Chapter 3

The air was thick with tension again.

Oaklee and I locked eyes, both completely stunned.

I felt like a bolt of lightning had blasted my mind wide open.

His dad owned this company?

So, all that badass stuff Oaklee pulled was actually performed right in front of the real heir?

My toes were digging in. I swore I could carve five deep scratches on the floor.

Oaklee's expression stiffened for a moment, but she quickly regained her composure.

The next second, she was back to her calm and breezy self, even strolling over to give the heir a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Oh, so you are my cousin.

"Here is the thing. As soon as I returned to the country, your dad let me take charge of the company for practice. He never told me you were interning here."

The guy looked totally lost. "My dad let you practice here?"

"Yeah," Oaklee replied, not missing a beat. "Your dad said I've got a real knack for business, and it'd be a shame if I didn't take over the family business.

"He also said you're still too young and need more experience. Oh, what's your name again?"

The guy looked even more bewildered. "I'm Charlie Kingston. But I don't remember having a cousin."

I couldn't hold back my laughter any longer.

Oaklee shot me a look that could kill, and I hurriedly slapped my hand over my mouth.

She turned back to Charlie, keeping a perfectly straight face as she continued her nonsense. "Of course, you don't remember me. I've been living abroad for years, staying under the radar.

"You know your dad. He's never been the flashy type. Alright, youngster, don't ask so many questions. Go on, run along now. Nothing here concerns you."

As she spoke, she actually pulled out some cash from her wallet and shoved it into Charlie's hand. "Here, this is some pocket money. If it's not enough, come find me for more. I'm your cousin after all."

Charlie stood there, holding the bills, looking like he'd been turned to stone.

He glanced at the money, then at Oaklee, his eyes filled with doubt, like he was questioning reality itself.

I'd never seen a situation this much of a mess in my life.

I had no clue how Charlie managed to stumble out of the conference room, totally out of it.

All I knew was that the moment he left, I shot up from my chair and rushed over to lock the door behind him.

"Oaklee, seriously, what the hell is going on here?" I growled, barely keeping my voice down, sounding like some wild animal. "Since when did you become the boss's sister? And now you're the heir's cousin? Did your family tree explode overnight or something?"

Oaklee calmly walked over to the couch, took a seat, and poured herself a glass of water. "Relax, Briella. No need to lose your cool."

"Relax? Are you kidding me?" I was freaking out. "Do you even realize what you did? You fired a top exec right in front of the heir, and then announced I'm the owner's woman. We're doomed!"

Oaklee took a sip of water, totally unfazed. "Why worry? We'll deal with whatever comes our way. Besides, I was sticking up for you. Didn't it feel awesome seeing Parker get dragged out?"

I was totally stumped.

Well, I guessed it was pretty satisfying.

"But this isn't about how awesome it was. This is about whether we're gonna end up behind bars," I practically yelled.

"Calm down." Oaklee waved her hand dismissively. "I've got your back. When have I ever let you down?"

I thought about it, and honestly, she really hadn't.

Ever since we were kids, she'd always had my back.

If anyone ever messed with me, she was the first to jump in and stand up for me.

But this time was different.

This time, we were in deep trouble.

"So, what's the deal with that black card?" I asked, clinging to the last shred of hope.

"Oh, that?" Oaklee grabbed the card from the table, waved it in front of me, and said, "I picked it up."

I nearly dropped dead right then and there.

Did she say she picked it up?

And she used some random black card she picked up to "buy" a whole company.

I really thought today was going to be my last day.

"Briella, what's up with you? You look terrible." Oaklee came over to check my forehead. "Chill out, I've got a plan."

"What kind of plan? Is your master plan turning us in at the police station?" I muttered, my voice weak and defeated.

"Of course not." Oaklee flashed a mysterious grin. "I planned to get you out of this hellhole and take you straight to the top."

As she spoke, she fished a set of keys out of her ridiculously expensive bag and slapped them into my hand. "Here, keys to a G-Wagon. They're all yours."

I stared at the car keys in my hand, feeling like I was holding a hot potato. "I don't want it. I can't even drive."

"No worries, I've already arranged a driver for you."

Then she pulled out an apartment key card. "It's the key to a spacious river-view apartment downtown. Tonight, you're moving in."

I shook my head like crazy, practically rattling. "I'm not going. I can't afford the property fees."

"No worries, I've already paid the property fees for ten years." And then, as if it was nothing, she whipped out a bank card. "There's 2 million in here. Your pocket money. Spend it however you want. If you run out, ask me for more."

I stared at the card and gulped.

2 million.

I'd never seen that much money in my whole life.

My common sense was yelling at me, saying don't take it, because this was way too shady.

But my hand, yielding to my desire, reached out and grabbed it.

"Oaklee," I whimpered. "Be real with me. Are you a sugar baby for some rich guy? If you are, can you let him check me out, too? Maybe I can hit the top with you."

Oaklee smacked me on the head. "Come on, have some ambition. Do I look like that kind of person? Everything I have, I earned myself."

"How?"

"I was born with a rich girl's fate."