4.

My mother’s face twisted, her painted lips pulling into a frown as she crossed her arms. “Evelyn Marie Hayes,” she snapped, her voice sharp and full of the authority she rarely earned. “That is no way to speak to your mother.”

She was using all three of my names now. It was her favorite move when she was mad or trying to guilt me into submission.

“And abandoning your daughter is no way to be a mother,” I shot back, turning away from her.

I clenched my fists, biting the inside of my cheek to keep from saying something worse. “Why are you even here?” I muttered, staring at the wall instead of her.

She sighed, the kind of exasperated, dramatic noise she always made when she wasn’t getting her way. “If you paid any attention to rich people news, you’d know why.”

I turned back to face her, arms crossed over my chest. “I don’t care about rich people and their problems, Mom. I have enough of my own.”

Her lips twitched into a smirk, one that made me immediately suspicious. Without a word, she reached into her purse and pulled out a sleek, ridiculously expensive-looking phone. She typed something quickly, her nails clicking against the screen, before holding it out to me.

I hesitated, then snatched the phone from her hand. The headline made my stomach drop:

"Billionaire Investment Tycoon Alexander Caldwell Announces Engagement to Socialite Lorelei Hayes."

I blinked, my eyes darting to the picture beneath the headline. There he was, Alexander Caldwell, one of the wealthiest men in the country, known for owning multiple companies, including the engineering firm Apex Innovations—and, apparently, Ravencrest University.

Tall, broad-shouldered, and impeccably dressed in a tailored suit that probably cost more than my entire existence, he looked every bit the part of a billionaire. His sharp jawline was dusted with salt-and-pepper stubble, and his piercing gray eyes stared back at the camera like he was above it all.

And beside him, smiling brightly, was my mother.

My stomach churned. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

She took the phone back from my hands, her perfectly manicured nails brushing against my fingers. “I stopped stripping three years ago,” she said, her tone quieter now. “I took my time to become the best socialite. And when I finally got his attention at the club, I knew I could do it.”

I stared at her, my throat tightening. “Do what? Trap him?”

Her eyes narrowed. “Watch your tone, Evelyn.”

“Watch my tone?” I laughed bitterly, throwing my hands in the air. “This is insane, even for you. You barely have a grip on your own life, and now you’re marrying him? What are you even thinking?”

“I’m thinking about you,” she said, her voice rising. “Everything I’ve done has been for you!”

“No, Mom,” I snapped, shaking my head. “This isn’t about me. This is about you, your selfishness, and your need to chase after some fantasy life. You’re going to get your heart broken…again.”

She flinched at that, her hand instinctively covering the diamond ring. Her shoulders slumped, and for a moment, she looked almost… defeated.

“I did this for us,” she said softly, her voice trembling.

I turned away, my jaw clenched. “No, you did it for yourself.”

“Evie, please,” she said, stepping closer to me. “Listen to me. This could change everything for us. You could finally have the life you deserve. Imagine it—getting into Ravencrest. Working at one of Alexander’s engineering firms. Having everything you’ve ever dreamed of.”

I scoffed, glancing back at her. “Ravencrest doesn’t give scholarships, Mom. And even if they did, I don’t want a handout from some guy you trapped into marrying you.”

Her eyes filled with tears, and she reached out, grabbing my hands. “It’s not a handout, Evie. It’s a chance. A real chance for you to get everything you’ve ever wanted. You’re brilliant, talented, and you deserve to be at the top. I just need you to trust me on this.”

“I don’t trust you,” I said flatly, pulling my hands away.

She wiped at her eyes, her mascara smudging slightly, but she didn’t stop. “Please, Evie. I need your help. Alexander wants to see us as a united family. He’s a good man, I promise you. This isn’t just for me—it’s for us.”

“No, it’s for you,” I said coldly.

Her voice cracked as she pleaded, “Evie, just… imagine it. Please. Just give this a chance. Be a part of this. Be a part of our family.”

“Family?” I laughed, though there was no humor in it. “You abandoned me, and now you expect me to play happy families because you found a rich guy who can pay for your lifestyle?”

Tears streamed down her face now, and she clasped her hands together like she was praying. “I know I’ve made mistakes. I know I’ve hurt you. But I’m trying, Evie. I’m trying to make it right. I can’t do this without you. Please. Please… just do this for me.”

Her sobs filled the room, raw and desperate, and for a moment, I felt the familiar pang of guilt in my chest. I hated her for putting me in this position, but more than that, I hated how much I still cared.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “I’ll think about it.”

Her tear-streaked face lit up with hope, and she reached out to grab my hands again. But I pulled away, shaking my head. “That’s all I’m saying. Don’t get your hopes up.”

And with that, I walked out to my room, leaving her alone with her diamond ring and her delusions.

***

I paced the small living room, clutching my phone tightly in my hand.

The second Elara picked up, her usual chirpy voice greeted me.

"Evie! Did you miss me already?" she teased.

“Elara…” My voice cracked, and the tears I’d been holding back since my mother’s little show-and-tell session spilled over.

“Elara, I—” My words were cut off by a sob, and I pressed the back of my hand against my mouth, trying to hold myself together.

“Evie?” Elara’s tone shifted instantly, the teasing replaced by concern. “What happened? Are you okay? Did someone say something? Was it your mom?”

I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me. “It’s… my mom,” I managed, my voice trembling.

“Oh God, what did she do now?” Elara asked, “Evie, tell me.”

I sat down heavily on the couch, burying my face in my free hand. “She’s getting married.”

There was a beat of silence before Elara let out a surprised laugh. “Wait, what? Your mom? Married? To who? And why do I feel like this is going to be a disaster?”

I sucked in a shaky breath. “To Alexander Caldwell.”

The line went dead for a second, and I thought she’d hung up. But then her voice came back, sharp and disbelieving. “Alexander Caldwell? As in the billionaire? The owner of Apex Innovations and half of all the businesses in the whole continent? And also the owner of Ravencrest?”

“Yes,” I whispered, the word barely audible.

“Holy shit,” Elara said, and I could hear her pacing. “Evie, do you have any idea how big of a deal this is? That guy is, like, stupid rich. We’re talking yachts, private jets, a house in every major city rich.”

“I know,” I said, tears streaming down my face. “And my mom’s acting like this is some fairytale dream come true, but Elara… I can’t. I can’t deal with this. It’s too much.”

“Evie,” Elara said carefully, “look, I know how you feel about your mom and rich people, but this is… different. This is Alexander Caldwell. He’s not just rich, he’s powerful. If she’s marrying him, that makes you…”

“A stepdaughter to a billionaire,” I finished bitterly. “Yeah, I know. Trust me, my mom didn’t let me forget it.”

“Elara,” I said, my voice cracking again, “you know how these families work. You’ve seen it. The rich, they’re not like us. They have rules. Expectations. And they don’t just let people like me in. They’ll chew me up and spit me out before I even have a chance to breathe.”

Elara sighed. “Yeah, I do know how they work,” she admitted. “And you’re right,they can be ruthless. But Evie, you’re strong. Stronger than you think. And honestly, if anyone can survive in that world, it’s you.”

I shook my head, even though she couldn’t see me. “I don’t want to survive in that world, Elara. I just want to get my degree, maybe cheer for a while, and live a normal life. I don’t want yachts and diamonds and… whatever this is.”

“Okay, but…” Elara hesitated. “What about Ravencrest? You’ve always wanted to go there, and now you have a way in. You’d be crazy not to take it.”

I laughed bitterly. “Yeah, I’m sure they’d love to have me. The stripper’s daughter, the charity case. I’d be a joke, Elara.”

“No, you wouldn’t,” she said firmly. “You’d be the smartest, most talented person in that school. And screw what anyone else thinks.”

I sniffled, wiping my face with the sleeve of my hoodie. “It’s not that simple.”

“It never is,” she said softly. “But Evie, listen to me. You don’t have to love this situation, and you don’t have to forgive your mom for all the shitty things she did. But if this is your chance to get what you’ve always wanted, to make a better life for yourself, then take it. Don’t let pride get in the way.”

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I wanted to argue, to tell her she was wrong, but deep down, I knew she wasn’t.

“Elara,” I whispered, my voice shaky, “what if I can’t do it? What if I mess everything up?”

“Evie,” she said gently, “you’re the only person I know who could walk into that world and come out stronger. You’ve got this. And you know I’ll always have your back.”

I closed my eyes, letting her words sink in. “Thanks, Elara,” I said softly.

“Anytime,” she replied. “Now, go get some sleep. You’ve got a lot to think about.”

“Yeah,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’ll sleep on it.”