friend sharing a secret. "And you certainly don’t belong with Tony. So you might as well get rid of whatever silly Cinderella notions you have in that low-class head of yours."
Tony? I pulled my arm away, turning towards her. "You don’t know me," I said through gritted teeth hidden behind a smile. "And you have no right to presume to judge me."
"Oh, I know you," she said, speaking in a low voice, still wearing her cheerful smile. "You’re just another girl from the sales floor who’s after Tony’s money. You think, because he beds you, takes you to a few parties, that you mean anything to him?"
"I’m his—"
"You’re nothing," she interrupted, her smile as bright as ever as she waved to passing guests. "Especially now that I’m here."
Had an iron been pressed to my cheeks, I don’t think they would have burned as hot as they did in that moment. I turned to walk away and saw Janet watching the both of us. She must have seen the interaction. She waved me over again, but I shook my head apologetically. Naomi was a horrible person to say such things, but as much as I wanted to blame her for the angry tears that threatened, I knew she was right. These games Antonio was playing, this whole lifestyle, I didn’t fit anywhere in it.
I mustered what little dignity I could as I walked back into the hallway, trying my best to ignore Naomi’s tinkling laughter at my back. As luck would have it, when I turned the corner, there was Antonio. The last person I wanted to see at the moment.
I pivoted quickly, before he had a chance to see me and stepped back around the corner. Just as I made it to safety, his words caught me and I paused to listen.
"Let me help, Gisele," he said in his soft voice. "I know you want to do this on your own, but there’s nothing wrong with a little help."
"I owe you so much already, Antonio," said a female voice, thick with emotion. "You’ve been so kind to me and my family. I could never repay you."
"You know that isn't necessary," he said. "Don’t consider this a loan, Gisele. You have an incredible talent, and I want to see you succeed. Accept the offer from the academy. I will arrange payment. You can pay me back by inviting me to your first recital, and every single one thereafter."
The woman made a choking sound that was somewhere between a laugh and a cry. I hurried away, curious, confused, and more than a little upset by the day's events. But for the moment, at least, not wanting to intrude further on such a private conversation.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Back in my room, I lay in the bed, tossing and turning under the luxurious sheets. I felt the anger and frustration boil up, wanting to scream. I wanted to slap Naomi across her perfect face. I wanted to find Antonio and demand to know who this Gisele woman was, to tell him how much I hated him for these games he was playing. I wanted to pack my bags and leave. I wanted to—
I wanted to feel Antonio’s arms around me. I wanted to feel his lips on mine. I wanted him to tell me what he was thinking when he'd gazed at me tonight with that strange look in his eyes. The one that made me feel beautiful. Sexy. The look that made me want him even more.
I heard the muffled sound of a door closing on the other side of the wall. I looked over at the clock to see that it was well past midnight. I strained my ears, trying to hear whatever sounds might be coming from the other side of that door.
Was he alone?
Did I really want to know if he wasn’t?
Why was I torturing myself about this man who so obviously held all the cards? I choked back a sob as I realized how tightly I was wound in his web—excited by his nearness, his touch; but terrified at what the consequences might be for me and Maria if he ever did let me get any closer. I drew the covers up over my head, and cried myself sleep.
Chapter Thirty-Five
I stared at my plate, pushing the food around with my fork.
"You don’t like it?" Antonio asked.
"It’s fine," I
Tony? I pulled my arm away, turning towards her. "You don’t know me," I said through gritted teeth hidden behind a smile. "And you have no right to presume to judge me."
"Oh, I know you," she said, speaking in a low voice, still wearing her cheerful smile. "You’re just another girl from the sales floor who’s after Tony’s money. You think, because he beds you, takes you to a few parties, that you mean anything to him?"
"I’m his—"
"You’re nothing," she interrupted, her smile as bright as ever as she waved to passing guests. "Especially now that I’m here."
Had an iron been pressed to my cheeks, I don’t think they would have burned as hot as they did in that moment. I turned to walk away and saw Janet watching the both of us. She must have seen the interaction. She waved me over again, but I shook my head apologetically. Naomi was a horrible person to say such things, but as much as I wanted to blame her for the angry tears that threatened, I knew she was right. These games Antonio was playing, this whole lifestyle, I didn’t fit anywhere in it.
I mustered what little dignity I could as I walked back into the hallway, trying my best to ignore Naomi’s tinkling laughter at my back. As luck would have it, when I turned the corner, there was Antonio. The last person I wanted to see at the moment.
I pivoted quickly, before he had a chance to see me and stepped back around the corner. Just as I made it to safety, his words caught me and I paused to listen.
"Let me help, Gisele," he said in his soft voice. "I know you want to do this on your own, but there’s nothing wrong with a little help."
"I owe you so much already, Antonio," said a female voice, thick with emotion. "You’ve been so kind to me and my family. I could never repay you."
"You know that isn't necessary," he said. "Don’t consider this a loan, Gisele. You have an incredible talent, and I want to see you succeed. Accept the offer from the academy. I will arrange payment. You can pay me back by inviting me to your first recital, and every single one thereafter."
The woman made a choking sound that was somewhere between a laugh and a cry. I hurried away, curious, confused, and more than a little upset by the day's events. But for the moment, at least, not wanting to intrude further on such a private conversation.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Back in my room, I lay in the bed, tossing and turning under the luxurious sheets. I felt the anger and frustration boil up, wanting to scream. I wanted to slap Naomi across her perfect face. I wanted to find Antonio and demand to know who this Gisele woman was, to tell him how much I hated him for these games he was playing. I wanted to pack my bags and leave. I wanted to—
I wanted to feel Antonio’s arms around me. I wanted to feel his lips on mine. I wanted him to tell me what he was thinking when he'd gazed at me tonight with that strange look in his eyes. The one that made me feel beautiful. Sexy. The look that made me want him even more.
I heard the muffled sound of a door closing on the other side of the wall. I looked over at the clock to see that it was well past midnight. I strained my ears, trying to hear whatever sounds might be coming from the other side of that door.
Was he alone?
Did I really want to know if he wasn’t?
Why was I torturing myself about this man who so obviously held all the cards? I choked back a sob as I realized how tightly I was wound in his web—excited by his nearness, his touch; but terrified at what the consequences might be for me and Maria if he ever did let me get any closer. I drew the covers up over my head, and cried myself sleep.
Chapter Thirty-Five
I stared at my plate, pushing the food around with my fork.
"You don’t like it?" Antonio asked.
"It’s fine," I
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