Page 73 of Novice Girlfriend

“Yeah, no worry about Bev, only about them, not the granddaughter those fuckers were going to abduct, rape, and probably drain magic from—whoops, that’s your shtick, so of course you don’t care about that, you murderous sick fuck,” Winter drawled.

“Well said, Mr. Green,” Mr. Oliveria chuckled.

“Forget you weren’t on mute?” Tracey asked as steam about came out of Bernice’s ears.

Winter gave the camera an amused look. “No.”

I wasn’t the only one who snorted.

In the end, everyone still agreed on the plan and people understood their roles. It seemed risky to me, but I also agreed with Winter that it was better to start giving people answers instead of letting them run with their own conspiracies and crazy.

I just knew lies blew up in people’s faces and we were lying.

Completely lying, and I was the face it would blow up in the worst if it did.

Which was why I sat the next morning trying to remember how to breathe as I watched the press conference before heading back to school.

“Thank you for coming, and while I know you will all have a million questions about this unorthodox pairing, I ask you please understand we’re limited in what we can say because of the investigation that hasn’t even been announced yet,” Tracey started with a bang. “I will leave a lot of the specifics to the authorities.

“I’m here to clarify a few things that are well documented before there is any more insanity that I believe is the catalyst that led to the events yesterday.” She let out a slow breath and glanced at Jean before focusing back at the media. “I met Bevin Millen—then Shaw—as a child. Henry Millen was my mentor.”

“There is a lot more to say,” Jean said loudly when people started shouting questions and demands about why Tracey didn’t say anything sooner. “So listen and actually pay attention. None of this was hidden. People also don’t owe you their past.”

“It’s also on my resume,” Tracey drawled when people quieted down. She smirked, their reactions obviously amusing her. “Mentors are part of a student’s transcripts. Henry Millen was mine starting in high school.” She gave a half shrug. “So what? Yes, our world has a lot of warlocks and witches, but also it’s small and a lot of us cross paths.

“Yes, I met Bevin Millen several times as a child. I met Jean once.” She gave them a moment with that. “I met Bernice Shaw a few times and we did not get along. That is relevant and I will get back to that. Obviously, I didn’t see Bevin after Henry passed away. My issues with the Shaw family stemmed from Bernice not allowing me to attend the funeral.

“She didn’t want someone of my station at such an event.” Tracey adjusted her neck, still upset all these years later. “I’m a woman who holds a grudge. I fully admit it. So I am the reason the Shaw family was banned from Familiar Treasures. I told the owner how I was treated and what happened and—I did it.

“And I would do it again. I couldn’t even pay my respects to my mentor where he was laid to rest.” She slightly turned to Jean. “Something that we have made peace with and I will be doing soon. I thank Jean for because it has always weighed heavily on me. I wouldn’t be the woman I am now without Henry. I want to pray there that he is well with the gods.”

“I was busy with my own life then, but I know he valued you. You should never have been blocked from the funeral,” Jean said and I knew she meant it.

That was a level of petty Jean would never allow and was annoyed with.

Tracey focused back at the media. “So yes, I met Bevin as a child but hadn’t seen her in years before she was at Morrigan. People know how things happened from there. I never thought to bring it up. It’s not anyone’s business. Bevin prefers to be private. We’ve already addressed the timeline of how Jasmine Hough came to work for both of us.

“So you would be fair in asking what changed that I’m sharing this? Well, like everything else in our world—rumors are going wild and some are ridiculous. I cannot say this firmly enough, but Bevin doesn’t have the mark of a goddess witch. The council has already confirmed this. The newest rumor that Bevin is the owner of Familiar Treasures is…”

Tracey sighed, Jean looking amused as well.

“Yes, it would be quite the amazing trick to have started a massive business like that as a child while locked up and constantly watched by Charles Shaw,” Jean said with mocking dripping from every word.

Basically saying anyone who could believe it was a moron.

While it being completely true.

“The truth is Henry Millen was an original investor in Familiar Treasures. It’s how I got the job there,” Tracey explained. “The specifics about that—it’s not my place. I’m not the owner, and even if I’m the president, I came on later. But I know he had a monetary stake in the company. When he died, Bevin inherited that.

“It’s that simple. The simplest answer is actually the correct one so please, enough with the crazy. There is enough actual crazy in our world that we should be focused on to fix instead of making up more.” Tracey looked tired as she rubbed her upper arm. “She also has magic I don’t and cannot understand so yes, sometimes she bosses me around on what to do.

“We all know that’s how magic works. She doesn’t tell me—it’s the magical side but yes, she also has a stake in the company. People have blown it way out of proportion because other managers behave the same. I’m not giving names because they will become targets next, but specifically if people saw how the woman who finishes the toys bosses me around…”

I had a hard time not laughing. Keke for real was hysterical as she told Tracey what was what too often. She was always right, but it was funny.

“Hopefully, that clarifies everything and we can start being more rational because the level of irrational when it comes to Bevin is honestly beyond terrifying,” Tracey said, her voice shaky which even surprised Jean. “And frankly, people need to start paying attention better because I have always paid attention and I’m scared at how much has been hidden.

“How much evil was hiding and now is coming out because of these rumors and greed. People hinting she’s a goddess witch and what that could mean. The insanity all wrapped up around it and now someone is dead.” She nodded when people gasped. “Yesterday, Jason Berns—”