Chapter 37
Electra
Sister Xelna calls out from the living room, “Dear Electra! Another fan is here to see you!”
Not that she isn’t grateful for Sister Xelna taking her in, and for her money-lending workaround—a.k.a. paying her for “fortune-telling services” until Electra can get an ID and Worldbank account so she can use her own funds and return the money. The woman means well.
Because he cares about fake people more than real ones. He’s been having a relationship with a clone pretending it’s his dead brother. He said she was a mistake. Right. These are all great reasons.
Reluctantly, she steps out into the living room to be greeted by Sister Xelna, who is chatting with three women.
All with long, straight, dark hair like hers.
All with freckles. Oh God, was Res6 right?
Is her column a trend that will pass in a flash?
Dear Electra is how she’s earning income, even if she can’t access it yet.
How is she going to make money? How is she going to survive?
Deep breaths. Focus on three things that are real.
But as she stares at the three women with their fake freckles and artificially perfected skin, a sense of the real eludes her.
“There she is!” the nearest woman shrieks. For a second, she looks like she’s ready to throw herself forward, wrapping Electra in an unwelcome hug. But she holds herself back at the last moment.
Thankfully, Sister Xelna steps between them, linking arms with her. “This is my dearest friend, Dear Electra!”
She is supposed to love this. Becoming a famous writer is what she wanted, right?
Surely, she can sell her Dear Electra fans on her romance books, and she can build a career out of this.
Dread slices through her in place of the glee she should be feeling.
She forces a smile, observing the priestess’s smug expression as she shows Electra off like a prized possession.
Is that all she is in this future world—a novelty?
A sick feeling swirls in her gut. No, that can’t be right.
She’s just being paranoid again. Sister Xelna isn’t using her. They’re friends.
Her fingers itch to touch something real. Res6 was real. Res6 is not the one for you. He made that abundantly clear. God, Electra. Say something to your awaiting fans. Be grateful!
“Hi,” she offers sheepishly. “So you guys are fans of the column?”