The Double or more Life of the Fake Heiress (Mirabella)

Afternoon.

The underground auction house on the north side of town.

"You head to the private room; I'll join you in a bit," James said, wrapped in a black trench coat with a matching turtleneck underneath. He gave Mirabella a quick glance, leaving Wyatt to ensure her safety.

Mirabella nodded and followed Wyatt up to the plush private suite upstairs.

The room was cleverly designed for privacy; you could watch everything happening in the bustling auction below without anyone seeing in.

Mirabella settled into a chair, her eyes scanning the lively scene below. Her gaze flitted over the security cameras strategically placed around, noting the tight security.

It felt like a fortress against thieves.

The auction wasn't starting anytime soon, so Mirabella turned away, feeling a bit bored, and pulled out her phone.

As soon as she unlocked it, a notification from Lisa on Messenger popped up, sent about ten minutes ago.

Lisa was asking what her plans were for the day.

Mirabella tapped back a quick reply.

Meanwhile, Lisa, clutching her phone, let out a small sigh of relief when she saw Mirabella's response. She quickly typed back, "No worries... If you're busy, go ahead with your day."

Mirabella raised an eyebrow, thought for a moment, then replied, "Just let me know if you need help. Don't be shy."

Lisa read the message, feeling a lump in her throat as her fingers tightened around her phone. It took her a moment to swallow her guilt before she replied, "Ugh, just my three roommates driving me nuts with their nonstop chatter. Thought maybe we could hang out."

Mirabella was used to hearing Lisa's gripes about her roommates, so she didn't think much of it and just sent back an emoji.

Lisa didn't continue the conversation and sat there, lost in her thoughts. The door to the room was slightly ajar when Gracie walked in, carrying a plate of fruit.noveldrama

"Why are you dressed so lightly?" Gracie asked, seeing her daughter in just a thin loungewear. She put the plate down and hurried to the closet to fetch a thick down jacket, draping it over Lisa's shoulders.

Lisa seemed to snap out of her thoughts, looking up at her mother. "Oh, Mom, when did you come in?"

Gracie took her daughter's cold hands in hers, warming them as she spoke. "You've been acting odd since you got back last night. Did something happen?"

Lisa's face was pale, and she did look a bit off. She forced a smile, shaking her head. "No, but Mom, I heard from Ben that you and Dad are planning to go abroad for the spring festival?"

"Ben's your brother," Gracie corrected her gently, pulling up a chair to sit beside her. "Yeah, that's the plan, but it's not just me and your dad; it's a family trip."

Lisa's lips twitched slightly, and she held her mother's hand tighter. "What's so great about going abroad? Isn't it nice just staying in Riverdale?"

"Your dad wants to take us out for a bit of fun. He rarely gets a long holiday, and this year he thought we might as well travel abroad," Gracie explained.

Lisa bit her lip, shaking her head pleadingly. "Can we not go?"

Gracie was rarely confronted with such a plea from her daughter and was a bit taken aback. "Lisa, you..."

Lisa knew even if she revealed another side of Ben, her mom wouldn't believe her. She'd just think Lisa was being biased and immature.

Taking a deep breath, Lisa earnestly said, "Some places abroad are a bit chaotic and not safe."