Page 88 of The Ruthless Rivalry

For a second, I couldn’t move. I stared at them, feeling like I was in some kind of daze. They were just standing there, talking, completely unaware of me. My mind raced, trying to make sense of the surreal scene unfolding in front of me.

I blinked, trying to make sense of it all.

“Alex?” Aubrey’s voice snapped me out of my daze. By the time I looked back, my grandparents were gone, slipping inside the building without a second glance.

“I’ll catch up with you later,” I said, heading toward the building where they had disappeared.

As I stepped into the large room, memories immediately flood back—this was the same place where my ranking ceremony took place. The tables that used to dominate the space are now gone, replaced by rows of evenly spaced chairs. The vibrant tapestries have been taken down, exposing the bare, cold walls beneath. Everything else looks just the same—frozen in time, as though nothing’s changed at all.

I take in the familiar faces, and my gaze lands on my grandfather sitting at the center of the long table, with Bishop’s mother beside him. Chancellor Maxwell is at the far end, her posture as rigid as ever, just like last time. I spot the other Legacy members around the room, with Sylvester sitting nearby. Camden and Sutton are off to the side, their attention focused on some quiet discussion. Sutton’s holding a stack of small cards, and Camden, is scribbling notes in a leather-bound notebook.

I can’t help but notice how out of place I feel in this room. My eyes flick to Francesca, Bishop’s mother. She’s definitely the youngest adult in the group, though I can’t figure out why. My mind begins to wander, trying to piece things together. Perhaps Bishop’s grandparents are already gone? She seems to have taken the mantle of matriarch for her family.

I linger at the door for a moment. What had Alfie been blathering on about again? Oh right, something about getting approved by the board. Is that why Sutton and Camden were talking back and forth like they’re prepping for something? Are they up next? In front of their families? How hard could it really be for them? They’re presenting in front of people who already know them, people they’ve probably been around their entire lives. It didn’t seem like much of a challenge.

Then again, I guess that’s the whole point. With their families in the room, it’s almost guaranteed they’ll get whatever they want. No real surprises there. When your name’s already carved into the Legacy, what’s a few words in front of your relatives? The board would probably just nod and smile, maybe throw in a token question for show. It’s practically a done deal.

As I take in the room, I instinctively pull my shoulders back, trying to ignore the strange sensation that seems to creep up on me. It’s a little too quiet and just as I’m about to breathe it all in, I hear it.

My shadow’s voice.

“Looking for me, troublemaker?”

The words are close—right next to my ear—and I freeze, feeling the warmth of his breath brush against my skin. My heart skips, and a subtle shiver runs down my neck, making my pulse jump.

Why does it sound like hewantsme to be looking for him? What exactly is he hoping I’ll find? The thought lingers, but I quickly push it aside.

I don’t turn my head. I refuse to.

I can’t.

If I do, he’ll be right there—his lips so close. The kiss we shared before keeps invading my mind, uninvited and persistent. I’ve been trying not to think about it, but here he is again, reminding me.

I stay still, forcing my breath to steady. “You wish,” I reply, my voice dripping with sarcasm, my lips barely twitching. “Keep dreaming.”

Bishop’s chuckle comes immediately, like he expected my response but still found it amusing. “Trust me,” he says, his voice dropping low, almost gravelly. “I’ve had plenty of dreams about you. The kind where I get to strip you down and see exactly how you look beneath me.” His words send a shiver down my spine, but I fight to keep my expression neutral. “Especially after you left those filthy notes in your mailbox for me to find—those detailed descriptions you wrote. They’ve been replaying in my head, over and over. Every. Single. Word.”

I feel a lump form in my throat, but I push it down, forcing myself to stay still. There’s no way I’ll give him the satisfaction of seeing how much his words affect me.

With a cocky smirk, I turn my head just enough to feel his presence lingering behind me, but not enough to let him see how rattled I am. “You’ll have to wake up from that fantasy first.”

He laughs, that low, dangerous sound that always manages to get under my skin. I can feel his gaze on me, and I know he’senjoying this—every single second. “Don’t worry, little Prescott,” he says, his voice dark and full of amusement. “You’ll give in eventually. You’ve done it before.”

I don’t react, forcing myself to stay calm, even as the heat in his words presses against me.

His tone shifts, almost smug, as he adds, “I can be patient. I always get what I want in the end.”

His words hang in the air like a promise—or maybe a threat—but either way, it’s clear he’s not letting this go. The most unsettling part? I’m not sure I evenwanthim to.

“Hey, I was just coming to find you,” Sylvester says as he jogs up beside Bishop, his tone cheerful. “They’re about to begin.” He turns to me, his smile widening. “You look good, Alex. Almost as if you’ve been thinking about me.”

The words hang between us, playful but undeniably flirty. I catch the subtle hint of a grin pulling at his lips.

“Is that so?” I reply, my voice sweet, with a hint of sarcasm. “I’m flattered. I don’t know if I should be worried or impressed by how much you think about yourself, Sylvester.”

He looks like he’s about to say something else, but then I catch it, a soft, barely audible snort from beside me. Bishop. It’s so faint, so unexpected, I almost think I imagined it. But no, it’s definitely there. The sound of an almost imperceptible chuckle.

I quickly glance at him, but his expression is back to that cold mask he wears, though the faint trace of amusement still lingers. He actuallysnorted?

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