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“Of twenty-eight lives in a small tohere almost everyone knows each other but is so shy, it takes her seven years to befriend anyone”

Eether “That’s not true I’ve been friends with Iris since I moved here”

“What?” Bailey huffed “She didn’t tell me that”

“That’s because she kno nosy you are” Emery winced “I meant that nicer than it came out”

I laughed “You meant it exactly how it came out”

Bailey stuck her tongue out at me

“Children,” Jess rolled her eyes, “back to Erandmother”

“Um … there’s not much to tell” She nibbled on her lower lip for a second, seely in contemplation, and then she put her tea down Her lashes lowered over her eyes as she focused on the coffee table in front of us “My parents were killed in the sarandfather He had a private jet It crashed I was in New York that summer, at a summer camp for musicians I played the cello I elve After … it was just oes no further than this room”

We all nodded, and I realized ere all leaning forward in our chairs, genuinely intrigued It didn’t surpriseThere was an otherworldly air about her, a purity of heart, despite her surprisingly smart mouth I trusted that Emery would never hurt anyone, but would, in fact, do all she could to help someone That came frorief

“My grandfather was Peter Paxton, founder of the Paxton Group”

Who?

Seeing our cluelessness, she continued, “Paxton Group includes American AirTravel and Invictus Airlines Invictus Vacation Group And Invictus Aeronautical”

Holy shit

Those were soest companies in the US The Paxton Group had to be a billion-dollar corporation Jesus Paxton, and thus Emery’s dad, were billionaires

Did that mean …?