{ billies pov }

"victoria? what're you doing here?"

"I heard about what happened at the picnic. we need to talk."

"y-you do?"

'fuck fuck fuck! I thought anastasia and I were careful.' I thought to myself.

"yeah, jade told me all about the conversation the two of you had."

"wait, jade?"

"well, she didn't tell me all about it. she kept the details pretty vague. but I heard enough to know jade was way out of line, and I just want to reassure you that I told her that. she won't bother you like that again."

'so she doesn't know about what happened between anastasia and I while we were cleaning up, she thinks this is all about jade.'

"victoria, thank you for talking to jade for me."

"it was my pleasure, I do love putting jade in her place every now and then."

she took a deep breath and smiled at me.

"anyway, now that that little bit of unpleasantness is taken care of... we can talk about why i'm really here. i know we don't always see eye to eye. i forget sometimes how intimidating i can be to insecure young women. but i could really use your help."

"seriously? didn't you want to fire me not too long ago? you know, after i defended you to your dad?"

"oh, anastasia told you about that?" she said shocked.

"i overheard"

victoria looked embarrassed for the first time ever.

"i do... appreciate what you said. though it was the worst place to do it at. but anyways, ana told me you were keeping your job, so i've moved on."

she waved her hands, as if she expects me to just move on like she did.

"there's an important charity gala this weekend, and i'll never be ready in time without the help of an assistant. unfortunately my current assistant is on maternity leave right now. so selfish and irresponsible."

"having a family can be demanding too. you'll find that out if you marry ana."

oh fuck. i said "if". but i don't think she noticed?

"yeah, family is important, but in this particular instance, business is even more important. i need to be at my best for this event. anastasia told me it's fine if you took the day off to assist me since she already has plans with the boys. meet me at this address in an hour."

she gave me her business card.

"right...see you then." i said confused.

"great!" she gave me a kiss on my cheek and walked away.

'a full day with victoria... great..'

i heard another knock at my door. i braced myself for whatever victoria forgot, but when i glanced up, i saw ana poking her head in. "is it safe to come in?" she asked.

"ana, you left me to the wolves, a little help would've been nice!?" i said in a 'wtf' tone.

she slipped into my room with a smirk. "i think you handle her better than i do. but i do owe you, big time."

"good think i know just what i want as compensation."

"oh? and what's that?"

"i want you. all to myself. send the kids to spend the weekend with their grandparents, and leave us the penthouse."

she moved closer to me, until i could feel the heat from her body.

"that seems like a dangerous proposition."

"that's what makes it fun."

"maybe. but for the mean time, could i make it up to you by making you some breakfast?"

"i guess it's the least you can do." i said jokingly as i rolled my eyes.

"yeah yeah. chef anastasia is at your service." she said chuckling.

a few minutes later, i settle down into a chair. anastasia knots an apron around her waist and warms some butter in a pan. she looked up and smirked at me. "normally i'm the one enjoying the view while you make breakfast."

"i didn't notice you were taking in the scenery."

"i do try to be subtle.. even if i don't always succeed."

my cheeks warm up as ana fills the bowl with pancake mix.

"do you have a favorite thing about what you see?"

"i'm not sure i can narrow it down to just one thing, between your adorable bed head and cute little button nose, my eyes just don't know where to look. but i definitely appreciate how sweet you are with my boys, even when they're loud and rambunctious before coffee."

"uhm. rambunnytions?" i said confusingly.

she laughed.

this bitch?

"rambunctious. loud. noisy. you know?"

"ohh...yeahhh...but i do love the boys, that's what makes it easy."

"billie. i've met my boys, i'm under no illusion that taking care of them is easy, even if you do have a magic touch." she glanced down at her bowl of batter. "can you supervise me while i try to not burn these pancakes?" she said chuckling nervously.

"of course." i said smiling at her.

{ omniscient }

later that day billie meets up with victoria for their day of shopping.

victoria dragged billie, place to place, never letting her leave her side.

"i've got an appointment for eyelash extensions, but you can quiz me while you watch." victoria said.

"i thought we already went over small talk topic at the nail salon.."

"nonsense, we're just getting started. here, take these flash cards."

billie tried to focus on the card as a woman starts doing something to victoria's eyelashes.

"uh.. a potential investor just walked up and asked about monet enterprise. what do you say?"

"my wife is the soon to be CEO of one of the largest biotech company's in the world. we're here because we're dedicated to resolving the complications surrounding healthcare and disease with technology and innovation. how was that?"

"uhm..great."

soon, victoria reaches through racks of fancy clothes while billie quizzes her on photos of the guest list.

"okay, who's this guy?"

"miles houston, entrepreneur and tech mogul. vegan, likes meditation. dislikes pollution, irresponsible spending."

"good. how about... this one."

"selene d'torte, heiress and philanthropist. has a degree in philosophy. burned by a bad investment with now bankrupt medishade corp."

billie held up picture after picture, and victoria aces every one without hesitation.

"victoria, this is kinda creepy. i mean you research all these people in depth just so you can pretend to agree with them in conversation?"

"not creepy, darling. strategic. calculated. if you watch and listen, you might learn something. it's obvious you could use a role model, and i'm right here."

billie stared at victoria for a long moment, not quite sure what to make of her offer. "thank you."

"mhm. what do you think about this one? won't it bring out my eyes?"

billie glanced up to see victoria holding a gown then gave her a soft smile.

"yeah."

"one more stop and then i'm afraid i'll have to drop you off back to the penthouse. i've got a coffee date."

"oh? i thought anastasia was staying with the kids all day. are you meeting up with them?"

"oh no. it's a business thing. ana won't be there. now keep up."

before billie knew it she's on a couch in victoria's huge private dressing room while she sorts through the dresses in her maybe pile.

"what do you think? won't ana love me in this?" victoria said as she held the dress up. billie looked at it, then looked back at victoria as she walked around in her underwear.

"uhm. i don't know."

"well use your imagination, you have one of those, right?"

"yes victoria i have an imagination. and i think you'll look nice and professional."

"exactly. it's perfect." victoria said as she put on the dress.

"why don't you come zip me up?"

"uhm sure."

"of course, anastasia will be the one zipping me up on the big night... and the rest of my life, for that matter. for now though, you're going to have to play the role of ana...just like you sometimes play the role of me."

billie stops dead in her tracks as the meaning of the words dawned on her.

"i don't know what you mean."

"oh, i think you know exactly what i mean." victoria said as she casually fluffed her hair in the mirror, not even caring that the dress has fallen back to her feet.

"it's easy to get confused when you live with such an attractive woman, get close to her children, and spend your free time together."

billie took a deep breath, trying to steady her racing pulse.

"the only thing confusing me right now is you."

"then i'll say it to where you understand. i know about your silly crush on ana."

"silly crush? i'm not some daydreaming high school girl. clearly you know ana has feelings too."

"i know her kind caring ways can seem like genuine affection, but that's just her personality. a long hug and a few drinks together doesn't mean she's interested in leaving behind an adult relationship."

"it's not like that-" billie said getting angry.

"relax. i think it's cute. if i was threatened by you, i'd have to be threatened by every woman on the street."

"well i wouldn't say i'm just a random passerby.."

"of course not. except, well, you are kinda randomly passing by. that's the nature of being the hired help. you pop up, you go away, life moves on. i'm sure you can find someone who's more...on your level."

"like some... peasant?"

"no need to be dramatic. i'm sure you can find someone who isn't literally a peasant."

"we're not as different as you think. put me in a fancy dress and no one can tell us apart, i promise you."

"yet, i'm the one going to the gala, remind me, where will you be? oh yes, back at the apartment, taking care of the kids. look, i just don't want your little crush to give the wrong impression. it's easy to let your feelings cloud your judgment if you aren't careful. i know tough love can be hard to take sometimes, but as your role model, i'm willing to make that sacrifice." satisfied, victoria bends to pick up the forgotten dress, then grabs another.

"i'm gonna try this one on too, be right back."

as soon as victoria leaves, billie pulls out her phone,

'god i wanna fight this bitch.' billie thought to herself

billie scrolled through her phone until she found ana's name.

she took a deep breath and started typing.

╭───────────────╮
anastasia

i don't think
i'm gonna
last this whole
afternoon
with victoria

what did she do
this time?

what HASN'T
she done??
i'm trying to
not let her get to
me but it's
not working.

what can i do?
would a distraction help?

╰───────────────╯

victoria's voice breaks through billies concentration, forcing her to look up from her phone.

"billie! bring me my facial moisturizer!"

"be right there!" billie said as she stood up and went to go deliver the moisturizer.

╭───────────────╮

??

sorry. i have to ask
wtf do you see in her??

you're not wrong.

😐

my history with
victoria is complicated.
but i AM sorry you're
caught between us today.
she was very insistent
when she asked.
i didn't want to arouse
suspicion by resisting too much.

her mind games
are seriously next level
at this point i wonder if her
assistant even has a kid

i'll make this right.
just sit tight.

what're you gonna do??
ana???
annnnnnnaaaaa??

╰───────────────╯

but ana didn't respond back. billie sighed as she put the phone down.

half an hour later, billies reaching for her phone to check again when...

"did you know there's a gourmet bakery just down the street from here?" ana said as she walked into the room with a white box.

"ana!" billie said as she threw her arms around her, and gave her a quick hug, ana gripped the box tighter so it didn't fall.

"i should surprise you more often."

"if you think you're gonna get away with pawning me off with victoria again you're wrong."

"i guess i'll have to come up with another way to surprise you."

"is that my sunshine!" victoria says loudly as she returns into the room.

"and you brought...cookies. that's so sweet...literally." victoria said in a lowkey disgusted tone.

victoria grabbed the box and put it down.

"i'll have to save them for my cheat day."

"i'm told they're the best cookies in the city. consider it a thank you, since y'all spent the whole day preparing for an event on my behalf. but since it looks like you're done already, maybe i can kill two birds with one stone and take billie home with me?"

"uh yeah sure. i have an appointment soon anyway."

"billie? shall we?" ana said raising her eyebrow.

billie jumped up and grabbed all her belongings.

before she knews it, anastasia is driving back home through the streets of new york.

billie reached across the gear shift and interwind her fingers with ana's.

finally, the night of the gala arrives.

there was a knock on billies door. expecting it to be jason and jacob she threw the door open.

"are you boys ready to have fu-"

"billie, i know it's terrible notice but...will you be my date to the gala?"