Page 43 of While You Were Trending

I’ve put that video behind me.

I know what I did was wrong.

I know the misguided reasons I did it.

I know my worth isn’t determined by strangers on the internet.

But panic squeezes my chest and makes it hard to breathe. I hunch over, searching for air.

“The best thing to do is to have a press conference,” Freida says. “I know exactly what you need to say to make them lose interest. I’ll be right by your side the whole time, my darling.”

“No,” I gasp out. “No press conferences.”

“Ginny, my angel, you know it’s for the best. Trust Mommy. Mommy knows what she’s talking about.”

Mommyloves the limelight.

And Declan’s handed her an invitation back into it.

Mabel and Cricket and Heath close ranks around me, edging my mother out.

“No press conferences,” Mabel says in herdon’t fuck with mevoice.

I need to get back to the house.

There could be helicopters.

Paparazzi at the gates.

They’ll see me and they’ll know it’s true, and this place—my home—won’t be safe anymore.

I force myself to straighten and look at Declan. “Howcouldyou?”

He’s glowering.

But not at me.

At my mother.

While Shade grips his arm and mutters something to him.

And suddenly I don’t know what’s up and what’s down.

Something—something doesn’t make sense about Declan being the leak.

But my mother—she wouldn’t do this either.

Would she?

I don’t think she would.

On purpose.

Probably.

Declan’s eyes meet mine. They shift from the glower to—to something equally intense, but—softer?

Goosebumps prickle my skin like a thousand butterflies landing on me.