I sit back in my chair, confused. “You know about the penthouse?”

She makes an exasperated sound. “Of course I know. I’m not stupid, and my knowledge is irrelevant. What’s important is you persuading Lincoln it’s not worth looking into any more than he already has.”

“But—”

“This is not a but situation, Wren. This is the kind where you follow my direction and do as you’re told. Now, I understand your loyalty to Lincoln, especially considering what’s going on between you; however, you’d do well to remember that your contract is up in a few months. Actually, Lincoln adapted quite well, better than I anticipated, so you may very well be able to finish out your contract early.” She stares coldly at me, a sneer distorting her upper lip. “Not that it matters either way. Lincoln will likely go back to whatever impoverished country he feels would benefit from his altruism, and you’ll want to move on, which will be exceedingly difficult with a bad reference, won’t it?”

This seems a lot like blackmail. “With all due respect, Gwendolyn, I can’t tell Lincoln what he can and can’t do.”

A slow, creepy smile wavers on her lips. “Now, Wren, as a woman, I’m sure you know that’s untrue. There’s a lot you can do to distract Lincoln. So that’s what you’re going to do. Distract him however you can. Keep him from digging any deeper than he already has. The legacy of the Moorehead family is counting on you.”

She leans back in her chair, wearing a calculated, malevolent expression. I see so much of Armstrong in her in that moment. “In a few months, you’ll walk away with quite a hefty amount of money, and as I promised, a glowing recommendation. I’ll honor my promise to you, but in exchange, I expect you to do this for me. Everyone has a dirty secret or two, don’t they, Wren?”

A shiver fights its way down my spine at what sounds very much like a threat. I can’t imagine my mother confiding such personal, shameful information to her.

Gwendolyn doesn’t give me a chance to respond, not that I know what to say to that since I’m beginning to think trusting her is a very bad idea. “It would serve you well to protect Fredrick’s secrets if you’d like me to protect yours.”

“You can’t blackmail me with money and a recommendation, Gwendolyn. I don’t need either of those things from you—”

She pushes up out of her chair and rounds the desk. “You’re not understanding me, Wren, if you think all that’s at stake here is your paycheck and a recommendation.” She leans in close, gripping my elbow to keep me from stepping away. “One little mistake can ruin an entire family, can’t it, Wren? How would that look on your father’s campaign if it came out that the ‘Family First’ politician has a daughter who’s a product of an affair and he’s kept it a secret for years? Such a pitiful scandal, isn’t it? Especially since he lost his real daughter before he even had a chance to love her.”

My stomach drops as the threat settles around us. “But you can’t—”

“Imagine how quickly the public will lose faith in your father if they find out his whore of a wife cheated on him while he was starting his career. You of all the media must know how quick people are to pounce on scandal. Your father’s career will end very quickly, and then what will you have other than your family’s shameful past smeared all over your father’s ‘Family First’ campaign? He is running for governor next election, isn’t he?”

Panic sets in, and I try to find a way to get myself out of this without someone I care about getting hurt in the end. “You can’t do this to my family—”

“Oh, but I can. And I will expose your family for the frauds they are if you don’t do what I ask. Don’t even think about telling Lincoln about this conversation, or I’ll drop an exposé on your father so fast your head will spin.” She steers me toward the door. “You know, I didn’t understand your fascination with neonatal charities at first, but it all makes sense now, doesn’t it? You’re the bastard survivor, and your poor little defective sister was the punishment for your mother’s infidelity. It’s amazing how the balance is set no matter what our choices are, isn’t it?” Her smile is far from sympathetic. “The truth doesn’t always set you free, Wren. Sometimes it becomes the noose around your neck. You’d be wise to remember that.”CHAPTER 19NOT MY BED, BUT I’M LYING IN ITWRENMy stomach rolls and knots as I leave work that afternoon alone. I cut out while Lincoln is in the middle of a conference call, like a coward, and head straight for Dani’s. We’d already planned to hang out tonight, but normally I’d wait until Lincoln was finished with his call. We’d debrief, look at tomorrow’s schedule, and he’d persuade me to come to his place instead of going to mine when Dani and I are done talking about how great he is in bed.