AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m sorry,” I told her as she stood. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
She looked at me for a moment, her face blank. It felt like she was taking the measure of me in some way. Was I lying to her? Could she trust me again? I was surprised how much I cared that she believed me.
“I know,” she said. “It’s fine.”
It clearly wasn’t fine. Stella had secrets. Secrets she didn’t want to share. She probably didn’t trust me - or anyone - but I intended to find out what she was hiding.
Chapter 26
Stella
Being here, at this college, was supposed to be safe. Right now, it felt anything but safe. One photo posted online could easily unmask my true identity. It hadn’t occurred to me that the three boys skirting around me for weeks could potentially scupper everything. Well, OK, so it had occurred to me, but I’d been more concerned about falling for one or all of them rather than them inadvertently revealing who I was on TikTok or whatever.
Fuck, what a mess. I was half tempted to pack my shit and leave. I had nothing and nowhere to go, but I was a survivor. I would find a way to make it work. Dad could be reached via letter and his lawyer might help if I was desperate. The fucker had earned enough money over the years, after all.
I lay on my bed staring at the ceiling. It was late, but the nearest town was only three miles away. From there, I could catch a bus, and then a train. This was a big country. Not everyone cared who I was. Maybe if I settled in some small piss-pot town in the ass-end of nowhere, I’d remain anonymous. The red hair would fade in a few weeks, I could go back to brown, or even shave the whole fucking lot off. Become some weird prepper type, living in a remote cabin up a mountain. I’d read enough Mountain Men books to know that such a life had possibilities.
Why was I even studying for a business degree anyway?
I wasn’t sure I knew the answer to that question anymore. Once upon a time, I had plans to start my own business. I didn’t want to go into finance, like Dad, but marketing appealed to me. I liked the idea of working online, helping small businesses build a brand and reach new customers.
Really, though, it was pie in the sky. With my name, nobody in their right mind would want to work with me. They’d assume I was trying to scam them. Just like my father did. He’s innocent, I reminded myself. Or so he insisted. It was hard to know who was telling the truth, what with all the evidence stacked up against him. It wasn’t as if he’d had a partner that I knew of. All the decisions taken in the business were his. So how could he be innocent?
Well, it was up to a jury to decide. Many times, I’d asked him to tell me everything but he’d refused, claiming it was safer if I didn’t know. I supposed he was right. It was pointless subpoenaing someone who was clueless. The prosecutors had interviewed me early on and quickly concluded I was too young and dumb to have had a clue what darling Daddy had been up to. It was the only reason I’d been allowed to leave New York.
My phone buzzed with a notification. I doubted it was anyone I wanted to talk to, but old habits died hard and I picked it up anyway.
Tessa: Put something sexy on, we’re going out.
Me: No.
Tessa: Not taking NO for an answer. Be ready in 30 minutes.
Ugh. Tessa had been so nice to me. I lay there for five more minutes, stewing in self-loathing and woe, then decided if this was to be my last night in this place, I may as well enjoy it. After a quick shower, I threw on a pair of loose-fit jeans and an old band tee. By the time Tessa hammered on my door, I’d done the bare minimum to make myself presentable. Which meant a quick swipe of mascara and some lip gloss. If Tessa felt my efforts were wholly inadequate, she was shit out of luck.
“Hey, girl,” she said, giving me a critical once over. “You have a banging body, babe. Explain to me why you insist on hiding it?” She raised one eyebrow and folded her arms.
I shrugged. “I don’t need a man in my life,” I retorted, “So what does it matter what I wear?”
She smirked at me. “Well that backfired, didn’t it.”
“No idea what you mean,” I muttered.
“Nope, course you don’t.” She grinned at me. “Anyhow, we’re not discussing men. This is a girls’ night.”
“What’s the plan?” As much as I didn’t want to go out, it was hard not to soak up Tessa’s natural enthusiasm for life. I was an introvert, but sometimes, it was nice to kick back and have fun. I’d been spending way too much time on my own lately. It wasn’t healthy. Maybe spending a bit of time with other people would lift my mood.
“There’s a party off campus. Invite only, but luckily for us, I know the guy whose party it is.”
“Oh god, will it be full of entitled pricks?”
“Probably. But his house is amazing, and there’s always loads of booze and good music.”
It sounded like hell to me, but I fixed a smile on my face and let Tessa lead the way. Some good music and premium booze had to be better than snacking on protein bars and reading all evening, right?
Chapter 27
Stella
