Her mother waited until after dinner, they still ate early thanks to Lily's age, early enough that Fogles once again wasn't home. Ava did her best to engage with her family. It was easy enough with Lily who just wanted someone to listen to her stories, or tell interesting stories in return.

Her mother, on the other hand, was more reserved.

Heather had always been a regal woman. Even in their old home, with weathered clothes, and dirty furniture. She had sat upon that broken sofa like a queen. As she did now, seated at the head of the table as she barely paid attention to her youngest daughter.

"Lily," Heather called, interrupting a detailed monologue on dragons. "Can you give Ava and I a minute?"

Lillian frowned, her little face scrunching up in confusion as she glanced between her mother and sister. Ava shot her a look, shaking her head, "I'll come up to you in a moment."

They waited until her sister's footsteps echoed up the stairs and overhead as she ran to her room. Her mother made her wait longer still until speaking. It seems Ava was being put at the mercy of others today.

"Your father has... got in touch."

Because of course her day couldn't possibly get any fucking worse.

"He wishes to see you."

"I don't–"

"Ava." Her mother interrupted her softly, voice kind in a way that Ava had once thought lost to time. "You should go to him."

"Why?" She demands, jaw clenching at the thought of the man who left them behind. "He left us."

Her mother hesitated.

"He can offer you more than I can, Ava." her mother swallowed, expression flickering. "A better life and opportunities. You should take him up on it."

"Like you did?" She couldn't help but whisper as a deep exhaustion crept into her veins. "Look what that got us."

Again, her mother hesitated. Ava could practically see words at the tip of her mother's tongue. One's she wouldn't let fall.

"Meet with him, Ava. If only for my peace of mind."

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"-and Kieran finally got through to the DJ so it's not going to be a completely awkward..." Ruby trailed off, seeming to notice Ava's silence. "What's going on?"

"What makes you–"

"You have been silent."

"Hardly unusual for our morning talks." Ava countered quickly, smiling tightly at Ruby who sat across the bus aisle. "You are a morning person."

"And you enjoy debating," Ruby narrowed her eyes, staring Ava down. "You've been acting strange since yesterday."

"Maybe I'm tired of listening to your party planning." Technically not a lie. It was only a couple of days until the Reception, Ruby's first event of the year. "I don't know why I come along to that club."

"Because I'm there." Ruby said tightly, straightening till she sat up all prim and proper. "And you like me very much."

Ava sighed, giving her best friend a fond look, one that had Ruby smiling in triumph. Stupidly Ava thought she had gotten away with it, distracting her friend.

"But you are still quiet."

Curse stupid well wishing friends who only want the best for her.

"My–" Ava hesitates, glancing at Lily who had taken both earbuds this time and was playing some kind of game on Ava's phone. "My father has..."

Ava shook her head, she could feel how her chest tightened with panic. Too much, this was all starting to be too much.

"What?" Ruby's voice had dropped as she glanced around the bus nervously, as if anyone actually cared about what either of them spoke of. "But, he hasn't contacted you in years."

Ava winced, "He has."

Ruby frowned, clearly upset that she hadn't shared such information with her.

"Nothing more than a phone call or two every year." Ava rushed to explain, unable to bear the feeling of even more guilt. "Never longer than a few minutes, enough to know my grades and general... happiness? Success?"

She wasn't sure what her father wanted to know. Only that he had informed her of his remarriage a few years back. A business deal. The woman seemed successful, elegant if the photos she had found online were anything to go by. It was a shame for her to be chained down by someone as undeserving as Rupert Sinclair.

"What does he want?" Ruby's voice echoed the nervous fear that had plagued Ava all last night.

"He wants to meet me." Ava swallowed nervously, this weekend apparently. "I assume it has something to do with his business."

"What if it's..." Ruby hesitated, looking like she already regretted saying anything. "Personal?"

Ava laughed, the first free sound she had made in days. Lily glanced over at the sound, a question in her eyes and clearly upset for not being in on the joke. She waved her little sister off.

"My father has no concern for such emotional matters," Ava mocked, a familiar bitterness clouding her mind. "He only cares about winning. At life, in work and at home. Nothing good will come of this."

Ruby nods, letting the conversation drop. Ava can still see her from the corner of her eye, see how she hesitates, mouth opening and closing as though to speak. She ignores her, knowing that Ruby will speak when she's ready, pushing her friend to talk had only ever resulted in panics and tears.

It was only once they pulled up outside Maxton Hall that Ruby finally got the courage to talk.

"You'll still meet with him then?" She doesn't meet Ava's gaze, not that she could with the way she keeps herself busy fussing over Lillian's coat and bag as they step off the bus. "You won't turn him down."

It was the debate Ava had been torturing herself with all night. Whether or not to agree.

"I don't know."

Ruby's smile had a pitying note that Ava couldn't bear, instead she smiled tightly at her friend, waving her off while reaching for Lily's hand. Her sister was surprisingly quiet as they walked down to her classroom. She had no doubt picked up on Ava's mood. Yet another guilt to weigh on her thoughts.

But Lillian still hugged her just as tight as every day when it was time to part ways. Still whispered a quiet 'love you' against the side of her neck before racing off.

"Miss Sinclair." She hadn't even risen to her feet from where she had crouched down to hug her sister. "I wanted to thank you."

Ava frowned, already disliking Mrs Forbes' overly cheerful.

"The school greatly appreciated the additional donation," It was as if the woman had completely changed her tune, treating Ava as if she were one of the rich kids. "Though there was certainly no need for the apology, your father's secretary explained the mix up with when the bills were to be paid."

What fucking secretary.

"I hope you have a good day Miss Sinclair," Mrs Forbes smiled amiably, not a single sign of yesterday's displeasure. "Let me know if there's anything we can do for you or Miss Lillian."

What in god's name is going on right now.

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It was like the whole world was conspiring to take control completely from her grasp. What the hell happened to those days when she would play puppeteer and move the pieces on the board as she pleased. When she could spread a rumour and watch it catch fire and burn lives.

Well, she could probably still spread a rumour, Maxton hall was home to the world's best gossipers after all.

She froze in the middle of the courtyard, ignoring the pupil who cursed as he stumbled into her back. There was of course an exceptionally good twister of the truth, a stunning queen bee who crush social reputations with a single word. One who is also supposed to be personally broke as fuck right now. Which means–

Ava glanced to the row of three cars slowly trailing into the main courtyard. Each limousine and fancy Rolls Royce manned by private drivers that chauffeured rich pricks who couldn't get their licences to and from school.

Like the Beauforts.

And there was still one twin with full access to his fund.

Ava swallowed nervously, glancing around in a desperate attempt to find Lydia in the crowd. She wasn't an idiot. It was a thing to have a deal with Lydia, who, despite her emotional actions, had a good business head on her shoulders. Lydia was always happy to have a mutual arrangement.

James on the other hand.

Ava swore under her breath, moving from her frozen state and quickly making her way into the school. If Lydia had told James then he would take control. She had seen how he was around school, everyone knew how quickly he took charge of the lacrosse, how he hated all orders unless he was the one giving them.

Which meant it would now be James' show, and not Lydia's.

And James Beaufort always plays to win.