Chapter 51 THE PLAN UNFOLDS.
SERAPHINA'S POINT OF VIEW.
Pacing, I walked the length of the corridor, as my fake father lounged lazily on the armchair. I fix him with a glare as he watches me with a mischievous grin in his eyes.
"Do not look at me like that." I spit, my teeth clenched, as I fix him a death glare, but he smirks and says while running his hands through his hair.
"Oh, please, I have never seen you so worked up over anything in forever. The last time something bothered you so much, you were in the fifth grade. And it was over some foolish boy in school. You liked him, and he humiliated you in front of his friends, so we egged his house that night; of course, without your father's knowledge." He chuckles. "Lord knows your father would have my head if I got you to that so young."
The thought of that memory makes me laugh, as images flood my mind. I think I was about twelve or thirteen, and the boy's name was Jason.
I liked him, for some reason, because thinking about it now, I realise he was nothing special.
But he didn't like me back, and instead of telling me, he went around telling his friends that the daughter of the richest man in the country wanted him, and that he could inherit my father's fortune if he just put up with me.
The betrayal I'd felt was nothing like ever before, so Peterson and I egged his house that night, and I dumped expired milk all over his track uniform.
He led his team to lose the championship that year, so he was subsequently removed from the team.
"I am not worked up." I said, 'Reach in over to grab a hand fan.' For some reason, the corridor felt humid.
Fanning myself aggressively, I stared at the wall like it had something interesting on it, while trying to ignore the now smug smirk on Peterson's face.
I wanted to scratch it the fuck off.
"So why did you agree to tutor him then? You and I both know you don't need that money." He said, while munching on the brownies I made.
"If a 'scholarship girl, '" I said, making air quotes. "Rejected his offer of something that should seem like so much money, it would send the wrong message, and put eyes on my back."
He purses his lips and tilts his head as he hums. : You're right about that. But you cannot tell me you do not like spending time with him."
"Oh, please! He's annoying, arrogant, boisterous...Ughhhhh," I groaned and flipped the fan over angrily, as his face flashed in my mind. "I HATE HIM! He thinks he's perfect, amazing, and wonderful. And you know the worst part."
"No, tell me." He replies, faux concern on his face, as he sits up with the damn brownie in hand.
"He dared actually to insinuate that I like him! Oh, he is so wrong. I don't care about whoever he has wrapped around his fingers, as far as I am concerned; he might as well be a troll in some abandoned forbidden forest."
Peterson swallows his brownie before speaking. "While I hear you, I will have you remember something; you have never, and I mean, ever, been so worked up over any boy. Not since Jason."
"That's because I'm trying to keep a perfect cover. I have to be the perfect scholarship kid while I'm at Ravenscroft so we can perfect dad's plan."
"Speaking of that." He says, turning serious, "Is there anything underway? It feels like we've been too relaxed lately."
Before I could get a word out, the sound of my ringtone sent the room into a stunned silence. Picking the device, the name.
FATHER.
Stares me back in the face, and immediately, a chill runs up my spine, as the urge to swallow grips me.
"Who is it?" Peterson asks, but I barely hear him, because there's a ringing in my ears. The fear of disappointing him, of failing, of not fulfilling my duty to my family grips me, and my breathing slows drastically.
"Hey." Peterson is at my side in an instant. His hands rub up and down my back soothingly, as a panic attack rips through me. "It's gonna be okay. You're fine, it's alright."
His voice soothes me, as my eyes fixate on the phone in my hands.
"What if I fail? What if I disappoint my father? What if...."
"No, don't think like that. You're gonna be great. The plan is set to unfold from tomorrow, and Slone will discover everything that has been kept from her all these years. We're going to win, and she'll be back where she fucking belongs."
"Promise me?" My lips wobble as my eyes water. His face softens as he stares at me.
"Of course, I promise you, we will do everything to ensure things work out the way we want them."
I take in a deep breath, clear my throat, and slide the call to answer. Placing it on speaker, I try my best to sound as confident as he would expect me to.
'No one should ever get to see you weak, Seraphina. You must always be strong, be powerful, be brave. The world is filled with snakes, and if you don't act like one, you'll be eaten before you even realise you're dead.'
The words he always spoke to me over every karate lesson, every chess teaching, every moment of him bringing me up to be the woman he wants me to be, echo in my mind, steeling me, as I address my father, the man who saved me from a life worse than death.
"Yes, father.. I apologize for not being by the phone earlier. I was preoccupied."
"Seraphina." His voice comes out hard, and immediately, the effect takes hold of me, as I grip my seat tightly. "The plan kicks off tomorrow. Your brother will be joining you at Ravenscroft tomorrow."
My lips break into a frown as the thought of my brother joining me at school hits me by surprise.
Is Ace coming to Ravenscroft?
God help us all.
"Are you there?"
"Yes, father."
"Good. He will not be joining you as a scholarship kid, though. He would hold his actual name as a rival to the Ravenscroft wealth. Be ready, you and I both know how crazy he is. I have no idea what time he will arrive, but he will join you tomorrow."
"I understand, father."
The line clicks as he hangs up.
Peterson and I stare at each other with wide eyes as the news dawns on us.
My brother's quite volatile, and if he's joining me at school, I could only fear for everyone's sanity.