I stared at my father's name on the phone screen until it faded to black and nearly took my breath away.
The Times was running the story tomorrow and by morning, everyone would know the Ashford empire was crumbling. The whispers at charity galas would become headlines, my family's name would be dragged through the mud.
And Tori would lose her scholarship, wellbeing, name it everything.
I couldn't breathe, because the walls of my apartment felt like they were closing in.
I needed to talk to someone, anyone who wasn't involved in this mess, who could help me think clearly, for a lasting solution.
I opened my laptop and logged into the gaming forum where I'd spent countless late nights over the past year.
It was the one place I could escape being Sophia Ashford, where I was just "Nightingale," a username attached to strategy game victories and midnight conversations.
Phoenix was online, the little green dot next to his name felt like a lifeline.
We'd met six months ago in a multiplayer campaign, he was brilliant and ruthless in gameplay, but thoughtful in our private chats. We'd never exchanged real names or photos, we'd never talked about our actual lives beyond vague mentions of "work stress" and "family drama."
But somehow, he'd become the person I trusted most, the one I could confide in.
I opened our message thread, my fingers hovering over the keyboard. How did I even begin to explain this?
"Nightingale." "Are you there"?
The response came immediately.
"Phoenix," I'm always on and what's wrong?
Of course he knew something was wrong, I had never messaged him first, unless I needed to vent out about a bad day.
"Nightingale:" I need advice. But it's complicated.
"Phoenix:" In most cases, the best problems usually are.
I took a breath and started typing once more.
"Nightingale:" Someone offered me a way out of an impossible situation. But it requires me to give up two years of my life, to marry a stranger.
I hit send before I could overthink it.
" Phoenix:" That's not complicated, that's insane.
" Nightingale:" I know. But if I don't do it, my family loses everything: my sister's future, my parents' home, almost everything they've worked for.
" Phoenix:" And if you do it? What do you think you'll lose?
I stared at that question. What would I lose? Of course, my freedom, dignity and all I stand for.The chance to build a life on my own terms.
" Nightingale:" My freedom, I guess. Two years of pretending to be someone I'm not, that's arrant nonsense.
*Phoenix:"Who does this man think you are?
"Nightingale:"A chess piece, or a means to an end. He doesn't care who I really am.
"Phoenix:" Then he's a fool.
Something warm kept swinging in my chest despite everything.
"Nightingale:" You don't even know who I really am.
" Phoenix:" I know you're smart, a bit stubborn and sometimes you overthink every move, but you always find a way to win. You care too much about people who don't deserve it.
"Nightingale:" That's a character analysis from a video game.
"Phoenix:"Games reveal more than you think, you should have known when the stakes are fake and people show their real selves.
I smiled despite the tears burning in my eyes, while I found consolation as they trickled down my cheeks.
"Nightingale:" So what do I do? Sign away two years of my life or watch everything acquired over time, burn?
" Phoenix:" What does your gut tell you?
"Nightingale:"That I don't have a choice at the moment.
"Phoenix:"Everyone has a choice, it's free, but it's just a decision.
The question is whether you can live with the consequences that are definite and irrevocable.
I thought about Tori's dreams, about my father's broken voice on the phone. How about my mother's desperate attempts to fix this by selling me to Alexander Pierce.
At least with Damien's offer, I had some control, an agency.
*Nightingale:"If you were in my position, what would you do?
The typing indicator appeared, then disappeared, but after some time, it popped up again.
Finally:
"Phoenix:"I'd make the deal, but I'd go in with my eyes open, finding out everything about this man, his weaknesses, his secrets and leverage points. I'd make sure that at the end of two years, I held all the cards.
"Nightingale:" So become just like him?
"Phoenix:"No, but become better than him, smarter and much more ruthless when it counts.
"Nightingale:"I don't know if I can do that.
"Phoenix:" You already are, but you just haven't seen it yet, you just can't figure it out.
I wiped at my eyes, feeling something shift in my chest. Phoenix was right, I'd spent my whole life playing by rules other people set.
Following expectations, by being the good daughter, the perfect Ashford.
Maybe it was time to write my own rules.
"Nightingale:"Thank you, for always being here for me.
"Phoenix:" Where else would I be?
"Nightingale:"I have to go now, because I have a contract to sign.
**Phoenix:"Nightingale?
"Nightingale:** Yeah?
"Phoenix:"Whatever happens, make sure you don't lose yourself in this. Promise me.
My heart skipped.
"Nightingale:" I promise.
I logged off before he could respond and pulled out Damien's contract. The words blurred as I read through it one more time, but Phoenix's advice echoed in my head.
"Go in with your eyes open, be doubly watchful, and find his weaknesses."
I grabbed my phone and texted the unknown number: "I'll sign, but I want to add a clause."
Damien's response was instant: "I'm listening."
"I want full access to your files on Pierce, everything you know about him. If I'm doing this, I want the tools to protect my family and myself."
Three dots appeared. Disappeared. Appeared again.
"Interesting, come to my office at midnight and we'll negotiate."
I looked at the clock. 10:47 pm.
Seventy-three minutes to prepare for a negotiation with the devil himself.
I opened my laptop again and started making a list of everything I needed to know and every question I needed answers to.
Phoenix was right about one thing, if I was going to survive two years with Damien Cross, I needed to be smarter than him.
And I needed to start tonight.
End of Chapter Eight.