Page 98 of Cruel Elite (Princes of Ravenlake Academy 3)

That’s impossible.

“It’s not you, Noah.” I curl my hand through his hair, trying to soothe him. “It has nothing to do with you.”

“He’s leaving. It has to have something to do with me.”

Noah closes his eyes and shakes his head.

When he opens them again, his face is curiously blank, the emotion buried deep within.

“Sorry, this isn’t about me. You’re the one who asked to meet here.”

I wave him away, suddenly not wanting to tell him my news. “It’s nothing.”

“Please. It will distract me.”

Even though I’d just convinced myself there’s no way Noah’s family’s deterioration could have anything to do with me, my stomach turns.

I feel shaky, nervous—and Noah can tell.

“What is it?” he presses, grabbing my hand and twining his fingers through mine.

I take a deep breath. “My mom is pregnant.”

His head snaps towards me, eyes wide. “What? I didn’t even know she was dating anyone.”

“Me neither,” I say with a breathy laugh. “Apparently, she had to keep it quiet… because the guy was married.”

I don’t look up.

Noah’s hand stills.

I want to shake him.

I want to slap the thought right out of his head because it can’t be true.

It can’t be.

“Who is he?”

My mouth is cottony as I shake my head. “I don’t know. She didn’t trust me to keep her secret, so she wouldn’t say. The only thing she said is she met him at a party when my dad was still alive. I think he works at Barber Engineering.”

I still can’t look up.

Noah bolts up and spins towards me, his pale skin turning a sickly shade of green. “Penn.”

“No.” I slice my hand through the air, refusing to entertain the theory. “No, okay? It’s not possible.”

His brow furrows and then relaxes. He takes a deep breath. “You’re right. My dad is moving in with his girlfriend today. I think you’d know if someone was moving into your house.”

I feel dizzy.

Do people faint as often as they do in old movies?

If so, I think it’s about to happen to me.

My blood is pooling in my feet. My throat is swollen with unshed tears.

“Penny?”

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