The Night Before We Got Married novel · Chapter 8 of 24

Chapter 8: The Lobby

The lobby was full at ten the next morning.

The whole cast stood by the box office in their rehearsal clothes. The crew leaned on the bar.

The foundation's lawyer stood in the middle of the red carpet in a gray suit, holding a single sheet of paper.

Up on the balcony rail, Delphine leaned on her elbows in a white coat.

"Ms. Tilney." The lawyer held the paper out to me. "Your statement. It's already been approved."

I didn't take it. I read it in his hand.

I regret entering Ms. Sorrell's home without permission. I regret taking property that did not belong to me. I am receiving help.

"I'm receiving help," I said out loud.

"You'll read it on camera. Ms. Sorrell's team will post it at noon."

"And if I don't?"

"Then the foundation withdraws its support for any production you're attached to." He said it pleasantly, like a weather report. "And the theater can't afford to open without us."

The director stood by the box office with her arms crossed, watching him.

I looked up at the balcony.

Delphine gave me a small, sad wave.

I took my phone out of my back pocket.

"What are you doing?" the lawyer said.

I opened the camera. I pressed the button that said LIVE.

I took off my cardigan and let it drop on the carpet.

My left arm was bare in the cold lobby, and so was my neck, and so was my shoulder, under the big glittering chandelier.

I turned the phone so the camera saw all of it.

"Hi," I said. "My name is Romy Tilney."

The number in the corner jumped from four to forty in moments.

"You might have seen a video of me last night. I'm the old friend who isn't well."

The lawyer stepped toward me. The stage manager stepped in front of him.

"I'm also the girl she says she carried out of the fire."

← Chapter 7 · All chapters · Chapter 9 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend