[Encore]

The situation has just got out my hands. I think I'm biting more than I can chew. Now that Anna has just told everyone about her tragic experience with Truth or Dare, at this point no-one can hide anymore. It's time to tell all the truth as it is, without filters.

Before we move on with the next round, I decide to ask her one last question, "So, Leanne made you pay for something Alaina did? But why? Just out of payback or what?"

"I wish it were only payback. She wanted more power and thought of me as a major obstacle. She believe I'd take it all away from her, as if I could!" She stifles a nervous laugh. This is the effect of talking about an irritating person, to say the least, who has never had any comeuppance in her life.

"You know what, Anna? Do you believe in karma?" She shakes her head. "Oh, that's a shame. That's the case where I'd love to see it in action. Your ex boss should be regretting firing you."

"She never shows any regrets." As Anna points out sadly, I realize that I've made a huge evaluation mistake. Leanne Betts is even worse than I thought. How can she envy a hard-working girl like Anna?

I guess the only way to find out is see if Anna spills more about her or if I bump on her by chance—hopefully I don't have to resort to the second option.

***

"The second round is starting. Who asks questions?" I ask, but no-one raises their hand or answer, worrying me. Are they too scared to actually ask?

"If no-one comes forward, then I decide." My words now sound like a threat. Anna looks like she doesn't want to talk for a while. Wendy gives Lee an uneasy glance, which he returns back. Ashley throws one of her usual glares at me, but I choose to defy her.

"You want to play this round? Go on."

She nods, wanting to take the challenge, but Lily interjects and raises her hand. "Actually, I thought I could ask this round of questions instead." Lily has a point. Her calm demeanor is more appropriate than Ashley's brash approach now, given that some of the other inmates are still in shock.

I decide to let Lily ask the questions. "You're good to go." Then, I turn to Ashley. "Try next time, Ashley."

Ashley is fuming. She believes my move was made just to piss her off further. Still, I don't care what she thinks about me. I just want all the truth about her to come out as soon as possible.

I'm tempted to tell Lily to start with Ashley, but decide not to. I want to see the direction she takes with her questions. This is why I'm surprised when she addresses Anna again. I'm sure she wants to take advantage of the open wound to fix it as soon as possible.

"Anna, you told us about Truth or Dare and hinted at your complicated relationship with your former boss," says Lily, trying to keep her cool but without realizing that her heart is pounding at a faster pace. "Still, I think there's something missing. Things definitely escalated after that Truth or Dare game, but I'm sure something happened before. If so, can you tell us what was it about?"

Anna gulps, glancing uneasily at Lee. "Well, for instance I've never told Lee about the strip tease job before. In other words, he just learnt about it now, when Daejung asked. Isn't it worrying?" She laughs once again, making me worry for her sanity. How can I, nothing more than an acquaintance at most, be trusted as a confidant? This game is making miracles, on one hand. On the other one, Anna isn't the only one who's getting burnt.

She continues. "There a lot more things he doesn't know. For example, about the time I missed work for 'family issues.' Do you remember, Lee?" He nods, but she doesn't really pay him attention and keeps talking, her voice slowly turning into a hiss. "It was a lie. I didn't have family issues back then, Lee. I just skipped work because I didn't feel like going and didn't tell anyone. It's that-"

She cuts herself off, bursting into tears. Guilt is painted on Lee's face, as if he did something horrible. Such as cheating on his girlfriend, or hiding something like addiction. Who am I to make assumptions, though? I only know about 20% of what happens between them.

"Anna, don't say anything else for your own sake." Lee pleads, but she doesn't stop sobbing. Nonetheless, he insists. "I have to tell you something, so now please stop crying and listen to me. Anna, do you know the letter you supposedly sent Leanne, the one that landed you into trouble, well before your absence for your 'family issues?' It was me who wrote it. I pretended I was you and sent it to her. I wanted to give her a lesson."

She scolds him, still sniffing and trying hard to repress tears. "You shouldn't have put yourself in this situation, Lee. I could've handled differently, and instead you chose the most dangerous path. As much as I love you, I can't condone what you did. I'm sorry."

He scowls. "I'm not asking you to forgive me, damn! Just to listen to me! And, tell me, what did you plan to do with her? Just suck up to her? No, Anna, I didn't want you to suffer for her! Not after what she did to Julia!"

"Who is Julia?" I intervene, but I realize it's a wrong move because all eyes are on me. I need to learn to count to ten before making such delicate questions.

Fortunately, Lee answers, "She's my sister. She was fired and then sued for a major incident at the boutique."

"What kind of boutique is it?" This time, it's Lily who asks.

Anna explains, "It's a bride dress business. Leanne was one of the top designers in the area, I have to admit." She sighs. "But her reputation plummeted after that incident. And not only for that, but also because Lee had a spat with her to defend his sister. As much as I admire how he protected her, it was a foolish move."

"Bullshit," I state. "That woman is toxic. Had you stayed, you'd be even more miserable, Anna. Even though I don't know you as much as Lee or someone else in this room, it's pretty obvious that you're losing control of the situation."

"I hate to say that, Anna," adds Lee, "but he's right. We need to talk on our own, heart to heart, as soon as this game is finally over."

She agrees. "That can be done." After keeping distant for so long, I'm glad to see Anna and Lee trying to finally close that distance.

But this round is not over, and Lily perfectly knows that some of the others may not be so willing to open up. "Amy, is what Wendy said true? Are your parents racist and homophobic?"

Amy is shocked. She's now expected to make a clear decision, whether to keep quiet or tell the raw truth as it is, without fearing the consequences. So, she mutters. "Yes, especially my father."

"Has he always been conservative? At what degree? And what does your mother think?" Lily's questions are so direct that I have to admit that I wouldn't have been that brave to ask in comparison.

"Well, saying he's conservative doesn't exactly match the point. I'd rather say he's a hypocrite." Amy's answer clashes with the nature of Lily's question. She only wants to find out why Amy is so tormented, but the latter is ready to take that huge skeleton out of the closet.

She throws a pointed glare at the ceiling as she says, "He's nothing but a social climber and a parasite, and my mother always condones what he says or does because it's convenient to her."

Oh, gosh. This is so not a drama.