Page 148 of Loving the Liar

“I’m sorry?” My trembling voice doesn’t impress any of them, and even Chris doesn’t give me an ounce of reassurance.

“Aphrodites only have one job. To be used when we want to use them. You failed that already and had to be punished. We granted you a favor, though. So that’s already us doing more for you than you did for us. And now we have to cover for you again. Sleeping with a professor? I guess you only ever found one way to get help from people.”

Shame burns my face all the way to the tips of my ears, and my stomach twists, eaten by the disgrace demon. What a way to call me a whore.

“That was…before,” I attempt.

“Before? Oh, well. If it was before, then it doesn’t matter that some student account outed you and that the Circle has to intervene to save the reputation of not one but two members.”

“I’m sorry…I?—”

“That’s the problem with our kids. We spoiled you too much. You think we’re going to clean up after all of you before you’ve even earned your rightful place in this society. If Christopher hadn’t come to me, how long would this have kept going? When were you going to tell me that a social media account was targeting you? If you’re at risk, the Circle is at risk. What if their next post was to tell the world you were an Aphrodite for the Silent Circle?”

“It wasn’t?—”

“But it was.”

I look at Chris, and I notice the faintest shadow of a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth.

“I don’t understand,” I admit, talking to whoever wants to hear, but looking at him.

“This.” Duval gets my attention again. He’s holding a phone, waving it at me. “Hermes was Megan McLean. Christopher found this phone at their house. It’s logged into the account. She had a post scheduled for today that we didn’t manage to stop on time. It posted as we were going through the phone. And there was one scheduled for a week from now to tell everyone you were part of a secret society. Our society. We were about to be exposed.”

My eyes practically bulge out of my head. This is exactly what Peach and I thought—that Megan was after me. I look back at Chris, but he stays quiet, unreadable. So, I bring my attention back to Duval.

“She…she posted all those things about me?”

“She did. I know you three had some trouble, and I didn’t care, but she isn’t allowed to put the Circle in jeopardy.”

That bitch hated me so much she was willing to expose the Circle. She ruined my life, destroyed my reputation. I was right. She and Chris deserve each other.

My heart races, realizing her dad said she wouldn’t be killed. She deserves to be killed. “What is going to happen to her?”

Eugene puts the phone back on his desk before huffing and looking at me. “She’s been banned, her engagement with her Shadow broken, and her father will send her to Europe on family business.”

I struggle to take another breath, my eyes darting to Chris again. This doesn’t erase the things he did. It only shows that they’re both insane.

“What’s going to happen to me?” I whisper.

“Well.” He runs a hand through his hair. “You were going to be removed from the Circle. As I said, you’re more trouble than you’re worth.”

A chill runs down my spine, and I take a step back toward the door.

“No need to be scared, Ella. It just so happens that one of our Shadows is now without a Hera and is adamant he wants to pick you out of the pool of Aphrodites.”

I don’t register what he said for a moment, blinking up at him.

And when I do, my head whips to Chris.

“So that’s why you told everyone Megan is Hermes. How long have you kept this to yourself? You were waiting for the perfect time, weren’t you?”

“I only just found out, Ella. There was no scheming here.” How anyone could believe his almost shy smile right now is beyond me. He’s a liar, and I know it. “I lost my Hera. I can’t be without one if I want to stay a Shadow. And I have to choose from the Aphrodites. That’s all this is.”

“And you chose me?” I snarl past the knot in my throat. “What a surprise.” I look at Duval, pointing an accusing finger toward Chris. “He knew she was Hermes.”

“How the hell could I have known? I’ve been warning the Circle about this account for months.” Chris snorts and shakes his head like he’s disappointed. “The woman hates you so much she was willing to expose the Circle. You’re lucky I found that phone.”

“Ella.” Duval’s patience is wearing thin. I can hear it in his voice and see it in the way he now stands straight in front of his desk. “I am about done with your impudence. You are nothing here. Your family is nothing. And you apparently learned nothing from your punishment. So here’s what it is: You are being expelled from SFU as punishment. The only choice you get is whether you want to become a Hera for Christopher, or to be removed from the Circle.”

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