Investment banking was one of the huge businesses in NYC. Money ruled the world no matter what other people say. Callista adjusted her Chicago Bull's cap, marching back and forth in front of Zed's investment bank.

She leaned against the brick wall, her Nike shoe flat on the wall. The sporty attire of cropped shirt and ripped jeans made Caly's presence obscure to the passing crowd. Only the Gucci leather belt gathered some fleeting glances.

"Victoria!" Callista kicked off from the wall, waving her hand.

Instead of gladness and cheer, Victoria's big round eyes widened in panic. Her legs worked overtime, trudging to the exit, not looking back to the other girl.

Victoria gasped when an arm draped over her slim shoulders. She whimpered on the spot, tightly clutching at her shoulder bag adorned with Marvel heroes' pins. "No!"

Caly laughed, pulling her closer. "Tori! It's so nice to see you!"

"No, it's not." She squeaked and tried to resume walking but Caly's arm terminated her movements.

"Girl, what are you so afraid of?" Callista asked. Her face beaming with a smile.

Tori rolled her eyes, adjusting her black-rimmed eyeglasses. "How about the fact I commit crimes when I'm with you?" She tugged the strap of her bag closer to her chest, flowery painted nails digging into the cloth.

"It's not a crime if you don't get caught," Caly shrugged, stifling her chuckles. "You're really a coward."

"Whatever, Caly. I'd rather use the word 'cautious'." Tori snapped back. She wheezed, giving up on escaping from the Genovese princess and settled instead into asking what the girl wanted. "Well, what do you need, your highness?"

Callista could not help another fit of chuckles. Her friend was still the same.

✘✘

Callista eyed the scene of Castor burning in anger as a short girl with a penchant for a faded denim jacket and checkered pink sandals bumped into him. She saw the girl step back in fear, gripping her shoulder bag close to her chest that displayed a numerous amount of Harry Potter pins.

"What the fuck? Do nerds always lose their eyes?" Castor gritted his teeth.

Caly closed The Lord of the Flies and jumped from her spot on the school's white banister. "Cas, that's an insult to all nerds including me."

Castor's green eyes gleamed. His uniform had a pink stain from the nerd girl's ice cream which Cas had already stomped on. "Look at this."

"Don't be so dramatic. You have an extra uniform in your locker." Callista crossed her arms, tilting her head. "Go."

"What? When did that happen?" Castor asked, a frown marring his sharp features.

"I placed it there because I know how useless you are," Caly answered.  She tugged at the black and white striped tie of St. Clement on his neck, unraveling it with her slender fingers as she flattened her palm on his solid shoulders. Callista pushed the tie on his palm. "There. Now, go change."

Castor smirked, leaning down to place a soft kiss on her cheek. He spun around to go on his way.

"Will you write about that in your blog?" Caly asked, turning to the quiet girl on the corner. She huddled with her bag, leaning on the white Doric column.

"I... I don't know what you're talking about!" She denied, pushing her glasses upwards.

"So, it wasn't you wrote that Cas and I have clandestine meetings in the restricted section of the library that somehow always ends up in sex?" Callista noticed the contour of the laptop under her willowy arms.

"But... but that's true, right?"

Callista coughed under her hand, stifling the urge to laugh with the girl's doleful efforts to fish out information. "Too bad. I'll only tell the blogger."

"But I'm... I mean..." she struggled for words. Her colorful bangles dangling on her wrists as she stood upright. "I'm close to the blogger?"

"Not good enough." I shook my head, ready to walk away when she grasped my arm. Her mousy brown eyes pleaded for me to stop. "What?"

"I'm...okay, fine!" She shut her eyes before she released a relieved sigh. "Fine! It's my blog and just so you know, my news is always right. I mean, I do hack into the students' pro... Fudge and cheesecake!"

Callista placed an arm around the girl who spouted food as a curse word. "Well, look at that. We'll definitely get along...?"

"Victoria," she supplied with a tiny voice. Victoria scratched at her fringes, barely reaching it with the tall girl's squeezing arm around her. She licked her lip in apprehension. "You... you won't tell, right?"

"In one condition..." Callista began. "You work for me now."

"What? But..."

"You were lucky Cas is in a good mood." Caly tilted her head, lacing her next words with a good amount of threat. "I wonder what will happen next time. Maybe I will let Blackjack lose."

"Okay! Fine!" Victoria's eyes popped open. "I mean, it's my pleasure to serve you?"

"Oh yes. It is."

✘✘

Victoria Salinas swirled her cookies and cream milkshake, occasionally glancing at the woman in front of her. She desperately prayed Callista would not make her wear a ninja suit or ask her to infiltrate the bank. She was certain she'd faint from the pressure.

"Caly, hurry up! What if the police saw you with me?" Tori complained, fixing her black hair to hide her face from the passersby.

"You're ridiculous." Callista's eyes never left the screen of her iPhone. Her fingers were busy. "I want you to use these cards, alright? Make sure there's no trace."

"That's a crime!" Tori exclaimed with a horrific gasp. Her phone repeatedly clinked from the notifications.

Callista continued sending her the necessary links. "I also want you to work as an analyst for Gallo's hedge fund company. There's an open spot after one of their IT experts quit mysteriously. Send me a list of their investors after two weeks. Got it?"

"Wait, wait!" Victoria stooped her head down. She ignored the loose button of her sleeves and focused on the fact that she was in public with Callista Genovese. And they were discussing infiltration. "Can you lower your voice? Please!"

"Don't worry, girl. I'll buy you milkshakes for a month," Callista said, putting an end to their conversation.

"Really?" Tori's thoughts completely flew away.

"I never lie." Caly grinned as she got what she wanted. "Besides, all those secrets... all those juicy details... don't you just want to squeeze them all out?"

There were two things she liked in this world: milkshakes and digging into people's dirt. Her friendship with Callista started because of blackmail. She initially thought it wouldn't last but the Genovese girl was a charmer. Her words, her company, and the way she handled other people. In addition, Caly had treated her with respect without the usual eyebrow quirks and patronizing smiles she had always received.

For the first time, Tori admired someone who was part of the upper society.

Tori could only sigh. The thought of prison bars still triggers her anxiety but one milkshake (and maybe Mallorie's chocolate cake) and the fact that she was helping a friend, tempered her worries.

Her veneration for the queen had brought her to so much trouble.

✘✘

Callista fell horizontally on the loveseat in the living room as tiredness seeped into her body. Wrenching the cap from her head, her wild tresses flowed behind her. She opened her phone and texted Delilah Gallo. They were friends now or rather, they needed to be.

She asked if she was okay, followed up with an invitation to hang out soon. Her phone beeped after a few seconds and Delilah sent a lot of angry emoticons. Callista cursed on her head, fretful that she did something wrong to fuck up her plan.

'Franco is a bastard. Such an a-hole'

Caly almost sighed in relief. She texted back.

'Tell me when ur free. We can talk about his hairy ass.'

Delilah replied with a sparkling heart and Caly felt at ease.

Truth be told, Callista was happy to talk shit about Franco Castellano. The intimidation she had felt on that party was something real. Something she had only felt when she got kidnapped.

She decided to open her Twitter account and the fear was back. There were screenshots of what had happened in the park and at the party. The shot of the park was far and blurry and the one at the party was dark. However, it didn't impede the onslaught of gossips. Several tweets mentioned a burgeoning romance between Callista and Franco.

"Shit," Caly cussed, swiping for more tweets. She was thankful for those who didn't forget that Franco Castellano was engaged.

Still, she was fucked. Delilah might be a spoiled, rich brat but she wasn't entirely stupid. Her new friend clinging to her fiancé would tend to give her doubts. She shook her head, promising herself not to get involve with Franco anymore.

Callista sighed and texted Castor her new plan. He replied with a black heart.

'What's dis?'

'my heart, ofc'

Seriously?

Her phone beeped again and an email arrived. Callista surveyed the letter with rapid eyes. The words were different but the tone was familiar.

A death threat.

"Caly?" A shout came from the doorway.

Callista shot up from her seat, finding the source of her father's voice. She saw him enter and marched his way to her. She crossed her legs, scanning her father's thoughtful gaze. "You want something?"

"There's a charity event I want you to attend." Caesar Genovese reached inside his inside pocket, pulling out a beige invitation. The gigantic red ribbon becoming an eye catcher.

Callista received the invitation, noting its wafting scent of roses. She released the ribbon and the intricate word 'Valentine's Charity Party' was written. "Really, Dad? Valentine's charity party?"

"Just make a hefty donation then go." He peeled off his blue outer jacket, letting it hang on the chair. "I'm the governor. It's insulting not to donate to... what is that for again?"

"Home for the aged," Caly provided. The girl chuckled under breath, shaking her head. "Well, look at that, Daddy. At least you're secured for the future."

Caesar let out a kind-hearted laugh. "Wow. I feel so loved."

Caly smiled, ignoring the email she previously received.

✘✘

being back means a new chapter! this is just a prelude to making things move and if you have read loving mayhem you know this will all come to place eventually.

wanna guess who she'll meet at the party?

SSR reached 1K while i was swimming with my twin nieces. gosh they're so cute! i miss them already!

don't forget to vote or comment to show support. thank you so much.

this chapter is dedicated to @ChoiElentiya

love you all!

✘✘, lucci