Zachary’s words were the final straw, snapping thest thread holding <b>Ileana </b>together.
She red at him, her expression twisted with anger and something almost desperate.
“Yes! This is exactly the life I want!”
Lucy tried to tug her back, but Ileana shook her off and stepped forward, closing the distance between her and Zachary. He just stood there, towering over her, his gaze cold and unyielding.
“My bedroom is bigger than that whole dingy apartment. Every day, I get custom clothes delivered to my door. There are people to wait on me, and a driver to take me to and from school. All it took was changing myst name, and suddenly my life turned upside down. This–this is the life I want!”
“That cramped apartment with its sour, musty smell–I feel sick just thinking about it! You have no idea how happy I was to escape that life!”
Zachary pressed his lips together, his face pale. He just couldn’t understand where it had all gone wrong, how Ileana could be someone he hardly recognized.
Finally, as if making a decision he’d dreaded, Zachary looked at her, disappointment and sadness clouding his eyes. “Fine. If that’s what you want, then from now on, let’s pretend we never knew each other.”
He swallowed hard. “I hope you’re happy.”
With that, he turned and walked away without a moment’s hesitation.
Ileana stood rooted to the spot, almost as if she’d been struck dumb, muttering under her breath.
“Yes, this is the life I want. As long as I can hold on to all this wealth andfort, what else matters? Now, anything I ask for, I get–doesn’t matter if it’s three thousand, thirty thousand, or three hundred thousand. All it takes is a single word.” “Ileana… are you okay?” Lucy’s voice was timid, as if she was afraid of the answer.
“I’m fine, Lucy. My driver’s here, I should go. Sorry about all this drama today. Come. over to my ce this weekend, all right?” Ileana’s smile didn’t quite reach her eyes, and something about it made Lucy shiver.
<b>1/2 </b>
“<b>Yeah</b><b>, </b><b>don’t </b><b>worry </b><b>about </b><b>it</b><b>. </b><b>It’s </b><b>really </b><b>okay</b>,<b>” </b><b>Lucy </b><b>sald</b>, <b>forcing </b><b>a </b><b>smile </b><b>as </b><b>she </b><b>watched </b><b>Ileana </b>climb into the car.
<b>“</b>See you tomorrow!” Ileana waved, and Lucy waved back automatically<b>, </b><b>only </b>rxing after the car had driven away.
After everything that had happened today, Lucy understood exactly <b>how </b><b>the </b><b>Tate </b>family felt about Ileana. In the end, it didn’t really matter who had the Tate name. But things were what they were, and she might as well get what she could <b>out </b><b>of </b><b>it</b>. No one likes a losing deal, right, Alessia?
Themotion at the school gates finally faded. Zachary boarded the bus home, alone.
“Hey, mister, there’s a seat back here.” A young voice caught Zachary’s attention. He looked up to see two kids, maybe seven or eight years old.
“Here, sit by the window,” the older brother said, holding his little sister’s hand protectively, like a tiny knight.
For a moment, Zachary was transported back in time–to when he and Ileana, still called Morton then, were just kids themselves.
“Zachary, over here!” Ileana, no more than seven, sat on one of the stic seats, waving him over.
“Coming.” Zachary, backpack slung over one shoulder and another, smaller, pink backpack in his hand, swiped his card and sat down beside her.
“I told everyone at school I have three older brothers, but they didn’t believe me. Can you and Liam walk me to ss tomorrow?”
Usually, the four of them went to school together, but after school it was always Zachary who walked Ileana home. Ethan, the eldest, was ss president and had to stay behind to supervise clean–up, while Liam was always getting into trouble and spending his afternoons in detention.
The siblings were close, but if you had to pick, Ileana had always trusted and loved Zachary the most. The oldest was stern, the third brother too mischievous–only Zachary was easy to talk to, and he doted on her.
“Sure, I’ll talk to them when they get back.” Without hesitation, Zachary agreed.
“Sweetie’s mom brought her chocte from overseas. I want some too.”