Reborn at Eighteen The Billionaire's Second Chance novel Chapter 39

Chapter 39

“My behavior?”

“Yes.” His eyes were cold and hard as winter stones. “You’ve been

acting out for months–following Julian around like a lost puppy,

neglecting your studies, and now this incident with Victoria. I’m

beginning to wonder if we made a mistake taking you in at all.”

The words hit like a physical punch and made it hard to breathe, to

think, to do anything but stand there and take it.

Mamá grabbed my arm with desperate strength. “She doesn’t mean to be ungrateful! She’s just confused. Please, give her another chance.”

“I will.” Mr. Vane Senior’s voice softened and became almost kind,

which was somehow worse than his anger. “But she needs to learn her

place. This is my house, my family, and she lives here at my

discretion. She would do well to remember that.”

I swallowed and tasted blood from where I’d bitten my tongue

without realizing it. “I understand.”

“Good.” He smiled–actually smiled–as if we’d just concluded a

pleasant business transaction. “Go to your room and rest. I’ll have the

1/5

Chapter 39

staff bring you dinner.”

I turned to leave with my hands shaking so badly I had to press them

against my sides.

“And Elara?” He waited until I looked back. “No more police, no more

making scenes. If you have problems, you bring them to me first.

Understood?”

I nodded and walked out, hearing behind me as Mamá thanked him

profusely and promised I’d behave, hearing her beg him not to fire

her for my mistakes.

I went back to my room and sat down at the desk, pulling out my SAT

prep book with mechanical determination.

I opened it to a random page and stared at the words that blurred

together into meaningless symbols, then forced myself to focus and

read the first question, then the second, then the third.

Four or maybe five hours passed while the light outside faded to gray

and then to darkness, the world outside my window transforming into

shadow.

2/5

Chapter 39

Someone knocked on my door.

“Elara.” Mama’s voice was tentative, careful. “I have tea for you. And

snacks from the kitchen.”

I didn’t answer, didn’t move, barely breathed.

“Victoria’s favorites–the French pastries.” Her voice dropped to a

whisper. “Mr. Vane Senior wants you to bring them to her room as a

peace offering.”

I stood up and opened the door to find her holding a silver tray with

bone china teacups and delicate pastries arranged in perfect rows like

tiny monuments to my humiliation.

“Please.” Her eyes were red from crying. “Just do this, just be nice to

her, make this easier for all of us.”

I took the tray without saying anything, without acknowledging her

plea, and watched her watch me walk down the hall toward Victoria’s

wing–the good wing where the real family lived in comfort and

luxury.

Victoria’s door was closed with pop music playing inside, upbeat and

happy as if the world weren’t burning down around us.

3/5

Chapter 39

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify