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21. Chapter Twenty-One

Chapter Twenty-One

C andy

"You okay?" he murmurs, his hand rubbing soothing circles on my back.

I nod against his chest, inhaling his comforting scent—clean ozone mixed with pine. "Yeah. I think I am. That was just… a lot."

He hums in agreement, his clawed fingers gently carding through my hair. I could stay like this forever, cocooned in his warmth and strength. But a soft throat clearing reminds me we're not alone.

I glance over to find Lila hovering nearby, an unreadable expression on her face. She meets my gaze, then quickly looks away, her bottom lip captured between her teeth.

"Everything alright, Lila?" I step out of Courage's embrace to move closer to her.

"What? Oh, yeah, totally!" Her smile is too bright, her little hiccup of a laugh a bit forced. "Just coming down from the adrenaline high, you know?"

I frown, not buying it for a second. Call it intuition or the bond of shared experience, but I can tell something is weighing on her. Something she's not saying.

"Hey." I touch her arm, ducking my head to catch her eye. "You know you can talk to me, right? About anything."

She hesitates, conflict written all over her delicate features. Then, with a sigh that seems to come all the way from her toes, she nods. "Actually, if you have a minute… there's something I wanted to talk to you about. In private?" Her gaze darts to Courage, then back to me, a silent plea in her eyes.

"Of course." I loop my arm through hers, steering her toward my dressing room. "Courage, would you mind…?"

"Consider me on bodyguard duty." His lips quirk into a small smile. "I'll be right outside in the hall if you need me."

With a grateful nod, I usher Lila inside, closing the door softly behind us. She perches on the edge of the ratty green couch that's seen better days. Her fingers twist together in her lap. I settle beside her, close enough to offer comfort but giving her space to collect her thoughts.

"So…" I prompt gently when the silence stretches on.

"It's just…" She takes a shaky breath, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "Hearing you talk to that reporter about KEN and refusing to be defined by your trauma… it hit really close to home for me."

My heart clenches, a sinking feeling taking root in my gut. "Lila… did something happen to you? Something like what I went through?"

She nods jerkily, a single tear spilling down her cheek. "You know how I said I've been playing music since I was old enough to hold a guitar? Well, that put me in a lot of… vulnerable positions. Around men who saw a talented little girl and thought they could take what they wanted."

Fury and sorrow war in my chest, my hands curling into impotent fists. I know that story all too well—the wandering hands, the leering looks, the whispered threats disguised as promises. The stolen innocence and shattered trust.

"I'm so sorry." My whispered voice is clogged with emotion. "You didn't deserve that. No one does."

"I thought I was over it, you know? That I'd moved on, was building a career on my own terms. But seeing you up there, owning your truth, unapologetic… it made me realize I'm still carrying it with me. The shame, the fear…"

She swipes at her cheeks, taking a steadying breath. "When I heard about Broken Starlets , about what those other women were doing, I hoped… I hoped you'd join them. Add your voice to theirs. Because even though it's too late to change what happened to me, maybe we could prevent it from happening to the next girl with a guitar and a dream."

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut, stealing the breath from my lungs. In an instant, I see my grand speech to Ms. Baker for the self-serving bullshit it was. Sure, I'm living my truth on stage, pouring my heart into my music… but what good is that if I'm not using my platform to enact real change? To protect the Lilas of the world from suffering the same fate I did?

Suddenly, it's all so clear. The path I need to take, the stand I have to make. Not just for myself, but for every little girl who's had her voice silenced, her light dimmed by the actions of cruel, selfish men and women.

I reach for Lila's hand, clasping it tight between my own. "You're right." My voice rings with conviction. "It's not enough to just sing about it, to make veiled references in interviews. I need to say it out loud, shine a spotlight on the ugly truth, no matter how painful."

As I clasp her hand, I hold her gaze with fierce determination. "I'm going to do it. I'm going to talk to Broken Starlets , tell my story. For you, for me, for every survivor fighting to reclaim their power… and for all the kids out there who might never have to go through what we did because I was brave enough to speak out."

Lila's eyes widen. "Really? I didn't share this to guilt you into doing something you don't want to do."

"I… was being selfish. Protecting myself when there are people who need my help. Eleanor's detached pressure didn't touch me, but you made this personal. Put a face to the reality of what I can do, how much I can help. I'm going to do this." Because Candy fucking Wood is tired of backing down.

I pull her into a tight hug, pouring every ounce of strength and solidarity into the embrace. We cling to each other, two warriors united in a battle we never asked for but are determined to win.

When we finally pull apart, I'm already reaching for my phone, my heart hammering with purpose and possibility.

Time to turn the tables on the ones who lurk in the shadows. Time to be brave, truthful, and bold. Time to turn my pain into fire.

The line clicks and I hear Baker's clipped greeting. I take a deep breath, my voice steady and sure.

"Eleanor? It's Candy. I've changed my mind…"

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