In the Morton family, her three older brothers never dared speak to her that way, even raising their voices a little made them worry that they’d frighten her.
If she had to go back to the Tate family… No. Absolutely not!
By the end of the day, Ileana was utterly exhausted, and Max’s attitude toward Alessia only made her more anxious. She refused to endure a life where she was unwanted and penniless.
No one in the Morton family could find out about this–never!
Ileana hurried away, and only when she reached the foot of the hill did she suddenly remember something. She dug into her pocket, pulled out a photo and a note, didn’t even nce at them, and tore them to shreds before tossing them in the trash.
The feeling of being watched faded atst. Alessia looked back–no one there. Someone had trailed her all day, only to do nothing?
“What’s wrong?” Max asked.
“Nothing.” Alessia replied, passing her violin case to Max, who slung it over his shoulder withoutint.
“Where’d you get all those bruises again? Is your boyfriend taking you out brawling instead of to parties?”
“Want to find out how it feels to get beaten up by me?”
Their back–and–forth banter was relentless; neither willing to let the other win. As they walked, Max nced at her, then moved to her right side so she’d be walking on the inside of the sidewalk.
After that day, as if afraid that everything could slip away at any moment, Ileana began insisting on all sorts of things to satisfy her vanity and fill the growing void inside her.
Then, during the summer before her final year of middle school, Brendan–who had promised to send her to St. ire’s Academy–told her the family’s finances had taken a turn for the worse, and they couldn’t afford to send her anymore. The uneasiness she’d tried to bury resurfaced with a vengeance.
No matter how much she cried or argued, this time her family held -m. Distracted by the dream of getting into the academy, she barely prepared for hic. entrance exams, and in the end, it was only thanks to Brendan spending a hefty sum that
10:00
she barely managed to squeeze in.
Things started drifting further and further from what she’d imagined, Ileana couldn’t ept the disappointment. The thoughts she’d hidden for two years bubbled up again; it was as if she needed topare herself to someone else to feel reassured, so she sought out Alessia again.
Just like two years ago, Alessia was still alone–no chauffeur, alwaysing and going from those run–down alleyways, disappearing for ages before reemerging.
Seeing Alessia like that, Ileana finally felt a little better. That’s right–even if the Morton family was down on its luck, things were still better than Alessia’s life! No way was she going back–never!
Two more years passed. When the Morton family finally lost everything and moved into a cramped apartment building, Ileana couldn’t believe it. She’d rather wander the streets than return to that dingy ce reeking of mildew.
It was around then that she saw Scott Tate’s interview ying on a giant screen downtown. Her biological father. Only then did she realize that the Tate family was nothing like it had been four years ago; they’d be industry leaders two years earlier.
And Alessia–the girl Ileana had always looked down on–had already spent two years at St. ire’s Academy by the time Ileana started at Crestview High.
The sense of injustice was overwhelming; it finally pushed Ileana over the edge. She stormed straight to Tate Holdings, but without an appointment, she couldn’t get past the lobby. All she could do was wait outside, hoping for a glimpse of Scott.
And so, after everything, this was how the story ended–everyone seemingly back where they belonged, at least on the surface.
“Young miss, I’m here to take you home.” Butler Dawson appeared in front of Ileana, his expression as nk and mechanical as ever.
“No, I’m not going back…”
Ileana shook her head, pain driving her to the brink of copse. She mumbled to herself, lost in her own world.
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