“Can we please not do this here? This is my workplace.”
“We’ll do this wherever I need to,” Mom snaps. “You’re my daughter, and you’re making a fool of yourself over some cop who’s using you.”
“Using me?”
“Think about it, Alice. He arrests your ex-boyfriend, plays the hero, and now he’s got you convinced he’s your savior. Meanwhile, he’s destroying Lance’s life.”
I adjust my glasses, buying myself a second to think. "Lance stalked me, broke into my house, and assaulted me. That’s what destroyed his life.”
“That’s not what his lawyer says. According to him, it was all a misunderstanding that got blown out of proportion.”
I feel like I can’t breathe. “And of course you believe that.”
“I believe Lance made some mistakes, but he doesn’t deserve to have his life ruined. And neither does his family. This scandal could destroy their business.”
Their business. Not my safety. Never my safety.
“What about me? What do I deserve?”
Mom’s expression softens slightly, but there’s still that cold edge. “You deserve better than a man who’s using this situation for his own gain.”
She reaches into her purse and pulls out a folded piece of paper. “This is a statement withdrawing your charges against Lance. All you have to do is sign it.”
I stare at the paper like it’s a weapon. My throat tightens. “You want me to drop the charges?”
“I want you to stop being selfish before it gets worse for everyone. Lance is willing to accept a plea deal for a minor charge if you cooperate.”
“And if I don’t sign it?”
“Then the Carlstons will make sure your officer friend never works in law enforcement again. They have money, Alice. Connections. One phone call and his career is over.”
My chest constricts.There it is. The real threat. She knows she can attack me all day and I won’t fight back. So she’s going after Sawyer.
“You’re asking me to let Lance walk free?”
“I’m asking you to be practical.”
My hands are shaking now, and I push my glasses up my nose. “I need to think about it.”
“You have until tomorrow morning. After that, Lance’s family files their complaint anyway.”
Mom straightens up, smoothing down her blazer. “I love you, sweetheart. But you need to stop being naive about how the world works.”
The words sound rehearsed. Like she's been practicing them.
She walks out, leaving me standing there with the statement and my coworkers staring at me.
I grip the edge of the counter to steady myself.
“Alice?” Nora’s voice is gentle. “Are you okay?”
I look down at the paper. It’s already typed up, official-looking, with a line for my signature at the bottom. Tracy came here expecting me to sign this no matter what.
My phone buzzes with a text from Sawyer.
Sawyer: How’s your day going?
I stare at the message, then at the statement. Two days ago, I was ready to walk away from him to protect his career. Now my mother is asking me to betray everything I know to be true for the same reason.
