Chapter 110
Piper
I have my nose buried in a book as I sit on the sofa in my dorm.
Something I’ve been doing a lot lately.
And I cry.
The book isn’t even that sad.
I’m crying for myself.
Because apparently I’ve lost all common sense and all I do these days is cry and cry and cry.
That’s it.
That’s my life now.
I can’t skate, so I cry some more.
These past few weeks I’ve been a hot mess.
Minus the hot part.
I cry myself to sleep every night.
And I shouldn’t.
I’m the one who told him to leave.
So really, I have no right to feel sorry for myself.
But it still hurts, more than I expected.
He walked out that day in January and never came back.
It’s March now.
A part of me had expected something else.
To tell me I was wrong. That he could in fact love me.
Or at least that he’d try.
Instead, he left.
I don’t have him as my professor anymore. That class was only for the first semester, and I don’t think he teaches at the academy at all these days.
He still comes here sometimes. After all, he’s involved with the Ferrum Syndicate, which means he has reasons to be on Elaris Isle from time to time.
But I never see him.
And yet he’s still here, in a way.
A book arrives for me every single day, always with a note from him, and with a hyacinth.
One day it was an out of print special edition of one of my favourite series. Another time it was a first edition I’d mentioned wanting months ago.
At this point, my living room is a library. And that’s without counting the stacks taking over my bedroom.
He hasn’t given up on us. And that’s the problem.
Because he still can’t give me the one thing I want.
So why keep doing this to both of us?
When my period arrives, a basket appears on the very same day.
Every single month.
I don’t even question how he knows anymore. Sometimes it feels as if he has access to my phone.
The moment I log the first day on my app, a basket turns up at my door filled with my favourite chocolate, ice cream, face masks, fluffy socks, snacks, drinks, heating pads, and usually some plush toy.
He also sends jewellery from Vass Legacy.
And the best gift he ever gave me arrived the day after he left.
The divorce papers.
Yes.
I am officially free.
Not long after, Frederick Wardgrave’s death was announced.
Hunter also took over as CEO of Wardgrave Dynamics.
My father was imprisoned.
I’ve made several attempts to visit him, and each time, I was turned away.
Apparently, he said—and I quote—he has no traitor daughter.
So I suppose I no longer exist.
As for my family’s company, it currently has an interim CEO in place. With my father in prison, control should eventually pass to me, but according to the terms set out by my grandfather, I can’t take over until I’m married.
Not that I particularly want the company. But I don’t want to watch it end up in the hands of strangers either.
The problem is that I have absolutely no intention of getting married again any time soon.
So, for the foreseeable future, the interim CEO will have to do.
A knock sounds at my dorm door, and I push myself to my feet.
My ribs still ache. The doctors say they’re healing well.
But spring is already here, and I can’t stop wondering whether they’ll recover in time for the Olympics.
Or whether any doctor will ever clear me to compete again.
The knock sounds again.
I already have a pretty good idea who it is.
Sure enough, Adelaide is standing on the other side when I open the door.
“Took you long.”
I roll my eyes and step aside.
Adelaide strides straight into my living room.
I follow behind her and lower myself back onto the sofa.
She studies me for a moment before narrowing her eyes.
“What the hell is going on with you?”
I blink.
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re depressed. Or heartbroken.”
“I’m neither.”
“Well, you’re clearly something.”
I sigh.
“What do you want, Adelaide?”
“Wow. The attitude.”
She leans back into the sofa.
“I’m worried about you.”
“No reason to be.”
She gives me a look that says she doesn’t believe a word.
“Your father is in prison, for a start. And Hunter is mostly gone.”
I open my mouth, but she raises a hand.
“Don’t.”
I close it again.
“I know there was something going on between the two of you. I’m not stupid, Piper, so don’t insult my intelligence by pretending otherwise.”
Her eyes narrow further.
“And unless I’m mistaken, you haven’t stepped onto the ice once since you came back for the second semester.”
I look away.
“I didn’t realise you were keeping tabs on me.”
“Someone has to.”
She tries to sound casual, but the concern is obvious.
“Start talking, Piper.”
I look at her for a long moment.
“I’ve been sleeping with Hunter for months, but I was married.
To his father. He found out. He hated me.
He left. His father beat the life out of me and I ended up in hospital unconscious for days.
Hunter made him sign the divorce papers then he killed him.
I went home with Hunter. Then I ran back here to the academy and he came after me.
Only by then too much had happened. I lied to him.
I deceived him in a way. And I was always just this illusion in his head. A possession, some sort of obsession.”
The words keep tumbling out.
“I told him that now I finally have my freedom, I need someone who can love me. Really love me. But he’s incapable of it.
At least that’s what he says. And he didn’t deny it.
Which is fair because it’s true, but a part of me thought maybe it wasn’t.
Maybe he’d tell me I was wrong. Instead, he left. ”
I laugh without humour.
“And then it turned out the reason I was married in the first place was because his father and mine were tied up in some crime together. And now he’s in prison. I’ve tried to see him, but he refuses. Apparently I’m dead to him for betraying him.”
I shake my head.
“I gave up everything for him. Or at least I thought I did. And now it feels like it was all for nothing. He hates me anyway. I don’t really know how I’m supposed to feel about any of it.”
Adelaide stares at me.
“Wow. It only took you more than ten years to open up to one of us.”
The corner of her mouth lifts.
“But I’m glad you did.”
She’s right. I never talk about what’s bothering me.
Ever.
“I don’t want to burden you all with my problems.”
“Piper, that’s precisely what friends are for,” she says. “And for the record, you’ve never been a burden to any of us.”
I shake my head.
But I don’t argue.
She looks around the room.
“It doesn’t exactly look as though he’s given up on you.”
She gestures vaguely towards the flowers, the books, and the mountain of deliveries around my dorm.
“That’s the problem.”
“How is that a problem?”
“Because he should have.”
“You don’t mean that.”
“Yes, I do. I’ve already told you. He can’t give me what I want.”
“Love is vastly overrated, if you ask me.”
I burst out laughing.
I can’t help it.
But then the laughter turns into tears, and before I know it, I’m doing both at the same time like a complete lunatic.
I think I’ve finally lost my mind.
Adelaide waits until I’ve finished my breakdown.
“In all seriousness, I think he loves you.”
“Don’t. Hunter doesn’t do love.”
“The man is emotionally defective. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t love you.” She shrugs.
I stare at her.
“I think, in his own twisted way, he does. He just doesn’t realise that’s what peasants like you call love.”
I smile, and Adelaide returns it.
“It’s fine, I’ve made my peace with it.”
“Liar.”
Her expression sobers.
“Did that fucker really hurt you that badly? Wardgrave and I are going to have words. What the hell was he thinking? You were in hospital and none of us knew.”
“I’m glad he didn’t tell you. That’s what I wanted.”
“But why?” She points a finger at me. “And don’t start with that nonsense about not wanting to burden us.”
“It’s true.”
“No, it’s stupid.”
“You hide it well, Adelaide, but you’re only one person too. I see what you carry, even if you fight like hell to hide it. There was no need to pile my problems on top of yours.”
She looks unconvinced, like she’s preparing a dozen arguments. But after a long moment, she finally lets it go.
“So, ice skating.”
“The doctor still hasn’t cleared me for it.” I grimace.
Her eyes darken. A murderous expression takes over her face. For a second, she looks every inch the cartel princess she is.
“He’s dead,” I remind her quietly.
“Good.” The word is cold. “But I still consider digging him up just to hit him a few more times.”
I shake my head. I don’t think she’s joking.
“Right.” She gets to her feet and grabs my hand, pulling me up with her. “Go and take a shower. You smell.”
“I do not. I shower every day,” I protest.
“Splendid. Take another one.”
“Adelaide—”
“Shower,” she says. “I’ll choose something for you to wear. We’re going out.”
I stare at her.
“Absolutely not.”
“Absolutely yes.”
I open my mouth.
She points towards the bedroom.
“You need a night out, Piper.”
And judging by the look on her face, I know I’m already losing this argument.
She pulls me towards my room.
“Who exactly is we?”
“Me, you, and possibly Eleanor if we can convince her to leave her room.”
“What about the Bellanti sisters? And before you say no, you still need to sort things out with Octavia.”
She gives a dismissive wave.
“Not happening. They’re in Paris.”
“Paris?”
“Sisterly bonding trip,” she says dryly. “At least that’s the official version.”
“And the real version?”
“Arlo is proposing to Ophelia. For real this time.”
A smile finds its way onto my face.
“That’s sweet.”
“Mm.”
Adelaide practically shoves me into the bathroom.
I shake my head, but close the door behind me.
A moment later, I peel off my clothes, wincing at the pull in my ribs, and step beneath the hot water.
Some of the tension leaves me immediately.
For the first time in days, I don’t feel so weighed down.