CHAPTER 7
1505 Words
I had no idea what time we finally went to bed last night. All I remembered was talking with Lily for what felt like hours—sharing childhood stories, laughing at old memories, and learning things about each other as if we were meeting for the first time.
And I knew how she was trying to avoid certain topics like Tyler, and the things that had happened yesterday, all the things I wasn’t ready to face.
And I was grateful for that. She kept the mood light, giving me a sense of normalcy when everything else felt like it was crumbling.
“So….where exactly is your home?” Lily asked as we lugged the last of her luggage downstairs.
I hesitated. “About that….we’re not exactly going home to my house.”
She frowned. “Wait—then where are we going?”
“I don’t know yet.” I adjusted my grip on my bag. “I called my brother last night. He said he’d take care of it.”
Lily froze, staring at me. “You mean….we packed up everything, dragged my entire closet down here, and we don’t even know our destination?”
“Well….yeah,” I said hesitantly, bracing myself for her reaction.
I expected frustration, maybe even a little outrage. But to my surprise, Lily just shrugged.
“Well, as long as we’re not sleeping on the streets, I guess it’s fine.”
I blinked. “That’s it? You’re not mad?”
She sighed dramatically, plopping down onto one of her luggages. “Clara, after everything we just went through, and besides, it was me who decided to run away with you, so not knowing where we’re going is honestly the least of my concerns”
“And as long as we won’t end up stranded in some rundown motel. I'm cool with anything” She grinned, leaning back on her hands. “So tell me, is the mysterious brother of yours—does he at least have good taste in accommodations?”
I let out a small laugh, shaking my head. “Yeah….I think it’s safe to say we won’t be roughing it.”
Knowing Vincentius, who always put comfort first better than anything else, I just know he would.
“Great.” Lily stretched her legs out. “Then I officially don’t care where we’re going. Just tell me when it’s time to go.”
I glanced at the clock. It was already past seven. Whoever my brother was sending would probably be here soon.
Looking around the apartment—the place I once thought would be my fresh start—I felt nothing.
No nostalgia, no attachment. Just the overwhelming desire to leave and never look back.
“Yeah,” I murmured. “Not much longer now.”
As soon as I said that, my phone vibrated in my hand. A call from Vicentius.
I answered hurriedly. “Hello?”
Lily looked up, watching me.
“Are you ready? Someone will pick you up any minute now,” Vincentius said.
“Yeah, we’re already downstairs.”
“Alright. Message me when you arrive at the hotel.”
The call ended, and I lowered my phone before exhaling slowly. This is it!
Lily raised an eyebrow. “Well?”
I met her gaze. “Looks like our ride will be here any minute.”
“Great—”
Before she could finish, the sound of an engine purring smoothly cut through the quiet morning air.
A black with patterns luxury car pulled up right in front of us, its polished exterior gleaming under the early sunlight.
Lily’s eyes widened. “Whoa.”
I turned to her, confused by her reaction.
She grabbed my arm. “Clara. Do you have any idea what car this is?”
I shrugged. “A fancy one?”
Lily let out a dramatic gasp. “A fancy one?! That’s not just fancy—that's a Rolls-Royce Ghost EWB!”
She practically vibrated with excitement. “That thing costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. And look at it! It’s customized. Do you see that? The paint job? The exterior?”
I frowned, glancing back at the car. I wasn’t exactly knowledgeable when it came to cars—if it had four wheels and could get me where I needed to go, that was enough for me.
So, I couldn’t quite share Lily’s excitement.
“I mean….it looks nice?” I offered.
Lily groaned dramatically. “Nice? Clara, this isn’t just nice. This is pure luxury. This is the kind of car that screams, ‘I have more money than I know what to do with.’” She turned back to the vehicle, practically starry-eyed.
“Lucky are those who get to ride in a car like this.” She let out a wistful sigh before glancing around. “Have you ever had any rich neighbours in this rundown apartment?”
"I don't know. I don’t exactly interact with my neighbours," I said, shrugging.
Lily scoffed. "Of course, you don’t. But seriously, why is a car like that parked here of all places?”
I sighed. “If you’re done admiring it, we should probably get in.”
Lily looked at me with a confused expression. “Get in where?”
I gave her a blank stare. “Uh….the car? Our ride?”
She blinked. Then, as if I had just told her the most ridiculous thing she’d ever heard, she slowly turned her head, scanning the street.
“Ohhh,” she drawled, nodding to herself. “I see now.”
I relaxed slightly—until she pointed at a rundown yellow taxi parked across the street.
“So that’s the one your brother booked for us?” Lily gasped dramatically, pointing at an old taxi parked down the street. “Classic! Alright, let’s go!”
I smacked her arm. “Lily.”
“Huh? What?” She blinked at me innocently.
With a sigh, I grabbed her shoulders and physically turned her toward the actual car—the customized Rolls-Royce sitting right in front of us.
Lily’s mouth dropped open. "No freaking way.”
She barely had time to process it before the driver’s door opened, and a sharply dressed man in a black suit stepped out.
“Good morning, Ms. Clara.” He gave a small bow. “I apologize for the delay. We got lost.”
“It’s fine,” I said, shifting my bag.
Lily smacked my arm. "Are you kidding me?! This is our ride?!"
I winced, rubbing my arm. "Apparently."
Lily looked back at the car, then at me, then back at the car again. "You—Clara, my best friend, who lives in an apartment with a leaky faucet and a broken heater—just casually summoned a customized Rolls-Royce like it’s a freaking Uber?!
"I didn’t summon it, Lily. My brother sent it.” I sighed before I turned to the driver “Can you have the luggages moved?”
“Yes, Ms.” He bowed again before gesturing towards the two more black luxury vehicles parked a few feet away—that I hadn't even noticed before.
Lily’s jaw dropped. She grabbed my arm, her nails digging in. “Other cars?!” she hissed. “Plural? As in, more than one?!”
I sighed. “Lily, please.”
She turned to me, wide-eyed. “Clara, is this for real?!”
I rolled my eyes, stepping forward as the driver opened the door for us. “Are you done, or do you want to stand here worshipping it a little longer?”
Lily exhaled like she was trying to keep herself from fainting. “I just—this is insane. Your brother has this kind of money, and you never thought to mention it?!”
I shrugged. “I didn’t think it mattered.”
Lily dramatically wiped an imaginary tear from her eye. “You know what? I respect that. Staying humble even when your family is out here casually throwing around millions!”
I didn’t answer and just climbed into the car's backseat. From inside, I looked at Lily—she was still standing outside, frozen as if she didn’t know what to do.
"Are you getting in, or are you just going to stand there having an existential crisis?" I asked.
"Of course, I’m getting in!" Lily let out a small, strangled noise before grabbing her handbag and practically throwing herself into the car.
The moment we settled in, Lily grabbed my arm again, leaning in close.
"Clara," she whispered with wide eyes. "I think I just sat on a real leather seat. Like, the expensive kind. My butt has never felt this level of luxury before."
I sighed. "Please stop talking.
She ignored me, running her hands over the exterior. "Oh my God, this car smells rich. Like, if wealth had a scent, this would be it."
I turned away, pinching the bridge of my nose.
This was going to be a long ride.
- Writer
