“So let me get this straight. You spied on someone, illegally recorded his private conversation without consent, slandered this person in public by accusing him of being a fraud, and now you’re going to this guy’s office to extort money?”

I was in no mood to fight my case with Alba. The nightmare had left me drained and if I was being honest with myself, completely terrified as well. After Alba had left my room, I had crawled under my desk, my back to the wall and had stayed wide-awake the whole night. Every sound and creak had made my heart stop and race all at the same time. By the time morning broke, I was covered in so much sweat that my pajama’s were sticking to my skin.

Not that I’ll ever let Alba know.

“Well, if you want to frame it that way, then yes. Pass me the pepper.”

Alba chucked the salt shaker at me, “LU!”

The only reason I had even told Alba about the whole situation was because of my stupid phone. She had asked me why I hadn’t replied to any of her messages and I hadn’t had the energy to lie.

“He broke my phone, sis! Of course I’m going to ask him for the compensation money. And there’s the thing about Rachel too. Aren’t you worried about Rachel?”

“Of course I’m worried about Rachel. But you said it yourself that he seems to check out as a proper psychiatrist.”

“Sis, I’m telling you something about him is off.”

“Okay, fine. His name’s Alec? And what’s the clinic’s name? Let me check it out for you.”

“He’s Dr. Alec Lee and he says he works at a clinic called Crescent Medical.”

Alba paused. Her whole being stilled. “Did you say Crescent Medical?”

“Yeah. Which raises even more questions doesn’t it? I mean if he works at a real clinic? Why hide it?” I reached across the table to pick up the pepper shaker. Alba grabbed my wrist.

“Lu, as your sister and as your lawyer, I’m asking you to please, please tread carefully. I don’t know this Dr. Alec Lee personally, but I’ve worked with some of the doctors from Crescent Medical on cases before and they do not mess around. If they so much as even see you look at them the wrong way, they will file a lawsuit and bury you in legal proceedings.”

I frowned.

Alba knows this clinic?

And she's wary of them?

“Wow, miss defender of justice is scared? That’s a first.” I pulled my hand away and shook some pepper onto my still steaming poached egg on toast.

“I’m not playing Lu. They’re... powerful people. Powerful enough that... I won’t be able to help you.”

The look in her eyes gave me a slight shiver.

“Fine. Warning received.”

“Good.”

“But I’m still going.”

“Lu!”

“Sis, don’t you think it’s weird that a certified psychiatrist from this ‘powerful’ Crescent Medical, would be going around working as an uncertified life coach on Instagram?”

“Not as weird as an art student going around acting like a Detective. Look, can’t you just drop it Lu? So what if it’s weird? Many people have more than one profession. Maybe he’s both a life coach and a psychiatrist. Have you ever thought about that?”

Sure, Alec could be both.

But why does he seem to want to hide it?

There were still so many unanswered questions in my mind, but I knew Alba didn’t want to hear them.

“Fine. I’ll go there, get the money and apologise for any and all illegal activities, then come straight back home. How’s that?”

“So you won’t pick a fight with Crescent Medical?”

“I won’t.”

“And you won’t cause any trouble?”

“None whatsoever.”

“And you’ll come straight home?”

“Definitely.”

“Promise me.”

“Cross my heart.”

Alba stared at me hard before letting out a deep sigh, “Fine. Let’s just eat, your breakfast is getting cold.”

I picked up my knife and fork and was about to cut into my meal, but I froze. The firm, cloudy-white film of the poached egg. The white of my eyeball. It falling to the ground, rolling towards me.

I swallowed back the feeling of bile rising in my throat.

“Actually I kind of need to leave.”

“What? What about your breakfast?”

“Can’t. I’m going to be late.”

“Wait, I thought you didn’t have school on Saturdays?”

“The appointment’s today.”

“With Crescent Medical? Today?”

“Yup, in an hour, so I need to hurry.”

“In an hour? And you’ve only just told me this now?”

“Sorry gotta run!”

“Lucine Miller!”

“See you later!”

I grabbed my satchel and jacket and hurried out before Alba could stop me.

If only she had stopped me.