Chapter 2

As soon as we stepped outside, I told the driver to head straight for a high-end mall.

On the way, Hilary kept trying to fish for my opinion about "my mom", but I just kept laying on the praise. She faked a couple of awkward laughs. "You two must be pretty close, huh?"

I blinked at her, all innocent. "Ms. Ryan, my mom and I are family. If I'm not close to her, seriously, who else would I be close to? You?"

That clearly hit a nerve. Hilary clung to my hand and blurted out, "Sophie, don't take this the wrong way, but don't you think your mom treats you kind of poorly?"

I blinked, honestly baffled. "Poorly? What do you mean?"

Hilary launched into her rant. "Your dad said she's signed you up for all these extracurricular classes, totally filling up your calendar. That's unfair. You're 16 now. Why does she get to run your life?"

Her argument was so ridiculous that I nearly laughed out loud. "Let me see if I understand. You think it's a bad thing that I'm taking horseback riding and golf lessons and learning from the best tutors?"

Hilary nodded with all the confidence in the world. "Exactly. That woman's a total control freak, always pulling your dad's strings, and now she's trying to run your life too."

Oh, so that was her angle. She was showing up just to drive a wedge between me and Sophie.

I slid my hand free and replied coolly, "Actually, I chose those classes for myself."

No lies there. Those extracurriculars? They were totally Sophie's idea. As a child from an affluent family, I'd raised her to be decisive and clear-minded since she was little. She knew from the start that stuff like horseback riding and golf were essential for making connections in our world.

"Plus, after I turned six, my mom let me make my own decisions. She seriously hasn't run my life at all. So I really don't think she's a control freak," I replied, keeping it casual.

Honestly, Sophie was super close to me. Nothing beat her hugging me and telling me that I was literally the best mom on earth.

Hilary was clearly trying to create a rift between us, but failing. I just shot her a look, and she forced a smile. "Well, you're still too young to really know what's truly best for you."

I glanced at her coolly. "If spending almost 100 million dollars per year on my development is considered 'treating me poorly,' then seriously, how else is she supposed to treat me well?"

The mention of that kind of money made Hilary's face twitch. She said, "Wow, so your mom's stingy with your dad, but she's super generous with you."

I played it cool and just let her talk.

Of course I'd rather spend my money on Sophie. Why would I let William use it to spoil his mistress?

I only gave him 30,000 dollars a month for spending money, and he still managed to keep a side chick. It just proved I was right to control the purse strings all along.

By the time we arrived at the mall, Hilary looked like she was about to die of embarrassment. But the second we walked into the ocean of luxury stores, her awkwardness melted away. Her eyes sparkling, she was totally hyped like she'd hit the jackpot.

She clung to my arm, acting all close and sweet. "Wow, Sophie, you're the best. I've never been anywhere this fancy before. It's all thanks to you."

No surprise it was her first time. The pathetic allowance William handed her every month could never fund this kind of splurge. After all, shopping there came with personal service, and the entry requirement was spending hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. No way she'd get in on her own.

I just flashed a smile and walked in with her by my side.