“An apology?” I add, moving my foot back.
“I’m sorry,” she spits, swallowing hard as she picks the necklace up. She puts it into Sinclair’s waiting, outstretched hand.
The shaky exhale of Sinclair’s held breath almost makes me miss Theodora’s uttered words.
“What?” I snarl.
“I said…” She looks at Sinclair with a cruel smile. “Such a big fuss over something worthless.”
I wrap a hand around Sinclair’s hipbone, squeezing it gently to stop her taking Theodora out in front of all the camera phones that are now recording us.
“You wouldn’t understand,” Sinclair says, looking at her in pity. “I bet you’ve never known anyone as brilliant as my brother in your life.” She gazes at her necklace like she can’t believe she has it back. “It’s priceless.”
“Maybe…” Theodora sneers. “If it were actually him in that diamond. But it’s not.”
“What?” Sinclair jolts. “Of course it is. Sullivan made it himself.”
“The ashes used to make that diamond were of someone with African descent,” Theodora says, smiling like she’s enjoying the wavering that’s creeping into Sinclair’s voice.
“How would you know?”
“I got it tested. It’s why I took it. You’re always playing the victim, Sin. Rubbing that thing, getting all the pity. I thought it was a clever touch. Increase your public support while bringing more awareness to your family’s business. I expected it to be fake, just a normal diamond, not one made of human ashes. But it’s real. You’ve been carrying a dead person around your neck like a weird shrine, only it’s some nobody, not Sl?—”
“Don’t you dare say his name!” Sinclair cries. “Don’t you dare!”
“Get up!” I hiss at Theodora. “And get out of here. Your ride’s waiting outside.”
She takes her time getting up and pulling her clothes on, a smug smirk on her face as Sinclair turns the necklace over and over in her palm, studying it.
“Denver,” she chokes.
“Don’t think about it now. We’ll get it checked.”
But even as I say it, I’m sure that Theodora’s telling the truth.
And my biggest fear is what it’ll do to Sinclair when she knows it too.
32
SINCLAIR
“She’s lying,right? She must be.”
“We’ll find out,” Denver says, his jaw tightening at the despair that’s inched deeper and deeper into my voice since the show ended.
I finished it, despite what just happened. There’s no way I was going to let everyone down who worked so hard. But my stomach hasn’t stopped churning since Theo’s words.
It’s not him.
I couldn’t even bring myself to look at my necklace again after she said it. It’s been something I’ve treasured for so long and now… now I don’t know how I feel. I handed it straight to Denver. It’s been in the inner pocket of his suit jacket ever since I asked him to take care of it for me.
Denver nods a thank you to the security guard who lets us out of the side entrance. Killian called to inform him that what just went down backstage is already trending online and the main entrance is swamped with reporters waiting for me to exit.
“I can’t believe it’s been Theo all this time. She acted like she was a friend.”
He wraps an arm around me, guiding us out into the alleyway. My head spins as I try to make sense of it all.
“She wrecked Lenny. She… Oh my god, she put…”
