Page 5 of Faking It with the Ice Queen

Before she could continue her lecture, Grace blurted out, “TheAinsley House? Don’t you need to set up an appointment weeks in advance to go there?”

“Not for the rich and elite. Which you need to start acting like you are part of.”

“Do I? Why do I need to be a heiress? Wouldn’t your family be happy to see you happy with someone regardless of their…station?

Elara looked away from Grace before she quietly replied, “No.”

Grace’s soft “oh” was almost too much for Elara. She couldn’t stand pity, especially not from someone who could never understand her life.

“I’ve done some research. It seems there is a wealthy family on the East Coast with a few Saunders in their line. This is who we will tell them is your family. They are obscure enough that I’m sure no one at this event will know who they are. It’ll be much easier to keep up this ruse if we can anticipate questions.”

“Um…okay? That works, actually. My parents moved back to the East Coast recently, so it wouldn’t even be a lie. And who knows? Maybe Iamrelated to those people.”

Seeing that her attempt at small talk wasn’t going well, Grace sat back in defeat. “Is there anything else I should know?”

Elara sighed. There were many things Grace probably needed to know, but how could she possibly change this woman into something she wasn’t in one day?

“Just…be on your best behavior. Polite. Quiet. The less you say, the fewer opportunities they’ll have to poke holes in the story.”

Grace scoffed. This finally brought Elara’s gaze back to Grace, who was clearly upset.

“So, I’m to be seen and not heard?”

The guilt crept back up, closing Elara’s throat. She coughed, attempting to clear it away.

“No, I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant. I…I just don’t want you to have to lie too much. Things are much easier if we stick to the truth as much as possible. I don’t want you to be silent.”

Grace sat quietly, watching Elara as she stumbled through her apology. After a moment of silence, she nodded and turned to look out the window.

The car pulled over to the curb.“The Ainsley House, Ms. Silver.”

“Thank you, John. We should be ready in an hour.”

“I’ll be right here, Ms. Silver.”

Elara stood outside The Ainsley House and took a deep breath. Things were finally feeling normal. This was her favorite boutique. She knew exactly what to expect—no surprises behind those gilded doors. The tall, arching windows gleamed under the afternoon sun, casting a warm glow on the marble floors that reflected soft shades of cream and gold. Inside, plush velvet seating in rich jewel tones—emerald and burgundy—dotted thefloor, next to mahogany tables displaying the finest fabrics draped like artwork. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting a warm, flattering light that made everything feel as exclusive as it was.

Opening the door, she turned around to find Grace motionless. Elara held the door open and gestured inside. “After you, Grace.”

As if startled, Grace hurried through the open door, and Elara followed behind her.

“Ms. Silver! We’ve been expecting you. Follow me. We’ve set up tea as you like,” the sales associate said.

At this, a tiny giggle slipped out of Grace, which she failed at covering up with a cough. Elara didn’t want to find it funny, but Grace’s discomfort was entertaining. At least she wasn’t alone in the strange and new.

Unable to resist poking fun, Elara quietly asked, “Something wrong, Grace?”

A crooked smile pulled at Grace’s lips as she mouthed,“Tea?”‘

Charmed, Elara snorted before she turned away to follow the sales associate to the private backroom. Elara had always valued privacy, so of course, she requested a private room every time she visited. God knows she spent enough money at the Ainsley to get a private room and hot tea.

The sales associate set out a beautiful porcelain tea set and poured two cups of Earl Grey. Having assured that Elara was seated and served, the associate finally turned to Grace.

“Would you like milk or sugar, ma’am?”

Grace nervously looked between Elara and the associate before replying, “If that wouldn’t be too much trouble, I would love some milk and two cubes of sugar.”

“Of course. Right away.”

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