Mercedes. Ferrari. Rolls-Royce. Bugatti.
Chrome bodies glinting beneath the night moon like predators at rest.
Lily stepped out of the taxi and felt instantly misplaced.
"While we…" she muttered under her breath, glancing back at the fading yellow cab. "A goddamn taxi."
Aria snorted softly. "Relax."
"Relax?" Lily shot her a look. "What if someone saw us getting out of that thing?"
"Well…" Aria adjusted her bag with mock pride. "No one fainted from the sight. And for the record, it was a cool taxi."
"A cool taxi?" Lily stared at her. "Aria. A taxi is a taxi."
Aria grinned. "You worry too much."
"I didn't even want to come," Lily admitted, her voice tightening as she stared at the grand entrance ahead.
Marble steps. Crystal chandeliers glowing beyond glass doors. "Please don't let this turn into a regret."
Aria's expression softened, She nudged Lily gently. "It won't. Trust me. Besides…" she tilted her chin toward the building, "you're already here. There's no going back."
Before Lily could respond, the low growl of an engine sliced through the air.
A sleek black Porsche glided through the gates and came to a controlled stop nearby.
Aria visibly melted. "Oh great," she breathed. "Now I feel like stealing it."
She slapped her forehead dramatically. "Not my fault. Just an average girl witnessing sparkly billion-dollar toys " she said, wearing a mock-crying grin.
Lily smiled, then froze.
A small boy was staring at them like they'd just stepped off a different planet—him, the CEO of the universe; them, two girls who clearly came from the "average" section.
Her stomach did a tiny flip. Almost lost composure.
Almost.
She reminded herself that Aria had probably splurged on at least one classic expensive dress for each of them.
Hopefully not all her savings. At least they wouldn't look completely out of place…
she prayed the boy hadn't seen them come out from the taxi.
She tugged Aria's sleeve. "Hey…"
"Yeah?" Aria murmured, eyes glued to a sparkling diamond necklace on a girl her age.
"Turn around."
"W-what?" Aria stammered, still frozen.
Lily gave her a sharp elbow. "Turn. Around. Slowly."
"Aw!" Aria yelped, finally tearing her eyes away from the necklace.
"Not obvious," Lily hissed, eyes flicking back to the boy.
Aria rolled her eyes, turning with exaggerated care. "Fine… what's the big deal?"
"The boy. The one staring at us like we're auditioning for a disaster movie."
Her gaze met his again.
That same ego-filled stare. Arms casually in pockets. Posture perfect. Like a CEO deciding which poor intern to fire first.
"O…oh…hi cutee…" Aria mumbled, waving hesitantly.
The boy didn't wave back. Didn't blink. Didn't even flinch. He just kept staring, like she'd just accidentally walked onto his quarterly earnings report.
Lily didn't want to face the embarrassment so she just stood staring at a giant billboard which read "Welcome to the Blackthorn Atelier Partners' Gala "
Just then, Aria thought she saw the corner of the boy's lips twitch.
"Archibald"
Silence.
For a moment, Lily processed what she'd just heard.
Archibald?
Oh no.
If she looked at Aria right now, they were both going to lose it so she fixed her gaze firmly on the billboard, mouth clamped shut.
Aria turned toward the voice.
An elegant woman stood a few feet away, draped in a sequinned red gown that flowed dramatically behind her. A black hat crowned her head, adorned with an unmistakable peacock feather.
Beside her stood her husband, freshly stepping out of a BMW, dressed in a simple black shirt and trousers—far more understated than his wife.
"Archibald," the father called this time.
Aria was officially on the brink.
Lily shot her a warning glance.
Do. Not.
The boy ran to his parents and they began walking toward the entrance, but before disappearing inside, he turned back.
He smiled.
And waved at Aria.
Slowly.
Intentionally.
The gold wristwatch on his tiny arm catching the light.
"He's cute when he smiles," Lily commented softly. She had a weakness for children.
"Mm," Aria replied lazily. Then she leaned closer. "He was mocking us."
"H-huh?"
"It wasn't you he waved at so you just may not notice." Aria muttered. Then she grabbed Lily's shoulders, barely containing herself. "Did you see his watch?!"
"Aria, let go of me before my bones relocate."
"His elegant mother. Their BMW. That wristwatch!" she whispered dramatically.
"You're going to attract attention."
Aria paused.
Attention?
That didn't sound entirely terrible.
Lily narrowed her eyes. "Not the good kind. The kind that mocks."
Aria's composure snapped back instantly.
"Those rich children," she muttered. "You greet elders. You don't just stare like you're evaluating stock prices."
"Good," Lily said firmly. "You caused it."
Aria blinked. "Excuse me?"
"For heaven's sake, Aria. We're supposed to Pretend like we belong here!, Yh! Pretend! because we weren't freaking invited in the first place!."
Aria pouted. "But we're here now."
"Yh... So when in Rome?"
"Do as the Romans do," Aria finished.
"Exactly."
Immediately, Aria straightened.
Head high. Shoulders back. Expression calm. Regal.
Lily chuckled. "You can still be normal, you know?"
Aria smirked. "No more staring... It'll be difficult…"
"But you'll try."
She gave a dramatic nod. "Mm."
They immediately walked towards the access gate and showed their identification cards...
At first, lily was extremely nervous and she hoped it didn't show on her face.
The cards definitely weren't theirs it was part of aria's schemes.
She had asked her how she got them but hadn't gotten a reply.
She didn't question her futher.
She knew how scary her friend could become when she was obsessed and tonight she was going to find out just who the hell the person driving her crazy was.
In no time they were in, luckily no one paused, Accessed them, then blew the whistle and kicked them out embarrassingly.
And as though the splendor of the interior wasn't enough, the white lights that had illuminated the grand hall suddenly went out.
Five seconds later, golden bulbs flickered on, glistening everywhere.
"Oh! My! God!"
"This is—"
"Magnificent," Aria finished, her eyes sparkling.
And then, from the enchanting stairs bathed in golden light, descended the stunning couple: Mrs. Aurelia and Mr. Evander.
Mrs. Aurelia wore a dazzling gold gown—long, flowing, and shimmering in harmony with the golden lights. Her jet-black hair framed her forehead, the rest cascading elegantly down her shoulders. A spectacular mask flickered gold at the edges, and black diamond earrings completed her regal appearance.
"She looks like she's in her late twenties," Lily whispered, lips slightly parted.
"Yeah, right? But she's actually forty-two," a voice replied behind her.
"She's… stunning," Lily heard a male voice murmur. She didn't turn, but smiled knowingly.
She could tell the wife must've been jealous as she already imagine the cold look the man's wife must have sent him—a silent, 'When we get home…'
"Mr. Evander is simply dressed compared to his wife," Aria remarked.
"Of course. Women always outshine men," Lily said, nodding toward a rotund man nearby.
He wore black trousers, a brown-gold t-shirt, a bow tie, a black-and-gold suit, a golden briefcase—and, to Lily's surprise… a pink mask.
" ... "
" Is he trying to blind us with gold or...? "
"well, guess we just really have to behold the human peacock in all his glory " Aria said sarcastically.
Lily quickly covered her mouth to stifle a laugh " and here I thought the dress code was black tie, not peacock's chic "
Without seeing him, anyone listening would think these girls were downright offensive… but then, honestly, he really earned it.