Ronnie kept going. "This is all to protect what the three of us have. Taking a small loss won't kill you."
"Just cover the cost, Daphne stays happy, and I won't be upset with you either."
If I were still in the dark, sure, losing this bond would've broken my heart.
Too bad I knew everything now.
I pushed the feeling down.
"I pulled an all-nighter for work yesterday," I said. "I don't have the energy to go to the mall. You go take a look."
"Great!"
Ronnie thought I'd pay up like a good girl and hung up, laughing.
At the same time, Daphne's message came through: 【Mila, you're the best! I'm not mad at you anymore, love you, love you! Mwah!】
I didn't reply. I tossed the phone aside and went back to sleep.
That evening.
When I woke up, a few more messages were waiting.
Daphne: 【I found an even prettier one, $28,000. Buy it for me, okay?】
Ronnie: 【No answer, so I'll take that as a yes. Daphne will set up the installment plan for now, and you can come by another day to pay it off early.】
Daphne: 【If it's cleared within a month, there's no interest! Mila, don't forget!】
She'd already posted it to her feed to show it off.
Same as always, no mention of who'd paid.
The comments underneath were all envy.
Someone asked if she'd struck it rich, what her salary was.
She replied: 【Oh, it's nothing special!】
Ronnie replied: 【Daphne's amazing.】
Anyone who didn't know better would think Daphne actually had talent.
When really, she'd just been bleeding me dry.
And the necklace I wore myself only cost a thousand or so, while Daphne went straight for a $28,000 one.
Big spender.
She and Ronnie never spent their own money, so they had no idea how much it stung.
But I didn't call it out right away.
I acted like I hadn't seen a thing.
I wasn't going to pay for it anyway, and I wanted to see how a girl who spent every paycheck the day she got it would settle the bill.
Monday.
Daphne wore that $28,000 necklace to work, and made a point of asking me loudly, "Mila, does it look good?"
"It looks good."
I smiled.
Other coworkers caught wind and crowded around her, asking, "How much was this necklace?"
"Twenty-eight thousand."
Daphne answered while gripping my hand.
Her way of telling me not to expose her, to save her face.
Before, I'd cared about our sisterhood and would've kept quiet.
Now there was even less reason to say anything.
Because I wasn't the one paying.
"God, twenty-eight grand?! Daphne, I never would've guessed you were this rich."
"I wish I had your kind of talent."
"Mila, look at your little sister here, then look at yourself. She's way ahead of you."
"Right? You may have brought her into the company, but her necklace alone is worth twenty-eight grand. And you? You've got nothing."
The coworkers chattered over each other, one flattering, one stepping on me.
Daphne didn't say a single word in my defense. She just soaked it up, pleased with herself.
I only smiled.
"Ahem, ahem!"
"Everyone, quiet down!"
Just then, Mr. Finch walked in.
"I'm here to announce the appointment for General Manager of Marketing."
Daphne's smile widened, her eyes lit up, and she couldn't hide her excitement.
She thought the promotion was hers.
The coworkers all turned to look at Daphne too.
Just as certain she was about to be promoted.
After all, word that I was quitting had already spread everywhere, and with the help I'd given her, Daphne ranked second in the department.
But the next second, Mr. Finch looked at me and said, "Effective today, Mila Henson is promoted to General Manager of Marketing."
In that instant Daphne's smile froze, and her head snapped around to stare at me.
Nothing but shock in her eyes.
