na's
oom door behind me, the sho
y my stepmother's sharp, disapproving tone. Lily's soft cryi
t the door and
ngs neve
ier, the pattern wa
y c
ther defe
demanded
expected t
I had always do
ot an
tains open. Morning sunlight poured into the
g looked
the same pe
o the acceptance
dge Uni
business schools
ad thrown away ten years
gain, running my fingers
tions, Sere
tter had meant nothing to me
I knew
sn't just ab
bout ind
we
n feet instead of depending o
ation settled i
would go to
would build m
e my family w
fut
my desk and op
s into the past, then I possesse
wle
ng that would happen
arket c
g from nothing to bi
state
hat would reshape
tood at the ce
n Kin
n as his name appeare
ht of it made my
meline, Adrian wa
ompany was still relatively young. Most people saw him as
new the
ould become one of the most pow
would dominate
uld exceed fifty
nce been en
overed above
nt had been arranged th
derstood why Adr
ways been
e, bu
dn't particular
been more charming, more
ered if he would have
mile touch
fool I
ving Lily deserved ever
d never bel
he deserved ev
ding
hair, staring at the
to survive
nted re
neede
entually become one of the m
made my pu
ause of
use of s
Adrian would co
myself with
ilities we
nly interrupt
ste
e body s
i
cou
closed th
me
opened ca
r eyes slightly red as
her well would immediat
e truth behind th
closer to m
.. can w
ded c
ur
my bed, clasping her ha
erstand," sh
trembled
ou change
ted m
ut w
said quickly. "You p
mis
ost l
ast lif
t in t
I asked
bli
n flickered w
school," she insisted. "You said you
ad bee
n
ow little my sacri
ly and walked t
tudy harder,"
tared
ha
dge," I continued, "you should
ace f
didn't
back to l
ly somewh
her face was
re being unfair
fa
echoed in
eight because the person yo
verything for people who
r entire life for som
d close
d up at me
eyes
allowed the cold anger
fair," I s
widened
seen me like
had always been
s pat
illing t
e knew had died
et used to disapp
ood up
now what's wrong w
stbridge," I int
uth fe
re se
es
will never
gged s
his pr
o hit her harder t
time, Lily loo
oment as if trying to figure
rned and walked
ore leaving,
me, the sweetness had di
or a s
I no
e smile
t Lily ever
t regret this,"
closed be
filled t
my desk and opene
ian Kingsley's nam
e spread ac
I mu
nitely
e this
how the futur
to take full
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