A GOLDEN EMPIRE

CHAPTER TWENTY- ONE

AFTER KISSING MARIO SEVERAL TIMES (let's be real here. it was hard to pull away), Autumn walks into her house, taking note of the over-the-top (she's wearing a gigantic ass white hat) dressed woman sitting in the living room talking to her father. Andrea, clad in a STELLA MCCARTNEY Kalyn printed silk midi dress and a pair of AQUAZZURA dalia pumps, saunters out of the marble kitchen into the foyer to greet her daughter.

"Autumn, honey! You're home. Ooh, new outfit? Let me see!" Andrea exclaims peeking into all three of her shopping bags. Mario took her to Rodeo Drive. At the time she only wanted a pair of heels but saw this pink dress and immediately bought it.

But to be honest, Autumn knows what Andrea is doing. The latter is trying to distract her from the woman in the living room. Who the hell is she and why is she here?

"Yeah, my friends and I are going out tonight. Mom, who is that woman? And why is she wearing that ridiculous hat in here?"

Andrea sighs and runs at hand through her daughter's long hair. "That is Cassandra, your father's sister. She flew in from Paris and showed up here unannounced like two hours ago. She's not ready to leave and I wish she would. I don't like feeling awkward in my own home."

The heiress can see the look on her father's face. He's not happy and that's saying something because Cameron radiates happiness. Even when he's had a bad day, he thinks positively. So to see him the slightest bit irritated sends shivers down Autumn's spine.

"Anyway, how was school?" The elder inquires as she pulls her daughter further into the house. They end up in the family room where they both plop down on the velvet lavender-colored sofa.

Autumn can feel her phone vibrating in her blazer pocket. She makes no move to look at it at that moment. Please, there's no doubt in her mind that it's yet another blast from Socialite's Elite. "School is school. Various girls have chosen the first week back to school to start drama but Aurora steps in to shut them down every time and she never fails."

"Good. Don't let irrelevant people fuck with you. They don't matter. Now, show me this gorgeous dress." Her mother says.

Autumn grins and pulls the bag closer to her. She pulls out this stunning pink BRANDON MAXWELL bustier peplum mini dress. No one knows this but she's been running herself ragged looking for this damn dress. She saw a character on DYNASTY (a/n: one of my favorite shows about rich people) wearing it and immediately fell in love with it. To make a long story short, she had to have it. She searched high and low for it. Thanks to Mario for taking her into this boutique. He noticed it first and kept pointing out that she'd look sexy in it. Autumn squealed and kissed him right there. He insisted that he buy it for her. So here we are.

"Andrea?" Cameron's voice rings out through the hallway. He peeps his head into the room. "Oh, there you are. Autumn! Hi princess." He brings himself into the room just as she gets up to run into his open arms.

Andrea is smiling but it falters when she notices Cassandra standing behind him. Autumn narrows her eyes. She raises her eyebrow questioningly. Again, what is she here for?

"Princess, this is your aunt Cassie, my younger sister. Before you ask, she still hasn't told me why she's here."

Cassie smiles but all three of them can see that she's up to some sneaky shit. "You must be Autumn. It's so nice to finally meet the wife and daughter my brother hid from our family all these years."

"Because you're the spawn of Satan. That's why." He says lowly. "She wants us to have dinner here at the house. Princess, will you be here or are you going out tonight?"