After hitting send, Penelope scrolled through the comments under her latest tweet.
"Looks like I misjudged Penelope before; she's got such a big heart."
"Absolutely, she's so kind."
"Sure, she might be a spoiled heiress, but deep down, she's a good person and a knockout to boot."
Penelope grinned at the compliments. Just as she was about to hit the 'like' button, she remembered to switch accounts. Quickly, she logged into her alt and liked the supportive comments.
Her phone buzzed just as she was finishing up.
"Hey Nana, why the call? We could've just texted. Or are you itching to hit the shops? 'Cause I'm all in," Penelope said, clearly in a good mood.
On the other end, Nathalie hesitated, as if holding something back. "Sure, let's talk face-to-face."
Penelope expertly applied her makeup and changed into a chic outfit. She picked a classic Chanel quilted bag from her walk-in closet and did a twirl in front of the mirror, nodding approvingly at her reflection.
Descending the stairs, she approached Margo. "Where's Mom?"
Margo, noticing Penelope's outfit, could tell she was heading out. "She just cooled off. She’s in the study, practicing her calligraphy."
"I've got plans with Nathalie to go shopping. I'll be out for a bit. Oh, and Margo? Can you have the kitchen whip up some chicken soup? I'll take it with me when I come back."
While that kind of money wasn’t a big deal to these high society girls, coming up with it all at once was another story. Plus, Nathalie wasn’t exactly the favorite in the Bruno household; her allowance was modest. Where was she going to find half a million on short notice?
She was panicking. "Penelope, I did this for you."
"Did I say I wouldn’t help? Look, you could sell a couple of those designer bags and dresses I gave you, and you'd be set!" For Penelope to pony up half a million in one go wasn’t easy either. Asking Leah would result in a lecture, and turning to Christopher would complicate matters since he had a soft spot for Allison.
Penelope had plenty of designer bags and jewelry—gifts from socialites trying to curry favor. Those were easy to part with, but liquid cash was another matter entirely.
The thought of selling her precious bags was too much for Nathalie. They were her few treasures, her social armor.
Desperation crept into Nathalie's voice. "Penelope, you gotta help me figure this out."
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