Page 40 of Vicious Games

The butler nods before disappearing down the hall.

“Anna, take Frances with you to freshen up,” Mrs. Romano instructs.

“Yes,Mammà.”

Annamaria takes my hand, her blue eyes way too kind to have come from a life of this much luxury.

“I was hoping we could talk,” she says excitedly as she leads me through the halls.

“You were?” I ask, dumbfounded since she didn’t utter a word the whole ride here.

“Hmm.” She nods. “Rumor has it that after you graduate, you’re going to devote your life to God and join a convent. I’m really interested in learning what you have to do to become a nun.”

“Why?” I immediately bristle at the question.

“Well,” she adds quickly, “don’t tell anyone, but… it’s something I’ve thought about pursuing myself.” She sighs. “Not that my family agrees.”

I blink once, then twice, as if that would improve my hearing.

“Youwant to be a nun?” She nods with a shy smile. My gaze drifts over the insane level of wealth surrounding us before looking at her again and stating, “You do know nuns take a vow of poverty, right?”

“I know.”

“So you’d be okay leaving all of this behind?”

“Material things don’t mean much to the soul,” she says simply. “A person can’t live off wealth alone. We need a deeper meaning in life to make us whole.”

My jaw practically drops. This girl is fifteen—if that—and she’s already figured out something most adults never do. Money is worthless compared to the things that actually matter—friendship, family, love, humility, generosity, and kindness. Those are the things that genuinely make a person whole. Nothing you can order from Amazon can fill the kind of emptiness that comes from lacking those things.

“That’s a mighty big decision to make. Especially when you’re so young.”

“What does age have to do with someone’s life purpose?” She hikes up a confused brow. “Didn’t you always know you wanted to devote your life to a higher calling?”

My heart drops to the pit of my stomach.

How do I tell this impressionable young girl that my decision to join the nunnery isn’t some noble, selfless act? It wasn’t faith or vocation that led me here, but fear of being alone and ending up living on the streets. Also, I owe Sister Margaretta more than I can ever repay, and becoming a nun felt like the only way to even begin trying.

As I stare deep into her clear, sapphire eyes, I know that telling her the truth would only shatter and dim her altruistic view of the world. So, instead of answering her question, I throw her one of my own, “Is that what you feel? That you have been called to offer your life to a higher power?”

She chews on that question, taking her time to give me an honest answer. “I know that the world can be cruel and unforgiving. So if there is any way I can help those less fortunate than myself…help those souls that the world forgot, then that’s what I want to do. I want to ease their pain if I can,” she responds earnestly.

I give her a warm smile and nod as I reply, “That’s a noble cause to have. And from the looks of it, you have everything at your fingertips to make that kind of impact. You don’t need a habit or a convent to change lives, Anna. You come from a family with the kind of wealth and influence that can move mountains. You can feed mouths, build homes, and fund futures. Money can’t fix everything, but it can ease a lot of suffering. Sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is use what you already have to give others what they never did or never will. The most sacred kind of giving comes from using your blessings to lift someone else’s burden. And you… you’ve been given so much. That’s not something to run from—it’s something to use with love.”

Her smile widens as she takes my words to heart.

“You’re going to be a good nun. I can tell.”

I’m not as optimistic.

I offer her a shaky smile and let her lead me to the bathroom to freshen up. But the moment the door clicks shut behind me, and I catch my reflection in the mirror, the smile slips right off my face.

Unlike Annamaria, I’m not as confident about what kind of nun I will be. To be honest, Annamaria would make a far better candidate than I ever could. Her heart is already in it. It’s in the work, the mission, the cause. Whereas mine is just looking for refuge. A place no one can throw me out of. A family that won’t leave.

I knew coming to the Romano home was a bad idea. I just didn’t expect to feel this low within the first few minutes of walking through the door.

After I manage to shove that shame back down, deep where no one can see it, I step out of the bathroom. Annamaria’s waiting patiently to lead us into the dining hall.

And—Jesus.

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