toward her studies needed correcting. Her aunt, Mrs. Evangeline Hale, sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. How did a sweet, obedient girl like her turn into this? she wondered. Aria did

t your dad has connections with these people? I saw the man's secretary hand him the invite. Since he won't attend, I grabbed it instead." Aria laughed, taking the envelope and examining it. "You're such a thief," she teased. Lili frowned dramatically. "I'm not taking you to a party again if you say that." Aria chuckled, shaking her head. "Alright, alright. I'm sorry... while laughing, of course." "Good," Lili said, smiling. "At least tonight, we'll have something to unwind about." "And seriously," Aria said, spinning around the kitchen, "do you realize who's going to be there? Billionaires, CEOs, actors, probably people who have private jets for breakfast!" Lili laughed. "Exactly. We might as well act rich ourselves. Fancy dresses, sparkling heels, the works!" Aria flopped onto the couch dramatically. "Ugh, I don't even know where to start. I don't have a gown that screams 'I'm the girl you can't ignore!'" Lili waved a hand. "Don't worry. I already scouted a few boutiques online. We can make you a stunner. Something red, maybe? Shows confidence. And you can't go wrong with heels that click when you walk. Every rich guy in the room will notice." Aria laughed, nearly spilling her soda. "Heels? You want me hobbling all night? I need to be able to run if the party gets boring!" Lili elbowed her playfully. "No excuses, miss. You'll survive. Besides, it's not every day you get to sip champagne and look at yacht