Life After High (High school).

“Who let her in here?”

Mandy’s sharp voice sliced through the echoing marble hallway before I could even knock on the door. Her tone was dripping with disdain as she descended the grand staircase, her pink silk robe trailing behind her like she was walking on a runway.

I froze in the middle of the living room, clutching my small worn-out handbag against my chest. The air smelled of lavender and money. Everything in that mansion screamed luxury—from the glass chandelier hanging like a diamond above me, to the white leather couches I was too afraid to sit on.

I hadn’t been here in almost four years.

Mandy’s eyes swept over me from head to toe, and she smirked. “Wow. What a surprise. I almost didn’t recognize you—oh wait, I did, because you still look like a charity case.”

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice steady. “I came to see Dad.”

She scoffed. “Dad?” She mimicked me cruelly. “You mean my dad? The one who actually raised me? The one who doesn’t even mention you?”

“Mandy,” I said quietly, trying not to sound desperate, “please, it’s important.”

“Oh, I bet it is,” she said, crossing her arms. “Let me guess—scholarship money finally ran out? You want him to fix your broke little life again?”

I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay calm. “It’s about Grandma. She’s sick. I need to talk to him. Please.”

Her smirk faltered for half a second—just a flicker of discomfort—but she masked it quickly with a mocking laugh. “So Grandma’s dying, huh? And now you suddenly remember Daddy exists? Wow, you people really come crawling when you need something.”

Before I could respond, a cold male voice echoed down the hallway.

“Mandy, what’s going on here?”

I turned—and there he was.

My father.

He stood at the edge of the hall, wearing a dark blue suit, perfectly tailored as always. His graying hair was slicked back, his gold wristwatch glinting under the light. He looked exactly the same as I remembered—except colder.

The last time I’d seen him was at my mother’s funeral. He hadn’t shed a single tear then.

Now, he looked at me as if I were a stranger who had walked in uninvited.

“Dad…” My voice trembled slightly. “I—I came to talk to you.”

He didn’t move closer. “About what?”

I hesitated. “It’s Grandma. She’s very sick. The doctors said she needs immediate surgery, and—”

He raised his hand sharply. “Let me guess. You want money.”

I blinked, stung by how casually he said it.

“Sir, please—”

“Don’t ‘sir’ me, Nova. You made your choice when you left this family to live with that old woman,” he said flatly. “Now you come running because you can’t handle the consequences.”

Mandy laughed under her breath. “Told you.”

I ignored her and stepped forward, my voice cracking slightly. “She raised me when no one else did. She’s all I have, and I’ll do anything to save her. Please, Dad, I’m begging you.”

He turned away, adjusting his cufflinks like my words were background noise. “You’re wasting your time. I have a business meeting in ten minutes.”

Tears burned my eyes, but I forced myself not to cry. I took another step forward. “I’m not here for me. I’m here for her. She loved my mother, your first wife. You know she never asked for anything from you after Mom died.”

He stiffened at the mention of my mother but said nothing.

I pressed on. “Please. She’s in pain. I’ll pay you back—”

“Pay me back?” He laughed coldly. “With what? Grades? Dreams? Or maybe another one of your pity speeches that make people clap?”

The words hit like stones.

I looked at him—this man who shared my blood, yet felt like a stranger in every possible way. “Do you really hate me that much?”

He didn’t answer.

Mandy walked over and stood beside him, her arm brushing his sleeve possessively. “Dad, don’t let her guilt-trip you,” she said sweetly. “She’s just trying to use Grandma’s illness to get close to you again. She probably wants to live here.”

“That’s not true!” I shouted, my voice breaking.

He glared at me. “Don’t raise your voice in my house.”

I swallowed hard, my hands trembling. “I just need help. I’m not asking you to love me, I just—”

“Enough,” he snapped. “You think I don’t remember how your grandmother turned your mother against me? She poisoned her mind. She’s the reason your mother tried to take the company back. She’s the reason your mother died.”

The words felt like a slap.

“That’s not true,” I whispered.

“Oh, but it is,” he said bitterly. “And if you came here expecting me to fund that old witch’s hospital bills, you’ve lost your mind.”

For a moment, all I could do was stand there—frozen, humiliated, my dignity crumbling at my feet.

Then Mandy smirked and said, “Should I call security?”

I turned toward her slowly. “Don’t bother. I know the way out.”

But before I could leave, my father’s voice stopped me. “Wait.”

My heart leaped, foolishly hopeful—until I saw the look in his eyes. Cold. Calculating.

“I might have something else in mind,” he said, exchanging a quick glance with Mandy. “A solution for both of us.”

Mandy grinned like she already knew where this was going.

I frowned. “What do you mean?”

He walked closer, his expensive shoes echoing against the marble floor. “You need money. A lot of it, I assume.”

“Yes,” I said warily.

“And I have a business partner,” he continued slowly, “who’s been looking for a young, respectable wife. Someone obedient. Someone who can… represent my family well.”

My stomach dropped. “What are you saying?”

He looked me straight in the eye. “Marry him, Nova. Do that, and I’ll pay for every hospital bill your grandmother has.”

For a moment, the words didn’t register. I just stared at him, numb.

Then it hit me. Hard. “You want me to marry someone—for money?”

He didn’t flinch. “It’s not just anyone. James Baldwin. He’s wealthy, powerful, and would treat you well.”

My mouth went dry. “James Baldwin… Daniel’s father?”

Mandy’s grin widened. “Oh yes. What a coincidence, right?”

I felt sick. My mind flashed back to the secret I’d uncovered about their families—the betrayal, the lies. And now my father wanted to tie me to the very man whose family helped destroy my mother’s life.

“This is insane,” I whispered.

“It’s business,” he said calmly. “And it’s your only option. Unless, of course, you’d rather watch your grandmother die.”

I took a shaky step back. “You’re a monster.”

His expression didn’t change. “Call me what you like. I’m offering you a lifeline.”

Mandy crossed her arms smugly. “You should thank him. Most girls would kill for a chance to marry into the Baldwin family.”

I turned toward her, trembling with rage. “You’re disgusting.”

“Careful, Nova,” she said softly. “You wouldn’t want to make the wrong choice. Grandma doesn’t have much time, does she?”

I stared at both of them, my heart pounding so hard it hurt.

I wanted to scream. To break something. To curse them both for their cruelty. But all I could do was stand there, the tears finally spilling down my cheeks.

I whispered, “You’ll regret this.”

Then I turned and ran.

Out the door. Down the steps. Into the heavy New York rain that had started to fall like the sky itself was grieving with me.

My shoes splashed in puddles, my breath ragged, my tears lost in the storm. Cars honked, people stared, but I didn’t care. I just ran—back to the hospital, back to Grandma, back to the only person who had ever truly loved me.

When I reached her ward, she was asleep, her frail hand resting on the white blanket. I sank into the chair beside her, sobbing silently.

“Grandma,” I whispered, clutching her hand. “I tried. I really did. But he—he doesn’t care.”

Her fingers moved weakly, brushing against mine. “Don’t cry, my child,” she murmured, half-asleep”.