Part 3Don’t Be Depressed! I’m Coming Home to Save You

For the next few days, I threw myself into work at the branch office, messaging Ava in every spare moment. Her mood seemed to be improving, but from the little details she let slip, I knew her situation at home was still terrible. Her family was clearly wealthy and provided for her financially—a step up from her former life of barely scraping by—but emotionally, she was starving.

All I could do was pray for the snow to stop. For over twenty years, I, Summer Sterling, had been a force to be reckoned with in our circle—and not just because I was a Sterling. I was a legend in the venture capital world. Protecting one girl should have been easy. I cursed myself for being just a fangirl, for being happy she’d found her family without ever considering what kind of family they might be.

I had just wrapped up a meeting when my phone rang. The smug, infuriating voice of Julian Thorne filled my ear.

"Summer Sterling. Been gone a long time. Trying to ditch our engagement?"

I rolled my eyes. "Julian, have you been living under a rock? Haven't you heard? I'm the wrong one. Your engagement is with the Sterling heiress. You've got the wrong number."

He chuckled. "You told your brother you didn't care, but I can tell you're dying inside. Come on, she's some country bumpkin. She can't hold a candle to you. Besides, I already took care of her for you. She won't dare show her face around you now."

I frowned. "Don't do anything stupid, Julian. She's still a Sterling, by blood. What did you do to her? She hasn't done anything wrong."

"Relax," he said. "The Sterlings are paying to keep her in style. Isn't that enough? Now stop talking about switching fiancées and get your ass back here."

We chatted for a few more minutes. Right before hanging up, I remembered something. "Hey, didn't you say you invested in an entertainment company? Let me play with it when I get back."

"Why?" he asked, suddenly suspicious. "Thinking of sponsoring some boy toy? Not on my watch."

"Get your mind out of the gutter. I'm going to make a star. Just you wait, my girl is going to take the world by storm."

"What's your company called again?" I asked.

Before Julian could answer, the line went dead. I glanced at my phone. The screen was black. Dead battery. Again.

Back at my apartment, a message from Ava was waiting.

[Summer, are you busy? I was wondering if I could ask you for some advice. Even though we haven't met, I just feel like you must be such a graceful and beautiful person. The kind my mother would like.]

I replied immediately. It turned out she wanted advice on table manners.

[My family's social circle invited me to a party. Maybe… maybe this means they're ready to accept me.]

Ava sent me pictures of a few dresses.

[Which one should I wear?]

I looked at the photos and frowned. From her descriptions, her family had money. A party in their circle wouldn't be a simple dinner. These dresses were all wrong.

I typed carefully. [Honey, would you be comfortable giving me an address? Let me order a dress for you.]

I already had a chat window open with the regional manager for Chanel, ready to request a piece from their latest couture collection for her.

Ava replied quickly.

[Oh no, that's too much trouble! I want to be your friend, not take advantage of you. I know these aren't right. I'll just ask my mother if I can borrow one. She'll probably make fun of me, but I can just pretend I don't hear her. Cat-making-a-fist.jpg]

The emoji made me laugh out loud. She was such a sweetheart. As soon as I got back, I was taking her away from all of this.

At the same time, my phone started buzzing incessantly. It was my group chat, "The Heiress Club," lighting up with messages. Chloe Vance, one of the inner circle, tagged me.

[@Summer Sterling, don't say I never do anything for you. Don't go to bed too early tonight. We've got a surprise for you.]