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Julie
"You okay, Julie?" The concern in the blonde boy's voice cut through the fog in my mind. He nudged me gently with his elbow, his brow furrowed as he peered into my face.
"Huh?" I mumbled, my thoughts tangled in a web of confusion, my eyes distant as if trapped in a dream.
"I asked if you're okay," he repeated, his voice a soft murmur of worry as he leaned closer, his blue eyes searching mine for any sign of what was troubling me.
"Oh, yes, I'm fine ," I lied, forcing a smile that felt more like a grimace. I turned my attention back to my plate, the food looking as appetizing as sawdust.
No one knew about the arranged marriage. Well, no one except Flynn, who had burst into my house after learning everything from Luke while she was at Alex and Carrie's. Speaking of it felt like opening a cursed book; acknowledging its existence made it more real, more unbearable. And the thought of pitying glances was almost too much to endure.
My phone rang, jarring me from my thoughts. I glanced at the screen and recognized the number immediately.
"Hello?" I answered, noticing Flynn's curious glance, her eyes narrowed as she tried to read my expression. "Hey, Julie. It's Reggie."
That could be either good or bad news.
"Oh, hi. How have you been?"I tried to keep my voice light, not wanting to draw more attention from the others as we sat in the bustling school cafeteria.
"I'm good. I just wanted to check on you." I sighed, leaning my head on my palm, feeling the weight of his concern through the phone.
"You know how things are. I'm as well as you are." He chuckled softly, but the sound was brittle, like glass on the edge of breaking. Despite myself, I managed a faint smile.
"That's not as comforting as you think," he responded, and I met Alex's inquisitive gaze, shaking my head subtly to signal it wasn't an important call.
"Hey, Julie," Reggie's tone grew more serious, a note of urgency creeping in.
"Yes?" I asked, my curiosity piqued by his hesitance.
"Do you know anything about your father's business?" His question sent a ripple of anxiety through me.
"Just the basics. Why?" He paused, the silence stretching uncomfortably, before exhaling heavily.
"I found some papers on my father's desk. They mention a large amount of money transferred into a nameless account."
"Okay?" My head started to ache, the information too much to process. "It has both our fathers' signatures."
"And what about it?" I asked, impatience tinged with a growing sense of dread.
"I'm talking about more than three million dollars, Julie. I go through papers like these every day, I've never seen this amount before.", his words hung heavy in the air settling.
