Chapter 16 Chapter 16
President Watson looked at Edward Collins and Claire, still standing in the middle of the store, and clapped his hands softly, an enigmatic smile on his lips.
He knew the patriarch of the Collins family very well—a man of some prestige, no doubt. But in the face of the name Wolf, all the glamour of the Collins family faded. In the presence of President Wolf, even the most influential of the Collinses seemed... irrelevant.
Although that couple had not directly accused Mrs. Ford, their actions had been equally petty.
And now, as they realized who she really was, their misfortune was sealed.
Watson sighed, gave them a pitying look, and turned to leave.
“Mr. Watson!” a soft, almost tearful voice called him.
He paused, frowning, and looked over his shoulder. The woman in Edward Collins' arms was watching him with teary eyes.
“How can I help you?” he asked impatiently.
Claire Ford gently extricated herself from Edward's arms, smoothed her hair, and took the president's arm with a calculated smile.
“I am Caroline Ford's sister,” she said in a honeyed tone. “And you have just fired some employees who disrespected my sister. I have come to thank you on her behalf.”
For a moment, President Watson seemed to hesitate. Then he raised his eyebrows, a respectful gleam crossing his eyes.
“It is an honor to work for Mrs. Caroline Ford,” he replied firmly. “I would never dare to accept her thanks.”
Claire's expression darkened.
Caroline Ford... that name always weighed heavily on her ears.
Why did everyone speak of her with such reverence?
Watson seemed almost... devoted.
It bothered her deeply.
“Do you have a good relationship with my sister?” Claire insisted, her voice trembling between curiosity and envy. “How did you meet her?”
At that moment, the president finally understood. His gaze hardened. Subtlety gave way to a cutting coldness.
“That's none of your business, Miss Ford,” he replied icily. “But since you're her sister, take my advice: Mrs. Caroline Ford is not someone to be offended. Treat her with respect if you want peace.”
And without waiting for a reply, he turned and left, leaving only the sound of his footsteps echoing through the store.
Claire's face drained of color.
She gritted her teeth, her voice thick with jealousy.
“Edward, did you hear what he said?” she asked, her eyes flashing. “Tell me... do you think my sister got involved with some rich man?”
“That's impossible,” Edward replied, his expression grave. “Caroline isn't that kind of woman. She doesn't care about status or money.”
“But...” Claire tried to insist, but he cut her off with a firm look.
“Claire, I've known Caroline for ten years,” he said, his voice filled with memories. “I know who she is. She never asked me for anything, never complained about anything. Even when I gave her an expensive gift, she felt uncomfortable, worried about how much I was spending.”
As he spoke, his eyes lost themselves in a nostalgic, almost sweet glow.
And it was at that moment that Claire felt the fire of jealousy consume every fiber of her being.
His memories, his affection, his respect—everything she wanted for herself—were directed at Caroline.
The woman who, at that moment, seemed to have the whole world at her feet.
Edward Collins said he loved her.
But when he talked about Caroline Ford... his eyes betrayed a longing that cut like a fine blade.
Claire noticed.
And it made her burn inside.
What did he mean by that?
That Caroline was different from her?
Caroline Ford — the woman who never asked for anything, who refused expensive gifts, who worried about how much he was spending.
A simple, discreet woman... not vain.
And her?
Claire always asked for gifts. She always wanted something new, something expensive, something that would show the world she was special.
Suddenly, it all made sense.
Edward was implying that she was vain. That, compared to Caroline, she was superficial.
Claire's heart tightened, and her expression darkened even more.
A whirlwind of anger and humiliation stirred inside her, but she didn't dare explode in front of him.
Edward realized his mistake. His voice softened, as if trying to erase what he had said. “Come on, Claire...” he murmured, touching her shoulder. “Didn't you want to go to the restaurant on the top floor of the Global Western Food Center? Afterwards, we can take a look at the jewelry. You still have your eye on that necklace, don't you?”
The anger began to dissipate.
Claire looked up at Edward's young, handsome face, and slowly a smile formed.
Yes.
He was young, rich, handsome.
Kind to her.
And Caroline?
If she was really “close” to someone powerful, it could only be some decadent old man trying to relive his youth.
How could a man like that compare to Edward Collins?
A flash of superiority gleamed in her eyes.
But the feeling was short-lived.
“Mrs. Ford, Mr. Collins...” Two saleswomen approached, their expressions nervous. “We apologize, but the clothes you have chosen cannot be sold.”
Edward blinked, confused.
“What?” His voice hardened. “What do you mean, you can't sell them to us?”
“We just received the notice,” one of them replied, trying to keep her tone professional. “If you have any questions, you can speak to our manager.”
As they spoke, another saleswoman approached with the bag they had paid for.
Calmly, she began to remove the clothes and hang them back in the display window.
Shame hit Claire like a slap in the face. The blood rushed to her cheeks, and for a moment she wanted to disappear.
She clenched her fists, her voice trembling with anger and humiliation:
“Edward... this was my sister's doing, wasn't it? We just wanted to help her! How could she treat us like this?”
She looked at him, seeking complicity. “You even said you knew her well, that she would never do something like this. But if she didn't have someone powerful behind her, where would she get such authority?” Claire insisted, her eyes brimming with tears. "Edward, I don't want to speak ill of Caroline... but let's be honest. She's unemployed, her daughter is in the hospital, and you two just broke up. Her finances must be in chaos.
She paused, hesitating, then whispered:
“She's broke now...”
Edward remained silent. His lips tightened, and a dark look covered his face.
The air between them became dense, heavy, impossible to breathe.
After Caroline Ford left the women's clothing store, the air around her seemed heavier.
She walked with steady steps, but her heart throbbed with irritation.
“Aren't you going to continue shopping?” the driver asked, opening the door respectfully.
Caroline shook her head, her lips forming a humorless smile.
So many stores in that mall, and she just had to go into that one, where Claire and Edward were?
Fate seemed to be laughing at her.
Now, all she felt was disgust—at them, at the hypocritical looks from the salespeople, at the whole charade.
Her appetite had disappeared along with her desire to stay there.
That was when her cell phone vibrated in her purse.
She took the device and, when she saw the name on the screen, her heart skipped a beat.
Nicholas.