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Chapter Twenty-One
Even the articleannouncing that Lilly McGuire went into hiding out of shame for seducing her adopted brother couldn’t undermine my satisfaction as I watched the comments multiply exponentially on Katherine’s posts.
Every so often—whenever I came across an especially cruel remark—a pang of guilt crept in. Should I have felt this proud of causing Katherine's downfall? But then, all I had to do was lean against the back of my chair, and the still-present pain of my healing burns was enough of a reminder. Katherine Rosenfield deserved everything coming to her.
Sadly, by Saturday afternoon, someone—most likely the Wicked Bitch herself—disabled all her accounts. Another round of pride hit me, though, because it took her that long to get back in after I had changed her password and put extra authentication on it.
I wish I had recorded Denielle's reaction when she found out what I'd done. She called me immediately, and her three-minute happy dance included twerking, some very explicit cheers that would make half the football team blush, the running man, and a grand finale of the worm. In the end, we were both out of breath—Denielle from her spontaneously choreographed routine and me from laughing.
For the next few hours, random giggles bubble up in my throat whenever I visualize my best friend moving in front of the camera. I wish Rhys and Wes had seen it.
I miss my friends.
After I no longer have new comments to read through, I randomly snoop through folders on my brother's server. Maybe I can help with finding some answers. I'm three layers deep when my phone rings with an incoming video call: Rhys.
Weird, we didn’t plan on talking until later.
I grab it from the wireless charger on the desk and swipe right. "Hey, what’s—"
"Mom and Dad need to talk to you."
A pit the size of Nate’s lap pool opens up in my stomach. "Why?" My voice instantly goes hoarse.
He draws in a long breath. "One of the families contacted Camden, demanding for you to be interrogated again. She wasn't aware that you're no longer in Westbridge and wasn’t happy when she found out."
"What? Which family?" The hand not holding the phone begins to tremble, and I curl and uncurl my fingers in an attempt to make it stop. It’s no use.
"No fucking clue. Dad just barged in here, demanding to talk to you. NOW!" Rhys exaggeratingly imitates Tristen’s order.
Shit.
"Okay, uh...you want me to call back once they’re there?" I shove my twitching fist between my thigh and the chair.
"No, I’ll take the phone down. Hold on." The motion on the screen—Rhys taking two steps at a time down to the first floor—would make me seasick if I wasn’t already nauseated from his news.
"Lilly is on the phone," he announces, and the device changes hands. A stern-looking Tristen sitting at his desk appears on the screen.
This is so not good.
"Sweetheart." He greets me with his usual endearment, but there is nothing pleasant attached to the word.
Tristen is shaking. What the hell? Wait. I tilt my head. He wasn’t moving when he took the phone from Rhys. That’s when I realize it’s my nerves causing the device to literally vibrate. I clench my fingers around it tighter in an effort to stop the trembling.
"W-what's going on?" I address him just as Heather steps behind her husband and leans down to be in the frame.
"Hi, sweetie."
Unable to respond, I force myself to smile at my adopted mother.
"Agent Camden informed us that Ava Conway’s father is demanding for you to be questioned further. There has been no progress on the case, and he is accusing you of protecting The Babysitter," Tristen explains.
I’m gonna throw up.
Oblivious to my inner panic, Heather adds, "We let Vivienne know that you are staying with family due to the incident at school, and you would be available via video conference if needed. Mr. Conway has no basis for his accusation. Ava is not a minor and has shown no interest in pursuing any actions regarding her case. From what we were able to find out, she is not even in the same state as her father."
Ava Conway was older than me when Nate...I force myself to complete the sentence...took her. But she’s been off the radar for years. From what I found in my research, her parents have been divorced since she was a little girl. This makes no sense.
I inhale and hold the air in, forcing my rapid breathing to slow. Slightly calmer, I concentrate on the present again.
