My first day back in the country, and already some pampered kept princess with a bad case of "baby brain" was trying to shake me down.
All because the dress I had on happened to match hers.
The kept woman walked up to me, eyes rimmed red.
"You did this on purpose! You dressed up just like Baby to spite Baby!"
"Take the dress off. Apologize to Baby. Or Baby's brothers are going to be very unhappy."
I didn't even think about it. "Huh? And why would I?"
In an instant she was crying like a wilting flower, while her assistant whipped out a phone, hit speaker, and dialed four numbers.
"Then I'll just have to ask Baby's brothers to settle this for her."
The crowd around us went off like a powder keg.
"That's the Harding Media heir!"
"And Sid Dickerson, the top producer! Asher Perry from the luxury conglomerate! And Duane Lambert from the legal world too?!"
"Any one of those four stamps a foot and the whole elite circle quakes..."
"This girl is finished today..."
But I laughed out loud.
Connor Harding? Sid Dickerson? Asher Perry? Duane Lambert?
Weren't those my four loyal hounds?
Two years lying low overseas and I don't see them, and the dogs have actually made names for themselves. Bold enough to keep a pet bird on the side now?
——
First day off the plane, and I got cornered right outside a shopping mall.
The elite circle's "baby princess," Leonora Matthews, was holding an event there today, and the entire floor had been cleared out.
I was standing on the edge of the crowd with a coffee, watching the show, when every set of eyes around me swung toward me at once.
I looked down. My limited-edition designer collab dress was identical to the one she had on.
The crowd parted on its own to make a path.
Leonora came at me on twelve-centimeter heels, eyes rimmed red, eyeliner smudged just a touch, the whole pose pitched perfectly.
"Take the dress off and apologize to Baby. Otherwise Baby's brothers are going to be very upset, you know."
I nearly spat out my coffee. "Huh? And why would I?"
Leonora's expression shattered on the spot, tears spilling on command.
Her assistant instantly pulled out a phone, switched on speaker, and dialed four numbers in a row.
Harding Media heir Connor Harding, top producer Sid Dickerson, the luxury conglomerate's Asher Perry, and the legal world's Duane Lambert.
The crowd erupted. "Any one of those four shows up and the whole elite circle trembles! This girl is done for today..."
The corner of Leonora's mouth ticked up, just slightly. "Baby doesn't want to trouble her brothers, after all..."
But I found it funny.
Weren't these the same little brats who used to trail after me back in the day?
Two years lying low overseas, and they'd all turned into elite-circle big shots? And kept a pampered little bird on the side?
The smile on my face slowly faded. I lifted my eyes to her.
"Those four brothers of yours, how soon can they get here? While you're at it, tell them this. The name is Julie Swanson, and I've got business with them."
Leonora's face went green. "Who do you think you are? You're not even worth it."
I couldn't be bothered to waste words on her. I grabbed the nearest security guard. "How do I get to Harding Media headquarters?"
"Out of the mall, head east, over by the downtown financial district."
"Thanks."
Connor was the leader. Back then he'd been the loudest one stirring up trouble.
When it came to who needed to be put in his place, he was first in line.
I turned and walked, not sparing Leonora another glance.
A scream came from behind me. "Who said you could leave! Baby hasn't forgiven you yet!"
I didn't even slow down.
The three assistants behind Leonora immediately broke into a jog, caught up, and blocked my path.
"Sweetheart, Baby hasn't told you that you can go yet."
"Take my advice and fix that attitude. You can't handle what happens when Baby's in a bad mood."
The lead assistant, a woman, raised her hand to shove me.
Her hand never touched the hem of my dress.
I shifted to the side and gave her a light pull.
The assistant went stumbling, flying off and landing flat on her backside in the flowerbed by the mall entrance, mud splashing across her face.
