It’s the 21st day of October, the best day of the calendar year. The day Paris Zander graduates from college. Paris, the only daughter of multibillionaires, can and will get only the best for her big day.
A long convoy of cars is lined up at the entrance of her college, and everyone just knows that those are Paris’s parents. The exquisite class and aura of their presence defined greatly the entirety of wealth.
After the celebration, Paris and her family packed up their things, and their drive home began. The last drive from her college to her house. It’s goodbye forever.
“You did it, my darling! You shut those annoying people up, and you graduated!” Her mom, Aurora Zander, shouted excitedly.
“Yes! Now I can make my own money with my degree and not live off daddy’s money.” Paris said, much to the dismay of her parents. She said it deliberately anyway.
“I didn’t work my ass off for sixteen years, so you can graduate and then start working again.” Orion Zander, her father, said.
“But dad…”
“No buts, Paris!” Her mother snapped, and she went quite.
Minutes of silence went by before Orion decided to bring up a new topic to discuss. Although Paris was uninterested, she had no choice but to join in. The whole drive home made her very angry.
“Welcome back home, my baby.” Aurora said this to Paris, and immediately they walked into their majestic mansion. Paris, who was homeschooled her whole life, didn’t deem such a greeting fit. She’s been home her whole life! Her three-year college degree saved her from an even longer ‘jail’ term with her parents.
“Take my things to my room.” Paris said to her nannies, who stood there at her beck and call, tending to her needs like she was an infant. They instantly picked up her bags; all four of them picked up two boxes each and made their way up to Paris’s room.
“It’s almost 6:00; what are we having for dinner? Paris asked, looking pouty and spoiled. looking herself.
“Your school’s graduation ceremony is the longest I’ve been to. Almost eight hours? Damn!” Aurora said, falling onto the nearest couch. Aurora is a young white woman in her mid-forties with thick, medium-length hair and pretty big blue eyes. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, they say, as Paris is the exact replica of her mother, with only longer hair and a slimmer body. Maybe the long hair genes are from Orion himself.
“Why don’t we all go for a shower and then come back? I’m sure dinner would be served by then. What do you think?” Orion said, making his way up to his room.
“Good idea.” Paris said, dragging herself up to her room as well. Her room is at the other end of the house. She uses a different staircase in her room. It’s like another house in a house. The golden ‘Paris Zander’s space’ placed at the corridor, or rather, the hall way leading to her room immediately after the staircase, defines boundaries.
She sat on her bed, ruminating about how fast three years had gone by. Well, she wasn’t alone the whole time; her boyfriend was there with her. She grabbed her phone from her bed and dialed his number. They just left each other, and she already misses him like they haven’t seen each other in a decade. These two go anywhere and everywhere together. There are no boundaries, privacy, or secrets between them.
“My queen,” his voice sounded through the phone. The most heartwarming wave of relief and joy instantly flooded Paris. She has never met anyone who treats her like Stephan treats her. In real life, she hasn’t met that many people to decide if Stephan is the standard or the first trial.
“Hey baby boy.” She responded after smiling at him for no reason.
“You’re home now?”
“Yeah. I miss you so much!” She snuggled into her bed, cuddling her phone, staring into her boyfriend’s eye.
“Maybe we can hang out soon? When are you free?”
“At home, my schedule depends on my parents. But I’ll ask to find out when they will be away so you can come over. Is that okay?”
“Whatever you want, my love.” Stephan laughed.
“Give me a second. It’s dinner time.” Paris said before hanging up the call. I didn’t even say the traditional whiny ‘I love you’ she says every now and then to Stephan.
She got up and walked to her closet with hopes of finding a comfortable fit on her first try. Her walk-in closet is of higher standard and quality than most boutiques seen around. It has everything, and it has everything in abundance.
She easily picked out her customized shiny leather nightwear written ‘Paris Zzzzz', who ever wrote that most definitely has no sense of humor. She picked it out anyway, with its matching shorts. She searched out her clean underwear and picked it out. She walked out of her closet and dropped the clothes on her bed. The size of her bed can comfortably accommodate ten people. It’s by far larger than the customary king-sized bed.
She carefully took off her heels, accessories, and eventually the very slim-fit gown she wore. After wiping away the make-up, she reached for her laundered bathrobe, wore it, and headed for the shower.
Regardless of the fact that her parents paid for her to be alone in her room in college, it still felt good to take a shower in the comfort of her own bathroom in her parents mansion.
After an hour and about thirty minutes, she found her way out of the shower and got dressed. She immediately went downstairs to join her already-waiting family for dinner.
“It’s about time you got here! We’ve been waiting for almost forty minutes.” Orion said, with so much hunger and eagerness to eat.Paris sat down, and the feast began.
“Finally! Home-made food.” Paris smiled at the dinner setting. Not the usual order she does at college.
Halfway through the dinner, Aurora whispered into Orion’s ear, and he cleared his throat, ready to talk.
“Paris…” Orion began, capturing Paris’s attention on the spot. She looked up at her father, her mouth stuffed with food.“We will have guests joining us for dinner tomorrow.”
“Guests?” Paris asked after swallowing her chewed-up food. The only guests around here are the Leonards and their arrogant son. He has come around just once, and that was six years ago.
“Yes, guests.” Orion repeated.
"Dad, come on. The only guests around here are the Leonards, so aside from them, what are you talking about?”
“You’re right. The Leonards will be coming over tomorrow. We will be celebrating your graduation with an expensive dinner party.” Orion added.
“I’ll tell Stephan to come along then.” Paris said, biting down more food.
Her parents glanced at each other quickly, then smiled.
“He’s welcome too.” Aurora said. One can’t tell if she’s been sarcastic or genuine, but Paris has gotten all the permission she needs. Having parents as strict as the Zanders means that even in your early twenties, you need permission to do anything. Paris, 22, doesn’t even have friends to invite over.
With untamable joy and restless anticipation to call Stephan, Paris rushed her food.
“Slow down, young lady!” Aurora laughed, watching Paris vigorously empty her plate.
“Good night, loves!” She shouted, running upstairs. Her parents laughed in response.
She hurriedly dialed Stephan’s number, and he picked up the second ring.
“Babe! Babe! Guess what?” The excitement in Paris’s voice was crystal clear and loud.
"Well, you know I’m bad at guessing, but seeing how excited you are, I’m guessing you got permission from your parents to do something. Am I right?”
“Yes!! It’s even better. My dad said we’re hosting a dinner party to celebrate my graduation, and my mom said you can come too!”
Stephan didn’t react at all. He stared with one raised eyebrow.
“Are you serious? You are not excited, Stephan?”
"No, babe, because I know your parents don’t like me, so I don’t completely believe.”
The atmosphere changed.
“You don’t believe me?” Paris’s tone dropped. The excitement disappeared.
“That’s not what I mean, baby girl, hold on.”
Paris hung up. How dare he? She’s quick-tempered, and he should know that. Well, I guess he does because he immediately starts calling her, but her egoistic self refuses to pick up. They just graduated college together, and on the same night they had a fight? Real smooth!
“What?” Paris finally answered FaceTime.
“Why are you so…ugh!” Stephan hissed.
Paris hung up again. A brat tamer? Very much. Her relationship with Stephan is very healthy, but she’s the dominant one, so it plays by her rules every time. She’s the wealthy one, after all.
Stephan called again, and after almost twenty-six trials, Paris picked up.
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry, baby. Please don’t hang up on me again. I’m very sorry.” Stephan resorted to begging her. As always.
“Listen, if you’re not interested in the damn party or dinner or whatever, just say so! Don’t piss me off; just say so! What do you mean you don’t believe me? Am I a liar?” Her voice rose, and the intensity was clear.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that to you in the first place. I’m more than happy to come along, okay?”
“What time will you be here?”
“Whatever time you want, my love.”
“What do you mean my parents don’t like you?”
“I just…”
“They don’t like anyone, okay! So if you want to use my parents hating lifestyle to judge me, then you can kiss us goodbye.” Paris said, hissing and blinking furiously.
“I can never do that. Don’t say that. I’m sorry, okay? Please forgive me.”
“You are literally annoying me!” Paris shouted once again for no reason. She’s Paris Zander; of course, she thinks everyone is below her.
“What time do you want me to be there?” Stephan asked, ignoring the fact that Paris had been yelling at him. Maybe he’s used to it, or he’s just deep in love. But just like her nannies, Stephan is at her beck and call.
“Be here by 8:30, okay?”
“Yes ma’am.” Stephan replied, smiling at her.
“I’m so tired, babe. Are you home now?” We can say her mood has changed again, and the atmosphere has gone back to being light.She was already dozing off. Stephan knew, but he kept talking about his day.
Almost two hours in, Paris was deep asleep, and Stephan finally put the phone down.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, mine.” He said that, kissed his screen, and hung up.
If only they knew.
