shocked the ai

into the dark lake, the last thing I saw was the acceptance letter

this was all I

ore Noah Vance d

He had cornered me behind the gym, his usual smirk plast

e dripping with arrogance. "I have

to my chest. He' d been bullying me for

' re thinking about your brother, Liam. About that bone marrow transplan

uld he know that? I never

make a bet. I' ll get into an Ivy League school, just like y

t through class and never turned in homework. He

t?" I challenged, my

es locking onto mine, "I' ll pay for t

nt, a figure that haunted my family' s every waking moment. My parents

mething dark and possessive, "you' ll be my personal assistant

ights I' d spent studying. There was no way. It was impossible. He

the word tasting like poi

ve of relief so powerful it almost brought me to my knees washed over

the public

op. And right below it, with the

h V

e. It was a statist

e. They didn't drag me into an alley with cheering and laugh

hes from mine. He didn' t look happy. He looked

y for Liam. There

but my body. When they were done, they left me crump

pain and shame. I couldn't tell m

a complication. An infection. They needed to operate im

two da

the last piece

. I looked at the calm, dark water and felt nothing. N

tand. How did he do it? How did a slack

er my head, and eve

opened

w, hitting the worn-out textbook on my nightstand.

hell before exams? Don' t forg

bruises. I touched my body. No pain. I scrambled out of bed and

as

before the exams. Th

face. This time, I wouldn't be his v

ah Vance woul