Sitting quietly in her study room, Madison Alora weighed an important thought: she and her niece, Lucy, needed to go shopping. Wanting nothing less than a bright future for Lucy—who had recently learned to drive—Madison broke the silence.
"I've done some research for your college. It's Seaford College, and it's a nice, prestigious college," Madison said.
Curious about what lay ahead, Lucy looked up. "Is that the college I would be attending?"
"Yes," Madison replied, though she already knew Seaford was the finest choice available. "And if you don't like it, I would change it to another college that you want."
"No, Aunty, it's fine. I'm only asking," Lucy explained with a small smile.
"Okay," Madison responded, leaving Lucy excited at the prospect of higher education.
"Thanks, Aunty," Lucy said, deeply grateful. Having recently adopted the Alora surname—her birth family's name—she finally felt she had a family she could truly rely on.
"You don't have to thank me. You are meant to be in college," Madison said, adding, "Anyway, it doesn't matter; since you'll be going to college in some months' time, you should get the outfits you want."
"Okay, Aunt," Lucy agreed.
Before long, they arrived at the mall. Lucy browsed the racks, picking out new clothes, shoes, and accessories. She was taken aback when her aunt insisted on paying, choosing high-class, branded outfits that were well beyond what Lucy would have dared to select for herself. Yet, everything matched her personal taste. As she looked at the abundance of bags, a warm thought crossed her mind: This is what family is meant for—to help support each other for the good of each other.
In the car parking lot, Lucy loaded the shopping bags into the back. Watching her, Madison felt the purchases weren't quite enough; she wanted her niece to feel completely provided for and surrounded by abundance.
On the drive back home, Lucy turned to her aunt. "Thank you, Aunt Madison. I'm grateful for the things you bought; they are so much." She was overjoyed with her new wardrobe, shoes, sneakers, and accessories, counting her blessings to have such a wonderful aunt.
"It's okay. I'd be willing to do more for you. You're my niece, and you deserve more," Madison said smoothly, keeping her eyes on the road, glad that Lucy loved her gifts.
"Still, thanks, Aunty," Lucy whispered, knowing firsthand how expensive everything was, even if she had tried to hold back.
Back home in her cream-peach colored room, Lucy eagerly unpacked her new clothes. Holding up a dress and trying it on, she felt a wave of happiness. She couldn't help wondering how her aunt had grown so wealthy, able to afford such luxury, especially since Madison mentioned she was a retired lawyer.
Meanwhile, miles away, Elsa sat in a bookstore reflecting on a brief text exchange with Lucy. Elsa had replied that she was fine, but her short answers left her feeling a bit lonely and disappointed as she headed home from work. She assumed Lucy was simply settling into her new life just fine.
Days passed, and Lucy and Madison grew closer. One late morning, a neighbor in his mid-twenties named Jasper—a man of good height with neat black hair and dressed in plain casual wear—stepped outside to walk his Chihuahua. He spotted Lucy sitting on a garden swing under a tree, her attention fixed entirely on her phone as she chatted with Elsa.
"Lucy," he called out.
Looking up from a short distance, Lucy recognized her next-door neighbor, whom she had briefly met when she first moved in. "Um, Jasper, hi."
"Hi, Lucy. How are you?" he asked, smiling.
"Good. You?" she asked, observing him.
"Good. I am walking Miss Pink, my dog, to the park," he smiled, his striking height and handsome face making him instantly eye-catching.
"Oh, okay," Lucy smiled back. Jasper found her smile and her bright green eyes utterly cute and pretty.
"Then bye," he said.
"Bye," Lucy replied, turning back to her phone as he walked away with his puppy, before heading indoors for some fresh air.
Inside, Lucy sat at the dining table and munched on an apple from the fruit basket. Madison, having watched the brief exchange from the window, smiled. She knew Jasper and his family were good people.
"You know," Madison said, glancing up from her phone, "Jasper—he's nice. And his sister is nice, too. You should get to know them when they give you the chance."
"Okay, Aunty," Lucy said, taking another bite of her apple.
"I won't be cooking anything for the afternoon," Madison continued. "I'll be ordering some takeouts. What do you want to eat?" After telling her aunt her preference, Lucy went back to her phone.
Far away in a car, Aaron sat in the back seat while his driver navigated toward a meeting with an important client. Glancing through documents, he thought about his schedule. He had decided to head home early at noon to spend quality time with his children, Diana and Marcus. To Aaron, his computer company's money meant nothing compared to his family. His core aim was to be a good father—checking homework, playing games, and staying deeply sensitive to his children's needs.
Back at the house, Lucy sat on the foot of the steps behind the building with a novel open on her lap, texting Elsa. Elsa, sitting behind her bookstore counter, smiled as the message came through.
Lucy: Mrs. Sally, our neighbor next door, has bigger teeth than Sammy! You should have seen it; I was kind of spooked out because Sammy's teeth aren't nearly as scary as hers.
Elsa laughed out loud, replying with a string of laughing and smiling emojis, feeling a bit amused yet sympathetic toward the poor woman with the wide, startling teeth.
Lucy: I am going to college. What about you?
Elsa paused, smiling at the good news, and typed back:
Elsa: Well, I would be...
Though Elsa was financially stable and had the resources, she was torn. She was considering driving classes, but she didn't want to quit the bookstore just yet. It was her peaceful haven—a place where she could maintain her dignity after the painful memory of Jordan. Remembering how she had slept with him out of sheer desperation for his money, she still felt tainted, having ruined her virginity and innocence outside of marriage.
Lucy: Good! You know, if you need anything, you should ask me. I can help since I'm rich.
Elsa looked at the screen, smiling gently at her friend's candidness.
Elsa: Thanks, Lucy.
Lucy: No problem.
Lucy intentionally avoided pushing the college topic further, knowing it required financial resources she knew her wealthy aunt could easily provide for her friend if needed.
Lucy: What are you going to do later?
Elsa: Probably order some chicken wings. I'm craving them, you know.
Feeling content that Elsa was managing well, Lucy appreciated the privilege of having a wealthy, caring aunt who looked after her.
At her Hoxton apartment, Elsa sat at the dining table, eating chicken wings with chips and ketchup. As she ate, her thoughts drifted back to the orphanage.
She remembered Mrs. Reah—a wonderfully kind woman who had been good to her, to Lucy, and to every child growing up there. Mrs. Reah had always taught them about virtue, the importance of being morally good, and the necessity of always doing the right thing.
Elsa felt like she had deeply disappointed herself, feeling "tainted" by her sexual encounter with Jordin Marson. Whenever she thought about it, her mind went completely blank. She didn't know what to do, wrestling with the painful feeling that she had essentially slept with Jordin for his money. It was a crushing realization, especially knowing how disappointed Mrs. Reah would be in her. If only she had been more conscious of her actions, turned down his money, and resisted being greedy, she wouldn't be sitting there feeling like a complete failure.
Overwhelmed, she ate her chicken feeling a heavy mixture of sadness and despair. That night, Elsa cried, berating herself for being so foolish as to ever sleep with Jordin Marson.
Meanwhile, sitting in her car outside, Avery watched Lucy through the window and smiled. She was curious to see Lucy's character and behavior firsthand, and she genuinely wanted to make friends with her.
While sitting on the couch by the window, Lucy overheard voices outside close to her window—definitely not her aunt's. Peering through the glass, she saw a young woman about her age with fair skin, a petite frame, and a sharp, attractive look.
"Avery," Jasper called out as the two siblings headed toward their car to run errands.
Watching them leave, Lucy felt a spark of hope. Here was someone her own age range. In her mind, she decided she wanted to become friends with both Avery and Jasper.
A few days later, on a cool, cloudy afternoon, Lucy came down the stairs just as Madison was closing the front entrance door. Madison turned and smiled at her niece, who was sitting on the couch.
"Avery gave me an invitation card to her birthday party. It's at the end of the month," Madison announced, handing the elegant card over. "She told me you should come."
Lucy took the grandly decorated card, noticing Avery's name embossed on it along with the venue details and date.
Avery is your age, Madison thought warmly, watching her niece closely. She is going to turn twenty-one at the end of the month—just like my Lucy.
"Okay, Aunt," Lucy responded, a soft smile playing on her lips as she traced the fine lettering on the invitation.