chapter468

Lydia's words hit Lucinda like a slap.

A hundred times? Did Lydia even realize how many words that was?

"Do you know how long it takes to copy out that whole book just once? You want me to do that a hundred times? How long do you think that'll take?" Lucinda stared at her in disbelief. Where did Lydia even get these crazy ideas? And of all things, writing was what she hated most.

Lydia raised her eyebrows, looking completely unbothered. "So what? That's just 1.6 million words. It's summer break. You're not exactly busy. Copying this might actually be good for you."

Lucinda felt her frustration bubbling over. But...

Lydia just gave her a look. Unless you'd rather I take your head off and use it as a soccer ball?"

Lucinda snapped her mouth shut.

Chris laughed under his breath. "Come on, Lucinda. Copying a book a hundred times is way better than losing your head, isn't it?"

Lucinda shot him a death glare. Chris was seriously the worst.

Out of reflex, she glanced over at Iceblade, who was just standing there, watching the drama unfold like it was his favorite show. Wasn't he the one who said he liked her? If so, then why wasn't he stepping in to help when Lydia was clearly bullying her?

She locked eyes with him, silently begging for backup. Iceblade just smiled, totally calm. "A bet's a bet. A hundred copies in exchange for your life? I'd say you got off easy."

Lucinda's eyes widened. Was he for real? Did Jay even hear himself? Did he actually want her to be with him? He just told her to accept the punishment, saying it was worth her life. Was that what a devoted admirer was supposed to say?

Kylie and Cameron chimed in too. "Lucinda, you made the bet. You've got to keep your word. You can't just back out."

They all remembered that time Lydia first came back to the Norwood family to help treat their grandfather. Lucinda had made a bet with her then top, and when she lost, she hadn't kept her promise. Now she'd lost again, but Lydia wasn't even being that harsh. She was just asking for some copying, not something impossible. No one could say Lydia was being unfair.

Lucinda felt her eyes sting, but she refused to cry. She turned, desperate, to Blake.

Blake just looked at her seriously.

"Lucinda, next time you want to make a bet, think about whether you're actually willing to accept the consequences if you lose you lose If you're not, don't make the bet." He couldn't help but think she'd been spoiled too

much growing up, always speaking before thinking things through.

Everyone was siding with Lydia. Not a single person stood up for her. They all said

she was family, but when she needed them, they left her on her own.

"Fine. I get it, Mom, Dad, Blake. After the piano competition tomorrow, I'll start copying when I get home."

It was just copying, right? She'd just find someone to do it for her. Easy.

But she'd never forget how humiliated she felt today. She tucked the anger away, promising herself she'd pay them back. Tomorrow, when she took home the championship at the international piano competition, she'd show Lydia who deserved to be smug.

Piano was way more elegant than racing anyway. Too bad Lydia had zero talent for music. She was nothing but a wild brute.

Lucinda was so annoyed she

skipped lunch with the others and didn't even bother to watch Chris' race that afternoon. She went straight back to the hotel by herself, feeling like she was about to burst from all the frustration she couldn't share with anyone else there was only one person she could talk to about this-Grace.

At least Grace always had her back.

Meanwhile, Grace was in her hotel room, fuming at the men she'd hired yesterday. And there was that disgusting pig of a man from last night. She'd picked him out for Lydia, but somehow everything had backfired. The memory just made her angrier.

She'd already taken care of that man, had him chopped up and thrown into a pond. No one would ever find out. Night Eagle definitely wouldn't know that she'd been messed with by someone so revolting.