“You can’t deny it, Juliet,” she said coolly.
“You don’t know anything.”
“I know more than you think.”
I sighed exasperatedly, turning for the door. I didn’t need to be here anymore. I didn’t need to hear this. Not again.
“I’mthe one who sent the photos,” said Mia after me, her voice with a satisfied trill to it.
I stopped in my tracks before slowly turning toward her.
“Y-you?” I stammered.
She nodded slowly. “Trust me, I knoweverything.”
My mouth snapped shut as her words sunk into me.
“Surprise.” She grinned.
“You’re the one who left the photo on my desk?” I asked, looking toward my office behind me, remembering the grainy image. The scribbled note.
“What photo?” interrupted Chester, looking at me with concern.
Mia tsked. “Chester. Baby. You thinkyouwere the only one I sent the photo to? Where is the fun in that?”
I felt a wave of nausea roll over me as my knees grew weak. I hadn’t been the only one to receive a mysterious threat. Mia had been threatening us both. I wondered how long this had been going on.
Why hadn’t Chester told me?
Was this why he had turned so distant?
I looked at him, begging for answers, but he just looked at me sadly, confirming what I was already putting together in my head. Then a thought came to me.
“Is this why you’re giving her my job?” I asked him.
“I’m not going to do it,” said Chester quickly, confirming my suspicion.
He wasn’t replacing me by choice. Mia was forcing his hand. While I wish it made me feel better, it didn’t.
“But the photo…” I said worriedly, the grainy image popping in my head again. A night that had felt so good, that had led us closer, was now ruined forever.
“She can release it,” he said calmly. “I’m not going to be blackmailed.” He looked at Mia coolly, his eyes slicing into her like daggers. I had never seen that look before. It sent a chill up my spine.
I knew what this meant for him. For his company. For everything he had worked for. If Mia released the photo, he would lose it all. He was willing to give it all up just to not give in to her diabolical plan.
My heart started pounding in my chest. I was only worried about Chester in that moment. Yes, the photo coming out would be embarrassing for me, but I’d done some stupid things lately. What was one more? But for him… it would belife-altering. The papers would run it as a front-page story. He would be asked to step down from his own company. Everything he’d built… gone.
“You’ll change your tune,” said Mia, sitting back in her chair and interlacing her fingers confidently as she looked at Chester.
“Chester…” I started, wanting him to think about this. “You can’t…”
He looked up at me, sadder than I had ever seen him.
“I don’t care about me, but you…” I continued, my voice pleading.
“I’m not giving her what she wants,” he said with a shake of his head.
“You have a day to change your mind.” Mia shrugged, as if she wasn’t in the midst of ruining someone’s life.
