CHAPTER THIRTY THREE – SHOPPING DAY

The morning sun had barely peeked over the horizon when Mara's phone buzzed with a message from Clarissa: "Be ready in 30 minutes. We're going shopping." Mara groaned, rolling out of bed. She had a feeling this wasn't going to be a quick trip to the mall. Exactly 30 minutes later, Clarissa's sleek black SUV pulled up in front of Mara's apartment building. Mara climbed in, greeted by Clarissa's impatient tapping on her phone. "Finally," Clarissa said without looking up. "We have a lot of ground to cover today. The summer gala is coming up, and I need options." Mara nodded, mentally preparing herself for the day ahead. "Of course. Where are we starting?" Clarissa rattled off a list of high-end boutiques that made Mara's head spin. This was going to be a long day. Their first stop was a chic boutique with minimalist decor and price tags that made Mara's eyes water. Clarissa breezed through the racks, pulling out dress after dress. "Hold these," she commanded, thrusting an armful of