Page 121 of The Bleak Beginning

I resist the urge to step back, forcing myself to stand my ground. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“Didn’t I?” She tilts her head, a coy smile playing on her lips. “I suppose old habits die hard. But then again, so do daughters who refuse to live up to their potential.”

Her words hit me like a physical blow, bringing back memories of countless arguments, tears shed in the privacy of my room, and the constant, crushing weight of her expectations. I clench my fists, willing myself not to show how much she still affects me.

“I can’t believe they actually let you through the gates,” I seethe.

Her eyes lack the warmth and tenderness that all mothers are supposed to have. “Well, you know I was a student here, just like you.”

My world tilts on its axis. “What?” I manage to choke out, my voice barely above a whisper.

She folds her arms, her lips pressed tightly together. “Did you think I just popped into your life one day? I was here. I went to this university.”

I shake my head in disbelief. “But... neither of you ever mentioned this. Dad always told us he met you while he was doing his internship, and you were—” I stop myself, the pieces starting to unravel in my mind. “How could you have gone to school here? He always said you were working across the street in a music store...”

There’s a lot you don’t know,” she says, her tone flat, almost like she’s trying to brush it off.

I step back, my chest tightening. “How much more don’t I know?” I demand with a snarl.

Vera’s smile widens, a predatory gleam in her eyes. “Well, I was the first in my family topass.”

Pass? What exactly does she mean by that? And why did she sound slightly bitter about it?

I struggle to process this new information. My father told me Altair would be my fresh start, my escape, but it was tainted by her presence long before I arrived. The realization makes me feel sick, like I had somehow been duped into attending.

“You’re lying,” I accuse, but even as the words leave my mouth, I know she’s telling the truth. It explains too much—how she found me, how she got onto campus. The Legacies still helped I’m sure, but she’d known where to go.

“Now, now,” she chides, wagging a finger at me, like I’m a child again. To her, I would always be a child if she had it her way—someone easy to control. Manipulate. “Lying is beneath us, isn’t it? But when it comes to you, I’m not surprised. You, Alexandra, always did have a penchant for deceit,” Vera continues, her voice dripping with condescension. “It’s why you never reached your full potential.”

I feel a fresh surge of anger coursing through me, threatening to boil over. But I won’t give her the satisfaction of seeing me lose control. Instead, I exhale sharply, centering myself.

“Mypotentialis none of your concern anymore,” I say, my voice steady. “And neither is my life.”

I scan my surroundings, hoping this will be over soon. Above me, near the empty pool, I notice several large instruments and other musical paraphernalia strewn about. It seems that someone must have brought them here, which may explain how the piano ended up in this unlikely location. And in the opposite corner, I see the same cement mixer that was here the last time I stumbled upon this place.

Hadn’t Aubrey mentioned something about the Actor’s Guild and the orchestra sharing space?

“Listen,” I demand. “I don’t care who you had to deceive to get here, but I want you to leave.”

“Deceive? I was invited.”

“Invited?” I scoff, disbelief coloring my tone.

Vera’s smile turns enigmatic. “You really don’t know anything about this place, do you? About its true nature.”

There’s something in her voice, a hint of dark knowledge that makes me uneasy. I’ve always known Altair was more than just a prestigious school, but the way she says it…

“What are you talking about?” I demand, trying to keep the tremor out of my voice.

She takes another step closer, and I retreat nearly back to the top of the pool.

“Alexandra, Altair is more than just a school,” she says, her voice serious and intense. “It can consume you and discard you, if you’re not careful. The whole thing is a challenge, a test. And only those who truly figure out their purpose will succeed.”

“So that’s how you ended up losing your mind?” I ask, genuinely curious.

“My doctors seem to think I’ve actually improved over time,” she responds with a hint of pride. Typical.

I scoff. “Whoever was fooled by your façade must not know how truly manipulative you are.”

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