APRIL’S POV
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Lara’s room is the only place in the house that doesn’t feel like a minefield.
Everything outside is chaos. The internet is ablaze. News outlets are crawling all over the Ellington property like ants on sugar.
Killian has issued three statements since noon, each more lawyered–up than the last. Julian nearly body–checked a paparazzo who somehow managed to sneak past security and had the moronic audacity to knock on the front door.
But in here–past the thick mahogany door, tucked beneath Lara’s blush canopy sheets with warm mugs of tea and Eliza’s bare feet in my lap, it’s…quiet. Peaceful.
I inhale like I haven’t breathed in days.
“I think a news anchor called me Joan of Arc this morning,” I mumble, stretching my legs under the blanket.
Lara snorts. “I saw that. I believe the quote was ‘Lara Ellington and April Farrah are roasting the patriarchy at the stake.“”
Eliza rolls her eyes. “Wow, people are so clever,” she deadpans.
I exhale. “I had no idea it would all spiral like this. As much attention is on us as is on Lucas.”
“You showed people the truth,” Eliza says gently. “Don’t let them convince you that’s a crime.”
“Tell that to my inbox,” I mutter.
Because underneath the praise is the vitriol.
Some people call us heroes. Others say we’re fame–hungry witches looking for clout.
A verified user with a blue tick posts that I’m “bitter with the sting of rejection.” My face is all over social media. There’s even a poorly Photoshopped meme of me holding a torch and wearing armor.
It’s insane.
But none of that scares me,
What scares me–what lodges fear in my ribcage and refuses to leave–is the thought of Nathan.
How much trouble he could be in for helping us. How thoroughly his family would chew him up for betraying them.
What if Valerie drags him down with her?
What if Samuel hurts him for what he did?
“I can’t stop thinking about Nathan,” I confess aloud, and both girls look up.
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10:33 Sun, Oct 19
Chapter 195
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Eliza tilts her head. “Peter says he was fine before he left home. You think he’s hurt for helping Lara?”
“I don’t know. But I know what that family’s capable of.”
Lara nods solemnly, her eyes unfocused like she’s somewhere far away. “They eat their own if they’re not useful anymore.”
“He doesn’t deserve this,” I whisper. “He’s not like them.”
Lara reaches out to squeeze my hand. “Give him a little credit,” she says softly. “He can take care of himself.”
1 exhale. God, I hope she’s right.
There’s a long silence–just the faint hum of the air conditioner, and the scent of chamomile.
Then Eliza beams and breaks the mood like only she can.
“Well, I refuse to be dragged into Ashford depression spiral today. Because Peter and I have officially booked our trip!”
Lara perks up. “Wait, really? Where?”
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“Everywhere,” Eliza says, glowing. “Six months. Paris, Tokyo, Santorini, Buenos Aires. We’re gonna live out of suitcases and eat street food and sleep in each other’s sweaters.”
“You guys are so adorable, it’s disgusting,” Lara says, but she’s grinning.
I can’t help smiling either. “You’re going to look like a walking travel ad.”
“That’s the goal.” Eliza clutches her mug. “I want to be obnoxiously happy. After everything…we deserve that, right?”
We all nod, too choked up to say anything.
And if I feel jealous because I, too, would love to travel the world with the love of my life by my side, I stamp the feeling down, down, down.
Then Lara’s phone buzzes on the bed.
We all look at it, but she doesn’t reach for it. Instead, she flips the screen over and says, “Nope. Not today. No drama.”
But drama, apparently, has other plans.
Her phone buzzes again. And again. And again.
“Okay, I’m just going to shut it off-”
I turn it over and gasp lightly. “It’s a video call from Lily,”
Lara groans. “God, she’s going to be in full helicopter–mom mode about the lawsuit.”
“I’m answering,” I say, already swiping my finger across the screen. “She’s one of my favorite people.”
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10:33 Sun, Oct 19
Chapter 195
Lara rolls her eyes as I tap to connect.
Lily’s face appears on–screen, impossibly radiant.
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“April!” she says, smiling brightly. “You look positively exhausted and defiant.” She winks. “My kind of girl.”
I laugh, instantly feeling Lily’s warmth through the screen. I tilt the phone so Lara and Lily can be in view.
“Hi, sweetie,” Lily greets Lara.
“Hey, Mom. How’s the exhibit coming together?”
“Certainly not as interesting as the exhibit you put together.”
Lara flips her hair over her shoulder, smirking. “I picked up a thing or two from the best.”
We all laugh, and for a moment, it really feels like we can forget the internet, the lawsuits, the threats. We can just…exist.
We talk about Eliza’s upcoming trip, and Lily gives her tips on the best places to explore, and then, mid–sentence, she says to me, her smile widening, “Speaking of Paris, April, have you checked your email?”
I blink. “No, it’s all just endless–why?”
Lily’s grin widens. “Because someone’s been accepted to the Institut Français de la Mode!”
I sit up straight. “What?!”
Lara’s jaw drops. Eliza squeals.
“You’re joking,” I say breathlessly. “Are you serious?”
Lily winks. “Margaux called me unofficially. Officially, you should really check your email. Congratulations, dear.”
I cover my mouth with both hands.
To be honest, since the scandal broke out, I’d nursed a fear that no matter Lily’s connections or how strong my portfolio was, after all the drama and headlines and whispered gossip, no elite fashion school in the world would want me.
But they do.
They actually do.
Lara pulls me into a hug so tight I feel like my ribs will crack. Eliza dives on top of us like an excited puppy.
I laugh and cry at the same time.
This moment–this tiny, beautiful pocket of peace–feels like a reward from the universe. A compensation of sorts.
Lily is beaming. “I’ll call you later to discuss housing and other details. Congratulations once again, dear.”
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10:33 Sun, Oct 19
Chapter 195
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“Thank you so much, Lily,” I whisper, cheeks flushed. “You have no idea how-” Emotion lodges in my throat. “Thank you.”
“It’s my absolute pleasure, April,” she replies. “You girls-”
The screen flickers, and a notification pops up, momentarily covering Lily’s face.
We simultaneously freeze, our smiles fading as we read the bold headline.
Lara mutters, “Mom, I’ll call you later.”
She swipes the screen as we all digest what we’re seeing.
The Ashford Files: Shocking Leaks Reveal Years of Criminal Activity and Abuse of Power
Well, shit.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
