Billionaire Kneeled, My Family Freaked Out

To pave the way for my stepsister's entertainment career, my stepmother and biological father packaged me up and handed me over to the most feared heir of the Veridon elite circle—the Williams heir. I just smiled and said, "Sure, I'd love to see how well my Puppy's behaving today." They thought I'd lost my mind. "Your sister was born to be a star. She needs Mr. Williams's resources. You're worthless anyway. Being noticed by Mr. Williams is the best thing that could happen to you. And now you're losing it. Don't go offending him." I kept my head down, pretending to tremble, as they shoved me into the car heading to the Veridon suburban private club. They thought I was scared, but they didn't see the message that had just popped up on my phone screen. Puppy (Julian Williams): Babe, I'm at the club. Can I see you tonight? And when are you sending my 200-dollar allowance this month? I glanced at the screen, a slight smile on my lips, and slowly typed back. Me: Don't rush, I will be there soon. This time I'll hand you the allowance in person. ***** The car stopped outside the Veridon suburban private club. My father, Arthur Jones, pushed the door open and stepped out. His leather shoes clicked against the stone pavement, making a dull, heavy sound. My stepsister, Chloe Jones, gathered her dress and followed him down. My biological mother, Eleanor Jones, smoothed Chloe's skirt, then turned to look back into the car. "Whether your sister gets into the show depends on how well you serve tonight." I pressed the power button on the side of my phone. The screen went dark. I unzipped the inner pocket of my coat, slid that phone inside, and zipped it back up. Then I pulled out an old spare phone from the outer pocket, held it in my hand, and got out of the car. Arthur took a document from his briefcase and held it out to me. The top of the page read Voluntary Business Companion Agreement. "Sign it." I stood there without reaching for the paper. The night wind rustled the edges of the pages, making them flutter. Chloe stepped forward and pointed at the signature line at the bottom. "Iris, don't play hard to get. Mr. Williams taking an interest in you is the highlight of your whole life." I looked at the terms on the page. Eleanor pulled a stack of photos from her handbag and slammed them onto the hood of the car. The photos scattered across the metal surface. "If you don't cooperate, these photos will be sent to the press tomorrow. The headline will read 'Scandalous Behavior, Messy Private Life'." The side door of the club opened from inside. A man in a black suit walked out. His name badge read "Manager." The manager scanned the four of us. "Mr. Williams isn't seeing random people tonight. If you want in, you need to pass the vetting first." Eleanor quickly gathered the old photos from the hood and stuffed them back into her bag. She walked up to the manager. "She's very obedient. Do whatever you want with her." The manager turned and walked inside. Arthur shoved me in the back. I followed the manager. We stopped at the registration desk by the side door. A security guard pushed a metal tray over. "Remove all jewelry, hand over your phone, and register your identity." I placed the spare phone on the tray. I took off the plain hoop earrings and dropped them onto the tray. Chloe stared at the items on the tray and lifted her chin. "Iris, don't blame us. It's not my fault you don't have a future like I do. I was born to stand in the spotlight." I turned and looked Chloe straight in the eye. "The spotlight has a way of showing the dirt on your face." Chloe stepped back, her lips tightening, her fingers gripping her dress. Arthur stepped forward and grabbed my left wrist with his right hand. He shoved me hard toward the registration counter. My left wrist slammed into the metal edge of the counter, breaking the skin and drawing blood. Arthur let go. "Don't embarrass me. If you ruin your sister's path, I'll disown you." I lowered my arm and covered the bleeding wound with my other hand. The manager brought a black wristband and handed it to Eleanor. "This is the tag for tonight's pending guests. Put it on her." Eleanor took the wristband, lifting my right hand. She fastened the wristband around my wrist and pressed the metal clasp shut. "When your sister becomes a star, she'll remember your sacrifice today." I looked down at the wristband. Printed on the inside was a serial number ending in 0723. I turned my wrist, pulling the coat sleeve down to cover the band. The manager unlocked the security door. "Go on in." Arthur pushed open the glass door, and we entered the club's corridor. Framed paintings lined both walls of the hallway. I followed behind Arthur, my right hand in my coat pocket. The fabric at the bottom of the pocket felt rough. At the end of the corridor was a pair of double wooden doors. A security guard pushed them open, and the light from the main hall spilled onto the carpet. Arthur adjusted his tie and looked back at me. "Stay close and don't stare." Eleanor took Chloe's arm. "Keep that temper in check. If you mess this up tonight, you'll be sleeping on the streets." I looked at the patterns on the carpet and kept walking.