Pure Belleza | ✔️

(69)

A/N. Because it's been a while and y'all have fish memories, reminder on a few small things regarding characters. Marnie and Kiara are sisters. Kiara is dating Amalia's dad, Elias. Max and Marnie used to work together. Marnie is dating her boss Jordan. Avery is Abby's old piece of shit agent. I think that covers all the characters you might have forgotten connected to other characters.

Amalia saw the news first. I'd decided not to say anything and hope that it fell to the bottom of the media feed before someone caught it. But Amalia read the news and the updates and she loved it whenever she and Max were photographed together by the paps. So she screenshot the pictures and had a pin board of photos of her and Max out on romantic dates or hand in hand on the sidewalk.

She said that she loved how authentic the photos were. There was no warning that a photo would be taken so however big her smile was or how in love they looked, it was genuine and she adored that aspect of the attention both of them had started to receive.

But the point is, she saw the news article about Avery. About a woman that heard of his assault and decided to jump on the chance to come forward about what he did to her while he was physically unable to come and find her. She'd been raped. Her statement, which was summarised in the article, was graphic and I couldn't stop thinking about the fact that, that could have been me. I also couldn't understand why it wasn't.

"This is good," Max said from beside Amalia in the middle of the living room. I'd been pacing for the last fifteen minutes. I also hadn't had a wink of sleep last night. The three of us were in our PJs. "You can come forward too. You won't be alone now. I mean, I bet that girl was scared. But there's strength in numbers. More witnesses means a higher chance of conviction."

"If dad sees this," I came to a stop and looked at both of them. "Then he's going to lose it. He's going to be so hurt. He'll know that I— that I—"

"He might not see it to be honest," Max slipped his hands into his sweat pockets. "He doesn't check mainstream media anymore. He stopped after that whole parking lot incident went down months ago. He couldn't handle reading the rumours and that sort of thing."

"Well. . . a silver lining I suppose. Still. Someone he knows will see it. And tell him."

Max looked thoughtful as he shook his head. "Not necessarily. I mean, lots of people know dad. But for people to put this together, they would have to know all the little details. They'd have to know that you were working for Avery here in New York. They'd have to know the timeline of events etc. I mean, dad's proud of you, but I doubt he went around and told all of his mates what your agents name and location was. Even if his friends do see the article, they might not click a thing into place."

"I guess," I worried my lip and felt my stomach turning over itself. Stress brought on involuntary vomit. After making myself sick for so long, my body had an automatic response to throw up on certain triggers. I used to stress whenever I ate. Stress in general can cause nausea. But this was harder to control.

I ran to the bathroom, fell on the damp tiled floor and lost bile into the toilet bowl. I hadn't eaten so all that was coming out was a yellowish liquid. My stomach started to ache and a hand moved across my back.

"At least it's not chunky," Amalia said, pulling my bed hair behind my shoulders.

I laughed and spat a mouthful of thick saliva out. My nose felt full and sore as well. "That's true. Chunky vomit is gross." I left out the part that it didn't bother me all that much. I was used to throwing up.

After I'd brushed my teeth and wandered out of the bathroom, feeling a bit flush, I found Max pouring water into a cup of herbal tea for me. "You should have some breakfast."