Page 146 of Collateral Damage
She turns away, clearly scanning the crowd for the man she was flirting with, but he’s already locked lips with someone else. They’re practically dry humping on the dance floor. Classy.
“That’s the guy you wanted to fuck tonight?” I chuckle. “Looks like he thinks you’re pretty replaceable. Your taste in men has really gone downhill since you left Ethan. You should raise your standards.”
“Leave me alone,” she practically screams, and I know I’ve pushed her to the edge. A twisted satisfaction stirs in me, but it’s overshadowed by guilt. Am I the world’s biggest asshole, or is she? It’s hard to tell these days.
The rest of the night is a blur. Flashes of Ethan’s concerned face, of Arden’s voice, the taste of that vodka threatening to come up my esophagus. A car taking us home. And then nothing.
Blissful sleep.
I wake the next morning with a pounding headache and a mouth that feels like it’s full of sand. I really need to stop drinking; nothing good comes of it anymore.
The sunlight streaming through the window is clearly a punishment for my behavior, and my stomach twists.
I will never stop hating her. I love Sybil, but I hate her because I love her—one feeds the other. Something’s got to break.
I stare at the ceiling, realizing what I need most.
I need to go to my father.
I’ll go and ask for his help. Conrad King is the master of games, and if there’s one game he knows best, it’s revenge.
Sixty-Three
Sybil
Present - Age 27
I keep my phone on silent. I’ll call Mom later and tell her everything that happened, but for now, I’m too embarrassed that I didn’t see this coming.
I go straight home, change into pajamas, then fall into bed. How could I have been so stupid? I still can’t believe this is happening, that Cooper betrayed me, but then again, everything Lance and Conrad revealed makes sense.
I let my stupid heart fall in love instead of allowing my logical brain figure out I was clearly being set up. Of course I was. My gut knew something was off the minute Cooper wanted me to work onTop of the World.
I turn on some music, trying to drown out my thoughts. Eventually, someone knocks on my front door.
Gathering myself together, I splash cold water onto my face in a pathetic attempt to de-puff and de-redden, then head to the door.
“I didn’t know they were going to sell the show to another network,” Perry blurts the second I open it, holding his hands in surrender.
I sigh and widen the door, letting him inside.
He steps through and tries to give me a hug, but I dodge him.
“I don’t want anyone to touch me right now.”
“That’s fair.”
I follow him to the couch, and we sit on opposite ends.
“What do you know?” I ask, studying him carefully, trying to gauge if I can actually trust him.
“I know King and Laurence sold the show, but I only found out today. They did it behind my back as much as they did it behind yours.”
My stomach hardens. They were willing to hand overTop of the Worldto a competitor because it would mean my family would be screwed? Wow, that’s great.
“No amount of money is worth what they did,” I say, deadpanned.
“Especially since both companies stood to make more money over time as Top of the World grows into a franchise.”
