Chapter 2

He has to agree that the woman is really hot. She has to be. She uses her body and face to lure men, being the gold digger that she is.

"She's okay." he said with a bland tone. He has no time for the likes of this Stacey Ledesma.

Jim sighed in relief. It's a good thing that his billionaire friend is not interested in Stacey. He doesn't have any chance if he is.

"Mate, if you will choose Con Ad to do your ads, then let's get Stacey. I feel she is their best graphic designer! It will be nice seeing such a hot woman every day. " Billy said while grinning.

"F*ck off!" he hissed.

He doesn't want that good for nothing money-grubber in his office.

***

Stacey just got inside her car after her dinner with Tyler. She couldn't turn down his invitation because two days ago, she already made an excuse when he invited her for lunch. And maybe out of annoyance with Jim, she finally said yes to a meal.

Her phone started ringing. Her mother is calling.

"Ma?"

"What time will you be home?" her mother asked which made her a little nervous. Her mom won't call her if it isn't something important. She hasa feeling that maybe her half-sister did something again. Heather gets more out of control when her dad is back in Australia. .

"I'm on my way home. Is there a problem, Ma?"

She heard her mother sighed. "Let's talk once you get here." Her voice sounds a bit sad.

Stacey's heart started thumping when she saw a police car in front of their house.

Their hired help saw her when she got off her car.

"Miss Pretty!" Amy called her by her nickname for her.

She was about to ask her what happened but Amy spoke again, " Oh goodness! Your sister did something stupid again! All she brings to this family is problem! " she said before she snorted.

Stacey stopped herself from heaving a sigh. She is used to their hired help. If they want to know the latest gossip, Amy is the right person to ask. She would gladly give you all the details even before you open your mouth. She's a know-all most of the time.

"She shouldn't be driving her car! She is such a careless driver! She ran over someone and what's worst is, her driver's license is past its expiration date! What was she thinking? She always gives all of us splitting headaches! You are really polar opposites!! You never brought any trouble in this house unlike her!" she said while rolling her eyes and shaking her head side to side.

"AMELIA!!" Mrs. Williams yelled angrily.

"*sshole in your piehole! " the maid exclaimed then ran quickly back to the house.

Her mother sighed heavily in exasperation.

"If it's not difficult to find a trustworthy help these days, I will really fire her!" Mrs. Williams clucked her tongue.

She bit her bottom lip before asking, "Is it true , Ma?

Her mother nodded then said, "Let's get inside so we could talk."

Once inside the living room, they sat on the sofa next to each other.

"Where is she?" She asked.

"In her bedroom."

" How bad is it this time?"

Stacey saw her mom's lips quievered which made her feel even sorrier for her.

Heather has always been impudent since she was a child . Her uncle John stays in Australia almost the whole year so he pampered his only daughter with material things to make up for his absence. It was difficult for their mother to discipline her half-sister when her stepdad is out of the country. Her half-sister's inexcusable behavior is even worse when her father is away.

"Ma, you know that I never approved of the things she is doing but she is still my sister and I will always be here for you. What can I do to help?" she asked.

Her mother hugged her.

"I am sorry sweetheart if I rely on you most of the time and you always console me. It should be the other way around but you know how hard it is. I don't know what to do with your sister anymore."

"Please don't cry. Just tell me first what really happened so I would know how I could help." she told her mother as she rubs her back to calm her.

"Your sister said she wanted to go home but her friends were still enjoying the party. Pauline drove your sister's car on their way there since she doesn't like driving at night. She had no choice but to drive herself home when Pauline got really drunk. Unluckily, she ran over a woman."

Stacey frowned, "Was it a hit and run?"

Her mother nodded. Stacey closed her eyes for several seconds before releasing a heavy sigh. "She said she was really scared so without thinking, she drove away. You know Heather, she easily panics. But someone saw what happened that's why the police were here. It breaks my heart seeing how afraid your sister is. She didn't want any of these to happen. It's an accident. " Her mother as usual sounded like she's defending Heather.

She chose not to comment because it has always been like this. Her mother always justifies her sister's actions. She would always say that they should just understand Heather . She is just being rebellious sometimes because she can't be with her dad whom she loves so much. There were times when Stacey was tempted to say that she also grew up without a father but she had never acted like her younger sister. Her mother already has a lot of problems with Heather. She doesn't want to add up to her worries anymore so she never voiced out her feelings.

"Unluckily, the woman she hit is a model. Her handler said that she has a lot of commitments. He was here with the police a while ago.When he saw your sister, he said if she will take over his model's commitments, like finishing some photo shoots, they will not press charges. I just have to take care of the hospital bills."

"Well I guess there's no more problem, Ma."

Mrs.Williams' face had a bleak look. "You know that your sister's college is very strict. She can't do those pictorials."

Stacey pouted. She knows where their conversation is leading but she still wants to hear it from her . "So what do you want me to do, Ma?"

"Sweetheart, can't you take your sister's place? Can you do the photo shoots instead?"

She frowned. "You know I can't. I have work."

"Do it for me sweetheart. Please.. I don't want your sister to go to jail." Her mother covered her face and cried.

Stacey closed her eyes then sighed heavily. It's same old, same old.

Like when they were kids, all the things that her sister didn't want to do, she, as the elder sister had to do them. Their mother would always tell her that since her stepdad treated her like a real daughter too, the least she could do is to be more understanding of her younger sister. And she should always be ready to support or help Heather.

Maybe their mother is forgetting that she had been in a lot of trouble because of her half -sister. But because she is indebted to her stepdad, she just kept quiet and never complained.

"Stacey?" she heard her mother called her in a soft voice. Without looking at her, she said in a tone without any emotion. "Ma, I have to ask Tyler. I don't want to have problems with my schedule at work."

Her mother's eyes lit up. "I'll talk to him."

Stacey just nodded sadly. She knows her boss who is also her suitor will never say no to her mother.

"Thank you sweetheart! I will call Bella, the talent manager. I will tell her that we can meet her tomorrow around 10 AM!"

***

She is wearing black skinny jeans and dark red top with half-sleeves. She has black flat shoes on. Her mother told her to leave her hair loose. She also applied very minimal make-up. She only put on lip gloss because her lips are naturally a bit reddish.

There are two other females sitting across them who look like models. One of them whispered something to the one with darker hair while looking at her and they giggled. She just tried to ignore them.

"Mrs. Sofia Williams?" Called a female's voice.

Her mom stood up and motioned for her to do the same. They got inside the office.

She was told that Bella is a trans woman and a pretty one .

Bella greeted them and her smile widened when she saw her. "Mrs.Williams! Good morning! Is she your older daughter? My..my...my! She is gorgeous! I see that beauty really runs in your family! Come on, let's all sit so we can talk properly." Bella said while sounding really pleased.

"Her name is Stacey." Her mother said before she sat down.

She on the other hand, roamed her eyes around Bella's office.

"You are lovelier than your younger sister, Stacey! You can be a full time model if you want! I will take care of you! "

Stacey's brows knitted when she saw the pictures of women on the wall.

"Oh! Those are our models! You are prettier than them! Andrea will look plain next to you!"

"Andrea?" She asked.

Bella nodded."Yes. She is my talent. She is the one your sister ran over last night."

She swallowed and directed her eyes to her mother who is also looking at the pictures.

"What kind of model is Andrea?" Mrs.Williams asked with a heavy frown.

"She's a men's magazine model!" the talent manager said with pride.