Gia’s hands trembled as she dialed the number.
As soon as the call connected, fear gripped her. “Hello?”
“Well, well, Ms. Gia.” The man’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “Seems like you’ve been quite the avid shopper lately!”
Gia’s face turned pale. She should have known that the credit cards they had given her came with strings attached.
They had been monitoring her spending all along!
“Yes, I may have bought a few limited edition bags, some Cece suits, and some quality cosmetics… So what? Don’t I
deserve them?”
“I don’t think that’s all you bought…” Gia heard the sound of paper flipping on the other end. “According to these
receipts, you also splurged on a luxury car!”
“I don’t want to commute, taking the train to university like everyone else. I prefer to travel in comfort. What’s
wrong with that?” retorted Gia.
The man’s smile remained silent.
“I-I deserve all of this!” Gia’s voice quivered. “If I hadn’t obtained Lina’s test sample and convinced her to
cooperate, do you think your plan would have gone so smoothly?”
“Oh? You believe you deserve it all…” The man absorbed her words and scoffed. “Seems like our boss was right
about you!”
“What do you mean?” she asked.
He had mentioned that she was a challenge to control.
However, the man kept that to himself, chuckling before addressing the main topic. “Aside from removing her
birthmark, is there any other way you can further alter her appearance?”
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt“What more do you want?” Gia retorted. “Plastic surgery? That costs a fortune! Is he willing to pay for it?”
“Don’t be rude, dear. It’s not cute.”
“I just spent some money. Is it necessary for you to call me to question me?” Gia was pissed. “Listen up! If you piss
me off, I’ll bring Lina Jenner to Centrolis! Let’s see what you’re going to do about that!”
The man’s voice became deep. “Lady, don’t be impulsive, or else… I guarantee that the two of you won’t make it to
Centrolis alive!”
Gia was merely a girl in her early 20s, after all. No matter how dejected she felt, she was terrified when she heard
the threat.
“Our boss ordered to change Lina’s appearance a little bit more!” The man chuckled and enunciated each word. “If
plastic surgery is too expensive, then disfigure her!”
He hung up after saying that.
Gia leaned against a tree, her mind blank and sweat dripping from the tip of her nose.
She made her way to the cafeteria in distress. Lina had already paid for her food and was waiting for her at their
usual table.
Gia mustered a forced smile upon seeing her.
Lina had ordered meatballs, pasta, and a Coke—Gia’s favorites.
“Here!” Lina handed her the cutlery. “You made it back just in time while the food is still hot! You were on the phone
for quite a while. Do you secretly have a boyfriend?”
Gia looked up, meeting Lina’s pure, bright eyes and witnessing her sweet smile. It choked her, and tears threatened
to escape.
Everyone had a heart, after all.
Gia couldn’t bring herself to say they were close, but she could confidently say that she wasn’t just using her!
In the university, Gia felt like an outsider. The wealthy students boycotted and mocked her.
Lina was the only one who stood by her side.
They had relied on each other for the past two years, supporting one another through tough times. Their small
dorm room may have been cramped, but it was filled with warmth. It was a place they had built together, little by
little.
They had made a promise to each other—to buy a small condo for themselves, even when they had their own
families with husbands and children. Their names would be on the property deed. It would be their sanctuary.
If their marriages didn’t work out or they weren’t happy with their lives, they would have a place to seek solace.
Lina loved making plans for the future. She had started saving money as soon as they made that decision.
In Lina’s purse, there was only one bank card. She would deposit money into the account and never touch it. She
referred to it as the down payment for their future home.
Lina genuinely cared for Gia.
But what was Gia doing?
She was contemplating how to disfigure her!
“Gia!”
“Huh?” She jumped.
“Eat quickly!” Lina shook her head helplessly. “What’s wrong with you? Did you lose your soul? Which man charmed
you like that?”
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmGia tried her best to smile. She then took a deep breath and pretended to look like nothing was wrong as much as
she could.
She looked away, which shifted Lina’s attention. “Hey, that’s Violet!”
Lina looked where she was looking. It was really Violet!
A princess like her would never eat at the cafeteria, though the standard was on par with a five-star hotel’s buffet.
However, it was strange that not only was she queuing at the cafeteria today, but she was also smiling brightly. She
said she hated the cafeteria because it was crowded and messy, yet she was smiling at everyone today.
Gia scoffed. “What’s got her so cheerful? They say that joyous events resonate in one’s spirit. There are only two
joyous events in this world. Either you have money, or you’ve found love! Violet seems to have money, so does that
mean she has a boyfriend now?”
Lina understood the situation and smiled mysteriously.
Indeed, a joyous event was happening in her life, but it had nothing to do with money or love.
The joyful event was that she had copied Lina’s work for the competition!
While Lina was contemplating, Violet walked toward her after putting her food on the table.
“Oh my, is that all you guys are eating?” she said condescendingly, her eyes filled with disdain. “If it’s not enough
for you, just let me know. My family owns the cafeteria. Adding a dish or two for you would be a piece of cake!”
Violet scoffed after saying that and gnashed her teeth. “I’ll just treat it as charity, like feeding dogs!”
“You!” Gia suddenly stood up and stared fiercely at her.
“Forget it, Gia.” Lina pulled her and looked at Violet, revealing a calm smile. “Let’s not mind what Princess Violet
says.
“Eh? You have quite a lot of dishes on your plate!” Lina said while smiling. “Ahh, your family invested in the
cafeteria. It belongs to your family, so they’d have to spoil their family dog, giving it enough food. That’s amazing!”
“What did you say!?”
It was Violet’s turn to be pissed now.