gossip_Hub:REYNOLD BUSTED?! Bloggers Release Damning Report Claiming Reynold Broke Up Frederick Corvin’s Marriage!

Reynold’s heart dropped straight to his stomach. The cozy warmth in his chest evaporated instantly, replaced by a cold, suffocating panic. His hands trembled as he opened the main entertainment blog linked in the alerts.

There, right at the top of the page in bold, sensational red letters, was the headline:

THE DARK TRUTH BEHIND FREDERICK CORVIN’S NEW ’ANGEL’: A STORY OF ABANDONMENT, MANIPULATION, AND GREED

The article painted a ruthless, malicious narrative. It claimed Frederick had callously abandoned his wife and young daughter, throwing away his family to pursue an irresponsible fling. Worse still, it portrayed Reynold as a calculating home-wrecker who had deliberately seduced a powerful billionaire, manipulating him into turning his back on his family just to secure luxury cars, expensive tuition, and a place in high society.

Underneath the article, the comment section had already spiraled out of control.

@User_8832: I KNEW IT! How could a father just throw his family away like that?! Disgusting!

@SocietyWatcher: That boy looks so innocent on the outside, but he’s clearly a mastermind. Poor wife and kid...

@JusticeForEva:Cancel Frederick Corvin! Power and money shouldn’t protect people who abandon their children!

Tears blurred Reynold’s eyes. A tight, painful knot formed in his throat as he read line after line of venomous lies. He pulled his hands back, his body trembling slightly as he tried to keep his breathing quiet.

"Sweetheart?"

Frederick’s deep, gravelly morning voice broke through the silence. Feeling the sudden tension in Reynold’s body, Frederick sat up, the duvet sliding down his broad shoulders. He took one look at Reynold’s pale face and tear-rimmed eyes, and his expression instantly hardened.

"What’s wrong?" Frederick asked, his tone shifting into something sharp and fiercely protective.

Reynold swallowed hard, his voice barely a whisper as he held out the phone. "T-They... someone wrote an article, Daddy... They’re saying you abandoned Lily and your wife... and that I... that I manipulated you to steal your money..."

Frederick took the phone, his eyes scanning the screen. As he read through the defamatory headlines and the vile accusations targeting Reynold’s character, his face turned into a mask of pure, icy steel.

He didn’t need to guess who was behind this. The wording of the article and the accusations of abandonment bore Eva’s bitter fingerprints all over them.

Reynold wiped a stray tear from his cheek, looking up at Frederick with anxious eyes. "Frederick... what if people believe this? What if this ruins your company? What if—"

"Hey," Frederick interrupted gently, brushing a stray tear from Reynold’s cheek with his thumb. "Come on, baby. Not everyone is going to believe everything they read. There are different articles and bloggers out there, and not everyone will accept these claims without question."

Reynold shook his head, his lower lip trembling as he looked up at Frederick with tearful eyes. "Everyone believes it, Frederick. They’re calling me names. They’re calling me a gold-digger and a manipulator."

"No, baby. Look here." Frederick tapped the screen and opened one of the popular entertainment threads before scrolling past the negative comments. "Look at this one. Almost everyone here is supporting you. Focus on the positive comments and ignore the hateful ones. Read them yourself."

Reynold sniffled and wiped his eyes with his sleeve. "Let me see."

Frederick handed him the phone, keeping an arm around his waist as Reynold looked down at the screen.

His eyes settled on the top comment, and he slowly read it aloud. ℯ

@Luxe_Observer: Wait a second... held on. I’ve been following corporate news and high-society circles for over a decade. I have NEVER once heard that Frederick Corvin was married?! He has been listed as a bachelor all these years! So why exactly is this supposed ’wife’ news just coming out now?! Where was she all this time? ??

@Realist_Mindset:Exactly my thoughts!! Frederick Corvin doesn’t look like someone who would just abandon his own family. The man built an entire empire on discipline and integrity. Something doesn’t add up here.

As Reynold kept reading down the thread, his heart began to settle. His dark eyes widened slightly as he saw thousands of likes piling up under the supportive responses:

@TruthSeeker99: I don’t believe a single word of this article. This is 100% fake news fabricated by a bitter ex or someone trying to ruin his reputation. The timing is way too convenient.

@VibeWithReynold:LEAVE REYNOLD ALONE!! ?? People are just jealous because a powerful billionaire like Frederick is genuinely interested in him and treats him like a prince! They can’t stand seeing someone young and beautiful get loved properly.

@EliteGossip_Exposed:Let’s look at the facts: Frederick literally posted Reynold on his OFFICIAL story calling him his ’cute little angel.’ A man of Frederick’s status doesn’t do that for a fling or if he has ’family secrets’ to hide. He is proud of Reynold!

@JusticeForLove:Notice how these anonymous ’sources’ came out the next day Frederick went public with Reynold? They are just trying to break Frederick down and ruin Reynold’s name. It’s so transparent and pathetic.

@BusinessDaily_Fan: Frederick Corvin is literally one of the most respected CEOs in the country. If he had a wife and child he ’abandoned,’ the tabloids would have exposed it a long time ago, not right when he finds happiness. I’m standing with Frederick and Reynold on this one!

@SoftAngel_Rey: Reynold literally looks like the sweetest, most innocent soul ever. Calling him a ’manipulator’ when Frederick is literally a grown billionaire who can do whatever he wants is ridiculous. Protect Reynold at all costs! ???

A small, quiet breath of relief escaped Reynold’s lips. The heavy weight in his chest began to ease, replaced by the warm, overwhelming realization that people actually saw through the lies.

He slowly lowered the phone and looked up into Frederick’s watchful dark eyes.

"See?" Frederick whispered, leaning in to press a warm kiss to Reynold’s forehead. "I told you. My sweet boy has nothing to be afraid of."

Reynold held the phone loosely in his hands, his gaze dropping before he looked back into Frederick’s eyes. "I just don’t want my life to affect yours," he admitted. "You’ve worked hard for everything you have. I’d hate myself if people used me to tear you down."

Frederick’s expression softened with affection. "I told you to trust me, didn’t I?"

Reynold nodded hesitantly, leaning his cheek against Frederick’s palm. "Yes... but the internet—"

"The internet can’t do anything to me at this point in my life, Reynold," Frederick interrupted. "I don’t need anyone’s approval or support. No news article or scandal can ruin me. I’ve prepared for days like this, and trust me, I’ll make sure anyone who tries to harm you learns the hard way. Okay?"

Reynold looked into Frederick’s unwavering eyes, drawing comfort from his confidence and certainty.

He nodded and snuggled closer. "Okay, Daddy..."

Frederick pulled him into a tight embrace and kissed his forehead. "Don’t shed another tear over this nonsense. I’m going to handle this once and for all."

Without wasting another second, Frederick reached for his phone on the nightstand and opened his contacts, calling his chief legal counsel.

As the call rang on speaker, he kept one arm wrapped around Reynold, resting his chin lightly on top of his soft blond hair.

"Mr. Corvin," his lead attorney, Arthur, answered on the second ring. His tone was sharp and alert. "We’ve already flagged the defamatory articles released by the entertainment blogs this morning. My team is awaiting your instructions."

"Track down the source immediately," Frederick commanded, his voice turning cold. "Issue cease-and-desist notices to every media outlet hosting those articles, and prepare defamation lawsuits against every blogger involved. I want everything ready by noon today."

"Understood, sir," Arthur replied without hesitation...