Snow snapped back to the present. She had thought the emblem was not important, as there were no leads… However, seeing it on the invitation gave her hope.
Grandma Quinn opened the letter, and after reading she turned to Madam Quinn. "They are celebrating the coming of their daughter and her success in school, we are invited to be there tomorrow." Grandma Quinn paused, turning to Snow. "Take Snow to a mall and get her some clothes. She will be coming."
Madam Quinn pressed her lips in displeasure. "Yes, Mother," she said with a tight smile.
Snow's lips curled into a smile, and she wrapped her hand over Grandma Quinn's arm. "Thank you, Grandma. You are the best."
Grandma Quinn cleared her throat. "Eat something." She put more meat on her plate.
Madam Quinn clenched her hand tightly under the dining table, her eyes fixated on them.
"Mother, when are we going shopping?" Snow asked with a beam.
"Tomorrow morning." She replied in a dismissive tone.
...
Snow Bai walked around the garden, her hands tucked inside her pockets, the cold wind ruffled her hair, and its chill kissed her cheeks turning them a soft hue of red.
Her eyes were observing her surroundings, and her mind was taking notes, more like making a map of the terrain of the estate.
This information was essential to her if she was going to sneak out of the estate.
One look told her the estate wasn't easy to breach. The estate's security was airtight, and motion sensors were placed along the perimeter.
She also noticed the patrol patterns of the guards. They walked in pairs, rotating every fifteen minutes, and surveillance cameras were situated around the perimeter; even in the garden, there were no blind spots.
'This is why no one has been able to infiltrate the Quinns' home… seems like Adrian Quinn is more than the rumours claim. The security is insane.' She thought to herself.
A faint smile curved on her lips. 'Too bad, I'm his opponent.'
Suddenly, the screen of her phone brightened, followed by a ringing tone.
She slid the phone out of her pocket, and a soft glint flickered through her eyes, as she answered the call.
"Snow Bai! How could you go ahead with the plan without waiting for me to come back?! How could you do this to me?!" An angry voice rang from the other side of the phone.
Snow moved the phone away from her ear to prevent any damage to her eardrum.
"Minmin, that is not a nice way to say hello to your friend." Snow Bai said in a low and calm voice.
Minmin huffed. Snow Bai could already imagine her friend's pouting lips and cute blazing eyes along with her stomping her feet on the ground.
"You promised me that you would wait for me to come back. Do you know how much I've been preparing for the moment? Only to find out from social media that you have gone along with the plan. If you told me about it, I would've made the news go viral beyond the country." She whined from the other side of the phone.
"How was the movie shooting?" Snow Bai said, attempting to change the discussion.
"It went well… so when are we meeting? I haven't seen you in ages." She drawled the last part dramatically.
Snow Bai strolled around the garden, casually kicking stones. "I don't know, maybe soon."
"Now that you are in the Quinn family… are you okay? Are they treating you well? If they don't, let me know so I can teach them a hell of a lesson."
Snow Bai had to hold the phone a few inches away from her ear. She closed her eyes before shaking her head. "Everything is going great… and I'll be attending a Gu party tomorrow." She stood in her spot, staring at the sky, the stars twinkled and scattered across it like diamonds in the dark.
"You are?! My family happened to get one too, but unfortunately, I'm busy and won't be able to attend."
Snow Bai could hear the sadness in her friend's voice, like a deflated balloon.
"It's okay, let's meet after the Gu party." She said in a calm voice.
"Okay, I have to go! My ovaries are screaming." Minmin chuckled from the other end before hanging up.
Snow Bai remained in place, frozen and baffled by her friend's shamelessness. At least she learned from the best.
Minmin had taken the time to teach her how to be crude and unrefined, changing her from a sweet and innocent girl to a vulgar and cruel one.
She was well aware of her friend's nature, but she still couldn't get used to it.
Snow Bai ran her finger through her hair, staring at the vast estate. She was once afraid of the idea of infiltrating the Quinns' home. However, her friends were there to help her plan things through. Now that she was here, gaining the family's trust was the next step, and the hardest.
She closed her eyes, inhaling the fresh breeze. Then, she suddenly felt a pair of eyes boring a hole through her skull.
Snow Bai turned around to see the owner of those menacing eyes, and her gaze met those of Adrian's. He stood, leaning over the railing of the terrace. He held a glass of wine, swirling it gently as he continued staring down at her.
The moment Snow Bai saw him, a bitter feeling washed over her, but she put on a smiling face. "Hubby," she greeted.
However, Adrian Quinn refused to acknowledge her. He leaned back from the railing and walked back inside his room.
The moment he turned away, the smile on Snow's face disappeared, replaced by a stoic expression. Feeling the wind getting chillier, she decided to continue her exploration the next day.
...
Snow Bai's eyes twinkled with amusement as she stared at the black card in her hand while completely aware of the glaring daggers at her.
They were already on the way to the mall, Madam Quinn sat behind her wearing a knee-length blue dress, and matching accessories.
She stared at Snow Bai without hiding the dislike she had for her. Madam Quinn's eyes lowered to the black card, and a scowl formed on her face.
She couldn't bring herself to understand why Grandma Quinn had given her a black card. When she got married into the Quinn family years ago, she wasn't even granted one.
'What did Grandma Quinn see in her to treat her this good?' Madam Quinn wondered.