"Hi" for some weird reason, I squeaked the word.

Coming face to face with Ava was like coming face to face with your secret crush. I was all of a sudden sweaty and nervous. Instead of answering, she pulled me into a tight hug. It was a warm hug. It felt like hugging a soft and fluffy teddy bear.

"It's nice to officially meet you, Harper. Welcome to the family" she whispered right before she stepped away.

Gabriel then led me to the out-door setup that had multiple foods on the table. He moved me so that I was sitting right beside him.

Did he get that I hated his proximity for a reason?

Within seconds, everyone was digging in.

"So, Harper, what do you do?" Gabriel's mom asked.

I swallowed, when everyone turned to look. I hated it when attention was focused on me.

"I'm an interior designer," I replied, while trying to maintain eye contact.

If there was one thing my mother taught me, it's that eye contact was important, especially when it came to people from our world. The rich and influential viewed avoiding eye contact as a sign of weakness. My mother instilled in us to never show that weakness, no matter what.

"That's just perfect," Ava added. "I've been dying to change things in a few of the Hope houses. Maybe you can help with that."

ever the curious little thing, catches that

that answers. "She's the founder of The Hope Foundation and those houses give the

could also see the love he had for her. It

frowns, but then her face clears as if a light bulb just

in the country. No one

stares at Lilly like she's an alien from space. I, on the other

wonder you looked so familiar," Lilly told Ava. "You're Ava Sharp, though you changed your last name. Your foundation is worth millions of dollars and you're the richest woman in the country and the six

a sponge absorbs water. Anything to

know about all this, sweetheart?" Gabriel's dad asked

it

be a billionaire when + grow up and in order to achieve my dream, I need to study the rich and how they make

to me and I

I added, "Actually,

this?" my mother-in-law

in her way? Anything I can do

"She's just like her daddy.

I forgot that he was a grown-up man. It's like he

from the cold man I was used to, was overwhelming to say the

when we were together?

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

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