Total pages in book: 92
Estimated words: 90852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90852 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 454(@200wpm)___ 363(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
“Duck, you're not helping.” Chen turned to me. “Lei, I have two huge items to catch you up on and after you hear those, I doubt you will see Duck staying with Moni as our biggest problem.”
“What huge items?”
Chen signaled for us to walk again.
I dragged myself away from wanting to kick Duck’s ass and kept Chen’s pace by his side. “What now?”
“After your unexpected introduction of Moni to the East yesterday, news outlets and social media had a lot to say.” Chen handed me the stack. “As you can see, the Palace press staff complied a hefty report.”
What lay in my hands were not a collection of complete publications but rather an accumulation of the first two pages of numerous newspapers, alongside printed-out blog posts and social media excerpts from major influencers across the East. The papers were scattered, some crinkled at the edges, as if they had been hastily assembled.
Continuing forward, I checked the first page’s headline.
The Mountain Master's Bold Move: Introduces Lover from the West to Eastern Palace.
I checked another one.
East Meets West.
I let out a long breath. “Someone will have to explain to the media that Moni isn’t from the West.”
Chen nodded. “After the battle and the final ceremony of saying goodbye to Uncle Leo, we will need to do some formal introductions of her. Perhaps, a big party and other events.”
I checked the next page.
Historic Arrival, Mountain Master's Companion Sparks Unprecedented Attention.
I went through other headlines, nervous and hoping no one stepped out of line with their reporting.
Diversity at the Palace.
Mountain Master's Lover Breaks Centuries-Old Tradition.
I looked up. “What fucking tradition?”
Hu got to my left. “Well. . .we knew they would make a huge thing of her race.”
I spoke through clenched teeth. “Let’s make sure they are very fucking careful with that.”
Everyone went tense and silent.
I slowed my pace and scanned their faces. “What?”
Chen scratched his head. “Keep going through the headlines and posts, then I will finish explaining.”
Frowning, I went through more headlines.
The Palace's New Face.
Who Is She?
A New Era Begins: Mountain Master's Romance with Foreign Beauty Captivates the East.
“Foreign? What the fuck is wrong with them?” My frown deepened as I checked another headline.
Cultural Milestone; First Black Person to Enter the Palace.
I groaned in annoyance and glanced at Chen. “In no way is she the first Black person to be in the Palace. I need that stated today.”
Chen shrugged. “The news needs to sell papers.”
“And the Palace must clear a lot of this up.”
“Well. . .keep reading, Mountain Master.”
I went to the gossip blogs.
Tracing the Spiraling Saga of the Mountain Master’s Romantic Ventures.
My face twisted into disgust as I spotted pictures of not only Chanel, but her sister, Kashmere as well as Dima’s mother and some Korean woman with red hair.
“This is bullshit. I never dated any of them.” I handed Chen the stuff I had already read. “I don’t like any of this at all. We’re ending half of these news outlets—”
“Don’t forget your parents’ commitment to free press.”
Duck snorted behind us.
I glanced over my shoulder. “What?”
Chen waved his hand. “I’ll explain his reaction. Just. . .finish.”
Sighing, I checked the other gossip blogs.
Decoding the Mountain Master’s Complicated Love Story—Prostitution, Blackmail, and Alien Conspiracies.
We rounded the corner to the elevator and stopped there.
Morons. All of them.
I didn’t need this shit. Especially with Moni already nervous about getting used to the East. Everyone had to fall in line and respect her, especially the East.
She’d barely been here twenty-four hours and they were going too fucking far.
What would happen when her sisters arrived?
As if hearing my thoughts, Chen spoke, “I have a small PR team that will begin to represent Moni and her sisters once they make the transition here. I also have another team that will handle the actual transition.”
I looked up. “What will the transition team do?”
“I’m sure Moni will want to register the younger sisters in schools. Depending on the school the press may make it difficult for them.”
Duck shook his head. “I doubt that. I think after last night. . .the transition will be very smooth.”
Chen shifted uncomfortably.
I eyed them. “What happened last night?”
Chen kept a neutral expression. “Please keep reading.”
The elevator doors opened.
We got on.
I made it to the social media posts of top Eastern influencers. In the East, we had our own version of twitter called The E.
That was when things truly got worse.
The diversity of opinions was staggering. Some loved the introduction of Moni, painting it as a bold step towards a progressive future in the East.
But not all shared this optimistic viewpoint.
My eyes caught on some posts that seethed with judgment and disdain.
Watch your fucking mouth.
The words were sharp, cutting deeper with every line I read. Accusations of recklessness, of abandoning sacred traditions, and of disrespecting the very foundations of Eastern society.
I may need to change this Free Press concept.