When They Beg, I Rise!

Lemira wrinkled her nose in disgust, turning back to Orion. "You better head off first."

"Lemira, pushing me away so quickly, feeling guilty, aren't you? Afraid your broke boyfriend will find out he's not the only one spoiling you?"noveldrama

Lemira turned back, facing Evelina's drunken slurs. "All this talk about being kept, seems like you know a lot about it."

"Lemira, cut the crap, you're just feeling guilty."

Evelina, looking over at Orion in the car, sneered, "You don't need to look so sour, Orion. Lemira's just cheating on you, kept by Mr. Draven no less, even got shares in the Maple Group."

Orion's eyes narrowed slightly.

Those shares were his gift to Lemira.

Evelina boasted, "For a school doctor as broke as you, you'll never make that kind of money in your lifetime. Guess you're the first one living off someone else here. But hey, you're pretty handsome. If you were with me, I could give you way more." She just couldn't stand Lemira playing both sides, especially with men so blindly devoted to her.

Dorian, that mommy's boy, ran home at his mom's call, not even daring to pick up her calls.

Evelina burped, her satisfaction evident. She wasn't having a good time, and she wasn't about to let Lemira have one either.

She intended to take everything from Lemira, including her man.

"So, what do you say, Orion? It's a better deal with me!"

What could Lemira offer this man? She was the most beloved daughter of the Langston family.

"Evelina, have you lost your mind?"

Lemira yanked Evelina away, delivering a sharp slap across her face. "Didn't get enough during the day, did you?"

Evelina landed on the ground with a thud, her head buzzing.

Lemira pulled out her phone to record Evelina. "If you're so drunk you're desperate for a man, go to a hotel, don't come here making a scene!" Evelina wanted to retort, but the sight of Lemira filming made her scramble up. "Delete that video."

"Back off, or believe me, I'll post this.

on the college forum. Let all your e

followers see you drunk and desperate. Think your 'innocent coed' title will stick?"

Evelina, sobered up by fear, slunk away.

Lemira put away her phone, turning to Orion. "She's just drunk ranting. I'm heading back to the dorm before curfew."

Orion nodded, watching her enter the school.

Thinking over Evelina's words, he called Thaddeus, his voice cold. "What did Asher say?"

"I was about to tell you, they've got the wrong idea about me and Lemon Saying I'm keeping her, and Asher even wanted to negotiate. As if he's in any position to threaten me"

Orion's expression darkened. "Leak the Langston brothers' corporate espionage. The worse the fallout, the better." "Got it, Lemon deserves better."

Thaddeus paused. “As a friend, just

a heads-up. Sooner or later, your real identity will come out. Have you thought about how to explainit to Lemon?"

Sooner or later, Lemira would run into someone who knew Orion.

It was just a matter of time.

Orion swallowed. "I know."

Yet, he had no idea how to start that conversation.

He feared that once Lemira knew his true identity, they might not even remain friends.

What he had now, felt like stolen moments.

"Just think it over, you can't hide forever."

After hanging up, Orion rolled down his window, lighting a cigarette, his thoughts tangled as he gazed at the night sky.

His phone beeped, snapping him back. Lemira had texted: [Got home yet?]

Extinguishing the cigarette, he replied, [Almost there.]

A smile crept on his face, one he didn't even notice forming.