Chapter 118

"Why?" I yell. I didn't mean to. But my confusion and frustration and pent up rage at the futility of the situation I have found myself in manifests as a loud cry that rips from somewhere deep within my belly where all my conflicting emotions bubble.

"Why can't you? You realise I would be the worst hit if Cecilia takes this up right? It already happened with the whole exposé mess and I wasn't even directly linked to that. I don't even know what the artist looks like. I have never met him. I didn't even know my own mother was in Paris for that long. And yet, I am the easy target for the anger of thousands of internet strangers. So, please, Linc, tell me why you can't yield this once?"

"Because it makes no sense to just yield. Do you really believe that doing those vapid women this little inconsequential favour would be the last we hear of it? No!" Linc raises his voice on the last word and I jump. Startled. It is the first time he would be raising his voice when talking to me.