Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 82255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82255 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 411(@200wpm)___ 329(@250wpm)___ 274(@300wpm)
I glance at the photos and spread them apart with my hands. They are grainy, which is a good indication they were taken on a cell phone. That isn’t what concerns me. What concerns me is that these were taken by someone who knows Stella’s routine on campus. The snapshots of me sneaking in and out of Lawrence Hall are a far cry from proof of my nocturnal visits to her room, but Lila is obviously desperate, grasping at anything she can to benefit herself in this situation.
I consider telling her to fuck off, consequences be damned, but then I think of Stella. If ever there was anything her mother could do to prove that she doesn’t care for her daughter, it would be pursuing this. One glance at Lila Monroe, and I can tell exactly the type of woman she is. The fact that she’s here proves she’d take no issue with dragging her own daughter into the spotlight of public humiliation to satisfy her pocketbook.
“How much will it take to make you go away?” I ask point blank.
Lila has the nerve to act offended for all of two seconds. Then she takes a seat at the table and folds her hands together as if she still possesses an ounce of class. “One million should do it.”
I gather my briefcase from the counter and remove my pocketbook, scribbling out a check in her name. When I return, she makes a weak attempt at humility before she tries to snatch it from my fingers. I pull it back before she can grab it and study her with contempt.
“If I give you this, I want your word that you will leave Stella alone. You won’t poison her life any more than you already have.”
Her eyes dart from me to the check, and in a single second, she trades her soul and her daughter for a million dollars. “Fine, done. Just give me the damn check, and I’ll be on my way.”
Oh, Lila, if only it were that simple.
“Who took the photos?” I ask.
“Another student,” she answers tersely. “Louisa Davenport. I used to play tennis with her mother at the club.”
“I meant what I said.” I drop the check onto the table, and Lila nearly knocks her chair over in her hurry to retrieve it. “Leave Stella alone.”
She offers a stiff nod before she scrambles for the door and disappears. As happy as I am to watch her go, her confirmation of Louisa’s participation in this scheme makes it evident I’ve only managed to put out one fire. Protecting Stella from Louisa’s wrath is another matter entirely.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
STELLA
WITH THE ARRIVAL OF SPRING, my growing belly is a constant reminder there will be another arrival soon too. Only two of the skirts from my closet still fit me, and now that the weather is warmer, my window of hiding behind chunky knit sweaters will soon draw to an end. When I’m not choking on my panic, I’m trying my best to manage my energy. I’ve already cut out any extracurriculars that might be too taxing, but regardless, it’s still difficult to concentrate. Pregnancy sucks the life out of you, and now all I want to do is simultaneously eat and vomit.
The wall of silence remains between Sebastian and me while Sybil relentlessly pursues her agenda to get me to talk to him. She’s worried about me, and I get that because I’m terrified too. While everyone else is making plans for college and focusing on their test scores and applications, I’m making plans to start raising a baby after graduation. For now, it’s all I can do to survive one day at a time.
It’s a sunny April morning when everything changes. I wake up to find a note that’s been slipped under my door, and when I peel it open, I get the shock of my life when I read the contents.
Meet me outside at noon.
Without a doubt, I recognize that handwriting as my father’s. But how is it possible? Did he really come back? This information feels like way too much to process right now, so I shove the note into my backpack and head for first period. That turns out to be a stupid idea, considering I have zero ability to focus. For the entirety of the class, my mind races as I try to figure out what’s going on. The only thing I know for certain is that my father is here, and he wants to see me.
Somehow, I manage to survive class without completely making a fool of myself. But there are still three hours before lunch when I meet Sybil on the quad at break.
“Hey,” she chirps. “Everything okay? You look a little pale this morning.”
“It’s all good,” I lie, not wanting to involve her in my family’s drama. I don’t even know if it’s safe to see my father, or if I could get into trouble for talking to him. The last thing I want to do is involve Sybil too.