It wasn’t an easy day for Sophie. 

It had been a while since they used their own money to pay for their purchases. Soon they realized that the numbers in their account cannot keep up with the frequency of their shopping. In less than a month, their savings have pitifully shrunk. 

But habits are hard to break especially when they have tasted the best of it. 

The absence of Sena’s support didn’t mean they would give up their extravagant lifestyle. Today Zhang Min was forced by Sophie to make up with Asha so the three of them could come into this high-end spa.  

In recent days, to supplement their hobbies, they can only find other alternatives. 

As a slightly known content creator, Asha can earn some from the videos she uploads on the internet plus the commercial sponsorship fees she receives from the products appearing on her vlog. From time to time she would upload shots containing her travels, newly shopped cosmetics, jewelries and clothing, though they were not explicitly mentioned, the branded items are still exposed in the background.

With the rising popularity of lifestyle and fashion vlog nowadays, she effectively gathered a small bit of cash and fame which supplemented her hobby.  

Zhang Min, on the other hand, gets her extra money by helping her ‘uncle’ run an obscure small casino somewhere in Capital City. She would also often appear on Asha’s vlog to create a good pair of sisters in the rich young lady’s circle.

Sophie has her vanity as well but compared to the shallow ambitions of these two, she has always set her eyes on the future. She wanted to be Mrs Tang, of course, and she wanted it whatever it takes. 

Unfortunately, fate does not favour her.

One, her family background is average, another is that Leo is not just like any man.

A long time ago when she was sponsored by the Tang family to finish her studies she thought she could become one of those great Cinderella stories where the prince would fall to a humble beautiful girl.

She was confident with her looks. Men liked her and she has proven her charm many times already. Leonard Tang is no exception. 

Sophie tried to be meek and gentle. Hard-working even. 

Sadly,  she imagined wrong.

“Sena no longer has time to hang out with us.” Asha whined while picking on her fingernails. “Say, did she notice something? She never tried to reconnect after the wedding.”

Zhang Min snorted, “What do you expect from a spoiled little rich girl? They forget insignificant people as quickly as the kind of food they had yesterday.”

“It must be because Linda told her something.” Sophie muttered irritably.  

She suddenly broke away from them and holed herself in the company. These days she kept flitting from one place to another. Strange, she never took her as someone good at handling business when they were together. Most of the time she was quiet and sullen then she was suddenly interested in running a company?

Sophie did not understand where the changes started. 

She knew Sena and she had felt how easy it was to manipulate her. Her father has his own family now and she even heard she was excluded in the property inheritance. A firstborn treated worse than an illegitimate one. All that grievance that had been strangled for so long flooded out with just a little coaxing. 

Sena might try hard to press down her insecurities but she can clearly see through it. 

Then things began to shift. 

Sophie’s mind turned for a while when a thought hit her, could it be because of this?

She remembered the half-sister. If Sena can be easily tagged with the words spoiled and rude, Maya Luz is her complete opposite. She now interns at their company and her fame among the younger generation is slowly rising. She could tell she also had her issues with Sena since it affected her image when the negative rumors circulated.

She met Maya in school a few times but she never mentioned anything about Sena once. It was easy to see her dislike, what more if people started comparing them. Sophie smiled. 

Maya wouldn’t be particularly glad if she heard Sena is about to overshadow her, would she?

“You’re divorced? When?” 

When the three of them were relaxing after a deep tissue massage, a group of matrons came out from the VIP sauna room. A heavyset woman and two other ladies who are frequent guests of this establishment. 

Mrs Carol shrugged, her round face bright. “Not long ago. I regret I should have done it much sooner.”

“We told you that.” One of her girlfriends made a face. “But better late than never. At least you got rid of that leech and we can finally be at ease no one's sucking your hard-earned money.”

“Speaking of it, what about your properties? Did he demand half of it?”

“Half? He’s lucky enough I left him that rundown arcade he loves so much. I was planning to smash it to the ground though but I changed my mind.”

“Hmph, you’re still too kind.” 

The ladies laughed. 

Zhang Min rolled her eyes hearing the cajoling conversation. “A bunch of old things acting like they have no worries.”

Why can’t these old aunties keep their mouths shut? Did they think people wanted to hear their sob story?

“Shut up Zhang Min,” Asha warned. “Don’t you know who that woman is?”

Zhang Min turned her head and sneered. “So?”

“Just keep your voice down.” Asha murmured and no longer talked.

Sophie, on the other hand, had turned perfectly still. She wished she had dipped her head and hid her face in the pool sooner but she was a step too late.     

“Oh, it’s Miss Qin. I see.” Mrs Carol burst into an overly affectionate greeting as she walked closer and closer.

Puzzled, her friends looked at the trio of young ladies in an outdoor dipping pool. 

“You know these girls?”

“I know.”

“Which family are they from?”

Zhang Min who knew nothing smiled from ear to ear. Good thing nobody heard her a while ago. Being greeted by these aunties made the other patrons of the spa turn their heads. 

Judging by how the staff treated her, this auntie is no doubt a powerful woman.

“You came here to relax I presume?” Mrs Carol continued looking at Sophie in her two-piece bikini. “It’s good to be young and health-conscious.” 

Oblivious to the growing viciousness in Mrs Carol’s eyes, her friends continue to inquire. 

“Amanda ah, you should have said so earlier. We would have invited them.”

She smiled mysteriously. 

“I haven’t heard of the Qin, what business does their family do?” One friend inquired. 

“Mining.” Mrs Carol replied briefly. 

Then there were ‘oohs’. 

Sophie gritted her teeth hatefully. This old whale had been after her tail since she met her at the mall. The second meeting was when she and Mr Carol had dinner in a hotel, she didn’t expect that as soon as they entered the room, the old whale would be there along with her bodyguards and beat the shit out of her husband.

She had been so terrified that time. 

Mrs Carol did not hurt her but flung several photos of her wild escapades to her face and left her with a warning. If she made a squeak of what happened that day, the Tang family is just one call away.  

“Qins are distant relatives to the Tangs, although I’m not sure if the Tang family knew they existed.” 

Sophie felt a bad premonition.

The onlookers felt intrigued. Who doesn’t know the philanthropist Tang patriarch? He and his family sponsored plenty of children from struggling families in the far reaches of the country. However, Amanda Carol’s tone had a bite. 

Is this another case of social climbing by using some wealthy relative’s name?

More eyes looked at the three girls.

“Well, isn’t mining still a business.” A lady who was sitting not far away commented with a light smile. 

“Yes.” Mrs Carol agreed to a hundred per cent. “This miss, in particular, loves to dig gold.” 

Sophie blushed in shame, shattering her calm facade. The spa echoed with meaningful chuckles. Unable to bear the ridicule any longer, she stood up abruptly intending to leave.

Mrs Carol ignored her outburst and turned to the manager. “Please be mindful of your guests next time. We do not know what kind of disease they are carrying.”

After that, she gloatingly turned her back at the distorted expression on Sophie’s face. Zhang Min and Asha were as silent as the dead. 

All they wanted was to unwind. 

They had been used to praises from their peers. The smiles though not genuine at least they weren't scornful, but with these ladies of the upper crust they were merely cheap goods. 

It was supposed to be a relaxing day until it was spoiled. The three of them did not know how they were able to leave the spa under the scrutiny of everyone. 

“Bah, who cares about those stuck up old prunes. Just because they married someone wealthy they think they’re perfect enough to say whatever they wanted.” Zhang Min seethed as she poured brandy to her stomach like water. “Fucking hypocrites.” 

All the bad things they experienced today reminded her how her classmates way back in high school looked at her plain self. There were no designer clothes, no branded shoes and bags then. No friends either. It was until she received her first designer shoes that people finally noticed she existed. 

The shoes were supposed to be a gift for the daughter of her father's boss but it was rejected. It didn't actually fit nicely squeezing her toes but still, Zhang Min had to wear it. Because without it, she felt invisible.

From the relaxed soothing atmosphere of the spa to the dizzying flicker of strobe lights and sensual music of the bar, their mood did not improve.

The dim light hid a lot of secrets in the obscured corners of this well-known bar. On the second floor, in the hidden nooks were bodies pressed up close to each other. Sometimes you can even hear grunts and moans interlace with the background disco music. 

Sophie's phone vibrated with a brief message: Come to the third floor. Boss wants to meet you.

Sophie’s lips pulled into a joyful smile.  

 

“This again?” Sena exclaimed in a tired voice. 

Looking at the bouquet with a glare, the receptionist holding it carefully couldn’t help but shrink her neck. 

Truth to be told she’s growing scared of these things as well. Miss Sena hated it at first sight. As a symbol of never-ending harassment that sent her to the hospital, these colourful expensive things looked no better than funeral wreaths to her.

Sena took a well-ironed handkerchief and put it on her nose. 

“I’m going to put this away.” One of the girls on the front desk hastily pulled her companion. 

How could they forget her allergies?! 

Sena smiled under the cover indicating she was satisfied with it. “You girls can put it in a vase or throw it away, it doesn't matter as long as it is ten meters away from me.”

The two nodded and put the offensive things off her sight.  

The next thing Sena did when she reached her office was to call the flower shop telling them that the sender is by no means giving her bouquets out of goodwill and it had been highly inconvenient to her. But since she cannot sue them for doing their job, she can only soften her tone and explain the situation.  

As for the person who sent it? Sophie received an email from the flower company that they will stop the service from here on because the recipient has already sent a letter of refusal.

“You look like you need a drink.” Master Yang said, handing her a glass of cocktail after sprinkling her favourite mix in it. “Bad mood?”

“Something like that.” Sophie swiped her phone off and looked at the handsome man poutily. 

Master Yang is rumoured to be a big boss of a huge syndicate overseas. He came to Capital City to inspect the situation among the small gangs they had been nurturing. 

Compared to the husband of that old whale, he is much younger and much more pleasing to the eyes. Not to mention wealthy. She never thought she would have such luck meeting him today but Sena’s move diminished half of her joy. 

“Why the frown?”

“It’s nothing, just a little game. My toy is getting more disobedient and clever than I thought.” 

Master Yang gave her a deep appreciative look. There was childish selfishness. Hers was an adult. Possessive and aggressive.

Dangerous.

“What kind of toy have you so absorbed with it to the point it affects your mood?” He asked, beginning to nuzzle her neck. 

“A little fool born with a silver spoon. A dazzling piece that is a little hard to look at.” Sophie scoffed, hate danced within her eyes. 

Master Yang murmured something in her ears, tickling her with his breath. 

She frowned. 

Sensing her change of mood, he grinned from ear to ear. What an ambitious hellcat, though he liked the glint of determination in those eyes, he still advised her not to rashly go forward.  

Sophie weakly pushed him off, seemingly sulking. “They’ve been in my way since and they are still in my way until now!”

Not far from their table sat the mayor’s son, Linsy and his secretary shooting Sophie a resentful glare. He had played with so many women but there was never a woman who dared play him.

“Looks can be deceiving, huh.” He said sarcastically.

Aside from him, she was also involved with Mr Carol and now she’s hopping right into the big boss’s lap. 

Linsy had known Sophie since middle school, they weren’t involved back then yet but she had caught his attention. 

It wasn’t a secret that she was a distant relative of the Tangs though she gained little advantage from it. She had her way with people using her pretty face. Recently after meeting in college, he realized Sophie never broke out of character. 

Still living life in between black and white. Making the best of her youth and that spectacular ass to lure the next idiot in.

She was a strange woman who wouldn’t hesitate using sex as a bribe to get what she wants. In fact, not using her body as collateral would make her uneasy. Only when the person has fallen deep she would feel secure.

She liked plenty of things. She also liked other people’s things. For those, she could not get the retaliation would be much worse. 

“You best not get involved with her again.” The mayor’s secretary said.

“Men can only be stupid about a woman once.”  

The secretary eyed Linsy with contempt unconvinced of his words. “Perhaps this is a good opportunity for us.” He said. “Master Yang is quite fond of her. It's better to hand her over as a gift.”

Sophie wouldn’t need pushing. She jumped right at the moment she sniffed the benefits.  

“I was planning to do just that.” Linsy just didn’t expect that Mr Carol had the same idea and beat him to it. 

Sly old bastard. 

“Anyway, Mr Carol completely let his small gang be swallowed up by Master Yang. since his wife divorced him, he no longer needs to be too cautious.” 

“Too bad, if I were Mrs Carol I would leave nothing to him and let him live in the streets naked.” 

The Secretary smirked and reached for the brandy on the table. “Even if she does that, he wouldn’t completely turn destitute. Master Yang planned to let him manage some of his assets here and has talked to your father.”

“Dad agreed? It’s too risky.” 

“We’re in a pressing situation since your father failed to gain the support of Aiguille.” The Secretary shot him a sharp look. 

If it wasn’t for this wastrel offending the president, they wouldn’t have to worry about the endorsement for next year’s election. Although Master Yang has some connections to the business world, it wasn’t as prestigious as being backed by a mammoth like Aiguille. 

And dealing with these gangs always comes with a price.