Ice & Prejudice

Chapter 5

Ria's POV:

The first light of morning filtered through the pale curtains, casting a warm, soft glow over my room. It was small but cozy, a haven I'd crafted with care. The bed was tucked into the corner, covered in floral sheets that added a splash of color to the space. A stack of books sat neatly on the floor beside it, their spines worn from frequent reading. I'd filled every available nook with items that felt like me—a record player with a small collection of vinyls, candles in various stages of melting, and a bookshelf that was overflowing with novels and notebooks.

My favorite part of the room was the window seat, piled with cushions, where I often curled up with a good book or just watched the world go by. Stacy wanted the bigger room anyways, so I was blessed with the window seat. It was a room full of character, full of my character.

When I shared a room in my childhood home with Gia, it was mainly her decoration... or rather lack thereof. Everything neat, and perfectly ordered. Our room often looked like a fancy hotel room, unlike Mia's and Lia's room. The only true sign of life in our room where the books and my record player and vinyls.

But this morning, the room felt a little less comforting, a little more claustrophobic. I stared at the ceiling, the events of yesterday swirling in my mind. My conversation with Stacy earlier this morning left a lingering unease, but it was my chat with Mia that really made me think.

Out of all my sisters, Mia understood the weight of this decision. She knew how important grad school abroad was to me, how much I craved that escape. I could still hear her sweet voice in my head, calm and steady as she'd said, "Ria, you've worked so hard for this. If you think you can handle it, maybe it's worth the risk."

I sat up in bed, the decision already forming in my mind. I knew what I had to do. Reaching for my phone, I scrolled to Eduard Wolves' number, my thumb hesitating over the screen. I took a deep breath and typed out the message that would change everything.

Ria: I'll do it.

I hit send before I could second-guess myself, the sound of the message whooshing away filling the silence. There was no going back now. My phone buzzed almost instantly with a reply.

Eduard Wolves: Thank you, Ria. Nikolai will meet you at The Ruby at 11 AM for your first session.

I sighed, sinking back into my pillows. Of course, Eduard wasted no time. The Wolves were always like that—decisive, unyielding. Now, I was trapped in their world once again, tethered by an agreement I couldn't afford to break.

The thought of spending time with Nikolai Wolves made me want to scream. The very idea of sitting across from him, of helping him pass his classes, felt like some kind of twisted cosmic joke. I groaned, rolling over to bury my face in the pillow. Before getting out of bed, I turned over so my face was against the pillow in a poor attempt to suffocate myself, in hopes I won't have to tutor nor face the oldest Wolves' child.

But I couldn't avoid it. The only way out was through, no matter how much I hated it. With a dramatic sigh, I tossed the pillow aside and dragged myself out of bed. There was just enough time to get ready before heading to The Ruby for my shift—and my first dreaded tutoring session with Nikolai.

Catching a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror. I had bags under my eyes, but it made my eye color pop, my hair was a bit of a mess too. But no matter how much I dreaded it, I knew what was at stake. I had to see this through, for my future, for the escape I so desperately needed.

With a resigned sigh, I started getting ready for the day, steeling myself for what was to come.

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