Chapter 48 The price of secret
Chapter 48: The Price of a Secret (Elena’s POV)
The walk home felt longer than usual. The sun was dipping below the horizon, painting the sky in bruises of purple and orange. Maya walked beside me, her shoulder bumping into mine every few steps. She was humming a song, but I couldn't even focus on the tune. My mind was a mess of dates, industrial inventions, and the way Liam’s eyes had softened when he looked at me across the library table.
"You’re doing that thing again," Maya said, breaking the silence.
"What thing?"
"The thing where you chew your bottom lip until it bleeds because you’re thinking about the golden boy," she teased, though her eyes were kind.
"I am not," I lied, though I immediately stopped biting my lip. "I’m just worried about the midterm. Liam’s father is... he’s powerful, Maya. If Liam fails, it isn't just about hockey. It’s about me. I feel like I’m walking on a thin wire and Marcus Vance is holding the scissors."
Maya stopped walking and turned to me. The streetlights flickered on, casting long shadows on the pavement. "Elena, forget the test for a second. Talk to me. For real. You like him, don't you? And I don't mean 'he’s okay for a tutor' like. I mean the scary kind of like."
I looked around the quiet street. There was nobody around but us. For the first time in forever, I felt like I could actually let the walls down.
"It’s a disaster, Maya," I whispered, my voice trembling. "He’s everything I should hate. He’s rich, he’s popular, and he’s part of the family that makes my mom feel like she’s invisible. But when he looks at me... it’s like he actually sees me. Not the scholarship girl. Not the girl with the limp. Just me."
"And that’s why it’s scary," Maya said softly.
"He kissed me," I confessed, the words finally tumbling out. "In the library yesterday. And for a second, I didn't want him to stop. I felt like I was floating. But then I remembered who I am. I remembered that if his father found out, he’d crush my whole family just to protect his son’s 'reputation.' I’m a secret to him, Maya. A dirty little secret he keeps in the corners of the library."
Maya grabbed my hands. Hers were warm and steady. "You aren't a secret, Elena. You’re a person. If he can't see that, then he doesn't deserve a second of your time. But I saw him today. He looked like he wanted to jump out of his skin just to be near you. He’s trying."
"I hope trying is enough," I sighed.
When I got back to the estate, the air felt different. Usually, I’d sneak through the back entrance to the basement, avoiding the main house like it was a haunted castle. But today, the front door was wide open.
My mother was standing in the foyer, her face pale, her hands twisting her apron. Standing in front of her was Marcus Vance. He didn't look angry. He looked calm, which was a thousand times worse.
"Elena," he said, his voice as smooth as silk. "I was wondering when you’d return from your... study session."
"Sir," I said, my heart dropping into my stomach. I stepped in front of my mother instinctively. "Is something wrong?"
"Everything is exactly as it should be," Marcus said. He pulled a piece of paper from his pocket and laid it on the mahogany table. "I’ve been looking over the scholarship requirements. It seems there’s a clause about 'moral conduct' and 'undue influence' on other students. Especially students of high standing."
I felt the blood drain from my face. "I was just tutoring him. Mr. Henderson assigned it."
"Tutoring," Marcus repeated, the word sounding like a joke on his tongue. "Is that what we call it now? Elena, let’s be very clear. My son is destined for greatness. He has a merger to finalize and a career to build. He doesn't have time for... distractions from the basement."
"He's a person, not a business deal!" I snapped before I could stop myself.
My mother gasped, grabbing my arm. "Elena, please! Be quiet!"
Marcus stepped closer. He was so tall he blocked out the light from the chandelier. "One more week. That is all the time I am giving this little experiment. If Liam does not score at the top of that class—without your 'distractions'—your scholarship is gone. And your mother’s employment? It will end the same day. Do you understand the weight of your choices now?"
I couldn't breathe. It wasn't just about me anymore. It was my mother’s life. My mother’s job. He was holding her over my head like a weapon.
"I understand," I whispered, my eyes burning with tears I refused to let him see.
"Good," Marcus said, straightening his suit jacket. "I expect results. And stay away from the main house. You are the help, Elena. Don't forget your place again."
He walked away, his polished shoes clicking on the marble. My mother collapsed into a chair, sobbing into her hands. I knelt beside her, hugging her tight, but my mind was miles away. I was thinking about Liam. I was thinking about the kiss. And I was thinking about how much I hated the fact that I still wanted to see him tomorrow.
The next morning at school, I was a ghost again. I kept my head down, avoiding the whispers in the hallway. Even the drama about Chloe and Liam’s breakup seemed small compared to the threat hanging over my head.
I met Maya by the lockers. I told her everything. I told her about Marcus, the threat, and the look on my mother’s face.
"He’s a monster," Maya hissed, slamming her locker shut. "Elena, you can't just let him do this. We have the video of Jax! We can use it!"
"No," I said, grabbing her arm. "If we use that, Marcus will know it came from us. He’ll destroy my mom before the video even goes viral. We have to play it his way. For now."
"So what’s the plan?"
"We study," I said, my voice hardening. "We make sure Liam passes that test. We make him so smart that even his father can't find a reason to fail him. And then, once the scholarship is safe... then we find a way to fight back."
We headed to the library for our afternoon session. Liam was already there. He had his books open, his eyes focused on a map of the world. When he saw me, he started to smile, but he stopped when he saw the expression on my face.
"Elena? What’s wrong?" he asked, standing up.
Maya looked at me, then at him. She gave him a look that could have melted steel. "Your dad happened, Liam. That’s what’s wrong."
"Maya, don't," I warned.
"No, he needs to know!" Maya shouted, causing the librarian to hiss a 'shush' at us. Maya lowered her voice but kept the heat. "Your father threatened her mom, Liam. He told her if you don't ace this test, she’s out. Her scholarship, her house, everything. He’s using her to keep you in line."
Liam’s face went from pale to a deep, dangerous red. He looked at me, his eyes full of a pain I hadn't seen before. "He went to your house?"
"It doesn't matter," I said, sitting down and opening my notebook. "We have to work, Liam. We don't have time for feelings or drama. We have six days to make you a History expert. Sit down."
"Elena, I'm so sorry," he whispered, reaching for my hand.
I pulled my hand away. "Don't. If anyone sees us, it's over. Just sit down and open your book. Please."
Liam sat. He looked like he wanted to punch the wall, but he followed my lead. We worked in silence for two hours. The spice and the chemistry were still there—every time our eyes met, I felt a jolt of electricity—but the fear was stronger.
Maya sat at the next table, watching us like a hawk. Every time Jax or one of Chloe’s friends walked past, she’d cough or drop a pen to warn us. She was our lookout, our secret weapon in a war we were barely winning.
By the end of the session, Liam was staring at his notes like they were a puzzle he was finally solving.
"I’m going to do it, Elena," he said, his voice low and determined. "I’m going to get the highest grade Henderson has ever seen. And then I’m going to tell my father that he can't touch you ever again."
"Just pass the test, Liam," I said, packing my bag. "That’s all I need from you."