The Family Friend by C. MacDonald (love story novels in english txt) 📕

at her, challenging her to check it, but she doesn’t even look down, holding his eye.

‘Delete the app,’ she says, trying to appear as if it means nothing to her. A smile sneaks into his eye and it’s like she’s passed an elaborate test he’s been playing. He walks over to her phone and picks it up. Presses her code. Deletes Instagram.

‘I’ll ask her to go,’ he says. Erin tries to look grateful but all she feels is relief. Whether Amanda’s the troll or not, whether Erin’s going mad or is the only sane one, her going is the only way for things to get back to something like they were before. But, as Raf slides her phone into the pocket of his coat, somehow, this doesn’t feel like a victory.

54

FROM: [email protected]

TO: [email protected]

RE: Great news to brighten up a tough day

Hi Erin,

We did it. We broke 100k followers. I know the circumstances aren’t what anyone was expecting but you should take heart from knowing that even with someone out there trying to smear you, people haven’t stopped wanting to follow your and Bobby’s journey. The way you’ve responded, with grace and charm, is a huge component of this, so well done you!

I’ve already had some really interesting brand enquiries but was holding out until we reached the 100k mark because it gives me a much stronger negotiating position. Because it’s come quickly I’m going to only raise our per-post fee to £800, BUT both Debenhams and Peacocks have offered a full-scale campaign that I’d been putting off telling you about, we wouldn’t be able to do both but I’d hope to be able to play them off against each other and I imagine we’d probably be able to get 25–35K if you were happy to do an exclusive tie-in for the season. Anyway. All to be discussed.

Also, a heads-up, a few of the online gossip mags have run with the story, but so far we’ve managed to put off tabloids. I’ve waved my magic ‘fuck-off’ wand at them! It won’t even be light drizzle in an espresso mug by next week, and it gives me great delight to declare that BRAUNEforBRAINS is now a MACROINFLUENCER!!!!

Speak soon.

Grace

X

FROM: [email protected]

TO: [email protected]

RE: Re: Great news to brighten up a tough day

Are you free to chat today? Let me know when works for you.

Best,

Erin

X

55

‘You won’t recover, Erin.’ Grace’s voice sounds like a flat clarinet through the phone’s speaker. This is the first thing she’s said after Erin rambled on to a silent phone line about how she was going to take an extended break from Instagram in light of the trolling. Raf gives a crocodile smile and shakes his head at the phone that stands on the console table between them. ‘It makes it look like the troll is right about you. That you’re cheating, drinking too much, not being a proper mother.’ Grace lets the words hang among the dull fizz of static on the line. ‘And we all know that’s not true. Is that what you want people speculating? Because that’s what fills the void, Erin, speculation, gossip about why you decided to throw it all away.’ Erin hasn’t heard this tone from Grace. She didn’t think that her agent would be happy about her decision but she hadn’t expected this.

‘Grace, it’s Raf.’

‘Your idea I presume?’

‘I understand this might be difficult for you professionally, but you don’t have children, do you? Someone’s threatening my family –’

‘There haven’t been any threats.’

‘Is there nothing you people won’t say to make money?’ Bobby looks up from trying to climb up onto the sofa at his father’s forceful tone. ‘Someone’s following her when she’s with our baby. Your so-called security expert knows bugger all, no one on your side’s doing anything. Has anyone even called the police yet? I wanted to when I first found out, which, by the way, I do not appreciate you telling my future wife to hide things from me, but you told me not to bother, but now things have escalated, it seems insane they haven’t been contacted. Look, I’m so sorry this is going to cut your bottom line but, you know, I’m sure you’ll be OK sitting in your million-pound house –’

‘Erin, can you take me off speaker?’ Erin wants to do as she says but Raf stills her with a glance. She doesn’t want to leave Instagram. She has a career now, for the first time in her life she was about to start earning money, really good money. She could start buying the things she wanted, doing the things that she wanted, not always being beholden to Raf, not always asking him for cash to do the most meagre things, she could start to live like everyone else she knew. She was planning to work hard and build her fan base, and who knew what could have happened from there. She’s still a bloody good actor, she’s not thick, she didn’t know where it was going to take her but she knows she could have made something tangible out of her online success. But it’s a physical thing as well. The thought of not having it there in her pocket, not checking it, not having that hit of joy every time someone likes one of her posts, every time someone tells her how well she’s doing, fills the pit of her stomach with a void. ‘I want to make sure you understand –’ Grace’s voice – ‘what it is you’re doing at this stage in your career.’

Raf picks the phone up and takes her off speaker. ‘Erin isn’t well.’ Erin’s face creases in concern. What’s he doing? What’s he telling her? Why isn’t she doing anything to stop him? ‘And you’re filling her head with how she’s this great career woman and none of it’s real.’ Erin wants to grab the phone away,