My Stepbrother's Dirty Little Secret novel Chapter 526

Chapter 526

“Emotional exhaustion is still exhaustion.”

Perla sighed. The saleswoman standing nearby immediately hid a smile.

I crossed my arms, “How many stores have we been in?”

Perla handed the handbag back, “I don’t know.”

I groaned.

Three whole hours.

Three hours of expensive dresses, shoes that cost more than cars, jewelry locked behind glass cases, and sales associates who somehow remembered Perla’s name everywhere we went.

I was exhausted but Perla looked energized. It was deeply unfair. The guards trailing us looked exhausted too and that made me feel slightly better.

“There,” I pointed toward the mall exit, “Home.”

“We’re not done.”

My soul left my body.

Twenty minutes later we entered another store.

Everything inside was bright white marble, gold trim, crystal chandeliers, and clothes so expensive I was afraid to touch them. The sales associates practically sprinted toward Perla.

I wandered after her, half listening, half dying. Perla browsed through several racks before casually glancing toward the security detail my father had assigned to us.

There were four of them, all armed, all watching, all loyal to Giovanni Torricelli, not to Perla, not to me.

Something shifted in Perla’s expression then she smiled, “Gianna.”

“Hm?”

“Come help me.”

I followed her deeper into the store, toward the fitting rooms. One of the employees immediately stepped forward and opened a private suite.

Perla entered first and I followed. The door closed behind us. Then another woman appeared from a side door. She

was not a sales associate.

Her eyes flicked toward me, then toward Perla, “It’s ready,” she said quietly.

My confusion doubled, “What is?”

The stranger handed Perla a thick envelope, then she left. The second door clicked shut behind her.

I frowned, “Perla?”

She turned toward me and suddenly she didn’t look like she was shopping anymore. She looked terrified. She grabbed both of my shoulders hard, “Listen to me.”

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+15 8gnus

I froze.

Her voice was shaking. I had never heard her sound like that before, not once.

“Perla, what’s wrong?”

“Listen.”

My heart started pounding. She opened the envelope, pulled out cash, bus tickets, burner phone, food vouchers..

My brain immediately stopped working, “What is this?”

Perla’s eyes filled with tears, “You’re leaving.”

I blinked, “What?”

“You’re leaving today.”

The words didn’t register. My brain rejected them entirely, “What do you mean leaving?”

“You have to run.’

I laughed because obviously she wasn’t serious. Then I saw her face, and the laugh died instantly, “Perla…”

She shoved the envelope into my hands.

My fingers closed around it automatically, “You need to get to Chicago.”

Chicago?

That’s where… that’s where my mom….”What are you talking about?” I asked.

Perla squeezed my shoulders tighter, “Your mother has been trying to get you out for years.”

Nothing made sense. I looked down at the tickets, “Perla… What is happening?”

Tears rolled down her cheeks, “Your father is never going to stop.”

I took a step backward, “He loves me.”

The words sounded weak even to my own ears.

Perla’s expression broke, “Oh my sweet girl. You need to listen carefully. There’s enough cash to get you

My head shook automatically, “No.”

there.”

The fitting room suddenly felt like it was closing around me.

The guards.

Dad..

Chicago.

Mom.

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