Alessia, having finished her ice cream, tossed the stick into a nearby trash can without breaking her stride.


    “Let me make one thing clear,” she said, her tone brisk. “I’m Alessia. I’ve never been the type to let other people’s opinions dictate what I do. If I want to do something, I’ll do it, no matter how many people tell me not to. If I don’t want <i>to</i>, <i>no </i>amount of pressure or persuasion will move me. My choices are my own. But you all–look at you. I haven’t even said anything, and each of you is acting like you’re suffering on my behalf.”


    Liam finally realized what was wrong.


    They always imed they saw Alessia as family, but everything they did seemed to push her out, as if she were some distant rtive–cordial, polite, but always at arm’s length. God forbid she felt out of ce or unwee.


    They’d been getting it wrong from the very start.


    He opened his mouth, then closed it again, unable to find the words. Suddenly, Lucy’s words from earlier shed through his mind.


    “You don’t need to worry about tuition. Sure, we can’t give you the kind of life you had with the Tate family, but when ites to your studies, just keep going as you have been. School, sses–don’t let anything change that.”


    Alessia caught his drift almost immediately, even though hisment seemed to


    “Do you want to go back to school?” she asked, not rushing to answer, but instead throwing the question back at him.


    “Huh?” Liam was caught off guard.


    “Do you want to go back to college?” Alessia repeated patiently.


    Liam hesitated, then shrugged. “Working part–time washing dishes during the day, singing at a bar in the evenings–it’s not so bad. Honestly, it feels like I’m getting a head start on my dream. It’s…fine.”


    Thest word came out soft, as if he were trying to convince himself.


    Alessia rolled her eyes. “That’s not what I asked. I’m asking if you want to go back to school. Yes or no?”


    15:40


    He gave a bitter littleugh. “Of course I do. But I go to an art college, and that costs money. With the way things are at home, do you really think I could just take my parents‘ money and go to ss every day without feeling guilty?”


    He caught himself, realizing his tone was harsher than he intended, and paused before going on.


    “My older brother didn’t take a break from school because he’s about to start his internship. Zachary’s finishing his senior year, so he can’t drop out. I’m the only one who can take the pressure off–both time and money. Taking this break saves on tuition, and what I earn can actually help out at home.”


    “My tuition’s covered, so you don’t have to worry about me,” Alessia said. “As for you, how about we make a deal?”


    “A deal?”


    “Yeah.” She nodded, her tone firm. “I’ll cover your tuition for all four years. In exchange, you work for me for five.”


    “Work…for you?”


    “I’ll provide you with opportunities. You can keep studying and pursue your dream at the same time. After five years, you pay me back for your college tuition. During those five years, we split any profits from business gigs–forty percent for me, sixty for you. After that, you’re free to walk away or renew the contract. What do you say?”


    Liam hesitated, and Alessia mistook it for dissatisfaction with the offer.


    “A forty–sixty split is better than most neers get. That’s the kind of deal only A–list talent gets. When Tristan Hollis signed with me, he only got


    thirty–seventy–thirty for him, seventy for me.”


    She rattled off the terms so matter–of–factly, Liam’s brain just froze.


    “Wait…you…are you talking about Tristan? As in, Tristan–the same guy who became a superstar in his first year, cranked out hit after hit, then crossed over into film and won Best Actor on his debut?”


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