Chapter 44

Ollie’s POV

Mrs. Hopkins words breathe fresh life into me. I feel a sort of whiplash, going from the lowest lows to the highest highs, but it’s exhilarating at the same time.

This means I have a future after all. I won’t be trapped here forever serving Sylvia while abiding to the brothers’ commands.

While staying and putting up with this for even one semester isn’t the most ideal situation, I’m newly determined to make it work. If I could survive this long after being cast aside for Sylvia, then I could survive a few months more.

The summer, and then one semester. Then, at last, freedom.

As before, I will just have to keep my head down, not draw any attention to myself, and hopefully transfer and sneak out before anyone notices.

“Thank you,” I tell Mrs. Hopkins, who nods at me in reply.

“Be careful, Ollie. Look after yourself,” she says.

“I will,” I promise, and let the hope surge through me.

After the ceremony, there is a reception being held in the gymnasium, complete with finger foods and a band playing soft music. The idea, I believe, is to mingle, make connections with new university professors, who are present, as well as say goodbye to the high school teachers who helped get us this far.

As I’ve already spoken to the only teacher I’d care to say goodbye to, I stand mostly in the corner watching others mingle and network.

Sylvia, as always, with the help of her brothers, has stolen the attention of the room. The university professors are tripping over themselves, trying to introduce themselves to her and likely make a good impression in front of the Alpha Kings.

For a while, Ella does her best to try to interject herself into the fold. A few do talk to her for a moment, before returning their attention in trying to approach Sylvia.

After a time, Ella gives up and comes to stand by me in the corner, away from the rest of the room.

“What a day,” she says with an exasperated sigh.

I feel that same exasperation deep down to my bones.

“After all that effort to get my application to Nightheart pack…” I shake my head. “I’m going to have to email Abigail and tell her what’s going on.”

“It’s not fair,” Ella says.

“It’s not,” I say, “But it might only be for one semester…”

Ella looks at me in surprise and I quickly fill her in on what Mrs. Hopkins told me. Her disposition brightens at once.

“Then there’s hope after all,” she says. “That’s wonderful.”

“If I can survive one semester,” I say. “The quadruplets want me to spend the whole time serving Sylvia…”

“You’ll endure,” she says, though not without a sympathetic look. “The past few years, it’s almost like you’ve been training for this. One more semester of serving and pretending, that’s all you have to do. Then you are out. Plus, at least there’s summer break now. So you have time to relax before all this begins.”

That’s true. Summer vacation gives me three months off before the fall semester at the university begins.

After studying so hard for the exams, and after facing one disappointment after the next in fast, terrible succession, I’m looking forward to having some time off.

“What should we do during break?” I ask her.

“About that…” Ella’s voice trails off. She turns away from me too, lowering her head.

“Ella?” Something is going on, and I have a sneaking suspicion that I’m not going to like what it is.

“I’ve been meaning to tell you, but you’ve had so much on your plate already. I didn’t know how to break the news.”

“What news?” I ask, my throat going dry.

“My mother and I are going on a trip. She’s worried once I start at the university that I won’t have time for her anymore, so she’s insisting on a mother-daughter bonding vacation.” Ella worries her bottom lip with her teeth for a moment, before saying, “We are going to travel all around the continent.”

To travel like that means this isn’t just some weekend trip. “How long are you going to be gone?” I ask.

“All summer,” she says. When she looks at me, it’s with regret. “I’m sorry, Ollie. I tried to convince her that you should join us, but she’s adamant that it just be her and me.”

As an orphan, I don’t know my mother. Diana filled that role for a time, and I had been happy. But now I’m back to not knowing what a true mother’s love feels like. Whatever Diana had shown me, couldn’t be that, or it wouldn’t have been so easy for her to stop.

I love Ella and her family, and I want her to have the best. But it’s difficult not to be jealous.

Already my loneliness is starting to creep in. Ella, as my best friend, has been my consistent source of relief from all the disapproval and disregard of others around me. For her to be gone… who will I talk to? Who will I turn to when things feel too heavy to bear alone?

Yet, I can’t be selfish, even though I want to ask her to stay here with me. Her mother might be right. This could be their last chance to bond before life becomes too busy for Ella.

I want the best for Ella, just as she wants what’s best for me. As such, I have to be supportive, even if my heart aches a little inside.

“You are going to have so much fun,” I tell her, trying to smile. It wobbles some, but for her, I manage.

“I’ll call you,” she insists. “We’ll text every day. And I’ll send postcards.”

“Okay,” I tell her, and I know she means it. But, when she’s on her trip, I also know it will be difficult for her to find the time. For now, I allow the words to sit as a small comfort between us.

Too soon, Ella gets pulled away. “I see my advisor. I just want to say hi. I’ll be right back.”

With her absence, already the loneliness is creeping in. Without my best friend around, who will I be able to depend on when I need an escape…?

Inadvertently, my gaze finds its way over to Hugh. All of the brothers look unreasonably handsome in their suits, but Hugh has taken off his suit coat and rolled his sleeves up to the elbows.

I’ve seen him naked, but there’s something about the exposed skin of his forearms when he’s otherwise formally dressed that makes me feel a bit hot under my gown.

Probably against my better judgement, I’ve brought the burner phone with me, tucked away in the pocket opposite my usual phone.

Grabbing it now, I send a quick text asking Hugh if he wants to meet up later.

Across the room, I watch as he reaches for his phone mid-conversation. He abruptly stops talking as he reads the message.

My heart picks up speed as I see him grinning. He types a response and hits send.

The phone in my hand buzzes as I look down.

Tell me what time and I’ll be there with my pants down.