3

That afternoon, our task was to help a bankrupt farmer sell off his surplus apples.

All the money we raised at the stand and through the livestream would go to charity. Our totals would determine the rankings, and the higher we ranked, the bigger our dinner budget. First place would get $500.

Chloe pulled me behind the church to strategize. "If we sell them the usual way, we can't beat those movie stars."

"So what do we do?"

"We use what we're most famous for right now."

Ten minutes later, Chloe picked up the microphone at the stand.

"Buy a bag of apples and you get a photo with Mrs. Costa."

I froze for a second. "What about you?"

"Buy a whole box, and you get a photo with me too. A billionaire's fiancée, no extra charge today."

One tourist laughed and asked, "What if I buy two boxes?"

Chloe didn't miss a beat. "We'll tell you which billionaire is stingier."

I corrected her at once. "Victor isn't cheap. He still gives me $200 a month."

The square went quiet for a second.

Olga pressed a hand to her forehead, and Isabella looked angrier by the moment.

She said through gritted teeth, "Elena, you may have no shame, but Victor still has a reputation to protect."

I immediately reached for the microphone in Chloe's hand. "Then I'll stop selling. I can skip dinner."

Chloe held my hand down hard. "No way. I'm having a hot meal tonight."

She turned back to the crowd and held up another apple.

"These apples are really fresh, so please support your local farm! You can buy them here or order them online!"

The livestream audience cracked up, and orders poured in.

In less than half an hour, every apple the orchard had brought that day had sold. Rachel announced that we'd tied for first place, and each pair got $500 for dinner.

Chloe and I threw our arms around each other, nearly in tears.

"$500!"

"We can have barbecue tonight!"

Isabella looked at me. "You're this happy over $500?"

I nodded hard.

If I was careful, that money could last me a long time.

The farmer brought over a bag of apples bruised in transit. A crew member picked up a smashed one to throw away.

I rushed over without thinking and grabbed it.

"Don't throw it away. It's just a little bruised. It's still good."

"Put it down," Isabella said.

I clutched the apple and stayed where I was. "I used to salvage ones like this in the kitchen all the time..."

She snatched the rotten apple from me, threw it in the trash, then picked the biggest, reddest one from the basket and shoved it into my hand.

"Eat this one."

"But this one looks perfect. We could sell it."

"Why is getting you to eat an apple harder than getting you to take your medicine? Eat!"

I flinched and took a big bite.

Isabella stared at my puffed-out cheeks and didn't say anything for a long time.

The mood in the comments shifted too.

[Grabbing the rotten apple was pure reflex. She doesn't look like she's acting.]

[When she ran over to grab that apple, Isabella didn't even have time to react.]

[She really seems used to being hungry. She gets a good one, and her first thought is that she could sell it.]

That night, Chloe and I combined our dinner budgets and ordered a whole roast chicken.

When the chicken arrived, we both swallowed hard, but neither of us reached for a knife or fork.

"You first," Chloe said.

"You first."

"I have to fit into a gown soon. I'm watching my weight."

"My doctor says I can't eat anything too greasy."

Olga gave a cold laugh, cut off a drumstick, and put it on Chloe's plate.

Isabella pushed the other drumstick onto my plate.

"Eat."

I asked cautiously, "Is this really for me?"

"Who else would it be for, the table?"

Only then did I lower my head and take a bite.

Rachel came over and said the clip of us selling apples that afternoon had gone viral. People online had even given us a group name.

Chloe and I both looked up.

Rachel was trying not to laugh.

"The High-Society Stray Cats."

Chloe laughed so hard she almost choked.

Isabella heard the name and, for once, didn't argue.