Chapter 33: A mall

Lily got ready and put on a casual pink sweater and black pants that she had gotten from Sophia, and they were good to go. They stepped out and left the apartment, but before they could even make it to a cab, a black sports car pulled up in front of them, the top of it rolled back since it was a convertible.

Inside was Xander, who was wearing sunglasses as if trying to be cool. He pulled the glasses down and looked at the ladies beside Leon.

"Hey, ladies, care for a ride?"

"I’ll beat your ass so hard it changes shape," Leon snapped.

"Hey, hey, don’t, please," Xander pleaded and then turned off the car. He opened the door and stepped out, and as if the moment he stepped out, all the coolness that he was showing vanished.

"Bro, you are not going to believe this," he said with a smile on his face.

"I’m guessing you are talking about the new sports car."

"Well, yeah," he replied, "but you will not believe how I got it. After your investment with Violet blew up, I decided to have my father pour a lot of his resources into the company, and when it blew up even more, he got so happy that he bought me this bad boy," Xander explained.

"Oh? Nice," Leon replied.

Only at that moment did he realize that he had not introduced them. He looked at Sophia and Lily. "This is Xander, my best friend. Xander, this is Sophia, my girlfriend, and my sister."

"Wait, girlfriend?" Xander asked in shock. He looked at Sophia and then looked at Leon.

"You are joking, right? There is no way you got a girlfriend before..."

BAM

Leon knocked him clean on the head. "I’ll beat your ass," Leon threatened.

"I’m sorry," Xander said in a playful crying voice. He looked over at Lily, and for some reason, he stared at her longer than normal. She smiled at him to show courtesy.

Leon noticed his smile and immediately grabbed his hair.

"Whatever it is that’s bubbling inside you, shove it way, way, way back down."

"Tch, fine," Xander replied. He straightened himself.

"So where are we going?" he asked.

"We?" Leon asked.

"Yeah, I caught you in the middle of going out, so I’ll come too."

"Sigh, we are going to the mall at the center of town. Need to get some new stuff, especially for my sister," Leon explained.

"Ouu, nice, let’s go," Xander said and pointed at the car.

Leon rolled his eyes and walked over to the door. He opened it for Sophia and Lily. "Let’s go. He isn’t the type to budge even if begged."

"Wait, your sister can sit at the front. There is a great view from there, and it’s more fun," Xander said, and Leon shot him a death glare.

"Get in your flipping car."

Xander heaved another sigh and walked in. Sophia and Lily giggled as they entered. They enjoyed the interactions between the two of them.

Lily got into the front seat beside Xander, who then looked at him with disappointment before driving off.

The car pulled into the parking lot of the biggest mall in the center of town.

Lily was the first one out. She stood on the pavement with her head tilted all the way back, staring up at the glass front. Sophia stepped out beside her, and the two of them were already pointing at things.

"Look at that entrance!"

"There’s a fountain inside!"

The boys walked a few steps behind them, with Xander twirling his car keys around his finger. Leon shook his head. The girls were being girls, and he did not mind.

Inside, it was even bigger. The ceiling rose five floors above them, and walkways crossed over a polished marble floor. Stores lined every level, brand after brand, glowing signs and well-dressed mannequins in every window. The air smelled like perfume and fresh coffee. Soft music played from somewhere above.

Leon stopped in the middle of the floor and pulled out his credit card.

He held it out to Sophia.

"Take it. You and Lily go and shop for whatever you want. Xander and I are going to find something to eat, and then we’ll meet up with you in a few minutes."

Sophia took the card, but her lips curled into a small pout.

"Why can’t you come with us?"

"I’m starving, and I have a few things to sort out. I promise it won’t take long."

She held his eyes for a second longer, still pouting. Then she sighed and nodded.

"Fine. Don’t be late."

"I won’t." Leon smiled. "And don’t worry about a limit. Go all out. Buy whatever you like."

Sophia already knew the basics of it, that he had a good amount of money now. She only nodded. But Lily’s eyes went wide, and she looked at her brother as if he had grown a second head.

"Wait, what?" she said. "Leon, you don’t have to put yourself in debt just to get things for me. I really don’t need much."

Before Leon could answer, Xander stepped forward, laughing, and put a hand on her shoulder.

"You should absolutely not worry about that. Your brother is totally bricked up with money. And even if it fell through, I would come and pay for it myself. I’m basically a..."

Leon grabbed him by the back of his shirt.

"Okay, we’re leaving," he said and started dragging him away across the floor.

"Hey! I was making a point!"

Sophia and Lily watched them go until they disappeared around a corner. Then Sophia hooked her arm through Lily’s and steered her toward the nearest clothing store.

Leon and Xander found a burger shop on the second floor. They ordered two burgers and two milkshakes, took a table by the railing, and dug in. The mall hummed below them.

Xander chewed for a while and then pointed his straw at Leon.

"So, are you planning to sell your shares in Viper Limited?"

"No," Leon said. "I don’t have any plans to."

"Not even now?"

"Not at all. Viper is still growing faster every day. I’m going to enjoy it."

Xander leaned back. "You know it’s only a matter of time before they start trying tricky things to get you out. Offers, pressure, maybe worse."

Leon let out a laugh and took a long sip of his milkshake.

"I’m ready for whatever comes, whenever it comes."

"You say that like..."

The floor shook.

It was a deep tremor, and the whole mall rattled with it. The table shuddered, and milkshakes sloshed over the rims of the cups. Below them, glass rattled in the shop windows, and somewhere a mannequin crashed to the floor.

"What the hell?" Xander said, gripping the table.

The shaking stopped. For a second, the mall was silent.

Then someone ran past shouting. Another person followed, and a few more after that, sprinting along the walkway with their faces pale. Leon and Xander stood up and looked at each other in confusion.

Then they heard it, a voice from somewhere below, shrieking over the noise.

"A gate! A gate just opened in the mall!"

Someone screamed.