Chapter 487 - What are Friends? (7) - Helena's POV

Rika had connections with people from the neutral fraction. I was surprised when I heard from Shelly that she was close to the family that led the neutral fraction. With Sienna and Delia joining our group, it confirmed that she joined their fraction. Seeing them about to take my place in the group, I tried to hide my shaking hand while holding my teacup. She talked to them more than she did to me.

Charles, the heir to the Lumiere family, one of the families leading my rival fraction, was also close with her. Spending some time together in the sixth district, he teased her all the time like they were close friends. Pushing Allan more out of the group, Luke and Alex accepted him. But I couldn't predict that she was also close to others, coming from powerful families from my rival fraction.​​

Seeing her address them so casually during the charity ball, I wondered what drew people to her. As time passed, she joined the exclusive Impalia fraction as their successors. A fraction that all families desperately d.e.s.i.r.e to join, gaining many benefits from being part of a secretive network. She joined all these fractions like their extremely hard qualifications to become a member were nothing. When I heard she joined our rival fraction, I wasn't surprised anymore.

Rika was a famous person on the middle school campus. Rumors always swirled around her while Luke made sure they wouldn't get out of control. But with her appearance changing after coming from another dimension, everyone started to admire her beauty. This made Luke more protective of Rika, checking up on her more often. Hearing everyone compare Rika and me, I couldn't help but get depressed whenever I looked in the mirror.

My silver hair didn't glimmer in the colours of the rainbow like hers. Her figure was slender and delicate, urging you to protect her. While my figure was just average, a bit chubby around the t.h.i.g.hs. The dull and typical features of the first district plastered onto my face was nothing compared to her bright eyes, slim nose and heart-shaped lips. Even if I went to salons during the weekends, I couldn't surpass her.

When Luke dressed Rika, nobody could take their eyes off her. It was different from when she wore light accessories with her uniform. Although she claimed to be a person from the third district, nobody believed her. All her delicate features were brightly brought out from the exquisite mana crystals decorating her dress and hair. Stepping into the hover car with Luke and Alex beside her, everyone couldn't help but stare at the three of them, who appeared too beautiful to be human.

"The counsel is starting to make their decision on who to match Miele with," my father gritted his teeth.

"Don't tell me it's the families I was thinking of," my mother trembled.

"We just need more money to save our businesses, right?" I wanted to help them.

"You don't have to worry Ellen. We'll recover soon," my mother tried to hide things from me.

Going to an ordinary shopping mall with Shelly one day while Rika stayed at the Roselia family mansions, I heard some rumors from the people around me. My eyes widened when I heard some people were offering an extraordinary amount of money to get more information about the top five ranking families. I could help save my family businesses and get Miele matched to a better family.

I didn't want Miele to become another Miliana or Rika. I knew how they couldn't do anything without permission from their partners. Luke didn't hesitate to confine Rika when it came to the holidays. She didn't have any sense of privacy from Luke, who tried to control everything about her. He frequently messaged Shelly and me, wanting to know where Rika was when he wasn't with her. Luke was also very selective in what Rika could know, not allowing us to tell her anything he didn't approve.

On the other hand, Miliana always had to be wary under Charles' eyes. She acted extremely careful around him, almost like she was his servant. But when she was with her friends, she was totally different. Full of confidence, immersed in the latest gossip spreading in the school. I pitied Miliana while I didn't feel the same for Rika. Luke was generous towards Rika. He would try to leave Rika alone if she didn't run into trouble all the time.

"Can I know more about the offer?" I asked them while Shelly was distracted with the accessories.

Getting their contact information, they showed more curiosity in Rika than anyone else. Large amounts of money poured into my bank account as I revealed more things about her. With my parents getting suspicious where I was getting the money from, I told them what I did to save my younger sister. But both of my parents trembled in fear while accepting the money since it was already a done deal.

"You have to make sure no one will figure out," my mother feared the Roselia family.

"Did you sign anything with them? My father wondered how deeply I was connected to the organization.

I nodded my head. I had signed a one-page contract, thoroughly reading the details. I passed the contract to my father, his hands strangely shaking. I froze when he discovered there were thousands of hidden pages inside a spell. Reading the new details with him, we had no choice but to continue selling more information about Rika to them.