Lizzie was caught off guard. “We got stuck at the Pemberleys’. What’s wrong?” She asked, trying to detach herself from the crying Lidia.
“It’s horrible… I don’t even know what… to do!!!” Lidia was sobbing so hard she could barely get the words out. She passed her phone to her sister. There was a text on the screen from George. There was a picture of a naked woman lying on her stomach, her face covered.
“Lidia, what is this?”
“He has pictures of me… bad pictures…”
“Nudes?” Lizzie felt the need to clarify.
Lidia nodded. Lizzie looked at the text.
Unless you want to get your fame the way Kim K did, I suggest you convince your sister to send that Pemberley money my way.
“He’s threatening to release these to the public?!” Lizzie said incredulously.
“Ay Dios mío,” Abuela said, clutching her imaginary pearls.
Lidia wailed again in response. “And he wants me to pay him to keep this from happening?!”
“I lose everything if not Lizzie. I’ll become internet smut. I’m so sorry, Liz. I thought he liked me…” Lidia went back to sobbing.
“La policía!” Abuela announced. “We have to report this to the police!”
Lidia looked at Abuela sadly, “I don’t think there’s anything we can do.” She said quietly.
“¡Claro que podemos! Of course we can. He can’t take pictures of you without permission!”
Lidia burst into another series of sobs. “Abuela, she means that she let him take those pictures. There’s no law against taking sexy pics of your partner.”
“Okperoshowing them to other people?”
“I think grey area at best,” Lizzie said, pacing now, trying to figure this out. “I don’t think it’s as easy to prove.”
“Lizzie, what do I do?!” Lidia looked hysterical. Wild and panicked.
Lizzie sighed, realizing the only solution. “Text him back. Tell him I’ll pay him, but he has to wait until the commission check comes in, that’s right after Christmas.”
“But Lizzie, that’s everything! That’s the new AC, and the hours you put into this project, it’s… It’s everything!”
“I know!” Lizzie said, slamming her hands on the counter to keep from crying. “I know exactly what it means. I know it’s everything.”
Will stood up, “I’m really sorry, but I think I should go.” He said, his jaw flexing like crazy.
Lizzie had all but forgotten he was there. “He probably can’t wait to get away,” she thought. “I bet he thinks he dodged a major bullet now that he sees our drama.”
Lizzie winced at the idea that he knew now that she’d be forced to give her hard-earned money away to a swindler like George Wick. She couldn’t even bear the thought of anyone else knowing. “Can I ask a favor?” Lizzie reached out to Will. “I know that this person is somewhat associated with you and that it may get out without us wanting it to, but if at all possible, could you maybe not tell anyone? I don’t think I could be effective at work if I thought everyone was laughing at me.”
Will took her hand and said, “I won’t tell a soul.” And with that and a quick squeeze of her hand, Will made his exit.
The front door clicked shut behind him.
Never.
She would never see him again. The words rang in her head like a death knell.
She stared at the empty doorway until the sound of his truck faded.
Then she looked down at her muddy dress and laughed — one sharp, broken sound — because of course this was how William Pemberley would remember her: covered in mud, holding her sobbing sister, about to hand over her entire savings to a blackmailing creep.
