"Laila?" Avery's brow furrowed as she played along with Evelyn's ruse. Evelyn had already told her the recently discovered truth that Annabelle might have been hired by her stepmother. "Isn't her name Annabelle?" she added, her gaze shifting between Annabelle and Director Niah.
"Seems like you've got secrets to hide too, Annabelle," Avery continued, her tone seeding doubt in the minds of everyone present. Even Director Niah's brows creased, making a mental note to dig into this girl's past. The company had weathered enough scandals; he couldn't afford another one bubbling to the surface.
"La-Laila is just my nickname," Annabelle stammered, her expression shifting to one of distress. In a soft, shaky voice, she added, "Evy's real mother used to call me that."
And there it was again—the traumatized victim card. Evelyn thought and had to give her credit; Annabelle was quite the actress.
