Bullied Cinderella - Hollie Hutchins Page 0,31

much we didn’t want it to be. We had spent our lives worrying about making our own money to support our family. Neither of us was too keen on being married off to any of the spoiled rich men around us in this new high society.

“Give it time, Mama. We’ve only just started mingling and meeting people. Maybe Jada will meet someone and fall in love.”

“Why me?” Jada whined. “Why don’t you meet someone and fall in love!?”

“You two act as if marriage is a death sentence,” our mother frowned. “I have failed you both. You know too much about working and money and not enough about the conventions of being a wife and a mother.”

“That’s not true. I cook,” Jada bragged, tilting her chin in the air over her tea. “I just prefer to share my talents with you two rather than some brute of a man who shovels it all down ungratefully.”

She looked to me as if to ask what it was I contributed, which made me grateful for the knock at the door. I raced to answer it, but no one was there. Instead, there was a fancy-looking envelope with a red wax seal left on the step. Something in me knew it came from the Valencia cousins. I was too smart to think they’d be inviting us to dinner to make peace. And something so elegant didn’t seem like Leonardo’s style. But perhaps it could have been from Dario, following up on my agreement to see him again.

I closed the door behind me to step outside and open it in private. Inside were the handwritten cursive words - I feel both of my cousins have had more of a chance to get to know you than I have. Will you do me the honor of joining me for dinner this evening?

Signed, Jorge. Huh, I thought. Well, that was unexpected. But rather perfect for my plans. I couldn’t stand thinking about Leonardo enough to even try and predict how things would turn out with him. Just a flash of his face in my memories brought on a flood of hatred and shame and...many other more confusing and unsettling feelings. So, I had been avoiding it altogether. Things with Dario were easy enough. He was like a sweet little puppy who would probably come running up with his tail wagging any time I asked.

But Jorge. I hadn’t given much thought to him. Having all three brothers wrapped around my pinky would give me plenty of ammunition for destroying their reputations completely. I didn’t have time to play these ridiculous games of sending wax sealed letters back and forth, though it was a nice gesture. I phoned the Valencia estate the first second I could steal away to myself. I expected one of the maids to answer, so I was quite dismayed when Leo’s voice came over the line.

“Put Jorge on, please,” I replied briskly.

Leo was silent for a moment. “Lucia?”

“I wish to speak to Jorge Valencia.”

There was more silence, but soon I heard the commotion of the phone being snatched from his frozen hands. Jorge came on and graciously accepted my agreement to dinner. I could tell by his short replies that he was keeping this a secret from Leonardo, and probably Dario too. Which only helped me and my vendetta. I hung up the first second I could, ignoring the way the sound of Leo’s voice rattled through me like a warm rush of soothing water. That was an absurd and completely unwelcomed response to anything having to do with him.

I put on one of my best new dresses and slipped out into the night. Jorge had pulled a truck up to the end of the drive to pick me up discreetly. I was grateful that he seemed to want to be just as secretive as I did. He explained that there was a small house settled on one of the edges of their property where we could go and dine in privacy. He had arranged for a handful of staff to serve us there. Dinner was delicious, as was the tequila that kept flowing generously.

“I was glad you invited me for dinner,” I told him once the dishes were cleared and we were left with only our glasses of alcohol. “I have my impressions of Leonardo and Dario, but I feel like I don’t know much about you.”

“Oh? And what are your impressions on my cousins?”

“Quite frankly, Leo is a monster. And Dario is kind, but…”

“Dumb?”

I