The crowd cheers at this, and it's clear that the Governor is gaining a lot of traction with the public. She's always known how to work a crowd—so long as she doesn't have a technical issue with her microphone.
This all makes me sick to my stomach—and mad. I ball one hand into a fist and shove it into my pocket. The way she's dragging Amy and I through the mud, and the fact she's gone to such extremes is infuriating.
I won't let her get away with this. Not now. Not ever.
Meelios continues, "Also, until further notice, I'll be freezing the assets of New York City until it complies with my ruling on indecency."
Did I just fucking hear her correctly? I'm now shaking my head and leaning in closer to the TV, disbelief etched into my face.
"This means," she continues, "that subway workers will no longer be receiving pay—public transit will come to a standstill. The state's food stamps will also stop being distributed. Just think about all of the disadvantaged families that will be affected by this. And it doesn't stop there. The state's colleges and the state's courts will also no longer receive funding. This will be a crisis unlike anything the state's ever seen—and all until Mayor Parker Trask resigns. I implore the Mayor to do the right thing."
"That bitch!" I yell at the TV, pumping one fist into the air. "I can't fucking believe the lows she's stooping to."
Then Amy turns to me. The expression on her face has changed to one of sadness, and I don't know what's worse—seeing her worried, or seeing her sad.
"You have to fire me, Parker," she says, looking at me before burying her face into her hands.
I immediately scoop her into my arms, wrapping her in my embrace. "No," I say. "I refuse to do that. We aren't going to let the Governor get the best of us."
But Amy doesn't seem convinced. I watch as a single tear zigzags its way down her cheek.
"I have," she says, and halts for a second before continuing, "a secret."
"A secret?" I ask, confused.
"Yes," she replies. "It's time I come clean to you Parker."
26
Amy
“I’m not… who you think I am,” I start, the words coming up my throat as if they’re wrapped in thorns. “My mother put me up to this, Parker,” I continue, finally letting the truth out. No matter how much it hurts, it must be done.
“Your mother? What are you talking about, Amy?” he asks me, narrowing his eyes in confusion. I wasn’t sure if Parker ever suspected my mother’s hand in all of this, but his look tells me that he wasn’t expecting to hear these words.
Looking down at the floor, I take one deep breath to summon the courage necessary to go through with this. Once I’m done, Parker’s going to hate me, I’m sure of it. But I can’t keep on living a lie. It’s time to put it all out there.#p#分页标题#e#
“My mother, she… blackmailed me. She forced me to go work for you. She wanted me to act as her spy but, in the end, what she really wanted was for the two of us to sleep together… which happened, exactly as she wanted it to happen,” I say, my heart tightening up into a fist inside my chest. I replay that fateful night inside my head, remembering each of my mother’s words as she backed me down into a corner and forced me to take up arms against my own stepfather.
“No… it can’t be. I don’t understand,” he says, disbelief in his voice. “I mean… blackmail? What did she even blackmail you with?” he asks me, his tone of voice turning flat and emotionless. Oh, God, here I go.
“When I was younger… Oh, I can’t believe I’m going to tell you this, but when I was younger I participated in a porn and… and the actor looked just like you. I’ve always dreamed of you, Parker, and in that moment I let it all out. I lived that moment as if I was really there with you.” I take a deep breath, choking down a sob that threatens to overtake me, and then I continue. “I never let that tape go public, but my mother got hold of it. She never let me forget about it. Told me that she always knew how I felt toward you, and that it was my fault that her marriage to you ended…”
“Jesus…” he whispers, looking into my eyes with an undecipherable expression.
“I know it doesn’t make any sense, but I’ve blamed myself for your broken marriage. I was a stupid girl and, somehow, I started to believe that the way I looked at you played a part in your divorce…”
“Amy, I --”
“And when she threatened to go public with the tape if I didn’t do this… I didn’t know what to say. It’d ruin my business, Parker, and… I didn’t want you to see it. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if you saw how… how stupid I was.”