Hidden secrets, conflicting desires, and the pursuit of power unveil the drama unfolding beneath the high ceilings of Westminster School - a battleground for London's elite teenagers. Amidst the grandeur of aristocratic facade lies the true cost of...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Similar to the beginning of the week, Wednesday was exceptionally demanding for Raine. She consoled herself with the thought that the sensation surrounding her father would eventually calm down, but being directly in its midst made enduring the probing glances and malicious whispers nearly impossible.
The worst part of it all was that she truly missed her father. She had a closer relationship with him than with her mother, even though he spent most of his time in the office on Old Street. Henry Sinclair owned a successful real estate company that grew every year. Raine was convinced it was due to her father's hard work. She had always admired this trait in him and tried to apply it in her school environment. She was an excellent student, dedicated to extracurricular activities, and planned to attend Cambridge University. How was she supposed to reconcile with the fact that it was all just lies and her father was nothing but a common criminal?
She felt the grip of loneliness slowly taking hold of her, and along with this feeling, the need to escape grew stronger. She needed to have someone close to her whom she could confide in without the whole school knowing about it. In her world, there was only one person who met these criteria. She grabbed her phone and dialed Noah's number.
She waited for several seconds, but to no avail. After an unsuccessful attempt to call, she checked social media, but he hadn't been online for a few hours. She remembered how during their brief encounter in the school hallway, he mentioned he had to study for an economics test. Disappointed, she sighed until a brilliant idea struck her. She would call him on his home phone, and at least they would talk. It would definitely be better than the suffocating silence of an empty apartment.
"Rothstein House. How may I assist you?" the butler answered.
"Good day, Mr. Barnes. This is Raine Sinclair. Could I please speak with Noah? Unfortunately, I can't reach him on his cell."
"Good day, Miss Sinclair. I'm afraid young Mr. Rothstein left about an hour ago."
"Didn't he mention where?" she asked, surprised. She still vividly remembered him telling her about the tough test earlier today.
"Yes, he said he had to work on a school project with young Mr. Strand."
Raine fell silent for a moment. "Yes, of course," she said after a while, finding her voice somewhere in her throat. "I completely forgot about that. Thank you."
"You're welcome, Miss Sinclair. Have a pleasant evening."
A light bulb suddenly lit up in Raine's head. Studying wasn't the reason why Noah wasn't answering his phone. They definitely weren't sitting with Alex buried in books. She grabbed her black Hermès Birkin bag and rushed to the door.
Druggie. Partier. Womanizer. Alex Strand was everything but a diligent student.
As she hailed a taxi to his Chelsea home and rang the doorbell, she still wasn't sure if she really wanted to know the real reason for Noah's visit. Perhaps she was acting impulsively. Maybe she was just paranoid. And maybe her sixth sense, trained as it was, wasn't wrong at all, and he was lying to her today.
"Good evening," greeted the unsympathetic middle-aged housekeeper. She had seen her countless times at Alex's parties. She hadn't changed at all over all this time. She still wore a dark pantsuit and a cheap imitation of pearls around her neck, which could be bought in any costume jewellery store. Before she could say anything, she added, "Alex is expecting me."
"Good evening, miss. Mr. Strand and his friends are in the gaming room," she said disapprovingly but still led Raine inside. They found themselves in a modern hall adorned with colourful paintings. "Please, follow me."
"No need. I'll find my way," said Raine, and the tapping of her shoes ominously echoed on the marble floor.
Alex Strand's parties were characterized by complete recklessness - they lacked a diverse selection of alcohol, drugs, and questionable people. After his mother's death, he only lived with his father, who was involved in art and often travelled, allowing him a relatively carefree way of life.
The soundproofed gaming room was located in the basement. It was a large room with a wall screen, leather sofas, and a lit-up bar. Their group used to hang out there before they discovered the charm of fake IDs, which got them into nightclubs.
As Raine descended the narrow stairs, her heart pounded somewhere in her throat. The muffled dubstep music, laughter, and sweet smell of weed behind the door couldn't be ignored. Soon, not only a light bulb but all possible alarm lights were flashing in her head. She resolutely touched the doorknob and entered.
There were about fifteen people in the room. Most of them were drunkenly dancing to the deafening music, while others lounged on the sofas.
"Hey, Raine! Join us," called out Alex, dancing with girls clad in tiny pieces of clothing. He was completely spaced out. Raine looked around more attentively and saw Noah amidst the entangled bodies on the sofas – and in that moment, her heart truly broke.
A red-haired girl, partially undressed, sat on him and blew thick smoke into his open mouth. She was a stranger. Raine was sure she had never seen her before. Shortly after, Noah exhaled a cloud of smoke and passionately kissed the strange girl.
That was the last straw. Several brutal scenarios played out in Raine's head, according to which she could behave, but none of them would change what she had just witnessed. She resisted the temptation and turned on her heel. The right time hadn't come yet, so why rush? She wouldn't make awkward scenes like a deceived hysterical girl might. She would keep a cool head and leave with royal dignity.
"Hey, Rain, don't leave! There's still plenty of room in my arms," Alex called after her, but she ignored him. She flew to the door at the speed of light, trying not to trip over her own feet.
She didn't know if Noah realized the reality of the moment. She appeared out of nowhere, and he seemed to be quite stoned to think logically. But there was one thing she knew for sure – for every hundredth of a second spent in a marijuana haze with that bitch, he would pay dearly.
