A Fake Heiress’s Guide to Love and Power novel Chapter 213

“Sorry, that information is confidential.” The receptionist pressed a small bell, and In no time, a tall man emerged from a side door.

His presence was intimidating enough to make Ileana shrink back instinctively. She retreated two steps, slipping out the door.

Without a word, the man shut the door firmly, shutting Ileana out–both physically and from any further answers.

Fuming in helpless frustration, Ileana lashed out and kicked the heavy door. But after walking for over an hour, her legs were already weak and sore. The kick only sent a jolt of pain up her own foot.

She let out a sharp scream right there on the sidewalk, drawing the attention of several passersby.

“What are you staring at?”

Her shout snapped everyone back to their own business, eyes quickly averting. Ileana looked around, eventually picking a nearby coffee shop to sit and wait for

Alessia to come out.

“Who was just here?” Cole asked as he came down the stairs.

“Probably just someone who got lost,” the receptionist replied. “She followed Miss Tate in, I think.”

Cole didn’t press for details. He simply turned and headed back upstairs. Meanwhile, Alessia was unfazed by the earlier commotion, fully focused on her sparring match with her coach. The hour–long walk hadn’t really tired her out, but the back–and–forth of the bout had her drenched in sweat in less than thirty

minutes.

This wasn’t an ordinary gym–it was a private training studio owned by a friend of Cole’s father, Parrish. The Tate family didn’t see the point of girls learning self–defense, but Jade felt otherwise; she believed it was even more important for girls to be able to protect themselves. After checking with Alessia, she made arrangements for her to train here at least three times a week.

Since it was a members–only facility with limited coaches, sessions had to be booked in advance. They usually didn’t accept young people, but Alessia and her friend were polite, talented, and Parrish had helped the owner out ye. ago, so an exception was made.

Nearly two hours later, Alessia finally emerged alone. She’d changed clothes, and fresh bruises were visible on her arms. Her face was unreadable as she set off for

her next destination.

Ileana spotted her and hurried after her.

This time, Alessia entered a music store. Ileana was relieved she wasn’t left outside and watched as Alessia slung a case over her shoulder and headed out again.

“What was that girl here for?” Ileana asked.

“Oh, her? She came to pick up her violin. It’s been a long road for her–she’s only just now able to take it home…”

But Alessia was already turning the corner, and Ileana, not bothering to hear the rest of the clerk’s words, dashed out in pursuit.

In Ileana’s mind, she’d already decided Alessia must have been unable to pay for the violin until now. Whatever else the clerk had to say didn’t matter to her anymore.

“What’s going on?”

“A girl just asked what Miss Tate was taking with her.”

“Be careful what you say to strangers. Not just anyone can hire that maestro, and if

you

stir up trouble for Miss Tate, are you ready to deal with the consequences?”

“Sorry, manager… I didn’t think it through…”

Their conversation was muffled behind a closed door. Ileana, meanwhile, was focused solely on catching up, hardly noticing that dusk had already begun to fall.

Luckily, Alessia didn’t make any more stops and started retracing her steps. The thought of hiking back up the hill nearly broke Ileana, but she gritted her teeth and kept following.

Climbing back up was brutal. By the eighth time Ileana considered giving up, Alessia suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Ileana froze, too, but with nowhere to hide on the open road, she awkwardly

pretended her shoelace had come undone and crouched to tie it, buying herself some time.

“What are you carrying?” a voice called out.

“Are you blind?” Alessia shot back.

Ileana glanced up. She recognized the boy from her notes–Max Tate, Alessia’s

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older brother. The way they bantered was so different from the stiff.

the Morton family.