The call had already ended; the man on the other end disconnected without another word.
Selene slid back into the driver’s seat, pressed down on the gas, and shot out of the parking spot.
She didn’t notice the sleek black sports car that slipped in behind her, trailing her every move like a shadow.
The world blurred past on either side as her silver Volvo streaked down the asphalt–a flash of lightning on wheels.
Selene’s dark eyes were fixed straight ahead. It had been ages since she’d driven this fast, and the adrenaline pumped through her veins, keeping pace with the
needle as it climbed to the redline.
She overtook three brightly colored sports cars in quick succession. The drivers gawked after her, voices raised in disbelief.
“Holy crap! Who the hell was that?”
From another car, a young man barked into his Bluetooth earpiece, “Get me the plate number on that Volvo. Now.”
As Selene tore through the winding hills, customized sports cars fell away in her rearview mirror. Even as the road curved sharply, she barely eased off the
accelerator.
A chorus of voices crackled through the earpieces of a few trust–fund kids:
“I got it–it’s registered to the Thompson family!”
“No way. The Thompsons? You think that’s Felicity behind the wheel?”
“Felicity’s that good? She always held back when she raced us, didn’t she?”
The silver Volvo climbed higher along the mountain road, twisting and turning. Only one car managed to keep up: a black Ferrari, relentless in pursuit.
Adrian smirked, a lock of hair falling across his brow.
He remembered a different Selene–a girl on fire with ambition.
At fourteen, she’d entered Aldonia University of Science & Technology’s gifted
1/3
22:23
program. Three years running, she’d clinched gold at the International Math Olympiad. By nineteen, she’d earned her racing license and broken into the top ten at the World Rally Championship.
Her life had always been marked by achievement, applause, and bouquets of
flowers.
But in the third year of her PhD, she walked away from it all–gave up her studies, her future, and poured herself into being a devoted wife and mother, the picture–perfect socialite.
Since then, her car had always carried a child seat. She never drove faster than forty–five miles per hour.
Now, the tires screamed against the pavement, white smoke curling into the air. Selene slammed the brakes; the Volvo shuddered to a stop.
Adrian’s Ferrari zipped past her and on up the road. He could only catch a glimpse of her car in his rearview mirror, parked on the shoulder.
Selene unlocked her phone. From the car speakers, the head teacher’s voice filled the space.
“Mrs. Vaughn, we need you to come to the school right away! Today, Damien brought wax bottle candies for the other children, and several of them have
stomachaches now!”
Selene was still reeling from the rush of the drive. Her voice was cold and steady.
“Ms. Hughes, I’m no longer Damien’s mother. If anything happens at school, please speak to his father. You don’t need to call me again.”
She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, her tone resolute. “I’m done being responsible for him.”
“What?!” The teacher was clearly shocked, but with chaos unfolding at the private preschool, she had little choice but to press on.
“Damien says you gave him the wax bottle candies. A few kids nearly choked on the wax–if we hadn’t caught it in time, it could have been much worse! Several mothers are already here/demanding answers. Mrs. Vaughn, please come to the school and explain.”
Both Dames and Daph attended an elite bilingual preschool, where every student came from wealth or privilege.
As the teacher spoke, Selene could hear angry voices in the background–mothers
2/3
22-23
Chapter 7
demanding answers.
“Did you reach Mrs. Vaughn? How could she let her son bring something like,that to school?”
“My child is so little, he didn’t know to spit the wax out–he scratched his throat and started bleeding!”
Selene took a calming breath. “May I speak to my daughter, Daphne?”
“Of course. Hold on.”
A small, sweet voice came through the line. “Mommy!”
“Daph, did you eat any of the wax candies?” Selene asked gently.
“Dames said I’m a little piggy, so he gave them to everyone but me.”
Selene felt a wave of relief. “Do you know who gave Dames those candies, sweetheart?”
3/3
