Page 27 of Please Hate Me

“Luce,” Cameron warned, only to receive a death glare.

“What I can’t ignore is thatsomeonein this house doesn’t even deserve to breathe the same air as her.”

Sebastian jerked back before his expression hardened. “Lucky—“

“Ahht, not you.” He held a finger up to silence his brother before pointing to Cameron. “You. You have theaudacityto want to date Mason, but you don’t even want to be in your child’s life?”

Sebastian’s anger drained, morphing into confusion. “What does that have to do with Mason?”

Lucian paused, looking dumbfounded. But as the puzzle pieces began to fit together in his head, a wicked grin spread across his face.

He always did love getting one over on his brother.

“Holy fuck, you don’t know, do you?” Lucian was almost giddy with excitement.

“... Know what?” Seb looked down, and Mason shrunk away from his touch.

“Cameron knocked her up.”

Sebastian’s blue eyes widened so much that I thought they might bulge out of his head.

“Lucian, you’re not funny.”

He looked around at the rest of us, clearly hoping that someone would chime in and reprimand Lucian for telling such a bold lie. Silence stretched uncomfortably as each of us searched for a way to make the truth more palatable for him.

“Princess... tell me that isn’t true.”

Mason’s breathing stilled as all the color drained from her face.

Great job, Sophia.

Tonight was supposed to go well. Everyone was supposed to agree with me, and we’d all fall madly in love. Mason was back in our lives—we should kiss, there should be fireworks. Everything should be great.

This most certainly wasnotgreat.

“I need air,” Mason mumbled before standing.

Sebastian held her shoulders, “Wait, no—“

“Don’t touch me!” she snapped, instantly shrinking away. “I need air. I can’t do this.”

She dashed out of the dining room, and I sat paralyzed, completely bewildered at how badly this conversation had gone. No one followed Mason—why didn’t anyone follow her? Did Sebastian know something we didn’t? Was it better just to let her have space?

“You... got my girlfriend pregnant.” Sebastian’s statement came off as more of a question as he pointed at Cameron.

“Was she your girlfriend back in March?” Cameron challenged.

Sebastian’s gaze narrowed. “I hardly think that matters. You’re my brother’s boyfriend. How the fuck did your semen end up inside a European pop star? Don’t you know how condoms work?”

“Oh no, he does.” Lucian laughed. “He just doesn’t fuckingthink.”

I could’ve pointed out that Lucian also had a history of being irresponsible with contraception, but I was too shocked to see him and his brother working together for once. At least this disaster was bringing siblings together. Still, I wasn’t in the mood to listen to this argument—things were quickly getting out of hand.

“Guys.”

My voice went unnoticed, buried under Cameron’s pleas:

“It wasn’t like Imeantto get her pregnant. It just happened.”

---