Margot sighed dramatically and rolled her eyes. “Steven’s been wanting this award for years. How was I supposed to know you were gunning for it, too? And for the record, take down that video. Say it was AI-generated or something.”
Her audacity was almost laughable.
'Steven’s been wanting this award for years?'
She didn’t even remember what I said but knew every word that man had uttered.
“Fine,” I said through gritted teeth, “but I have one condition. I want you to acknowledge our relationship publicly.”
Her answer was immediate and cold. “That’s not happening.”
“What’s so embarrassing about being with me?” I snapped. My frustration bubbled over.
Margot softened her tone, trying to sound reasonable. “Frank, you know I just won the Best New Actress Award this year. I can’t afford a scandal right now. Steven’s immature! Don’t stoop to his level, okay?”
Her response felt like a slap in the face. After two years of hiding our relationship, after all I’d done for her, she was asking me to protect his reputation.
I raised my cast-covered left hand, my voice trembling with anger. “You want me to stoop to his level? When this—” I gestured to my broken hand “—happened because he took what was mine?”