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“Oh, about that Gia’s very careless with her things, so…”

“No worries, I’ve lent her ift frouess I’ll see you when I bring her hoht”

“Oh, is she going tomorroell? Your dad didn’t say how often she’d be needed”

“Every evening after school and Saturdays as well She’ll be well paid, of course”

“Oh, I’m not worried about that; your dad and I already discussed it As long as it doesn’t interfere with her schoolwork, then I guess there’s no problem” So why do you look so worried?

“It won’t Thank you, sir, for letting her do this My fauess she’ll be spending a lot of time with us from now on unless it would interfere…”

“Oh no, no, it’s fine It’s our pleasure to be so well thought of by your fa so And you better kno to read between the lines

“I guess I’ll be going then” There were ants crawling beneathrash has never beenthere outside the door while Victoria and her mother watched from across the hallway No doubt they heard every word that was said I didn’t spare either of thee “Walkbehindthe looks of fury froht to do it

VICTORIA

Gianna, why does he keep calling her that? I hate the sound of it; it’s too flowery, too pretty I thought o; even dad had stopped using it after a while Now hearing Gabriel Russo say it ue to keep the screah the door with her inside

I’ve spent the last few hours in tor toher hand and talking about her like she’s soer, but all I can do is clenchquietly to her at the door before leaving

I didn’t feel butterflies of excitement in my chest this ti that look this tie this time around If there weren’t a wall behind me, I would’ve fallen to the floor froaze

It’s all her fault; no doubt she’s lied to hi? No, that’s not exactly right It wasn’t loathing I saw in that last look before he walked away froive soive Gia over the years

“What does he otten mom was there beside me; both of us seem stuck in place I couldn’t for was that I couldn’t quite explain before; it’s fear I felt it from the second I overheard his words to Felix There was so threat Was that aimed at me?

“Why does it feel like a ind just cah here?” Mom whispered the words as atched Gia head up the stairs to her roo, but I was still too shaken Why is everything happening like this? Oneon how to deal with this new developet close to hi that, it should be me

Moreed, of course Everyone knows that an in with the Russo faold They’re the ones that hold the e in our community The ones whose party invites dictate who’s who Not even ood with Mrs Russo because she knew and accepted that she wasn’t on the same level

Had things gone the way they should’ve, mom would’ve held the same position in her circle with the other upper-middle-class women Isn’t that what Gia’s mom had done? She'd been the queen bee in those circles But instead, those wo If we e, and I would be even more popular, especially with the Russo twins in my pocket