Chapter 8
Luxury arrives violently.
That’s the first shock.
Not gently or aspirationally, but all at once, swallowing her life whole with private jets, gated properties, assistants who speak in schedules instead of sentences, and strangers who smile too quickly because they already know her net worth.
Suddenly she’s in a whole new world, like when she doesn’t know which fork to use or when she flinches at prices that are supposed to mean nothing now, and every hesitation feels like proof she doesn’t belong.
She lives in rooms that echo.
Saxton thrives.
He’s buying everything he can and she’s just there wondering when the sugar rush ends.
The second revelation comes during their first party, hosted in a glass house overlooking the ocean, where everyone is beautiful and connected and pretending they aren’t measuring each other constantly.
There to meet the billionaire twins. Like a freakshow.
Saxton disappears for an hour.
Michelle notices because she always notices.
She finds him in a side room with a man twice his age, their voices low, the door half-closed.
She hears her name.
She hears percentages.
She hears Saxton say, “She’ll agree eventually.”
She backs away before they see her.
On the balcony, a woman appears beside her, confident, effortless, dressed like she was born into this world.
“First time?” the woman asks, smiling.
Michelle nods.
“I’m Lena,” she says.
Small connection.
They talk about nothing.
Music.
Travel.
Silence.
It’s the first moment all night Michelle doesn’t feel like she’s pretending.
Then Lena’s phone lights up.
Saxton’s name flashes across the screen.
Second shock.
Lena’s smile falters.
“Oh,” she says softly. “You’re his sister.”
The word lands heavy.
Lena steps back.
“I should go,” she adds.
And just like that, she feels like she’s in the same place all over again. A mess. A dangerous mess with too many secrets and the gut feeling that it’s all about to spiral out of control.
