Chapter 2: The smooth Trap

~Isabel~

Aunt Joey walked into the room wearing her stained work smock from the salon downstairs looking worn out after a long day.

Her shoulders slumped just like mine,she leaned on the painted doorframe with a sigh that told me she already suspects what my mother had done.

"She called you, didn't she?" Joey asked.

"She got married, Joey," I replied. "To Arthur Sterling. The billionaire."

Joey whistled...the sound rang clear in the room.

"Well. Sarah always did love the fancy life. What does she want this time?"

"She wants me to move to London," I said nodding toward my phone sitting on the nightstand. "There's an internship waiting for me at his company. She says it'll pay all my tuition and cover every cost while I'm there. And she told me Arthur will put money into your salon if I agree to go."

I looked up at her my eyes stinging with tears.

"She's using you and the money I still need for school to force me onto that plane."

Aunt Joey sat down beside me on the bed then wrapped an arm around my shoulders.

"Bel, listen to me," she said. "You don't owe me anything. Not one cent. I took you in when you were twelve because I loved you, not because I expected something back later."

She had been so good to me all these years. Truly.

"I'm still three thousand pounds short, Joey," I reminded her staring at my feet. "The school won't save my spot after this month. If I don't take this, I lose everything I've worked for."

Joey’s face turned hard.

"And do you really think scrubbing floors here will get you that money in time? No, it won't. This is your only real chance to get that degree. You have to take it."

"But what about you? What about the salon?"

"The salon's been struggling for a while," she said with a shrug. "But you? You're smart enough to outthink every last one of those rich people."

She squeezed my arm.

"If this is your way out of here, and into the life you deserve, then go. Take every penny they offer, and don't feel bad about it."

"I don't want to leave you alone," I said then broke down crying into my hands.

"I'm just a phone call away, Bel. Go show those Sterlings exactly what a Mayfield girl is made of." She gave my shoulder a little shake and smiled. "And if anyone tries anything with you over there? You tell them they have me to deal with."

I laughed through my tears and hugged her tight. My mind was now settled.

That night and the next day, I packed everything I owned into one beat-up old suitcase. My textbooks, my graduation photo, and the few clothes I had that didn't smell like coffee from the café.

The nice floral dress Joey got me for graduation was the best thing I owned so I laid it out on the chair to wear for the trip.

The flight felt endless.

When we landed i pulled my suitcase through the airport the broken wheel squeaked loud enough that people turned to look. But I kept my head down and kept walking.

A driver was waiting right by the doors, holding a sign with my name. He was in a tailored suit, and he acted like he didn't even notice the noise my suitcase was making.

He took the handle from me with a gloved hand and nodded.

"This way, Miss Mayfield. Mr. Sterling is expecting you for dinner tonight."

The ride to the house was quiet.

When we pulled through the big iron gates, I saw it... a huge stone mansion solid like a fortress.

An older woman was waiting at the front door.

"I am Mrs. Higgins," she said in a professional tone.

"Your mother is waiting for you in the dining hall. I will show you to your room. You have twenty minutes to change and freshen up."

She opened the door to my room then looked at me.

"And do not be late. The Master does not like it when people keep him waiting."