Meanwhile, at the number one public school, Matthew slipped through the shadows, landing lightly on the grass of the backyard. The fence had barely whispered under his weight.
His shoes made no sound on the wet earth, and the schoolyard was empty except for a few early birds wandering to the basketball court.
Slipping through the backdoor, Matthew snapped his fingers, and instantly a few of his friends who had been lounging by the back entrance straightened up, glancing at him.
One of them, the red-haired boy, obediently walked to the front of the classroom and began erasing the board.
"What the hell did you just do, you stupid child?!" the math teacher barked, eyes narrowing.
"I… I didn't do anything? Did I?" the red-haired boy stammered, glancing back at Matthew before finally noticing the chaos on the board. "Oh… I thought I was sleeping. Sorry, teacher," he mumbled.
The teacher flung his notebook at him. "Write what you erased, or you're going to regret this!"
Matthew, rolling his eyes, slid quietly into the back of the class and lowered himself into his seat. The teacher turned, frowning as he noticed him.
"You've been sleeping all the time, haven't you? Students like you bring a bad name to this school!" the teacher snapped.
"This place is already notorious—gangs, drugs, bullying—you think your little naps make it worse?!"mattew counted back.
Matthew leaned back in his chair, resting his arms on the desk calmly. "I don't think my sleeping would change much," he said flatly, voice low but carrying that unmistakable calm edge.
The teacher opened his mouth to argue further, but the red-haired boy suddenly slammed his fist on the board, cutting him off. "I'm going to rewrite what's on the board before so shh if not the board is not the only thing having a hole!" he said sharply, then marched back to take notes from one of the front-row students, scribbling furiously.
Matthew's eyes flicked around the room, noting the murmurs and shifting bodies of the other students. Most of them pretended to work, but a few kept glancing toward him, curious and wary.
Neo, leaning casually against the wall at the back of the class, leaned toward him.
"Where did you go? Thought you were going to finally untie your territory and check the goods."
"An issue came up," Matthew said, clicking his tongue softly and dropping his head onto the desk. His mind wandered briefly to the morning's chaos. Had to deal with an annoying bunny… he thought, smirking faintly.
The classroom buzzed around him, a low hum of pens scratching, pages flipping, whispers of students commenting on the red-haired boy's antics. Matthew rest his head on his desk
After school, Ria, Natasha, and three other girls stepped out, their heels clicking against the polished marble of the boulevard.
They were headed to one of the most exclusive designer boutiques in the city, the kind that required reservations days in advance. The boutique itself was tucked between glass towers, its facade a sleek combination of mirrored panels and brushed gold accents.
Through the windows, mannequins displayed the latest haute couture dresses, sparkling shoes, and bags in rare colors, all under soft spotlighting that made the fabrics shimmer like liquid.
Inside, the air smelled faintly of roses and expensive leather. Marble floors stretched in polished elegance, and the walls were adorned with modern abstract art, each piece chosen to complement the lines of the clothing racks.
Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, scattering light across the polished displays, while low, soft music played in the background, a subtle mix of jazz and acoustic strings.
Salesmen and women moved gracefully among the racks, offering assistance to clients with hushed voices, while a few other wealthy women were browsing, some whispering among themselves, others scrolling through their phones as they examined the pieces.
As soon as Ria and her group entered, one of the salesmen stepped forward politely. "The manager will be with you," he said, and almost immediately, a man in a tailored gray suit appeared. His presence commanded attention without arrogance, and he gestured toward the second-floor VIP section.
The group followed, their footsteps softened by the thick, cream-colored carpet of the private area.
Plush velvet couches were arranged in a semi-circle near a glass railing that overlooked the boutique below. Ria sat down gracefully on one, her posture perfect, her expression calm and almost bored as the manager and his team approached.
"Can I offer you some refreshments?" a saleswoman asked, holding a silver tray with delicate pastries, sparkling water, and freshly squeezed juice. Ria nodded politely as Natasha and the other girls eagerly accepted.
Natasha immediately began picking out outfits from the racks, her eyes sparkling as she held up dresses against herself and waved for opinions.
Two other girls were already snapping pictures of themselves in the boutique lighting, posting each look to their private social media groups, laughing quietly as they compared outfits.
Ria, however, remained seated, her gaze calm and precise. She flipped through a glossy magazine the manager had placed in front of her, pages showing the latest designs of bags, shoes, and dresses in the new collection.
The fabrics seemed to shimmer under the print, the cuts sharp and elegant, each piece exuding exclusivity.
Finally, she pointed to a set she wanted. Almost instantly, the sales team moved with synchronized efficiency, fetching the items and placing them neatly on a display table in front of her.
One of the girls whispered, leaning toward Natasha, "Wow, is that the new version? Why didn't you show us too?"
"Yes, why not? Are they looking down on us?" another added, eyes narrowing slightly at the manager.
The manager glanced at Ria, who didn't even look up from her magazine. A small, knowing smile curved his lips. "If you wish to see the newest pieces before they're officially released," he said smoothly,
"you'll need to complete a minimum purchase first. Once you've secured these selections, you may choose more, and then the latest collection will be shown exclusively to you."
The girls blinked, surprised, but Ria merely smiled faintly, still scanning the magazine, her mind already calculating which pieces she would select next.
What do you mean with Ria here? Do we still have to do this? Are you looking down on Ria? the third girl scoffed.
Ria looked up. "Why are you guys arguing about it? So money—can't you afford it? And I don't see what is wrong with what he said. If you want the new version, then you have to spend tens of millions. I have done that. And I'm a well-known member, so that is why I'm able to get the latest version."
" My card is for one person, not two. Don't tell me you can't afford to pay for what you picked right now. That would be funny, because I wasn't aware I would be you guys' sugar daddy." She crossed her leg.
The three girls' faces went pale. One of them coughed. "Well, we didn't mean it like that,"
Natasha said You are hosting a shopping spree, so we thought you were going to pay."
"No need to show us the latest version anymore. This will do," the first girl added with a sigh. "Even if I want the latest version, I have to come back next time. For now, I won't steal the limelight from sister Ria and say I want to pay for everyone." The other girls laughed and praised Ria for paying for them.
Ria put down the magazine. "Who is this 'we' you guys are talking about? Are you speaking French? I never said I would pay for you. I only said Natasha—unless you are Natasha, I don't think I should be spending money on you. Come on, don't be a leech. I let you have access to the second floor, that you three won't dream of yet. You guys still want me to pay for you like I'm your parents?" She ran her hand through her hair.
The three girls froze, looking at each other.
Natasha sat down, hugging Ria's hand.
"Come on, bestie. I am the one who invited them. I thought you liked them following us for shopping every time. They didn't bring money with them. Can't you just pay for them? It won't take much from you," she said, smiling.
Ria scoffed in her mind. To the others it would seem she is asking, but if I refuse to pay, it would seem I am stingy when I have money. What a leech-like mentality. It is short form for saying, 'since you have so much blood, just be giving me everything every time.'
Ria removed Natasha's hand from hers. "It is not called a girl outing if I'm the only one paying. I would have money, so it's not a problem, but I don't want others to think you guys are my dogs, eating the waste I throw at you every time. So why don't we do this: I would pay for your shopping, then in our beauty spa, the four of you will pay for yourselves. So it won't seem like I'm evil," Ria said, smiling. The three girls nodded along.
"You heard them. Put the bill on my card," Ria said, looking at the manager. He nodded and went to put everything on her tab. When the receipt came out, the total amount of money was more than ten million.
Ria smiled.
"I have a feeling you are planning something," Dumball said.
Ria didn't reply. They left the boutique, and Ria's driver drove them to the most famous beauty spa and restaurant chain.
"You guys go book a private room. I will go take a call," Ria said, as the three girls and Natasha took the elevator.
Inside the elevator
"Damn, what is Ria's problem? Why did she disgrace us in the boutique? Gosh, I have never been that embarrassed before," the second girl pouted.
"Yes! I thought she took us as friends, but it seems we are less than that. Even sister Natasha is not spared," the third girl said, looking at Natasha for her reaction.
Natasha let out a smile. "Ria is always like this—very direct and doesn't sugarcoat her words. So don't talk badly about her," she said gently.
"Wow, sister Natasha, you are always so nice. If I were best friends with Ria, I would have killed myself long ago," the first girl said.
"It's not that bad. Sometimes she gets violent and physical, but she is really nice. Or… what did I just say? Forget about that. For this spa, it is very expensive here, and my allowance won't be coming until next week. If not, I would have hosted everything," Natasha sighed.
"Wait… what? Physical? Does she hit you? Damn it, Ria is taking it far!" the third girl yelled.
"She thinks because she is a Voss, she can do whatever she likes," the second girl added.
"Don't worry, sister Natasha. We will pay. No need for you to pay for anything. The three of us will share the money among us," the first girl said.
The elevator opened. The three girls came out first, so they didn't see the evil glint in Natasha's eyes flash by before she quickly hid it.
Meanwhile, Ria went to the receptionist. The receptionist, seeing her, quickly smiled, knowing she was a regular.
"My friends are hosting a full body spa—and I mean full, as in VVVIP. Payment for everything you have to offer, and also, everyone's bills, put it on my friend's tab. Also, give everyone a VVVIP package too. My friend will pay," Ria said.
The receptionist nodded and asked for the names, and Ria gave her Natasha's name and the three others. Then she entered the elevator.
"Damn, you are evil," Dumball said, appearing as a cat sitting on her shoulder.
"What? I'm sticking to my role as a spoiled, pampered girl. This would be normal spending, and since they offered to pay, they should be ready. As I said, if they want my money, they should be ready to act a drama," Ria said.