The Double ( or More ?) Life of The Fake Heiress

Chapter 26

“Mom, I’ve got it under control, don’t worry, it’s all good,” Summer said softly, pausing for a brief moment before continuing. “There’s something kinda bizarre though. Mom, didn’t you tell me that Mirabella’s grades were a total mess?”

Mandy’s eyes were closed in the bliss of her daughter’s massage. She took her time before responding in a faint voice, “Yeah, what about it?”

Summer’s hands didn’t cease their gentle motions as she prodded cautiously. “It looks like she’s about to enroll at Parkside High School.”

At that, Mandy’s eyelids snapped open, her body turning slightly to cast an incredulous glance at Summer standing behind her. “What did you just say?”

Summer watched the astonishment wash over her mother’s face, a hint of skepticism flashing in her eyes. “Emmitt came to me tonight. He mentioned that Mirabella’s going to Parkside High School and asked me to keep an eye on her, you know, on the down–low.”

With a flicker of curiosity, Summer asked, “Mom, did you and Dad pull some strings or something? How else could she get into Parkside High School?”

could we? With her grades, she’d be lucky to get into any regular high school, let alone Parkside. If your father and I had intervened, wouldn’t that be hurting the Gilbert family’s reputation?” Mandy scoffed

you didn’t help her? How did she get into Parkside High School then…?” Summer’s face

her tone matching her

told me

moment, then

on the bed, began to ring. She paused, glanced at it, then continued working on her nearly

bottled the substance extracted

it. She walked over to the bed, picked up the phone, and, seeing the caller ID, she hesitated for a moment.

her foster mother’s interrogation with a cool query. “Something up?”

the other end, Mandy grew more irate “what is