“Hey, have Dad and the others arrived at the restaurant <b>yet</b><b>?</b><b>” </b>
With no way out, Ileana had no choice but to bring Scott into this. She was <b>certain </b>that no matter what, Max wouldn’t dare defy Scott. If she embarrassed <b>herself</b>, Scott might not care, but if she made the whole Tate family look bad in <b>front </b><b>of </b><b>all </b>these society kids? That was a different story entirely.
“Oh, look who it is–my darling little sister,” Max drawled, as if he’d only just <b>noticed </b>her standing there.
Ileana clenched her jaw but forced a smile. “You’re such a kidder, big brother. Always joking around.”
“Sorry to disappoint you, sis. I am picking someone up for dinner, but it’s not <b>you</b>.” Max’s lips curled in a smirk as he strode right past her, heading towards the school entrance without a backward nce.
“Wait, is he here for Alessia?”
“He is! Seventeen years in the same house, but blood clearly isn’t thicker than
water.”
“God, I wish I were Alessia. She’s so lucky–she’s got everyone wrapped around her finger.”
“Look at Ileana’s face…”
“Yikes, that’s rough. I almost feel bad for her… almost.”
Ileana stood frozen, her hands balling into tight fists. She could hear the whispers, theughter, the not–so–subtle taunts from the crowd around her, but her eyes never left Max as he made his way toward Alessia.
Alessia, the center of attention, wanted nothing more than to melt back into the ssroom. The intensity of Ileana’s stare was hard to ignore–not because she was afraid, but because she preferred to avoid open conflict whenever possible. If she could, she’d rather treat people she disliked like strangers–polite but distant.
After all, in this world, you’re bound to run into people you don’t like, or who don’t like you. Alessia had always tried to steer clear of unnecessary drama, a lesson she’d learned from the Tates: never go for the jugr unless you absolutely have <ol><li>to. </li></ol>
But sometimes, you’re left with no choice. With someone like Ileana, if you became
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enemies<b>, </b><b>she’d </b><b>stop </b><b>at </b>nothing <b>to </b><b>drag </b><b>you </b><b>down</b>. <b>In </b><b>a </b><b>world </b><b>where </b><b>only </b><b>one </b>person coulde out on top, Alessia was determined she’d be <b>the </b>one <b>still </b><b>standing</b>.
And when trouble came knocking, Alessia was never one to run. She <b>stopped </b><b>in </b><b>her </b>tracks, watching as Max came straight for her.
“You did this on purpose, didn’t you?” she said coolly. “Showing up at the <b>front </b><b>gate</b>, making sure everyone’s watching, humiliating Ileana, making me the center <b>of </b>
attention.”
“If you’d just done as you were told yesterday, we wouldn’t be having this little scene now.” Max’s voice was calm, almost bored.
Alessia gave a short, incredulousugh. “You really are the same as ever–controlling, dictatorial. Any dog would feel inferior next to you.”
“Come on. Let’s go eat.” Max’s expression remained unchanged, unbothered by her jab.
This, after all, was how things always yed out between them. The sharper Alessia’s retorts, the more entertained Max seemed, almost as if he wanted to corner her just to see what weapon she’d pull next.
She knew if she refused, Max wouldn’t let it go. There was no point in dragging it out. So Alessia followed him, the two of them walking in tandem–familiar, yet somehow estranged.
“Lessie.” Zachary’s voice came from the gate, startling her.
“I’m skipping dinner at home tonight, okay?” she called over.
“You sure?” Zachary’s brow furrowed with concern.
Alessia nodded. “Don’t worry. I’ll be home after dinner.”
He still looked uneasy, but there wasn’t much he could do as he watched Max and Alessia climb into the car together.
The crowd gradually dispersed, and Ileana remained standing where she was, Lucy hovering at her side.
Zachary noticed them, lips pressed into a thin line.
“This is what you wanted, isn’t it?”