A False Heiress's Guide to Love and Power

“Cole! Long time no see!” Pierce greeted him with a quick fist bump, and a few others called out to him as he walked over, clearly all old friends. Alessia just stood quietly off to the side, a gentle smile playing at her lips as she watched him approach.

“I thought you were going to bail on us today,” someone teased.

“No way,” Cole said, ruffling Alessia’s hair with easy familiarity–a gesture that looked like second nature, as if he’d done it a thousand times before. “If the lady of the house gives an order, you know I have to deliver.”

Their friends hooted and teased, but neither Cole nor Alessia seemed the least bit embarrassed. Instead, they acted as if this kind of banter was perfectly normal.

“All the gifts are here. Just claim yours. Pierce, mind helping hand them out?”

“Help? I’m honored,” Pierce said, grinning as he took the suitcase from her.

“Hey, sis Alessia-” Pierce was about to head to the back of the classroom with the gifts when Ileana, looking as delicate and fragile as ever, somehow slipped in through the crowd.

Stella rolled her eyes so hard it was almost theatrical, but before she could say anything, Alessia stepped between them, blocking her. Stella just pursed her lips and let it go.

short, scornful laugh and perched himself on Alessia’s desk. With his baseball cap pulled low, he

protective half–circle. It couldn’t have been more obvious: they were drawing a line. Ileana’s smile

the dumber they are, the easier to use.

Ileana daydreamed, Alessia had

rushing to play the doting little

smile froze,

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14:41

Chapter 55

raised her voice, feigning innocence, and pointed at the suitcase in

I didn’t realize you brought it just to give gifts

silence stretched between them; everyone

up before?” Cole asked lazily, twirling a lock

name that they agreed to hand it over. You know, I’d asked everyone I knew to help me track down that collector’s item, and nobody could manage it. Alessia stepped in and got