Chapter 5 - The Demands
I put the phone on speaker so Eleanor and Liam could hear the sheer audacity of my mother’s demands.
“Fix what, exactly, Mom?” I asked, my voice remaining remarkably calm.
“The video! It’s everywhere, and Chloe’s sponsors are threatening to drop her influencer deals!” she wailed.
Chloe had spent years building a lucrative career as a lifestyle influencer on social media.
Her brand was built entirely on the illusion of a flawless, charitable, and perfect life.
“You need to make a public post immediately,” my mother instructed, completely ignoring my feelings.
“Tell everyone that it was an inside joke, or that you asked to move to the back because of your anxiety.”
I looked up at Eleanor, who was shaking her head in absolute disgust.
“You want me to lie to protect the career of the girl who just humiliated me in front of hundreds of people?” I asked.
“She is your sister, Maya! You saved her once, you have to save her again!” my mother pleaded.
That was the breaking point; the absolute limit of my tolerance.
“I gave up my face, my mobility, and my youth to save her from that fire, Mom.”
“I am not giving up my dignity to save her Instagram account.”
Before my mother could say another word, I ended the call and blocked her number.
I blocked my father’s number next, and then Chloe’s.
A heavy, beautiful silence filled the conservatory.
“Well done, my dear,” Eleanor smiled, raising her teacup in a silent toast.
May you like
Liam grinned, looking more relaxed than I had seen him in months.
For the first time in my life, I had drawn a boundary, and I was going to defend it.
