"Hey, why are you so out of it?" Tiffany stomped her foot in front of her when she asked her which color of the same blouse looked good on her but she didn't answer.
Last night at the party, she was so drunk and forgot the fact that she is now dirt poor. When her friends asked her if they can shop today at one of their stores, she gladly said yes, without thinking. When she woke up around noon from Tiffany's incessant calling, she was thinking of pretending to be sick but then, they were already driving to her house to pick her up. Because apparently in her drunken state, she promised them a shopping spree. If their company is not on the brink of bankruptcy, it won't be a problem since that's what she used to do before. She would bring her friends to one of the Morgan's stores and they could pick up any clothes they wanted.
"I'm just hungover," she lied smoothly. She didn't want them to know about her financial problem. It would be too shameful to be the object of her friends' pity. Besides, just like Pete said, her father is a good businessman. She is sure that he can find a solution to their problem other than just marrying her off to a son of a business associate.
"So, which one do you think looks good on me?" She smiled at her expectantly as she lifted the two blouses in front of her face.
"That one." She pointed to the top that she was holding in her right hand. She knew that the designer of the blouse that she was holding in her left hand was more popular, hence, more expensive. She watched the corner of Tiffany's lips curved in disappointment. In the past, she would say both look good on her and she should get them. But that was not the case today since she's going to pay for everything they would get from the stores, she doesn't know what her father will say.
"Mmkay," she turned around, handing the blouse that she pointed to the store staff to put in with the pile of clothes that she likes and most likely would get. "Aren't you going to shop?" her perfectly shaped brows raised in question.
"No. I'm not in the mood today." She pretended to look around and stood up. "Uhm, why don't you continue browsing the store. I'll just go to the manager's office to use the bathroom."
She didn't wait for Tiffany to reply and escaped to the manager's office. She didn't want to be with them while they were choosing clothes because she promised them that it was for free. They would ask her which one looks better and whatever she chooses means that they could get it.
She was about to knock on the manager's office when it opened and a man that looked like in his mid-fifties with a protruding belly that made him appear to be seven months pregnant, looked at her from head to foot before leaving.
"Who was that?" She asked the store manager who looked like she was having a mini-heart attack.
"Oh, Miss Morgan," she smiled lamely. "Are you and your friends having a good time shopping?" She asked with fake politeness, wondering how clueless was this young heiress of the status of their business. Her friends were outside browsing the most expensive side of the stores and she knew from past experience that every time Miss Morgan shopped with her friends, she paid for all of her friends' purchases. The man that just got out of her office was an accountant.
"I'm sorry for intruding but can I stay here for a while?" it didn't escape her that the manager wasn't happy to see her. But she acted like she didn't notice. This manager used to look at her with so much admiration and respect in the past. Now, she wondered how many people around her treated her with kindness just because of her name—their name that was about to be in the gossip sections instead of the business sections once her father's company fell apart. She bit her lower lip to stop her chin from trembling.
After about twenty minutes, she bid goodbye to the store manager and left her office. She was expecting Susan and Tiffany to be annoyed at her but the complete opposite was their reaction when she returned with them.
The two were grinning from ear to ear, peeking at something, or was it, someone. Her brows were creased when she approached them. "What?" She mouthed when the two put their finger on the lips, signaling her to be quiet. They discreetly pointed at someone at the other side of the store.
She didn't have to see who was it because her heart thump on her chest. She didn't get any clear picture of him online but she won't mistake him even in a crowd. He's tall and has a formidable aura around him. He was standing next to a woman that she noticed in an instant for the woman was a famous lingerie model.
"See that man?" Susan excitedly asked her.
She cleared her throat and shook her head. She had been lying nonstop to her friends nowadays.
"How could you not?" Tiffany grabbed her elbow and dragged her to the right where they would have a better view of the man that they were talking about without him noticing them. "That's Matthew Grayson. He's the youngest son of Lucas Grayson, the owner of Gray Empire—a freaking Midas of real estate.
"Hmm, hmmm," Susan nodded vigorously. Her family was into the same business.
"Not only that. He has a wife that is active to a lot of charities and most of all, two handsome sons that are helping in the bizz." Tiffany grinned so wide when she said the word handsome.
"He's so hot," Susan put her hand on her chest and gazed at Matthew dreamily. "He's now a CEO of his father's chain of companies. His social media is always on fire from all of these women who are thirsty over him…I mean, I would too…" She and Tiffany giggled.
"He has a social media account?" She whispered. She felt stupid that she didn't find his profile.
"Of course!" Tiffany pulled her phone from her purse and showed her supposed to be Matthew's account. "Actually, he doesn't have an account nor his older brother Nate, this account is a fan account. They comb the world wide web to find his photos and put it online for everyone to enjoy." She covered her mouth to stifle a giggle.
She stared at Matthew and wondered if he knew that she would be his wife.
"Miss, are you ready to ring your order?" The store clerk asked them what made Susan and Tiffany jump. While her eyes were glued on Matthew, laughing with something his date said. He turned in their direction because Susan yelped a little when Tiffany pinched her arm.
She could swear that Matthew looked at them but didn't throw her a glance. He quickly returned his gaze to his date.
"Yes, please put them on Miss Morgan's tab," Tiffany told the young staff with annoyance. Because she disturbed them, staring at Matthew who was dragged by his date out of the store.
Lilly smiled apologetically at the store staff and she looked like she was about to say something but changed her mind after throwing her a polite smile.
"Oh, they were gone," Susan whined a little.
"Lilly, buy us some meal," Tiffany said, tugging her elbow.
"Okay," she said absentmindedly.
"Yes!" Susan and Tiffany said in unison.
Her head snapped in their direction. "W-wait, what?"
Tiffany dragged her out of the store. "I want some Chinese."
Lilly smiled awkwardly at her, cursing herself inwardly. She wondered if she can afford to treat them in their usual five-star Chinese restaurant