The air in the luxury boutique felt thick with the scent of expensive leather and ambition. I spotted it – a sleek, emerald-green handbag, nestled like a jewel on a display stand. My hand reached for it, just as another hand, impeccably manicured, landed on it from the opposite side. "Get your filthy hands off that!" a shrill voice cut through the hushed elegance. It was the sales associate, her face twisted in a sneer. "That bag is for Ms. Caldwell! Do you seriously think you can compete with her? She's one of our most exclusive clients!" I froze, my gaze lifting to the woman beside the sales associate. Chloe Caldwell stood there, arms crossed, a look of pure disgust plastered across her face. "Someone like you? Touching a bag like that?" Chloe scoffed, her eyes raking over me dismissively. "Do you even know how much this bag costs just in pre-orders? You clearly can't afford it, you pauper!" With a flourish, she produced a credit card and strutted towards the cashier. But as she scrawled her signature, a familiar name caught my eye: "Ethan Miller." And the card in her hand? It was a supplementary card from my husband's account – the one I'd set up for his personal expenses. My money. A chill snaked down my spine, but my smile remained fixed. "I saw this bag first. Why should I just hand it over?" My words struck both Chloe and the sales associate dumb for a moment. Then, the sales associate strode towards me, her disdain undisguised. "You?" she scoffed, giving me an exaggerated once-over. "You don't have enough spare change in your pocket to buy one of our shopping bags, let alone a designer purse. Quit bragging and get out! You're an eyesore for our esteemed clients. Or I'll call security!" I suppressed a laugh. The woman was clearly new. She didn't recognize me. I’d been traveling the world with my daughter for the past six months, so it had been a while since my last visit. Before that, the sales associates here would practically sprint to message me whenever a new collection dropped. Just then, my daughter, Lily, darted out from the mall's play area, throwing herself into my arms with a sweet cry of "Mommy!" I instinctively tightened my grip, wanting to shield her from the ugliness unfolding before us. But Chloe's sneering voice cut through the air again. "Look at that, a beggar and her little mini-me. There's no handout station here, so just scram!" Her harsh tone startled Lily, who immediately clung to me, her eyes welling up with tears. I pulled her closer, glaring at Chloe. "Say that again." Chloe just rolled her eyes. "Oh, I will. You filthy vagrant." The sales associate chimed in, echoing Chloe's sentiments. "Is Ms. Caldwell wrong? Her monthly spending here probably outearns your whole family's income for three generations!" Chloe brandished the card, a triumphant smirk on her face. "Please. My boyfriend told me if I want it, he'll bring me the stars themselves." She swept elegantly toward the cashier, ready to swipe the card. I smirked, raising my hand to make a quick call. Sure enough, after Chloe swiped the card, nothing happened. She frowned. "Is your POS machine broken?" A slow smile touched my lips. That card was under my name. One phone call, and I could freeze it instantly. Ethan Miller, my husband, dared to use my money to parade another woman around. I was going to enjoy watching him squirm. Chloe tried another machine, but the result was the same: "Transaction Declined." Annoyed, she snatched out her phone and dialed. The call connected quickly, and Chloe pressed speakerphone, shooting me a triumphant glance. "Ethan, darling, my card isn't working! And I really want this bag." She pouted, her voice dripping with artificial sweetness, a stark contrast to her earlier venomous demeanor. Then, Ethan's voice crackled through the phone. "What? How can that be? That's a Black Card, you can spend unlimited on it! Maybe there's a small hiccup with the bank. Hold on, let me call them." Lily, still clinging to me, recognized his voice. Her eyes widened. "That's Dad…" I gently squeezed her hand, shaking my head. "Not yet, sweetheart." The show was just beginning. Why spoil the surprise now? Moments later, my own phone buzzed. It was Ethan. I answered, and his voice, sharp and laced with ice, cut through the silence. "What's wrong with the card you gave me? Why isn't it working? Fix it within thirty minutes. Don't make me repeat myself." Before I could reply, he hung up, curt and dismissive. Almost simultaneously, Chloe's phone rang again. She glanced at me, her eyes gleaming with smug victory, and pressed speakerphone. Ethan's voice, this time, was as smooth as silk, dripping with tenderness. "Chloe, don't worry, sweetie. The bank had a tiny glitch, but I've handled it. The card will be working in thirty minutes." His tone was worlds apart from how he'd just spoken to me – one a god, the other dirt. Chloe's smile blossomed as she listened, then she looked at me, her gaze challenging and filled with arrogance. "Hear that, country bumpkin? My boyfriend always gives me whatever I want!" I scoffed. So, he thought of me as his personal ATM? No, an ATM at least offered interest and respect. And me? Not only was I supporting him, but I was apparently funding his girlfriend too. Ethan's game was well-played, cunning to the extreme, and heartless. I took a deep breath, pushing down the surge of anger. Ethan Miller, Chloe Caldwell, this bill was about to come due. Leading Lily, I walked over to the lounge area and settled into a plush armchair. I watched Chloe, calm and composed, wondering how she’d react in thirty minutes. Seeing that I hadn't left, the sales associate marched over, her voice sharp with dismissal. "Why are you still here? What do you want?" She scrutinized me from head to toe, as if I were a speck of dirt. "People like you lingering around here are bad for business." She pouted, her expression sour. I looked up at her, my voice steady. "What if she can't buy it in thirty minutes? Then I still can, right? So I'll wait." The sales associate rolled her eyes. "As if you could afford it! What a load of hot air. Look at yourself. A toad dreaming of a swan, aren't you?" On the other side of the lounge, Chloe gracefully took a seat. Seeing this, the sales associate instantly plastered on a fawning smile and scurried over. She poured Chloe tea, brought out exquisite desserts, and even piled several of the newest handbags in front of her for selection. "Ms. Caldwell, please don't be upset. People like her are just troublemakers, trying to ruin your shopping mood. Don't worry, Mr. Miller dotes on you so much, he'll surely have everything sorted out right away." Chloe took a sip of tea, her posture refined. "My boyfriend has never broken a promise to me." She lifted her chin, throwing a defiant glance my way. "If you don't believe me, just wait and see!" The sales associate quickly backed her up. "Exactly, exactly! Ms. Caldwell's aura is clearly different from these poor folks. They don't understand your world. Some people just can't stand to see others succeed. If they can't have it, they want to make sure no one else can either." The atmosphere in the lounge grew tense. Thirty minutes. Almost up. Chloe slowly rose and headed towards the POS machine. Still no response. The proud look on her face shattered. She tried another machine, but the result was the same. The sales associate's obsequious smile also faltered, replaced by an awkward grimace. Chloe pulled out her phone and called Ethan again. Surprisingly, no one picked up, and there was no response. I glanced at my phone. At this time, his company’s daily meeting would be starting. Under my support, Ethan had risen to a high executive position. He was always careful to show up to the office every day, afraid of being called a "kept man." Unable to reach him, Chloe grew frantic, dialing his number repeatedly, her frustration evident. After a long moment, Chloe finally lifted her head, biting her lip. "My boyfriend must be busy. He probably didn't have time to text me back." She paused. "I don't think I'll get this bag now. I'll have him come with me when he's not so busy." The sales associate, who had been working hard to please Chloe, looked crestfallen when she heard she wouldn't buy the bag. But she dared not say anything, only managing a strained smile and a nod. It was then that I stepped forward. "She's not buying it. Can I?" The sales associate waved her hand at me like shooing a fly. "I don't have time for your games. Go away! Don't waste my time when I could be serving other customers!" I chuckled coldly, then placed a platinum membership card on the counter. This was an exclusive ID, given only to clients who spent millions annually at the store. The sales associate froze, her face a mask of disbelief. Chloe, too, recognized the card. She snatched it up, her expression twisting into something grotesque. "You? Impossible! You must have stolen this card!" Chloe shrieked, her voice rising in pitch. "I knew it, you're not just poor, you're a thief! I'm calling the police right now and having you arrested!" I simply gave her a disdainful look. "Don't believe me? Go ahead, check right now." Chloe and the sales associate exchanged glances, then both rushed to the computer, inputting my details. Their eyes widened, their faces paling, as they saw my multi-million-dollar purchase history, the points accumulated over years. Chloe's face turned as black as a kettle. The consumption records displayed clearly on the screen, each number a resounding slap across her proud face. The sales associate was utterly terrified. She stood frozen, as if under a spell, her legs trembling uncontrollably. After a moment, she switched back to a fawning, desperate smile. "You buy this bag, and I'll give you the absolute biggest discount, plus some limited edition gifts from the store, how about it?" She was a completely different person from moments ago, but I remained calm, watching her smile slowly freeze before I finally spoke. "I'll take the bag." Before she could rejoice, I added, "However, the commission for this sale will go to Leah." The sales associate's head snapped up, her eyes flashing with a mix of incomprehension and resentment. Leah was the kindest sales associate in this store. No matter how a customer was dressed, she always maintained a welcoming smile. She never judged anyone by their appearance, treating every customer with equal respect. "And you," my gaze returned to the sales associate, who was now slumping. "I'm filing a complaint with corporate." Her eyes widened further, and her body began to tremble violently. "Until you're fired," I added, each word firm, leaving no room for negotiation. The sales associate lifted her head, glaring at me with resentment. "You're so rich! Why are you bothering with such a small matter? Can't you be a little understanding?" Her logic struck me as ridiculous. "If I were truly poor today, would I deserve your mockery?" Realizing she had no counter-argument, the sales associate got up, shot me a venomous look, and retreated to the counter. Chloe, having witnessed the entire exchange, looked even more enraged. She glared at me. "Who knows where your money came from anyway? Probably just some old man!" Just then, Ethan called her back. "Chloe, I was in a meeting, what's wrong?" Hearing Ethan's voice, Chloe latched onto it like a drowning woman to a life raft. "Ethan, darling, I've been so bullied! Someone stole the bag I wanted. Please, come here, quick!" Ethan sounded confused. "Stolen? Why didn't you just buy it?" "The card still wasn't working, and I thought the bank might have some complicated procedure, so I had to give up," Chloe whined, her voice thick with feigned distress. On the other end of the line, Ethan's voice instantly turned cold. "That's outrageous! I'm calling her right now!" "Her," of course, referred to me. "No, don't! You come here instead, please, and buy it for me yourself! There's this woman who keeps harassing me!" "Okay, sweetheart, wait for me. I'm on my way." The call ended. Chloe’s distressed expression vanished, replaced by a smug smirk as she walked towards me, chin held high. She pointed at the bag in my hand. "Put that down. My boyfriend's coming to buy it for me. That bag is mine now." Ethan was coming? This was getting interesting. I wondered what kind of face he would make when he saw me. A slow smile played on my lips as I met Chloe's triumphant gaze. "You said you weren't buying it. And I'm about to pay for it. Don't you understand 'first come, first served'?" "I was here first! I just had a little issue and couldn't buy it right away. When did it become your turn?" Chloe scoffed, then turned to the sales associate. "Wrap it up for me. The commission for this bag goes to you." The sales associate looked at me, her expression shifting again. "I'm sorry, Ms. Vance, but Ms. Caldwell was indeed here first. If you want to buy a bag, perhaps you could look at others." I saw the malicious gleam in her eyes, knowing she was trying to get revenge for my complaint. I merely smiled coldly. "Alright. Then I'll just wait and see if your boyfriend can buy it for you." Less than thirty minutes later, Ethan arrived. I was seated behind a decorative screen in the lounge, out of his immediate sight. Chloe spotted him and immediately rushed into his arms. "Ethan!" Ethan's voice was gentle as he stroked her hair. "Who's trying to take your bag, sweetheart? I'll buy it for you." Chloe gave me a triumphant look, then pointed directly at my hidden spot. "It's her!" Ethan's gaze followed her finger. The moment he saw me, his face fractured. Our eyes met, and the color drained from his face instantly. He froze from head to toe. The tender smile he'd offered Chloe solidified, then shattered, replaced by an almost panicked astonishment.
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