ANDREA POV
My whole life changed in the blink of an eye. I never imagined this day would come so soon. Standing there in my favorite lacy black gown, I stared down as they laid my lovely mother to rest at Hampstead Cemetery in London.
When it was my turn to speak, I couldn't finish. What was there to say? I hated this reality. A brief illness had stolen her from me. We'd had our issues, but she was my world—she was always there for me. Always.
I looked around and spotted my father. He looked blank, almost impatient, as if he were just waiting for the funeral to end so he could ship me off to New York. My parents had me young and split up before they ever made it to the altar. I grew up with Mom, only spending occasional holidays with Dad and the ultra-wealthy Lombardi family.
A few hours later, the house began to empty. That was when the real pain set in. I sat in the living room while my dad talked to my aunt, feeling a heavy desire to just sleep forever. I knew there was no use arguing; my dad would never let me stay with my aunt and cousins. It had been a legal battle just for him to let me live with Mom in the first place. Now that she was gone, I belonged to the Lombardis.
"Andrea, you need to pack a few things," my dad said softly, sitting beside me. "Just take the essentials. We'll get you everything else in New York. The private jet will be ready in less than an hour."
I couldn't find the words to argue. I just nodded and walked to my room with Aunt Ava following closely behind. I sat on my bed and scanned the walls. I was going to miss this place so much. A wave of nostalgia hit me—I remembered how Mom used to burst through that door to scold me. I would have given anything to hear her yell at me just one more time. I didn't even realize I was crying until I felt Aunt Ava's arms around me.
"Oh, baby," she whispered.
"I miss her," I sobbed.
"I know. I miss her too."
I packed what mattered most from my room and Mom's. Aunt Ava promised to put the rest in a storage unit for me, and then it was time to go.
This wasn't my first time on the private jet, but it felt different. I wasn't coming back to London anytime soon. During the eight-hour flight, I put on my AirPods and cried myself into a nap—the kind of sleep you hope you don't wake up from.
When we landed in New York, four SUVs and a team of security guards were waiting on the tarmac. My dad and I climbed into one and drove off. He was on his phone the entire ride; he's a busy man, though I'll never forget how he dropped everything the moment I told him Mom was sick. He had landed in London that night, and she died the next day. Sometimes I wondered why they ever broke up; in a weird way, they still seemed to love each other.
We pulled onto the familiar private road leading to his mansion. It's a massive house for just one person, though he travels so much he's barely there anyway. As soon as the car stopped, I hurried inside. I just wanted a soft mattress and silence.
When I reached my bedroom, I paused. It looked different.
"Do you like it? I had them do a little renovation for you," my dad said from the doorway.
"Yes, it's nice," I replied softly.
"Alright. Freshen up and come down for dinner."
"I'm not hungry, Dad. I just want to sleep."
He nodded understandingly and left me alone. I soaked in the tub, letting the hot water numb the ache in my bones, then pulled on some pajamas and collapsed into bed.
A week passed. New York was boring—no friends, no one to talk to except Martha, the housekeeper. I've known Martha for years from my holiday visits. She's in her fifties and has a son my age, so she has a motherly way about her that reminds me of Mom.
Martha took me shopping for school supplies and made me milkshakes when she saw me moping. She was the only life in this quiet mansion—until I went through my dad's wardrobe and found a woman's clothes. Martha hinted that he has a girlfriend but wouldn't say more; she wanted me to hear it from him. Honestly, I didn't mind. I needed all the company I could get.
Dad told me I'd be starting my senior year at Silverbrook Academy. I looked it up: it's the most elite school in Kingston. Only the wealthiest families send their kids there. Great, I thought. I'm going to be schooling with a bunch of snobs.
I missed London. I missed Emily, Lily, and Thomas. I missed my neighbors. But life happens.
My dad is essentially a celebrity here because he runs one of the top banks in New York, and the Lombardi family has businesses all over the globe. My grandparents never supported my mom, so I stayed distant from that side of the family. Now, I was right in the middle of it.
To keep my mind off things, I started hitting the home gym. On my third day, the door opened. It was my dad.
"Hey, princess," he said, kissing my forehead.
"Hey, Dad."
"Sorry I've been so busy with work. You'll be starting school on Monday, so you'll make friends soon. But first, I have a surprise."
He led me outside to the driveway where a black G-Wagon sat. A man in his forties stood beside it.
"This is James, your driver. He'll take you anywhere you need to go."
I looked at the car, then at James. A driver? That's the surprise?
Dad seemed to read my mind. "There's more. I booked a spa appointment for you tomorrow. My friend's daughter will be there; she's also attending Silverbrook. I thought the two of you could get to know each other."
Now, that was a better surprise. "Thanks, Dad," I said.
He pulled me into a hug. "Princess, I know you miss your mom. But everything is going to be alright."
His hug was warm and comforting. For a moment, I just wanted to stay right there and never let go.