[EVE]
"A family magazine?" I asked Sinclair over breakfast, doing my best to ignore Cole sitting right next to me.
"The shoot is a week from now," Sinclair replied, sipping his tea calmly.
"Should we really be doing that right now? Especially after Sophie's birthday party fiasco?" I frowned, the memory of that disaster still fresh.
"This was planned months ago for next year's edition," Sinclair explained, sounding completely unfazed.
So it was already set in stone. Canceling now would mean penalties and extra fees. Great.
And who wanted to cancel their appointment with Élysée Luxe? It often took years for other families to be featured in its prestigious pages.
The magazine selected its next feature, and those weren't in the schedule found themselves in a long line of eager contenders, all vying for the chance to shine in the spotlight.
Élysée Luxe was a prestigious luxury lifestyle magazine known for its exquisite photography and curated content on family, fashion, travel, and design.
Being featured in its pages was regarded as the highest honor and a symbol of success, as it elevates the status of individuals and brands, connecting them with an elite audience of trendsetters and influencers in the luxury market.
"And besides, any publicity is good publicity these days, no matter what," Sinclair added with a casual shrug.
"But I'm not even related by blood," I pointed out. "I shouldn't be in it."
Before I could say more, Cole casually dropped a hotdog onto my plate. I glared at him, ready to return it when Victor did the exact same thing, placing another hotdog beside it.
Now the two of them were competing, piling food onto my plate like it was some weird contest.
"
Enough
!" I hissed, narrowing my eyes at both of them. "I don't need this many hotdogs!"
"You should eat more. You're too skinny," Cole said, matter-of-factly.
I rolled my eyes at him. "Oh, really? Wait, let me dig deep for my . . . 'care-about-your-opinion' attitude." I dramatically looked around. "Nope, can't find it."
Victor, ignoring our banter, chimed in, "Eve, there's a new restaurant in town. Maybe I could pick you up later and we could try it out? Might be worth an investment."
and
a genius, breezing through school like that. I wish I could do the same, I thought with a sigh.
Maybe I won't even bother with college—just take up a few short courses.
Honestly, with all the investments I've got lined up, do I really need to go?
I could just finish senior high and then dive straight into managing my business ventures full-time. That sounds like a better use of my time anyway.
"Don't you have some business stuff to attend to?" I muttered, still scrolling.
"I can multitask while guarding you."
Of course, you can.
I shot him a glare. "So, are you planning to go to school with me?"
"That's the plan."
I stared at him, my eyes wide. "Are you nuts? Don't you realize how popular you are? The gossip will be insane! What will people think when they find out you're my bodyguard?"
Cole raised an eyebrow and casually put on a mask and sunglasses. "No one's going to recognize me with this on."
I gave him a look that could melt steel. "You seriously think a pair of sunglasses and a mask will work? You're like six-foot-something and built like a Greek god. People will figure it out!"
Cole grinned behind his mask, clearly amused. "So, you think I'm a god?"
Heat rushed to my face as I realized my slip-up, but I tried to play it cool. "What? Isn't that what everyone's saying about you? Anyway, that disguise isn't fooling anyone!"
I shot him a pointed look, hoping to shift the conversation. Find exclusive content at empire
"Guess we'll find out, won't we?"
I groaned, slumping back in my seat. "This is going to be a disaster."
"Don't worry. I'll blend in," he said, leaning back like we were on a casual trip to the mall.
"Sure you will," I muttered, already dreading the day.