Chapter 48
+25 BONUS
Margaret put on a patient, almost motherly expression as she spoke, as if offering heartfelt advice.
But after the first couple of words, any pretense of kindness disappeared, leaving only arrogance beneath the surface.
The condescending smile and patronizing tone were all too obvious.
However, Stellar simply smiled.
She reached out and grabbed Suzy’s wrist, stopping her before she could explode.
With a quick glance, she signaled her to hold back.
As a public figure, Suzy couldn’t afford a scene.
If word got out that she was caught arguing in a boutique, the damage to her reputation would bring her more. trouble than it was worth.
A second later, Stellar’s voice turned cold.
“That won’t be necessary.”
Without sparing Margaret another glance, she turned to the store attendant and said politely, “Please take this hairpin down for us,”
But the attendant didn’t move.
By now, she had pieced together the situation.
From the looks of it, these two weren’t wealthy customers at all–just a bitter ex–girlfriend trying to stage an accidental‘ run–in with her former boyfriend’s mother.
At the end of the day, wasn’t this just about money?
She must be feigning dignity and acting superior.
The attendant scoffed, not even bothering to acknowledge Stellar.
Instead, she turned straight to Margaret, her tone suddenly full of warmth and flattery.
“Madam, there’s no need to bother with people like this. If you’d like, I’d be happy to recommend some pieces that suit your elegant taste. But honestly, with your refined style, any hairpin would look stunning on you.”
After all, in her eyes, Margaret was the real customer.
From head to toe, she was dripping in luxury. The kind of woman who, with a single purchase, could probably cover a month’s worth of the store’s sales.
Winning her favor meant bigger commissions.
So, naturally, she only cared about pleasing the one who could actually spend.
Margaret’s smile deepened with satisfaction.
“Smart girl. In that case, bring me the hairpin they were looking at just now.”
She lifted her chin slightly, her tone dripping with entitlement.
“Of course, madam…” The attendant immediately plastered on a wide, eager smile and moved to retrieve the
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Chapter 48
piece.
Suzy’s head was practically buzzing with anger.
It wasn’t about the hairpin itself. It was about their attitude
Just as Suzy was about to throw down double the price to snatch the hairpin back, Stellar’s expression turned ice- cold.
Without hesitation, she grabbed the store attendant’s wrist, stopping her in her tracks.
“I already said that this hairpin was reserved for us.”
Margaret was so amused by her audacity that she nearly laughed out loud.
“Have you lost your mind, girl? Do you even know how much that hairpin costs?”
“Exactly!” The attendant scoffed, barely holding back a chuckle.
“And what reservation? Our store doesn’t even allow pre–orders for offline products. You’d know that if you weren’t making things up.”
Stellar had wanted to explain earlier that she had reserved this hairpin–just yesterday, in fact.
She personally reached out to the boutique’s owner and secured it in advance.
Maybe regular customers couldn’t place reservations, but as the designer, she had priority.
Recently, she was on a creative streak, sending out over a dozen new design drafts.
But only two pieces were truly exceptional–crafted from aged sandalwood, meticulously carved by master artisans, and infused with symbolic blessings.
They were perfect gifts for elders
She already gave one of them to Mary.
The other had just been completed, and as soon as she received the news, she arranged for it to be reserved as a gift for Suzy’s grandmother’s birthday.
The store attendant was likely new and unaware of these details, which was understandable.
What wasn’t forgivable was the attitude.
Margaret’s smirk deepened as she waited for the moment Stellar would have to slink away in embarrassment.
But Stellar didn’t so much as flinch.
She met the attendant’s gaze with a calm, unwavering stare
“Then call your manager. Ask him if what I’m saying is true.”
The attendant frowned, lips curling in mockery, about to fire back another snide remark when suddenly, the store manager came rushing over in a near panic.
The moment he saw Stellar, his entire demeanor shifted.
“Miss Rivers! You didn’t have to come in yourself!” the manager said respectfully.
“As soon as you requested that hairpin, the owner informed me right away. I was just about to retrieve it for you. As the co–founder of this boutique, of course, you have priority access to any piece you want!”
