96

VIVIAN

The shock of Nate mother's statement stunned me into silence.

Apart from my fitful coughing, the entire table was dead silent and I could feel their eyes locked on me. I tried to suppress my cough, to slink back into the shadows and let Nate handle this but I knew that this was my cross to carry.

Nate's mother had addressed me and made sure the spotlight was on me. She was an attention seeker in her own right but she was deflecting all the attention towards me this time. I wasn't sure whether to be grateful or not.

I felt my eyes water from the effort that it took to cough and reached for a glass of water but there were already two glasses being held out in front of me.

In the seconds it took me to decide which one to grab, different thoughts ran through my mind. I loathed to receive help from Nate but it would be awkward to pick Ethan's own over his.

All eyes were on me, watching every of my little action and I did not want to give them something to gossip about especial