She had only tried it once, but that single try was enough to see how stunning it looked. She remembered catching her reflection and feeling completely taken aback. Still, she had kept it tucked away, saving it for a moment that truly mattered. Tonight was that moment. She hailed a cab to the villa. On the ride over, she noticed the driver stealing glances at her through the rearview mirror. Juliana straightened her back, copying the posture of the rich girls she'd watched before. She adjusted her pose, held a compact in one hand to touch up her makeup, while her eyes darted around the car. The way the driver looked at her fed right into her vanity. She loved it, but she played it cool, keeping her expression frosty and aloof, as if she were someone who deserved the attention. So what if I grew up broke? Look at me now, hanging out with the richest heir in Brisden. I can feel myself slipping into their world bit by bit. Everything Anastasia once had, I'm gonna have it too. It's just a matter of time. And I believe that with all my heart. The cab arrived at the villa before long, and she stepped out. Juliana clicked her way forward in heels, striding toward the deeper part of the estate. The cabbie had a driver group chat. Right now, he opened it, sneering at Juliana's back while recording a voice message. "Guys, just dropped someone off at the villa. Thought it was some rich heiress... As it turns out, it's the girl the heir calls." A reply came in, also a voice message, laughing and cursing. "How did you know she's not some heiress?" "Look, it's in the vibe. She can't fake that. Plus, which real heiress takes a cab? They all roll with a chauffeur. Even the lowest tier gets a private ride. Man, having her in my car... I feel dirty." Juliana reached the villa and knocked on the door. Sebastian had thought Anastasia had come back. However, when he saw Juliana outside, his gaze darkened. There was something different about her today, but he only gave her a quick look before pulling his eyes away. He asked, puzzled, "Why are you here?" Juliana froze for a second, a flicker of hurt in her eyes. "You called me here to see you... Didn't you forget?" Sebastian had actually forgotten. That night, he had a few drinks. After Anastasia left, he polished off the whole bottle. Dizzy and half- drunk, he took a shower. Now he was just about to crawl into bed. Sebastian was in his pajamas, his damp hair halfway dry, still dripping a little. He had an extra softness tonight, a kind of harmless warmth the people didn't usually see. That was when he remembered Juliana 2/3 2:10 pm DDDD Juliana blushed slightly and hurried after him. "Sebastian, you're the heir of Summit Group, so do you usually deal with the company stuff?" A flicker of surprise crossed Sebastian's eyes. "Why the sudden question?" She pressed her lips together, hesitating. "It's nothing huge..." "There's a project at my company, and Summit Group happens to be the client. They promised that if Summit Group agrees to use my tech, I'd get a promotion," she continued. "Your dad runs the company, though, and always had it in for.me thanks to Anastasia. I even called his secretary this afternoon to set up a meeting, and she basically ignored me..." 3/3