"As if," she scoffed, regaining her serious expression from when they just stepped into the room. "Now, Mr DeLoach, do you still need any more preparations?"
"Just a question," Ethan replied, "You still want all honors for this show to be attributed to you, right? You don't want them to think you owe it to anything or anyone; not your father, not your family's name, and not some unknown favor, right?"
"Sure,' Shikera let out a loud sigh. "But there's nothing I can do about that right now."
"In the garage that day, you said it doesn't matter if you had to tell the audience you seduced me to get me there. All you wanted was for everyone's focus to be on us. Do you still have the same thoughts?"
Shikera nodded.
"Why not? But like I said, it's too late for me to do that—"
A knock resounded on the door and Ruthlyn's voice came,
"Excuse me. The spectators are now seated in the studio. We should start now."
