I shook my head, unable to stop crying. “It’s not okay, Kin. None of this is okay. I’m trying so hard to be better, to do something good, and it’s all falling apart because of one stupid night. My parents will cut me off.”
Kinna pulled over, turning to face me. “Beth, listen to me. You made a mistake. It happens. But what you were doing in there today, sticking it out, doing the hard, unglamorous work... that’s the stuff that counts.”
I wiped my eyes. “You really think so?”
“I know so,” Kinna said firmly. “Now, let’s get you home. We’ll figure out our next move, okay?”
As we drove off, I remembered the image of Maisie’s face when I saw acceptance in her eyes after we talked. Was Kinna right? Maybe I could make a difference, video scandal or not.
CHAPTER SIX
SEAN
I paced the green room,my stomach churning, but it wasn’t just stage fright. This wasn’t like me. I’d given hundreds of speeches, but today’s speech was different. This Bright Futures Foundation event was the whole damn reason I’d flown to Glasgow. When my team had first vetted the foundation, I’d read their mission statement: “Hope for the Homeless: Changing Lives, One Child at a Time.” They worked with kids who had been cast out, who felt like they had nowhere to turn. Kids who’d been through hell. Kids just like Olivia.
The thought of her, of what had happened, tightened its familiar grip around my chest. This speech wasn’t just another gig for me. It was a promise I’d made to myself after she was gone. That I would use my platform for something that mattered. I couldn’t let my personal bullshit mess this up.
“Sean, buddy, you need to calm down,” Danny said, watching me with a concern that went beyond our usual banter. “You’re gonna wear a hole in the carpet.”
I raked a hand through my hair. “I know, I know. It’s just... this one means a lot, Danny. I can’t screw it up.”
Danny stepped in front of me, his expression softening. “Hey. I know how much this foundation means to you. Forget the video, forget the press. Just go out there and speak from the heart.” He paused, a flicker of hesitation on his face. “Speaking of the video... I wasn’t even sure I should tell you this with you being so wound up, but something weird happened.”
“What?” I asked, immediately on alert.
“I got this strange call the other day on my work phone,” Danny said, pulling out his cell. “My first thought was that it’s a shakedown. Some chick trying to cash in on the video. But the message... it was odd. Professional, even.” He found the voicemail and held out the phone. “Listen to this.”
He pressed play, and a woman’s voice—crisp, Scottish, and completely no-nonsense—filled the quiet room.
“Mr. Beckford, my name is Kinna. I am calling on behalf of the woman who was photographed with your client, Sean McCrae, last night. She values her privacy and has no interest in speaking with the press. We trust your client will show her the same discretion. If there is any need for communication regarding this matter, you can reach me at this number.”
I stared at Danny’s phone, my mind racing.Representation?The woman from the pub, the one I couldn’t get out of my head, had representation? It didn’t make any sense.
“See? Weird, right?” Danny said, pocketing his phone. “Sounds like a friend trying to play hardball. Or a total crank. I’d ignore it.”
But I couldn’t. This mysterious woman was becoming more of an enigma by the second. “Let me see that number,” I said.
Danny sighed but showed me the call log on his phone. Ipulled out my own, deliberately saving the number under a new contact:Kinna (Beth’s Friend?).I didn’t know if I would ever use it, but I needed to have it. Just in case.
“Forget about it for now, man,” Danny advised. “You’ve got a speech to give.”
I pulled in a deep breath, trying to center myself. He was right. This was about the kids, not the mysterious woman from the pub. “Right. Yeah. I’ve got this.”
A knock at the door made us both jump. “Mr. McCrae? You’re on in five minutes.”
“Thanks,” I called back, my voice steadier now.
Danny gave me a once-over, straightening my tie. “You look great. Now go out there and knock ‘em dead.”
I nodded, squaring my shoulders. “Let’s do this.”
As I stepped onto the stage, the piercing lights momentarily blinded me. But as my eyes adjusted, I saw the sea of expectant faces all here for the Bright Futures Foundation event. I took a steadying breath, found my mark, and gripped the sides of the podium. For them. For Olivia.
“Good morning, Glasgow!” I kicked things off with my well-rehearsed opener, my voice confident and clear. “Listen folks, sometimes life throws us a curveball, and suddenly we’re on a path we never saw coming. It’s not about avoiding the pitfalls; it’s about how we choose to climb back out of them…”
I launched into my speech, the words flowing easily, the rhythm familiar. I felt the connection with the audience building—they were nodding, smiling, a few even wiping away a tear at one of my anecdotes. I was in the zone, everything clicking into place exactly as I’d planned. It was going perfectly.
And then I saw her.
