Melissa’s POV
"Good morning, ma. How was your night?" the head maid greeted me with a warm smile the minute I stepped downstairs.
"Was great, and yours?" I replied, already walking straight toward the kitchen without slowing down.
"It was nice. Your food is ready. Will you eat before heading out?" she asked.
I nodded and took my seat at the dining table, though my body felt heavier than usual. I was already dressed for school, fully prepared, yet there was this quiet reluctance sitting inside me. Today was test day, and missing it was not an option. Still, the truth was simple and embarrassing.
I hadn’t read anything.
Not a single page.
"Thanks," I said when she placed the plate in front of me. It was a simple breakfast, nothing complicated, just a plate of buttered toast and scramb
