<b>“</b>Weren’t you the one who said it? That I always <b>put </b>my own interests first, and <b>that </b>when there’s something to be gained, I can eridure anything, no matter how humiliating. Well, it’s obvious now–Ileana Tate is no use to me anymore<b>, </b><b>and </b>I need <b>your </b>help. Since you and Ileana can’t stand each other, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, isn’t that right?”
Alessia Morton gave her a measured look. “Being so presumptuous is a habit you. should break.”
Ileana wasn’t even worthy of being her rival.
She nced at the time, then droppedzily into the chair next to Lucy Summers. Her posture was rxed, almost careless.
“You’ve got five minutes. Tell me–what do you want?”
“Help my mom get a divorce. Help us both get out of the country.”
Lucy couldn’t stay with the Summers family any longer. Her mother was falling
Hargrove Summers, seemed to have caught on to what they were nning–he stubbornly refused to sign the divorce papers.
apart to make matters worse, Lucy’s f
If this went on much longer, there would be no way out for either of them.
Alessia let out a soft, mirthlessugh. “Lucy, that’s your problem, not mine.”
“I know. That’s why I’m begging you–please, I have nowhere else to turn, I’m begging you!” As if afraid Alessia would walk out at any moment, Lucy reached out and grabbed her arm, ignoring the pain that shot through her own body.
She’d originally tried to get something out of Ileana, but quickly realized she had zero standing in the Tate family–she wasn’t even worth the servants‘ attention.
If it hadn’t been for Hargrove pressuring her to get along with lleana, she never would have risked offending Alessia for Ileana’s sake.
Trapped between two impossible options, all she could do was quietly withdraw. whenever the two women went head–to–head, hoping to protect herself.
But now, with nothing left to lose, she might as well throw caution to the wind and beg Alessia for help.
“I’ll do anything you ask–if you help me, I’ll never say no to you, ever! I know I can’t offer you anything right now, and I know a promise like that doesn’t mean much…
<b>12.04 </b>
<b>Wait</b><b>! </b><b>When </b>I <b>was </b><b>born</b>, <b>my </b><b>grandfather </b><b>gave </b>me three small shops, I can olen them. all <b>over </b><b>to </b>you!”
<b>Lucy’s </b>eyes <b>lit </b>up with sudden hope.
<b>“</b><b>They </b>haven’t been doing welltely, but there’s a new shopping district being <b>built </b><b>In </b>the area. Even in their slump, those shops still clear six figures a year. All three are mine now–I’m eighteen, the deeds are in my name, I can transfer them to <b>you </b>right away!”
Her grip on Alessia’s arm tightened, leaving angry red marks on Alessia’s fair skin.
“Please, I’ll give you everything I have–just help us!”
“You’re smart–you could turn those shops around in no time. Please, Alessia!”
Lucy begged, her desperation growing, hands clinging tighter without even realizing it. Alessia didn’t seem to mind the pain, a faint smile curving her lips, a rare glimmer of approval in her eyes.
“Lucy, sometimes you need to push yourself to the edge. You still put your hope in others, but at least you’ve learned to look for a way out.”
Lucy froze, turning over Alessia’s words in her mind.