“Because you are breathtakingly beautiful,” Adam whispered in my ear as we continued to walk in arm-in-arm.

“Or because they know I’m Pauline’s daughter,” I murmured.

When I said my mom’s name, it felt so strange on my tongue that I almost wanted to cry. It made me realize that I hadn’t said her name in many months. It also made me remember my purpose for being here at all.

As we walked through the crowds of people, eyes turned to look at me, and I felt the stare of nearly every man in the room, even Michael’s. He was standing to the side at the front of the room, and I couldn’t help but notice that he couldn’t take his eyes off me either. It infuriated me that he was looking at me, and by the expression on his face, it infuriated him too. Even so, he couldn’t seem to pull his gaze away. Adam and I sat and drank wine and talked casually with the people around us. We also talked between ourselves and made up entertaining and outrageous stories about the people that we watched in the room.

People-watching was another thing that we seemed to have in common.

“The funny thing is that I bet at least one of the stories that we make up tonight will end up being true,” he said.

I laughed because he was probably right.

On a surface level, it seemed like a perfectly innocent gathering. Food, drinks, and a setting inside a room walled by large tanks of sea creatures provided a unique and elaborate experience. Even the twinkling blue strands of lights that I remembered as a child were strung overhead to create ambient lighting that made it feel like we were inside the ocean itself. It was difficult not to get sidetracked, especially by Adam. The more I spent time with him, and the more I felt his touch and saw his smile, the more I started to develop feelings for him. They weren't the kind of feelings that come and go in a lustful moment, but the kind that had me thinking about how we could possibly find a way to be together after this was over.

“I’m going to use the restroom,” I said to him as I pushed my chair back and stood up.

“I’ll come with you.”

“You’re going with me to the lady’s room?” I teased.

“At least let me walk you there,” he insisted.

I giggled. “Adam, I’ll be fine. We’re in the middle of a highly crowded gala inside the aquarium. I’m just going to the bathroom; I’ll be right back.”

He didn’t look pleased, but he sat back down. It might have been the wine that made me feel less wary that I probably ought to have been.

After I left the lady’s room, I walked back through the clustered gatherings of socializing people toward the table where I left Adam. But one conversation among the others suddenly caught my attention. Someone had mentioned my name. I stopped and looked around, not too obviously but only as if I appeared to be trying to remember where my table was at. The more that I tried to listen, the more I realized there were multiple conversations going on at once that all had something to do with a new person in their leadership.

Strange, I thought to myself.

Michael’s mother was the Headmistress of Lineage. I wondered if she was getting replaced. Her family had been high-ranking board members of the college for several generations. I couldn’t imagine anyone who would have more of a claim on the school’s leadership that she did. I didn’t know anything about Michael’s father, but for as long as I could remember, he never existed.

I mean, obviously biologically speaking, he existed, but he was never a part of the picture. It was always Marta who led the family, raised Michael, and headed-up the school ever since I could remember. I weaved in and out of the crowds and conversations, trying to pick up as many bits and pieces of information that I could, which I would assemble in my head later after the gala was over.

“He will be revealed at the charity event,” someone said a few steps away from me. “I can’t even remember the last time Lineage had a new Headmaster.”

Headmaster? Maybe Marta wasn’t being replaced, maybe she was joining up with someone, or even getting married maybe?

As I continued to wander behind the groups of people, I was able to gather a few other small details. It seemed that no one knew who the newly appointed Headmaster would be, aside from Marta and possibly a few others who had worked closely with him. It also seemed that whoever he was, the announcement was anticipated to cause quite a stir because he was supposedly bringing a huge and highly illegal partnership into the Lineage. This was all very useful.

A man bumped into me as I was distracted, listening to part of a conversation.

“Are you looking for something?” he asked.

I looked up toward the table where Adam had been sitting, but he was no longer there. He must have gotten worried and went to go look for me.

“Yes, actually,” I said as I tried to make up something believable on the spot. “My wine glass has been empty for a while, and the waitress never came back around, so I was hoping I might be able to find the bar.”

“Certainly,” the man said. “Let me show you where it is.”

I followed him to the bar, not wanting to blow my excuse and seem like I had been up to something. When we got there, he bought my drink and asked if I would like to sit and talk with him for a while.

“I think I’m going to get some fresh air. It’s a little stuffy in here,” I said as I tried to politely excuse myself. “Thank you for the drink.”

The man nodded and watched me as I walked away. I turned casually over my shoulder to see if he was still watching me, and when I saw that he was, I decided that I actually could use some fresh air and a break from all these people for a minute. Adam was still not at the table, and I didn’t have my phone on me since there was no place to put it in this dress, so I was unable to reach him until he either came back to the table or until we crossed paths in the crowd.

I remembered that the aquarium used to have a rooftop garden that they sometimes used for private parties. My mom and I had snuck up to it once to look at the stars. I found the stairwell and, with my wine glass in hand, climbed up the steps to see if it was still there.

It probably wasn’t the best idea to go traipsing around in the stairwell alone at an event full of Lineage drug-conspirators, but when I reached the top and pushed the door open, I was delighted to see that the rooftop garden was still there. I needed some quiet and fresh air to gather my thoughts.

I stepped out onto the roof and felt the chill air on my shoulders as I let the stairwell door slam closed behind me. I hadn’t thought to bring a jacket. I hadn’t thought to leave Adam a note. I mean, I hadn’t even thought to canvas the place once I got up there.

Which is why I also hadn’t thought that someone else might already be up here.

14

Michael was standing near the railing at the edge of the rooftop with a cocktail in his hand. He had been leaning over the railing, looking out at the city and deep in thought, but had turned around when he heard the door slam.

He stared in surprise at seeing me up here with him as his blonde hair blew in the breeze, which seemed much stronger at this height than it had when we were first coming into the aquarium. I turned to try and open the door again, but it was locked.

“Why in the hell can’t I seem to get away from you?” he growled at me.

Since there was nowhere else for me to go, I walked over toward him. I held my free hand up to my shoulder as the cold air bit at my skin.

“What are you doing up here?” I asked.

“Gathering my thoughts,” he grumbled as he turned to look back out over the city.

He took a long sip from his glass and let out a powerful exhale into the wind. I stood next to him at a careful distance away and looked down at the city below. It was freezing, and the first snow of winter was just starting to fall. I took a sip of wine from my glass, hoping that the alcohol might warm me up a bit as I started to tremble in the cold.

“It was stupid to come up here without a coat,” he said as he looked at me. “Your lips are turning blue.”

I nodded. What was I going to say? He was right. It was stupid.

He set his cocktail glass down on the ground and took off the dark, charcoal gray jacket that he was wearing, which matched his pants. He looked every bit as handsome as Adam did, with the exception of a white button-down shirt instead of black, and the evil demeanor that made him much less attractive to anyone with a heart.

“Here,” he said as he shoved his jacket at me.

“Why are you giving me your jacket?” I asked in surprise.

I didn’t think it was possible for him to do anything out of compassion or consideration for someone other than himself.

He practically spat the words at me. “So you don’t freeze to death.”

“Isn’t that what you want?” I asked. “Don’t you want me to die?”