Page 11 of The Ruthless Rivalry

“Nice to meet you,” my father said, his voice steady but a bit distant.

Ronan’s gaze gentled as he looked at me, a genuine warmth in his expression. “And you must be the one who has everyone around here all frantic. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Alex.”

There was something reassuring in his tone, a kind of sincerity that I wasn’t used to from people like them.

“Ashbourne?” My father said, his brows knitting together in surprise. “You took your wife’s last name?” His voice held disbelief, as if he hadn’t quite expected that.

Ronan’s lips curved into a small, knowing smile. “Yes, that’s right. Francesca made it clear before we married that the Ashbourne legacy was too important to let die out.” He shrugged, as if the decision was just a matter of practicality. “So I changed it.”

I noticed the flicker of genuine surprise on my father’s face before he quickly masked it. It was the first time tonight that I’d seen him truly caught off guard.

“We should go,” Francesca said abruptly, tugging on her husband’s arm. “Bishop, come along.”

As they turned to leave, Bishop leaned in, his breath warm against my ear, sending an involuntary shiver down my spine. “Be a good girl and try not to cause any more…incidents tonight, okay, troublemaker,” he said, then paused, the corner of hislips twitching upward. “But if you do, I’d prefer to be there—watching.”

He let the words hang in the air for a moment, as if savoring the effect, before he straightened, his confidence unwavering.

The taunt hit me like a slap. I froze, a mix of fury, disgust, and something darker stirring in me—something I hated to admit. My blood ran cold, not just from the casual cruelty in his voice, but from the way his proximity made everything feel like a dangerous game I couldn’t escape. His words hung in the air, promising consequences if I didn’t play along.

“Troublemaker,” I muttered under my breath, like it could undo everything he made me feel. I hated him. I wanted to scream. But all I could do was watch as he walked away, his smirk burning like an open wound on my skin.

My father’s eyes lingered on the retreating figures of the Ashbournes, the weight of unspoken things settling heavier on his shoulders with every step they took away. After a long silence, he finally turned to me. His voice was quiet—careful, like he was choosing his words from a place he hadn’t visited in a long time.

“Alex,” he said, not quite meeting my eyes, “there’s something... important I’ve been meaning to talk to you about. Something that’s going to change a lot—for me, for all of us.”

Was this it? Was he finally going to explain the tangled mess between our family and the others? The hidden motives, the fractures, the quiet betrayals that had defined so much of my life?

I didn’t breathe, waiting.

Maybe this was why, after everything, I still hoped he could be more than the man I remembered. Even when he stood with Sutton. Even when he stood against me. There was always that flicker—that stubborn part of me that believed he might surprise me.

But before he could give me any answers, the lights dim and a spotlight illuminates Chancellor Maxwell, who stands in front of the head table.

“Greetings, ladies and gentlemen, parents, and students,” she declares. “We are thrilled to have you all here tonight.”

As Chancellor Maxwell continues her speech, I can’t focus on her words, my thoughts consumed by what my father had begun to say. I steal a glance at him, but his face is now a mask of polite attention, giving nothing away.

The room buzzes with quiet excitement, but I feel isolated in a bubble of confusion and mounting dread. What things hasn’t he told me? What was I supposed to be protected from?

I scan the crowd, noting the tense postures and furtive glances of the other students. They all seem to know something I don’t, and it makes me feel even more like an outsider.

The parents of the other Legacies have joined us, surrounding our small section. Luckily, I’m spared from further interaction as Maxwell continues to speak. Sutton and Sylvester are seated between their parents, while Camden is only accompanied by a woman who I assume is his mother. The seats directly across from me remain empty, as the Ashbourne family haven’t yet returned from their photographs.

I hear Camden sigh in relief to his mother. “Finally.” He flicks at the place card in front of him. “I don’t know how many times I have to remind this school that my last name is hyphenated.”

As I glance at Camden’s card, I notice the hyphen he’s referring to. Camden Lín-Whitlock. My eyes widen slightly. Considering the power these founding families supposedly hold, and Bishop’s own father changing his last name to fit that agenda, I find the decision to combine last names interesting. Before I can ponder this further, Chancellor Maxwell’s voice cuts through my thoughts.

“The time has finally arrived. It’s the moment we’ve all been eagerly anticipating. Students, please stand up and make your way to the back of the room to begin lining up for the ranking ceremony.”

I rise from my seat. My movements are mechanical, falling into sync with everyone else.

The rest of the students head to the back of the room, their expressions a mix of excitement and anxiety. Aubrey spots me in the crowd and makes her way over, her smile as warm as her embrace. I flinch instinctively as she hugs me, the bruises on my back still sore. She quickly pulls away, apologizing profusely. “I’m so sorry, I totally forgot about your accident. How are you feeling?”

“I’m okay,” I pretend, the small grin on my face nothing more than a formality. “Just a bit sore. How are you holding up?” Unfortunately, we didn’t cross paths during the trial game. Between the incident with the flag on stage and my fall, I hadn’t had a moment to catch up with her since.

Aubrey’s smile falters slightly. “Nervous, to be honest. This ranking…it feels like it’s going to define everything from here on out.”

I give a nonchalant shrug, despite not fully understanding what was going on. “Can you explain to me how all of this works?”

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