Chapter 3: The Price of a Sparkle

I stared at the silver-haired guy, then at Sissy, and then back at the guy.

The Vance Corporation?! As in, the mega-conglomerate that literally owned half the skyline in our city? And more importantly... how on earth did my chaotic sister manage to ruin an art gala hosted by billionaires?

"Sissy," I whispered loudly, nudging her arm. "Who is this? And why does he look like he just walked off a boy-band poster?"

Before she could answer me, Sissy quickly recovered her composure. She stepped out from behind the dumpster, tossing her hair back with her trademark, dazzling flair. Even covered in a faint layer of alleyway dust, she managed to look like royalty.

"Ah, Adrian Vance," Sissy said, her voice dripping with dramatic sophistication. "We meet again. And for your information, I did not ruin your family’s gala. I simply enhanced it with a performance art piece involving three gallons of biodegradable pink glitter."

Adrian’s eyebrow twitched slightly, though the amused smirk remained on his face. "The cleaning crew took three months to get that out of the historical tapestries, Maya."

"Art is supposed to leave a lasting impression!" Sissy shot back, crossing her arms.

Adrian stepped further into the alley. The contrast between his pristine, perfectly ironed elite academy uniform and our current trash-adjacent aesthetic was painfully obvious. His sharp, gray eyes flicked down to me, scanning my matching school uniform, before landing back on Sissy.

"So, the sparkling girl is reduced to hiding in dumpsters," Adrian mused, checking his expensive wristwatch. "And judging by the three angry-looking Frenchmen I saw wandering around the main street a minute ago... you're running from a very expensive mistake."

My heart jumped into my throat. "Wait, you saw them? Are they coming this way?"

"They're thorough," Adrian said simply, looking entirely unbothered by our impending doom. "They'll find this alley in about two minutes."

I panicked, grabbing Sissy's sleeve. "Sissy, we have to go! If they catch us, they're going to turn us into high-fashion leather goods!"

"Don't worry, Toby! Sissy will protect you!" she declared, though her eyes were darting around frantically looking for an escape route that didn't exist.

Adrian watched us fumble, a slow, calculating smile spreading across his face. "I could help you, you know. I have a private car waiting around the block. My drivers can easily handle a few aggressive foreigners."

Sissy stopped scanning the walls and narrowed her eyes at him, instantly suspicious. "You? Help me? Out of the goodness of your heart? Please. You're a Vance. You guys don't even breathe unless there's a profit margin involved."

"Spot on," Adrian chuckled, taking his hands out of his pockets. He leaned against the brick wall, looking incredibly smug. "I do have a condition. My grandfather is forcing me to attend the upcoming Summer Gala, and he expects me to bring a date who can 'liven up the atmosphere' to impress our international investors. Someone unforgettable."

He pointed a finger directly at Sissy.

"You fit the bill. Act as my fake fiancée for the next month, make my grandfather happy, and I'll clear your French debt and give you safe passage out of this alley."

"Fake fiancée?!" Sissy and I yelled at the exact same time.

"No way! Absolutely not!" Sissy huffed, turning her nose up. "The amazing sparkle of Sissy cannot be bought or rented!"

Heavy, rapid footsteps suddenly echoed from the entrance of the alley.

"Hey! I think I saw a pink hat over here!" a loud French voice shouted.

Sissy stiffened. She looked at the mouth of the alley, then at Adrian’s outstretched hand, and finally at me, her eyes wide with a mix of horror and sudden compromise.

She grabbed Adrian’s hand and shook it fiercely. "Deal! But you're paying for my dry cleaning!"

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