Chapter 14 - The Paparazzi Ambush
|
The illusion of their perfect, isolated world shattered on a bright Saturday afternoon.
Pedro had convinced Abigail to take the boys to a public park in downtown Newport. It was supposed to be a normal family outing, a rare attempt for the billionaire to blend in with everyday life.
They were eating ice cream near the fountain when the peace was violently disrupted.
A sleek black van pulled up to the curb, and five men with large cameras leaped out. They weren't just taking pictures; they were aggressive, swarming Pedro and the boys, shouting rapid-fire questions about his late wife and his recent corporate mergers.
"Mr. Jacobs! Is it true you're selling the company?"
"Look this way, boys! Give us a smile!"
Ben and Jerry panicked. The sudden invasion of their space, the blinding flashes, and the shouting sent them into a tailspin. Jerry dropped his ice cream, covering his ears and sobbing.
Pedro tried to shield them, but the paparazzi aggressively pushed closer, blocking their path to the car.
Abigail didn't think; she reacted.
She stepped directly in front of the cameras, physically shoving the lead photographer backward with surprising force.
"Back off!" Abigail roared, her voice echoing across the park. She looked like a lioness protecting her cubs. She grabbed the lens of the closest camera and shoved it downward. "You are terrifying children! Get away from them right now!"
"Who are you, sweetheart? The new flavor of the month?" a reporter sneered, snapping a rapid series of photos directly in Abigail's face.
Pedro grabbed Abigail's arm, pulling her behind him as his security detail finally arrived, shoving the reporters back and clearing a path to the SUV.
May you like
They piled into the car, the doors slamming shut against the chaos.
Abigail sat in the back, holding the trembling boys against her chest. She was shaking with adrenaline and rage. She didn't realize that in her fierce attempt to protect them, she had just put her own face on the front page of every tabloid in the country.
