Chapter 49
At eight in the evening, Avery was flipping through the latest foreign scientific papers when her phone rang. It was Rufus. She hit the speaker button, and his loud voice came through from the other end. "Avery, are you really dating Alexander?"
Avery looked puzzled. "No, we’re just acquaintances who collaborate professionally now and then."
"I knew it. Those trashy tabloids are stirring things up," Rufus spat. "If you’re not in a relationship with Alexander, I’ll deal with those media outlets and teach them a lesson."
"Hold on," Avery said calmly. "Let me find out what’s going on first."
She hung up and quickly searched for articles about her and Alexander. The results left her speechless. One headline read, "Mr. Moran’s new fling is an 18-year-old beauty and top SAT scorer." Another said, "Mr. Moran spotted with flowers at a luxury hotel, spends a romantic night with a gorgeous young woman." The most ridiculous of all was, "Mr. Moran and the top SAT scorer are living together!"
Avery skimmed the headlines, shaking her head, not even bothering to click on any of them. However, one article caught her eye, and she read it from beginning to end. The headline was, "Rumored to be pursuing the top SAT scorer, Alexander Moran too was a top scorer himself."
The article disclosed that Alexander, at the age of 14, had scored full marks on his SAT. Following standard procedure, the identity and results of the top scorer weren’t officially announced, and the Moran family didn’t release them either. After the exam, Alexander went abroad to study, and his achievement only came to light last night when his secretary revealed it publicly.
It also mentioned that Alexander completed a double master’s degree at an Ivy League university in just three years. After returning to the country, he became the CEO of the Moran Group with support from his sister, Lucy. Over the years, Alexander hadn’t been involved with any women. The scandals circulating about him had been fabricated by women seeking fame, but he had warned them and dealt with them accordingly. No one had dared to exploit his name again.
The closing lines read, "This time, Alexander presented flowers to this year’s top scorer and openly stated they were friends. It seems he’s interested in her and doesn’t mind the public attention. We wish them the best."
A smile spread across Avery’s face after reading the article. Amid all the messy, scandalous, and irresponsible gossip, this one stood out as refreshing, with a refined tone. She made a mental note of the writer, "Saucy," from the official account of the Rosemont Chronicle.