had raised him with different priorities: intellect, ambition, and the responsibility that came with the

sophy without question. Until the day his father collapse

wealthy donors. His father mid-sentence about the new science wing donation, suddenly c

kneeling beside his father while e

ence. Her blue dress pooled around her as she loosened his father's tie, checked h

r his father's ashen face, her movements sure and p

hey arrived, her voice steady even as her hands trembled slightly. "It started

Verity volunteered weekends at the hospital. That she planned to study medicine.

ity Sinclair was beautiful-though she undeniably was-but because in that mome

*

r cof

Hartwell placed a steaming cup on his desk. She'd been s

self disoriented by these small interactions with Lavinia. Ever since their encounter in the librar

to her chest. "The calculus study group is m

with the exact amount of cream he preferred. Had he eve

, too quick to interpret. "I have a family

groups were objectively more productive when Lavinia attended. She

s brother. He knew only what Verity had mentioned in passing-that he

e, then paused. "Your father... I

e the collapse six months ago, but he didn't discuss it at school. Ima

," he said d

erceptive. "If you miss any assignments because

upied, unsettled by her offer. Not by the offer itself, but by the fact that she had noticed what he worked so hard to

xt from Verity: *Still at t

collapse-Verity's steady presence during hospital vigils, bringing him coffee and conversa

ding to school n

*Good. Missed you this morni

unfurled in his

sight of Lavinia at her locker, head bent over a textbook, seemingly oblivious to the chaos of the hallway around her. A

offee and the unexpectedly thoughtful offer of notes. But the be

self, and continued

*

ent in conversation with several members of the debate team. She glanced up as he ap

warmly as he set down his t

oice low. "Same as always. Mor

gently. "I'm sorry. Is

everyone admired, but the genuinely compassionate person beneath. It was this

doing it," he t

izzying moment, Henry thought she might lean in closer. But then som

ogetically, gathering her things. "Prom committe

d, masking his disappoint

a, drawing glances and greetings as she passed. Even among Westlake's wealthy, privileged student body, Verity Sinc

ething else