The word loops in my head as I pace my tiny assigned bedroom, still feeling the phantom weight of Korgan's hands on my skin. Twenty minutes ago, I was pressed against him in that pavilion, feeling like I'd discovered something rare and precious. Now I'm just another inconvenience cluttering up his political calculations.
I catch my reflection above the dresser. Hair still mussed, lips still swollen, cheeks flushed with embarrassment instead of desire.Way to go, Trinity. Really nailed the whole "keep your heart guarded" thing.
My phone announces itself. Then again. And again.
Maya's name fills the screen, along with seventeen missed calls and a string of increasingly frantic texts.
TRINITY. CALL ME NOW.
The video is EVERYWHERE
Your bakery phone hasn't stopped ringing
WHERE ARE YOU???
My stomach drops. I dial her back with shaking fingers.
"Thank God." Maya's voice is breathless. "Have you seen it?"
"Seen what?"
"The clip. It's going viral. You and the orc in the rain."
My blood goes cold. "What clip?"
"Someone filmed you two in that little building. It's all over TikTok, Twitter, Instagram. The caption is..." She pauses. "Oh, honey."
"Maya. What does it say?"
"'When Small Town Girl Gets Jungle Fever.' But that's not the worst part."
I sink onto the bed. "There's worse?"
"The comments. Trinity, people are saying horrible things about you. And about him. About orcs in general." Her voice cracks. "Someone found the bakery's Yelp page. They're leaving one-star reviews calling you a 'race traitor' and an 'orc sympathizer.'"
The room spins. My bakery. My life's work. Everything I've built.
"How many reviews?"
"Hundreds. And growing."
I close my eyes, seeing years of sixteen-hour days and sleepless nights crumbling into pixels. "The loan officer."
"What?"
"If the bank sees this..." I stand up, pacing again. "Maya, if they think my reputation is compromised, they could call in the expansion loan. I could lose everything."
"Hey." Her voice gentles. "We'll figure this out. Maybe it'll blow over."
But I'm already pulling up social media on my phone, scrolling through the comments with growing horror.
Disgusting. What's wrong with these human women?
She's probably getting paid extra for this
Someone should check if she's under some kind of orc mind control
Burn the bakery down. Don't support orc lovers
