Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 57085 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57085 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 285(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
With a heavy sigh, I force myself to step inside the school. There are students milling about, but I’m too afraid to look at them, knowing they’ll instantly recognize and mock me.
The University differs from other schools. Firstly, it’s a place that’s meant only for heirs of mafia families. And secondly, it’s a finishing school, not a high school. It’s meant for students from seventeen to twenty-two, to get them ready for a lifetime of serving the mafia.
I was never supposed to come here.
I’m nineteen now – if everything had gone according to plan, I would’ve been married by now. But because of everything that’s happened, my proposals fell through. I had four, and it was up to my dad to select one man who wanted to marry me as my husband. But the moment Father’s loyalty was questioned, those proposals were withdrawn. I know my dad is killing himself over not accepting one of them sooner. Now, I’m likely doomed to stay single for ever because of my family history.
Shutting my eyes tightly, I lean my back against the wall inside the school.
I can already imagine the whispers.
All the things they’ll say to humiliate me and my family.
And there’s nothing I can do to stop them.
“Hey, aren’t you Francesca Esposito?”
My heart rate picks up as I hear the words I’ve been afraid of for so long. Raising my eyes, I meet the gaze of a gorgeous blonde who towers over me.
“Yeah,” I get out in a whisper.
She sizes me up like I’m competition. But if she knows my last name, I’m certain she also knows I can’t compete with her in anything. Because of my family’s transgression, I will always be less than her.
“You are?” Her eyes glitter with darkness and I curse inwardly, knowing I’m fucked. “Then why aren’t you apologizing and kissing the floor I walk on?”
I have to fight my insolent nature and force myself not to talk back to her. Only a few months ago, I could’ve really hurt her for saying something like that to me. But now, there’s nothing I can do. I have to be the obedient, meek little mouse and accept the insults this gorgeous girl is throwing in my face.
“I’m sorry,” I mutter, pushing away from the wall I’ve been leaning against. “I need to get to class.” “I don’t think so.”
She shoves me back, forcing me to flatten my back against the wall again. My eyes find hers and I do something I’ve never done before.
Begging with my gaze alone, I silently ask her to stop this. Not to make my time at The University worse than it has to be. She has a choice now – she can shape how the rest of my stay here will go. She seems like the queen bee around here, and I can tell the gaggle of girls following her around the school will do what she tells them to.
But the girl merely smirks in return to my pleading case. I instantly know I’ve lost this battle.
“Why don’t you tell everyone here who you are?” the girl goes on sweetly, gesturing at the crowd that has gathered in the hallway to watch our interaction. “We wouldn’t want to risk somebody not knowing what your father did. Trusting you. They shouldn’t, should they?”
“I...” My gaze burns with hatred now, but I know if I fight what she’s doing, I’ll only make matters worse for myself. So, I force myself to swallow the reply on the tip of my tongue and shake my head instead. “They shouldn’t trust me, no.”
“And why is that?” She crosses her arms with a triumphant smile. “Why don’t you tell them,
Francesca? Tell them what your family did.”
“My... my father betrayed the mafia,” I get out, the words stinging as they leave my lips.
“That’s right,” the blonde hisses. “And we’ll make sure nobody ever forgets it. Do you know who I am, Francesca?”
I look up into her blue eyes. She’s stunning, but I don’t know her name. And even if I did, I know she’d just end up turning it against me. I silently shake my head.
“That’s what I thought.” She smirks, staring at me like I’m the dirt on the bottom of her shoe. “You people think you’re doing good for the world, but you’re the worst scum. You’re just like your father. And I promise you now, I’ll make your stay here worse than hell.”
“Please.” I’m not one to beg, and the word leaves my lips with resistance. I swallow dryly and turn my pleading eyes to the girl in front of me. “Just let me be. I won’t stir up any trouble. I just want to get through this year.”
She laughs in my face as if I’ve told a joke. “You wish, stupid.”
Before I can react, she throws the contents of her Starbucks coffee all over me. I gasp as the still hot coffee drips down the front of my shirt. My uniform is ruined, and I won’t be able to change until later, which means I’m stuck like this for the rest of the day.