A black convertible rolled up a wide front lawn. Its surface glinted even without a light source. Not a scratch nor a dent was visible. It always gave the impression that it was newly bought.

The path curved in a wide arc that rotated around a fountain in front of a Greek-styled mansion. A servant scooped out the leaves that had fallen on within the rim. The crystal blue water spurted out from three vases carried by baby angels.

The car stopped at the porch steps of the house. Two chauffeurs climbed out and walked towards the backseat. They gripped the handle, pulling both doors open.

Neal stepped out of the car. He carried his bag in one hand. He loosened the tie around his neck, asking, “Is father home yet?”

The head butler of his family immediately went to his side and took the bag away from him. He had a receding hairline and a bushy white beard. He bowed in greeting, “I am afraid not, Young Master.”

“I’ll wait for him in the study. Please take my belongings to my room.”

“As you wish, Young Master.”

Without a second glance, Neal headed for the front door. Another servant already held it open for him. He undid the cuffs on his sleeves and took the familiar route towards the study room. The workers inside stopped in their tracks.

No one dared to disrupt or bother him. They merely needed to watch in case something happened suddenly.

Skye stood beside the car. She watched the butler and other household help leave the premises. Her grip on her bag’s strap tightened. The convertible eventually drove away towards the garage.

She sighed through her nose.

Slowly, she walked up the stairs. The sound of her shoes against the polished cement echoed in the silence. When she crossed the porch, she grabbed the knob and opened the door. She took the opposite direction from her stepbrother’s, aiming for the staircase that led to the second floor.

The servants continued with their work as she passed by. Whispers gradually grew louder as her back disappeared from their line of sight. She paid them no attention and entered her room. It had the essentials in luxurious designs. The drapes on her canopy bed were made of pink silk. It matched the blankets and pillowcases.

Placing her bag on the study table, Skye reached to remove her shoes.

A knock came from her door when she managed to slip one off.

“The Master just came home. He and the Mistress request your presence at the dinner table.”

Skye checked her reflection in the vanity mirror. Her hair needed a comb but the rest looked decent enough. She took off the other shoe and placed the pair in their proper place. She decided to pull off the blazer as well and tossed it to the basket. Then, she adjusted her skirt.

Going back to the mirror, she stared at her doll black eyes.

A polite smile bloomed on her lips.

It was showtime.

She put on a pair of fuzzy slippers and exited her room. With her hands clasped together over her abdomen, she strolled by the same servants from earlier. She spared them no glance. Their opinion of her didn’t matter as long as they did their work well. She still held the status as a member of the Conary Family.

If they touched her in the wrong way, they could lose more than their jobs.

Soft voices flowed in her ears as Skye reached her destination. The dining room was brightly lit. It had a long mahogany table. The chairs had been made from the same material with black cushions to support a person’s back. It could fit a total of 12 people. Candelabras had been used as decorations in the middle but she had yet to see them lit up.

Two chairs had already been occupied by the time Skye arrived.

A man in his fifties sat on the head chair. He had a square face with visible age lines. The lower half was clean shaven. His once black hair became lighter in shade over time. The strands still had the same sleek look to them and reached the nape of his neck.

Among his facial features, what struck out was the turquoise color of his deep set eyes.

He wore a black and white business suit with a red tie. He looked up from his conversation, smiling at his stepdaughter, “Skye! Glad to have you join us!”

Skye kept the expression that she practiced earlier. Then, she walked around the table and sat by the other female in the room, “I hope you didn’t wait long.”

“Absolutely not” he replied, “You came at just the right time.”

“Will Neal be joining us?” His wife cut in.

Her lips stretched wide naturally, undermining her cupid’s bow. Charcoal black eyeliner framed her almond eyes and accentuated their caramel color. The sagginess of her lids was the only sign that she was at least 40 years old. Her thin auburn hair fell on either side of her in beach waves.

Her triangle face was the only feature Skye inherited.

“I’m afraid not” Nicholas sighed, “He took over my work the moment I found him. You know how he is when he gets started on something.”

“It’s still not healthy to let your son stay up late and waste his youth on adult matters.”

“Oh, come on, Serah. Neal likes what he does. I can’t just discourage him. He also has shown nothing but excellence. It’s only right that I give him some leisure to do what he wants.”

Serah huffed at him, “That’s because you bred him to think only about his career.”

“It is important for someone to keep their focus straight. If that’s what he wants, who are we to take that from him?” Her husband pointed out. He sighed, “Look, we’re about to have dinner. Can we not argue about this another time? Even Skye is with us right now.”

He shifted his attention towards her, “How have you been, dear? Have you adjusted to school life in Freccia? Or do you still want to transfer?”

“I would still very much like to transfer” Skye answered in one breath, “I still have my eyes on Woodlands.”

“Then, how are your grades?”

“They’re going well.”

“Excellent” Nicholas explained, “I knew you had it in you since you were in the same class as Alexandra. Even if you had some dispute, it doesn’t hinder your brilliance.”

Serah flinched from his words, “We agreed not to mention that, darling.”

Nicholas snorted, waving his hand, “Some rivalry is harmless! If anything, it pumps a person even more to do better! You’ll see that in no time Skye would rise up above Alexandra’s level, won’t you, dear?”

“I will surely do my best” His stepdaughter replied, “After all, I will be seeing her more in the future.”

“That’s the spirit! Hopefully, once you prove yourself to have changed and have clear goals, that dispute would be brushed over and you’ll be able to get along then.”

“Oh, Nicholas” Serah interrupted. She hit his shoulder, “You aim too high. The Greenwood Family won’t be lenient about that.”

“Nonsense. My family has good relations with them. It would all go fine” Her husband reassured, “I haven’t seen Alexandra in a long time but I do remember that she liked Neal romantically… I strongly believe they’ll be married soon enough and we’ll all be family. That whole incident would be a part of the past.”

Skye bit her inner cheek. The events earlier replayed in her head. She debated whether to mention it or not. Her freedom in this part of society relied on Xandra. She held the highest seat amongst their generation. Her influence would be vast once she dived into it.

Xandra wouldn’t have to lift a finger before she would suffer. Either they would get along or Skye would need to obtain the upper hand.

Currently, things leaned on the latter

“That… might not be the case” she spoke up. Both adults in the room turned towards her, “I… I heard she had a male companion during her grandmother’s birthday. She may have moved on already.”

“Bah, teenagers” Nicholas shook his head, still acting complacent, “The heart is always swayed but a first love has deep roots. I’m sure that fire will rekindle once she spends time with Neal.”

Serah exhaled sharply. She gave her daughter the side-eye. They exchanged a silent conversation. The matter was heavier than it seemed and they both knew it.

For them to live in leisure, they needed stronger relations with the Greenwoods. Another form of affiliation would give them stronger ties.

“Most teenage boys aren’t mature either and maybe that male companion of hers would also change his opinion on Alexandra” Serah added to the table, “It would only take one second to break someone’s image.”

“That is true” Nicholas nodded, “See? Nothing to worry about.”

Skye pressed her lips together. If Xandra went all the way to Freccia Prep for Logan’s sake, it would take a lot for Neal to recapture her heart. They needed a moment where he could swoop in at her most vulnerable moment.

She just might have an idea how… plus it would also help her cause.

“I’m sorry to interrupt” she began to say, “But I was wondering if I can check out Woodlands Academy tomorrow?”