Chapter 208

The next morning, my face is all over the internet. The video of me aggressively defending Miles outside of the club has gone viral which, as I read through all the comments on the video, has only increased speculation about the relationship between Miles and me.

Some of the comments are praising me for defending my man. But most are shaming me, “She is as impulsive and vulgar as her candidate.”

Sitting in my office at campaign headquarters, there isn’t much I can do except drop my head into my hands. I have no excuses. I hadn’t even been drinking.

A knock sounds on my door. It’s Miles. “Can we talk?”

“Now isn’t a great time,” I tell him.

“Oh, no? Why is that?” His lips quirk into a lopsided grin. He already knows the answer. I wonder how many times he watched the video. I also wonder why he’s in such a good mood when I just tanked our poll numbers – again.

“I’m thinking about moving into a cave,” I tell him.

His good mood doesn’t feel like mockery. He genuinely seems happy. I don’t understand it at all, but I like being around it. I could use more of it this morning so I wave him closer.

He comes in and closes the door behind him. Then he saunters up to my desk.

I like his good mood, but it also confuses me. After our fight yesterday, and then my embarrassment last night, he should be distant, standoffish at the very least. Instead, he seems outright pleased.

“I’ve tanking our poll numbers,” I say.

“They’ll bounce back,” he replies.

“I feel like you aren’t taking this seriously.”

“Trust me, I’m taking this very seriously,” he replies.

I give him a look. “Miles. This campaign did not need any more setbacks.”

“This wasn’t a setback. Not for me. In fact, watching that video was the best news I’d had in a while.”

“Why?” I ask.

He glances away for a second, then, when he looks back at me, his eyes are full of deep emotion. Clearly, I can see his happiness and his contentment, his excitement about things that are to come.

“You care about me,” he says. “You cared enough about me to defend me without even thinking about it, which is how I feel too. When someone tries to put you down, it’s like nothing else matters but setting things right.”

I suppose that’s true, but I’m still very confused. “Didn’t you always know that I care about you?”

“Not like this.” Miles moves around the desk, coming closer to my side. There he leans down and places the softest of kisses to my lips.

Just like that, it’s as if our argument the day before never happened. Love and affection fills my heart.

I don’t want to be temporary. I want this, easy kisses all the time.

“I made more work for us,” I tell him, my final attempt at convincing him to be angry with me.

“Good. I’m a workaholic,” he replies and kisses me again.

Around lunchtime, I sit in a booth at Hugo’s favorite restaurant, across from Hugo himself. A frown cracks hos typically neutral expression, so I brace myself expecting bad news. After we order, he starts talking.

“As you know, I’ve been searching for some other girls from the orphanage. I’ve managed to track down a few.”

I’m not surprised. Even with the limited amount of information we have on the girls, Hugo is a master at investigation and journalism. As the heir to the Harbinger news empire, he was born and bred to do work like this.

“What did they say?” I ask.

“They were afraid to reveal anything of value,” Hugo says. “Not even to Kim, who I brought with me, thinking she might help make them more comfortable.”

I could understand. These girls likely worked hard to move on from the past, and now it’s chasing them around once more. I know exactly how it feels to turn on the news and see the face of your abuser.

“Did they remember me?” I ask.

“I mentioned your name, as you wanted me to,” Hugo says. “That did get some of them to open up. Many are furious about the way Edward is coming after you. They are sympathetic…”

“But?” I prompt, sensing bad news.

“They want the past to stay in the past,” Hugo says. “My continued urging only made a few of them entirely box themselves away. Kim and I were asked to leave quite a few apartments.”

I feel like I should apologize on behalf of my fellow victims, but Hugo doesn’t seem offended by their actions. He’s only ever been understanding of this entire situation straight from the start.

“Even the ones who told Kim and I their stories,” Hugo says. “The ones who were your most ardent supporters. When I asked them to join you in revealing the truth, they refused. Not a single one would come forward. A few… well, they openly told me they were afraid of retaliation from Edward. They see what he’s doing to you, and they don’t want it done to them as well.”

“We can’t just let him win,” I say.

“I agree,” Hugo replies. “But I’m not sure what else we can really do. We can’t force them to come forward.”

Even if we could, I wouldn’t want to. They’ve been through enough.

“Maybe what they really need is for someone else to make the move first,” I say. “Surely if one of us steps forward to stand against Edward, others will follow.”

“Maybe,” Hugo says, giving me a sideways look. He can already tell what I’m thinking, that the person who steps forward should be me.

“He’s gotten away with this for so long. People might not believe me, but… someone has to at least put the truth forward, whether it’s believed or not. The public deserve to know the truth about the man they could be voting for in November.”

“I’m not trying to discourage you,” Hugo says. “I will stand behind you no matter your decision. But. I’m afraid we must consider this from every angle, given the circumstances. If you come forward with your truth now… being part of Miles’s campaign, it may simply look like a smear attack against Zimmer.”

Damn it, he’s right. If I was not in the public light at all, I’d have a slim to none chance of being believed. But because I work in the Miles camp, I will be disbelieved for certain.

“No matter what, you have my full support,” Hugo says.

I shake my head. “We need someone else,” I say. “I’ll come forward, but the only shot I have to be believed is if someone else stands with me. Another victim.”

“I can return to some of the more supportive women…”

“No. No, leave them be. If they see me and come forward, that’s our best chance there. I won’t pressure them.”

“Then what are you thinking?” Hugo asks.

I’m thinking about Daphne’s bruises and the fear in her voice.

I’m thinking about asking her once more to save herself and our nation from that monster in wolf’s clothing.

This is so much bigger than ourselves.

“I need to talk to Daphne again,” I say.

Hugo nods, but his brow furrows. “How?”