I roll my eyes and huff out an exaggerated breath. Celia doesn’t intimidate me in the least. I’ve studied in a boarding school and I’ve dealt with girls nastier than her. I make a show of running my hands through my hair and turning my head from side to side, preening in the mirror, deliberately ignoring her.

She takes an agitated step forward. “How much money will it take to get you out of his life?”

A laugh escapes my lips. “Seriously? The money bribe! How clichéd!”

“Everyone has a price,” Celia throws at me. “You may rest assured I can arrange whatever number you ask. So, name your price to leave Damien alone.”

I turn to face her and lean against the counter folding my arms in front of me, a cool expression plastered on my face that no way shows the rage blazing inside me. “Um Celia...why don’t you think of a good enough number?”

She smiles in glee, staring ahead into the distance.

“So, you have a number?” I ask after a moment.

“Yes!”

“Very well. Now double it.”

“Okay,” she curves her lips, her smile pure evil.

“Now multiply that by ten.”

Her eyes narrow into sharp slits. She opens her mouth to say something, but I stop her with a flick of my hand.

“Now that, Lady Celia, is the amount of money I’m willing to offer you to keep your disgusting hands and eyes off Damien. Don’t assume I’m poor just because I don’t have the same skin color as you. You may remember the names of your last five or ten ancestors, but that doesn’t make you better than me. He is mine. He’ll always be mine. And you better remember that.”

With that parting shot, I leave the ladies’ room with Celia standing behind with her mouth open.

Damien

MY MOTHER AND I DON’T converse with one another while Aaliya and then Celia retired to the ladies’ room. She simply sits simmering in silence while I do my best to ignore the dark looks she’s throwing at me. I let out a deep frustrated sigh waiting for Aaliya to return and for this failed night to be over. When I’d decided to take Aaliya out tonight, the last thing I expected was for her to witness a showdown between my mother and me or for her to face censure from my critical, blue blooded, proper parent.

I stand as Aaliya walks towards me, a frown knotted on her head, her lips pressed together. Celia follows her with a dour expression that makes my insides rebel. If Celia has said something to upset Aaliya, then she and I will have a feud.

I caress Aaliya’s cheek.

“Is everything okay?” I ask as soon as Aaliya reaches my side.

She sighs. “If you don’t mind, I’d rather skip dinner and return home.”