My Bestie Called Money ‘Dirty’, Now She’s Watching Me Get Spoiled by Eight Men Chapter 02

My Bestie Called Money ‘Dirty’, Now She’s Watching Me Get Spoiled by Eight Men Chapter 02

After the Whitmores left, Silver Creek Group Home was buzzing.

Everyone was talking about what had happened.

But I wasn’t the topic. Seraphina was.

“Seraphina is incredible! She actually turned them down!”

“If Mrs. Whitmore had asked me, I would’ve said yes without even thinking.”

“That’s why she’s different from the rest of us. She’s nothing like Brynn.”

I walked past with my breakfast and heard every word.

Someone spotted me and deliberately spoke even louder.

“Does she seriously think raising her hand is gonna make her some rich heiress? Like the Whitmores would even look twice at someone like her.”

“She’s just a boring bookworm. Who’d want her?”

“Seraphina’s pretty, sweet, and graceful. Of course the Whitmores will choose her.”

“Right? I can’t wait to see the look on her face when she gets rejected.”

I kept walking.

Still, I couldn’t pretend their words didn’t sting.

It was true. I wasn’t as pretty as Seraphina.

But I really, really wanted this chance to keep studying.

So I had to fight for it.

At lunch, Seraphina came to find me.

She sat across from me and let out a soft sigh.

“Brynn, I heard about this morning. Don’t let what they said get to you.”

“They weren’t trying to be mean. They just thought you came on a little strong.”

I didn’t answer. I kept working through my practice problems.

She glanced at my workbook and smiled helplessly.

“You’re always like this, thinking if you just study hard enough, you can change your whole life.”

“But some doors won’t open no matter how hard you push.”

“What isn’t meant for you will never be yours.”

I finally looked up.

Her eyes were full of pity.

“A family like the Whitmores wants a girl with charm and presence.”

“You’re too… plain. You’re so practical that it’s honestly a little boring.”

I pressed my lips together and stayed silent, even as my emotions churned inside.

Then the comments appeared again.

[Girl, shut up already! The Whitmores are holding a family meeting right now, and all eight brothers just voted yes on Brynn!]

[Mrs. Whitmore said her heart broke the moment Brynn said she just wanted to go to school. They’ve already decided to choose someone else.]

My hand froze over the page.

A unanimous vote?

I forced myself to hide the excitement threatening to spill over.

Seraphina went on, “If they come back looking for me in a few days… I suppose I might give them a chance.”

“I mean, turning them down twice would be a little rude.”

She looked at me like she was doing me a favor.

“Brynn, don’t be too disappointed.”

“I’ll ask Mrs. Whitmore if they’d be willing to sponsor your education too.”

That afternoon, Mrs. Carter called Seraphina into her office.

Before long, the news spread through the entire group home.

“Mrs. Carter said the Whitmores are probably still leaning toward Seraphina.”

“Told you so! She’s exactly the kind of daughter a family like that would want.”

I stood at the stairwell, listening to everyone speak with complete confidence.

Meanwhile, the comments kept floating past my eyes.

[I’m dying. The Whitmores’ assistant is already putting together Brynn’s paperwork.]

[Seraphina’s still off in la-la land. But the Whitmore brothers are already searching ‘how to bond with a studious fifteen-year-old sister.’]

I looked down at my vocabulary book.

Stay calm.

The less they believed in me, the steadier I needed to be.