The Billionaire's Authentic Daughter ▶️

4 3 | J U L I E T

"It's a little messy around here thanks to my little sister," Colin said sheepishly as we entered his house for our first tutoring session.

"Beautiful house," I commented, taking in the warm homely décor looking livelier with a few things strewn across. Some toys littered the floor and as I looked down I instantly jumped away seeing as I almost stepped on a Lego piece.

Colin began self consciously cleaning up the mess and I looked on in amusement. "My room is upstairs. We're studying there."

I nodded. "So where is this sister you speak of?" I asked.

As if in cue, a small girl walked in clutching a teddy bear to her chest.

I was never great with kids but still decided to humor her, I bent down to her level. "Hello, what is your name?" I asked in a baby voice.

She scrunched up her face at me. My smile fell instantly. Without answering, she ran past me and hugged Colin's legs.

"Sorry, she's not very welcoming towards new people," he said, ruffling up her hair. "She's Sloane. Pumpkin, behave and say hi to my friend, Julia."

"Hi, Julia," she said quietly, eyeing me carefully.

"How old are you?"

She immediately started counting on her fingers and stopped at the sixth finger. "I'm six."

"And who's that?" I asked pointing to the teddy bear.

"He's Ted, my best friend," she answered, raising it to show me the stuffed animal.

"Your best friend? Who are your other friends?"

"This is Jordan–" she said, picking up a barbie doll lying on the floor, "–and this is Emily," she said next, pointing to another stuffed animal – a unicorn, "–and this is–"

"Honey, is any living person your friend?" I interrupted.

She seemed to think long and hard about the simple question. "Cason is my friend. He gives me half of his chocolates," she said finally.

"And? Who else?"

"Analia because she helps me with my homework and Arya because she helps me beat up those who are mean to us."

"Okay, so no one who's not a friend with benefits?"

Colin snickered. "She doesn't have many friends," he sighed.  "I wish she was more expressive and approachable."

"Bene–feets? What's that?" She asked.

I shook my head. "You'll know when they teach you."

"I asked what it means! You tell me what that means!" She suddenly yelled.

"Slone! You don't yell at someone. Jesus, where are you manners?"

What a brat. Unfortunately,  I couldn't help but retort back. "Yeah? Guess what, I'm not going to tell you so you'll only know after a few years when you're old enough and smart enough to remember big words and their meaning."

She glared at me, her cheeks puffing and pout on her lips. She looked adorable when angry and a smile threatened to slip past my lips at seeing her, that was until her next words. "I don't like her," she said in a whiny voice, tugging at his jeans.

"Colin, she's not expressive? Yeah, I have a different opinion about that."

"Sorry, Julia. She really must be in a bad mood today. She's usually not like this. You–" he looked down at her sternly. "You apologize to her right now, Sloane!"