Page 106 of Vexatious Queen

My shoulders rose and fell as I gathered my thoughts.

“Because my dad told me his version, and we’ve speculated on other things. I want to hear from the person who set all of this heartbreak in motion. I want to know why he hated my mother and cared so little about me that he allowed me to live in such a toxic environment. And you’re right, we don’t know if he tried to kill me twice, but maybe I can get some answers.”

“Then prepare yourself, you may not get any of that. Vadin could give you a sob story or an outright lie. You will need to decipher the truth. This will hurt your heart. Sometimes, when we dig too deep, we expose ourselves to more pain and things we can never unhear, unlearn, or unsee. Be sure that forming a connection with this man, even just for answers, is what you really want.”

“How did you get to be so wise?”

He gave me a mischievousness grin.

“I listen…a lot.”

We continued down the hall until we got to the office that Mr. Sharpe shared with Mr. Martelli.

I knocked, and a moment later, Sharpe opened the door. To my shock, Vicky sat in a chair behind him with a textbook open. She looked at me, rolled her eyes, and turned away.

“Yes, Ms. D…Genovese?”

Vicky snorted, and I could hear her bitterness.

“Was there anything else you wanted me to do,” I asked, holding out the completed tests.

“Yes, part of your TA duties includes office hours. I’ll be letting my students know that you are available for extra help. I’m busy right now, but you’ll get more specifics on the date and time later. Be prepared to keep some of your days and afternoons free and have a good evening.”

I nodded, and Sharpe closed the door in our faces.

“Well, isn’t that interesting,” Liam whispered as we walked away.

“Yeah, looks like we were wrong and it was just a parent-teacher conference with Patricia after all,” I said.

“It certainly looks that way,” he said, but his tone was laced with scepticism.

Liam didn’t say anything else, and I let it go for now.

If there was one thing I had learned from my time at Wayward, it was to stay alert. You never knew where the next punch was coming from.

Ding.

My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I pulled it out. There was a text from my dad.

Dad: Hi there, Lilya. I must cancel our dinner this Sunday. I’m leaving town for a few days, but I will be back sometime next week. Massimo and a few guards will remain behind. They are available for your protection if you wish to leave Wayward. Please use them.

An irrational fear swept through me. What if he left and never came back? It was silly, but I bit my lip and had to force the fear down.

R: Okay, no problem. Where are you going?

Dad: Italy, there is a bank issue that I must deal with personally. I’ll bring you back something special. Ti voglio tanto bene, a presto, figlia mia bellissima.

R: I love you, too, Dad.

“What’s wrong,” Liam asked.

“My dad is going out of town for the rest of the week.”

Liam gave me a little smile.

“Don’t worry, he’ll be back,” he said, knowing me all too well.

Nodding, I let him guide me toward the cafeteria.