Chapter 50 (1/1)

It was a bright and sunny morning as Charmaine stepped out of her apartment building.  Before she had taken more than five steps she heard a stampede of footsteps and turned at the noise.  She saw three people running in her direction: a man carrying a camera, a woman holding a microphone and a third man with a clipboard and some other gadget around his neck.  It was obvious from their equipment and the anxiousness on their faces that they were reporters.  She looked back behind her to see whether someone important or newsworthy was coming out of her building.  There was only the security guard at his station with his head bent reading the morning paper.  Before she could ponder further the three people surrounded her, hovering far too close for her comfort."Miss Sheh, what is your relationship with Raymond Lam," the young woman with the microphone asked as she shove the microphone in front of Charmaine's face."What?" Charmaine gasped in surprise by the unexpected question.The young female reporter gave her a sultry wink and added, "We saw you and Raymond Lam the other night walking into an apartment building together.  You guys appeared very close and it was hours later when he finally left.  Are you his secret girlfriend?""No!" Charmaine bit out and gave the female reporter her back while she tried to nudge past the two men who remained firm in their stances.  "Let me pass!" she hissed at them but they paid her no heed."Tell me how it feels to be dating a hot and famous celebrity like Raymond Lam," the reporter posed and somehow managed to squeeze herself between her two male co-workers to stand directly in front of Charmaine."I don't know what you're talking about!" Charmaine said with indifference and again tried to push past them."Raymond Lam is a great catch and I bet hundreds of women would like to be in your shoes.  When did you guys started dating?"Charmaine gave up the fight to leave.  She faced the reporter and in a hard firm voice clarified, "There is absolutely nothing between me and Raymond Lam.  I don't even know him personally.  You got the wrong person!  Now would you please step aside so that I can get to work!"The reporter wasn't about to give up that easily.  She's done her research and knew that this woman standing in front of her was the woman that accompanied Raymond Lam into an apartment building a few nights ago.  She also learned that Charmaine Sheh filled in as Raymond Lam's assistant two years ago.  From what she found out through interviewing the production crew at TTT Network, they were more than friendly even then.  So for her to claim not even knowing Raymond Lam was an outright lie.  And lies are told to cover truths.  "You don't know him?" she asked with a smirk on her face.  "How is that possible?  You worked for him once."Charmaine was astounded by the reporter's acknowledgment and couldn't seem to speak.The reporter quickly made use of Charmaine's vulnerability and asked, "Are you and Raymond Lam dating?  Did it spark because of you working for him?  Have you guys been secretly dating these past years?"Regaining some of her senses, Charmaine lowered her face and said, "I have nothing to say.  Please leave me alone!"  Ignoring her pleas, the three reporters continued to badger Charmaine, making it impossible for her to get around them to leave."Are you really dating Raymond Lam?  Is he as cool as he appears to be?  When is he planning to make your relationship public?"  The questions kept on even though Charmaine was nonresponsive to it all."Leave me alone!" Charmaine gave one last frustrated cry which only whetted the reporter's appetite for more questioning."What's going on here?" Wayne asked in a booming voice as he stalked towards them.  He saw the commotion as he was driving up the block and hastily left his car in the middle of the street to come to Charmaine's rescue.Charmaine looked helplessly at Wayne and he automatically took matters into his own hands.  He pushed Charmaine safely behind him so that he now faced the reporters.  In a steely voice, he clipped, "If you don't leave right now I'm going to sue you for harassment and illegal quarantine."  He then took out a stack of business cards and held one up in front of their faces.  "In case you're wondering who I am."The female reporter scanned the card and with a nod to her co-workers they turned and headed back to their car.Watching their retreating backs, Charmaine exhaled a sigh of relief.  "Thanks Wayne.  I wouldn't have been able to get away from them if you didn't come when you did."Replacing his business cards back into his coat pocket Wayne looked down at Charmaine with concern, "What was all that about?""They were asking me about Raymond?" Charmaine answered faintly.Her response astounded Wayne, who didn't think anyone knew or would even find out about them since Charmaine and Raymond Lam didn't even keep in touch anymore.  "How?""They saw us going into Kevin's building the other night.  Remember what I told you about Myolie.  It was that night," Charmaine responded in a low shaky voice.  The pressure of the questions from the reporter zapped her out of strength and she wondered how Raymond or any celebrity could go through life not knowing when they were going to be bombarded by reporters and their need for answers.  Why would anyone want that kind of a life?  With a sinking heart she thought Raymond obviously did.  More than he wanted her.Seeing Charmaine's down face, Wayne quickly said, "Come on.  Let's go to work.  I left my car running in the middle of the street.  We better go before I get a ticket."Coming out of her thoughts, Charmaine gave him a weak smile of gratitude and said softly, "Thanks Wayne.""Why are you thanking me again?" Wayne asked as he opened the passenger door and assisted Charmaine into the seat.Charmaine waited until Wayne was seated behind the steering wheel and said, "For always being there for me and for always looking out for me."Wayne chuckled as he shifted the gear.  Looking straight ahead he said, "I have a secret motive for being nice to you."Stunned by his words, Charmaine turned to look at his profile.  Wayne remained looking straight ahead with a serious expression on his face.  "What is your secret motive then?"Wayne stopped at the light and turned to look at her.  In a soft and tender voice, he said, "I'm in love with you."-------------------------------------------Raymond was seated in front of a mirror in TTT Network's make up room.  Jazz had left seconds ago to pick up some beverages for Raymond from the building's canteen, located two floors below.  While Raymond waited for the make up artist to arrive he picked up an old magazine from the table and began leafing through it."Ray?" a timid voice called out from a distance.Raymond turned towards the door and seeing who it was brought a smile of greeting to his face.  "Hi Kenneth.  I haven't seen you around lately.  How are you?"Kenneth's smile faltered as he stepped inside the room and then closed and locked the door.The action made Raymond alert as he searched Kenneth's face.  "What's going on?"Kenneth's face remained sober and tensed as he made his way towards Raymond.  "I have something to tell you and I don't even know where to begin.""What is it?" Raymond inquired and wondered again what was up with him.  Kenneth had always been an outgoing person who speaks his mind.  For him to behave this way was definitely a first and Raymond had a feeling that whatever it was that Kenneth was going to tell him, he wasn't going to like.  When Kenneth didn't say a word but merely stood there looking at him, Raymond prompted, "Did something happen between you and Natalie?"Kenneth instantly shook his head.  "We're doing fine.  It's about your friend Ron Ng."Raymond could feel irritation build at the mention of Ron Ng.  Turning abruptly away he said briskly, "Anything about him I don't want to hear.  I don't want to have any more association with him from now on.""I thought he's a close friend of yours," Kenneth said quietly.  "At least that's what I thought when you first introduced him to me.  Did something happen to change that?"Exasperated by Kenneth's needless question, Raymond said bitterly, "Let's just say I finally saw his true colors."  Kenneth sighed with visible relief at Raymond's response and Raymond caught it.  Marring his brows, he asked in turn, "Why are you asking me about him?  What's going on?"Kenneth grabbed a nearby chair and sat down.  Looking straight at Raymond he said, "I had drinks with Ron the other night and he showed me something that made me uncomfortable, extremely uncomfortable.""Go on," Raymond prodded."It has to do with Myolie," Kenneth said slowly.  "That night, Ron showed us a video of him having sex with Myolie."  Taking a big gulp he gushed, "And she was unconscious.  It seems Ron Ng might have drugged her and then raped her without her knowing it."Raymond jumped out of his chair to grab Kenneth by the shirt and demanded, "There's a video?""Yes!" Kenneth answered immediately.  "All along I thought Ron was a good guy since you're good friends with him.  And I believed there must have been some sort of misunderstanding between him and Myolie that led to her accusation.  .So I met up with him with a clear and open mind.  But that video showed me the truth.  This video could be what the police needs to put him behind bars."Hope filled Raymond at the thought but quickly vanished as another thought seized him.  "But how are we going to get that video from Ron Ng?""Leave that to me," Kenneth said and without another word turned and left.