A GOLDEN EMPIRE

CHAPTER NINE

HOLLINGSWORTH ESTATE
12:20 PM

WHEN AURORA EMERGES FROM HER ROOM and down the grand staircase, she finds her family's mansion to be back in pristine condition from the chaos of the previous night's dinner festivities and surprisingly, her father sitting on one of the off-white couches, relaxed and reading the LOS ANGELES TIMES' business column.

"Daddy!" Aurora saunters over to her father and kisses his cheek. "Good afternoon."

"Good afternoon to you too, honey." Charles Hollingsworth chuckles in that deep, throaty voice of his before setting the paper down. "How was everything last night?"

Aurora furrows her eyebrows for a bit and pouts in mock confusion, before smiling and giving her dad two thumbs up. It's a game they play together after any dinner. Charles is a second-generation billionaire who has sole control over HOLLINGSWORTH PACIFIC, a conglomerate that owns newspapers, magazines, television networks, movie production companies, radio stations, publishing companies, and recording studios with the mission of uniting all the world's media under one, streamlined company.

He is ranked as one of the wealthiest (if not the wealthiest) men in the world, always made TIME MAGAZINE'S 100 Most Influential, and consistently ranked #1 on FORBES 50 Under 50 Most Influential. Last year, both ESQUIRE and GQ named him the sexiest businessman alive, quoting his 'high cheekbones, full lips, caramel skin, and the physique of an Adonis that made women, single or married, everywhere swoon with reckless abandon.' But none of that matters because he has the kind of confidence that could only come from unflappable competence and warm humility. Except when it came to Aurora. Her opinion is the only one that matters to him, and the heiress is more than happy to oblige.

"There's my baby girl!" Juliette Hollingsworth exclaims kissing Aurora's cheek as she glides into the room, wearing her before-party outfit: a jasmine-scented LA PERLA wraparound thigh-length silk robe and a pair of fur-lined GUCCI slippers. She's a steaming cup of green tea in one hand, a copy of VOGUE, and her iPhone in the other. Taking a seat opposite her daughter on the ottoman, she folds her toned legs underneath her and smiles at the heiress.

"Is that your new cover shoot?" Charles raises an eyebrow, reaching over to gently take the magazine from his wife's hands, before peering inside.

"This is the only time your father will read a fashion magazine," Juliette whispers conspiratorially to her daughter.

Aurora giggles to herself and glances over at the cover, where sure enough, her mother's flawless face graced the cover. Aurora had logged more hours in her life looking at her mother than probably any other person, aside from her father or sister. And even on a Sunday morning, with no makeup on, Aurora had to admit that her mother is still Jaw-Droppingly-How-Can-You-Be-Serious-God-Must-Be-Missing-An-Angel gorgeous. Day or night. Rain or shine. Made up or fresh-faced. Bedhead. Updo. Natural. Curly. And everything in between.

No matter how little sleep she'd gotten, how annoyed she is with one of her team members, Juliette is never not breathtaking. There were her famous piercing grey eyes, her cheekbones that made the lower half of her face a perfect V, and the pillowy lips. There is also her waist-length black hair that fell in tight ringlets to the middle of her back and her lean, yet voluptuous body, all thanks to her Afro-French lineage.

Juliette is so jaw-droppingly perfect that even at 38, when most models are strung out or clinging to their last bits of fame, Juliette is still in high demand. She stars in ad campaigns for at least two A-List designers each season, does spreads in every issue of the biggest fashion magazines, serves as the face of 𝐘𝐒𝐋 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐘. All while being a successful fashion designer.

"Did you get settled in, sweetie?"

Aurora nods, playing with the tie on her VERSACE robe. "Yes. I did. My homecoming was wonderful."

"Good. You're home safely. What is this I'm hearing about Odette not being here?" Charles says finally putting the newspaper down.

Aurora sways from side to side before answering. "Well, when I arrived, Carter informed me that she was on Catalina Island with her friends. I called and called. No answer. Then I checked in with him a second time. He said that she was in the Marina. Nothing after that."

"Imma need to talk to that girl whenever she decides to grace us with her presence."

"Do it after brunch, honey."

Just as Juliette says that Odette decides to walk in, loudly announcing her arrival.

Aurora shakes her head and stands up. "I'm going to go upstairs to my room and finish getting ready for brunch."

"What more do you have to do, sweetie?"

There's not much else to do. Her hair and makeup are done. She just needs to slip her dress and heels on. She says as much. "Time to get dressed! That won't take long at all."

And she's definitely right. With the help of her stylist, Phillip, she's dressed and standing tall in her heels. She thanks him with his usual payment and he's out of the room heading for the master bedroom. She walks over to her lit, floor-length mirror and pretends she's in front of screaming paparazzi snapping away while begging for a few short words on her life's intimacies.

Aurora stares at her face with a bright grin. She plans to stun everyone at that damn brunch today. She's going to look damn good doing it. Wait there's something missing- ahhh, jewelry. She treks further into the walk-in closet, going straight towards the ivory armoire and pulling it open.

She reaches for the gold FENDI jewelry set she bought on her last day in Italy. "Beautiful. Now I'm ready to go." She closes the armoire and exits the closet. She picks up her gold YSL clutch purse and leaves her room, heading back downstairs to see Charles dressed in a black GIVENCHY two-piece single-breasted suit with the black and silver GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI reflect loafers.

He only breaks those out when he feels the need to show out. Yeah, that's the plan. Show up and show out.

"Daddy, you look handsome."

He turns around to see his daughter looking just like her mother: stunningly graceful.

"Aurora, honey, you're so beautiful and glowing." He pulls her into a loving bear hug.

"Thank you. Where's mom?"

Charles opens his mouth to speak but all that goes out the window the very minute he notices his wife, donning a purple/multicolored rhinestone BALMAIN embellished mini dress with the purple GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI glitter lace sharon pumps, descending down the staircase. He takes hold of her hand, helping her down the last few steps.

"You're so stunning, Jules."

Juliette smiles brightly and kisses him. She's happy her nude lipstick dried down before leaving the room. "Thank you honey."

Aurora walks up to her parents. "Handsome father, stunning mother. Can't ask for anything better."

"God, I wish Odette acted more like you. She came in our room while we were getting ready and just went off on she's not coming to the brunch and how we pay more attention to you than her. That might be true but she stays out half the damn night doing god knows what. I might have to ground her or cut her off. Make her see the error of her ways. Anyway, let's go. We have people to see and shock."

And they are on their way.