AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Indeed.” Avelyn’s words had the effect of a cold shower on Max, and now he was looking at her half confused, half annoyed. “But are you sure this is the impression you want to leave?”
“I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”
“This…” He didn’t know what to tell her, so he stopped. How could he explain what he felt? He didn’t know himself. He felt anger, disbelief, rejection. Yes, that was it. He felt rejected, and it was something new to him. It gave him a disturbing feeling of inadequacy and insufficiency. The fact that he had allowed her to see how much he was attracted to her didn’t help the situation at all. Max hated himself for showing such weakness in front of a woman who had only let him talk, pretended to be interested, and then dismissed everything, dismissed him, with just a few words.
“Yes…?” Avelyn encouraged him to finish his sentence.
“You know why I asked for you to be brought here.”
“No, actually, I have no idea. I belong to House Vulpes, and if I know how things work around here, you shouldn’t have even had the House Vulpes catalog on your desk.”
“That is why this morning you said you’re not the one I was looking for…” He couldn’t help feeling like a fool.
“And I still believe it.”
There was no way he could reply to that, and he knew she wasn’t waiting for a reply. She had made a statement. Clear and simple. The disappointment was greater because he had been thinking about her the whole day, during his discussion with the headmistress and the interviews with Delyse and the other two Lupi girls. He wasn’t sure what he had expected, but certainly not this outcome. The other girls had been at least professional and polite, if they didn’t show they were interested. He hadn’t expected an Alma Venus student, educated to become a shifter bride, to be so adamant, defiant, and sometimes downright rude. Not even a future fox-bride. He was starting to think this was all a mistake, something that shouldn’t have happened. There was no point in allowing it to continue.
“I see.” He rearranged the papers on the desk.
“Yes.”
“Then, I think this is all. Thank you for your assistance.”
“Of course,” she said, and took some steps back, not ready to turn around and leave. He wasn’t looking at her anymore, busy with his papers. She had to turn and walk away. It was the right thing to do. “I wish you a nice day.” She hesitated a second more. “And I hope the bride you choose today will prove to be the right one.”
“Thank you,” he said without lifting his eyes.
Avelyn finally turned around and left the office. She moved fast and confidently, not allowing herself any second thoughts. She closed the door behind her.
It was the right thing to do.
CHAPTER THREE
Sold
Looking at her own picture next to which was written the name Joanna Thorne was the only thing that made Avelyn feel better. She was sitting on the edge of her bed and studying the information under the name. Born May 15, 1990. Father Joseph Thorne, mother Angelica Thorne. Angelica… She didn’t know what her real mother’s name was, and she didn’t care much either. As a child, she had been curious about her origins, especially about her own real name. But this information was kept secret at Alma Venus, the policy saying that once a young girl came to live and study here, her past was erased. The only exceptions were the Donations, such as Delyse. Avelyn had always envied Delyse for knowing those small details which told her who she was and where she came from. The first time she called her best friend by the name her parents had given her, Lily, was also the last one. Avelyn didn’t understand why Delyse threw such a tantrum over the issue, and only after she pressed her long enough did the girl tell her that she didn’t want to think what her life would have been like if her father hadn’t donated her to the institution. She had adopted the name Delyse the moment she had been brought to Alma Venus and Miss Delacroix had suggested it to her. Avelyn hadn’t had the chance to say “yes” or “no” to her new name because she had only been 8 months old when her mother had sold her to the school, so she also envied Delyse for having spent the first 8 years of her life with her parents and elder brother. Later, she reconsidered these things and realized she was better off not knowing her family, her mother’s name, and even her own. Putting the ID back in the bag underneath her bed, she thought of how she would erase her past for the second time the moment she would take the name of Joanna Thorne.
Delyse got out of the bathroom and rushed to dry her hair and get dressed. Avelyn had been waiting for her to finish her shower so they could both go downstairs for dinner. The girl’s mood was much improved now, after Avelyn had come back and told her not to worry because Maxwell Blackmane had no intention of choosing her. His best option was Delyse, and he knew it. She was sure that her rude, monosyllabic answers had convinced him he had made a mistake by calling her for an interview. She mentioned nothing about what had happened on the windowsill because she genuinely thought there was no need for Delyse to know those details. Max would choose her beautiful, gracious friend, and whatever had been between them in those suspended moments in time didn’t even matter. When Delyse was ready, they rushed to the cafeteria because neither of them had eaten much during the day. Too many emotions, surprises, and tense moments had cut their appetite.
They had just sat down at the table with their trays of food when Miss Delacroix’s secretary interrupted them. Delyse gave her a trembling smile and folded her hands in her lap, unable to touch the food until she would hear what the woman had to tell her. Avelyn winked at her friend, then stuck her fork into a piece of chicken, paying no mind to the middle-aged lady.
“Hello, Miss Jones. How are you doing?”
“Very well, Delyse, thank you.” The secretary returned Delyse’s smile, obviously pleased by the girl’s politeness. “Avelyn, Miss Delacroix needs you in her office right away.”
>
Avelyn choked on her morsel, and Delyse’s smile faltered.
“I’m sorry,” said Avelyn after she managed to swallow the chicken. “I’m pretty sure you mean she wants to see Delyse, not me.”
“No, young lady, she wants to see you. Come on now, it’s urgent. You’ll eat afterwards.”
Avelyn set her fork down, took a sip of water, and stood up to follow Miss Jones. “It’s ok,” she told Delyse. “It probably has nothing to do with you-know-who. See you in a few minutes.”
On the way to Miss Delacroix’s office, Avelyn kept wondering what the school principal could have wanted with her. Maybe Blackmane had complained about the interview and she was in for a lecture. Miss Jones sat back at her desk, and Avelyn went into the office.
“Good evening. Did you want to see me?”
