NIRELLE

Lucien walks in as if he owns the place; of course, he does, but this is supposed to be my room. He ignores my question and walks straight to me, reading everything I had written down. I close the book, but I know it's already too late, as I can tell he has read it.

"Were you contemplating taking up my offer?"

"No," I shout, but that is not going to change the fact that he already saw it. "I did not write that," I say, and the lie flows freely even though it sounds ridiculous.

"Are you ...