Bruce took Leah’s hand firmly.
“Let’s go look at another store.” His tone left no room for argument.
“No!” Rita interjected, her voice rising.
“Leah loves this dress, and it would look absolutely stunning on her! It’d be a shame to pass it up. Don’t you want her to look beautiful as your fiancee?”
“Enough!” Bruce snapped, his gaze cutting sharply toward Rita. His patience was wearing thin, and his tone was edged with irritation.
Rita pouted, folding her arms as she muttered under her breath, “That dress is perfect for Leah. I wasn’t wrong.”
“It’s fine,” Leah said softly, squeezing Bruce’s hand. Her tone was calm and soothing, though her eyes lingered wistfully on the dress in the display case.
“It’s just a dress. We can find something else, something better.”
Despite her gentle words, the regret in her voice was clear, and Bruce felt a pang of guilt tighten in his chest. He glanced at Leah, his expression softening as he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
Standing on the spiral staircase, Karina tilted her head slightly, a mocking smirk playing on her lips
“How do you manage to keep up that flawless act?” Her voice dripped with sarcasm, her gaze piercing through the facade.
Leah’s eyes flashed with bitterness for a split second, but she quickly masked it, leaning into Bruce with the air of a helpless victim.
“Bruce…” Her voice quivered just enough to tug at heartstrings.
Bruce wrapped a protective arm around her, his jaw tightening as his dark gaze fixed on Karina.
“Miss Brooks, if you’re willing to sell me this dress, name your price. Whatever it is, I’ll pay it.” His tone was firm but laced with warning.
“It’s a shame this dress caught your attention,” Karina said coolly, striding toward the workbench. She picked up a pair of scissors, twirling them in her fingers with a deliberate air of finality.
Leah’s breath hitched as realization struck. Her hand shot out to clutch Bruce’s sleeve, her eyes wide with panic.
“Miss Brooks, what do you think you’re doing?” Bruce moved swiftly, stepping in front of her, his tone sharp and commanding.
“Just tell me what you want for it-I’ll pay any amount!”
Rita scoffed, her arms crossed as she sneered.
“You’re just exploiting the fact that we like this dress to squeeze more money out of us. Stop the theatrics and name your price!”
Meanwhile, Corrine, who had been waiting in the office, felt an unsettling tension in the air. She stepped out, her heels clicking softly against the floor.
As she approached, Bruce’s and Rita’s voices reached her ears.
“Miss Brooks,” Bruce continued, his frustration barely contained.
“If you agree to sell the dress, I’ll match any number you say.”
“Ten times,” came a smooth, commanding voice from above.
All eyes snapped to Corrine as she descended the spiral staircase, her presence both graceful and unyielding.
Leah’s face darkened in an instant, her nails digging into her palms as she glared at Corrine. The hatred bubbling inside her threatened to spill over.
Rita, spotting Corrine, didn’t bother to hide her disdain, her lips curling into a sneer.
“Corrine, why is it always you?” Her tone was sharp, dripping with venom.
“Mr. Ashton, didn’t you just declare with such confidence that we could name any price? What’s the matter now-getting cold feet already?” Corrine’s lips curled into a faint, mocking smile as her eyes lingered on Bruce.
Bruce’s gaze remained locked on her, searching desperately for a flicker of sadness, anger-anything that hinted at lingering emotions. But her face was unreadable, detached, as though she were addressing a complete stranger. The chill in her demeanor left Bruce with a gnawing sense of loss, like a man clutching at sand slipping through his fingers.
Was it truly possible for her to cast aside three years of shared memories so easily? Or had she already replaced him in her heart-with that man he had met at Gourmet Spot?
“Corrine, have you lost your mind?” Karina hissed as she rushed to Corrine’s side, lowering her voice to a sharp whisper
“How can you let her have the dress? Don’t you know those two are planning to announce their engagement?” In Karina’s world, the best revenge was to deny Leah what she wanted most. She’d rather shred the dress to ribbons than let that scheming woman walk away with it.
But Corrine had a different perspective. Destroying the dress would accomplish nothing-it would only cost her. Making Leah pay through the nose for it? Now, that was a sweeter form of justice.
“Since Mr. Ashton is so eager to open his wallet for a lady’s smile, who am I to refuse?” Corrine replied coolly, one brow arching as a sly smile tugged at her lips. Her voice dripped with irony.
“Or are you reconsidering, Mr. Ashton?” She knew Bruce’s pride well. A man so used to admiration would never tolerate being questioned, especially not publicly.
Bruce’s expression hardened, a glint of frost in his sharp features as he stared her down.
Corrine didn’t flinch. Instead, her tone turned razor-sharp.
“You were so sure of yourself earlier, but now you hesitate. Makes me wonder if your so-called ‘true love’ holds any real value to you.”
“F-Five million!” Rita stammered, the outrageous price striking her like a slap.
Her face flushed with fury as she turned on Corrine.
“Are you out of your mind? Five million for a dress? Why don’t you just rob a bank while you’re at it?”
Corrine chuckled lightly, an air of amusement in her response.
“Isn’t this a more civilized way to take your money? So, what’s it going to be, Mr. Ashton? Are you in or out?”
Bruce’s jaw tightened, the tension evident as he silently pulled out his bank card.
Karina’s lips curled upward in triumph as she nodded to a nearby clerk, who quickly took the card for processing.
“You truly are generous, Mr. Ashton,” Corrine said, her tone thick with irony. She paused briefly, as though savoring her words, and then added with a faint smile, “Let me congratulate you both in advance-wishing you a lifetime of happiness.”
Karina suppressed a snort at the so-called blessing, a sarcastic thought bubbling in her mind. A perfect match of deceit and betrayal-may they last forever.
Watching Bruce and Leah from a distance, it seemed like the perfect sentiment for them. A snake and a fox-what a fitting pair.
As the transaction wrapped up, Bruce couldn’t help but glance back at Corrine one last time. She hadn’t moved from her spot, standing tall with an air of unshakable composure. There was a quiet elegance about her that demanded respect from afar, a grace that didn’t falter under pressure.
It was ironic. When they had parted ways, Bruce had feared she’d cling to him. Yet after their breakup, she hadn’t shown a single ounce of hesitation or regret. He should have felt relieved. Instead, an inexplicable emptiness gnawed at him.
Leah noticed his lingering gaze and tightened her hold on his arm, a delicate pout forming on her lips.
“Bruce, thank you for everything you’ve done for me. You’ve made me so happy.”
The only thorn in her side was that infuriating Corrine. Seeing her here had soured Leah’s mood, even if she’d gotten what she wanted.
Bruce forced a faint smile, his voice distant.
“As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters.”
Watching the sickly-sweet display, Karina rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath, “What a shame about my dress.”
Corrine smirked.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.