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My chest heaved as I desperately tried to explain.
“Everything was going right with the company. Everything I built was at stake. Sophie too. It was a risk I wasn't willing to take. When the issue was investigated, just like I planned it, I wasn't faulted. With the help of Dawson, who used to be my military intelligence security personnel, I cut the videos… seamlessly. So they didn't find anything.”
“Dawson,” she muttered. “And where's he now?”
“Gone. I paid him off.”
She didn't say anything for the longest time before she breathed. “How long ago was this?”
“Today makes it a year, seven months, and thirteen days.”
She furrowed her brows. “I don't understand. If the case was closed and you weren't faulted, why is Laura threatening Sophie? How does she know you did anything with the footage?”
I swallowed. “The threat is a way to get at me. Laura has been blackmailing me to confess the truth to the world. I recorded the video, but I can't… I just can't. And I don't know how she knows what I did that night, but her request for the real footage shows that she knows.”
“Blackmail,” she breathed. “What's her leverage?”
I swallowed thickly, an unspeakable tension slicing my bones. “Us.”
“Us?” Her brows furrowed even more. “Pictures of us in the conference room when we had sex. She h−”
“What?” Her voice shook.
“There's a deadline to deliver the video. If I don't, she will release–”
“No!” She brought her hands to her ears. Her lips quivered.
“If those pictures get out there, I'm ruined. My career, everything I've gone through just to get here, is nullified. No academy would pick any teacher with scandalous sex photos out there. My relationship with Dad will be severed for good. I'll be...”
“Stop, Evie.” I quickly moved to hold her, but she yanked herself out of my hold.
“Give her the damn video now!” Her voice turned malicious.
“I'm trying to—”
She shook her head. “You’ve done enough damage. I— I didn't sign up for this. All I wanted was to help Sophie.”
I winced at the tears that rushed down her cheeks.
“If you truly are grateful to me for helping Sophie, you'll give this Laura the video now.”
Her words struck my heart. “I need you to calm down, Evie…”
“Don't you dare tell me to calm down, Ethan. How much more until you ruin me?! You'll take the video, and we’ll go to the address on the paper. I don't care what impact releasing the video has on you. We’re going… and you'll do exactly as she says.”
“Evie, you can't. I don't know if it's safe for you to come.”
“That's a risk I'm willing to take. The clock is ticking, Ethan.”
The loud buzz of my phone interrupted our stare. I answered it.
“Philip.”
“I've found her location. Roosevelt Island Abandoned Tramway Station.”
“I know the location. Tell the men to abort mission.”
“What?”
