ARIA
“Aria?” Benny’s voice cut through the fog in my head. “Aria, what’s happening?”
I lifted my eyes from the desk where I’d been staring at nothing. The words felt thick, and stuck in my throat. All I managed was a hoarse whisper. “Please shut the door.”
She didn’t hesitate. She stepped inside, turned the lock with a soft click, and pulled out the chair across from me. When she sat, she leaned forward, elbows on the table, and held up her phone, showing me what was on the screen.
“Look at this, Aria. What is the news saying about our product? Everyone’s sharing it. My phone hasn’t stopped buzzing.”
I tried to focus on the screen, but the headlines blurred into dark smears. Words swam—damage, scandal, warning. My stomach twisted. This couldn’t be real. It had to be some cruel, joke.
