11
Time flew by, and before we knew it, six months had passed since we graduated.
Ethan and I both decided to move back home after graduation. He took over Sterling Enterprises, and I started my own business.
“Hey, sis, still working late?” Ethan asked one evening. “I’m nearby. Want to grab a late–night snack before we head home?”
Our parents didn’t want us living on our own just yet, and since their house was huge, we still lived there. It made things easier, anyway.
Even though it was late, the parking at Woodview Mall was awful. After circling for what felt like forever, we finally spotted a free spot.
“There! There’s one!” I exclaimed. “I’m starving!”
Ethan hit the gas, heading toward the spot, but just as he was about to pull in, a woman stepped right into the space, blocking us.
“Babe, there’s an open spot here!” she called out, motioning to a nearby car.
I squinted and groaned. Of course–it was Maddie.
She saw me too and smirked, waving the nearby Porsche in.
“Maddie, that’s our parking spot. First come, first serve. Didn’t you learn your lesson last time?” I said, stepping out of the car.
“Who do you think you are?” a middle–aged man sitting in the Porsche called out as he rolled down the window. “Why don’t you park that junk somewhere else? This spot is for real cars.”
Ethan had just come back from work, driving a dusty pickup truck that looked pretty beat up. Compared to the Porsche, it definitely wasn’t impressive.
- like a proud
1:03
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“So what if you were? That piece of junk doesn’t deserve to take up a spot meant for luxury cars. Get lost before you scratch our Porsche.”
Maddie planted her hands on her hips, full of herself.
“Call security. We don’t have time for these peasants,” the man in the Porsche said, leaning on the horn as if that would make us go away.
Maddie strutted off in her high heels to find security, her heels clicking obnoxiously on the pavement.
“Come on, just let them have it. If you scratch their fancy car, you’ll be in big trouble,” the security guard said when he arrived, clearly favoring the Porsche.
“We were here first. I’m not moving,” Ethan said, pulling out his phone and calling the mall’s general manager.
A minute later, the security guard got a call from his supervisor, and suddenly, his attitude flipped.
“Sorry, sorry! Please park. As for you,” he turned to Maddie and the man, “don’t you know it’s first come, first served?”
Maddie was furious. “What the hell?”
I glanced at the Porsche’s license plate and smirked. “If you don’t want to move, I won’t feel sorry for what happens next.”
‘
“Go ahead, hit it! Let’s see how you’ll pay for the damage to this car, Maddie sneered.
I walked up to the Porsche, opened the door, and said to the man inside, “You’re fired. Get out of the car.”
The man blinked in confusion. “What are you talking about? This is my car!”
I dangled the Porsche keys in front of his face, then pointed at Ethan. “Look at who’s sitting in the truck.”
The man’s face drained of color. “E–Ethan? Mr. Sterling?”
“Troy,” I said, addressing the man. “I didn’t know you were using our car like this.”
Troy was one of our company drivers. He had once driven for my dad and now worked for Ethan.
“Tomorrow morning, head to HR and process your resignation. You know what’ll happen if you don’t.”
Troy scrambled out of the car, leaving Maddie behind without a second glance.
I crossed my arms and stared her down. “So, what’s it going to be, Maddie? Still going to hog that parking space, or are you going to chase after your sugar daddy?”
Maddie was seething with rage. She stomped her foot like a toddler throwing a tantrum, cursing us loudly.
“Let’s go grab a bite elsewhere,” I told Ethan, ignoring her outburst. We got into our cars and drove off, leaving Maddie fuming in the parking lot like a deranged banshee.
As we left, the security guard let out a sigh of relief, grateful he wasn’t the one getting fired.
One of the bystanders who had been watching the whole scene told Maddie, “You see that guy? His family owns 40% of this mall. You really picked the wrong people to mess with.”
“What? His family owns this mall?” Maddie turned pale, almost fainting from the shock. She had once been so close to marrying into the Sterling family, but now she had nothing left.
Regret? It hit her hard.
But by then, it was far too late.
(THE END)
