CHAPTER 54

CARMEN

I stopped in my tracks, turning back to my mother and staring at her in utter disbelief. She stared back at me with pride, as if she had not just told me the worst thing that I could hear from her.

“What do you still have the video for? You told me that you deleted it,” I pointed out, my tone holding accusation.

“Well, I may have misspoke. Also, I had a suspicion that it could still come in handy sometime soon. I know how much you barely keep to your business, Carmen. This would have happened sooner or later, and it grieves me that it came sooner than I prepared for.”

“So it’s true?” I scoffed. “You have been poisoning Steve?”

“You wouldn’t understand,” she said and shook her head. “You’re barely twenty. I’m doing everything I can for you, I swear. I fear that the only time you’re going to realize this is when you have succeeded in putting us in trouble, or when I’m dead—”

“Stop trying to manipulate me!” I yelled at her, walking back towards her.

“Why are you doing this? Do you