Chapter 5
Someone spread rumors about Thaddeus and me being close.
Others said the Morales family gave me lots of money.
Thaddeus didn’t care about gossip.
Maybe because he was leaving.
study abroad in England, sophomore year.
Camden stayed unpredictable.
le’d drag me to bars, do nothing but drink and stare.
One night he got wasted.
eaned over and whispered.
Know why your dad died?”
‘d heard this question countless times.
But his next words made me freeze.
Drunk driving. He deserved it.”
My mom though-why’d she have to die with him?”
shoved him away.
lapped his face hard. “Don’t you dare blame my dad. He never drove drunk.”
Camden’s head snapped sideways. He laughed bitterly. “He was drinking! Are you stupid, Luna? Think a driver with decades of xperience can’t handle an emergency?”
>runk and swaying, his pointing finger couldn’t stay straight. “Autopsy proved it! Your dad killed everyone in that car!”
ophia appeared just then, throwing herself in front of Camden, screaming, “Your dad’s a murderer!”
Ier shrieks filled my ears.
he world spun.
Back then, the crash was quickly ruled an accident.
I never saw any reports.
But Dad-how could he drive drunk?
Overnight, the whole school was talking about the crash.
They looked at me with disgust.
At Camden with pity.
In high school I could ignore being called cursed.
Now I was a killer’s daughter.
Spent the whole day in a daze.
Rain poured all day too.
When the hospital called about Mom-
Thunder and lightning.
Acute brain hemorrhage.
mmediate surgery needed. Five hundred grand.
High risk, success rate much lower than normal patients.
Worth considering?
Each word hit like a punch.
he doctor called, “Miss. Voss? Miss. Voss?”
looked down. Didn’t cry, just felt drained. “Give me a day?”
ound Camden at Cheers.
hey saw me coming.
Got louder.
Look, Camden. Fifty’s here.”
What fifty? Sounds cheap. Make it five hundred, bro. Go slow.”
I’d have jumped off a building by now if I were her.”
Can’t believe she’s still alive.”
ignored them.
Or maybe I couldn’t hear them.
Walked straight to Camden and dropped to my knees.
Lend me five hundred grand. Please.”
His cigarette froze halfway to his lips. He looked down at me. “Your mom dying too?”
said nothing.
Ash fell on my arm.
Chapter 5
Left a small burn.
I didn’t flinch.
Finally, his cigarette burned out.
He said hoarsely, “Luna, I don’t owe you anything.”
He left.
I collapsed on the floor.
Rain was still falling when I left.
I walked carefully through it.
Someone hurried over.
Held an umbrella over my head.
Draped his jacket around my shoulders.
“Luna, Grandpa says he’ll handle your mother’s care.”
“Don’t be scared.”
I looked up.
Finally cried.
Thaddeus wiped my tears with tissues.
“England has better healthcare. We can send your mother there first.”
His hand paused, then continued.
“Want to come to England with me?”
‘UAL.”
‘World’s top design school.”
‘Grandpa’s idea. He’s impressed with you. Says he’ll definitely recruit you to Morales Corp after graduation to exploit your talents.”
I stared for a long time, then nodded.
He hugged me gently. His embrace was warm.
With Thaddeus’s help, the application was easy.
Not tell anyone.
Last month of freshman year.
We flew to England together.
