Alexander was already turning toward the foyer when Amy abruptly stood up from the couch, her hands clutching her bag tightly "Wait, Alex!" said Amy, her voice a little too eager as she stepped forward "What if you give me a ride to school? I have to head out right now anyway"

Helen looked up, a faint smile of relief crossing her tired face as she saw an opportunity to bridge the gap between the cousins "Yes, go ahead, Alex" said Helen, nodding encouragingly "Take your cousin with you, it’s much safer than her taking a cab, and it gives you two some time to catch up"

Alexander glanced back over his shoulder, Rachel remained motionless in her seat, her hands resting heavily on her cane, she didn’t say a word, nor did she attempt to impose her authority again, she simply stared at him with a cold, unblinking gaze, watching his every move with a sharp, calculating silence "Fine" said Alexander, his hand slipping into his pocket, his fingers brushing against the cold glass of his smartphone "Hurry up, I’ll wait for you in the car, I left my phone out there anyway"

"I’ll be down in a second!" said Amy

She turned and practically bolted up the grand staircase, her heart hammering against her ribs, the moment she slammed her bedroom door shut, she threw her school bag onto the bed and rushed straight to her closet, her mind was racing, the image of the new Alexander—confident, cold, wearing a sixteen-thousand-dollar Rolex, and living at a luxury hotel—was making her skin tingle with a sudden, uncontrollable rush of adrenaline, she stripped off her morning clothes with frantic haste, opening her drawer, she bypassed her usual plain cotton underwear and pulled out a delicate, beautiful set of black lace lingerie

She slid the fabric over her hips and fastened the matching bra, checking herself in the mirror, in her final year of high school before heading off to university, her body had fully matured into soft, striking curves that the rigid school uniform usually hid, she quickly pulled the uniform pleated skirt and white blouse over the lace, leaving the top button undone for just a hint of a tease, she rushed to her vanity, applying a layer of makeup to highlight her eyes and a touch of lip gloss, before finishing with a spray of her favorite sweet perfume on her neck and wrists, by the time she hurried back down the stairs, twenty minutes had passed, she looked radiant, her hair bouncing as she reached the bottom step

Helen looked up from her coffee, her eyebrows raising as she took in her daughter’s appearance "My goodness, where are you going looking so beautiful, Amy?" asked Helen, a gentle, teasing smile on her lips "I hope you aren’t planning on causing any trouble at school today"

Helen didn’t suspect a thing, to her, the relationship between Alexander and Amy had always been innocent, while they didn’t have a bad relationship, it had never been sexual or tense; she had always viewed them simply as two kids who grew up together and got along well "In trouble? Me? Never, Mom" said Amy, offering a quick, innocent smile as she kissed Helen’s cheek "I’m just trying to look nice for graduation photos later, bye!"

Without waiting for another lecture, Amy grabbed her bag and walked out the front door, the scent of her perfume trailing behind her as she headed toward the dark car waiting on the driveway, Alexander watched through the windshield as the front door of the estate opened, Amy stepped out onto the driveway, her pleated skirt swaying as she walked toward the car, the morning sun catching the makeup on her face, as she opened the passenger door and slid into the leather seat, a rich wave of her sweet perfume instantly filled the vehicle’s interior

"You look nice, Amy" said Alexander, his eyes casually scanning her appearance before he shifted the car into drive

Amy’s cheeks flushed a delicate pink, her fingers tightening around the strap of her bag as she pulled the door shut "Thank you" said Amy, offering a bright smile as she adjusted her skirt "We’re taking our graduation photos today, so I wanted to put a little effort into it"

"Congratulations, you’re almost out of there" stated Alexander, accelerating smoothly down the winding roads of the hill "How have your classes been lately? Have you decided which university you’re going to apply to?"

"They’ve been fine, just a lot of projects" explained Amy, turning her body in the seat to face him, her eyes tracing his hands on the steering wheel "And actually, I’ve already made up my mind, I’m applying to the exact same university you go to, I want to major in finance and business administration, just like you"

Alexander let out a low, smooth chuckle, his gaze remaining fixed on the road ahead "Finance? I didn’t think you had the patience for numbers, Amy, it’s a demanding field, it requires a lot of... discipline"

"I can be disciplined when I actually want something, Alex" murmured Amy, her voice dropping as she looked at his sharp profile "Besides, I figured it would be nice to have someone experienced around to show me the ropes, you could teach me a lot of things"

"Is that so?" asked Alexander, a subtle, knowing smirk playing at the corner of his lips "University is very different from high school, Amy, the environment is much more mature, people get what they want by knowing exactly how to negotiate, not just by asking nicely"

"I can learn how to negotiate" murmured Amy, shifting in her seat, the sweet scent of her perfume intensifying as she leaned a bit closer to him "Maybe you could give me some private lessons before the semester starts, you know... to make sure I’m fully prepared for how mature things get"

Alexander glanced at her for a split second, his eyes tracing the open top button of her blouse down to where her uniform tightly hugged her chest "My lessons aren’t cheap, Amy, and I don’t think you’d handle the pressure well, I’m a demanding teacher"

Amy felt a sudden, sharp throb between her thighs, her breathing hitching at the sheer dominance in his tone. "Try me," whispered Amy, her eyes locking onto his lips. "I think you’d be surprised at how much pressure I can take, Alex. I’m not a little girl anymore."

"We’ll see," said Alexander, his tone completely calm but laced with a dangerous undercurrent as he turned the car onto the main avenue. "Some lessons are much harder than others."