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They didn’t talk much more. After the credits rolled, they ended the call. Just before disconnecting, Andrew’s voice softened. “Good night, Olivia.”

The exchange felt charged. Olivia tossed her phone onto the bed, pulled the covers over her head, and pressed her cool palms against her warm checks. ‘It’s just because he’s stupidly handsome, she told herself. “That’s all. Getting distracted by a pretty face.

Strangely, since meeting Andrew, he’d started making asional appearances in her dreams. But in these dreams, he was just a boy, maybe seven or eight years old, dressed in a miniature suit, standing solemnly under a tree with a book in his hands.

Every time dream–Olivia tried to approach him, he would simply fade away before she could reach him. She felt an inexplicable pull of familiarity towards him, as if they shared a history she couldn’t ess.

‘It has to be connected to the gaps in my own memory. Maybe we did meet, a long time ago, she thought before sleep finally took her. ‘Maybe I just forgot.‘

The next morning, sunlight poured through the window, painting Olivia’s form under the nkets. She merely burrowed deeper into her cocoon offorters, only a shock of blonde hair and the soft curve of a cheek visible.

Grace bustled in and began ruthlessly extracting Olivia from her nest of nkets. “Olivia, up now! It’s your first day at the new prep school. You cannot bete.” In Grace’s worldview, education was paramount.

“Five more minutes…” Olivia mumbled, incoherent with sleep, clutching the duvet like a lifeline to preserve thest vestiges of warmth.

“No ‘five minutes‘! You’ll bete,” Grace dered, winning the battle with the nkets.

“Don’t you worry about keeping up, just try your best. If it works out, good. If not, no matter! I’ll get you a tutor. We’ll learn right here at home, no need to stress with those other kids.”

She had heard Logan mention his grandson was home for the summer and looking for something to do. He was the top of his ss. She thought she could ask him to tutor Olivia.

Finally, a half–asleep Olivia was maneuvered out of bed and dressed like a sleepy doll.

Seeing how much this meant to Grace, Olivia nodded, ying the part of the dutiful child. “I’ll

get

the

top

score.”

Graceughed. “Just do your best, sweetheart, that’s all I ask. And if you don’t test well, so what? The world is full of paths that don’t require a perfect SAT score.”

Olivia had nned to blow off the test, but Grace’s earnestness was a potent motivator. ‘Fine,’ she thought. ‘I’ll actually try. Her skills were far beyond what the SAT could measure, but she’d y along for Grace’s peace of

mind.

Grace had made Olivia’s favorite breakfast: cheesy baked grits and a warm, soothing custard scented with vani and honey. It was sweet but not overwhelming, the fragrance lingering pleasantly.

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Normally, Grace would fret about cavities and limit sweets. The fact that she’d not only made this but added extra cheese showed just how special she considered this day.

“I’ve packed your bag. Don’t be nervous,” Grace said, handing it over before fluttering around the room on ast–minute checklist. “Do you have your pencils? Your calctor?”

Olivia couldn’t help butugh. “Grace, anyone would think I was taking my actual SAT today, not just a cement test.”

“And when you take the real thing, I’ll be right there to drive you,” Grace said, wrapping a scarf around Olivia’s neck and smoothing her hair before seeing her out the door.

Nina was also at the door to see Olivia off.

Settling into the back of the taxi, Olivia immediately pulled out her phone, her fingers flying across the screen. The Evans family case demanded her attention. Beyond their respectable public facade, she knew,y a far deeper and more shadowywork of holdings.