Heat

haustion was instantly replaced by a fresh wave of annoyance

w?" he d

almly. "As of today, I do not want to s

clearly struggling to place the

es. Please dismiss him immediately. And I want him

re a child throwing a tantrum over a broken toy. "Fo

table," I cut in. "Th

I had mistaken his coldness for discipline, his insults for motivation. Every shy glance I threw his way, every fumbled attem

pill ink across my essays, then tilt his head with that pitying smile an

en glance my way with a sigh: "Talent, unfortunately, is somethin

He loved her. And because he loved her, he hated me. He hated the "stain" I represented on her perfect life

ling around a darker cord. Elliott's fate, still forming, still uncertain. In my past life, I h

itor me, to chip away at my spirit with a thousa

him. That girl had drowned in the river, st

be the first weed I

nor did he care to. The fate of a tutor was in

ly. "Fine. I'll have the bu

to cling. He had not expected this calm, detached stranger. For just one moment, I saw something unfamiliar cross his face. Not guilt. N

word, I turned, opened the heavy door,

me from the walls-their painted eyes cold and judgmental. In my past life, their gazes m

rs and rely on deceit to maintain its stan

e was sparse and worn: a bed with sheets washed so many times the fabric had gone thin and thr

aily, a vanity overflowing with jeweled combs and perfumes I could never afford. I remembered standing in her doorway

om the memory. T

it open. The cool night air wash

ertain that once I left the protection of the Daniel name, I would fail. He w

give him the

ere far from settled. And I already knew my next move: the slu

th a lawyer and a contract to dissolve

uring there were no hi

, I signed my name: Clara

documents to be no

dining hall, intending t

he hallway and nearly

eyes held their usual flicker of impatience and disdain-but ben