Chapter 2
My phone buzzed with an incoming call. It was from my older brother, Glen Meyer.
"Annie, everything's been arranged."
I ended the call with a satisfied smile. I dressed up, put on lipstick, and exited my room.
"Johnny, has Glen called you yet? Mr. Wilson finally has time to meet with us today. We need to make the most of this opportunity," I said casually.
Karen and Lily emerged from the spare bedroom just then.
The moment Lily saw me, her eyes zeroed in on my diamond necklace and tasseled earrings. Her gaze betrayed admiration and envy as she scanned my designer handbag and outfit.
"Mr. Wilson? You mean the CEO overseeing those huge multinational accounts we've been trying to connect with?"
Johnny jumped to his feet in excitement. He was the type to seize any opportunity to climb the ladder, and this meeting had been on his radar for a while.
Noticing Lily's awed expression, Karen hastily said, "Johnny, Lily hasn't experienced something like that before. Why don't you take her along? It'll be good exposure for her."
I glanced at my freshly manicured nails and remarked nonchalantly, "You've got a point. It's a rare chance. Mr. Wilson is one of the top regional distributors in the country. Anyone who successfully builds a relationship with him is bound to see their status soar."
My words only made Lily more eager. She nervously twisted the hem of her shirt and asked, "Johnny, do you think I could tag along? I promise I won't interfere. I just want to watch from the sidelines."
"Well, if you really want to…" Johnny hesitated.
All three of them turned toward me, waiting for my response.
I tilted my head and said with exaggeration, "Your clothes are too shabby. Mr. Wilson is an important client for the company. Showing up dressed like that might give him the wrong impression about our standards…"
Lily was in a black-and-white checkered T-shirt and a pair of cropped skinny jeans. After several days of train travel, even her collar was stained and worn.
She glanced down at her outfit, then at me. I was dressed in a limited-edition bodycon dress, and the difference was painfully obvious to her.
Karen was annoyed by my attitude. She nudged Johnny with her elbow and gave him several looks.
Caught between us, Johnny hesitated for a moment before reluctantly saying, "Annie, you've got so many clothes. Can't you lend Lily something? You're about the same height anyway. She's new to the city. Let's not make things difficult for her."
It seemed that they had mastered the art of moral manipulation.
"Sure. Which one should I lend her? Hermès or Chanel?" I asked with mock seriousness, my heels clicking on the floor as I approached Lily.
I glanced her over from head to toe and added, "But if it gets dirty, will you cover the thousand-dollar dry cleaning fee?"
Lily instinctively shook her head, which made me snort.
"If you can't afford it, then forget about it. Not just anyone can wear these clothes."
Provoked by my insult, Lily immediately fired back, "Just because I can't afford it now doesn't mean I never will. One day, I'll have better than anything you own!"
"Then you'd better work hard. For now, you should check your suitcase and see if you've got anything remotely suitable," I replied with a shrug.
"Johnny, just buy Lily something nice," Karen chimed in. "It's just a piece of clothing. What dry cleaning would cost 1,000 dollars?"
Johnny's jaw tightened. "Annie's dress is from an international fashion show. It cost 16 grand."
"What?" Karen's eyes widened as though she'd never heard of such an amount.
Then, she turned on me and scolded, "Johnny works hard for his money, and you're out here spending it like water! How could you be so reckless?"
"It's my own money I spent. What does that have to do with your son?"
"Alright, that's enough from both of you!" Johnny yelled with a scowl to avoid further embarrassment.
"What's wrong? Are you feeling insecure? Then go ahead and buy Lily something decent so she doesn't look so shabby," I refuted, refusing to back down.
I doubted he was willing to spend 16 grand on Lily.
"Annie, you've treated Mom with nothing but hostility from the beginning. And Lily's just starting out. She doesn't deserve all this attitude from you."
Johnny sounded furious. I could see he was trying hard to project himself as the "man of the house" around Karen and Lily.
"If this is how you're going to behave, then maybe you shouldn't attend the meeting with Mr. Wilson. Lily and I can handle it ourselves," he continued, expecting me to argue.
But I didn't say another word.
Thinking they'd gotten the upper hand, Lily smirked as she passed me and whispered just loud enough for me to hear, "This house will be mine someday. Just wait and see."
Karen couldn't resist adding her own jab. "What good is all that money and glamor? With a horrible temper like yours, it's no wonder you can't have children!"
I allowed them to mock me all they wanted and calmly took a seat. I picked up a cup of tea from the table and sipped it slowly, waiting for the real show to begin.
You may also like
