Chapter 10: Can’t Escape

A moment of silence struck not only on social media but also on PrintScribes Ink and Wordsmith Wonders. If there were a drone shooting from the sky, then everyone would be able to see how 'almost' all employees froze at the same time. While the expression of the people in Wordsmith Wonders looked ugly, the majority of people in PrintScribes Ink had their mouths wide open. They were amused beyond words. Some even wanted to prostrate themselves in front of Kyra. 'She's a God.' That letter of challenge felt more like a declaration of war instead. No, to be precise, it was a nuclear explosion on top of their head. Both Linda and Valeria were speechless. They were already frozen stiff at the sarcastic comment that their beloved author had so confidently dropped in the first two sentences. No hesitation whatsoever. A resounding slap at none other than the infamous tycoon, James Synders. Although no name was mentioned, who didn't know that Lila's man was James at the moment? The couple was anything but private these days. They paraded their love across the internet by going on dates and openly traveling to Italy last week. And now Mr. James's niece insulted his lover, almost openly saying that Lila was much suited as a whore instead, and to add salt to her injury, Kyra ever so gently mentioned that there would be a second book, and they should write together. Who in their right mind would plagiarise a book that was still ongoing?! In that instance, the social media was bombarded by the netizens who were watching this scandal. [Fuck! She's a God! A literal God! I also want to be able to freely curse a boss!] [I'm crying! She slapped two people at one go! LMAO ꉂꉂ◟(˃᷄ꇴ˂᷅๑)༡ ] [She said, "Excuse me, being a kept woman suits you better than an author" LOL] [One word: SAVAGE!] However, there were also loyal fans who stood on Lila's side. [Is that proper behaviour for an author? Someone who delves into literature shouldn't have such a dirty mouth. [Do you have to degrade a fellow woman to prove your point? As a woman myself, I'm disgusted!] [Why should our Lilian agree to your request? Whether she wants to write a second book or not shouldn't be your business!] [You already plagiarised the first book, and you want to steal the second book as well??? My God! Have you no shame?] [After all your uncle did to take care of you, instead of being grateful, you disgraced him? My eyes are being opened today by your teaching. Good job!] [What a disgusting author! Do you think our Lilian is scared of you? She will defeat you with just a snap of her fingers!] [Accept it, Lilian! We will support you!] [Go ahead and teach this amateur a lesson! I will buy ten of Lilian's books as a support!] All her fans were on fire as they continuously fought against any positive comments on Kyra's side. They showed their immense support without knowing that they were cornering their Lilian Barnett to the tip of a cliff. Lila stared at her phone in trepidation. Never had she guessed that 'See You In Dream' would be a duology. She thought that it was a one-shot! Indeed, Lila had merely skimmed through the book because she was in a hurry to plot against Kyra. Moreover, James was on her side, so losing against Kyra had never crossed her mind. From the start, Lila had never put Kyra in her eyes because she thought that Kyra was just a spoiled niece who had nobody to rely on besides James. And this turned out to be her first mistake. "Ma'am, what should we do?" Giselle, Lilnal's assistant, was anxious as well. If they lost, they would become a joke in the industry, and she would also receive backlash as Lila's assistant. It would be difficult to find a suitable job if this company fell. Lila pinched her glabella. She was wracking her brain to find a solution, but nothing came through. Everything seemed to point to one decision: to accept the challenge. But the question was, could she successfully continue the story? Writing style wasn't an issue. She could always look for a ghostwriter who had a similar technique, but a plot, an idea, was difficult to copy. Each person had their way of thinking. She wouldn't be able to guess how Lila would proceed with this story. Was there a major plot twist? A hidden meaning behind a certain scene? What about foreshadowing that would be unveiled in the second book? Only the original author would know. But, right now, Lila was forced to accept the challenge with questions hanging in her mind. Would this only be a delayed loss or a chance of stomping Kyra for good? Lilian Barnett: @Kay_Hammond I gladly accept your challenge; however, three months is too short. First of all, I have to organise my mind, and the preparation to print a book will take time as well. Kyra laughed derisively as she typed a reply. Kay Hammond: @Lilian_Barnett My dear best-selling author, three months is more than enough. The original author would already have a rough idea in their head before finishing the first book if they planned to continue the story. Another counter that left Lila stumped. She could no longer delay, or her fans would become suspicious. But Kyra's response made Lila even more nervous now. 'Has she already begun writing? That's the only explanation why she's so confident,' Lila thought to herself. While gritting her teeth, Lila had no choice but to bite it now. Lilian Barnett: @Kay_Hammond Very well. I accept. In that instance, her fans rejoiced and began planning on how to best support their author, while some people were already sneering at Lilian. Those who were clear-headed could easily discern who the original author was. Only those foolishly loyal fans remained blind. On the other hand, James was watching all of these with a cold face. His knuckles were already white from clenching his fists too hard. His breathing was heavy, tinged with impatience. He closed his eyes and rubbed his face hard. Despite his grave warning, Kyra still chose to go against him and even implicitly insulted him. Now, everyone knew that the two of them were at odds. Her plan to release a second book wasn't just to humiliate Lila. James had a strong premonition that Kyra was mainly aiming for him. Whatever she was going to write or do would expose the two of them to the public. James let out a long, exasperated sigh and messed his hair in frustration. "Why can't you see that I'm trying to protect you, Kyra?" James mumbled to himself. His tone was that of helplessness. 'Do you think that letting the public know that you're in love with me will help you get revenge?' James sighed yet again. "They will only berate you, Kyra." Not to mention the public, what would his family say? His grandparents and relatives? The only thing that would await Kyra was not compassion and pity, but contemptuous eyes and disgust. They wouldn't care whether they were blood-related or not, or when those feelings blossomed. All they knew was that Kyra was James' niece and she was legally under the Synders' family registry. That was enough to garner public scorn. James suffered a painful headache from all of this. He didn't know what to do. All his warnings were ignored. He had been patient with Kyra after the cruel rejection that he had suffered. He very much understood that Kyra was deeply hurt. He was okay that she hated him. All the shouting and hurtful words that he received, although some offended him, he remained on the passive side because he knew Kyra was angry. But above all, he didn't want to hurt her. Kyra was his niece, his sister, his family - call it whatever they want. She was the only one beside him all those years. Just like how he was there after the death of her parents, Kyra was there for him as well. Both of their families were on vacation together when it happened, and in mere seconds, before they could begin to understand the situation, they had already lost their parents. Since then, her presence became the only thing that kept him going. With her in mind, he had every reason to stand strong and didn't give a chance for the incident to crush him. Her companionship filled the empty hole in his heart. After that, he didn't know when, but Kyra had become his everything. So, for them to arrive at this stage had shaken the very foundation of James' life. He was at a loss, wondering why love had to exist and tear them apart. James didn't want to hurt Kyra, but Kyra continued to force his hands. Now, he had to decide on the risk of losing her. James buried his face in his hands. "Please, Kyra..." In the large office, his voice was but a whisper under the haunting silence.