Chapter 45
Amara glared at Liliana with a searing intensity of resentment.
Liliana stood beside Finnian, her face smug as she glanced back at Amara, knowing Finnian couldn’t see her
expression.
Finnian, for the moment, let the article issue slide as he turned to Liliana. The mark on her face from the slap had faded considerably, but the traces were still there.
His gaze shifted to Amara, and he spoke chilly, “Amara, if you hit someone, you need to apologize.”
The coldness in his voice was unlike anything Amara had ever felt, not even when plunged into icy water. She instinctively wrapped her arms around her trembling shoulders.
She didn’t want to apologize. She’d been bullied by Liliana, and slapping her felt like justice. Why should she apologize?
But she knew fighting Finnian on this was futile. He insisted on an apology, and she had no choice. Her eyelashes fluttered slightly as she forced out the words, “Ms. Porter, I’m sorry.”
Finnian gave her a dismissive glance before leaving with Liliana.
It was eleven in the morning, and outside, a crucial scene was being filmed. Amara should have been there, observing and learning.
But she felt completely drained, lying on the couch in the break room like someone wilting away, staring at the ceiling for what felt like forever.
Tears streamed down her face like a broken string of pearls, soaking the pillow beneath her. After a long while, Amara sat up and glanced at her phone.
Miraculously, the article had vanished, along with the trending topics and the hateful comments. Everything had been swept away as if the whole ordeal had never happened.
She sat there, staring blankly at the pristine white walls. She remembered talking to someone about damage control, and they had mentioned that it could be coped with unless a hefty investment included.
But now, the issue had been resolved, and it was obvious Finnian had intervened.
Yet, Amara knew Finnian hadn’t done it for her; he did it for the reputation of the Everly family. Even though the article hadn’t mentioned them directly, the risk of exposure was too high, so Finnian had acted swiftly to
contain it.
With everything seemingly resolved now, it looked like the storm had passed. But what about her suffering? Who would make it right for her?
No one. Liliana had been the instigator, causing trouble over a perceived rivalry for Finnian’s attention, or perhaps simply because she disliked Amara.
No matter the reason, Amara was blameless. Liliana caused all the chaos, and yet she faced no consequences. Instead, she received an outpouring of support online, leaving Amara, the real victim, to endure the internet’s wrath.
Amara couldn’t help but ask herself–Why did it have to be this way? She found no answers.
She sat in the break room, lost in thought for what seemed like an eternity. She wondered if Liliana would pull the same stunt tomorrow–picking a fight, leaving Amara to bear the brunt of the abuse while she walked away unscathed.
It seemed entirely likely. Amara decided things couldn’t continue like this.
She called Elysia. “Hey, Ely, you mentioned you know a really good lawyer, right? Could you send me the contact? I have something I need to discuss.”
13.04
Chapter 46
