Steph
I despised the world I was stuck in. Or, to be more precise, the world my father dragged me into. Right before the elections, he suddenly remembered he had a daughter. If it weren’t for his PR manager, I doubt he’d have given a second thought to how his kid was coping after her mother’s death.
Okay, I’m not exactly a kid anymore. I’m eighteen. As our housekeeper Eva likes to say, the perfect age to live it up. So far, I haven’t had the chance to experience much of that so-called “living.” I thought money would bring some kind of joy, but nope… something went wrong along the way.
“Where the hell are you?” I hissed into my phone to my friend Danny. “This place is packed!”
“Perfect!” he shouted back. It sounded like he was standing right next to a speaker because I could barely make out his voice. “Meet me by the pool. I’ll find you.”
“Fine…”
I clenched my fists. Why on earth did I agree to Danny’s idea of crashing this party? This isn’t my scene. Too many people. The air reeks of booze and weed, mixed with overpriced cologne. And honestly, this lavish mansion, which looks more like a Renaissance museum, is at serious risk of being trashed by a mob of reckless teens.
Trying not to brush against the sweaty bodies around me, I squeezed my way to the pool. Danny had told me to bring a swimsuit, but that was a hard no. I wouldn’t have joined the chaos in the water anyway. It was some kind of wild dance, teetering on the edge of an orgy. Disgusting.
Maybe I’m just a buzzkill.
“There you are!” Danny slung an arm around my waist and planted a kiss on my cheek. “I was starting to worry you’d bailed and gone home.”
“One step away from it.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. We’ve got to party hard before the new semester starts!”
“You’ve been doing that all summer.”
“Yeah, I have. But you,” he jabbed a finger at me, “haven’t. You’re in desperate need of some fun.”
“Desperate need?”
“Yup. That’s my official diagnosis. So loosen up, meet someone, do something crazy… You need this.”
“I’m not sure this is exactly what I need,” I muttered, glancing at a couple nearby who were so glued to each other it looked like they were trying to reach each other’s tonsils. “By the way, whose party is this?”
Danny looked away, and I instantly knew I wasn’t going to like his answer.
“Dominic’s,” he sighed. “It’s his birthday today.”
“Dominic Solari?”
“Do you know many guys with a name that pretentious? Of course, Solari.”
I mentally cursed Danny out. If there weren’t so many people around, I would’ve done it out loud. But I can’t afford to ruin the “good girl” image that’s so crucial to my new family. Damn it, pretending to be someone I’m not is exhausting sometimes.
“Are you out of your mind? Why didn’t you warn me?” I turned to leave, but Danny grabbed my arm.
“Hey, hold up! Are you mad because you didn’t get him a gift? Forget it, I didn’t bring one either.”
“A gift? Are you kidding? It’s just that his father…” I glanced around to make sure no one was eavesdropping. Honestly, no one cared. “His father is my dad’s biggest rival. In business and in politics. If anyone at home finds out I was here…”
“They won’t find out! Relax. Dominic throws the best parties, and I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t drag you to at least one…“ Suddenly, Danny spotted a girl from his class, and his interest in me vanished. “Sorry, gotta run.”
“What? You’re just gonna ditch me?!”
“Drunk Veronica is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity I’ve been waiting for the past six months. I’d be a total loser if I didn’t seize the moment.”
“So drunk Veronica is more important than your friend?”
“Not more important, but my friend isn’t gonna do for me what Veronica might. The rumors about her are legendary. They say she can…”
“I don’t want to hear it! Seriously, stop. When are you gonna start thinking about something other than sex?” I sighed.
“Never. I’ve gotta make up for both of us. I’m trying to balance out your prudishness so our duo stays in harmony.”
“How noble of you! Thanks for the sacrifice.”
“Anytime. Alright, I’m out!” Danny winked at me. “Have fun, Steph.
I fought the overwhelming urge to say screw it and bolt. The only thing stopping me was the thought of going home and facing my stepmother’s insufferable smirk. If I had to choose between drunk college kids and her, I’d probably pick the former. Maybe.
I decided to grab a drink—my throat was parched from the heat. The lightest option at the bar seemed to be champagne. After all, what could one glass of bubbly do? It tasted like nothing. I downed one in a single gulp and grabbed another.
Finally, the DJ switched to some decent music. I even started to enjoy myself. With every passing minute, I felt more at ease. I relaxed, started smiling, laughing. I let my guard down so much that I even let some random guy get a little too handsy while we danced—something I’d normally never allow. The more I drank, the thirstier I got. Despite the blasting AC, I was so hot I could barely breathe.
My head started spinning. Spots danced before my eyes, and the people around me seemed to double. Something was definitely wrong. One minute I wanted to laugh, the next I felt on the verge of a breakdown. Then nausea hit. What a great time I was having at this party, right?
I needed to lie down. Somewhere quiet. Just for a few minutes to catch my breath before calling a cab home. Pushing through the sweaty crowd, I barely made it to the second floor. It was much quieter and less crowded up there. I started tugging at bedroom doors, hoping to find a room where I could rest. A cold shower would’ve been ideal…
Finally, one door gave way. I stumbled into a dimly lit room and quickly shut it behind me. I slid down to the floor, exhaling deeply. Only then did I realize I wasn’t alone.
I rubbed my eyes, hoping the scene before me was just another trick of my imagination, fueled by whatever was in my drink. No such luck. I needed to pull myself together. Run as fast as I could before they noticed me. Maybe I could avoid a world of trouble. But my body wouldn’t cooperate. My legs felt like jelly; I couldn’t stand. And when I finally managed to get up, I made so much noise there was no way I’d go unnoticed.
Dominic Solari pushed a girl off him—a girl who turned out to be the young wife of his father. I couldn’t believe my eyes. That golden-haired blonde was the star of every one of Solari Senior’s campaign flyers. Founder of a charity foundation, a brilliant mind, a beauty, and the epitome of elegance. How did cheating with her stepson fit into that picture? What a disgusting mess. Now I felt sick for a whole different reason.
She’s thirty-five, he’s twenty. Nothing illegal about it, technically. But when you think about her sharing a bed with two men in the same family… There’s got to be a special place in hell for people like her. And Dominic? Is this really okay with him? I tore my eyes away from their bare bodies and glanced at a shelf lined with gold and silver trophies. Maybe his stepmother is just another conquest to add to his collection. But he should know they don’t hand out awards for seducing older women.
“Nick, she saw us!” the blonde squeaked. Instead of saving myself, I racked my brain trying to remember her name. My family talks about the Solaris constantly. I swear I’ve heard more about them than about myself.
Dominic hurriedly pulled on his jeans and jumped off the bed. He tossed a silk sheet to his stepmother so she could cover up.
“Diana!” I blurted out, sealing my fate. Idiot. I should’ve run. My survival instincts were fast asleep.
The guy stopped just a step away from me. Chest heaving with heavy breaths, he glared at me with pure hatred, as if I were the root of all his problems. And really, what problems could someone like Solari have? A life like his is the stuff of dreams.
“Damn it,” he spat. “It’s Skadovsky.”
“So what?” his lover asked, confused.
“Skadovsky!” he repeated. “Doesn’t that name ring a bell?”
Realization dawned on Diana’s face. She clutched the sheet tighter and pressed her lips into a thin, hard line.
“If she tells her old man…”
I just blinked dumbly, watching the drama unfold before me. It was better than any TV show or theater play. It felt like this wasn’t even happening to me. I was just a spectator.
“Offer her money.”
That stung. Why does everyone think they can buy me off? How cheap.
I shook my head.
“I don’t want your money,” I said straight to Nick’s face. The words came out sluggish, my tongue sticking to the roof of my mouth. “Think you can buy everything? Why don’t you buy yourself a conscience… Disgusting… It’s so disgusting to see what goes on behind the perfect facade. I thought my family was full of liars, but you… you’re an even worse cesspool.”
Nick looked like he’d gone feral. He lunged at me, pinning me against the door with one hand and grabbing my throat with the other. Only then did it sink in that this wasn’t a game. My heart raced so fast I could hear it pounding in my ears. I was genuinely terrified.
“Shut up, you nobody!” he whispered, looming over me.
“Or what?” I choked out, gasping for air.
“I’ll destroy you.”
For some reason, I found that funny. Really funny. He’ll destroy me! If this piece of trash knew what I’d been through, he wouldn’t dare threaten me. I’ve built up an immunity to jerks like him.
Suddenly, Dominic pulled out his phone, turned on the flashlight, and shone it into my eyes.
“She’s high,” he said, a predatory smirk spreading across his face. “Her pupils are huge, like coins.”
“Maybe she’ll sleep it off and forget everything?” Diana suggested.
“And if she doesn’t?”
I crossed my arms, denying any involvement with drugs. I’d never touched that garbage in my life and had no intention of starting now.
“I need to go…” I mumbled, slipping out of Nick’s grip. “I don’t feel… I’m not okay.”
“You’re not going anywhere!” he barked.
Finally, it hit me that I was in real danger. Maybe it was my heightened emotions, but at that moment, it felt like Nick and his stepmother could snap my neck. Why wouldn’t they get rid of an inconvenient witness right here and now?
I didn’t want to die. Not like this.
I grabbed the first thing I could reach—some kind of lamp—and swung it at Nick’s head with all my strength. For a burly basketball player, the blow did little damage. It just left a scratch on his annoyingly perfect face. A deep cut appeared near his temple, blood trickling down immediately.
That bought me some time. Under Diana’s screams and curses, I bolted into the hallway.
I moved through the corridor as fast as I could in my state, clinging to the wall for support as my head spun horribly. I reached the stairs, though I wasn’t sure if they were the same ones I’d come up. This damn mansion was so massive it was easy to get lost. But now, there were people around. For the first time, I was relieved to be surrounded by a crowd—at least with witnesses, they wouldn’t dare touch me.
“Sorry,” I muttered, shoving a guy out of my way and spilling the beer in his hand. “My bad…”
“Watch where you’re going!” he yelled after me.
The house started to feel like a labyrinth. I couldn’t figure out where the exit was. I stumbled from one crowded room to another. At one point, I realized I might be walking in circles. I didn’t want to draw attention, but people were starting to stare. Though maybe it was my appearance—pale, drenched in sweat, hair a mess and sticking to my neck.
Finally, I made it outside. In the few minutes I’d been inside, the crowd had grown even bigger. Or maybe I’d been in Nick’s room longer than I thought. Time, like everything else, felt warped… like some weird, endless dream.
I needed help. Danny was somewhere nearby, having the time of his life. I scanned the crowd, hoping to spot him, but everyone blurred into a faceless mass. I pulled out my phone and, squinting at the bright screen, dialed his number. No luck. The ringing dragged on until it switched to voicemail.
“Some friend you are,” I whispered, shoving the phone back into my pocket. “No more parties…”
Suddenly, someone grabbed my elbow tightly. I turned and came face-to-face with Nick. He’d managed to get dressed and hid the scratch under a black baseball cap.
“Thought you’d leave without saying goodbye?”
“Get off me.”
“Come back inside. Let’s talk like civilized people.”
“Civilized?” I scoffed. “Weren’t you just trying to choke me out? Jerk.”
I yanked my arm free and ran again. Toward the road, hoping to catch a cab and get home. One thing I hadn’t accounted for—the Solari estate is out in the middle of nowhere. Just woods and a lake around. What traffic was I expecting?
Quickening my pace, I aimed for the highway. Nick didn’t chase after me, so for a moment, I relaxed, thinking I’d lost him.
I felt awful. I could barely move my legs. I thought I was walking along the shoulder, but I was actually stumbling down the middle of the asphalt. Where I was headed, I had no idea. Where I even was—also a mystery. I was so thirsty.
And then, the inevitable happened, given my condition. A blinding light hit my eyes. A car horn blared right in my ear. I didn’t even have time to register that I needed to move. I froze, like a deer in headlights, staring blankly at the bumper of an SUV barreling toward me at full speed.
Impact. I flew into the air. Another impact. It didn’t hurt. I wasn’t scared. All my senses seemed to shut off. Blood streamed down my face, but I couldn’t feel my body at all. Shock or a massive adrenaline rush, I don’t know, but I was grateful my body spared me the agony.
I lay in the middle of the road, just waiting. The driver who hit me was gone. An eerie silence settled in. I couldn’t move, couldn’t speak—my voice was gone.
Finally, someone noticed me.
Another car pulled over nearby. Two people got out. I tried with all my might to signal that I was alive, but that drained the last of my energy. My eyes closed, and lifting my lids felt impossible.
“Is she dead?” Diana asked. I swear it was her voice.
“I don’t know. Should I check?”
Nick crouched near me. Or maybe he just leaned over. Didn’t matter—he was close. I could feel his breath and hoped he’d notice mine.
“No, don’t touch her. Let’s just get out of here before anyone sees us.”
“So you’re saying we leave Skadovsky here?”
“Do you want to get dragged into this mess? Some junkie got hit on the road—any blame falls on her family and the careless driver.”
“Maybe…”
“It’s the best option. Let’s go. Now!”
“Alright.”
The voices faded. I was alone again. In my foggy mind, I counted down the minutes to the end of my short life. What a shame. I thought it would be longer… I promised my mom I’d make something of myself, and in the end, I didn’t even live to see my diploma. Once again, everything went to hell.