She sat in the back of the sedan, the windows blacked out so no one could see the girl slumped in the back seat.

'Ladies don't slouch, Addison,' Bizzy's voice reprimanded her.

She sat up straighter, even though her mother wasn't there.

Turning to her left, she took in her new surroundings. She had rarely left Connecticut without her parents, let alone traveled to a city as large and far away as New York.

'Ladies don't belong in New York, Addison, especially not ladies like you,' Bizzy would say, frowning at the Walton girls who lived across the street, flaunting their new Gucci branded spoils from a trip to the famous city.

Addison's mother did not approve of the 'new money' families that had begun moving to their neighborhood, tarnishing the legacy of their ancestors who had established the places they called their home. Personally, she failed to understand why it was so important that a long-dead man had built his wealth centuries and passed it down to each generation before it reached her parents, much less why it made her family superior to others. But, like many things in life, Addison chose to smile stiffly at her mother and accept her word as gospel. Bizzy did not like to be disagreed with, or challenged, a lesson she had learnt early in her childhood.

As they grew closer to Columbia, she watched the other twenty-something-year-olds moving boxes around, dodging pedestrians and cars while they struggled to navigate the streets, their parents in tow holding maps and letters. She sighed at the sight, wishing she had parents who wanted to be there to help her move in. She wished her father would want to carry the heaviest boxes so her and her mother didn't have to. She wished her mother would be ready to offer her advice on where to place her mirror so she had the best lighting for her makeup. But she didn't, so she would have to settle for the driver, Matteo.

They pulled into a quieter street, though it certainly wasn't any less fancy. It vaguely resembled their home back in Connecticut, with similarly high buildings and gates thrice her height. The driver stopped the car to open the gates and climbed back in, pulling the car into the underground parking. Once stationary, he opened the door for Addison and she climbed out elegantly, despite her high-heeled boots. She flashed a smile at him and searched for her key in her handbag, wanting nothing more than to get a glass of water from upstairs.

'Do you know when the moving van is arriving?' she asked Matteo politely, smoothing the creases in her crisp white shirt.

He shook his head. 'I do not, madam, but perhaps I could help you get settled upstairs? You look a little hot.'

Addison's head shot up, convinced she heard a slightly flirtatious tone to his voice. He was only a decade or so older than her; the thought did not offend her, but it was surprising. She'd always found the man pleasant enough, though she'd never thought him desirable.

She wondered if that was her mother's influence, considering him 'the help'.

Then she thought about what her father's reaction would be if she did invite him upstairs.

She found the key and placed it in the back pocket of her jeans.

'Of course, I could do with taking a layer off.'

Her persona switched instantly as she spoke in a much higher pitch, adding a sing-song lilt to her voice. She tilted her head to one side and laughed, fixing her hair with one hand. Internally, she groaned at herself. It was always amusing to her, however, just how easy these men were. Women being considered 'easy' was typical conversation among the boys she reluctantly spent time with at Yale, but they never considered just how little effort she had to put in to get exactly what she wanted from them.

Matteo led the way to the elevator, Addison following with a smirk on her face. The sound of her heels echoed in the underground garage, a sound she'd always drawn a certain amount of power from. There was very little in life that a good pair of heels hadn't made her feel more confident about.

The elevator doors had barely closed when she turned and pushed her body against Matteo's, her hands running up and down his side while she pressed her lips against his, gently at first but she grew hungrier and more forceful by the second. Her handbag thundered to the ground as he began returning her kiss, quickly catching up and flipping them so he was pinning her to the wall. He smiled as she caught her breath at the movement, but she quickly adjusted and resumed her previous actions. She lost herself in what she was doing, focusing on their quickened heart rates and their sharp breathing. Minutes later, they reached the top floor of the building, the doors opening into the hallway. There was only one door, which Addison presumed was hers, and the pair made their way over to it, neither breaking contact. Matteo fumbled in her back pocket for the key, barely unlocking the door before Addison pounced on him again. He moaned slightly as her fingers ran through his hair, down his neck where they settled around his waist.

'Your parents wouldn't be happy, Miss Addison, if they knew,' he whispered, taking a step back from her. He held eye contact though, clearly telling her he didn't care much for their approval.

'Oh, I know.'

Matteo smirked, his eyes flashing darkly as he closed the distance between them and kissed her forcefully, lifting her up for her to wrap her legs around him. She complied, kicking her boots off in the process which landed red-bottom up. He carried her to the bedroom, placing her in the middle of the bed, crumpling the pristine sheets. Neither cared though, particularly Addison who laid in front of him, smiling at him while thinking how much her father would hate her for what she was doing right now, not to mention her mother.

The thought brought her comfort.