Chapter 7
Outside Ashley Manor, the paparazzi were hanging around. When they spotted Quiana leaving the Larson residence, they rushed over and fired questions at her.
“Are you really a twin with Winona?”
“I heard you came back to the Larson’s to marry the Hawley heir. Are you trying to get in with the bigwigs?”
“How are you feeling these days?
Questions flew, and camera flashes went crazy.
The wind messed up her hair, but Quiana just looked at the reporters coolly. She had a perfect face. With a small smile, she said calmly. “I was born to fly high; why settle for less?”
Her words showed off all her rebel chill, oozing confidence.
Her strong vibe left the reporters speechless. By the time they snapped out of it, she was gone.
The west side slums were a testament to decay, congestion, decay, poverty, and filth. The towering, dilapidated buildings stood shoulder to shoulder, their crumbling facades a stark reminder of the area’s plight.
Stalls lined the streets, the smell of grease heavy in the air. Narrow and stuffy, everything felt suffocating.
People started gossiping the moment Quiana came into their view. “Oh, isn’t that Ms. Levine?”
“Ms. Levine’s back?”
“Why’d she leave her cozy nest for this dump?”
“Looking at her get–up, did she get kicked out again?”
Those who knew Quiana greeted her, but most sounded sarcastic.
A few days ago, the famous Larson family showed up there to pick up Quiana. Now everyone in the slums knew that Quiana was a Larson,
Quiana didn’t say a word, just gave them a quick look. Her eyes were clear and cold, like daggers, making them cower and
shut up.
Quiana kept walking, calm and steady.
“Hey, ladies, you all looked pretty scared of that girl who just passed, huh?” A curious guy appeared behind them and asked.
The guy had sharp looks, with misty blue hair and a black diamond stud in his left ear, giving off a bit of a rebel vibe.
Judging from his look and his vibe, those people knew that he wasn’t just some Joe Schmo. Lately, lots of people like him had been showing up there. No one knew what they were up to, but they were all paying for info.
“What do you want to know?” A rough–looking woman came over, rubbing her fingers together with a sly smile. “Is there a reward for sharing this info?”
The guy, Zack Evans, clicked his tongue and pulled out a dollar bill from his jacket.
The woman grinned wider. That girl earlier, her name’s Quiana. A few years back, she lost her parents, had to raise her little
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14:37 Sun, 23 Feb M
Chapter 7
brother, even sold veggies here. She’s pretty, but, well
3.44%
She lowered her voice. “Someone tried to make her their arm candy, but she torched their car. Another time, some thugs cornered her, and guess what? She used a kitchen knife to cut off their, um, you know, Ouch.”
As she talked, the woman shivered like she’d seen the scary scene.
She took a deep breath and added, “Those guys are cold–blooded! She was lucky. They said those thugs were into some smuggling, and the cops didn’t catch her. Otherwise, she’d be in the slammer by now.”
She pouted, mumbling. “You see, the world’s just not fair. Who’d think a girl with such a shady past, someone who used to sell veggies with us at the market, would suddenly become a high–society lady from one of those rich and powerful Tamilies?”
Zack glanced at her, and then looked in the direction where Quiana had vanished. A playful smile crossed his lips.
