Chapter 11: Greed is in the eyes.
1920 Words
Seraphina
“I’m bored.”
At the sound of Isabel’s voice, I closed the book I was reading, slipping the bookmark neatly between the pages. She flopped onto my bed, letting out a long, silent huff that spoke louder than words.
“Well,” I said, sitting upright and hugging a pillow to my chest, “do you have something in mind we could do?”
Her back was to me.
She whipped her head around so fast her hair flew. “Let’s go visit my dad’s company.”
If I had anything in my mouth, I would have choked on it.
“What?” I shrieked.
Isabel blinked, calm and unbothered, like she hadn’t just suggested something completely insane. “I mean, there’s literally nothing exciting to do around here. I’m off work at the site for the next two days, and I’m done with clubs for a while. Let’s do something fun.”
“And going to your dad’s office counts as fun to you?” I asked, disbelief thick in my voice.
She hummed thoughtfully, then turned fully toward me, kneeling on the bed. Her eyes were bright, a wide smile stretching across her face. “I could show you around. I basically know that place like the back of my hand. You’ll see jewelry you’ll never see in your lifetime, munchkin. Real gold. Real diamonds. Come on. It’ll be fun.”
I shook my head immediately, my heart beginning to pound. “And your father? Won’t he— I don’t know— complain?”
She rolled her eyes. “Phina, please. That place is my second home. I practically grew up there.”
She leaned closer, lowering her voice dramatically. “Come on. Pretty please. I promise you’ll have fun. And if you don’t, I’ll—” She paused, eyes darting around like she was calculating something.
“You’ll?” I pressed, arching a brow.
“f**k it,” she muttered. “I’ll let you win me in car chase.”
I laughed. “You never let me win, Bee. I let you win. Let’s not get it twisted”
She smirked. “So… you’ll come?”
I grimaced. “Do I even have a choice?”
She shrugged casually. “Of course you do. Just know that if you don’t come, I’ll steal Ann and snuggle her all day. I won’t let you win car chase, I won’t talk to you for three days straight, I’ll lock myself in my room and play *Marionette* at full volumes, I know how much you hate that song. I’ll—“
“Okay! Fine. I’ll come,” I cut in quickly. “Jesus.”
Isabel grinned, pure triumph lighting her face, and oddly, the tight feeling in my chest eased just a little.
Honestly, I needed Jesus to save me from Isabel.
I had been doing so well avoiding Alderic—avoiding anywhere he might be in the house. The place was massive, so hiding wasn’t hard. Still, somehow, I could feel him everywhere. Like that night. The night I was certain he watched me dance.
I replayed it in my head more times than I wanted to admit, my thoughts spiraling into places they had no business going. What would have happened if I had turned around? If I had let him know I knew?
Would he have stepped into my room? Sat down and watched me properly, his dark eyes following every movement? Would he have let me straddle him, dance just for him?
Did I even want that?
I knew I did.
The thought alone made heat pool between my legs, my stomach tightening painfully. The thrill of it—of him—made my breath hitch.
I guess some lessons were never learned.
I changed out of my oversized undergrad sweatshirt and loose black sweatpants into blue jean shorts and a tank top, throwing on a denim jacket over it. Ever since I got fired simply for having tattoos, especially visible ones, I had made a habit of covering up.
I might act like I didn’t care, but I did.
I cared too much.
Isabel scrunched her nose at my jacket but, being the sweetheart she was, said nothing.
“Ready?” she asked, bouncing slightly on her toes.
“No,” I sighed.
“Even better.”
She linked her arm with mine, blew a kiss to Ann, and dragged me out.
Isabel insisted on using her father’s driver—a calm, older man named Peter who hummed softly throughout the ride. I stayed glued to the window, my eyes wide as I took in the city.
I had lived here my whole life, yet somehow never stepped foot into this part of town.
The wealth was loud. Obvious and Intimidating.
It made me feel poorer than I already was.
When we finally pulled up to Draegor Jewelry Empire, my jaw dropped.
And that was an understatement.
The skyscraper glittered in gold and silver, catching the sunlight in a way that almost hurt my eyes. It stood tall and proud in the middle of three other buildings, yet somehow managed to dwarf them all. Not just in height, but in presence. Like it knew it was important. Like it demanded to be seen.
I stood there, frozen.
“Wait,” I breathed, not taking my eyes off it. “Are those real golds?”
Beside me, I felt Isabel grin.
“Some might argue they are.”
I finally turned to look at her. There was a glint in her eyes, something warm and proud. She wasn’t exaggerating when she said she loved this place. This was her world. She belonged here.
“So… is it?” I pressed.
She shrugged lightly. “We’ll just wait and see, munchkin.” She linked her arm through mine again, squeezing it. “Come on. Take your jaw off the floor. You haven’t even seen the inside yet.”
And just like that, she was pulling me forward.
The rotating doors swallowed us whole. The smooth movement made my head spin slightly, and I stumbled for half a second before catching myself. The moment we stepped inside—
Oh my f*****g God.
The space opened up into something unreal. Marble floors stretched endlessly beneath our feet, polished so well they reflected the ceiling lights like mirrors. Gold accents lined the walls—not loud or tacky, but subtle, deliberate, and expensive. Crystal chandeliers hung high above, casting a soft glow over everything.
Glass cases displayed jewelry so brilliant it looked unreal. Diamonds caught the light and shattered it into a thousand tiny sparks. Gold pieces rested like royalty behind thick glass, guarded and untouchable.
The air smelled clean. Rich. Like money and control.
People moved with purpose, dressed sharp and confident, speaking in low voices. No one rushed. No one looked lost.
Except me.
I tightened my grip on Isabel’s arm, suddenly aware of how small I felt. How out of place. This wasn’t just a building. It was a different world entirely.
And I had just stepped into it.
People were purchasing jewelry of different sizes and colors, their voices low, their movements precise. The place was packed—full in a way that felt heavy, like money itself had weight. I was completely blown away. You would think I had stepped into Disneyland with the way my eyes kept darting everywhere, trying to take it all in at once.
That was when I noticed it.
Bee and I were the only ones dressed casually.
Everyone else looked like they were attending some high-class dinner party. Suits. Ties. Perfectly tailored dresses that clung in the right places. Heels that probably cost more than my rent. Hair styled within an inch of perfection.
I frowned slightly.
I thought people came here to just buy jewelry, for God’s sake. Why all the drama?
“You see this?” Isabel sighed beside me, her eyes still roaming the space like she was soaking it in. “This is what makes this place exciting.”
I turned to her, confused. “Seeing people buy jewelry is exciting?”
She shook her head slowly, a soft grin on her lips, her eyes glinting with something darker now. “No, munchkin. Seeing the greed in people’s eyes.”
I stilled.
“The greed when they’re deciding what they want,” she continued. “The anger and jealousy when they pass what they can’t afford. The way they glance at the people beside them, trying to see if they can afford it too.” Her lips twitched. “The petty excitement when they realize the person next to them can’t. And the bitter envy when they can.”
There was something in her voice that made my spine prickle. I swallowed.
“Look at that couple there,” she said, nudging her chin forward.
I followed her gaze.
A man in a crisp white suit stood tall beside his wife, who wore a yellow ball dress that looked like it belonged on a red carpet. Her hair was laid perfectly, not a strand out of place. If anyone asked me to describe a perfect couple, it would be them.
“You see how the woman is staring at that necklace?” Isabel murmured.
I nodded.
“What do her eyes tell you?”
I watched her closely now. She really was beautiful, but what caught my attention was the way her chest rose and fell, heavy and slow. Her fingers hovered over the glass, not touching it, like she was afraid it might disappear. Her eyes sparkled—pride, mischief and hunger all mixed together.
“Why isn’t she buying it?” I asked quietly.
Isabel shrugged. “Sometimes the thrill of just staring at it is better than actually owning it. Right now, it feels unreal to her. She can’t believe she’s even allowed to look at something that beautiful, so she wants to take it all in first.”
“Then she should just buy the damn jewelry,” I muttered, my temples throbbing. Rich people problems were exhausting.
“Oh, she will,” Isabel said easily. “But not before obsessing over it.” She tilted her head. “Notice the women beside her?”
I did.
Their eyes were sharp and burning. Full of something ugly and fierce.
Damn.
“They obviously can’t afford it,” Isabel continued. “So sometimes, they’d rather not look at it for too long. Greed can make people do crazy things—steal, borrow, lie—just to possess what they want. So out of sight, out of mind.”
When she finished, I let out a slow breath. “Wow.”
“Right?” She grinned. “My father is a genius.”
My throat dried instantly. “Your father taught you this?”
“Yeah. When I was fifteen.” She pointed upstairs toward a darker hallway, tucked away from the brightness. “We stood right there. He made me watch every single client and take mental notes. Said that just by looking at people, I could understand life. Understand how they think.”
And he wasn’t wrong.
Just standing here, watching them, sent chills down my skin. Even among the rich, there were levels. Power. Hunger. Control.
It was overwhelming.
Still caught in my thoughts, Isabel tugged my arm again. “Come on. Let’s go see my dad.”
My stomach dropped.
Can I beg to disappear? No?
Fuck.
- Writer
