Chapter 44
Kjell
Jakob's expression is crestfallen. "The issue has already been set and sent to the printer."
What? No!
"If the old story goes out..." I say in desperation, "I love this woman."
"Oh, really?" he comments with a warm smile. "Yesterday, it sounded quite different."
That was yesterday. Back then, I was just being foolish.
I run my hands through my hair and interlock my fingers at the back of my neck. "Things are not always as they seem," I say, vowing to explain everything to him later. Right now, the priority is to make sure the right story gets published.
"What do you plan to do now?" he asks with a concerned look.
I sink into the visitor's chair in his office but immediately get up again. "We'll send an update to the printer. The new article about Sky will go intoSanningens Ögonblick, and we'll remove the old one fromRyktesspegeln."
His gaze finds mine, and he silently stares at me for a few seconds.
I nod vigorously. "Come on, we can do this. We just need a new article forRyktesspegeln, and I'll handle that, of course." And it has to be good because the sensational exposé about the many faces of Sky Blohm would have surely sold like hotcakes. It would have been the solution to all our financial problems, and I'm well aware of that.
Is Jakob thinking the same thing right now? Is he afraid that this exchange will jeopardize him and our shared dream?
"Sweden will be talking aboutSanningens Ögonblick," I continue earnestly. "About our newspaper, the one that's always been so important to us. Everyone will want to read the story. It could even go viral on social media."
Jakob thoughtfully nibbles on his lower lip. "Maybe," he murmurs, and I know he sees the potential of the new article despite the worries that plague him.
A sudden lightness washes over my shoulders, as if forty pounds have been lifted off me. "Thank you, Jakob. You'll..."
He stops me with a raised hand. "What if we publish both articles?"
No! I shake my head in shock. "Have you gone mad?"
"Dammit, I know it would be awful." Jakob runs his hand through his hair. Desperation is etched on his face. "But if we don't publish the story, someone else will. And so much is at stake. The old article could save us. You could even tone it down a bit."
No, it wouldn't. "How many gossip articles have we written in the past few months?" I ask him.
Instead of answering, he just exhales heavily. He realizes I'm right, but he's too entangled in his own dilemma to admit it.
"Hundreds of that kind have been written by me alone," I continue, internally cringing at the thought of the rubbish I've written. "And you've written at least fifty, right?"
"At least," Jakob sounds exhausted.
Seeing my best friend like this hurts me, but knowing what's at stake for him hurts even more. However, his path is the wrong one, and it has been for some time.
"One hundred and fifty times of lies, intrigues, and gossip," I summarize and slide back into the visitor's chair. Then I rest my forearms on the desk and fixate on him. "And what has it brought us?"
"The circulation ofRyktesspegelnhas steadily increased," he responds promptly. "And we still have our assistant."
I don't break my gaze from him. "But your problems are still the same, aren't they?"
He remains silent, pressing his lips together.
"Give this a chance," I say, tapping my index finger on the printed article. "This will solve all our problems." I silently addhopefullybecause no one can truly know that.
Jakob lowers his eyes and rests his head in his hands. For a while, all he does is breathe heavily, and all I do is hope. He just has to see it. He has to realize that continuing as we have been makes no sense.
