ONE MONTH WITH THE DEVIL

Chapter 16

The cafeteria went silent.

Everyone was staring at us.

My face burned as I looked at Maya, who sat across from me with a satisfied smile, as if she hadn’t just exposed my private life to the entire school.

“Are you crazy?” I whispered angrily. “Why would you say that in front of everyone?”

Maya rolled her eyes. “Oh, please, Lara. Everyone already suspects something is going on between you and Victor. You’re always together. Why pretend otherwise?”

“You don’t know anything about us!” I stood up, my chair scraping against the floor. “You don’t know what happened between us or how I feel!”

Her smile disappeared. “I’m your best friend. I’m supposed to know these things.”

“Then act like one!” My voice cracked. “You’re supposed to listen to me, not announce my business to the whole school!”

People had started whispering, but I didn’t care anymore.

“You think this is some cute love story?” I continued, fighting back tears. “It’s not! I’m confused, I’m hurting, and you’ve made everything worse!”

“Lara, I—”

“No. You don’t get to decide what my life means. If you cared about me, you would have asked how I felt instead of turning me into entertainment.”

I grabbed my bag and walked away before she could respond.

I refused to look back.

By the time I reached the bench outside the library, my eyes were filled with tears. I sat down, covered my face, and let them fall.

I hated Maya for embarrassing me. I hated Victor for leaving me confused.

And I hated myself for agreeing to that stupid dare in the first place.

“Hey.”

I quickly wiped my face and looked up.

Xander stood in front of me, his hands tucked into his jacket pockets.

“Can I sit?”

I nodded.

He sat beside me, leaving enough space between us.

“I heard what happened,” he said. “You don't have to explain anything if you don't want to.”

“I don't even know what to say anymore.” I sighed. “Everything is falling apart. Victor won't talk to me, Maya thinks my feelings are some kind of joke, and my scholarship still hasn't arrived.”

I looked down at my hands.

“I've worked so hard for my future, Xander. I'm scared of losing everything because of things I can't control.”

He listened without interrupting.

“Lara, you're not weak for feeling overwhelmed. You've been trying to handle everything alone, and you're exhausted. That doesn't mean you're failing.”

I looked at him.

“And you don't owe anyone an explanation for protecting your peace,” he added. “Not even your best friend.”

His words comforted me more than I expected.

For weeks, I had felt trapped between my feelings, the dare, my grades, and everyone else's expectations.

But Xander reminded me of something important.

My life belonged to me.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

He smiled. “Anytime.”

I wiped my cheeks and stood up.

“I should get to class.”

“Go. And remember, you're allowed to put yourself first.”

For the first time that day, I managed a small smile.

I walked into class with my head held high. A few students stared, but I ignored them and took my seat.

I was Lara Voss. I had dreams, goals, and a future to protect.

No boy, no friendship, and no stupid dare would make me forget that.

---

The rest of the school day passed slowly.

Maya didn't show up for our remaining classes. A part of me wanted to find her and make things right, but I wasn't ready to pretend nothing had happened.

I loved her, but she had hurt me.

And being best friends didn't mean I had to accept everything she did.

Victor was absent too.

That bothered me more than I wanted to admit.

Victor wasn't the type to disappear without a reason. He was stubborn, outspoken, and always ready to argue.

His silence felt wrong.

By the time the final bell rang, heavy rain was pouring outside.

I pulled on my jacket and hurried toward the school gate, looking for Mom's car.

Nothing.

I called her number.

No answer.

I tried again, but the call went straight to voicemail.

“Mom, where are you? You promised to pick me up. Please call me back.”

I waited for twenty minutes, hoping she would appear.

She didn't.

Most of the students had left, and the school grounds were becoming empty. I had no money for a taxi, and taking the last bus was no longer an option.

Walking home in the dark wasn't safe either.

“Lara.”

I froze.

I knew that voice.

Slowly, I turned around.

Victor stood near the shelter, his hair soaked from the rain. His jacket was open, and his eyes were red with exhaustion.

He looked like he hadn't slept.

“Victor?” I stared at him. “Where have you been all day?”

“I was trying to find answers.”

“Answers to what? You disappeared without a word!”

“I know, and I'm sorry.” He took a step toward me. “But Lara, you need to listen. Something terrible is happening.”

I folded my arms.

“What could possibly be worse than everything that's already happened?”

“Your scholarship.”

My heart skipped.

“What about it?”

“Someone deliberately stopped it. Your application wasn't delayed by mistake. Someone made sure you wouldn't receive that scholarship.”

I stared at him in disbelief.

“Who would do that?”

“Charles Montgomery.”

The name sounded familiar.

My mother had mentioned him once. He had worked with my father at Vance Industries, and apparently, the two men had never gotten along.

“What does Charles have to do with me?”

“More than you realize.”

Victor's expression grew serious.

“He filed false reports against you and claimed your family was connected to misconduct at the company. He's using your father's name to damage your chances of getting that scholarship.”

I shook my head.

“My dad would never do anything wrong.”

“I know.” Victor's voice softened. “But your father discovered something years ago. Something Charles wanted to keep hidden.”

I stared at him.

“What did he discover?”

“We don't know everything yet. Your father had documents that could expose Charles, but those documents disappeared after he became ill.”

My mind raced.

I remembered how Mom always changed the subject whenever I asked about Dad's old job. I remembered the sadness in her eyes whenever his name came up.

Could she have known something all along?

“Why is Charles doing this now?” I asked.

“Because of us.”

I frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“He thinks you're my weakness. If he destroys your future and ruins your father's name, he believes he can control me. And if he gets rid of me, he can take control of the company.”

I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

My scholarship. My father. Victor's family.

Everything was connected.

Then I remembered something.

“Mom.”

Victor's expression changed.

“What about her?”

“She never answered my calls. She's never late without telling me.”

He looked away, and my stomach tightened.

“What aren't you telling me?”

Victor took a deep breath.

“Adrian called me. Your mother contacted him about an hour ago. She was frightened. She said someone had been watching your house and that she'd found some old documents belonging to your father.”

I struggled to breathe normally.

“And then?”

“The call ended suddenly. Adrian went to your house, but it was empty. Your mother's car was gone, and so was her phone.”

“No.”

The word escaped my lips.

“No, that can't be true.”

“Lara—”

“Where is my mother, Victor?”

He looked at me, his expression filled with pain.

“I think Charles has taken her.”

My knees felt weak.

Before I could respond, my phone vibrated.

An unknown number.

I opened the message.

It was a photograph of my mother.

She was sitting in a dark room, her face filled with fear. Charles stood behind her, looking directly at the camera with a cold smile.

My hands began to shake.

A message appeared beneath the photograph.

Tell Victor to stop the investigation. Destroy your father's files, or Elena will never come home.

I read it twice, hoping I had misunderstood.

Then another message arrived.

And Lara, don't trust anyone. Not even the boy standing beside you. The Vance family has secrets you know nothing about.

I slowly lowered my phone.

Victor was watching me.

“What is it?” he asked.

I couldn't answer.

I simply turned the screen toward him.

The moment he saw the photograph, his face went pale.

For the first time since I'd known him, Victor Vance looked genuinely afraid.

And suddenly, I wasn't sure whether he was the person who could save my family…

Or the reason we were in danger.