10.

“Evie!!!”

I groaned, using the pillow to cover my ears.

Fucking hell.

I’d forgotten how living with my mum actually was. No peace, no quiet, and absolutely no sleeping in.

“Evelyn!” she called again, her voice sharp and demanding. “If you don’t get up right now, I swear I’ll—”

“Fine!” I shouted back, my voice muffled by the pillow. “I’m up!”

Dragging myself out of bed, I shuffled toward the living room, still half-asleep. The sound of maids bustling around greeted me before I even got there, the clinking of glasses and soft chatter filling the air.

When I entered the dining room, my mother was sitting at the dining table, an elegant silk robe draped over her like she was royalty. Her hair was perfectly done, and she sipped from a porcelain coffee cup like she was posing for a magazine.

“Good morning, Evelyn,” she said, barely glancing at me.

“Morning,” I muttered, running a hand through my messy hair.

She tsked, setting down her cup and giving me a once-over. “Honestly, Evie, you really need to start having that morning flow. Skin care. Did you even brush before going to bed or now? Taking care of your hair. And… is that a pimple?”

I rolled my eyes, flopping into a chair at the table. “Can you stop nitpicking, please? I am not a morning person alright. And you just pulled me out of bed. What do you expect?”

“I’m just saying,” she continued, unbothered by my tone. “You can’t walk around looking like… this.” She gestured at me with a wave of her manicured hand.

“Like what?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Like a hobo,” she said bluntly.

“Thanks, Mum,” I said, sarcasm dripping from my words.

She sighed dramatically, motioning to one of the maids. “Breakfast,” she said simply, and within seconds, a plate of eggs, fresh fruit, and toast was placed in front of me.

I blinked down at it, completely thrown off. “What the hell is this?”

“Breakfast,” she said, sipping her coffee. “What does it look like?”

I stared at the perfectly arranged plate, the food looking more like something out of a fancy hotel than something I was used to. “I’m not used to… this.”

“Well, get used to it,” she said, shrugging. “This is your life now.”

I picked up a piece of toast, my appetite nonexistent, but I nibbled on it anyway. My mum, of course, was already moving on to the next topic.

“So,” she said, reaching for a piece of paper beside her. “Here’s the itinerary for today.”

I groaned, already regretting getting out of bed. “Do I have to?”

“Yes, you do,” she said firmly, reading off the list. “First, there’s a morning charity brunch at the Hilton ballroom. We’ll be mingling with some very important people, so I expect you to dress appropriately.”

I sighed, nodding reluctantly.

“After that,” she continued, “we’ll be heading to the gym. You need to start taking care of your body. Staying fit is crucial in this world.”

I stared at her, dumbfounded. “You’re serious? The gym?”

“Dead serious,” she said, giving me a pointed look. “You’ve let yourself go, Evie. And it’s time to fix that.”

I rolled my eyes, shoving a piece of fruit into my mouth to keep myself from snapping back.

“Next,” she said, ignoring my obvious annoyance, “we have wedding-related errands. I need you to accompany me to pick out flower arrangements and finalize the seating chart. These are details that matter, Evelyn.”

“Sure,” I said flatly, knowing there was no point in arguing.

“And finally,” she said, her tone brightening, “you’ll be checking out Ravencrest this afternoon.”

That caught my attention. “Ravencrest?”

“Yes,” she said, setting the paper down and meeting my eyes. “You’ll be starting soon, and I want you to familiarize yourself with the campus.”

I swallowed, the thought of walking around the same campus as Ryder making my stomach twist. “Right,” I said softly.

“There are requirements, of course,” she continued, ticking them off on her fingers. “You’ll need to meet with your academic advisor to finalize your course schedule. Submit your student ID photos, please make sure you look presentable, Evelyn, and attend the orientation meeting for new students. I believe that would be around 4pm so you should meet up.”

“Anything else?” I asked, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

She ignored me, waving the maid over to refill her coffee. “Oh, and you’ll need to introduce yourself to the cheer team. They’re expecting you to attend tryouts.”

“What?” I said, my head snapping up.

“You heard me,” she said, sipping her coffee. “I pulled strings to get you into Ravencrest, and that includes an opportunity to join their cheer team. I know how you have always wanted to be one of those girls.”

“Mum, I don’t want to—”

“Evelyn,” she said sharply, cutting me off. “This isn’t up for discussion. Cheerleaders are respected at Ravencrest. It’s about status, and you need to start building yours.”

I groaned, slumping back in my chair. This was too much.

“Elara’s right,” I muttered to myself. “My life is a soap opera.”

“What was that?” my mum asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Nothing,” I said quickly, shoving another piece of toast into my mouth.

“Good,” she said, standing and brushing invisible lint off her robe. “Now, finish your breakfast. We have a busy day ahead.”

As she swept out of the room, I let out a long sigh, staring down at my plate.

Ravencrest. Cheerleading. Ryder.

Can the earth please open up and swallow me now?

It would be a great favor.

****

The gym smelled like sweat and ambition, two things I didn’t particularly care for at eight in the morning.

I get it, I don't have abs. Or long legs. I was a girl who loves her cellulites, who had curvy hips. A pear body and I am proud of it.

A d now she wants me to be one of those perfect boring girls.

Ughhhhhhh.

I am so tired and bored.

I trudged behind my mum, who was practically glowing in her designer workout set. It hugged her figure perfectly, and I hated to admit it, but she looked amazing. No wonder men were always ready to fall at her feet.

“Evelyn, hurry up!” she called, already heading toward the private training room.

I groaned, adjusting my oversized hoodie. “Why am I even here? I hate the gym.”

“That’s exactly why you need to be here,” she said sharply. “Fitness is a lifestyle, and you need to adopt it. You’ll thank me later. You might even find one that suits you. Pilates. Or whatever.”

I rolled my eyes but followed her into the room, where a personal trainer was waiting for us. He introduced himself as Jackson a ridiculously fit guy with an annoyingly cheerful smile.

“Alright, ladies,” he said, clapping his hands together. “Let’s get started with some warm-ups!”

Mum dove into the session with enthusiasm, effortlessly doing lunges and stretches like she was a fitness influencer. Meanwhile, I huffed and puffed through the simplest exercises, feeling like I was dying.

“Evelyn, straighten your back,” Mum called out, not even breaking a sweat.

“Maybe you should focus on yourself,” I muttered under my breath, earning a raised eyebrow from Jackson.

By the time the session was over, my legs felt like jelly, and I was ready to collapse. Mum, of course, looked like she could run a marathon.

“See?” she said, patting my shoulder. “Doesn’t that feel good?”

I glared at her. “No. It feels like death.”

She just laughed, brushing off my complaint. “Come on, we need to get ready for the charity event.”

---

The event was held in a grand hotel ballroom, the kind of place that screamed wealth and privilege. Chandeliers sparkled overhead, and the scent of fresh flowers filled the air. Women in designer dresses and heels that cost more than my rent floated around the room, their laughter and chatter blending into a hum of sophistication.

Mum was in her element. She glided through the crowd like she owned the place, her smile bright and practiced as she greeted everyone.

I, on the other hand, felt like a fish out of water. My dress was nice Mum had made sure of that but I still felt out of place among these perfectly polished people.

“Smile, Evelyn,” Mum whispered as we approached a group of women.

I forced a smile, hoping it didn’t look as awkward as it felt.

One of the women turned to me, her eyes lighting up. “Oh, you must be Lorelei’s daughter!”

“Yes,” I said, nodding politely.

“I’m Vivienne,” she said, extending her hand. She was around my age, with dark hair pulled into a sleek ponytail and a sharp, confident air about her. “You’re going to Ravencrest, right?”

“Yeah,” I said, surprised. “How did you know?”

She smirked. “My mum loves to gossip. Don’t worry, though. I’m in engineering too, so I’m guessing we’ll be seeing a lot of each other.”

“Really?” I said, perking up a little.

“Yep,” she said, sipping her champagne. “Though fair warning: the professors at Ravencrest are brutal. They don’t care if you cry.”

I laughed despite myself. “Good to know.”

Vivienne leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. “And don’t even bother with the cheerleaders. They’re all fake as hell.”

“Noted,” I said, grinning.

She grinned back. “You’re alright, Evelyn. You’re not like these other stuck-up brats.”

Before I could respond, a ripple of whispers spread through the room. Heads turned toward the entrance, and I followed their gazes.

Walking in was a woman who looked like she had stepped out of a movie. She was tall, with curves that could rival a supermodel’s, her sleek black dress hugging her figure perfectly. Her blonde hair was styled in loose waves, and her red lips curved into a confident smile as she surveyed the room.

Vivienne leaned closer to me, her voice a conspiratorial whisper. “That’s her, isn’t it? The ex-wife?”

“The…what?”

“Mr. Caldwell’s ex wife.”