A couple days after the party, Lily asked to come over after I got off work for a girls’ night in. It seemed like an odd request so soon after such a big party, but I brushed that off and let her come over. After all, she had to have her reasons for wanting to get together.I set out a plate of flourless brownies I had just found the recipe for and a couple glasses of milk—I was swearing off alcohol for a while, given the trouble it had just gotten me into—in anticipation of her arrival. Anxiously, I wondered if Barnett had told Lily about what had happened between us.Don’t be silly, I told myself. Why would he tell his NIECE, of all people? Lily is really easy to talk to, my more worried inner voice countered.But wouldn’t that be really awkward, especially considering that she’s my best friend? Maybe that’s why he would consult her, to get the opinion of someone with insight into how my brain works. I’m assuming that he even cares enough to want to talk to someone about it. It p

I spoke to the secretary and explained my history with Julia. She immediately understood my need and arranged for a security guard to escort me out the back to my car while another guard escorted Julia off the property. Apparently, Julia had been banned from the premises after her last visit went sour.After I was safely at the Aston Martin, I thanked the security guard. Before he was even out of the parking lot, I had climbed into the car, buckled up, and taken off. Even with them getting rid of Julia, I didn’t want to be anywhere near her any longer than I needed to be.   * * 

A week after Lily’s party, I was scheduled to speak at my old high school’s career day. I wasn’t really fond of public speaking, but I had gotten better at it since I had started my new life as a fitness influencer. I figured I could give a short speech to a gymnasium full of high schoolers.Then the day finally came, and my stomach was in knots as I drove up to the school. I told myself that if I could talk millions of viewers online every day, I could talk to a few hundred high schoolers without any problems, but I could not convince myself. It took all of my will to get out of the Aston Martin, enter the school, and sign in with the front office.

I was so sick of the exploitation. All that these media vultures wanted to do was to start rumors and feed off my misery. The idea made me queasy all over again, despite the anti-nausea medication.I looked to Barnett.“What should we do?” I whispered.“I don’t think we have a choice,” he whispered back. “We’ll have to do it.”“Why? Your reputation will survive this.”“But yours might not.”Barnett turned to Thaddeus.“We’ll do it,” he said. “We’ll appear on your little show tomorrow.”Thaddeus’s eyes fixed on me, as if to say, “Oh, will you?”I nodded.“Yes, we will.”“Very well,” Thaddeus replied. “I will keep a hold of this picture until after the show, for insurance. You understand, right?”Barnett breathed deeply through his nostrils, the muscles in his neck tight.“Yes,” he said through clenched teeth, “but after the show, I will be there to personally ensure that you delete it. You understand, right?”I watched Thaddeus’s Adam’s apple move up and down as he swallowed.“Yes

I felt like a deer in the headlights. Even Bob seemed to take renewed interest in the conversation. Funny, considering that he didn’t care to know about my diagnosis when the doctor wanted to tell him. I knew that I had to give an answer, soon. The longer I waited, the more suspicious it would seem. I slipped my hand out from beneath Barnett’s and gave my full attention to Thaddeus. “Yes and no, Chuck,” I began. “Yes, in that I did have a health scare that night when some stomach pains from stress became too much for me to handle. No, in that it turned out to be nothing.” “Are you sure?” Thaddeus prodded. “The timing is awfully coincidental—” “It did happen at the same time that Bob and I decided that we were going to divorce, which led to many life-altering changes for me. However, the stomach pains themselves were nothing to worry about. I am perfectly fine.” The corner of Thaddeus’s lip faltered, as though that wasn’t the answer