The Hidden Heir

Chapter 7-Bella Hale

The drive up is silent. Zane and Aiden keep glancing at each other, almost as if they have their own secret language I can’t understand. Well, that’s what I tell myself—they might as well be pretending I don’t exist entirely. The drive feels never-ending until we finally arrive.

The house we pull up to is smaller than the Greys’ place. Wow, I’ve become so pretentious. My entire old apartment could fit into my current bathroom. I’m just about to get out of the car when Zane corners me. The other three stand behind him as he asserts:

“Rules of being a Grey:

Don’t use the Grey name to get you anywhere.

Don’t use the Grey name to get any d**k or suck any d**k—essentially, act like a w***e and you’re out on your ass.

Don’t hang out with us.

Don’t get sloppy drunk.

Basically, don’t embarrass the Grey name.

You f**k up, we toss you out on your ass.”

As he finishes, he walks away, the others following silently. They don’t walk in with me. They just leave.

I walk inside and see hundreds of teenagers crammed in. A group of girls are getting drinks, flirting with guys on the dance floor. A group of guys are huddled together, welcoming the Grey brothers. Another group is dancing with some girls. I see Zane eyeing me as I try to grab a drink. I’m basically invisible here. It’s honestly refreshing—after a few days of constant attention, my life has been turned upside down.

Near the punch bowl, I see a light leading to another room. Swiftly grabbing a drink, I head down the corridor to see what’s happening—and find a little girl with bright red hair and purple eyes. She’s stunning. Sitting next to her is a girl with blonde hair and vivid blue eyes. The red-haired girl has a tipsy blush on her cheeks, the alcohol clearly warming her face.

“Tiffany, you need to go home,” the blonde girl whisper-yells as the red-haired girl—Tiffany—stumbles out to what I assume is her driver. Didn’t seem intimate enough to be her boyfriend.

The blonde girl turns to me, her eyes narrowing.

“Who are you supposed to be?” she asks, staring me down suspiciously.

“Hi, uhh, I’m Bella. Bella Hale,” I stutter. Or do I refer to myself as Bella Grey? I wonder.

“So you’re the girl the Greys have brought in,” she interrupts.

“Is it true that when they found you, you were a stripper?” she asks before I can respond.

“Stripper? What? No!” In all fairness, I had done a few things to make rent, but I wasn’t a stripper.

“Oh, that’s disappointing. It would’ve been really cool to see. I’m Melinda, by the way. My cousin Riley and her brother Roman let me stay with them since I’m here on a scholarship, and oh my days, do they not let me forget it.”

I stare at her as she begins to apologize.

“Oh my days, I’m sorry—I have a tendency to overshare.”

“Oh no, it’s no trouble really. I’m just kinda antisocial. I honestly didn’t even want to come, but here we are. Parties have never been my thing, you know,” I add, unsure of what to say.

“I was lowkey looking for a place to sit and drink my drink… but you seem really nice,” I say, glancing around and avoiding eye contact.

“Would you care to just hang out here with me? I really don’t feel like mingling with anyone right now,” she says.

“I’ve been staying here while Riley and her family went out for some holiday—which I was not invited on. And of course, they had to embarrass me by calling in a favor from a friend. You get caught sneaking out one time, and suddenly you can’t be trusted anymore,” she grumbles.

“Do you wanna dance?” she chirps, putting on Chase Atlantic.

“This is my favorite song,” she adds as her eyes begin to light up and she sways to the music.

I laugh—it’s one of my favorites too. We spend the next hour dancing.

“I need to use the restroom,” Melinda says, skipping away as I continue to dance. My body sways with the rhythm.

“Who are you dancing for?”

A voice behind me sends shivers down my spine.