Chapter 2

The day after the fitting, Alice called again. "Sophia, I want to buy a gold bangle. Come shopping with me."

Hearing her whiny tone now only made me feel annoyed and disgusted.

I frowned and asked, "Are you buying it for your wedding? Why isn't Matthew going with you to pick it out?"

Alice fell silent for a few seconds before laughing it off. "Oh, I'm a modern and independent woman. I don't want to ask him for everything. How about…"

Alice dragged out her words, and her tone turned coy yet blatantly entitled. "You buy it for me?"

If this were my past self, treasuring our years of friendship, I would have agreed without hesitation and bought her a heavy, stunning piece.

But not this time.

I didn't take the bait. Instead, I feigned righteous indignation and pressed her. "Silly, how can you ask for nothing at all? Besides, even if you didn't ask, is Matthew really giving you nothing?"

At that, Alice let out a sweet chuckle. "Of course not! He gave me an entire company! He said I'll never have to work another day in my life. I can just relax and play the boss."

After asking a few more questions, I realized the so-called "boss" meant making Alice the legal representative.

I couldn't help giving her a quick legal reality check. "Being the legal rep isn't a good thing. If anything goes wrong with the business, the legal rep is the one stuck with the debt or even going to prison."

Hearing my words, Alice scoffed and raised her voice. "Sophia Moore, what's your problem? I know you've always been jealous that I found a devoted man while you have no one and have to work yourself to the bone. But you don't have to jinx me like that!"

I tapped my forehead, cursing myself for forgetting my lesson and reflexively trying to stop her again.

Alice chose this scumbag herself. She insisted on jumping into this fire. Naturally, I ought to support her with all my heart.

So I immediately switched gears and apologized. "I'm sorry, Alice. My bad. I was judging others by my standards. You're right. Matthew loves you so much. He'd never scheme against you."

The words tasted foul, and I almost laughed as I said them.

However, Alice didn't notice anything off. Instead, she took it completely for granted. "Hmph! As long as you know. Buy me that gold bangle, and I'll forgive you."

I couldn't help rolling my eyes and replied in a sarcastic tone, "You're a boss now. Why would you need a wage slave like me to buy you a gold bangle?

"Like you said, I don't have a man and have to work myself to the bone for every single cent. Have a heart and take pity on me instead."

The moment the words left my mouth, I heard Alice let out a displeased click of her tongue. "Sophia, what's gotten into you? You used to be so generous to me! I really didn't expect you to get so petty just because you're jealous that I found a good man!"

She paused before continuing in a condescending huff, "Once I marry Matthew and become the boss, you'll get plenty of perks just hanging around me.

"Asking you for a gold bangle right now is giving you a chance to get on my good side. Don't you know basic social etiquette? You really don't have an ounce of sense!"

With that, she hung up right away.

A harsh, repetitive dial tone echoed from the receiver, and I let out a heavy sigh.

Alice and I used to be so close that we shared a single straw for bubble tea, stayed under the same blanket talking all night, and told each other every little secret.

When she fell ill, I'd take a cab across half the city to deliver medicine and stay up all night taking care of her.

When I went through a breakup, she'd bring a huge bag of beer to swear at the guy with me, holding me tight in her arms while I sobbed my eyes out.

Yet the person who was once like a sister to me had long since changed.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed a few times with messages from Alice.

I opened them to find payment links for a gold bangle, a gold necklace, and a pair of gold earrings.

Along with the links, she sent just two words. "Pay up."

I silently turned off the screen and left her on read.