Miles pauses, considering my words. His frown deepens with each passing heartbeat. “You spoke with Daphne?” “She wanted to see me, to warn me,” I explain. “Hugo helped arrange it.” “Of course he did.” “What’s that supposed to mean?” “Nothing.” “Miles. Please.” I step closer to him. “I know
“I don’t do interviews anymore,” Maxine tells me as we stand side by side in the studio at channel 12, looking at the set where she and Miles are soon to sit down for a televised discussion. “I know,” I say. “I can’t thank you enough for committing to this.” “A favor for a favor,” she says. “I’m
All of the air seems to suck straight out of the room. I stand there gaping for a minute, so startled at having been called out by Mr. Anders. Replaying the past few moments back in my mind, I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what I had done to offend him within two minutes of meeting him. “
“I’m not sure it’s necessary to come forward, despite what Mr. Anders says,” Esther says. Miles freezes. Esther is a very private person, so he thought she might feel this way. Yet it still hurts in his chest to hear her say the words. He has no shame regarding his relationship with Esther. He’d
Cynthia is always ready for anything, so after a quick phone call, we are both standing outside of a club, waiting to get in. Cynthia’s certain her connections will get us through the door, but due to fire code safety, we physically cannot enter until two other people leave. This leaves us standin
The next morning, my face is all over the internet. The video of me aggressively defending Miles outside of the club has gone viral which, as I read through all the comments on the video, has only increased speculation about the relationship between Miles and me. Some of the comments are praising
Hugo didn’t like my plan of walking straight up to the Zimmer house and knocking on the door, but it was the best I could think of at the time. By that evening, I still hadn’t come up with anything better. So the next morning, after telling Miles I will be arriving late, but not telling him why, I
Miles being here isn’t likely to make things better for Daphne, but he’s no longer answering my calls and texts. He’s probably already in his car, driving over here at top speed. With a sigh, I return to the living room, where Daphne is wrapped up in several blankets. “Miles is coming here, isn’
“We should watch the rest,” I tell him, though my voice is shaky. “No,” Miles says, more firmly. I breathe a sigh of relief. For my job, I know we have to hear it. But personally, I would like to go the rest of my life without even thinking about Edward Zimmer again. “The numbers are already u
Edward’s response comes in the form of a video message. Crystal set it up on the television on the wall, while Miles and I huddle closer to the screen. Miles holds tightly onto my hand. “Whatever happens. Whatever he says. We will stand against him and we will win,” he says. I believe him. Last
How could I say anything but yes? A thousand times over, yes, yes, yes. I’ve tried so hard since that first night, sleeping with Miles while thinking him a call boy, to not fall in love with him. Yet, as hard as I tried not to, my heart kept pulling me straight back to him. My love for Miles is so
We hold the press conference in front of the headquarters, setting up a podium outside the double doors. The news media organizations have been notified, so they send reporters and cameramen, who have set up around the podium. The release we sent out already told them that the conference would be
Later, I’m going to have to have a meeting and call in all the employees to discuss this. Their care is appreciated, but I need to be able to do my job. For now, though, it seems as if Crystal gets the hint. With a shallow nod, she continues her report. “Mr. Zimmer has been quiet since the inter
Garnar, knowing I was giving a difficult interview tonight, offered to watch the kids. Since they are at Garnar’s house, I expected the house to be empty when I finally returned. Instead, I see Miles’s car parked in my driveway and the additional security staked out around the premises. It’s a rel
Jean was warned about the story, but she still gasped. My eyes went a little wide. We came here to talk about this, but Daphne’s direct wording leaves me speechless. Daphne didn’t come here just to tell a story. She was ready to reveal her truth, once and for all. “Esther and I were victims,” Da
In the Harbinger HQ, in one of the studio sets arranged to look like a fancy living room, Daphne and I sit side by side on a white couch, facing an interviewer, a woman interviewer named Jean, who sits on an arm chair facing us. The setting is intimate, and Jean is a kind, middle-aged woman, who i
“Miles…” Emotion overflows within my heart. There are so many things I want to say, to express – my gratitude, my own affections, explanations about why this has been so difficult for me to accept – yet in the moment, everything gets tangled up in my throat. “Miles…” My tears fall from my chee