Chapter 3

I thought Yulia would be too ashamed to show her face and would slink away in shame.

But to my surprise, overnight she had already won back the trust of both Yannick and Tyler.

"Yulia just has a bit of girlish vanity," Yannick said, his tone dismissive. "It's not a big deal. As long as she admits her mistake and mends her ways, she's still a good girl."

Tyler said, "If Yulia doesn't pass the exams this year, she can retake them next year. I'll tutor her myself."

Only my adoptive mother snorted coldly.

I couldn't be bothered to analyze what tricks Yulia had pulled. I had plans to meet a friend today.

But Yulia tagged along, putting on a pitiful act as she pleaded, "Ruby, are you going out? Can you take me with you? I'd love to broaden my horizons, too."

"Ruby," Yannick commanded, "take Yulia out for some fresh air. She's feeling down right now."

She was feeling down?

I shot a glance at the preening Yulia and rolled my eyes in utter exasperation.

*****

Yulia still tagged along with me.

I'd arranged to meet my friend at an upscale café, and she was already waiting when I arrived.

"Ruby, you're late. So you're buying today," Nina Jones teased.

She was the heiress of the Jones family and a close friend of mine. Two years older than me, she had already taken over the family business and was a true powerhouse.

I smiled, ordered three coffees, and picked up the tab.

Moments later, the server brought our coffees over.

Yulia, eager to take a photo, elbowed the server in her haste. A few drops of coffee splashed out, landing right on her designer bag.

Yulia shouted, "Are you blind? This is a designer bag. Do you even have the money to pay for the damage?"

The server hastily bowed in apology.

She wouldn't let it go. She snapped, "How do you do your job? Get your manager here now. I'm filing a complaint. And you're paying for a brand new bag."

Nina, annoyed by the noise, shot her a sharp glance and said, "I'll cover whatever that bag costs. Now shut it."

Yulia finally shut up.

Nina shot a glance at me and asked, "Who's she?"

With a weary sigh, I said, "She was like a family to me back at the orphanage."

Yulia exploded at this and called out, "Orphanage? Who the hell is your family? I'm part of the Carter family now. I'll get my share of the Carter family fortune. Who do you think you are?"

Now that Yannick and Tyler weren't around, Yulia finally dropped the act and showed her true colors.

Before I could respond, Nina's face darkened.

Without hesitation, Nina grabbed her coffee cup and splashed its contents all over Yulia, snapping fiercely, "Ruby is my best friend. Insulting her means insulting me. Who the hell do you think you are to say that?"

Yulia let out a piercing shriek.

She sprang to her feet, her face contorted with rage as her piercing shrieks echoed through the café.

Yulia snatched up her bag, poised to strike Nina, but instantly froze under Nina's piercing glare.

The Jones family held considerable sway in Chalon, and Nina, long accustomed to power, was not one to tolerate disrespect.

Her bodyguards immediately rushed over, seized Yulia, and tossed her out of the café.

Finally, it was quiet. Nina flicked her ear in annoyance and said with disdain, "Does a low-class brat like that deserve to be your family?"

I smiled, keeping my thoughts to myself.

She was indeed my family at the orphanage, but now, in the Carter family, she still claimed to be my family.

But soon enough, she wouldn't be.