Chapter 189

The good feeling lasted exactly three days.

Three days.

Three days of talking about music.

Three days of dreaming about studios.

Three days of pretending life was starting to return to normal.

Three days where Abigail almost forgot that the investigation was still happening.

Then her phone rang.

And everything changed.

She was sitting at the kitchen table working on lyrics when she saw the caller ID.

Dean Carter.

Immediately, her stomach dropped.

Across the room, Emma noticed.

“What is it?”

Abigail stared at the screen.

“The dean.”

Emma sat up straighter.

The room instantly became quieter.

Megan looked up from her laptop.

Ashley paused halfway through a bag of chips.

“Answer it,” Emma said.

Abigail nodded.

Then answered.

“Hello?”

“Abigail.”

The dean’s voice sounded professional as always.

But something about it felt different.

More serious.

More cautious.

Immediately, Abigail knew she wasn’t going to like whatever came next.

“Hi.”

The dean sighed.

“We wanted to give you an update before you heard it from someone else.”

Abigail’s chest tightened.

“What happened?”

Silence.

Then—

“Professor Shields has retained legal counsel.”

The room froze.

Emma’s jaw tightened instantly.

Megan stopped typing.

Ashley lowered the chips.

“A lawyer?” Abigail asked.

“Yes.”

The dean paused.

“Her attorney has formally challenged portions of the investigation.”

The knot in Abigail’s stomach tightened.

Of course she had.

Of course she wasn’t going quietly.

The dean continued.

“They’ve requested additional review of witness testimony.”

Abigail closed her eyes briefly.

“What does that mean?”

“It means she’s attempting to dispute the findings.”

The call lasted another ten minutes.

By the time it ended, the atmosphere in the house had completely changed.

The hope from earlier that week suddenly felt much more fragile.

Emma sat down across from Abigail.

“What exactly did he say?”

Abigail repeated everything.

Every detail.

Every update.

Every challenge Shields was making.

Nobody looked happy.

Especially Emma.

“She’s desperate.”

Megan nodded.

“Sounds like it.”

Ashley rolled her eyes.

“Sounds guilty.”

Emma didn’t disagree.

But something still bothered her.

Because people did desperate things when they felt cornered.

And desperate people were dangerous.

Unfortunately, things got worse.

By the end of the week, rumors had started spreading around campus again.

Different rumors this time.

More aggressive.

More targeted.

More personal.

Abigail first heard them from a student in one of her classes.

Then another.

Then another.

Eventually it became impossible to ignore.

When she got home that evening, she found Emma sitting on the couch reading.

Abigail immediately dropped her bag.

Emma looked up.

“What happened?”

Abigail hesitated.

Then finally said it.

“There are rumors.”

Emma’s expression changed instantly.

“What kind of rumors?”

Abigail hated even repeating them.

She sat down beside her.

“People are saying Professor Shields is claiming you targeted her.”

The room went completely silent.

Emma stared.

For a second she actually thought she’d heard wrong.

“What?”

Abigail looked down.

“They’re saying she’s telling people you attacked her because you were jealous.”

Emma laughed once.

Not because it was funny.

Because it was ridiculous.

Then the laugh disappeared.

Because the accusation itself wasn’t funny.

Not at all.

“Jealous?”

Abigail nodded.

Emma stared at the wall.

Then shook her head.

Slowly.

“Wow.”

That was all she could think to say.

Wow.

The rumors spread faster than anyone expected.

Some students ignored them.

Most students didn’t believe them.

But that didn’t stop people from talking.

And every time Abigail heard another version of the story, her anxiety grew.

Because suddenly she wasn’t just worried about herself.

She was worried about Emma.

Her job.

Her reputation.

Her future.

One evening, after another long day of speculation and gossip, Abigail found herself sitting on the back porch alone.

The sun was beginning to set.

The sky painted in orange and pink.

Normally she’d have enjoyed it.

Today she barely noticed.

Emma found her a few minutes later.

Without saying anything, she sat beside her.

The silence lasted several moments.

Then Emma spoke.

“What’s going on in that head of yours?”

Abigail looked down.

“Nothing.”

Emma laughed softly.

“That’s never true.”

Abigail smiled faintly.

Then sighed.

Finally admitting what she’d been holding in.

“I’m worried.”

Emma already knew.

But she asked anyway.

“About what?”

Abigail looked at her.

“Your career.”

The answer came immediately.

Emma’s expression softened.

Abigail continued.

“What if this hurts you?”

“What if somebody believes her?”

“What if this follows you?”

The words spilled out faster now.

Weeks of fear.

Weeks of stress.

Weeks of worry.

Emma listened to all of it.

Then took Abigail’s hand.

Firmly.

“Look at me.”

Abigail did.

Emma’s eyes never left hers.

“This is not your fault.”

Abigail opened her mouth.

Emma shook her head.

“No.”

A squeeze of her hand.

“Not one part of this.”

The firmness in her voice made Abigail stop arguing.

Emma continued.

“I made my choices.”

Another squeeze.

“And if I had to do it again?”

Abigail already knew the answer.

So did Emma.

“I’d still protect you.”

The words settled heavily between them.

Not because they were dramatic.

Because they were true.

Emma meant every single one.

Abigail’s eyes immediately filled.

Emma leaned forward and kissed her forehead.

“I’m not worried about my career.”

A pause.

“I’m worried about you.”

That finally broke whatever wall Abigail had been holding up.

She leaned into Emma.

And for a while neither one of them said anything.

Later that night, after everyone else had gone inside, Abigail sat alone in the living room staring at her phone.

Thinking.

There was one person she hadn’t talked to through any of this.

One person who always knew exactly what to say.

One person who had been more like a second parent than an aunt.

Finally, she hit the call button.

The phone rang once.

Twice.

Then—

“Well, look who finally decided to call me.”

A smile immediately appeared on Abigail’s face.

“Auntie.”

“Baby girl.”

Just hearing her voice made something in Abigail’s chest loosen.

For the next twenty minutes she told her everything.

The investigation.

The complaint.

The hearing.

Professor Shields.

The rumors.

The attorney.

Everything.

Her aunt listened quietly.

Never interrupting.

Never rushing her.

Just listening.

When Abigail finally finished, there was silence.

Then—

“I am glad you called.”

Abigail smiled.

“Yeah?”

“Absolutely.”

A pause.

Then her aunt’s voice dropped slightly.

“Do I need to fly in there and show Professor Shields and her attorney who I really am?”

Abigail laughed.

Actually laughed.

For the first time all day.

“Maybe.”

“I’m serious.”

“I know.”

Another pause.

Then Abigail’s smile softened.

Because suddenly she realized how much she missed her.

“Auntie?”

“Yeah?”

“Could you come?”

The other end of the line immediately went quiet.

Abigail looked down.

“I miss you.”

A beat.

“I want you to meet my friends.”

Another beat.

“And Emma wants to see you too.”

The answer came instantly.

“I’m on my way.”

Abigail blinked.

“What?”

“I’ll be there in a few hours.”

“What?”

Her aunt laughed.

“I’m taking the jet.”

Of course she was.

Abigail shook her head.

“You are unbelievable.”

“I know.”

Another laugh.

“I’ll text you when I’m close to the house.”

The call ended a few minutes later.

And for the first time all day, Abigail felt excited about something.

The second she walked back into the living room everyone noticed the difference.

Emma looked up first.

“What’s that smile?”

Megan noticed too.

Ashley immediately pointed.

“Something happened.”

Abigail sat down.

Trying and failing to hide the grin on her face.

Emma narrowed her eyes.

“What?”

“My aunt is coming.”

The room brightened immediately.

“Tonight?” Emma asked.

Abigail nodded.

“She’s flying in.”

Ashley smiled.

“Nice.”

Then she paused.

A realization hitting her.

“Wait.”

Megan looked over.

“What?”

Ashley pointed at Abigail.

“I’ve never met your aunt.”

Megan blinked.

“Neither have I.”

The room got quiet.

Both women looked at Abigail.

Waiting.

Ashley folded her arms.

“So who exactly is your aunt?”

Abigail smiled.

A very suspicious smile.

The kind that immediately made Emma start laughing.

“You’ll see.”

Ashley groaned.

“I hate when people do that.”

Megan pointed.

“No seriously. Who is she?”

Abigail just leaned back against the couch.

Still smiling.

“You’ll see.”

Emma finally lost it and started laughing.

Ashley looked between them.

“What?”

Emma shook her head.

“Oh, this is going to be good.”

“What is?”

Emma grinned.

Then looked at Megan and Ashley.

“Just wait until you see.”

And somehow—

That only made them more curious.

The next few hours were torture for Megan and Ashley.

Absolute torture.

Not because anything was wrong.

Because Abigail refused to answer a simple question.

Every single time one of them asked who her aunt was, she gave the exact same response.

“You’ll see.”

Ashley had reached her limit approximately forty-five minutes ago.

She was now pacing across the massive living room of the penthouse.

Actually pacing.

Megan sat on one of the oversized sectionals watching her with amusement while the city skyline stretched across the floor-to-ceiling windows behind them.

“You know she’s doing this on purpose, right?”

“I know.”

“Then stop asking.”

“I’m not going to stop asking.”

Emma laughed from her spot beside Abigail.

“Honestly, watching this has been the highlight of my evening.”

Ashley pointed dramatically.

“You’re part of the problem.”

“I know.”

Emma looked completely unbothered.

Abigail’s phone buzzed.

Immediately everyone looked at her.

She checked the screen.

Then smiled.

“She’s here.”

Ashley practically jumped off the couch.

“What do you mean she’s here?”

Megan stood too.

Emma smiled.

“That was fast.”

“She said she was taking the jet.”

Ashley stopped.

“…The what?”

Abigail laughed.

“The jet.”

“The jet?”

“The jet.”

Ashley looked at Megan.

Megan looked at Ashley.

Neither knew what to do with that information.

A moment later headlights appeared far below through the penthouse windows.

From their view high above the city, they could see a black SUV pulling into the private entrance area beneath the building.

The room grew quiet.

Even Ashley.

The concierge called upstairs a few minutes later to announce a guest had arrived.

Emma answered.

“Send her up.”

Ashley immediately pointed.

“That sounded expensive.”

Nobody answered.

The private elevator opened a few moments later.

The soft ding echoed through the penthouse.

And suddenly everyone’s attention shifted toward the foyer.

A security-looking man stepped off first.

Then stepped aside.

The second person who emerged made the room go completely silent.

The woman carried herself with the confidence of someone used to commanding attention.

Elegant.

Powerful.

Perfectly put together.

She removed her sunglasses as she stepped into the penthouse.

Ashley blinked.

“What is happening?”

Emma started laughing again.

The second Abigail saw her, she was moving.

“Auntie!”

The woman opened her arms immediately.

“There she is.”

Abigail wrapped her arms around her tightly.

For several seconds neither of them let go.

When they finally pulled apart, her aunt gently cupped Abigail’s face.

Looking her over carefully.

Checking.

Making sure.

“You okay?”

Abigail nodded.

“Better now.”

The woman smiled.

Then finally looked up.

And immediately spotted Emma.

“There she is.”

Emma laughed and walked over.

The two women hugged warmly.

Clearly not for the first time.

Ashley looked at Megan.

Megan looked at Ashley.

Then both looked back toward the woman.

Still frozen.

Still processing.

Finally Ashley pointed.

“No.”

The woman turned.

A slow smile appearing.

“Oh.”

She laughed.

“You must be Ashley.”

Ashley blinked.

“What?”

Then the woman looked toward Megan.

“And you’re Megan.”

Neither responded immediately.

Because both were still trying to process what they were seeing.

Abigail finally decided to put them out of their misery.

She walked back toward the center of the living room.

Smiling the entire time.

“Ashley.”

A pause.

“Megan.”

Another pause.

Then—

“This is my aunt.”

The room waited.

Abigail grinned.

And said the name.

The name that immediately made both women lose their minds.

Ashley dropped onto the couch.

Megan nearly sat down on the arm of a chair and missed.

“No way.”

Absolutely no way.

Emma covered her face laughing.

Because this reaction was exactly what she expected.

Abigail’s aunt smiled.

Then held out her hand.

“It’s nice to finally meet you both.”

Neither one moved immediately.

Still staring.

Still shocked.

Still trying to understand how Abigail had somehow forgotten to mention that her aunt was one of the most influential and successful women in the entertainment industry.

Ashley pointed at Abigail.

“You left this information out.”

Abigail shrugged.

“I forgot.”

“You forgot?”

“I forgot.”

Megan laughed.

“That is not something people forget.”

Emma smiled.

“I tried telling her that years ago.”

The room erupted into laughter.

Abigail’s aunt slowly turned in a circle, taking in the penthouse.

The massive windows.

The open-concept living space.

The skyline view.

Then she looked at Emma.

“Okay.”

Emma smiled.

“What?”

“You did good.”

Emma laughed.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“It was.”

Ashley immediately pointed.

“Wait.”

Everyone looked at her.

“Can somebody explain how Abigail casually knows famous musicians and has a penthouse and forgot to mention both?”

The room exploded into laughter again.

For the first time in days, nobody was talking about investigations.

Or attorneys.

Or hearings.

Or Professor Shields.

They were simply together.

Family.

And judging by the look in Abigail’s aunt’s eyes as she watched the group interact—

She already understood exactly why Abigail had wanted her to meet them.

And for the first time since stepping into the penthouse, she looked completely relaxed.

Like she knew Abigail was surrounded by people who loved her.

Abigail’s aunt settled onto one of the couches.

The atmosphere had changed completely.

For the first time in weeks, everyone felt relaxed.

Safe.

Like they could finally breathe.

Abigail curled up beside Emma while Megan and Ashley took the opposite couch.

Her aunt looked around at all of them for a moment.

Watching.

Observing.

Taking everything in.

Then her gaze landed on Ashley.

Her expression softened immediately.

“I need to thank you.”

Ashley blinked.

“For what?”

Abigail’s aunt smiled.

“For stepping in.”

The room grew quiet.

Ashley immediately knew what she was talking about.

The fight.

The hallway.

The hospital.

Everything.

Her aunt nodded.

“You stepped in for Emma.”

Then she looked at Abigail.

“And you stepped in for Abigail.”

Ashley shifted awkwardly.

Clearly not used to being thanked so seriously.

“I mean…”

She shrugged.

“I wasn’t exactly thinking.”

That earned a laugh from everyone.

“Trust me,” Megan said.

“We know.”

Ashley pointed at her.

“Rude.”

Abigail’s aunt laughed.

Then shook her head.

“No.”

Her expression grew serious again.

“You protected family.”

Ashley looked down.

A little embarrassed.

A little proud.

Then Abigail’s aunt leaned back against the couch.

“You know…”

A mischievous smile appeared.

“I wish I could’ve laid hands on her too.”

The room immediately erupted.

Emma nearly choked on her water.

Megan laughed so hard she bent forward.

Ashley looked delighted.

Abigail covered her face.

Her aunt simply shrugged.

“What?”

“You cannot say that,” Emma laughed.

“Why not?”

“Because you’re supposed to be the responsible one.”

Her aunt pointed at herself.

“Who told you that?”

The room exploded again.

After a moment she shook her head.

“Besides.”

A casual shrug.

“I’d probably get sued.”

That only made everyone laugh harder.

Then her expression shifted.

Not cold.

Not angry.

Focused.

Businesslike.

The same expression that had probably made a lot of people very nervous over the years.

Including Emma.

Because Emma knew that look.

And it usually meant somebody was about to have a very bad day.

Her aunt crossed one leg over the other.

“I already sent an email to the dean.”

The room immediately quieted.

Emma sat up straighter.

Abigail looked over.

“You did?”

Her aunt nodded.

“About an hour ago.”

“What did you say?”

A small smile appeared.

“That I’d like a meeting tomorrow.”

The room went silent.

Complete silence.

Then—

“Oh.”

Emma knew exactly what that meant.

Her aunt nodded.

“Everyone.”

The smile widened slightly.

“The dean.”

“The investigators.”

“The university attorney.”

She paused.

“Us.”

Another pause.

“And my lawyer.”

Ashley’s eyes widened.

“Oh, this is serious serious.”

Her aunt smiled.

“Very.”

Abigail felt a strange sense of relief wash over her.

For the first time since this started, it felt like someone else had stepped into the ring.

Someone who knew exactly what they were doing.

Someone who wasn’t scared.

Her aunt reached over and squeezed her hand.

“This is almost over, baby girl.”

Abigail swallowed.

She hoped so.

She really hoped so.

Then her aunt looked across the room toward Megan and Ashley.

Both women immediately sat up straighter.

Her aunt laughed.

“Before either one of you asks…”

Ashley grinned.

“I was literally about to ask.”

“I know.”

The smile on her aunt’s face widened.

“Yes.”

Both women blinked.

“Yes what?” Megan asked.

“You can be in the room.”

Silence.

Then—

“What?!”

Ashley practically launched off the couch.

Her aunt laughed.

“You both can.”

Megan looked shocked.

“Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

Ashley pointed at herself.

“Like actually in the room?”

“Actually in the room.”

Ashley immediately started cheering.

Full celebration mode.

Hands in the air.

Walking circles around the living room.

“I get front row seats!”

Emma covered her face laughing.

Megan was laughing too.

Abigail’s aunt looked completely entertained.

Ashley pointed dramatically.

“I am calling out of everything tomorrow.”

“You don’t have anything tomorrow,” Megan said.

“Then I am canceling my nothing.”

The room erupted again.

Even Abigail couldn’t stop laughing.

For the first time in weeks, tomorrow didn’t feel scary.

It felt like progress.

And sitting there surrounded by Emma, Megan, Ashley, and her aunt, Abigail realized something.

Professor Shields might have thought she was fighting one student.

But she wasn’t.

She was about to find out she had picked a fight with an entire family.

And tomorrow, everyone was going to be in the room to watch it happen.