The Salvador Legacy

12 | My Kidneys?

"I'm sorry, what?" I heard the words but couldn't process them.

"A deal," Ace repeated, a slight smile crossing his lips. "A deal that beckons your presence at the Salvador Mansion—my mansion. Two months to be precise."

I was an intelligent person, but Ace Cartier might as well have been speaking Swedish for all I could understand. 

"Why would you want me in your mansion?" I asked. 

"That's the question of the hour, isn't it?" He stepped out from behind the desk, and suddenly I knew exactly what direction the train was coming from.

His

"I've taken the liberty of making travel arrangements on your behalf."

This wasn't an invitation. It was a summons. "What makes you think --" I started to say, but Bianca cut me off. 

"Great!" she said, giving me a healthy side-eye.

"Hey, How are you all over the place?" I thought she was serving a hard time in Groundedville, yet here she was, standing inside the principal's office, staring longingly at Ace, who, in typical Ace fashion, didn't give a damn.

"Rules are meant to be broken, darling, and I'm just the rule-breaker this school needs." She quipped, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Besides, do you really think I could resist a hot guy strolling by? I practically have a Ph.D. in Hot Guy Tracking," She strolled confidently to the desk, positioning herself opposite him. Her hands pressed against the desk as she leaned in, a sly grin playing on her lips.

Beverly Hills High—a haven for the privileged and the wealthiest. It was a dream school for people like me, but just another stroll in the park for someone like Bianca.

Her father, Mr. Carrington, owned luxury brands I could barely spell, let alone afford. With her social status and the way she carried herself, being grounded was practically a monthly subscription for her.

Going against the principal herself? Please, that was probably her morning routine, right after a cappuccino and a chat with the butler.

Ace smirked."I'll give you two a moment." His eyes lingered on mine for too long for comfort, and then, without another word, he strode out of the door. 

Bianca and I were silent for a full five seconds after he was gone. "Don't take this the wrong way," she whispered, "but I think he might be God"

I snorted. " He certainly thinks so." It was easier to ignore the effect he'd had on me now that he was gone. What kind of a person had a self-assurance that absolute?

It was there in every aspect of his posture and word choice, in every interaction. Power was as much a fact of life for this guy as gravity. The world bent to the will of Ace Cartier. 

What money couldn't buy him, those eyes probably did.

"Who does he think he is?" I muttered to myself as I stormed out of the principal's office. And there he was, casually standing next to my locker in an otherwise empty corridor. 

"I think you owe me some explanations," I said, my arms crossed defiantly. Ace looked unfazed, his expression a perfect blend of calm and mystery.

"All I'm asking for is a simple agreement," he replied smoothly, his eyes locking onto mine.

 "Reside in a mansion, a fortress where you'll be kept safe from any incoming danger. In return, a little incentive of 500,000 dollars will be given to you, for each day you're willing to stay."

My jaw practically hit the floor. 500,000 dollars a day? Is he Elon Musk's long-lost son or some walking ATM? I mused, mentally calculating the absurd sum.