Ruby is in shock: Her worst nightmare has come true, and now Oxford and all her dreams that finally seemed within reach are at risk. Worst of all, everything points to James as the one responsible, even after everything they ve been through together. Ruby thought that she had met the real James the one who has his own dreams, the one who makes her laugh and makes her heart beat faster with a single glance.

However, after an explosive fight between the two, they discover a terrible truth. Together, Ruby fights to graduate, as James tries to clear her name at school. But that means once again James must challenge his father and his expectations for him. And despite everything, James still threatens to break under the obligations to his family. Ruby and James must ask themselves if the worlds they live in are perhaps too different after all, or if they can finally find a way back to each other.

Autorentext
Mona Kasten is an international bestselling author and literary phenomenon. She was born in Hamburg in 1992 and studied library and information management before devoting herself entirely to writing. After the success of her first novel, Begin Again, she quickly established herself as a star in German publishing and around the world, and her Maxton Hall series solidified that. She has sold over 3 million copies in her country of Germany alone, and translation rights to her series have been sold in over twenty countries.

Leseprobe
1

Graham

When I was younger, my grandfather always used to ask me, If one day you lost everything, what would you do? I would never think seriously about my answer to the question, just say whatever popped into my head first at that moment.

When I was six, and my brother had deliberately broken my toy truck, I said, I'll fix the digger.

When I was ten, and we moved from Manchester to the outskirts of London, I said, I'll just have to find new friends.

And when I was seventeen, my mum died, and while I was trying to be strong for my dad and my brother, I said, We can get through this.

Even then, giving up was not an option.

But now, aged almost twenty-four, sitting here in this office where I suddenly feel like a criminal, I no longer have an answer. At this moment I feel as though there's no way out of this situation, that my future is uncertain. I don't know how I'm meant to go on from here.

The drawer squeaks as I pull it out of the heavy cherrywood desk. I dig around in the muddle of pens and notepads that have accumulated there over the last year. My movements are slow, my arms feel like lead. But I need to hurry-I have to be out of the building by the end of lunch.

You are suspended with immediate effect. You are expressly forbidden from maintaining any contact with Maxton Hall students. If you breach this ban, I will go to the police.

The pens fall through my fingers and clatter onto the floor.

Bloody fucking hell.

I bend down, pick them up, and dump them in a box with the rest of my belongings. It's a mishmash of notes, textbooks, my grandfather's globe, and handouts I'd photocopied for tomorrow's lessons and now might as well leave behind, although I can't bring myself to do that.

I look around the office. The shelves are bare, and there's nothing but a few bits of paper on the desk and the smudged writing pad to show that I was marking essays here until a few hours ago.

You only have yourself to blame, a spiteful voice nags in my head.

I rub my pounding temples as I check all the drawers and cubbyholes in the desk one last time. I shouldn't drag out my goodbyes any longer than strictly necessary, but I'm surprised by how reluctant I am to tear myself away from this room. I'd decided weeks ago to look for a job in another school so that I could be together with Lydia. But there is a major difference between leaving a job of your own accord and being escorted out by security.

I gulp hard and take my jacket from the wooden coat stand. Mechanically, I pull it on, then grab the box and walk to the door. I leave the office without a backward glance.

The questions are piling up in my head: Does Lydia know? How is she? When will I be able to see her? What should I do now? Can I ever work as a teacher again? What if I can't?

But I can't find the answers to them now. All I can do is fight the rising panic and walk down the corridor toward the school office to drop off my keys. Kids run past me, and some of them greet me politely. My stomach is throbbing painfully. It's a struggle to smile back at them. Teaching here was fun.

I turn the corner and, suddenly, it feels as though someone's tipped a bucket of ice-cold water over my head. I stop so abruptly that someone crashes into me from behind and murmurs an apology. But I barely take it in-my eyes are fixed on the tall, red-blond young man whom I have to thank for this entire situation.

James Beaufort's face doesn't flinch at the sight of me. Far from it-he looks totally unbothered, as if he hasn't just screwed up my entire life.

I knew what he was capable of. And I was aware that it wasn't a good idea to get on the wrong side of him. Lexington warned me as much on my first day at this school: You never know what he and his friends will do next. Watch out for them. I didn't pay much attention to his words because I knew the other side