Winning the Heir Who Bullied Me novel Chapter 97

Winning the Heir Who Bullied Me

Chapter 97

“April.”

“April, please wait.”

“April!”

I stop in my tracks outside the library door and spin on my heels. Nathan’s face is tight, and his hand is stretched out toward me.

“Right,“–my voice sounds hollow to my ears-“your phone.” I hold the device out to him. But instead of taking his phone, Nathan catches my wrist.

“Let me explain,” he pleads.

I shake my head. “There’s nothing to explain. There was an error, I’m a mistake, and that’s that.”

I turn and try to walk away, but Nathan’s grip on my wrist tightens, and he tugs me towards him.

“April,” he breathes, his eyes searching my face. I wonder if it’s blank, mirroring the numbness I feel. “You’re not a mistake.”

My scoff lacks any energy. “But I am, right? That’s why you gave your parents that spiel to convince them to let me stay–not because I showed up with June, but because I should never have been here in the first place.”

Nathan’s face tightens. “April—”

“It’s okay.” I offer him a small smile.

It’s not, though. My presence here is an error. That means my friendship with Eliza, with Peter, June’s easy healthcare, my budding relationship with Nathan… They’re all one big mistake. They’re not mine to have, not fairly, anyway.

I lean up on my tiptoes and place a kiss on the corner of Nathan’s mouth. “You’ve had my back from the beginning, and I didn’t even know it,” I whisper. “Thank you.”

Then I pull my hand out of his grasp and return to the main house. Nathan doesn’t follow me.

***

“Are you crying?” June asks.

“What?” I wipe my face, feeling moisture under my hand. “Of course not.”

My sister rolls her eyes. “I’m going for an eight–hour school day, not on a yearlong voyage.”

I roll my eyes, too, poking her nose. “I’ll miss you if I damn well want to.”

“Eight hours, Spring,” she deadpans.

I huff, taking her hand. “I get it, you’re sick of me and are excited for a break.”

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14:46 Tue, Oct 7

Chapter 97

She shrugs as we head out of the room. “I’m just thrilled to go back to school.”

She looks up at me as we walk. “But what about you, Spring? Aren’t you going to go to school, too?”

Her question makes something twist in my chest; the pain of my discovery yesterday is still fresh in my mind.

46

It hurt knowing we were only allowed to stay to boost the Ashfords‘ Image. But I think knowing I was a mistake to begin with hurts more.

“Don’t worry about me.” I squeeze June’s hand. “I’ll figure my stuff out.”

Outside the mansion, a car waits; outside the car, Isaac waits.

“Hey.” He waves when he sees us.

When he notes my confusion, he explains, “I’ll be escorting June to and from school for the remaining duration of the competition.”

I bite my lower lip. “You’re Nathan’s assistant. Why would you do that?”

He shrugs. “Assistants usually do what their bosses tell them, no?”

Of course this is Nathan’s doing.

“Thank you,” I tell Isaac.

He nods. “It’s no problem, really.” Then he reaches out and opens the back door for June.

I turn to my sister and lean down, unable to help fussing over her again. I check that her insulin pump is firmly attached to her skirt and that the adhesive on her belly is well stuck.

“I know you’re going to want to show off your new bionic feature,” I say, “but be careful, okay?”

She nods. “I will, don’t worry.”

“And you remember the rules?”

“Don’t overexert yourself, tell an adult the second you feel off, eat within the approved menu, don’t share meals, go to the bathroom and drink water as you need,” she drawls monotonously, shifting impatiently. “It’s ingrained in me, Spring. Can I go now?”

I stand and affectionately tug on one of her pigtails. “Yeah, yeah. Have a good day, Summer.”

My sister beams and hugs me briefly. “You too!”

Then she turns and practically dives into the car.

“Don’t worry,” Nathan’s assistant assures me. “I’ll discuss with the school authorities and get her absences waived.”

I smile softly. “Thanks.”

Although I can’t see through the tinted window, I wave as the car pulls away.

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Chapter 97

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I hug myself as I watch the car disappear down the long, winding road of the Estate. When I can no longer see it, I turn back to face the

house.

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