Page 73 of Everdoll

The press corps.

I leaned against the wall and covered my face with coat collar. I was about to sneak toward the house, but then, she appeared at the other end of the street.

When our eyes met, the world seemed to fall away around me.

There was fear in her pretty amber eyes. There was alienation. Her hand holding the phone was trembling.

She saw it.

I lost control of my body. My feet seemed to move toward her unconsciously. But Mina just stood in the middle of the street. She was staring with wide eyes, but she didn’t move a bit. When I closed the distance, I cleared my throat, trying to smile.

“Mina… school… How was school?”

I couldn’t hide the tension in my voice, my hands sweating.

She kept glaring at me without answering. Seconds passed, I sensed footsteps approaching us, but I couldn’t take my eyes off her.

“Was that bad? Are you… okay?”

Are we okay?

Her eyes shifted from my back. Turning, I saw the cameras closing in on her, and my face contorted. I reflexively pulled her close, but Mina shoved me away like a caged animal.

“Don’t touch me!”

She shouted it in an icy voice, her brows were furrowed, her head held high.

“I… I don’t know you. Don’t touch me.”

My chin quivered. “No… you know me. Of course you know me, Mina. What are you even saying?”

The flashes from the reporters’ cameras were like light bombs thrown into my brain. Though half-blind, I forced myself forward, but Mina was already walking away.

“Young Loxton! This is your house?”

“Did you graduate from Siena School? Will you continue on the committee?”

“Is that lady your girlfriend, sir?”

Sebastian was now behind me, shouting at them. “This is private property and an unauthorized intrusion. Please leave, everyone!”

I swung my hand toward the people and reached her. When I finally grabbed her wrist, she flinched. She lifted her wide-open eyes. Seeing this, I lost all my courage.

Her whites were so visible, so scared, so judging… I quickly let go of her wrist, but my gaze lingered on her. Fearfully, as if awaiting a death sentence.

She gave up too, and drew a long breath. “Are you some kind of robot modeled after that heir?”

My chest grew tight. “I… I mean, that heir… I am…”

I couldn’t continue. She peered at me, then averted her gaze.

“I see. Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”

“Why would I…”

“But who are you, really?”

I opened my mouth, but still couldn’t say anything. If she watched the news, she already knew the truth. Then why? Did she want to hear it from me? Why did it matter?