"Isn’t that my dear sister?" said the heavily made-up girl with a sudden smile, her words dripping with mockery and sarcasm. "Still hanging out with those D-list celebrities?" She is Laura Collins’ half-sister. Unlike Laura, who inherited their mother’s good genes, Sophia looks rather ordinary, lacking a standout figure and appearance, but her flamboyant attire made her quite noticeable in a crowd. Standing next to her was a young man around twenty-four or twenty-five, with decent features, dressed neatly and stylishly, wearing branded clothes that were rather low-key. Sophia pulled the young man over, full of exuberance, with no shortage of both malice and hostility in her eyes. "Another new boyfriend?" Laura retorted without backing down, looking at the young man beside Sophia with a meaningful smile, "This time he must be wealthy, right?" The young man’s expression turned a bit unpleasant. The implication was full of sarcasm. Sophia’s face changed dramatically, as if her tail had been stepped on, glaring fiercely at Laura, "What’s it to you? What, you can’t find anyone yourself, so you’re trying to mess with our relationship?" Laura sneered disdainfully. Sophia was just like their mother, both vain and snobbish. Mr. Collins had a bit of money, not exactly wealthy, so Sophia’s only requirement for a boyfriend was that he had to be rich to ensure her future life’s comfort. However, she had poor judgment and often fell for fake rich kids pretending to be wealthy heirs and had been deceived several times in a row. Now, this one next to her— Seeing Sophia’s look of proud flaunting, it seemed this one might actually have some money. "Dominic Bro, I want you to try on that outfit we just saw. You would look great in it!" Sophia clung to the young man’s arm, her voice soft and coquettish, laced with a tone of sweetness that could melt anyone’s bones. The young man clearly enjoyed this, patting her hand, then said to Laura and Nora Scott, "I want that outfit. Name your price, and I can buy it off your hands." As he spoke, his gaze couldn’t help but linger on Nora Scott’s face, his Adam’s apple slightly moving. Nora Scott was undeniably eye-catching, no matter the situation. "Sis, didn’t you just quit your job and are short on money?" Sophia asked with a triumphant arch of her eyebrow, first targeting Laura and then turning her attention to the silent Nora Scott. "And this D-list star here isn’t doing much better, right? Just nod and you can make easy money. Why not take this cheap offer?" Full of arrogance, full of boasting. In Sophia’s heart, both Laura and Nora Scott were just there to be looked at, but in reality, they were insignificant, struggling miserably in society. Laura tilted her head, humorously asking Nora Scott, "Do you want the money?" With indifference, Nora Scott replied, "Dirty, not interested." "Stop pretending like you’re so above it all," Sophia snapped irritably, annoyed at their coordinated disdain, "Can either of your monthly salaries even buy one outfit?" This person was dense, and neither Nora Scott nor Laura had the energy to bother responding. Nora Scott asked, "Still shopping?" Laura replied, "It’s ruining my mood, let’s go." Ignoring Sophia and the young man as if they were invisible, the two proceeded to head straight for the checkout with the clothes in their hands. Sophia darted forward, blocking their path, raising her chin slightly. She said, "Don’t try to show off just because we’re here. Buying all these clothes, you guys will be starving by New Year’s, right?" Sophia glanced at the clothes in their hands and clicked her tongue, then added, "Sis, it’s not like I’m saying you, keeping up appearances is just living in suffering. If you occasionally give in, it’s no big deal. Just nod, let Dominic Bro have that outfit, and I can get him to gift each of you one." At this point, the young man also walked over and nonchalantly said, "No worries, spending money is just for fun. I’ll cover everything you’re holding." His generosity stemmed from two reasons. First, vanity, wanting to show off in front of the beauties, Laura and Nora Scott; second, standing up for Sophia to display his masculine charisma. Undoubtedly, his gesture successfully boosted Sophia’s ego, immensely satisfying her vanity. The clothes Laura and Nora Scott would have to spend all their savings on, her boyfriend offered to buy them all in one go without even batting an eye! What kind of glory is this? Instantly, joy, satisfaction, and pride all showed on her face. If Sophia had a tail, it would probably be wagging high in the sky right now. Laura let out a derisive laugh, not paying any attention to the smug Sophia, but instead purposely tilted her head, sizing up the young man for a moment, then suddenly teased, "Hey handsome, with qualities like yours, how did you end up with her?" "What do you mean by that!" The proud smile on Sophia’s face vanished abruptly, and she glared at Laura with full vigilance, like a cat whose fur had been ruffled. —Experiencing stolen boyfriends wasn’t unheard of. In middle school, she brought home a boy she liked, but once he met Laura, he became head over heels for her. Now, Laura’s words, laden with hidden implications, undoubtedly struck a nerve with Sophia. Laura Collins glared at her coldly, her tone dismissive, "You’re not good enough for him." Her offhand remark successfully provoked Sophia Collins. Sophia, enraged, lifted her hand, ready to slap Laura. However, the slap never landed on Laura’s face, nor did Laura’s prepared kick go out. Sophia’s hand was caught in mid-air by a firm grip. The four of them turned their gaze to the suddenly appearing young man. The handsome and dashing young man seemed to have just washed his hair, with droplets rolling down from his wet strands, leaving a varied trail on his black jacket. A few drops hung on his face, his lashes and brows were damp, and his eyes, washed bright, were like shining stars—black, clear, and sparkling. He tugged at the corner of his lips, smiling a bit mischievously. Michael Quinn winced a little, pushing Sophia back and loosening her hand, stepping sideways to stand in front of Laura. His grin was roguish, "I was wondering who was barking, and it’s you again?" Sophia staggered back, nearly tripping, and seeing Michael, she stomped her foot in frustration, anger rising. Half a year ago, after being splashed with water by Laura, she held a grudge and called in some people to deal with her. However, this very guy took down all her people and gave them a stern warning. "Dominic Bro, they’re bullying me—" Sophia, livid, turned around seeking shelter from her boyfriend. However, the young man, upon seeing Michael, froze for a few seconds, suddenly becoming humble, stepped forward to greet him eagerly. The word "Bro" carried a tone of flattery. Gone was the bravado he had before Nora Scott and Laura Collins. Michael adjusted his sleeve, raising an eyebrow at the dumbfounded Sophia, "Your girlfriend?" Fresh chapters posted on 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹✶𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲✶𝗻𝗲𝘁 Feeling embarrassed, the young man awkwardly admitted. "Not much of a taste, huh." Michael lightly chuckled, patting the young man’s shoulder with kindly advice, "Take a brotherly suggestion, break it off soon, she’s not worthy of you." The young man was at a loss. Denying was also no good. "Dominic Bro!" Recognizing the situation, Sophia was furious, quickly holding the young man’s arm, then glaring at the three in anger, "You’re just Laura’s lapdog, what right do you have to boss us around?" Before Michael and others could speak, the young man’s expression changed drastically, immediately warning Sophia with a shout. Sophia, intimidated by his sternness, showed a bit of grievance but dared not act spoiled. "Michael, I’m sorry, she speaks without thinking, not very sensible—" The young man was eager to nod and bow in apology to Michael. "She wasn’t wrong," Michael shrugged it off, stepping closer to Laura, resting his elbow on her shoulder, and taking pride where others would feel shame, "I’m indeed our dear Laura’s lapdog, so what?" The young man was dumbfounded. Sophia was speechless. Laura gave him a glare, slumping her shoulder, causing Michael to lean his half body, then clasped both hands over Laura’s shoulders from behind. Nora Scott, who had been watching the whole scene, took a step back, giving a quick glance to Michael who had been considering breaking up just moments ago. Michael noticed, touched his nose sheepishly, turned his head, and obediently took his arm off Laura’s shoulder. Nora smiled, taking two pieces of clothing from Laura’s hands, along with her own, handed them to Michael. She instructed, "Go pay." Michael agreed without hesitation, taking the clothes and heading to the counter. Seeing this scene, Laura turned her head towards Nora, "You—" Nora reassured, "Don’t worry, it’s a childhood friend’s duty." Are you taking him for a cash machine?