Sadie bit her lower lip hard, striving to maintain her composure. At this point, panic would serve no purpose.
“Call the police!” she commanded decisively. “Call them now!” Simultaneously, Sadie began urgently creating a new batch of drafts. Time was pressing, and every second was crucial.
She worked relentlessly, foregoing sleep and rest. Reassuring the clients was also essential. Handling the smaller clients proved manageable, but the larger ones, particularly Hank Lawrence, the CEO of Lawrence Group, posed the greatest challenge.
“Mr. Lawrence won’t see me?” Sadie massaged her temples, fatigue evident in her voice.
The assistant responded cautiously, “Yes, Miss Hudson. Mr. Lawrence’s secretary mentioned he’s been extremely busy and can’t spare time for a meeting.”
This was the third time Sadie had been rebuffed.
“Find out what Mr. Lawrence has been involved in lately! And check his social circles too!” she instructed.
Shortly after, the assistant returned with information. Hank’s wife, Leanna Lawrence, had her eye on a rare Hermes bag that was hard to acquire, even with ample funds.
An idea sparked in Sadie’s mind. Perhaps leveraging Leanna could provide a breakthrough.
“Contact the Hermes store,” she directed her assistant. “Tell them I need that bag, regardless of the cost.”
The assistant paused momentarily, then quickly grasped the urgency. “Okay, Miss Hudson, I’ll handle it immediately.”
The assistant was prompt, and by the next day, there was good news.
“Miss Hudson, it’s done!”
Sadie felt a wave of relief. Securing Hank’s order would provide the studio with much-needed stability.
“Excellent, send me the address, and I’ll head there right away,” she responded.
Upon arriving at the Hermes store, Sadie encountered Isabel and Kyla. Their presence was unwelcome, like an ill omen.
Isabel, clad in opulent attire, lounged on the sofa while store employees showcased the latest handbags. Kyla stood elegantly beside Isabel, her smile poised and courteous. As soon as Isabel spotted Sadie, her expression soured, her eyes flashing with open disdain. The atmosphere became tense.
Taking a deep breath, Sadie, having already noticed them, strove to remain composed.
“Oh, isn’t this Sadie?” Isabel’s voice dripped with sarcasm. “I didn’t expect you to still be around after three years.”
“It’s been a long time, Mrs. Wall,” Sadie responded, keeping her voice even.
“Well?” Isabel sneered, eyeing Sadie contemptuously. “I thought you had disappeared. So, have you climbed another social ladder and decided it was safe to show your face again?”
“Please show some respect, Mrs. Wall,” Sadie countered, her own expression hardening. She was not the same person who could be easily intimidated like she was three years ago.
Isabel laughed mockingly. “You were ousted from the Wall family. What right do you have to demand respect from me? If it hadn’t been for Noah’s momentary lapse, did you really think you would have married into the Wall family?”
Sadie inhaled deeply, knowing arguing with Isabel was futile.
“Why the silence? Lost for words?” Isabel taunted. “What else can a woman like you do besides degrading yourself?”
Kyla attempted to intervene, tugging at Isabel’s sleeve and whispering, “Let it go. Don’t stoop to her level.”
Sadie scoffed coldly, fixing her gaze on Kyla. “You really have a heart of gold, Miss Wade. Anyone who doesn’t know better might think you’re a saint.”
“What do you mean?” Kyla’s face fell.
“You know exactly what I mean,” Sadie shot back. “Don’t assume your actions are a secret.”
“Damn you!” Kyla snapped, anger flaring.
Seeing Kyla flustered made Isabel even angrier. “You wretch, how dare you speak to Kyla that way!”
With that, Isabel raised her hand, aiming to slap Sadie.
But Sadie was prepared, smoothly stepping aside to dodge the slap and catching Isabel’s wrist in a firm grip.
“Please, Mrs. Wall, show some respect,” Sadie said icily.
Isabel hadn’t expected Sadie to retaliate. She winced as her wrist throbbed with pain.
Flushing with fury, she demanded, “Let go of me!”
A sales assistant, caught in the unfolding drama, rushed forward to intervene. “Ladies, please, let’s keep calm. This is a public place…” She found herself in a precarious position, caught between a member of the Wall family and the assertive Sadie, aware that she could not afford to offend either.
The assistant faltered, unsure of how to proceed.
Sadie, refocusing on her original intent, moved past Isabel. She addressed the sales assistant, her tone easing slightly. “Excuse me, could you please bring me the orange Kelly? I called ahead about it.”
Relieved, the assistant quickly brought the handbag and handed it respectfully to Sadie.
Isabel seethed as she observed Sadie’s composed manner. How could she stand being treated like this? Unable to accept the shift in their dynamics from three years ago, when Sadie was subservient to her, Isabel felt her anger intensify.
“Wait a minute!” Isabel called out sharply, pointing at the orange bag. “I want that bag. I’ll pay double.”
She slammed a black credit card onto the counter with force.
Kyla, trying to defuse the tension, suggested softly, “Sadie, since Mrs. Wall likes it, perhaps you could let her have it?”
Isabel immediately approved of Kyla’s words, patting her hand. “Kyla, you’re so sensible, unlike some who lack any sense of decency.” She shot a scornful look at Sadie.
Hearing their comments, Sadie scoffed. “Why should I? I chose this bag first.”
The sales assistant, caught in the middle, attempted to clarify. “Ma’am, this lady did choose the bag first…”
Isabel’s expression darkened. “If I want something, it should be mine. If I say I’m buying it, she should step aside.”
Undeterred, Sadie held Isabel’s glare. “I’ve already decided to purchase this bag. I’m not giving it up.”
She then handed her bank card to the sales assistant. “Please, proceed with the transaction.”
The sales assistant, eager to avoid any further commotion, quickly took Sadie’s card to process the payment.
Isabel, seething with anger, trembled as she pointed at Sadie. “You… you…” As Sadie neared her victory, Kyla was determined not to let her win easily. Scanning the area quickly, Kyla hatched a plan.
“Ow!” she exclaimed suddenly, stumbling toward Sadie.
Caught off guard, Sadie wobbled, nearly losing her grip on the bag.
In the nick of time, a strong arm encircled Sadie’s waist, steadying her.
“Careful!”
The deep, resonant voice was familiar in her ear.
Looking up, Sadie met Alex’s concerned eyes.
Meanwhile, Kyla, failing to regain her footing, fell to the floor with a pained moan.
“Kyla!” Isabel rushed over, helping her up. “Are you okay?”
Kyla clutched her ankle, wincing. “My ankle… I think I twisted it…”
Isabel shot an angry look at Sadie, her worry for Kyla turning into scorn. “You clumsy fool! Watch where you’re going! You’ve injured Kyla!”
Alex stepped in front of Sadie, his tone icy. “Mrs. Wall, please mind your words. It was Miss Wade who lost her balance first.”
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.
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