thank you in advance

A Turner

Mia Turner stood frozen at the entrance to the living room, her fingers clutching the strap of her work bag. Her sister Lily had interrupted her while she was getting ready, insisting their mother had something important to discuss. 

“Mia, sit down,” her mother, Mary Turner, ordered, lounging on the worn-out sofa like a queen holding court. Her bright red lipstick clashed with the faded blush on her face, her manicured nails tapping against her wine glass.

“Can’t this wait? I have work,” Mia replied, her voice tight. “I can’t afford to be late again.”

Her mother raised an eyebrow. “Work? You mean playing servant to those rich snobs at Casa Lounge? Please.”

Mia bit her tongue. She knew better than to rise to the bait. She needed this job. Casa Lounge wasn’t just a paycheck; it was her lifeline, the first step in her plan to save enough money to leave Willowcrest and the stigma of being a Turner behind.

Ethan, her older brother, sat slouched in the corner, scrolling through his phone. His indifference to the chaos of their family was almost admirable. At least he stayed out of the endless bickering.

“What’s this about, Mom?” Mia asked, her patience slipping.

Mary’s lips curled into a smile. “We have good news.”

Mia blinked, skeptical. “Good news?”

“Yes!” Lily, the eldest, jumped in, practically glowing with excitement. “I got a golden invite to the Willowcrest Unicorn Party!”

Mia blinked again, slower this time, trying to process how this was supposed to be good news. The Unicorn Party—the most exclusive, over-the-top event for the rich and powerful—was as far removed from her world as the moon.

“And this is good news… how?” Mia asked, genuinely baffled.

“Attending will be nice though,” Ethan muttered without looking up from his phone.

“Nice?!” Lily’s voice rose an octave. “Do you have any idea what this means? The richest bachelors in the world will be there! This is it!”

“And how did your name end up on the list?” Mia asked, her tone sharper than she intended.

“Connections,” Mary said smugly, swirling her wine.

Mia didn’t want to dig deeper into what kind of “connections” her mother was referring to. She knew the answer wouldn’t be pleasant.

“Okay, so Lily’s going to some fancy party. What does that have to do with me?” Mia asked, checking the time on her phone. She really couldn’t afford to be late.

Mary leaned forward, her voice dropping into a conspiratorial tone. “This is our chance, Mia. Lily just needs to catch the eye of the right man. A billionaire. Someone who can change all our lives.”

Mia resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Of course, it was another one of her mother’s schemes. Everything in Mary Turner’s life revolved around chasing rich men, and her daughters were no exception.