They arrived at the mall mid-morning. The air was warm, the sky bright. And within minutes, they were deep in fashion territory — hopping from boutique to boutique, dragging Amy toward things she never would have chosen herself.
"This," Risa said, holding up a cropped jacket. "This says cool but kissable."
"This says expensive," Amy countered.
"That's the point," Lumi grinned. "Sara's going to melt."
Amy didn't reply, but her ears were pink.
They moved store to store — casual, elegant, edgy, practical. Amy let them guide her through outfits she would never have considered a week ago. Her arms were soon full of hangers and bags.
At one store, as she handed over a black card to pay, Risa tilted her head.
"Wait," she said, eyes narrowing. "That's not your usual card."
Lumi leaned over. "That's definitely not your part-time job card."
Amy signed the receipt without looking up.
"I thought your last job shut down," Risa said.
"It did," Amy said evenly.
"So…" Lumi stepped closer. "What's going on? Did you get some kind of inheritance?"
Amy paused, then tucked the card away.
"It's from my grandmother," she said quietly. "She had an account tied to the company she built. Only she had access to it. And now that access is mine."
Lumi blinked. "Wait. Company?"
"I didn't know about it until recently," Amy continued. "She kept it private. But the account holds all her personal dividends. It grows every year."
Risa frowned. "How much are we talking?"
Amy hesitated. "Last I checked... dozens of billions."
There was a long pause.
Then:
"You're a billionaire?" Lumi said, her voice climbing in disbelief.
"You didn't think to mention that?" Risa added, crossing her arms.
Amy looked between them, guilt flickering in her chest. "I didn't have time to talk about it. Things got... busy."
"Busy with what?" Lumi said, half teasing. "Sara?"
Amy opened her mouth.
Then shut it.
Risa groaned. "You, absolute disaster."
Lumi pointed at her. "You've been so focused on your little golden princess that you forgot to tell us you're rich now?"
Amy gave a helpless shrug. "Maybe."
"You're lucky we love you," Lumi muttered.
"Deeply lucky," Risa echoed.
They moved on, teasing her at every store. Amy let them. It felt good, in a strange way — being dragged around like things were normal. Like she wasn't planning the rest of her life around a secret future.
…
By the time the sun reached its highest point, they were starving. The three of them settled into a booth at a quiet restaurant tucked near the top floor of the mall, shaded by floor-length glass windows.
Amy's phone buzzed while she was halfway through her drink.
Sara.
Her chest did that soft stutter again.
She didn't say anything — just typed back, quick and quiet.
Lumi leaned forward. "Who is it?"
Amy didn't answer, but the corner of her mouth gave her away.
Risa pointed at her, grinning. "You're texting Sara, aren't you?"
Lumi gasped. "We're being replaced!"
"You teased us so hard when we started dating," Risa said.
"And now look at you," Lumi added. "Blushing in the corner booth."
Amy rolled her eyes and hid behind her cup. "I'm not blushing."
"You are," they said in perfect unison.
And honestly?
She didn't mind.
…
They were halfway to the next store when Amy slowed, turning to her friends.
"You know," she said casually, "you two can buy things for yourselves too. I'm inviting."
Lumi blinked. "Inviting?"
"As in… paying," Amy clarified.
Risa tilted her head. "For anything?"
"For whatever you want. As much as you want. And if you end up buying more than you can carry home, you can leave it at my place. I have room."
Lumi's smile was sharp. "Dangerous offer, Elaris."
Risa grinned. "Don't test us."
Amy smirked. "Test yourselves."
That was all it took.
The rest of the afternoon blurred into bags, receipts, and laughter that bounced between storefronts. It wasn't just clothes for her anymore — Lumi was in her element, pulling dresses she claimed she "desperately needed for survival," while Risa balanced practicality with style like she was stocking a personal runway.
And when the clock crept toward late afternoon, Lumi glanced at it and said, "It's going to be late if we head home."
Which quickly turned into: "We'll just stay over."
That, in turn, changed their shopping mission. Suddenly they were hunting for sleepover supplies — pajamas, fluffy socks, oversized hoodies, hair masks, snack runs disguised as "essentials." They loaded the carts with everything they could possibly want for a night in.
By the time they were done, the pile of bags was ridiculous — they needed three mall attendants just to wheel them toward the Midnight Linx.
…
The Linx's cargo space was full by the time they left. The ride back to the mansion was comfortable, quiet except for Lumi and Risa occasionally pointing out street shops they wanted to "hit next time."
When they pulled into the driveway, the gates slid open smoothly.
Amy stepped out first, keying the side entrance. Inside, the soft hum of the house's systems was waiting.
"Orrin," she called.
The butler flickered into existence in the hallway, perfectly composed.
"Yes, Miss Amy?"
"I'll need two rooms prepared for guests. Lumi and Risa are staying the night."
"Very good." His gaze shifted toward them. "Welcome back, ladies."
"Hi, Orrin!" Lumi greeted warmly.
"It's been a while," Risa said, smiling.
There was no surprise in their voices this time. The first time they'd met him — years ago, when Amy first let them into her grandmother's world — they'd been wide-eyed. Now, the novelty was gone, replaced with easy familiarity.
"Also," Amy added, "could you have the bags taken to their rooms? Divide accordingly."
Orrin inclined his head. "Consider it done."