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?”

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

into Parkside High School then…?” Summer’s

her mood,

told me

silent for a moment, then reached for the

She paused, glanced at it, then continued working on her nearly finished project, ignoring the call. However, the

on her task, Mirabella remained undisturbed. Soon after, she had carefully bottled the substance extracted from the apparatus and finally removed

over to the bed, picked up the phone, and, seeing the caller ID, she hesitated for a moment. With a quick swipe, she answered the call,

phone away from her ear, countering her

end, Mandy grew more