The Golden Ruins (High School Series #2)

Chapter 20

"How?!" I exclaimed, panic rising in my voice.

The world around me seemed to blur as my mind raced. All the memories of the camp, the exhilarating volleyball matches, and the camaraderie with my friends seemed to vanish in an instant. Now that my mother the dual identity I had maintained throughout the entire school year—I knew with certainty that she would not take this betrayal lightly.

This is what I get for letting my guard down, thinking I could rely on my older brother to cover for me. It felt like we were back when I was eight, sneaking a slice of chocolate cake without permission. Back then, Yanlin defended me because I kept quiet about his secret girlfriends instead of him attending his classes. But this time, the stakes were much higher.

I yanked open the car door and slid inside, my heart hammering in my chest. I thought I was slick, keeping this secret from my mom for almost a year. She always had a sharp mind—something the Velez clan inherited from her.

Yanlin, however, looked even more frazzled than me. His usually composed demeanor was replaced with sheer panic as he fumbled with the car keys, dropping them twice before finally starting the engine.

"She had a spy, Eli! A freaking spy!" Yanlin's voice cracked as he gripped the steering wheel, eyes darting around wildly. "Mom knows everything! She found out about your switch, my cover-up, and even the letters from Montessori I hid. We're so busted!"

"Yanlin, calm down!" I snapped, trying to keep my own anxiety in check.

"Think? Think?!" Yanlin practically screeched, his voice cracking under the strain. "Do you know what this means? Mom's going to kill us! I've got a life here, Eli! A girlfriend! Plans!"

"What should I tell her?" I asked, my fingers nervously twisting together. My mind raced, scrambling for excuses that might save me from the impending storm. "I know! I could tell her that I was volunteering at a shelter, or that I needed a break from the pressure at Montessori, or maybe even that Baviera offered a unique program I couldn't resist!"

His usually immaculate hair was disheveled, and he kept wiping his sweaty palms on his designer jeans. "And my cars! She'll probably take away my cars!"

His usually confident demeanor had crumbled into a state of frantic chaos. I could see the fear and frustration etched into every line of his face. He started to tap his foot nervously against the car's floor.

"Seriously?!" I couldn't contain my disbelief. "All this chaos, and all you're worried about is your precious cars?!"

Yanlin let out a bitter laugh, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, a habit he had when he was nervous. "You'd be too if you knew she's waiting for us at home right now, probably ready to drag us back to China on the next flight!"

The mere thought sent a shiver down my spine. "Mom... She's here?!" The words tumbled out of my mouth, dread coloring my tone.

Yanlin didn't meet my gaze, his eyes fixed on the road ahead as if he could outrun the reality of the situation. "Yeah," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. "She's here since morning. That's why I've been blowing up your phone."

My mother, the formidable CEO of Velez, had always been a force to reckon with. Her schedule was packed tighter than the seams of her meticulously tailored suits, leaving little room for anything other than business meetings and corporate strategizing. The idea of her suddenly appearing here, in the midst of my carefully constructed façade, seemed too surreal to comprehend.

Our mother's determination to control every aspect of our lives was something I had never fully escaped.

"Mom..."