"Where's the manager of this mall? I demand to speak with him" Erica snapped, her eyes blazing with such fury it seemed she could set the entire place ablaze with a single glare.
Seeing the manager nearby, Lucy's confusion grew. She hoped she hadn't gotten herself into trouble.
Lucy whispered to Erica, "He's the manager."
Erica turned her gaze back to the manager. "Oh, so he is the manager," she muttered. "Why are you just standing there watching that woman be rude to us? Not only is she disrupting our shopping, but is this how you treat your customers?"
She couldn't believe that woman dared to disregard her status—a wealthy daughter from a family feared and respected among the elite.
Without offering any explanation, the manager said sharply, "Leave now."
"What?" Erica let out an incredulous laugh. "How much does she even spend here? Who is she that you obey her orders?"
Ignoring Erica, the manager turned to Lucy and said, "You're fired!"
"Fired? Why am I being fired?" Lucy stammered, her face contorting in confusion.
"Neglecting your duties and engaging in defamatory conversation with a customer," the manager replied curtly.
Erica didn't understand what was happening, but she wasn't leaving the store without wrapping up what she had picked out. She tried to stay calm.
"Lynn's mall is the only place with these designs in the city right now. Get it wrapped quickly, or I won't leave," Erica commanded.
The manager noticed how adamant this blonde-haired woman was. If he delayed any longer, he risked his job.
Finally, he gave a sharp command to the security guards. "Throw them out. Nothing leaves with them, especially not that dress."
"Wait! I need this dress for today's event!" Erica protested desperately.
The security guards surged forward, gripping Erica and Lucy by the arms like unruly criminals refusing to obey.
"Stop dragging me!" Erica protested, struggling in their grip.
Seconds later, the guards stumbled at the entrance, hurling Erica and Lucy out as onlookers watched in astonishment, phones already raised and recording.
Eyes wide with terror, Erica lost her balance and sprained her ankle, crashing to the concrete floor with Lucy tumbling on top of her.
"Ahh…!" Erica groaned under Lucy's weight, nearly knocked breathless. "Get off me!" she yelled, voice cracking with pain.
Startled by Erica's furious tone, Lucy scrambled off quickly.
Erica refused to stay humiliated. She pushed herself up, her movements stiff and shaky. She stormed toward her car, face flushed with rage, Lucy following, equally humiliated.
Erica did her best to appear calm, but her fury was unmistakable as she ruffled her hair in frustration. She left the store empty-handed, missing out on the clothes, jewellery, and nightdress she had carefully selected and was moments from paying for.
That strange woman! Lucy!
And those security men who tossed her out like a thief. They had ruined her entire shopping experience, leaving her completely humiliated.
She held herself back from reacting, not because she feared whispers about being the second woman in Madelyn's failed marriage, but because she couldn't afford to ruin her current relationship with Rafael.
Not now. Not when everything had gone so perfectly for her over the past five years. She had everything she'd ever wanted—status, wealth, and Rafael.
Erica's chest rose and fell with agitation. She knew better than to fight that cold, intimidating woman, no matter how much she wanted to.
Instead, she hurled her frustration into her car. "Who the heck is she?! How dare she humiliate me like that!" Erica grumbled, kicking her car's wheel.
"Ahh," she hissed, staggering as sharp pain shot through her toes in her heels. She gritted her teeth in frustration.
Still fuming and nursing her hurting foot, Erica heard Lucy's voice beside her.
"What should I do now? I just lost a job I worked so hard for. It's so hard to find work these days," Lucy lamented, her face sour as if on the verge of tears.
Erica fixed Lucy with a glare, and Lucy instinctively took a step back.
"If you hadn't brought up that slut's name, we wouldn't be in this mess. You ruined my shopping! How am I supposed to show up at the event in an old design that everyone's already seen?!" Erica shouted, frustration and shame choking her voice. Her head pounded with stress.
The thought of missing the event without her carefully planned outfit was driving her mad.
She regretted that entire conversation with Lucy, especially the part about Madelyn. That had triggered the strange woman's outburst, though why, she still didn't understand.
Lucy furrowed her brows and said casually, "It wasn't my fault. I was just caught up in the conversation."
Erica pointed a finger at her, face twisted in rage. "Shut up. I don't want to see you around me ever again."
Without another word, she climbed into her car and sped away from the department store, leaving Lucy alone and burning with frustration on the pavement.
***
At the other end of the city, a black limousine pulled up quietly outside a discreet hotel entrance, flanked by four unmarked luxury vehicles. The guards stepped out of their cars with practised ease and alert precision, scanning the surroundings before one of them opened the back door of the limousine.
The mysterious woman inside, Madelyn Fox, stepped out—composed and deliberate—as her stilettos clicked softly on the pavement. With her cold gaze fixed on the entrance, Madelyn moved away from her spot while her men remained on guard outside. The refined lines of her elegant red slit gown matched the quiet precision of her movements. Her shiny black hair was pulled into a loose bun at the nape of her neck, with a single strand drifting across her cheek which she didn't bother to brush away.
Upon entering the hotel, it wasn't long before she found herself in the hall, where elite guests and staff were already mingling under warm lights and soft music. As composed as a shadow at twilight, Madelyn moved through them toward a secluded corner, unnoticed, quietly observing the atmosphere as it unfolded.
Just then, a lady in server attire noticed Madelyn's presence and approached her.
"You came so quickly," the female server Margaux, said.
Madelyn's eyes fell on Margaux who was wearing a makeup and nerdy glasses, disguised as an ordinary server.
Madelyn took a glass of champagne from the tray with a calm hand. "This event means a lot to him. I can't miss his important day," she said, voice flat, calculated. "I intend to offer the most valuable gift."
She lifted the glass to her lips and took a sip, leisurely, scanning the room until her eyes landed on Rafael in a tailored green suit, Cecilia close beside him. A flicker of cold amusement sparked in her gaze.
"Since I failed to have his cold heart when I was a dutiful and loving wife," Madelyn uttered, her voice laced with ice and bitterness. "Now, as his vengeful ex-wife, I'll feed his heart nothing but misery until it stops beating."
Margaux followed her sister's lingering gaze, then said, "The event just started ten minutes ago, and he was just arriving. He seems excited."
"Is everything ready?" Madelyn asked in a low and deliberate voice.
Margaux smiled cunningly. "Yeah, just like you planned. Today will be his most memorable event."
Without another word, Madelyn opened her oval-shaped, glittering silver bag and pulled out a pill. Watching the guests absorbed in their conversations, she seized the moment and slipped the pill into a champagne glass on Margaux's tray.
Madelyn lifted her steely gaze, locking eyes with Margaux. "Serve him well."
"Sure, sis," Margaux replied, tone cold as hers. She moved away, heading toward Rafael.
As she approached with practiced grace, the elites beside Rafael drifted off after brief pleasantries and business talk.
When she drew closer, she muttered, "Drink?"
Margaux's soft, distinct voice caught Rafael's attention without Cecilia noticing.
Rafael nodded.
Margaux walked away, flashing a sly wink at Madelyn, who remained utterly still like an unyielding, icy mountain carved in stone.
Cecilia clung to Rafael like a leech. Her voice was syrup-sweet. "Once again, congratulations on your inauguration party."
"Thanks," Rafael said flatly. He sipped the drink after a long, stressful day.
A warm yet demanding smile crept across Cecilia's lips. "Finally, your hard work has paid off. The family business is yours. No rival for the inheritance once the chairman gives you the fortune. But you can't run the business and manage everything alone. You need a partner."
"Who could that be?" Rafael asked.
Cecilia's jaw dropped in disbelief.
"Erica, of course. You two are couples made by heaven," she answered, voice firm.
That proclamation hit Rafael like a ruthless blow to his desire.
"Erica, you mean," he muttered, a quiet scoff slipping past his lips.
Cecilia chuckled. "You should marry her quickly—you can't wait any longer. Unless you want those men out there stealing my beautiful daughter from you," she teased.
Rafael said nothing, sipping his champagne with a nonchalant expression. Cecilia's words began to fade into the background as his eyes swept the room instinctively—until they landed on a mesmerizing slender figure across from him.
Noticing his disinterest, Cecilia pressed on. "It's time to prove the others' gossip wrong and h a family with Erica—since Madelyn can't do that."
The name 'Madelyn' hung in the air like a forbidden word once again. A flicker of displeasure mixed with suppressed anger crossed Rafael's face as he narrowed his brows. His hand clenched into a fist at his side, emotions buried but unresolved, quietly brewing beneath the surface.