Alessia, having finished her ice cream, tossed the stick into a nearby trash can without breaking her stride.

“Let me make one thing clear,” she said, her tone brisk. “I’m Alessia. I’ve never been the type to let other people’s opinions dictate what I do. If I want to do something, I’ll do it, no matter how many people tell me not to. If I don’t want to, no amount of pressure or persuasion will move me. My choices are my own. But you all–look at you. I haven’t even said anything, and each of you is acting like you’re suffering on my behalf.”

Liam finally realized what was wrong.

They always claimed they saw Alessia as family, but everything they did seemed to push her out, as if she were some distant relative–cordial, polite, but always at arm’s length. God forbid she felt out of place or unwelcome.

They’d been getting it wrong from the very start.

He opened his mouth, then closed it again, unable to find the words. Suddenly, Lucy’s words from earlier flashed through his mind.

“You don’t need to worry about tuition. Sure, we can’t give you the kind of life you had with the Tate family, but when it comes to your studies, just keep going as you have been. School, classes–don’t let anything change that.”

Alessia caught his drift almost immediately, even though his comment seemed to

come out of nowhere.

want to go back to school?” she asked, not rushing to answer, but instead

was

back to college?”

“Working part–time washing dishes during the day, singing at a bar in the evenings–it’s not

word came out soft, as if

what I asked. I’m asking if you want

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gave a bitter little laugh. “Of course I do. But I go to an art college, and that costs money. With the way things are at

caught himself, realizing his tone was harsher than he intended, and paused

he can’t drop out. I’m the only one who can take the pressure off–both time and money. Taking this break saves on tuition, and what I earn can actually

tuition’s covered, so you don’t have to worry about me,” Alessia said. “As

“A deal?”

her tone firm. “I’ll cover your tuition for all four years. In exchange, you

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