Sandra was well aware that the “girlfriend” referred to by the sales assistant was probably Ms. Sophia.
With calculated emphasis, Sandra said, “Mr. James is married to one woman alone! You’ve mistaken a mere opportunist for his legitimate partner. You’re supporting the wrong side!”
The store manager intervened promptly, guiding the sales assistant away.
“My apologies, Mrs. James. She’s new and didn’t recognize you…”
Elizabeth’s gaze turned cold as she lifted her eyelids to meet the manager’s eyes.
“Are you suggesting she had the right to mistreat me had I not been Mrs. James?”
Caught off guard, the manager stumbled through her response, then offered a smile filled with regret.
“My apologies for the poor communication. We aim to treat all our clients equally, regardless of status. It seems I haven’t trained her sufficiently, and for that, I am sorry.”
She nudged the sales assistant, whispering, “Say you’re sorry to Mrs. James, now.”
The sales assistant murmured an apology, albeit reluctantly.
Still feeling the sting of humiliation, her bitterness toward Elizabeth intensified.
How did someone so ordinary manage to marry someone as distinguished as Elijah James?
Her mind concocted various theories of Elizabeth’s cunning ascent, which only fueled her disdain further.
Oliver, growing impatient, stepped forward.
“Just fire her already. No need to waste time with this nonsense.”
Momentarily forgetting her earlier disagreement with Oliver, Sandra moved to his side, linking her arm with his, and replied,
“Absolutely! What good is an apology here?”
The sales assistant, unable to contain her exasperation, blurted out,
“Why?”
The store manager faltered, then stammered,
“Terminate her? I… I lack the authority for that.”
The truth was the assistant was connected to her own family. Dismissing her could provoke unwanted domestic disputes, as her mother-in-law would certainly have opinions on the matter.
“You lack the authority? Luckily, I’ve brought someone who does,” Oliver said as he entered, flanked by a middle-aged man.
Dressed in a finely tailored gray suit, the man exuded a youthful charm despite his years, his demeanor reflecting affluence and influence.
He walked over to Elijah and extended a business card with deference.
“Greetings, Mr. James. I am the CEO of Morwick Mothor, responsible for our operations here.”
“Dismiss her,” Elijah cut him off abruptly, gesturing dismissively at the assistant.
The CEO faced the sales assistant and commanded,
“You have failed to uphold our standard of customer respect. Please proceed to HR and hand your resignation.”
The sales assistant cast a desperate look towards the manager, who averted her gaze, choosing silence over intervention, aware that any objection might jeopardize her own position.
Having never dealt with such a high-ranking official in her three years of employment, the assistant’s regret was evident, wishing she could simply vanish.
Attempting to protest, her efforts were cut short as two sturdy security guards stepped forward.
“Please, Miss, let’s handle this smoothly,” they urged.
Their presence was a clear sign that they would physically remove her if she did not comply voluntarily.
With no alternatives left, she resignedly accompanied them to the exit.
Sandra turned to Elijah, pointedly saying,
“See, this mess is your doing!”
“Enough, darling,” Oliver interjected, trying to steer her away.
Brushing him off, Sandra continued,
“You want me to be quiet? This is his doing! He’s kept his marriage hidden. Elizabeth suffers these insults because people don’t recognize her as Mrs. James. Sure, he witnessed it this time, but what about when he’s not around?”
Oliver swallowed hard. Outside of Elizabeth, nobody else would dare confront Elijah so boldly.
Yet here was Sandra, unconnected by marriage; Elijah’s response to her could be less forgiving.
Elijah paused, seemingly on the brink of anger, but then he said,
“You have a point. I’ll ensure Elizabeth and I have a proper wedding.”
Meanwhile, on the other side of the line, Ms. Sophia felt her grip falter, her phone slipping from her hand, severing the connection abruptly.
