Chapter 59

"Al, I had something on my face, and I was helping her remove it." I force a smile. The child looks at us, trying to find traces of a lie but not succeeding. She hugs Alana.

"I want to play."

"Sweetie, I have to work. Why don't you play with the dolls we bought you?"

"I'm bored with them."

"I can play with her," I say to Alana. The eight-year-old girl looks at me and gives a sinister smile. I'm afraid of what she might do to me. It scares me that she might want to put makeup on me or put bows in my hair. Kids are monsters, and girls are worse than boys. Just by looking into their shiny eyes and their innocent lips, you can't say no, and once you start saying yes, you can't stop.

"I'll be more than an hour; Donna wants me to attend a photoshoot here. Will you be able to handle her alone?"

"I thought you had nothing to do today."

"She messaged me just now; it was impromptu."

"Are you going to leave me alone with a man?" the girl asked.