Page 34 of Everyone Is Lying to You

“No.”

“How is that possible?”

Olivia sighs. “A lot of reasons. She had tried to make deals like this in the past. Not as big of course. But there have been offers and he forbade her from pursuing them over and over again.”

“Why?”

“He claimed it was because they didn’t need the money, even though they did. But I know it was because he couldn’t handle her getting more and more famous, more and more powerful.”

“So she didn’t tell him about this one.”

“No.”

“And she was planning on letting him find out how? Through my story? Through her big keynote speech here?”

“I believe that was her plan.”

“And then what?”

“She didn’t think he could stop her if she made it so public.”

Once again, I feel like a pawn in some game I didn’t agree to play.

“He also can’t stop her now. Because he’s fucking dead. That’s convenient for her.”

Olivia watches me process all of this and chooses her next words carefully. “I agree that it seems convenient. Of course she also can’t pursue any of this if she’s in prison so it makes no sense for her to have done what she did when so much is at stake. Have you thought about the fact that Rebecca could be in danger herself? That whoever killed her husband might want her dead too? Everyone has been so quick to demonize her. No one seems at all concerned about her safety.”

I have to honestly admit that I hadn’t thought about that. I too had been quick to jump to conclusions about who was the perpetrator and who was the victim here.

Dread lurches through my stomach. Bex is missing and of course she could be in danger.

“Can I write about anything you just told me?” I ask.

Olivia shrugs. “I knew I was talking to a reporter when I said it.”

“Are we on the record?”

“Sure. I can email you some of the specifics about this deal. We should get that information out there. It drives me crazy that every story written about her so far calls her a housewife instead of mentioning that she’s the CEO of a multimedia, multinational brand.”

“That’s what she’s been selling to everyone,” I blurt out. She may be an entrepreneur, but she’s been selling a traditional lifestyle, same as all those June Cleaver clones cheering on MarsdenGreer. She’s been selling herself as a homemaker and housewife in order to make massive amounts of money. It’s fairly genius.

I’m well aware that I am being played again, but the scoop is good, so I’ll take it. And it will get Alana off my back. “Anything else you want to tell me?”

“There are a lot of people who hate Rebecca. There’s a lot of jealousy in the world, and when you combine jealousy with as much money as she has at stake, it’s always dangerous. If I were you, I would talk to the women who are still here. Some of the women from around where she lives.”

“Now you’re just telling me how to do my job.”

I should dislike this bossy woman, but I don’t. I respect her confidence and it feels like she has Bex’s best interests at heart. She also plans to make a good deal of money off Bex if things work out, so she has a stake in all this.

“All suggestions. We want the same things.”

“I need to finish my story. Thanks for the coffee.”

“I’m always good for coffee. Text or call me anytime.” Olivia heads to the door to let herself out, but she turns slightly before exiting the room.

“Hey, Lizzie. One last thing.”

“What’s that?”

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