Chapter 43
Chapter Forty-Three
Theo
I’ve been in a dense fog, clawing at any semblance of light. Amanda’s text, Wren’s reaction, my own mind—it quickly became too much, and I fell before anyone could catch me. I hoped for a life preserver, but I wasn’t expecting this.
“What?” I murmur, my brain struggling to keep up as the fog begins to clear.
Her words ricochet inside my skull, but I can’t grab onto any of them long enough to make sense.
“You heard me,” Wren replies, her voice steady but her eyes flickering with hesitation.
“No, I don’t think I did.” I push myself to sit up straighter, though my body feels like it weighs a thousand pounds. “You’re suggesting we... what? Make a new video? Together?”
She presses her lips into a thin line, but she doesn’t look away. “Yes.”
A laugh bursts from my throat—sharp, humorless. “Are you out of your mind? Wren, this isn’t a game. Amanda wants to ruin you and to get to me. You’re the one at risk.”
“She won’t have a chance,” Wren says firmly, her gaze unrelenting. “If we control the narrative, she has nothing to hold over us.”
“This is insane.” I rub my hands over my face, trying to smother the panic rising in my chest. “You don’t know what you’re getting into. You don’t understand?—”
“Don’t I?” Her voice cuts through my protest. “You think I don’t know what it’s like to be powerless? To have someone else dictate what happens in your life?”
I freeze, my hands dropping to my lap. Wren may be the only person who understands. Her mother took the reins of her life, and just when she got them back, she reappears and tries to snatch them away again.
Yet, there’s a fire in her eyes I don’t think I’ve ever seen before, and it terrifies me as much as it draws me in. This isn’t the girl I grew up with. Her gaze doesn’t waver, even when mine does. Wren used to fidget, pull at her sleeves, or glance away when she got nervous. Not anymore. This woman is stronger than I gave her credit for.
“Do you think I came up with this lightly?” She continues, her tone softer now but no less steady. “Do you think I don’t know the risks?”
I swallow hard, my throat dry as sandpaper. “If your job finds out?—”
“I don’t care about my job!” she snaps. “You come first, Theo. You always will.”
“And what happens after? If we do this, there’s no going back. What if it doesn’t work? What if it makes things worse?”
“Then we deal with it. Together.”
Her words are a lifeline, but they’re also a weight—one I’m not sure I can carry.
I shake my head, looking away. “I don’t want you to sacrifice yourself for me, Wren. You deserve better than this mess.”
“And you don’t?” she sighs, but there’s no anger in her voice. Only frustration. “You’ve spent your whole life trying to shield everyone else—me. Let me shield you for once.”
Silence stretches between us, thick and suffocating. My mind is a storm, every instinct screaming at me to protect her, to refuse, to run. But then I see the determination in her eyes, her unwavering strength. I don’t know why I ever believed my girl would let me go through with this, and I’ve never been more relieved to be wrong.
“Wren...” My voice cracks, and I force myself to meet her gaze. “If this backfires?—”
“It won’t.”
“You don’t know that.”
“No, I don’t,” she admits, and for the first time, her confidence is unwavering. “But I know this: I’m not giving up on you. And I won’t let you give up on yourself.”
Something inside me crumbles. I let out a shaky breath, dropping my head into my hands. “You’re stubborn as hell, you know that?”
Her soft laugh is like a balm on my frayed nerves. “I’ve had to be, haven’t I?”
I lift my head, studying her face. There’s fear there, yes, but it’s overshadowed by something stronger—hope.
“All right,” I say finally, the word heavy but resolute. “We’ll do it, but on one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“If this goes south, you don’t take the fall.”
She nods, a small smile curving her lips. “Fine, but neither will you.”
Such a stubborn girl.
“Okay.” I exhale, and the weight starts to lift from my shoulders.
While I’m nervous as hell, I’m glad it’s her—the woman who’s always had my heart.
Wren didn’t want to, but she had to start her shift. It’s quiet again, but the murmur of her voice soothes my anxious nerves. We don’t have much time before Friday, two days to be exact. While Wren is a genius for thinking of this, I still don’t want to feature her front and center. This video has to be different because she’s different.
The clock is ticking, but before I talk to Amanda again, I need to figure this out. Scrolling through my text messages, I open a chat I haven’t been active in for some time.
Me: Hey guys, long time no talk.
And damn, I wasn’t expecting my phone to vibrate almost immediately.
Oliver: Well, if it isn’t the king himself!
Henry: This must be important; you never grace us with your presence.
Mark: Did you guys forget how to say hello?
Oliver: Hi, Theo.
Henry: Sup, cock sucker.
These three never change. . .
Me: Do you remember Wren? I introduced you guys to her a while back.
Henry: The girl that you cockblocked from Mark?
Mark: We were just talking!
Oliver: Someone is still touchy. . .
Henry: Can you blame him? He was desperate for anything besides hand action.
Me: Anyway, I can’t get into the details, but we’re making a video. I need a way to show her without actually showing her.
Henry: I’m lost.
Mark: He doesn’t typically show his partners’ faces.
Oliver: And you’re going to show hers?
Me: I have to.
Mark: Why not show her completely?
My thumbs hammer down on the screen in frustration.
Me: Because I don’t want to showcase my girlfriend.
Shit.
Henry: And there it is!
Oliver: I’m sorry for your loss, Mark.
Mark: Dude, that was ten years ago, and nothing happened!
Henry: Poor man, still heartbroken. . .
Mark: I swear to god.
Me: I’m starting to regret messaging you three.
Oliver: Don’t leave, we’ll be good!
Henry: How is her confidence?
Me: It’s better than it was, but she’s shy and not entirely comfortable in her skin.
Oliver: That’s going to be tricky.
Henry: Hide the camera.
I have to shake my head to try and free myself from the shock of what Henry just said.
Me: Hide the camera?
Henry: Keep the camera out of sight. That way, her focus will be on you, and it will feel more natural. Show her briefly, then after that, use a pillow to block out her face.
Mark: That’s a smart idea.
Henry: And don’t plan it. That way she’s not anxious throughout the day.
Oliver: Did Henry just say that? Am I losing my mind?
Henry: I have my moments.
I’ve never done anything like that before, and if I do this, I can show her face and then find a way to crop it so we’re not entirely shown.
Me: I never thought I’d say this, but Henry, you’re brilliant.
Henry: Father’s proud of me.
Not wanting to touch that topic, I drop my phone on the couch cushion and look toward my girl’s room.
Amanda thought she would ruin Wren and me. And she almost did because I would do anything to protect her. But I don’t have to give that thought the time of day anymore. She’s here, and there’s a plan. This has to happen by tomorrow, and I have just the idea in mind.