The admission hung between us like a confession. This was a side of Alexander I’d never seen—someone who cared about fairness and opportunity, who used his privilege to help others rather than advance his own position.
“How many other students are you tutoring?” I asked.
“A few. Maybe six or seven.” Alexander’s voice was carefully neutral, like he was trying to downplay the significance of what he was doing. “It’s not organized or official. Just students who need help and can’t afford the academy’s premium tutoring services.”
“Alexander, that’s—”
“Don’t make it sound noble. I’m not running a charity.” But there was something defensive in his tone that suggested my admiration made him uncomfortable.
“Why do you hide it?”
“Because people expect certain things from Calloways. Ruthless a
