VALERIE

Seventy Six

Located in the heart of Mercer Island, Washington. The state's most wealthy, elite and well known socialites gathered in the large hall for this year's 50th annual charity ball.

And of course amongst all of the wealthy members was the well known Laurent family.

All of them minus George of course.

Emily, Grace, Valerie and Johnny sat in the center table of the large hall room.

Jazz played in a lively manner from the live band and the Tiffany chandeliers hung high on the detailed ceiling. The marble columns along the room matched the matching marble floors.

Sighing in content while she looked at the program Emily smiled, "There's an auction tonight."

Raising her brow Grace looked over her mother's shoulder in curiosity, "There auctioning girls?"

Emily nodded, "Yes."

Valerie scoffed, "Their girls not paintings."

Emily glared at her daughter from across the table, Valerie smiled smugly before shoving down another piece of bread in her mouth.

"Isn't auctioning humans illegal?" Johnny asked putting his phone down onto the table, Emily let out a small chuckle of amusement.

"Oh honey no, there not selling the young women, their auctioning them meaning that if some young nice gentleman wants to go on a date with them they bid money until they win, and all the money goes to charity."

Johnny nodded in understanding while Valerie shook her head.

"It's wrong and dehumanizing, these girls aren't items. If they really wanted to auction something they could've sold some possessions."

Emily shook her head, "You're not one of us dear. Shut your mouth and stop eating that bread. That's the reason you didn't fit in that Armani dress I had gotten you."

Valerie shoved another piece into her mouth quickly and smugly, "I'll eat whatever I want whenever I want." Valerie replied heavily, before taking a seat completely back.

Grace watched doe eyed while Johnny just kept tapping away on his phone trying to stay out of the fire that lingered at the table.

"You know I'm gonna run to the restroom and get some drinks at the bar, I'll be right back." Johnny announced as he got up from the table, he gave Valerie a kiss on the head and began to walk away when Valerie belligerently smacked his ass.

Being rather embarrassed of her youngest daughters behavior Emily didn't notice Leila Washington making her way to their table.

Leila Washington was Grace's old bestfriend when they were in high school together. But something happened and they stopped speaking.

Grace cringed at the sight when all of those repressed memories came up suddenly.

"Oh my, Leila Anne Washington. It's been a while." Emily cheered with such a fake tone of happiness, grinning at Emily, Leila nodded.

"I actually came by to express my condolences about your husband, I really hope he gets better."

Emily nodded, "Thank you Leila."

Leila scanned the table, she was surprised to see Valerie sitting there stuffing her face with caviar now.

"Valerie, I haven't seen you since you were 12."

Valerie swallowed the food she had in her mouth before speaking, "Yeah, my tits grew in." She said happily smacking them both with her hands.

Leila snickered before finally seeing Grace timidly avoiding eye contact, "Hi Grace."