NOVEL NEXT Chapter 140: Scandal
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Harry: I have a project, I'm meant to be doing it, and you're supposed to be encouraging me.
Claire: You're right. You're a bad, bad boy.
Harry: . . . not helping.
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December 1st, 2090, about 6:00 pm MST, Montana City
The sun had set long, long ago. Midnight had rolled over, then turned into early morning, and Gordon knew he wasn't going to be able to sleep tonight either. He pulled up a stream on the kitchen TV. The stream had ended. Pizza boxes littered the table, half a salad wilting in its plastic tub. Gordon was sunk into the couch, remote in hand, the low buzz of background TV filling the silence. Q-link should be up in. . .twenty minutes. He wasn't sure how he felt about that, or how Karen did, or what Marie wanted to say.
Karen sat sideways on the far end, barefoot, legs tucked under her. Harry was somewhere in the kitchen making his umpteenth cup of coffee, the bastard just going through his normal morning routine.
The channel flickered—then locked into the evening feed.
"Tonight's top story: corporate scandal at Binary Systems as internal leadership shifts—and personal relationships go public."
Karen froze.
Gordon's thumb hovered over the remote. He didn't press anything.
"In the wake of this afternoon's breaking news implicating Hiram Stone in a coverup related to a violent incident on a Montana campus, attention has now turned to his son—Presumptive Binary heir Gordon Stone—and a developing personal controversy."
A photo came up.
Karen and Gordon. Lunch outside. The touch. Her hand on his. He's eating. It's natural, relaxed. The sun caught his cheekbone just right. It looked intimate. Unmistakably so.
"This clip, reportedly taken the day of the viral attack video, has sparked questions from fans of Ghostlands personalities Gordon 'Big Iron' Stone and MarsGirl Marie, whose relationship has been a consistent feature of their brand. Pictured here with fellow streamer, Cuts_by_Karen, this video raises a host of damning questions."
Karen inhaled sharply. Gordon didn't breathe.
"Neither party has issued a comment yet, though early statements from MarsGirl suggest a more complicated situation beneath the surface."
Karen turned to him slowly.
He didn't meet her eyes.
"In related headlines, Claire Stone has formally assumed executive control of Binary Systems Corporation following an emergency board meeting this afternoon."
<include racism callback for claire>
Harry's voice cut in from the kitchen. "Uh, Gordon?"
No answer.
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
Karen whispered, "Well. That happened."
Gordon finally blinked.
Then he reached for the remote.
But the damage was already done.
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"I am proud of you, little goddess.
You have stepped into my shoes at the very same age I did. Do not fear that I will be vengeful—remember how fondly I spoke of retirement.
Keep the company well.
And accept my blessing."
And she wrote:
—Father,
We are all aware of how eager—or otherwise—I was to accept this role. Nevertheless, I need your support in the coming days.
Please don't rock the boat.
I'm worried I'll end up looking like the only one without her sea legs.
—Claire
No reply came.
An hour later, the cheating scandal hit the news.
He already had.
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"I've seen the clip.
Yes, that's Gordon. Yes, that's Karen.
They are long-time friends, and Gordon was grieving. That's the context.
I would ask that media outlets and individuals respect the complexity of real relationships before drawing conclusions from silent footage of a shared meal.
This story isn't a scandal."
She took a breath.
"I appreciate your concern, but this isn't your romance. It's mine."
The record light went off. Marie's face lost its friendly expression, eyes narrowing and nostrils flaring. "That said, Gordon and I are going to have some adult conversations about honesty. And boundaries."
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The second wave of the scandal hit an hour later. Karen, clothed in pixelated blurs, sleeping beside Gordon. Marie knew when this had happened. She understood that this was not what it was purported to be. But she was furious.
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Marie's face filled the air in front of him—projected clean, composed, softly lit.
Her voice was measured. "Hi, Gordon."
He swallowed. "Hi."
She paused. Just long enough.
Then: "I'm not here to fight. But I'm not going to pretend this didn't happen."
He nodded, mute.
"I don't need an explanation," she said. "Not yet. Not today."
That surprised him. He started to speak.
She held up a hand.
"But you do need to make a decision," she said. "And I need to know that when you do, you're not just reacting. You're not just scared or lonely or trying to do the least-bad thing for the most people."
Gordon looked down. She saw it.
"So here's what I want," she said, clearly. "I want you to think about what you want. Really want. Not who you owe. Not who you've hurt. Not what people think."
She paused again. "I want you to think about who you are when no one's watching."
He opened his mouth.
"No," she said firmly. "Not now. Don't answer me right now."
He looked up.
Marie's voice didn't tremble.
"Get some sleep. Go for a walk. Take a shower. Think. And tomorrow. . . you'll call me back. Not before."
Gordon nodded, slowly.
Marie held his gaze a moment longer. Then, softer: "I care about you. I do. But I'm not going to be reduced to one of your options while you figure out what you want."
Then the call ended.
The light faded.
Gordon thought about it.