“How did you get Evelyn’s diary?” Tessa’s voice cut through the silence, her icy blue eyes locked on the small, battered book in my hands. She threw the diary at me.
I stared at her, catching the diary like it might slip through my fingers. “Grayson gave it to me,” I said slowly, trying to gauge her reaction. “He said I couldn’t keep my nose out of things, so I might as well have it.”
Tessa’s lips curled into a bitter smile. “Of course he did. That’s just like him, giving you breadcrumbs and leaving you to figure out the rest. Classic Cross behavior.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I snapped, the frustration bubbling to the surface. “You keep talking in riddles, Tessa. If you know something, just say it.”
She crossed her arms, leaning against my desk like she owned the room. “You really don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into, do you? You think this is just about Evelyn and some family drama, but it’s not. It’s so much bigger than that, Lila.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Then tell me. Stop playing games.”
Tessa sighed, running a hand through her perfectly styled hair. “Fine. You want the truth? The Cross family is cursed. And if you don’t get out now, you’re going to be their next victim.”
I blinked, caught off guard by the seriousness in her tone. “Cursed? Are you kidding me?”
She rolled her eyes. “Do I look like I’m joking? Every generation, someone they love dies tragically. It’s like some dark cloud that hangs over their family. And their father—Victor Cross—is obsessed with stopping it, no matter what it takes.”
I felt a shiver crawl up my spine, but I forced myself to scoff. “That sounds insane, Tessa. People don’t die because of curses. That’s not real.”
Her gaze hardened. “Is it? Then explain why Evelyn disappeared. Or why every girl who gets too close to the Cross brothers ends up in some kind of ‘accident.’”
My stomach twisted at her words, but I refused to let her see how much she was rattling me. “That doesn’t prove anything,” I said, my voice shaky.
Tessa smirked, but there was no humor in it. “You’re right. But you know what does? Victor’s little ‘rituals.’”
“Rituals?”
Her smirk widened. “Victor believes the curse is tied to the family’s power. Their money, their influence—it all comes at a price. And he’s convinced that price is a sacrifice. Every few years, someone has to die. Someone the brothers love. Someone ‘disposable.’”
The word hit me like a punch to the gut. “Disposable?” I whispered.
“Yeah,” Tessa said, her voice cold. “Girls like Evelyn. Girls like you.”
I staggered back, the room spinning around me. “You’re lying. There’s no way—”
“Am I?” she interrupted, her tone sharp. “Think about it, Lila. Evelyn was a nobody. She didn’t come from money, she didn’t have any power—just like you. You’re exactly the kind of girl Victor would pick. Easy to manipulate. Easy to sacrifice.”
My chest tightened, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. “Why are you telling me this now? If it’s true, why didn’t you say anything before?”
Tessa’s expression flickered, something vulnerable passing over her face before she masked it. “Because it’s not my problem. Or at least, it wasn’t. But seeing you with them… it reminded me of how close I came to being you.”
“What are you talking about?”
She hesitated, then sighed. “Victor tried to use me once. Back when I was dating Grayson, he thought my family’s power would make me the perfect pawn. But I wasn’t stupid enough to fall for his games. My family’s influence made me untouchable. He couldn’t control me like he could control the girls who didn’t have anyone to protect them.”
Her words stung, but I couldn’t deny the truth in them. I was nothing like Tessa. I didn’t have a powerful family or connections to shield me.
“I’m not like Evelyn,” I said weakly, more to convince myself than her.
Tessa leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. “You’re exactly like Evelyn. And if you don’t get out now, you’re going to end up just like her.”
My knees felt like they might give out, but I forced myself to stand tall. “Why should I believe you? You’ve done nothing but lie and manipulate everyone around you.”
“Because I don’t have anything to gain by warning you,” she shot back. “You think I care what happens to you? I don’t. But I’ve seen what this family is capable of, and trust me, Lila—you don’t want to be their next victim.”
I stared at her, my mind racing. “If everything you’re saying is true, why are you still here? Why do you even care?”
Tessa straightened, her smirk returning. “Because watching you get in over your head is entertaining. And because maybe, just maybe, you’ll be smart enough to listen.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but she was already moving toward the window.
“Tessa, wait—”
She paused, one leg out the window, and glanced back at me. “Stay away from the Cross brothers, Lila. They’ll destroy you, just like they did Evelyn.”