Chapter 2 - The Dress and the Debt
The basement apartment in Tacoma was gone now. In its place stood a sleek, modern architectural home perched on the cliffs of Magnolia, overlooking Puget Sound. The lights of the city twinkled across the dark water like fallen stars.
Upstairs in her bedroom, ten-year-old Lily Cole stood in front of a full-length mirror, smoothing the skirt of a midnight-blue velvet dress that matched her father’s new tuxedo.
A soft knock came at the open door.
Ethan leaned against the doorframe, wearing a comfortable cashmere sweater and slacks, holding a silver jewelry box in his hands.
“You look like you’re about to negotiate a peace treaty with a foreign power,” Ethan said gently.
Lily spun around, the heavy velvet skirt swirling around her shiny black Mary Janes. “Do you think it’s too serious? Aunt Rebecca said I looked like a miniature diplomat.”
“Aunt Rebecca has no sense of dramatic flair,” Ethan smiled, walking into the room. He opened the silver box and pulled out a delicate, thin silver chain with a small sapphire pendant. “Here. Close your eyes.”
Lily obeyed, her breath hitching slightly as Ethan fastened the clasp around her neck. She opened her eyes and looked in the mirror, touching the cool stone with her fingertips.
“Dad... this looks expensive.”
“It’s vintage,” Ethan lied smoothly. In truth, it was a piece he had bought during his very first month of consulting, back when he had finally made his first ten thousand dollars and swore he would never let his daughter go without again. “Besides, if we’re going to walk into a room full of people who think money is the only thing that matters, we might as well remind them what real value looks like.”
Lily dropped her hands and looked up at him through the mirror. “Are you nervous?”
Ethan paused. He crouched down so he was eye-level with his daughter, resting his hands on her shoulders.
“Not a bit,” he said honestly.
“Good,” Lily said, her chin lifting with a familiar, stubborn tilt. “Because I practiced my polite smile, and I practiced my ‘I am deeply unimpressed by your wealth’ face.”
Ethan laughed out loud, pulling her into a tight hug. “Show me the unimpressed face.”
Lily scrunched her nose, narrowed her eyes, and crossed her arms with such regal disdain that Ethan couldn't help but laugh again.
“Terrifying,” Ethan murmured. “Grant Holloway won’t know what hit him.”
A sharp rap on the front door downstairs echoed through the high-ceilinged house.
Mason’s voice called out from the foyer. “Ethan! We’re running on schedule. The motorcade is downstairs.”
Ethan stood up and offered his arm to his daughter.
May you like
“Shall we go show Seattle how the other half lives, Ms. Cole?”
Lily looped her small arm through his, her head held high. “Let’s go crash a party, Dad.”
