Chapter 52
Xavier tried to play it cool. “We’re family, right?” he said, hoping to appeal to her better side
Quiana played along, but her tone was mocking Family, hah? Well, that changes everything”
Xavier scoffed, thinking she was out of her league, and he was starting to feel the pressure.
Then Quiana dropped the real ask. “But we’re not exactly close, are we? Since you’re so eager, let’s add another two hundred thousand. Three million two hundred thousand. Cash or card?”
Xavier was speechless, and then anger took over. “Quiana, you can’t be serious.
Quiana, sitting outside Hugo’s school with a 1
a beer, was unfazed. “Still interested, Mr. Larson?”
Xavier was fuming, but he kept his cool. He took a few deep breaths and managed to say. “Three million, for one.
Quiana just laughed and hung up.
As the final bell echoed through Imperial Elementary School, a mix of kids poured out, eager to meet the luxury cars that had been waiting for
them
Hugo, with his sharp features and cool demeanor, strolled out with his backpack hanging off one shoulder. He stood out from the crowd, and when he spotted Quiana leaning against a tree, his face brightened, and he hurried over. “You’re here!”
Quiana greeted him with a playful grin and a light flick to his forehead. “Figured you’d remember you have a sister,” she teased.
Hugo flinched, rubbing his head and muttering. “You know I’m a sucker for shiny things. He fidgeted with his school tie, his spirits visibly. dampened. I’m not feeling school.”
He’d already mastered the material, and being around kids who were still wrestling with basic math was more than a litle frustrating.
Quiana’s phone vibrated with a new message. She checked it quickly, her eyes flashing with a steely gins. [18th, offshore Janivielle. The Liberty
Star
Without missing a beat, she slid her phone away and ruffled Hugo’s hair “Time to pick your polson: Septana Base or school.”
Hugo paused, then let out a slow breath. “School,” he decided. Septana Base was no place for him; it was filled with folks who were a bit too intense for has taste.
Pulling up to the Magnolia Palace, they were met with a stern security guardst the gate. “Hold it right there, what’s your business he challenged.
Hugo gave a casual blink. “We live here,” he stated simply.
The guard scanned them from head to toe, his gaze lingering on their well–traveled suitckges. “You two?” he questioned, a hint of mockery in his voice. “This is the Magnolia Palace, not some…”
But he was interrupted by the flash of a gold card. His expression did a quick 150, the rest of his sentence dying on his lips
These cards were rare, a symbol of wealth and status, and he’d just seen one earlier. Now, here was another, held by a brother and sister who looked like they’d just stepped off a budget flight
The guards face turned ashen, and he quickly bowed, his voice shaky with a mix of fear and respect. “Forgive my oversight, please. Go ahead
Hugo was too amped up to care about the guard’s about–face. A penthouse, can you imagine! I’ve never stayed anywhere this fancy! he thought to himself
Five minutes later, elevator music faded and the doors spread open to an unexpected scene.
“Right now, we’ve only got a lead in the city. Beyond that, we’re drawing blanks. Zack was saying, one foot in the elevator, when he did a double- take at the passengers inside. “Whoa, jalk about timing!”
Julius looked up on instinct. There was Hugo, a cat carrier on one shoulder, a black backpack over the other, and a silver suitcase nearly as tall as hum in tow. His face was all arlow with exciternent.
Next to him, Quiana stood out in her sleek black top and cargo pants, a hint of her trim waist peeking through. Her legs, long and lean, disappeared into black combat boots. A black backpack hung off one shoulder, and she churchell her phone, exuding a cool, tough vibe.
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