Chapter 8
+15 BONUS
Along with the bank transfer, a reminder popped up about a beachside villa trip she had booked.
Emily had almost forgotten about it. She had planned a three–day, two–night getaway, hoping for some time with Justin by the sea.
Back then, he had been so busy with work that he barely had any free time, and she had to sweet–talk him into agreeing. She had even picked a local spot to make it easier for him.
But now, all the things she had prepared for that trip were gone and tossed out when she cleared her closet recently.
Pulling herself out of her thoughts, Emily realized she didn’t need Justin to go. She could still enjoy the trip with Helen. Life would go on without him.
“Helen, I’ve got a trip booked for a beachside villa. It’s three days, two nights, right here in the city. Wanna go?” Emily asked, rubbing her sleepy eyes as she stood there in her nightgown.
“A trip?” Helen’s face lit up. “Absolutely! I’ll just skip a few classes,” she replied excitedly. “I mean, I’ll ask for a little time off from my advisor,” she corrected herself under Emily’s stern glare.
Helen was a college sophomore, notorious for her nonchalant attitude in class. Despite her lack of attention, she always managed to ace her exams, claiming that the courses were too easy to bother with and that fun was far more interesting.
The next afternoon was perfect, with bright sunshine and a gentle breeze. The daytime temperatures were much more pleasant than the night’s chill, offering a comfortable balance of warmth and coolness.
Emily and Helen dressed in stylish casual outfits, hands full with bags as they loaded up the car and headed to Westhill Peninsula Villa.
They pulled into the parking lot, following the GPS directions. Helen gripped the steering wheel, scanning for an
empty space.
“There’s one over there,” Emily pointed to a spot on the right.
“Seems like it’s a popular spot,” Helen said as she backed into the space. Just then, a car zoomed in behind them and crashed into the back of Helen’s car with a loud *thud*.
“What’s his problem? Rushing through the parking lot like he’s late to his own funeral!” Helen’s mood was instantly soured as she jumped out of the car, ready to confront the driver.
Emily quickly followed as she was worried Helen might end up on the wrong side of an argument.
“Well, no wonder you suck at parking. It’s a woman behind the wheel!” A young man with dyed red hair and sunglasses got out of the other car, chewing gum and looking at them with disdain.
“My friend’s car is a luxury sportscar, you know. You got the money to pay for that?” He lowered his sunglasses, giving their pink car a scornful glance.
Helen’s temper flared at the insult.
“Your parking skills are the real problem, buddy. This is a parking lot, not your personal racetrack. Rear–end collisions? That’s all on you. Maybe you should go back to driving school instead of showing off. At least I’m not risking people’s lives with my awful driving.
“A luxury sportscar, huh? Big deal. Does driving a sportscar mean you’re above the rules?” Helen shot back, undaunted.
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“Seriously, if that’s your skill level, maybe stay home,” she added, crossing her arms defiantly.
“You little-” the red–haired guy clenched his fists, as if ready to throw a punch.
Emily stepped in front of Helen, her gaze steady as she glared at him. “Try it, and I’ll call the cops.
The other guy, dressed in a black jacket, put a hand on his friend’s shoulder, holding him back. With a slight bow, he offered them an apologetic look.
“Sorry, my friend was impulsive and rude,” he said sincerely. His gaze lingered on Emily as he continued, “We’re responsible for this, and we won’t dodge it. Could I get your contact info? I’ll handle the repair costs.” (1)
“Sean, are you serious?” The redhead protested, clearly frustrated.
Helen pulled out her phone and quickly exchanged contact information with Sean. “Finally, someone reasonable. Maybe you should take a few lessons from your friend on how to handle things,” she added, shooting the redhead a quick look.
“Let’s go,-Em,” Helen said, grabbing Emily’s arm and heading back to their car. After parking, they gathered their things and left the lot.
Watching them leave, the red–haired guy muttered, “Seriously, Sean? Those two don’t exactly look like they have connections or power. What’s there to worry about?”
Sean Smith shot him a sidelong glance. “Oh, really? Are you actually trying to blow this up? You want your family to toss you in a holding cell again?”
The redhead fell silent, recalling the trouble he had caused just a few days earlier.
Helen and Emily quickly put the incident behind them, as Helen didn’t dwell on things, and Emily was hardly strapped for cash. They reached their reserved room, where Helen pulled out her makeup kit and started getting Emily ready.
“Babe, I spotted plenty of good–looking guys on the way in. All kinds of styles, and honestly, every single one of them is better than that jerk Justin,” Helen said with a grin. “Tonight, we’re definitely snagging one.”
Emily wasn’t interested in jumping into a new relationship. Right now, her focus was on planning her future. After a long session, Helen finally set down her makeup brush, clearly satisfied with her work. “Girl, you are stunning. No question, you’re the brightest star tonight,” she said, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
As evening fell and the lights came up, Emily made her entrance. Her naturally fair skin seemed to glow against the striking red dress, accentuating her slim, elegant neck and well–defined collarbones.
Her features were striking, framed by long, dark waves cascading down her back, and her red lips added a bold touch. She radiated a sultry charm, with a slender waist and long, graceful legs, finished off with a pair of black heels.
The moment she walked in, heads turned.
“Who is she? She looks like she’s just here to gold–dig,” a voice sneered from a group of women nearby, dripping with jealousy.
“You didn’t hear? The parking lot incident?”
“Parking lot?” another chimed in, laughing. “Oh, that woman purposely crashed into Sean’s sportscar just to get close to him.”
“I heard she asked for his contact information under the guise of covering the repairs. Seriously, some people will
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Chapter 8
go to any lengths for a rich guy.”
“She looks old enough to be his older sister. Like he’d ever be interested in her. She’s only embarrassing herself.” “Shameless!” they cackled, raising their champagne glasses in unison, their laughter filled with malice.
From the second–floor balcony, Emma stood by the railing, watching Emily below with a frown. Justin had supposedly kicked Emily out, so what was she doing here?
Emma had noticed her back in Merika State, hanging onto Justin’s arm like they were a couple. That day, she had deliberately bumped into Emily, making it clear who had the upper hand.
Justin was hers. Whether it was three years ago or now, it didn’t matter who else had been in his life for a while. In the end, he always pushed them aside for her.
And now, Sean? Emma scoffed.
It seemed Emily was looking for a new wealthy man to latch onto now that Justin had discarded her. As expected, Emma thought that Emily was the kind of woman who would do anything for money.
