My phone buzzed on the table. The caller ID made my stomach twist. “Oh, for fuck’s sake,” I muttered. “It’s Mr. Douglas, my parents’ lawyer.”
“You better take it,” Kinna urged.
I drew in a heavy breath and answered, my voice tight with irritation. “Mr. Douglas.”
“Elisabeth, my dear,” his calm voice was a stark contrast to my internal chaos. “I have a proposition for you. It concerns a fresh start. An opportunity has arisen for you to spend the next six months in New York, with all arrangements handled.”
“New York?” I nearly choked on my drink. “Mr. Douglas, that’s a lovely thought, but in case you haven’t heard the family gossip, I’m completely broke.”
“I am aware of your parents’ recent decisions regarding you,” he said carefully. “Which is why this offer is fully sponsored. Your apartment, your living expenses, and an internship position at the Hillsdale Foundation have all been arranged. The position is a requirement of the arrangement.”
My mind was reeling. “Hold on. This is another trick of my parents, isn’t it? This is another way of shipping me off to some rehab facility?”
“On the contrary, Elisabeth. This is a genuine internship. Your mother is vehemently opposed to this plan. She still insists on the six-month stay in Switzerland. This offer comes from another…source.”
“Another source?”
“Let’s just say, not everyone in your family believes a high-security wellness clinic is the answer for a spirited young woman who has made a few mistakes,” he said, his tone kind. “A benefactor, who wishes to remain anonymous, feels a change of scenery and a sense of purpose is a far better remedy. I am merely facilitating their wishes.”
My breath hitched. Someone else? Who? “But… what about a visa? I can’t just work in the States, even as an intern.”
“An astute question,” he said, and I could hear the smile in his voice. “I took the liberty of submitting the preliminarypaperwork for the appropriate visa last week, sponsored by Hillsdale. It should be approved shortly. All the practical details have been seen to.”
The level of planning was staggering. This wasn’t just an idea; it was a fully formed escape route. A part of me, the part that was broke, humiliated, and terrified, wanted to scream yes. But my pride balked.
“Mr. Douglas, I… I don’t know what to say. That’s incredibly generous,” I said, my voice wavering. “But I think I can handle things here.”
“Are you sure, Elisabeth?” he asked gently. “Your parents’ alternative offer of six months in rehab still stands, of course. This is another option. A chance. Think of it as an investment in your future.”
After I ended the call, I relayed the entire, insane conversation to Kinna.
“Beth, are you out of your bloody mind?” she exclaimed. “You have to take this! It’s a golden ticket!”
“It feels like running away,” I mumbled.
“It’s not running away!” she insisted, her voice fierce. “It’s a strategic retreat! Your life here is a mess. You’re broke, you just got fired, and you’re drinking vodka for lunch. This isn’t just a trip, Beth. It’s an escape route from a six-month prison sentence in Switzerland!”
Her words stung, but she was right. Also, the thought of being on the same continent as Sean sent a tiny, treacherous flutter through me. As Kinna kept making her case, her logic dismantling my prideful defenses, I felt a strange new feeling bubble up through the despair. Fear, yes, but also… excitement.
I grasped Kinna’s hand tightly. “Come with me,” I pleaded, my voice filled with a vulnerability I rarely allowedmyself to show. “Please, Kinna. I don’t think I can do this alone.”
Kinna’s face softened, and for a flash, I thought she might agree. But then she shook her head gently, her expression full of genuine regret. “Oh, Beth, I wish I could. You know I would in a heartbeat. But I can’t just leave my job for six months. I just can’t.”
I sank back in my chair, feeling the last bit of air deflate from my lungs. “Yeah, I understand,” I mumbled, trying to hide my disappointment. “It was a stupid idea, anyway.”
“Hey, none of that,” Kinna said firmly, her voice snapping me back to attention. “It wasn’t stupid. And you won’t be alone. We will video chat every single day, so much you’ll get sick of my face. And I’ll come visit as soon as I can get some time off, I swear.” She leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with excitement now. “Plus, think of all the new people you’ll meet! The possibilities! Maybe you’ll even meet a guy, huh? One of those sexy New York businessmen in a fine suit?”
I couldn’t stop a small, watery chuckle from spilling out. “Oh, please, Kinna. The last thing I need is another man complicating my life.” I took a sip of my martini, a bit of my old spark returning. “Unless he owns a yacht and has a profound appreciation for a woman’s need for space. And silence. A very, very quiet family would be a plus.”
Kinna grinned, seeing the shift in me. “Now that’s the spirit! A man with a yacht and no opinions. The dream!”
We both laughed, and for the first time since I heard about Colter, the crushing weight on my chest seemed to lift, just a fraction. I looked at Kinna, at her hopeful, encouraging face, and then thought about New York. The sheer, terrifying, anonymous freedom of it. It was scary, yes, but the alternativewas so much worse. The alternative was letting my parents win, letting them mold me into someone I wasn’t.
“Alright,” I said, my voice suddenly clear and steady. “Fuck it. I’ll do it.”
Kinna blinked. “Do what?”
“New York,” I said, a thrill running through me. “I’m taking the offer. I’m going to New York.”