Chapter One
CAMERON
DAY 1
My heart pounds as I rush around my penthouse, shoving clothes and books into my Louis Vuitton suitcases. It’s my senior year at New York University and the campus has shut down indefinitely today. Starting next week, I’ll finish the semester online.
No graduation ceremony.
No saying goodbye to my classmates I’ve seen every day for the past four years.
No final words of wisdom from my professors.
I’m heartbroken.
With a 4.0 grade point average, I can’t risk falling behind and losing my spot as valedictorian. Hopefully, this doesn’t interfere with graduating on time because I’ve been accepted into the Master of Business program in the fall.
While I’m upset about no longer attending classes and missing out on the last few months of my final year, I’m more concerned and devastated about what’s happening around the country and in the city I was born and raised in.
New York was recently declared a major disaster area. A dangerous viral outbreak has swept the world, and we’re being told to self-isolate to help slow the spread, but the hospitals are already overcrowded.
When the news broke, my parents begged me to come home, but I know my mother. Clara St. James can’t function without her housekeepers and personal chefs, and if she continues to let them help, she’s directly breaking the basic guidelines of being quarantined. Unless her staff moves in, my parents will still be in contact with people who are carrying germs from the outside world. I love my mom, but she’s the classic Upper East Side’s cliché of wealth and power who doesn’t follow rules because they’re below her.
My family owns a billion-dollar fashion empire, so it’s all I’ve ever known. Since I could walk, my mother has groomed me to be involved with the business. As the elite princess of the St. James estate, I’m expected and have agreed to maintain the company when they’re ready to retire. I love my family, but behind our socialite status and the media’s glamorized portrayal, we’re dysfunctional with a capital D.
My brother, Ryan, is four years older than me and graduated from medical school last year. He’s doing his residency in one of New York City’s top-ranked hospitals and will work directly with patients who have contracted the virus. It’s scary as hell to know he’ll be there, but he’s determined to do whatever it takes to help people and save lives. I’m proud of him, but I worry about his safety.
“Cameron, this is absurd,” my mother says on the phone with a long sigh. “Rodrick will pick you up and drive you home.”
“I’m staying at the cabin so I can focus on my schoolwork and stay inside.” I repeat the same words I said yesterday. I don’t tell her my boyfriend, Zane, is meeting me there in a couple of days. She’s not his biggest fan because he hasn’t proposed yet, but I’m nowhere near ready for marriage. I’m only twenty-two and want to finish school first. This year, we’re both graduating, and we plan to move in together this summer as a trial run. So for now, she’ll have to get over the idea of planning the wedding of her dreams.
I could’ve driven with him, but I was too anxious and ready to get out of the city to wait. He needed extra time to do his laundry, pack, and buy more supplies. Zane doesn’t live on campus, but he slept over at my place a lot, which is why it’s better we isolate together.
“Plus, I could’ve been exposed by someone at school. We really have no idea how many cases there are, so it’s best I stay away. That way, I don’t risk getting you or Daddy sick.”
He has high blood pressure, and my mom smokes. Though she claims she quit, I know she hasn’t.
“You two should go somewhere for a few weeks,” I suggest. “Your company employees are working remote, so there’s no reason to stay in the city. Visit the Hampton lake house or drive to the Tennessee resort.”
“And leave all my things?” She gasps. “We’ll be fine, dear. Your father and I are usually six feet apart anyway. The housekeepers will wear masks and gloves. You really should just come here so we’re together.” I roll my eyes as she continues to beg. For the past fifteen years they’ve pretended to be madly in love in front of the cameras and brush aside any rumors that my dad has a drinking problem. They want the world to think they have a picture-perfect marriage, but it’s only an act.
Denying her request again, I explain how labor-intensive my online classes will be, and as nicely as I can, I remind her I’ll need this time to focus on finishing my semester and keeping my grades up. She seems to buy it and tells me to check in with her daily. I make her promise to keep her distance from everyone because while she’s health-conscious, her smoking puts her at a higher risk, so I worry.
After the call ends, I grab the rest of my essentials and pack my Range Rover. The back is full of enough food and water to last a few weeks. I picked up a large online shopping order today so I wouldn’t have to go to the store again for a while. Just the thought of being in public gives me hives, but my mother never believed I had anxiety and didn’t allow me to get help or medication. Last year, I secretly saw a therapist and finally got a prescription to help me cope.
Once I have everything, I grab Chanel’s carrier and food. She’s another reason I prefer not to stay at my parents’ house. She’s a Sphynx cat, and my mother’s Yorkie barks at her nonstop, which means I’d spend the entire time trying to keep them six feet apart.
I load her up, take one last look around to make sure I didn’t forget anything, then leave. The cabin is in Roxbury, which is three hours away, but with an overwhelming number of people leaving the city, the traffic could make it longer.
I listen to the radio as I drive, watching people rush down the sidewalks. It’s complete madness. My mind wanders as I reflect on what’s happened over the past few days. Schools and non-essential stores closing. No flights going in or out of the country. National parks and Disney closed. No large gatherings allowed and being told to stay six feet apart from strangers. Not to mention the masks people are wearing.
It’s a culture shock and surreal how fast this happened. The sooner I get out of the city, the better.
The past week has been a blur. Between the news reports and social media posts, it’s hard to know what to believe and whether our government is really prepared. I’m well aware of my family’s legacy and what it’s provided me. The media paints me as a privileged white girl who doesn’t have to work, who has everything handed to her on a silver platter, and only has an education and future career because of the family business.
I’m an introvert and keep to my small circle of friends I trust. The media’s perception is an unfair assessment, but it sells a story and gets clicks online. Reporting the truth wouldn’t be as entertaining.
I’ve worked my ass off in school. I love learning and am passionate about business. I can’t deny my closet is full of designer clothes and shoes, but it’s to be expected. I wear the family collection and other designer brands my parents personally endorse. I was raised by nannies, housekeepers, and personal drivers and believed this lifestyle was normal until I got a taste of the outside world and reality. Life is different when your family is in the top one-percent richest of the population, which makes me an easy target for ridicule.