Chapter 4

After two seconds of silence, Blanche's face changed.

"You're talking nonsense. Do you have proof?"

"You say another word and I'll sue you for slander. I'll sue you for slander, you hear me?"

Her face twisted, and she screamed it, near hysterical.

"Of course I have proof," Eric said.

Blanche panicked even harder.

"Then show it!"

But her mouth stayed hard as ever.

And now, of all times, Eric went quiet.

Because I'd messaged him in a hurry, telling him to hold off.

Eric had a temper. Jade had warned him not to make any rash moves.

But sitting there in the stream, he just couldn't stomach it, and he'd jumped in anyway.

"Eric, why aren't you saying anything?"

"Eric, show the proof. What's actually going on?"

A lot of people were pressing him now.

Eric stayed silent.

Blanche, who had looked so tense, relaxed on the spot.

"See? I told you, you can't produce any proof."

"You're just slandering me. I am definitely suing you!"

"Are you sleeping with that Delilah, is that why you're here causing trouble?"

She said it smugly, with a sly look on her face.

And sure enough, plenty of people chimed in.

"Probably. He's the top supporter, of course he's on Delilah's side."

"Now he won't say a word, can't back it up, so he's feeling guilty, right?"

The mood in the stream turned oddly festive again.

Play on, dance on.

At midnight, the energy in the stream finally peaked.

"I know where Delilah is right now!"

"She's at Ellison's Grill House, right across the street!"

Jade, who had stayed quiet the whole time, finally spoke up.

Of course, I was the one who told her to say it.

It hit like a stone dropped into still water.

"Holy crap, holy crap, she's right across the street? Hid herself pretty well!"

"That's way over the line. Everyone knows Ellison's is her cousin's biggest competitor!"

"Anyone there in person? Let's go wreck the place!"

"Come on, come on, I'm in!"

"Blanche, you go too, stream it for us so we can watch the show. Those of us not there can't see otherwise!"

Blanche got worked up too, eyes shining, nodding fast.

"Okay, okay, I'll head over and stream it live for everyone!"

Then the camera followed her out of the grill house.

Dozens of people who'd been eating there streamed out behind her, a whole crowd marching toward Ellison's Grill House.

Watching this, I traded a glance with Jonathan and gave a small nod, smiling.

Soon enough, Blanche came charging in with her few dozen people.

She turned the camera on me.

"Look, everyone, she really is at Ellison's Grill House!"

The stream boiled over, though I no longer had time to watch it closely.

"Little Delilah, everything was fine, so why did you fall out with your cousin?"

asked one of the people who'd come with Blanche, looking heartbroken over it.

He was a regular from around here. He didn't watch my stream online, but he came often to see me perform in person.

"Little Delilah, I love your singing and dancing, but what you did is really low!"

Someone else came at me straight.

"Exactly. Talent is talent, character is character, and your character doesn't come close to matching your talent!"

Someone voiced agreement.

The diners who'd actually been eating at Ellison's, after asking about the so-called "story," turned on me too.

"Jonathan, you'd really partner with someone like this? That's beneath you."

"Right, Jonathan, this time I'm siding with Butler's Grill House across the street!"

"Jonathan, watch yourself. One of these days she'll swallow your shop whole!"

Blanche grew more and more pleased with herself.

"Jonathan, hurry up and fire her, or your shop is going under!"

"Little Delilah, from now on there won't be a spot for you on this whole grill street!"

"No, in all of Riverton there won't be a spot for you. Nobody will dare take you in!"

I just smiled and nodded at Jonathan.

Jonathan laughed out loud and clapped his hands hard.

"All right, roll the recording. Let the real show begin!"

On the big projection screen above the grill house, the picture switched.

In the shot, I was checking my dance costume when Blanche walked over.

Grinning, she handed me a fifty-dollar bill.

"Little Delilah, this is the year-end bonus from my brother..."