Fake Socialite? Joke's on My Blind Date

My grandfather, Marvin Vega, arranges a blind date for me. The guy, Hugo Crawford, comes from a well-respected scholarly family. Wanting to make a good impression on Hugo, I put extra effort into dressing up. But I have barely taken my seat when Hugo's self-proclaimed "gold-digger detector" childhood friend, Marlene Welch, comes charging over. She crosses her arms and sweeps a disdainful look over my outfit. "You're covered in designer brands from head to toe. How much are you planning to squeeze out of Hugo?" Hugo helplessly pulls her back and explains apologetically to me in a low voice, "She just went through a breakup, so she can't stand women who wear designer brands. Please don't take it personally." I smile and say nothing, figuring it's best not to make a scene at a first meeting. But Marlene starts criticizing me again, "You put on this whole pampered heiress act with the designer clothes and jewelry just so men will willingly bankroll you. "All this designer stuff must be from some ex-boyfriend you bled dry, right? Since I was little, I've seen plenty of fake socialites like you who'll stop at nothing to marry into money and bleed a man dry." I let out an exasperated laugh at hearing such vicious, prejudiced remarks. I then glance at the Patek Philippe on my wrist. Even in ten years, she still won't be able to afford what I'm wearing right now. Chapter 1 If Grandpa hadn't kept urging me, saying that Hugo Crawford was really reliable, I wouldn't have bothered going on a blind date at all. After all, I simply had no time to spare, for I had a company to run and the occasional get-together with the well-connected heirs in my social circle to attend. But I never expected that just after I sat down and exchanged a few words with Hugo, a woman would suddenly rush over. "A fake socialite like you thinks you can deceive Hugo? Just how shameless can you be?" I was stunned. "What do you mean, fake socialite?" I looked over my outfit from head to toe—Chanel clothes, a Patek Philippe watch, and a Hermès bag. I had put great care into dressing for this blind date. Everything was custom-ordered at high prices directly from the brand headquarters, so how could any of it be fake? I was just about to explain, but the woman became even more aggressive. "What are you looking at? You think you're all that just because you're covered from head to toe in designer brands? How much are you planning to squeeze out of Hugo?" Although I didn't fully grasp what she meant, I did catch one word—Hugo. It seemed she knew Hugo. I raised my eyes to look at Hugo and signaled him with a glance to give me an explanation. Hugo reached out and took hold of the woman. "Marlene, stop it," he said, his tone one of affectionate resignation. Then, he turned to me and offered a perfunctory explanation. "This is my neighbor, Marlene Welch. Her ex-boyfriend ran off with a gold digger, so now she can't stand women who wear designer brands. Please don't take it personally." Though he said "please don't take it personally", his tone carried not the slightest reproach toward her. "Don't take it personally?" I chuckled coldly. "Mr. Crawford, I'm not a therapist. Her breakup has nothing to do with me, but slandering me? That I won't stand for. She'd better watch her mouth next time, or I'll have my lawyer send a cease-and-desist letter immediately." Marlene let out an exaggerated laugh. "Lawyer? Cease-and-desist letter? Oh wow, you're really getting into character, aren't you? A fake socialite like you actually thinks you're somebody?" I couldn't be bothered to engage with her. My gaze was fixed squarely on Hugo's face. "Mr. Crawford, not only did you bring your childhood friend along to a blind date, but you also let her launch personal attacks against me. Is this the upbringing of a so-called scholarly family?" Marlene shrieked before Hugo could respond, "Don't you use his family to pressure Hugo! Everything I said was the truth! What's the matter? Did I hit a nerve, and now you're getting worked up?" She crossed her arms and swept a disdainful look over my outfit. "You put on this whole pampered heiress act with the designer clothes and jewelry just so men will willingly bankroll you. "All this designer stuff must be from some ex-boyfriend you bled dry, right? Since I was little, I've seen plenty of fake socialites like you who'll stop at nothing to marry into money and bleed a man dry." Her brainless remarks made me laugh in sheer disbelief. "I bought all of these with my own money." The contempt on Marlene's face deepened. "You bought them with your own money? And how exactly did you earn that money? By pretending to be a socialite and scamming men out of theirs?" I let out a laugh. My family's motto had always been never to use the family name to throw our weight around, but this was the first time I had ever been called a fake socialite to my face. I had completely run out of patience and turned my gaze straight to Hugo. "Mr. Crawford, let's call it a day with this blind date." I never wanted to see a blind date partner like this a second time. I raised my hand and gestured for the waiter to bring the bill. But just as I picked up my bag and was about to leave, Marlene pressed her hand down on mine. "You want to leave? First, settle the damages." Chapter 2 I frowned and shook off Marlene's hand. "What damages?" Marlene replied with righteous indignation, "I rear-ended someone on the way here. If I hadn't been rushing over to expose a fake socialite like you, I wouldn't have been driving that fast. "The front of the car is completely wrecked, and the other party wants me to pay two thousand dollars." She stretched out her hand, palm up, toward me. "So, of course you have to foot this bill." I felt as though I had just heard the most absurd joke. "Did you hit your head or something? What does your car accident have anything to do with me?" Hugo, who had remained silent the entire time, finally opened his mouth—but only to side with Marlene. "Ms. Jillian Vega, Marlene is only looking out for me. She rushed over because she was worried I'd be deceived. At the end of the day, you're not entirely unrelated to this matter either." Marlene crashed her car and I should pay? What was I, her mother? I let out a cold snort. "This has nothing to do with me. I'm not going to pay a single cent." With that, I picked up my bag and turned around to leave. "Stop her!" Marlene shrieked. As soon as the words left her mouth, seven or eight burly men suddenly swarmed in through the restaurant entrance. I frowned and took a step back. Marlene smiled smugly. "Jillian, did I say you could leave?" I looked at her expressionlessly. "I leave when I want to. I don't need your permission." Her smile grew even more insolent. "Sorry to break it to you, but my family owns this restaurant. Without our permission, there's no way you're walking out that door." Hugo turned to persuade me. "Ms. Vega, maybe it's better to just pay up. Two thousand dollars shouldn't be much for someone like you." It wasn't much indeed—I could easily drop that on a single meal. However, that didn't mean I would spend it on people like them. "I won't pay a single cent for something I'm not responsible for." My gaze swept over the group of burly men without the slightest trace of fear. "I, the heiress of the Vega family, do not bow to threats." The moment I finished speaking, Marlene immediately burst into a grating, mocking laugh. "Heiress of the Vega family? You're really committed to the act, huh? If it weren't for Hugo's sake, do you think someone of your sort would even be allowed through the door of this establishment?" I couldn't get into this restaurant? Why, countless shops in Richstead took pride in having me as their customer. In fact, the clothes I wore, the jewelry I donned, and the places I visited would all become the trends in our social circle the next day. If the Crawford family hadn't chosen this restaurant for the blind date, I wouldn't have come to a tacky place like this even if they'd paid me. I couldn't be bothered to argue with them any further. My gaze shifted between Marlene and Hugo. "Marlene, if you've been making things difficult for me because Hugo went on a blind date with me, then let me make it perfectly clear right now—I don't have the slightest interest in the childhood friend you hold so dear. "I came here today purely to fulfill a task my grandfather assigned me. Hugo and I have always belonged to different worlds, and we won't cross paths again. So, you can relax." I had meant to clear the air, but Marlene was utterly stubborn and only grew angrier. "Jillian, what's that supposed to mean? Since when do I need your charity when it comes to me and Hugo? Is Hugo, the man I've been pining for all this time, really worth so little in your eyes? What gives you the right to look down on him?" Hugo's expression also darkened. "Ms. Vega, what do you mean by different worlds? My family is a well-respected scholarly household in Richstead, so what's with that disdainful tone? You'd better explain yourself right now." Well-respected? Please. They had their moment a couple of generations ago, but in Richstead, they were nothing close to a prominent family. If Grandpa hadn't given the word, the Crawford family could toil for another 100 years and still wouldn't be worth sitting across from me on a blind date. Although I felt nothing but contempt for them, saying it to their faces would truly be impolite. Thus, I swallowed my anger and squeezed out a smile. "If there's nothing else, I'll be taking my leave now." After all, it was a blind date arranged by Grandpa, so I didn't want to make things too ugly. I turned around and had barely taken two steps when the burly men immediately closed in and grabbed my arms. Chapter 3 Marlene raised an eyebrow smugly. "Jillian, I've already told you that until the two thousand dollars is in my account, you're not going anywhere." I looked at her coldly. "This is unlawful detention—it's a crime. I suggest you think about the consequences before you act." Marlene burst into exaggerated laughter, doubling over as she turned to Hugo. "Hugo, did you hear that? She told me to think about the consequences. Oh, I'm so scared." Only when she'd had her fill of laughing did she turn back to face me. "Jillian, what makes a swindling fake socialite like you think you can act so high and mighty in front of me?" she asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'm doing the world a favor by making sure you don't go out and prey on other men." I had completely lost my patience. "I'll say this one last time—I am not some fake socialite. I bought all of these genuine designer items with my own money. I am the heiress of the Vega family in Richstead, and I strongly advise you to let go of me right now. Otherwise, you will have hell to pay if you cross my family." Marlene laughed even more wildly. "You, the heiress of the Vega family? What kind of nonsense are you spouting?" She slapped Hugo's arm in an exaggerated manner. "Hugo, listen to this. She's gone mad! Pretending to be a fake socialite wasn't enough, and now she's passing herself off as a wealthy heiress. Jillian, do you have any idea what the Vega family represents in Richstead? "They're a true top-tier dynasty at the pinnacle of power in Richstead—the kind of family that can shake the entire city with a single move. And you think you're some noble heiress just because your last name happens to be Vega?" She folded her arms tightly and put on an imperious look. "If you're the heiress of the Vega family, then I'm the president of Dorseca! You fake socialites really don't know when to quit." I turned an icy gaze toward Hugo. "Mr. Crawford, when your family arranged this blind date, did they not tell you who I am?" Hugo froze for a moment, averting his eyes. "No. Other than telling me to take the blind date seriously, my grandfather, Willard Crawford, didn't say anything else." It dawned on me that Grandpa must have kept my identity under wraps as well. After all, over the years, too many people had tried to get close to me because of my family's power and influence. Without the special status hanging over my head, it would be easier for me to find someone who liked me for who I really was. Grandpa probably never imagined that having me conceal my identity for a blind date would attract this kind of farce. When Marlene saw me remain quiet, she assumed it was out of guilt. "See? Even Mr. Crawford Senior didn't say you were an heiress." I forced down the rage bubbling inside me and tried to reason with them one final time. "Hugo, are you sure you want to aid and abet her? Think carefully—would Mr. Crawford Senior do anything to harm you?" Marlene, once again getting too clever for her own good, piped up, "Hugo, this vile woman must have deceived Mr. Crawford Senior!" She pointed at the Patek Philippe on my wrist and let out a scornful laugh. "You really don't know when to drop the act, do you? You think I can't tell a real socialite from a fake one? "That watch on your wrist is obviously a knockoff. There are only a handful of limited-edition Patek Philippe Celestial models in the entire world. Even Dean Strickland next door couldn't get on the waiting list to buy one, so how could someone like you possibly get her hands on one?" Dean Strickland? I had never even heard that name in the elite circles of Richstead, so it was only natural he couldn't get on the waiting list. After all, how could he compare to my family, a top-tier dynasty? I gave a cold laugh. "This is real. Even in another ten years, you still won't be able to afford it." The moment those words left my mouth, Marlene picked up a glass of water and threw its contents straight at my face. The ice-cold liquid, along with a slice of lemon, drenched me from head to toe. Marlene arrogantly set the empty glass back on the table. "All this talk just means you can't afford to pay me the two thousand dollars, right? I'll make you an offer. "If you take off every last piece of counterfeit junk you're wearing and admit in front of everyone that you're nothing but a gold-digging, wannabe socialite who's only after money, I'll be magnanimous enough to let you leave. You won't even have to pay the two thousand dollars in damages." Chapter 4 The few sycophants beside Marlene chimed in loudly. "Exactly! Ms. Welch opened her own restaurant at such a young age. An independent woman like her is the perfect match for Mr. Crawford. What makes you think a gold digger like you can even compare?" "Ms. Welch has been gracious enough to waive the two thousand dollars, so how about you show some gratitude before we make you do it?" "Hurry up and admit you're a fake socialite! Then, take off those knockoffs and get out!" Knockoffs? The jewelry and accessories I had on me added up to over a million dollars. Marlene couldn't afford a single watch of mine even if she sold this restaurant, and yet she wanted me to apologize? She really was dreaming! My fists clenched involuntarily. "Marlene, seems like you really do have a death wish." Just as the words left my mouth, my phone rang in my pocket. It was Grandpa's exclusive ringtone. Before I could grab it, Marlene quickly snatched the phone right out of my coat pocket. She broke into a contemptuous smile as she glanced at the caller ID and promptly put it on speaker. "Hello?" Grandpa's robust voice came through from the other end of the line. "Jillian, how did the blind date go?" Marlene replied arrogantly, "I take it you're Jillian's grandfather? Your granddaughter owes me two thousand dollars, so she's being held at my restaurant. "Listen up, old geezer—you'd better hurry up and bring the money here to bail her out. Otherwise, I'll strip every last one of those fakes off her and throw her out onto the street." A brief silence hung on the line before Grandpa's voice, tight with restrained anger, broke through. "Two thousand dollars? All this over that measly sum? I'll give you 20 thousand dollars. Tell me the address. If you so much as lay a finger on Jillian before my people arrive, I'll have your entire family buried alongside you." The murderous intent in his words nearly pierced through the receiver, yet Marlene remained utterly unfazed. "20 thousand dollars?" She laughed. "Who do you think you're bluffing, you old geezer? As if your family could have that much money! Go on, keep up the act. You and your whole family are nothing but a pack of liars!" Marlene didn't believe a word of it and assumed Grandpa was just bluffing to save me. She yelled into the phone, "You have ten minutes! If I don't see the money by then, things are going to get ugly for Jillian. When that happens, don't blame me for not warning you!" With that, she hung up the phone and tossed it onto the table. "Jillian, let's see if that lying grandfather of yours can magically come up with 20 thousand dollars in ten minutes." Time ticked by, and Marlene's patience had clearly run out. She glanced impatiently at her watch and shot a meaningful look at the group of burly men. "Do it! Take off every last necklace and watch she's wearing." My eyes immediately reddened. "Marlene, you're going against your word. It hasn't even been ten minutes yet." She waved her hand dismissively. "Two minutes less makes no difference. Besides, I never expected that old fool to actually show up with the money anyway." A burly man immediately stepped forward and reached out to yank the necklace and earrings from my neck and ears. Another grabbed my wrist and unfastened the Patek Philippe. That watch was a gift from my mother, Erin Decker, for my 18th birthday. I wore it every single day and never let it leave my side. And that necklace was a gift from Grandpa just this year, while the earrings had been personally designed by my best friend, Jodi Benton. Marlene snatched those items and hurled them viciously onto the ground. The sharp sound of them shattering made my heart seize. Still not satisfied, she instructed the others, "You love wearing knockoffs and pretending to be a socialite, huh? Smash them all to pieces!" Several burly men in leather shoes trampled over the jewelry and watch without a shred of mercy. I watched helplessly as the watch face shattered, the diamonds fell loose, and the metal twisted out of shape. I glared at Marlene, practically grinding my teeth to dust. "You will regret this, Marlene!" She looked at my reddened eyes with even greater contempt. "What's the matter? Don't tell me you're heartbroken over a few knockoffs? This is what happens when you pretend to be a socialite. Now I'm going to teach you a lesson you won't forget. Since the jewelry's been smashed, let's strip off those counterfeit designer clothes as well." With that, Marlene actually stepped forward and personally reached out to tear at my clothes. I resisted with all my might but was held down firmly. Just then, the front door of the restaurant was kicked open from the outside. A team of bodyguards in black suits surged in and took control of the entire room. The burly men Marlene had hired were subdued and pinned to the ground in a matter of seconds. Immediately after, Andres Moore, the renowned CEO of Heliosium Group in Richstead, strode inside. Carrying a silver briefcase, he swiftly walked up to me with a grim expression. "Ms. Vega, my apologies for arriving late. I'm sorry you had to go through this."