Chapter 35
“So, how’s life treating you, Miss High–and–Mighty Tate, now that you’re stuck in the slums?”
“You–l” Liam didn’t even finish his sentence before Alessia stepped forward and grabbed Lucy by the collar.
Looking down at her, Alessia’s eyes held no anger, only a calm, chilling indifference. Lucy, on the other hand, couldn’t hide the tremor in her eyes–fear and panic flickering across her face.ll
“W what are you going to do?“}
“Let go of my daughter, you wretch!” Yvonne, bound and helpless, struggled furiously. Liam simply yanked the rope, dragging her further away. No matter how loudly Yvonne hurled insults, he held on tight, frowning in silence.
“Lucy” Alessia said evenly. “even without the Tate name, I’m still me. But if you lost the Summers name, would you still be you? You always talk about high and low… but which of us is really above, and which is below? Want to find out?“3
“You’re only acting tough because Stella’s backing you up. Do you really think, with your reputation in tatters, you’re still good enough for Cole? Please. Nobody in class is going to treat you the way they used to. They’re just pretending to care–for their own benefit.”
“Is that so? How sad for you. Alessia replied, her gaze tinged with pity.
Somehow, without even realizing it, Lucy had lost the upper hand. Her emotions ran wild, and the outcome was already decided.
“Go home and get some sleep. We’re done here for tonight. If you want to stir up trouble, go ahead–just remember, that’s only if you’re still interested in staying Daddy’s precious Summers heiress. Understood?
“What’s that supposed to mean? You think you can threaten me with your status?”
“Threaten you?” Alessia let out a soft, disbelieving laugh. “You’re not even worth threatening. Call it friendly advice. The Summers family has a big contract on the table, right? Think of this as a warning. Behave yourself, and that’ll be the end of it. But if you don’t well, losing that contract will be the least of your problems.
Lucy’s face drained of color. The Summers had landed a major deal recently–her father was so confident, he’d been in a good mood for weeks and had even given her a hefty allowance. If the deal fell through ”
“You expect me to beg you for mercy? Don’t make me laugh! Alessia, you’ve got nothing left. You’re bluffing about my father’s deal? Fine. Let’s see what you can actually do!”
Lucy was practically shaking with rage, glaring at Alessia like she wanted to tear a piece out of her. She didn’t believe Alessia could pull it off, but after years of being beneath her, there was a pit of unease in her gut she couldn’t shake
Alessia didn’t answer, just gave a faint, knowing smile, as if everything was unfolding exactly as she intended.
“Stella”
“Yeah?” Stella replied, immediately stepping forward.
“Toss them out.
Stella’s eyes lit up. She took the rope, grabbed Lucy by the back of her jacket, and moved so fast Lucy barely had time to react.!! Lucy struggled, but Stella’s grip was iron–strong. Both Lucy and her mother were powerless, only managing to tangle themselves further & “Oh, and one more thing.” Alessia called out, and Stella froze mid–step. Everyone looked at her–some confused, some seething with
“Remember, my name’s Alessia. Next time, don’t get it wrong. Alessia’s smile was sweet and gentle, like the girl next door–except for the shadow of black wings that seemed to flicker behind her
With that, Stella shoved the two outside. Lucy and Yvonne stumbled but managed to steady themselves, just as Stella slammed the door shut with a flourish. She looked down at the rope in her hand–the same one she’d just untied as she sent Yvonne tumbling out.!!
